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Writing essays in French Cheat Sheet by JAM

Useful expressions to help structure your A level French essay.

Introd­ucing the first argument

Adding and listing arguments, listing arguments - start, listing arguments - middle, listing arguments - end, indicating the reason for something, expressing contrast / concession, introd­ucing one's own point of view, in conclusion, how's your readability.

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  • Languages: English français (French)
  • Published: 21st September, 2013
  • Last Updated: 26th February, 2020
  • Rated: 5 out of 5 stars based on 9 ratings

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Rudrashankar

these are very helpful thank you

TME520

Simple et utile, j'aime.

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How to Write an Essay in French Without Giving Yourself Away as a Foreigner

Have something to say?

When it comes to expressing your thoughts in French , there’s nothing better than the essay.

It is, after all, the favorite form of such famed French thinkers as Montaigne, Chateaubriand, Houellebecq and Simone de Beauvoir.

In this post, I’ve outlined the four most common types of essays in French, ranked from easiest to most difficult, to help you get to know this concept better. 

Why Are French Essays Different?

Must-have french phrases for writing essays, 4 types of french essays and how to write them, 1. text summary (synthèse de texte).

  • 2. Text Commentary (Commentaire de texte)

3. Dialectic Dissertation (Thèse, Antithèse, Synthèse)

  • 4. Progressive Dissertation (Plan progressif)

And one more thing...

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Writing an essay in French is not the same as those typical 5-paragraph essays you’ve probably written in English.

In fact, there’s a whole other logic that has to be used to ensure that your essay meets French format standards and structure. It’s not merely writing your ideas in another language .

And that’s because the French use Cartesian logic (also known as Cartesian doubt) , developed by René Descartes , which requires a writer to begin with what is known and then lead the reader through to the logical conclusion: a paragraph that contains the thesis. Through the essay, the writer will reject all that is not certain or all that is subjective in his or her quest to find the objective truth.

Sound intriguing? Read on for more!

Before we get to the four main types of essays, here are a few French phrases that will be especially helpful as you delve into essay-writing in French:

Introductory phrases , which help you present new ideas.

Connecting phrases , which help you connect ideas and sections.

Contrasting phrases , which help you juxtapose two ideas.

Concluding phrases , which help you to introduce your conclusion.

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The text summary or synthèse de texte  is one of the easiest French writing exercises to get a handle on. It essentially involves reading a text and then summarizing it in an established number of words, while repeating no phrases that are in the original text. No analysis is called for.

A  synthèse de texte  should follow the same format as the text that is being synthesized. The arguments should be presented in the same way, and no major element of the original text should be left out of the  synthèse.

Here is an informative post about writing a synthèse de texte , written for French speakers. 

The text summary is a great exercise for exploring the following French language elements:

  • Synonyms , as you will need to find other words to describe what is said in the original text.
  • Nominalization , which involves turning verbs into nouns and generally cuts down on word count.
  • Vocabulary , as the knowledge of more exact terms will allow you to avoid periphrases and cut down on word count.

While beginners may wish to work with only one text, advanced learners can synthesize as many as three texts in one text summary. 

Since a text summary is simple in its essence, it’s a great writing exercise that can accompany you through your entire learning process.

2. Text Commentary  (Commentaire de texte)

A text commentary or commentaire de texte   is the first writing exercise where the student is asked to present an analysis of the materials at hand, not just a summary.

That said, a  commentaire  de texte  is not a reaction piece. It involves a very delicate balance of summary and opinion, the latter of which must be presented as impersonally as possible. This can be done either by using the third person (on) or the general first person plural (nous) . The singular first person (je) should never be used in a  commentaire de texte.

A commentaire de texte  should be written in three parts:

  • An introduction , where the text is presented.
  • An argument , where the text is analyzed.
  • A conclusion , where the analysis is summarized and elevated.

Here is a handy in-depth guide to writing a successful commentaire de texte,  written for French speakers.

Unlike with the synthesis, you will not be able to address all elements of a text in a commentary. You should not summarize the text in a commentary, at least not for the sake of summarizing. Every element of the text that you speak about in your commentary must be analyzed.

To successfully analyze a text, you will need to brush up on your figurative language. Here are some great resources to get you started:

  • Here’s an introduction to figurative language in French.
  • This guide to figurative language  presents the different elements in useful categories.
  • This guide , intended for high school students preparing for the BAC—the exam all French high school students take, which they’re required to pass to go to university—is great for seeing examples of how to integrate figurative language into your commentaries.
  • Speaking of which, here’s an example of a corrected commentary from the BAC, which will help you not only include figurative language but get a head start on writing your own commentaries.

The French answer to the 5-paragraph essay is known as the  dissertation .  Like the American 5-paragraph essay, it has an introduction, body paragraphs and a conclusion. The stream of logic, however, is distinct.

There are actually two kinds of  dissertation,  each of which has its own rules.

The first form of  dissertation  is the dialectic dissertation , better known as  thèse, antithèse, synthèse . In this form, there are actually only two body paragraphs. After the introduction, a thesis is posited. Following the thesis, its opposite, the antithesis, is explored (and hopefully, debunked). The final paragraph, what we know as the conclusion, is the  synthesis , which addresses the strengths of the thesis, the strengths and weaknesses of the antithesis, and concludes with the reasons why the original thesis is correct.

For example, imagine that the question was, “Are computers useful to the development of the human brain?” You could begin with a section showing the ways in which computers are useful for the progression of our common intelligence—doing long calculations, creating in-depth models, etc.

Then you would delve into the problems that computers pose to human intelligence, citing examples of the ways in which spelling proficiency has decreased since the invention of spell check, for example. Finally, you would synthesize this information and conclude that the “pro” outweighs the “con.”

The key to success with this format is developing an outline before writing. The thesis must be established, with examples, and the antithesis must be supported as well. When all of the information has been organized in the outline, the writing can begin, supported by the tools you have learned from your mastery of the synthesis and commentary.

Here are a few tools to help you get writing:

  • Here’s a great guide to writing a dialectic dissertation .
  • Here’s an example of a plan for a dialectic dissertation , showing you the three parts of the essay as well as things to consider when writing a dialectic dissertation.

4. Progressive Dissertation ( Plan progressif)

The progressive dissertation is slightly less common, but no less useful, than the first form.

The progressive form basically consists of examining an idea via multiple points of view—a sort of deepening of the understanding of the notion, starting with a superficial perspective and ending with a deep and profound analysis.

If the dialectic dissertation is like a scale, weighing pros and cons of an idea, the progressive dissertation is like peeling an onion, uncovering more and more layers as you get to the deeper crux of the idea.

Concretely, this means that you will generally follow this layout:

  • A first, elementary exploration of the idea.
  • A second, more philosophical exploration of the idea.
  • A third, more transcendent exploration of the idea.

This format for the dissertation is more commonly used for essays that are written in response to a philosophical question, for example, “What is a person?” or “What is justice?”

Let’s say the question was, “What is war?” In the first part, you would explore dictionary definitions—a basic idea of war, i.e. an armed conflict between two parties, usually nations. You could give examples that back up this definition, and you could narrow down the definition of the subject as much as needed. For example, you might want to make mention that not all conflicts are wars, or you might want to explore whether the “War on Terror” is a war.

In the second part, you would explore a more philosophical look at the topic, using a definition that you provide. You first explain how you plan to analyze the subject, and then you do so. In French, this is known as  poser une problématique  (establishing a thesis question), and it usually is done by first writing out a question and then exploring it using examples: “Is war a reflection of the base predilection of humans for violence?”

In the third part, you will take a step back and explore this question from a distance, taking the time to construct a natural conclusion and answer for the question.

This form may not be as useful in as many cases as the first type of essay, but it’s a good form to learn, particularly for those interested in philosophy. Here’s an in-depth guide  to writing a progressive dissertation.

As you progress in French and become more and more comfortable with writing, try your hand at each of these types of writing exercises, and even with other forms of the dissertation . You’ll soon be a pro at everything from a synthèse de texte to a dissertation!

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79 Common French Phrases To Survive Your First Conversation With A Native Speaker

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Are you learning French?

Would you love to chat to French speakers with ease, without stumbling over your words?

Getting to a decent level in any language takes time because there's lot of vocabulary you need to learn. 

But, one big shortcut you can use at the beginning is to work out which words and expressions you are likely to need right from the start and focus on those.

And the good news is you don’t have to worry about it doing it for yourself – because I’ve done it for you!

