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Grammar review · From · De
[edit | edit source]The preposition de /də/ means from:
- Il est de Paris.He is from Paris.
De becomes d' before a vowel, due to elision:
- Nous sommes d'Orléans.We are from Orléans.
The definite article is included with countries:
- Vous êtes de la Suisse ?Are you from Switzerland?
The contraction du /dy/ is used in place of de le:
- Elles sont du Luxembourg.They are from Luxembourg.
Likewise, the contraction des /dɛ/ is used in place of de les:
- Nous sommes des Pays-Bas.We are from the Netherlands.
De also has other translations, which depend on context. For example, it is used to indicate an amount:
- 5 kilos de pommes5 kilograms of apples
Grammar review · Possessive adjectives · Les adjectifs possessifs
[edit | edit source]Formation
[edit | edit source]First person | Second person | Third person | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Singular | mon (m) ma (f) mes |
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my | ton (m) ta (f) tes |
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your (tu form) | son (m) sa (f) ses |
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his her its |
Plural | notre nos |
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our | votre vos |
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your (vous form) | leur leurs |
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their |
Usage
[edit | edit source]Possessive adjectives are used to express possession of an object:
- C'est mon passeport.It's my passport.
In English the possessive adjective agrees with the subject (his sister, her brother). But in French, possessive adjectives act like all other adjectives: they must agree with the noun they modify.
Masculine noun le frère |
Feminine noun la sœur | ||
---|---|---|---|
le frère de Marc Marc's brother |
son frère his brother |
la sœur de Marc Marc's sister |
sa sœur his sister |
les frères de Marc Marc's brothers |
ses frères his brothers |
les sœurs de Marc Marc's sisters |
ses sœurs his sisters |
le frère de Marie Marie's brother |
son frère her brother |
la sœur de Marie Marie's sister |
sa sœur her sister |
les frères de Marie Marie's brothers |
ses frères her brothers |
les sœurs de Marie Marie's sisters |
ses sœurs her sisters |
Whether son, sa and ses translate to his or her is indicated by context:
- Oui, elle a son billet.Yes, she has her ticket.
Notre, votre, and leur modify singular nouns, regardless of gender; nos, vos, and leurs modify plural nouns:
- le chalet (m) : C'est notre chalet.It's our chalet.
- la caravane: C'est notre caravane.It's our caravan.
Examples
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Ton auberge de jeunesse est bruyante. | Your youth hostel is noisy. | auberge is feminine, but begins with a vowel | |||
J’ai son billet. | I have his/her ticket. | le billet is masculine | |||
Elle est la femme de mon ami. | She's my friend's wife. | l'ami is maculine |
Dialogue · vacations · vacances
[edit | edit source]Monuments, visited, travelled, eated...
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Grammar · Regular -ir verbs · Les verbes en -ir
[edit | edit source]The second category of regular French verbs is -ir verbs.
Formation
[edit | edit source]To conjugate, drop the -ir to find the stem or root. Add endings to the root based on the subject and tense.