Here’s my list of the 79 essential French phrases you need to start speaking right away.

Thanks to these common French phrases, you'll know exactly what to say in your first conversations with native speakers.

They'll serve you for your first interactions and well into the future.

By the way, if you want to learn French fast and have fun while doing it, my top recommendation is  French Uncovered  which teaches you through StoryLearning®.

With  French Uncovered  you’ll use my unique StoryLearning® method to learn French naturally through story… not rules. It’s as fun as it is effective.

If you’re ready to get started,  click here for a 7-day FREE trial .

Anyway, back to our common French phrases…. let's discover what they are!

Need-To-Knows About French To Use These Common French Phrases

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Before we dive into the phrases themselves, there are a couple of need-to-knows about French that'll help you make the most of this list of common French phrases.

French Pronunciation

I’ve included an approximate guide for how to pronounce each of the phrases in this post based on phonetic English. Although this is no substitute for listening to recordings or native speakers pronouncing the words, it'll help you get started.

I've used ‘j’ to represent the French ‘j’ sound. But be aware that in French, it has a soft pronunciation, not like the English ‘j’ in ‘John’.

For a more detailed look at dive into pronunciation, you can check out my comprehensive  French pronunciation  guide.

A Note On T u A nd V ous

French, like many other languages, has two ways to say “you” depending on your level of familiarity with the person you are speaking to.

The basic rule is:

  • When you're speaking to strangers, especially people who are older than you, you should use vous. 
  • When you're speaking to someone you are on familiar terms with or when you speak to children, you can use tu .

In my list, I've given the form you are most likely to need for that each phrase. Where you might need either, I've included both.

Finally, in very informal spoken French , tu es and tu as can be abbreviated to t’es and t’as respectively.

While this might not be considered strictly ‘correct’, it is quite common.

So I've used this form in my list for a couple of the more informal expressions to show where you might come across it.

By the way, if you're interested in informal language, you can also check out  this post on 23 colloquial French phrases for impressing the locals.

Common French Greetings You Already Know 

First, let's look at the basic greetings in French. These are fairly simple. And you no doubt already know at least some of them.

  • (on shon tay)

Common French Phrases For Continuing The Conversation

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After greeting someone, you'll want to move the conversation on with some small talk. Here are a few of the standard questions and answers.

  • (komon va too, komon too va, komon tallay voo) – the ‘n’ is nasal and not pronounced strongly
  • (sa va/juh vay byan)
  • (sa va luh tra vai, luh boo low, luh taff – the last syllable of travail rhymes with “eye”)
  • (komon va ton pair, ton pair va byan)
  • (too fay kwah kom tra vai/say kwah ton tra vai)

Must-Know French Phrases For Being Polite 

Next, here are the basic expressions of courtesy that you need to know right from the start.

  • (mair see byan)
  • (mair see bo coo)
  • (ill nee ah pah duh kwah)
  • (eh skyoo zay mwah/pah don)
  • (eh skyoo zay mwah/komon)
  • (juh swee dehsolay/ pah don)
  • (va zee, allay zee, sair twah)

Basic French Phrases For Dealing With Problems

Paris tuileries garden

Another situation you might find yourself in is one where you have to deal with a problem. Here are some important questions and expressions to use when you are having difficulties or when everything is not going according to plan.

  • (poo vay voo)
  • (poo vay voo parlay ploo lon tuh mon sih voo play)
  • (poo vay voo luh reh peh tay sih voo play)
  • (poo vay voo mayday sih voo play)
  • (juh nuh compron pah)
  • (juh nay rien compree)
  • (juh nuh pahl pah bo coo duh fron say)
  • (juh swee pair doo)
  • (kess kuh sa vuh deer)
  • (parlay voo fron say/ong glay)
  • (juh nuh muh son pah tray byan)
  • (juh swee ma lad)
  • (jay onvee duh vomeer)
  • (ah ton sion, fay/fet ah ton sion)
  • (oh suhcoor)

French Question Words

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Learning the basic question words can get you a long way, even if you don’t know much else of the language. Here they are in French:

  • (pour kwah)

Check out this post on forming questions in French for more details on how to ask questions correctly.

Common French Questions

Ok, so now you know the essential French question words. But what about using them to form real questions? Here are some of the most common French questions you're likely to ask or be asked.

  • (komon too tappel, too tappel komon)
  • (kel aj ah too, too ah kel aj)
  • (kel er et ill/ill ay kell er)
  • (say kom byan, sa coot kom byan)
  • (too vyen doo/tay doo)
  • (too kom pron)
  • (too pahl ong glai/fron say)
  • (parlay voo ong glai/ fron say)
  • (oo ay lah sal duh ban/oo son lay twah let)

Important Answers In French 

Here are some indispensable expressions for giving information about yourself as well as answering some other basic questions in French.

  • (juh mappel)
  • (juh swee roh jay/ear lon day/ear lon days/proh feh suhr)
  • (jay tront on)
  • (juh vyen dekoss/juh swee duh lekoss)
  • (too luh ton/too lay jour)
  • (pah fwah, day fwah)
  • (byan sure – pronounced with an ‘s’ sound and not a ‘sh’)

Simple French Phrases For Special Occasions

baguettes and wine on French beach

If you're lucky and make some French friends, you may even be invited to some special occasions in France. Here are the phrases you'll need for those situations.

  • (ah myooz twah byan, ah myoozay voo byan)
  • (bon voyaj)
  • (bonn vah konce)
  • (bon appuh tee)
  • (fay liss ee tah sion)
  • (byan vuh noo)
  • (jway uh zannee ver sair)
  • (jway uh no ell)
  • (bonn annay)

Essential French Expressions For Saying Goodbye

Parisian bridge by night

Finally, here are a few useful phrases for saying goodbye.

  • (oh ruh vwah)
  • (bonn jour nay)
  • (bonn swah ray)
  • (bonn nwee)
  • (ah byan toe)
  • (ah duh man)

Never Get Lost For Words In French Again

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So there you are! 79 common French phrases to help you take your first steps in your new language.

You'll be amazed by how far these greetings, questions and basic courtesy phrases will get you in your first conversation with a French speaker.

With this list, you'll be able to greet a French speaker politely, introduce yourself, get to know them better and deal with any problems that might come up.

So now, all that remains is for you to go find someone to talk to in French. Armed with this list, you'll never be lost for words again.

And maybe, it might just be the start you need to go on to learn to speak French fluently!

If you're at beginner or false beginner level in French and want to learn to speak the language confidently, then I recommend my French Uncovered course.

It's a complete beginner programme that teaches you through the power of story. So you not only will you improve your French quickly, you'll have fun doing it!

Unlike traditional methods where you learn through grammar rules, in French Uncovered, you immerse yourself in a story and learn as you read and listen.

It's the same method I used to learn Italian in 3-months from home. Find out more and try it out by clicking here .

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HOME > FRENCH WORDS > FRENCH PHRASES

The useful and common French phrases you need

Learn everything you need to know about the most popular French phrases and French sentences. (meaning, how to use, audio pronunciation, dialogue examples, translation in English, etc.)

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Basic French words and phrases: Essential survival vocab for beginners

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Are you a total beginner  in French, and you’re about to find yourself surrounded by French speakers? This post is designed for you, since we present some of the absolute fundamental vocabulary for getting by in the language. We’ll introduce over 100 basic French words , broken down into categories so you can easily find what you’re looking for.

Think of this post as survival French , where our focus is not on grammar but simply on providing a series of French beginner words. We include plenty of links to our detailed posts  on grammar , vocab , and culture  that cover these topics in greater detail.

Let’s go! – Allons-y !

This article is brought to you by LingoCulture, Where you can get unlimited private French classes via Zoom with native teachers for a flat monthly rate. It’s the closest thing to immersion you can get without living in a French-speaking country. Click here to learn more.

Basic niceties in French

These are the most basic words in French that everyone should know.

  • Yes – Oui
  • No – Non
  • Please  (informal) – S’il-te-plaît, stp
  • Please (formal) – S’il-vous-plaît, svp
  • Thanks  – Merci
  • No thanks – Non, merci
  • You’re welcome – De rien
  • Sorry  – Pardon, Désolé

For a lesson on the difference between addressing someone formally and informally, take a look at our post on choosing the right you in French: tu vs vous .

Basic greetings in French

These basic French greetings are good for walking into a shop or a hotel, or even just passing someone on the sidewalk or the trail.

  • Hello – Bonjour
  • Hey – Coucou
  • Hello, Bye – Salut
  • Bye, Goodbye – Au revoir
  • Good evening – Bonsoir
  • Good night – Bonne nuit

Basic introductions in French

If you meet someone new, you’re bound to need a couple of these basic French phrases for introducing yourself.

  • How are you?  – Comment ça va ?
  • I’m fine – Ça va
  • I’m fine, and you? – Ça va, et toi ?
  • What is your name?  – Comment tu t’appeles ?
  • I am… – Moi c’est…
  • My name is… – Je m’appelle…
  • Where are you from? – Vous venez d’où ?
  • I’m from… – Je viens de…
  • What do you do? – Qu’est-ce que vous faites dans la vie ?

Check our big geography post for all the country names in French . For a list of jobs, see our post on professions in French .

Basic pickup lines in French

Here we’re getting a little more daring. Whether you’re taking a chance with someone you find attractive, or you’re being approached yourself, these are some of the most basic French pickup lines you’ll encounter. Keep in mind that these are very direct! Subtelty is definitely preferred, but these will certainly break the ice if there’s some mutual interest.

  • Are you married? – Êtes-vous marié(e) ?
  • Do you have children? – Avez-vous des enfants ?
  • Do you have a boyfriend / girlfriend? – As-tu un copain / une copine ?
  • Can I offer you a drink? – Je peux t’offrir un verre ?
  • Do you want to sleep with me tonight? – Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir ?
  • Do we know each other? – Est-ce qu’on se connaît ?
  • Can I have your phone number? – Je peux avoir ton numéro de téléphone  ?
  • Your place or mine? – Chez  toi ou chez moi ?
  • I miss you  – Tu me manques
  • I love you  – Je t’aime

If you want to get sappy with your special someone in French, try out these terms of endearment . Or check out our post on French family vocabulary , which has a big section on terms for different relationships in French. For specific compliments, you may also want our post on physical traits in French .

Basic question words in French

These can definitely be considered essential French beginner words, since they’re used to form most types of questions.

  • Who? – Qui ?
  • What ? – Quoi ?
  • When? – Quand ?
  • Where? – Où ?
  • Why? – Pourquoi ?
  • How? – Comment ?
  • Isn’t it? – N’est-ce pas ?
  • What time is it?  – Quelle heure est-il ?

We have a full post about these French question words . To go deeper, you can learn how to use est-ce que  to form questions, and how to use n’est-ce pas  to turn statements into questions.

Basic opinions in French

Believe it or not, these basic French phrases can go a long way in just allowing you to sound like a local. You’ll hear these often enough in conversation, so go ahead and give your opinion in French too!

  • Yeahhh – Riiiight – Ouais
  • It’s good – C’est bon, C’est bien
  • It’s bad – C’est mauvais, C’est mal
  • I like [it] – J’aime, J’aime bien
  • I love [it] – J’adore
  • I don’t like it – Je n’aime pas
  • I don’t know – Je ne sais pas

Basic directions in French

Sure, our smartphones can help a lot, but at some point it’s useful to just ask the locals for assistance. We provide a few of the common responses, since pointing and nodding is often enough anyway.

  • I’m lost – Je suis perdu(e)
  • The train is delayed – Le train est retardé
  • It’s a strike / a demonstration – C’est une grève / une manifestation
  • Where is… / Where are… – Où est… / Où sont…
  • Where are the toilets? – Où sont les toilettes?
  • Left – À gauche
  • Right – À droite
  • Straight ahead – Tout droit
  • At the back – Au fond
  • Upstairs – À l’étage

For more words on relative locations, check our post on French prepositions .

Basic restaurant words in French

Learning how to order food in French  is definitely a lesson on its own, so here we’ll just offer some of the most basic French words and phrases that you’ll need when you’re in a French restaurant.

  • Is the kitchen open? – Est-ce que la cuisine est ouverte ?
  • Yes, take a seat – Oui, prenez place
  • The kitchen is closed, sorry – La cuisine est fermée, désolé
  • Hot, Warm – Chaud
  • Cold – Froid
  • More – Plus
  • Less – Moins
  • I want… – Je veux …
  • I don’t want… – Je ne veux pas…
  • A glass of red wine, please – Un verre de vin rouge, svp
  • Some water, please – De l’eau svp
  • Without alcohol – Sans alcool
  • Without meat – Sans viande
  • The bill, please – L’addition, svp

Basic shopping phrases in French

We can often shop without even interacting with anyone, but at some point you’ll be glad to know a few simple French phrases for shopping. When it comes to money, check out our post on numbers in French .

  • Can I help you? – Je peux vous aider ?
  • I’m just looking – Je regarde seulement
  • How much is it? – Combien ça coûte ?
  • It’s (not) expensive! – C’est (pas) cher !
  • It’s free – C’est gratuit
  • By cash – En liquide, En espèces
  • By (credit) card – Par carte (de crédit)
  • Can I have a bag? – Je peux avoir un sac ?

Talking about language in French

These phrases are classic for anyone who attempts to interact in a foreign language. The important thing is that you don’t give up, and keep practicing your French!

  • What?, Pardon? – Quoi?, Comment?
  • Slower, please – Plus lentement, svp
  • I don’t speak French – Je ne parle pas français
  • Do you speak English? – Parlez-vous anglais ?
  • What language(s) do you speak? – Quelle(s) langue(s) parlez-vous ?
  • How do you say… – Comment on dit…

Basic French exclamations

These common French phrases all have nuances that we cover in their dedicated posts, but even these basic versions will serve you quite well.

  • Right away – Tout de suite
  • Of course  – Bien sûr
  • That’s life – C’est la vie
  • Let’s go! – On y va ! – Allons-y !
  • Congratulations!  – Félicitations !
  • Good luck  – Bonne chance
  • I wish you all the best – Bon courage
  • Cheers!  – Santé !
  • Let’s go French national team! – Allez les Bleus !
  • Happy Birthday!  – Joyeux anniversaire !
  • Merry Christmas!  – Joyeux Noël !
  • Happy New Year! – Bonne année !
  • Happy Bastille Day ! – Bonne Fête Nationale!

More reading: Basic French

So far we’ve provided a bunch of useful lists of French beginner words and phrases to get you started. We were sure to include lots of links to our posts where we cover specific topics in more detail, since our LingoCulture blog  is full of beginner and intermediate learning material for French learners.

For further reading on topics that we didn’t reference within the lists of basic French words and phrases above, check out these other links to our detailed French lessons!

Easy French words

You already know a lot of the basic French words we introduce in these first two posts, while the third showcases words that just sound poetic on the tongue.

French words used in English

More French words used in English

Beautiful French words

Specialized French vocab

We included links to a lot of specific vocab posts already, so we’ll just include a few more here.

Weather  – La météo

Days of the week  – Les jours de la semaine

Months and seasons  – Les mois et les saisons

Animals  – Les animaux

Fundamental French verbs

Many of the basic French phrases we saw above incorporated some of these fundamental verbs already. The posts these link to explore each verb in a lot more detail.

To be – Être

To have – Avoir

To come – Venir

To go – Aller

To want – Vouloir

To need to – Devoir

To know – Savoir vs Connaître

To live – Vivre vs Habiter

Conclusion: Basic French words

Whether you’re just spending a weekend in a French-speaking city, or you need to interact with a French speaker in their language, you can get through a lot of situations with just a handful of beginner French words.

In this post we’ve brought you exactly that. Rather than go into a lot of detail like we usually do, today we just covered a bunch of basic French words to know in order to get by. And if you want more, we also provided tons of links to our detailed vocab posts.

Now go ahead and use some of these basic French words, and your efforts to speak the local language will surely be appreciated by native French speakers!

KEEP READING

Italki vs lingoculture: a full review of both online language platforms, when to use passé composé vs imparfait: a full guide, la bise: our guide to french kissing culture, i don’t know in french: how to express lack of knowledge in french.

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Advanced French Phrases for Achieving Fluency

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Are you an advanced French learner, or are you trying to become one? If you’ve decided to step up your game and start aiming toward content made for native speakers, such as French books or movies in their original version, I bet you’re getting more than a little confused. This is largely because advanced French phrases, necessary as they are to learn, are often put by the wayside. 

Traditionally, when learning a language, we study new words and grammar structures. Then, we learn how to combine it all to make nice and sophisticated sentences. You might still be doing so at an advanced level, but that’s not enough anymore.