Pronoun | Ending | Verb | Pronunciation |
---|---|---|---|
je | -is | finis | ![]() |
tu | -is | finis | ![]() |
il/elle | -it | finit | ![]() |
nous | -issons | finissons | ![]() |
vous | -issez | finissez | ![]() |
ils/elles | -issent | finissent | ![]() |
Supplementary vocabulary · Example -ir verbs
[edit | edit source]abolir | ![]() |
to abolish | Il faut abolir l'esclavage. | Slavery needs to be abolished. | |
approfondir | ![]() |
to deepen, to consider more thoroughly | Je vais approfondir ce sujet. | I 'm going to consider more thoroughly this subject. | |
choisir | ![]() |
to choose | Je vais choisir pour toi. | I'll choose for you. | |
convertir | ![]() |
to convert | Comment tu convertis les mètres en pieds? | How do you convert meters to feets? | |
investir | ![]() |
to invest | Je vais investir dans cette entreprise. | I'll invest in this enterprise. | |
obéir | ![]() |
to obey | Tout corps matériel obéit à la loi de gravitation universelle. | Any material body obeys the law of universal gravitation. | |
polir | ![]() |
to polish, to refine | J'ai poli cette pière. | I polished this stone. | |
établir | ![]() |
to establish, to prove | J'ai établit ce fait. | I established this fact. | |
refroidir | ![]() |
to cool, to cool off | Le congélateur est en train de refroidir la viande. | The freezer is cooling off the meat. | |
affaiblir | ![]() |
to weaken | L’âge affaiblit la mémoire. Les débauches affaiblissent le corps. |
Age weakens the memory. Debauchery weaken the body. |
Vocabulary
[edit | edit source]l'aéroport (m) | ![]() |
airport | |||
le billet | ![]() |
ticket | for train, airplane | ||
la poste | ![]() |
post office | |||
la station | ![]() |
station | |||
le métro | ![]() |
subway, underground | |||
les bagages | ![]() |
baggage | |||
le ticket | ![]() |
ticket | for bus, métro | ||
la valise | ![]() |
suitcase | |||
Vehicles | |||||
l'auto (f) | ![]() |
car | |||
l'avion (m) | ![]() |
airplane | |||
l'autobus (m) | ![]() |
bus | |||
le bateau | ![]() |
boat | |||
le train | ![]() |
train | |||
le taxi | ![]() |
taxi | |||
la voiture | ![]() |
car | |||
Hotels | |||||
la chambre | ![]() |
room | |||
la chambre de libre | free room |
Grammar · To take · Prendre
[edit | edit source]Prendre is an irregular -re verb, and is conjugated differently. nous, vous and ils don't have the letter 'd' which you would otherwise expect in a normal -re verb. In ils the n is also doubled up.
Formation
[edit | edit source]prendre ![]() |
to take |
---|---|
je prends /pʁɑ̃/ (prah(n)) | I take |
tu prends /pʁɑ̃/ (prah(n)) | you take |
il prend ![]() |
he takes |
nous prenons ![]() |
we take |
vous prenez ![]() |
you take |
ils prennent ![]() |
they take |
pris /pʁi/ | taken |
Examples
[edit | edit source]Prends ma main. | Take my hand. | ||||
Ils ont pris mon chien. | They took my dog. | ||||
Nous prenons, c'est tout. | We take, that's all. | ||||
Je prends ce que je veux. | I take what I want. | ||||
Qu'allez vous prendre? | What are you going to take? | ||||
Il a pris une bouteille d'eau. | He took a bottle of water. | ||||
Tu prends quoi? | What are you taking? |
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Supplementary vocabulary · Related expressions
[edit | edit source]prendre | ![]() |
to have something to eat, to buy | |||
prendre en compte | to take into account | ||||
prendre fin | to come to an end | ||||
prendre conscience (de) | to become aware (of) | ||||
prendre position | to make a stand (of) | ||||
prendre des mesures | to take steps (to initiate a course of action) | ||||
prendre des kilos | to gain weight | ||||
prendre part (à) | to take part (in) | prendre part au vote | take part in the vote | ||
prendre la parole | to start talking | ||||
prendre le pas sur | to surpass | ||||
prendre rendez-vous | to make an appointment | ||||
prendre un verre | to have a drink | On va prendre un verre en ville. | We’re going to have a drink in town. | ||
prendre un café | to have a coffee |
Vocabulary · Directions
[edit | edit source]Sometimes when you go out, you may get lost, or come across someone who is lost. This should help you ask for and give directions.
Pardonnez-moi/Excusez-moi, mademoiselle/madame/monsieur. |
Excuse me, Miss/Mrs/Mr. | ||||
Je suis perdu. | I am lost. | ||||
Je cherche… | I'm looking for… | ||||
la poste | ![]() |
the post office | |||
la gare | ![]() |
the train station | |||
le supermarché | ![]() |
the supermarket | |||
le stade | ![]() |
the football stadium | |||
le camping | ![]() |
the camping grounds | |||
la plage | ![]() |
the beach | |||
le parc | ![]() |
the park | |||
Vous prenez… | You take… | ||||
la première rue | the first street | ||||
à gauche | ![]() |
to the left | |||
à droite | to the right | ||||
tout droit | straight ahead | ||||
Merci beaucoup! | Thanks so much! | ||||
De rien. | ![]() |
You're welcome / No worries. |
Dialogue
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Exercises
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French : Lessons · Vocabulary · Grammar · Appendices · Texts