Advanced French content tends to be full of idioms , slang , expressions, and weird structures that make no sense when simply translated word for word. A traditional approach won’t cut it, and you’ll have to learn not just words but actual phrases. 

Some of them will sound straightforward and easy to understand, but others are heavily idiomatic and will require you to just memorize them as they are. It’s perfectly normal! Most people use countless expressions in their native language without knowing where they come from or what the logic is behind the seemingly nonsensical combinations of words.

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Who doesn’t want to sound smart and sophisticated?

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  • Useful Phrases for Structuring Your Thoughts
  • Power Phrases for Your Cover Letter
  • Outsmart Everyone at a Business Meeting
  • Strange, Colorful Idioms for Connoisseurs
  • Le mot de la fin

1. Useful Phrases for Structuring Your Thoughts

If you want to be convincing, prove your point, or simply express your ideas with confidence and eloquence, what you’re gonna need is structure. The following advanced French sentences will help you organize your speech, articulate your thoughts, and prioritize the steps to smoothly guide your reader toward your point.

A Woman Pointing to Her Head with Both Hands

If you can’t explain something, people might think you don’t understand it.

2. Power Phrases for Your Cover Letter

Writing a cover letter is usually not an exercise in creativity and improvisation. More often than not, it obeys strict rules and follows a rather codified template. This means that most letters kinda look the same, with a set of key phrases defining their structure and introducing their different parts.

There could be many reasons why you would want to break the rules, but even if you want to be different, you’ll first have to know the tried and true formula. Study the advanced French structures below to get a head start and a strong feel for how to write your cover letter. 

Two Female Colleagues Shaking Hands and Smiling

A great cover letter is a recipe for a striking first impression.

3. Outsmart Everyone at a Business Meeting

We all want to shine in social gatherings and make a lasting first impression. But if there is one context where you’ll want to impress your audience, it’s certainly the business meetings. There is a primal and territorial aspect to business that makes you want to sound assertive. 

Search for your words, mumble a little, and you might lose your momentum or weaken your argument. Mastering some advanced business French phrases will help build your confidence and boost your public speaking skills by a fair amount.

People Engaged in a Business Meeting

It’s your time to shine!

4. Strange, Colorful Idioms for Connoisseurs

Once you reach an advanced level of proficiency in French and start reading content created for native speakers, you’ll enter a new world of peculiar expressions, full of animals and unintuitive word associations. 

Learning French expressions and idioms is your ticket to fluency. They might seem daunting at first, with their odd structures and atypical vocabulary, and you’ll have to learn many of them by heart. But they draw the line between a linguistic enthusiast and a true master of the Art of Frenching like a real Frenchie.

One Girl Pulling Another Girl’s Hair

C’est vraiment tiré par les cheveux ! (“It’s really far-fetched!”)

5. Le mot de la fin

In this guide, you have learned many advanced French conversational phrases, from common idioms and expressions to essay structures, power phrases for your cover letter, and even a handy toolkit for business meetings.

Did we forget any important structure or expression you’d like to learn more about? Feel free to share it with your fellow students in the comments below!

Make sure to explore FrenchPod101.com , as we have plenty of free resources to help you practice your grammar and learn new words. Our vocabulary lists are also a great way to review words and learn their pronunciation.

Remember that you can also upgrade to Premium PLUS in order to use our MyTeacher service. This gives you personal 1-on-1 coaching with your own private teacher , who can help you practice with advanced French phrases and more. In addition to providing you with assignments, personalized exercises, and recorded audio samples, your teacher will review your work and help improve your pronunciation. 

Happy learning on FrenchPod101.com !

About the Author: Born and bred in rainy Northern France, Cyril Danon was bouncing off various jobs before he left everything behind to wander around the wonders of the world. Now, after quenching his wanderlust over the last few years, he’s eager to share his passion for languages.

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Learn How to Write in French Easily

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By OptiLingo • 9 minute read

Learn how to write well in French

Improve Your Written French Today

Whether you want to pen a love letter or submit an essay in France, you need to know how to write in French. Luckily, learning how to write in French is fairly straightforward. Since French uses the Latin Alphabet, you’re already ahead of the game. Improve your writing in French fast with these easy steps.

The Basics of French Writing for Beginners

When it comes to French writing, it’s a little different than speaking French. But, if you know how to read French well, you shouldn’t have a lot of problems.

Before you read the 8 easy steps of learning to write in French, there’s one important factor in mastering French writing: practice. The only way you can truly improve your French writing skills is with a lot of practice . Make sure you write a little bit in French every day. Soon, you’ll find that writing in French is like second nature.

1. Watch Out for French Spelling

One of the biggest obstacles that throws French learners off is spelling. Unfortunately, those silent letters that you don’t pronounce are very much there in writing. Be careful how you spell certain complicated words. You need to master all parts of French grammar to write French correctly.

2. Genders Influence Grammar in French

You may already know that nouns have genders in French. They can either be masculine or feminine. And depending on the gender, different parts of a French sentence need to be conjugated.

  • articles : French articles need to be conjugated to reflect the gender and the number of the noun. These can be ‘le’, ‘la’, ‘l”, and ‘les’ for definite articles, and ‘un’ and ‘une’ for indefinite articles.
  • pronouns : Pronouns in French are the words that replace the name of the subject in a sentence. ‘He’, ‘she’, and ‘them’ are some examples of pronouns in English. In French, you need to use different forms of pronouns depending on the gender of the subject.
  • adjectives : When you’re describing a noun, you use an adjective. And since the noun is the only reason the adjective’s there in the sentence, you need to make the adjective fit the noun in French. There are various ways to conjugate French adjectives depending on the gender and the number of the noun, so make sure you brush up on that knowledge before you write in French.

French writing has a lot of conjugations from genders

3. Careful with French Accent Marks

French accent marks also don’t do us any favors. While they’re extremely useful when it comes to French pronunciation, their writing isn’t as straightforward. Try to associate the sound with the written French word. There are only 5 accent marks in French. One is the cedilla (ç), which only works with the letter “c”, and another is the acute accent (é), which only sits on top of the letter “e”. So in practice, there are only 3 different kinds of accents you should look out for in French.

4. Follow the French Sentence Structures

English and French sentence structures are similar in many ways. Both follow the SVO (subject-verb-object) structure, which makes writing in French much easier. And just like in English, the French sentence structure is also flexible. You can switch the words around to emphasize a part of a sentence, but still have the same meaning.

  • Tomorrow , I’m going to work.    Demain  je vais travailler. I’m going to work  tomorrow .   Je vais travailler  demain .

The most important part of the first sentence is the time the speaker goes to work. The second sentence focuses on the subject, the speaker instead. Still, both sentences convey the same meaning of going to work.

If you want to ask a question in French, you can do so by putting a question word at the beginning of the sentence. Common question words are:

  • How  Comment
  • What  Que / Qu’est-ce que queue
  • What kind  Quel genre
  • When  Quand
  • Why   Pourquoi

You can also ask a question by switching the order of the verb and the pronoun around, and connecting them with a hyphen:

  • Do you speak English?    Parlez-vous anglais ?

It’s important to remember these basic rules of French sentence structure before you start writing in French. If you want to learn how to write in French effectively, practice these 4 steps a lot.

useful phrases for french writing

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How to Write in French for Intermediate Students

If you’re an intermediate French learner you’re familiar with basic French grammar, and you’re confident in writing in French. But, there’s always room to improve. Once you know the basic steps of how to write in French, it’s time to make your writing even better. You can start paying attention to style, flow, and structure. The tips below will benefit your French writing practice.

5. Try Nominalization

This useful technique will make your sentences better. Nominalization means that you make nouns in the sentence more dominant. While in English, the dominant words are verbs, in French, you can write with the focus of the noun instead, making them more meaningful. Here’s an example to demonstrate.

  • Normal sentence: The ice cream is cold. – La glace est froide.
  • Nominalized sentence: The ice cream is cold. – La glace, c’est droid.

6. Use French Conjunctions

Conjunctions are the tools to write complex French sentences. Without them, you’re limited to simple and boring sentence structures. As an intermediate student, you can start connecting two equal or unequal sentences to make an even more interesting phrase. Here are the different kinds of French conjunctions you can use to write better in French:

Coordinating Conjunctions:

You use these kinds of conjunctions to connect two equal sentences. The most common coordinating conjunctions in French are:

Subordinating Conjunctions:

If one of the sentences in unequal or dependent on the other, you need to use subordinating conjunctions. These connectors often show causality. The most common conjunctions in French for this category are:

7. Style and Flow

Now that you wield the power of conjunctions, you have to be careful with it. As fun as it is to write long and complicated sentences in French, it doesn’t sound good. Make sure you use appropriate sentence lengths as you’re writing in French.

Aim for shorter sentences. Make them explain your point well. But, feel free to mix the flow up with the occasional longer sentences. That’s how you write in French with a nice and smooth flow. And that’s how you perfect your French writing too. It will be a pleasure to read your work.

Writing in French for Advanced Learners

Once you mastered all of the French writing rules, you’re officially an advanced French learner. But, there may still be room to improve your French writing. If you’re looking to kick your projects up a notch, you can learn how to write essays and dissertations in French. These pointers will be useful if you ever attend school or university in France, or you want to take a language exam.

8. Get Familiar with French Essay Structure

When you’re writing an essay, you have to structure it for readability. If you want to learn how French high schoolers are taught to write their essays, this is the structure they follow: thèse-antithèse-synthèse (thesis-antithesis-synthesis). Learn how to write French essays using a traditional French essay structure.

  • Introduction : You begin your essay by having an introduction, which is a context for argument.
  • Thesis : In this section, you present and defend the statement of your thesis. You need to write everything that supports the topic of your essay.
  • Antithesis : The antithesis follows the thesis. This is where you state conflicting evidence and explain other potential substitutes for your essay. Including an antithesis doesn’t mean that you disagree with your original thesis. You just need to show that you thought of all possibilities before arriving to your conclusion.
  • Synthesis : This is your conclusion. This is where you summarize your arguments, and explain why you still stand by your original thesis despite the antithesis.

Advanced French learners can always improve their writing skills

9. Use Introduction and Conclusion Vocabulary

Certain words can encourage sentence flow by introducing or concluding some parts of your work.

  • tout d’abord (firstly)
  • premièrement (firstly)
  • deuxièmement (secondly)
  • ensuite (then)
  • enfin (finally)
  • finalement (finally)
  • pour conclure (to conclude)

You can use these words when introducing a new idea to your dissertation or essay. These words will signal the readers that they are encountering a new part or thought of your writing process.

10. Writing a Dissertation in French

This is the form of writing you encounter in French higher education. It’s a very complex form of French writing, only the most advanced and fluent French learners should attempt it. It’s also a longer piece of academic writing. It may take you weeks to complete research and write your French dissertation.

The French dissertation is similar to essay structure. But, there’s one main difference: your thesis isn’t a statement, but rather a question. It’s your job in the dissertation to take the reader through your thought process and research to answer your question. This logic is known as “ Cartesian logic .” It comes from Descartes , who was a well known French philosopher.

History of Written French

French was used in Strasbourg Oaths, and it first appeared in writing in 842 AD. Before then, Latin was the only language used for literature in Europe. However, in the 10th and 11th centuries, French appeared in some religious writings and documents but was not used up to the late 12th century or early 13th century. The first greatest French Literature work, the Song of Roland (Chanson de Roland), was published around the year 1200.

Writing in French Alone Won’t Make You Fluent

You need to learn how to write in French to be proficient in the language. But, it won’t make you fluent. The only way to become fluent is to practice speaking French. While it’s crucial to develop every area of your French knowledge, if you want to be fluent in French, you need a reliable language learning method like OptiLingo.

OptiLingo is an app that gets you speaking, not typing a language. It gives you the most common French words and phrases, so you’re guaranteed to learn the most useful vocabulary. Don’t waste time trying to learn French you’ll never use. Complement your French writing practice with fun speaking exercises when you download OptiLingo !

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Common French Phrases You Need To Know

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Founder of Linguatics. Passionate multilinguist.

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Are you planning a trip to France? Want to impress your friends with your knowledge of the French language? Look no further!

In this article, we will introduce you to a variety of common French phrases that you need to know.

From greetings and basic expressions to ordering food and drinks, asking for directions, and making reservations, we’ve got you covered.

We will also provide you with useful phrases for emergency situations and safety, as well as tips on talking about family and relationships, discussing hobbies and interests, and understanding cultural etiquette.

By the end of this article, you will be equipped with the essential French phrases to navigate your way through France with confidence.

So, get ready to immerse yourself in the French language and culture as we take you on a language journey that will enhance your travel experience.

Table of Contents

Greetings and Basic Expressions

When you’re learning French , it’s essential to know the basic greetings and expressions. These phrases will help you navigate conversations and make a good first impression.

One of the most common greetings is ‘Bonjour,’ which means ‘hello’ or ‘good day.’ It’s polite to say ‘Bonjour’ when entering a shop or greeting someone for the first time.

Another useful phrase is ‘Comment ça va?’ which means ‘How are you?’ You can respond with ‘Ça va bien’ for ‘I’m fine’ or ‘Ça va mal’ for ‘I’m not doing well.’

Additionally, learning how to say ‘S’il vous plaît’ which means ‘please’, and ‘Merci’ for ‘thank you’ will show your manners.

Mastering these basic greetings and expressions will make your conversations in French more enjoyable and engaging.

Introducing Yourself

Introducing yourself in French is a great way to blend into a conversation with native speakers. Here are some essential expressions to help you get started:

  • Bonjour (Hello)
  • Je m’appelle… (My name is…) followed by your name.

To ask someone’s name, you can say:

  • Comment tu t’appelles? (What’s your name?) for a more informal tone.
  • Comment vous appelez-vous? (What’s your name?) if you want to be more formal.

To respond, you can use:

  • Enchanté(e) (Nice to meet you)
  • Ravi(e) de faire votre connaissance (Pleased to make your acquaintance).

If you want to ask how someone is doing, you can say:

  • Comment ça va? (How are you?)

And to respond, you can say:

  • Ça va bien, merci (I’m doing well, thank you).

These simple expressions will help you make a good impression and start a conversation with ease.

Ordering Food and Drinks

Indulge in the flavors of France by effortlessly ordering delicious food and drinks using these essential expressions.

When you step into a French café or restaurant, it’s important to know how to ask for what you want. Start by saying ‘Bonjour’ to greet the waiter.

To order food, simply say ‘Je voudrais’ followed by the name of the dish.

If you’re in the mood for a drink, say ‘Je prendrais’ followed by the name of the beverage.

To ask for the bill, say ‘L’addition, s’il vous plaît.’

Don’t forget to use ‘s’il vous plaît’ (please) and ‘merci’ (thank you) to show your politeness.

With these phrases in your arsenal, you’ll be able to savor the incredible cuisine of France with ease. Bon appétit!

Asking for Directions

Navigate the streets of France like a seasoned local by effortlessly asking for directions using these essential expressions.

When approaching a stranger, begin by politely saying, ‘Excusez-moi, pouvez-vous m’indiquer le chemin vers…?’ which translates to ‘Excuse me, can you tell me the way to…?’ This respectful greeting will help establish a positive interaction.

To ask for a specific landmark or address, simply replace ‘le chemin vers’ with the name of the place you are looking for.

If you need more detailed instructions, you can ask, ‘Pouvez-vous me montrer sur la carte?’ meaning ‘Can you show me on the map?’ Having a map handy will make it easier for the person to guide you accurately.

Remember to thank them by saying, ‘Merci beaucoup’ or ‘Je vous remercie’ to show your gratitude.

With these phrases in your arsenal, finding your way around France will be a breeze.

Making Reservations

Mastering the art of making reservations in France will open up a world of unforgettable experiences and ensure a seamless travel journey.

When making reservations, it is important to remember a few key phrases. Start by saying ‘Bonsoir, je voudrais réserver une chambre’ (Good evening, I would like to book a room).

Specify the type of room you want by saying ‘Je préfère une chambre simple’ (I prefer a single room) or ‘Je préfère une chambre double’ (I prefer a double room).

You can also mention any specific requirements like ‘Est-ce que la chambre a une salle de bain privée?’ (Does the room have a private bathroom?).

Finally, ask about the price by saying ‘Combien ça coûte par nuit?’ (How much does it cost per night?).

With these phrases in your repertoire, you’ll be well-equipped to make reservations and enjoy your stay in France.

Shopping and Bargaining

Immerse yourself in the vibrant shopping culture of France, where haggling for the best deals is a thrilling adventure.

French locals take great pride in their bargaining skills, and it is common practice to negotiate prices at markets and small shops. When entering a store, greet the shopkeeper with a friendly ‘Bonjour’ and maintain a polite and respectful demeanor throughout the interaction.

Before attempting to haggle, it is essential to have a basic understanding of the item’s value and market price. Start by asking for a lower price, using phrases such as ‘C’est trop cher’ (It’s too expensive) or ‘Vous pouvez faire un rabais?’ (Can you give me a discount?).

Be prepared for back-and-forth negotiations, and remember that a successful bargain is a win-win situation for both parties involved.

So, go ahead and embrace the art of bargaining while exploring the shops of France.

Talking about Time and Dates

Learning to talk about time and dates in French will make you feel more connected to the culture and help you plan your activities with ease.

When discussing time, it’s important to note that the French use a 24-hour clock system. To say the time, simply state the hour followed by ‘heures’ (for example, 3:00 is ‘trois heures’).

When discussing dates, the French typically follow the day-month-year format. For example, if you want to say ‘May 5th,’ you would say ‘le cinq mai.’

Additionally, it’s important to know the days of the week (les jours de la semaine) and the months of the year (les mois de l’année).

By mastering these phrases, you’ll be able to navigate French conversations effortlessly and effectively plan your schedule.

Expressing Gratitude and Apologies

Embrace the art of expressing gratitude and apologies in French by incorporating these essential phrases into your conversations.

When you want to show appreciation, a simple ‘Merci’ (Thank you) goes a long way. To express heartfelt gratitude, you can say ‘Je vous suis très reconnaissant(e)’ (I am very grateful to you) or ‘Je vous remercie du fond du cœur’ (I thank you from the bottom of my heart).

If you need to apologize, use ‘Je suis désolé(e)’ (I am sorry) or ‘Je m’excuse’ (I apologize). To express a more sincere apology, you can say ‘Je vous présente mes excuses les plus sincères’ (I offer you my most sincere apologies).

Remember, using these phrases will not only show your manners but also help you connect with others in a meaningful way.

Making Small Talk

Engage in casual conversations by mastering the art of making small talk in French. Use everyday expressions that effortlessly connect you with others. Small talk serves as a social lubricant, allowing you to establish rapport and build relationships with native French speakers.

To initiate a conversation, start with simple questions like ‘Comment ça va?’ (How are you?) or ‘Qu’est-ce que tu fais ce weekend?’ (What are you doing this weekend?).

To keep the conversation flowing, use phrases like ‘C’est sympa!’ (That’s nice!), ‘Quel temps fait-il aujourd’hui?’ (What’s the weather like today?), or ‘Tu as des projets pour cet été?’ (Do you have any plans for this summer?).

By mastering these common phrases, you will be able to effortlessly engage in small talk and create meaningful connections in French-speaking environments.

Transportation and Travel Phrases

Discover the secrets to effortlessly navigating through French-speaking countries by mastering essential transportation and travel phrases.

Whether you’re traveling by train, bus, or taxi, knowing these common French phrases will make your journey smoother.

When asking for directions, simply say ‘Où est la gare?’ (Where is the train station?) or ‘Comment aller à l’aéroport?’ (How to get to the airport?).

If you need to catch a taxi, say ‘Je voudrais prendre un taxi, s’il vous plaît’ (I would like to take a taxi, please) or ‘Pouvez-vous m’emmener à cet hôtel?’ (Can you take me to this hotel?).

Additionally, it’s useful to know phrases such as ‘Je voudrais un billet aller-retour’ (I would like a round-trip ticket) or ‘À quelle heure part le prochain bus?’ (What time does the next bus leave?).

By familiarizing yourself with these phrases, you’ll be able to navigate French transportation with ease.

Emergency Situations and Safety

Stay safe and be prepared for any emergency situation while traveling by familiarizing yourself with important safety protocols and knowing how to ask for help in French-speaking countries.

In case of an emergency, it is crucial to know how to ask for help. The phrase ‘Au secours!’ is used to call for help or shout for assistance. If you need to report a crime, say ‘Je veux signaler un crime’ to notify the authorities. To ask for an ambulance, say ‘J’ai besoin d’une ambulance’ or ‘Appelez une ambulance, s’il vous plaît.’

It is also important to know basic safety phrases such as ‘Où est la sortie?’ (Where is the exit?) and ‘Est-ce que c’est sûr?’ (Is it safe?).

By learning these phrases and being aware of your surroundings, you can better handle any emergency situation that may arise while traveling in a French-speaking country.

Talking about Family and Relationships

When traveling in a French-speaking country, it’s always heartwarming to chat about our loved ones and the special bonds we share. French culture places great importance on family and relationships, so being able to express yourself in this area is essential.

To talk about your family, you can use phrases like ‘J’ai une grande famille’ (I have a big family) or ‘Je suis marié(e)’ (I am married). If you want to ask someone about their family, you can say ‘As-tu des frères et sœurs ?’ (Do you have any brothers or sisters?) or ‘Est-ce que tu es célibataire ?’ (Are you single?).

Additionally, it’s helpful to know terms of endearment such as ‘mon amour’ (my love) or ‘ma chérie’ (my dear) to express affection towards your loved ones. Embracing these phrases will allow you to connect on a deeper level with the locals and enhance your cultural experience.

Discussing Hobbies and Interests

Explore the vibrant world of hobbies and interests by delving into your passions and discovering new ones.

In French, discussing hobbies and interests is a great way to connect with others and expand your cultural knowledge.

Whether you enjoy sports, music, or art, there are plenty of phrases that can help you express your interests.

For example, if you love playing soccer, you can say ‘J’adore jouer au football.’

If you are passionate about music, you can say ‘La musique est ma passion.’

If you enjoy painting or drawing, you can say ‘J’aime peindre/dessiner.’

Remember to use these phrases in conversations to share your hobbies and interests with others.

By doing so, you can create meaningful connections and have engaging conversations in French.

Cultural Etiquette and Polite Phrases

Now that you’ve learned how to discuss your hobbies and interests in French, it’s important to understand the cultural etiquette and polite phrases used in France.

Politeness is highly valued in French culture, so it’s essential to know the proper ways to greet people, say thank you, and ask for assistance. For example, when entering a shop or restaurant, it is customary to greet the staff with a polite ‘Bonjour’ or ‘Bonsoir.’

Saying ‘S’il vous plaît’ (please) and ‘Merci’ (thank you) are also crucial phrases to use when making requests or expressing gratitude. Additionally, addressing people with ‘Madame’ or ‘Monsieur’ shows respect.

By familiarizing yourself with these cultural norms and using the appropriate polite phrases, you’ll be able to navigate social interactions in France with ease and make a positive impression.

In conclusion, mastering these common French phrases will greatly enhance your communication skills while visiting French-speaking countries.

Whether you’re greeting locals, ordering delicious cuisine, or navigating your way through unfamiliar streets, these phrases will come in handy.

Additionally, understanding cultural etiquette and using polite phrases will show respect and help you make meaningful connections.

So, take the time to practice and familiarize yourself with these phrases, and you’ll be well-prepared for your next adventure in a French-speaking country. Bon voyage!

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French Writing Practice

French writing exercises by level.

Practise your French writing skills with our ever-growing collection of interactive French writing exercises for every  CEFR level from A0 to C1! If you're unsure about your current proficiency, try our test to get your French level  before diving into the exercises.

French writing exercise with Answer

All writing exercises are made by our qualified native French teachers to help you improve your writing skills and confidence.

Kwizbot  will give you a series of prompts to translate to French. He’ll show you where you make mistakes as you go along and will suggest related lessons for you.

Boost your French writing skills by adding the lessons you find most interesting to your  Notebook and practising them later.

Click on any exercise to get started.

A1: Beginner French writing exercises

  • A busy sea holiday [US: vacation] Le Présent (Indicatif) Article défini Verbe irrégulier Aline spends her seaside holiday [US: vacation] enjoying water sports.
  • A Christmas feast Le Présent (Indicatif) Article Préposition Food & Drink Celebrations & Important Dates Sébastien is in charge of Christmas Eve Dinner this year.
  • A day in my cat Max's life Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Pronom réfléchi Family & Relationships Juliette tells about her cat's daily routine.
  • A day in the city of Le Mans Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Adjectif possessif Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Audrey had a nice time visiting Le Mans, in northwestern France.
  • A day with my daughter Le Présent (Indicatif) Adverbe Adjectif possessif Marc loves spending the day with his infant daughter!
  • A declaration of love Verbes réguliers avec -ER Le Présent (Indicatif) Article défini Here's a lovely love letter for your French Valentine.
  • A dream Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Adjectif Family & Relationships Geoffrey tells us about one of his dreams.
  • A favour between colleagues Le Présent (Indicatif) Genre féminin Question/Interrogative Brigitte needs a favour from her colleague Sandra.
  • A French lunch menu Adjectif Article Préposition Food & Drink Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Here's the typical lunch menu of a French coffee shop.
  • A French woman Le Présent (Indicatif) Genre masculin Genre féminin Employment Élodie tells us about her everyday life as a lawyer specialised in women's rights.
  • A love letter Le Présent (Indicatif) Genre féminin Deuxième personne Thomas writes a love letter to his girlfriend Julie.
  • A love story Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Adjectif Family & Relationships Cécile and Andrew meet in a bar.
  • A new bedroom for Manon Adjectif Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Sophie and Damien are doing some cool DIY in their daughter's bedroom.
  • A passion for planes Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Pluriel Léo's little brother loves planes.
  • A quiet New Year's Eve Préposition Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Bastien likes spending New Year's Eve alone at home.
  • A rainy afternoon Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Question/Interrogative Family & Relationships Soizic and Armelle meet up on a rainy day in Brest.
  • A romantic Valentine Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Pluriel Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Henri tells us about his special plans for Valentine's Day.
  • A stylish couple Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Préposition Karim describes a couple's stylish outfits.
  • A week of good deeds Le Présent (Indicatif) Article défini Article Philippe does one good deed every day.
  • A week of treats Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Article défini To treat her mother, Julie organises a week of Mother's Day gifts.
  • A winter meal Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Pluriel Food & Drink Bernard has his perfect comfort meal for cold nights.
  • Actress Anne Dorval Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Genre féminin Famous People Film & TV Claire tells us about her favourite actress, French-Canadian Anne Dorval.
  • Anne's Easter loot Adjectif Préposition Pluriel Celebrations & Important Dates Anne lists all the treats she found during her Easter egg hunt.
  • Annoying Things Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Adjectif Family & Relationships Philippe and Julien share some of the things that really annoy them.
  • Anthony, hairdresser Le Présent (Indicatif) Genre féminin Pluriel Anthony tells us about his job as a hairdresser.
  • Arnaud and Ophélie describe themselves Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Article défini Family & Relationships Arnaud and Ophélie describe themselves physically.
  • Astérix Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Verbe irrégulier Learn more about this iconic character from French culture.
  • At breakfast Le Présent (Indicatif) Adverbe Adjectif Émilie and Jérémie are having breakfast.
  • At midnight Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Verbes réguliers avec -ER Food & Drink Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Sébastien's family celebrates Christmas on the evening of the 24th.
  • At the airport Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Préposition Louis and Lucie are about to get on a plane.
  • At the beach Free Le Présent (Indicatif) Question/Interrogative Verbe irrégulier Food & Drink Sports & Leisure Conversation at the beach between an ice cream vendor and a customer.
  • At the beach Le Présent (Indicatif) Pluriel Verbes réguliers avec -ER Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Tom is telling us about his day at the beach.
  • At the bookshop Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Question/Interrogative Employment Literature, Poetry, Theatre François needs help choosing a book.
  • At the brasserie Le Présent (Indicatif) Question/Interrogative Article Eve orders food at a brasserie in France.
  • At the campsite Préposition Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Benjamin and Thomas have just arrived at the campsite.
  • At the gift shop Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Mike and Linda pick some souvenirs in a Montmartre gift shop.
  • At the newsagent's Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet indirect Pronom d'objet direct Employment Family & Relationships Sophie is buying a few items at a French newsagent's.
  • At the sporting goods store Le Présent (Indicatif) Question/Interrogative Adjectif Sports & Leisure Alain is buying tennis equipment for his son.
  • Baby at the beach Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Préposition Family & Relationships Baby enjoys being at the beach with his family.
  • Back to School Adjectif Le Présent (Indicatif) Pluriel Language & Education Family & Relationships Mathieu tells us about going back to school tomorrow.
  • Ball Sports Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Pluriel Sports & Leisure Vincent and Leila discuss their favourite ball sports.
  • Between neighbours Le Présent (Indicatif) Forme négative Verbes modaux Neighbours Jules and Sarah talk about an upcoming barbecue.
  • Beyoncé Le Présent (Indicatif) Genre féminin Genre masculin Famous People Music Family & Relationships The famous singer introduces herself.
  • Board games Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Adjectif possessif Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Jonathan is playing board games with his family.
  • Booking a hotel room Le Présent (Indicatif) Question/Interrogative Verbe irrégulier Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Pierre wants to book a room in a hotel.
  • Can I come? Le Présent (Indicatif) Question/Interrogative Préposition Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Marie chats with her roommate's friend Damien.
  • Clara's list to Santa Le Présent (Indicatif) Pluriel Adjectif possessif Julien's daughter is quite exhaustive in her list to Santa this year!
  • Cleaning with my family Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Pluriel Family & Relationships Jonathan and his family are cleaning the house today!
  • Colourful animals Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Article défini Here's a funny and colourful story about animals.
  • Corsica is beautiful! Adjectif Pluriel Le Présent (Indicatif) Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Julien explains why he thinks Corsica is so beautiful.
  • Do you like the French language? Adjectif Le Présent (Indicatif) Genre féminin Language & Education Noémie and Léo have opposite opinions on the French language!
  • Do you like theme parks? Verbes réguliers avec -ER Le Présent (Indicatif) Genre masculin Sports & Leisure Louis and Zoé give their opposite opinions on theme parks.
  • Driving in the city Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Adjectif Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Sophie and Christophe talk about driving in city centres [US: downtown].
  • Easter decorations Free Adjectif Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Celebrations & Important Dates Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Alice and her sister Zoé are decorating their house for Easter.
  • Easter preparations Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Verbes réguliers avec -ER Celebrations & Important Dates Language & Education Today, Daniel and his pupils are getting ready for Easter.
  • Émile and I Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Question/Interrogative Family & Relationships Antoine talks about his imaginary friend, Émile.
  • Exchanging a scarf Le Présent (Indicatif) Question/Interrogative Adjectif démonstratif Family & Relationships Christine is returning a scarf to the shop
  • Father of two Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Pluriel Family & Relationships Léon talks about his two beloved children.
  • Father's Day Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Préposition Sophie has a special routine for Father's Day.
  • Filling in a form Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Question/Interrogative Employment Family & Relationships Olivier answers questions from a form.
  • First day at uni Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Article défini Samuel and Gina meet at university.
  • Food shopping for a picnic Le Présent (Indicatif) Question/Interrogative Article Food & Drink Daniel and Aline are buying food for a picnic.
  • For equality Le Présent (Indicatif) Article défini Article Hadrien and Sonia explain why they're for gender equality.
  • Gardening with Jacqueline Le Présent (Indicatif) Genre masculin Adjectif possessif Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Julia always loves to take care of her aunt's garden with her.
  • Going on a diet Le Présent (Indicatif) Futur Le Futur Proche (Indicatif) Food & Drink Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Marie has a plan to lose weight this year.
  • Going shopping Adjectif Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Food & Drink Family & Relationships Annie and Nicolas discuss her upcoming trip to the shop.
  • Hanukkah with my family Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Verbes réguliers avec -ER Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Rachelle celebrates Hanukkah with her family every year.
  • Happy New Year! Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Adjectif Paul loves celebrating the New Year.
  • Healthcare in France Préposition Pronom sujet Le Présent (Indicatif) Learn about France's healthcare system.
  • Hello, my name is France! Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Pluriel Politics, History & Economics The country France introduces itself.
  • Hello! I'm Mario! Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom sujet Pronom Famous People Sports & Leisure The famous plumber introduces himself.
  • Helping my neighbourhood Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Deuxième personne Family & Relationships Noémie likes helping her neighbours after school.
  • Helping the planet Le Présent (Indicatif) Article Préposition Technology & Science François does his best to help the planet in his everyday life.
  • How to make a cake Préposition Article Le Futur Proche (Indicatif) Brigitte is going to make a cake today.
  • How to stay healthy Le Présent (Indicatif) Forme négative Article Food & Drink Sports & Leisure Matthieu tells us about his healthy habits.
  • How to vote at a polling station in France? Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Verbe irrégulier Politics, History & Economics Learn how to vote in a French election.
  • Hurray for football [US:soccer]! Verbes réguliers avec -ER Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Annie's brother is a big fan of football [US:soccer].
  • Hurray for snow! Le Présent (Indicatif) Adverbe Adjectif Léo loves snow.
  • Hurray for the city centre! Préposition Le Présent (Indicatif) Article Julien tells us why he loves living in the city centre [US: downtown].
  • Hurray for the internet! Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Adjectif Amir and Chloë talk about why they love the internet.
  • I hate the rain! Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Adverbe Sports & Leisure Annie stays in on rainy days
  • I love camping! Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Genre masculin Anissa goes camping in the summer.
  • I love Hallowe'en! Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Pronom réfléchi Gabriel tells us why he loves Hallowe'en.
  • I, Louis XIV Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Adjectif Famous People Politics, History & Economics Family & Relationships The French king Louis XIV tells us about himself.
  • I'm hot! Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Verbe irrégulier Family & Relationships Marc offers tips for dealing with the heat.
  • I'm Jean Valjean Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Verbe irrégulier At the beginning of Victor Hugo's "Les Misérables", our hero Jean Valjean knocks at a bishop's door.
  • In a Basque restaurant Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Question/Interrogative Food & Drink Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Pascal wants to try a Basque specialty while visiting Biarritz.
  • In French class Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Pronom Language & Education Marc explains what his French lessons consist of.
  • In science class Le Présent (Indicatif) Pluriel Article défini Language & Education Family & Relationships Jérôme's favorite subject is science!
  • In the bathroom Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Pluriel Adrien describes his bathroom.
  • Job: Postman Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Verbes réguliers avec -ER Employment Philippe tells us about his job as a postman.
  • Job: Veterinarian Le Présent (Indicatif) Adverbe Article What does being a veterinarian entail?
  • Juliette Binoche Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Article Famous People Film & TV The famous French actress tells us about herself.
  • Learning the guitar Le Présent (Indicatif) Genre masculin Verbes réguliers avec -ER Music Sports & Leisure Stéphane tells us about his guitar lessons.
  • Léna's family Le Présent (Indicatif) Genre féminin Genre masculin Family & Relationships Meet Léna's close family.
  • Mimi the mermaid Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Article Family & Relationships Mimi the mermaid introduces herself.
  • Money and me Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Adjectif possessif Politics, History & Economics Thibault and Flora are complete opposite when it comes to money!
  • Montpellier Hérault Rugby club Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Verbes réguliers avec -ER Sports & Leisure Martin tells us about his favourite rugby club, the MHR.
  • Moods and colours Adjectif Le Présent (Indicatif) Accord Language & Education Family & Relationships Martin likes different colours depending on his mood.
  • Mrs Durand's Menagerie Adjectif Le Présent (Indicatif) Pluriel Family & Relationships Mrs Durand loves her many animals.
  • My active routine Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Verbes réguliers avec -ER Sports & Leisure Thomas's routine reflects his passion for sports.
  • My afternoons with my friend Lise Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Préposition Nora and her friend Lise have a nice Saturday afternoon routine.
  • My astronaut costume Le Présent (Indicatif) Pluriel Adverbe Celebrations & Important Dates Sports & Leisure This year, Hugo is dressing up as an astronaut for Mardi Gras.
  • My basketball team Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Verbes réguliers avec -ER Quentin loves his basketball team!
  • My bicycle ride Free Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Adjectif Bastien loves his weekend ride in the woods.
  • My children's Hallowe'en Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Adjectif Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Luc's children are all ready for Hallowe'en.
  • My cousin Benjamin Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Genre masculin Family & Relationships Jonathan talks about his favourite cousin.
  • My daughter and books Le Présent (Indicatif) Pluriel Adjectif possessif Literature, Poetry, Theatre Sports & Leisure Patrick's daughter has a passion for books !
  • My daughter's birthday Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Genre féminin Family & Relationships David's daughter Émilie is turning seven today!
  • My daughters' interests Adjectif Le Présent (Indicatif) Genre féminin Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Samuel's daughters have very different interests!
  • My dog's birthday Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Préposition Every year, Florian celebrates his dog Max's birthday.
  • My eco-friendly habits Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Verbes réguliers avec -ER Marc tries to help the planet in his everyday life.
  • My favourite desserts Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Pronom Food & Drink Liliane, Sébastien and François talk about their favourite desserts.
  • My favourite instrument Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Verbes réguliers avec -ER Marc and Véronique tell Sabrina what their favourite musical instruments are.
  • My favourite season Le Présent (Indicatif) Article défini Adjectif Bertrand tells us why he prefers fall to other seasons.
  • My favourite summer fruit Le Présent (Indicatif) Article Article défini Lucas tells what fruit he loves eating in the summer.
  • My favourite superheroes Le Présent (Indicatif) Adverbe Verbes réguliers avec -ER Thomas talks about his favourite superheroes.
  • My favourite winter drink Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Adjectif Food & Drink Find out what Coline's favourite winter drink is!
  • My grandson Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Verbe irrégulier Raymond is completely gaga over his first grandson.
  • My hotel room Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Préposition Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Lucas describes his Paris hotel room.
  • My little sister Le Présent (Indicatif) Genre féminin Genre masculin Family & Relationships Damien's little sister can be pretty annoying.
  • My neighbourhood Free Le Présent (Indicatif) Genre masculin Verbes réguliers avec -ER Family & Relationships Antoine tells us about his neighbourhood's best features.
  • My New Year's resolutions Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Pluriel Celebrations & Important Dates Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Thierry makes a list of good resolutions for the new year 2020.
  • My shopping list Le Présent (Indicatif) Pluriel Article Food & Drink Family & Relationships Bertrand is getting his shopping list ready.
  • My sister the nurse Le Présent (Indicatif) Genre féminin Adjectif Laure tells us about her sister's job.
  • My staycation Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Pluriel Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Sports & Leisure Arthur is going to enjoy his week of staycation.
  • My three children Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Pluriel Justine tells us about her three beloved children.
  • My turtle Caroline Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Genre féminin Family & Relationships Daniel tells us about his favourite pet.
  • My twin daughters Adjectif Pluriel Le Présent (Indicatif) Family & Relationships Philippe tells us about his lovely identical twins Ella and Emma.
  • My typical snowy day Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Verbes réguliers avec -ER Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Pauline tells us what she likes to do when it snows outside.
  • My week of activities Le Présent (Indicatif) Article défini Verbes réguliers avec -ER Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Julien's week is full on activities!
  • Night routine before a test Le Présent (Indicatif) Genre féminin Adjectif Language & Education Technology & Science Antoine's night-before-a-test routine is all about reducing stress.
  • No chores for me! Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Genre masculin Family & Relationships Teenager Lise hates doing chores.
  • On the red carpet Adjectif Le Présent (Indicatif) Genre féminin Art & Design Laura admires the stars' outfits as they walk the red carpet.
  • Opposite siblings Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Verbes avec -OIR Family & Relationships Élodie tells us how different she is from her brother Thomas.
  • Portrait of a cat Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Article défini Family & Relationships Marcel the cat is talking about himself.
  • Profession: G.P. [US: family doctor] Le Présent (Indicatif) Genre masculin Pronom démonstratif Employment Technology & Science Thérèse talks about her job as a general practitioner [US: family doctor].
  • Profession: Journalist Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Pluriel José tells us about his job as a journalist.
  • Quebec City Adjectif Genre féminin Adjectif possessif Olivia loves living in Quebec City.
  • Radio news bulletin Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Verbes réguliers avec -ER Politics, History & Economics Here is a short news broadcast.
  • Speed dating Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Préposition Family & Relationships Claudine and Marc get acquainted during a speed dating session.
  • Summer food and drinks Adjectif Article défini Pluriel Food & Drink Léa asks her friends what they like to eat and drink in the summer.
  • Thanksgiving with family Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom réfléchi Préposition Food & Drink Celebrations & Important Dates Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships James tells us about his Thanksgiving traditions.
  • The driving licence test Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Adjectif possessif Language & Education Technology & Science Véronique is taking her driving licence exam.
  • The Hobbies Family Le Présent (Indicatif) Pluriel Première personne Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships In Raphaël's family, everyone has a different hobby!
  • The woman on the train Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Article Family & Relationships Every morning, Lisa sees this woman on her commuter train.
  • Tips to fight the cold Le Présent (Indicatif) Genre masculin Genre féminin Barnabé is very sensitive to cold, but luckily, he has lots of coping mechanisms!
  • To buy a train ticket Le Présent (Indicatif) Question/Interrogative Verbe irrégulier Family & Relationships Thomas is buying a train ticket at a French train station.
  • To get to the train station Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Article contracté Family & Relationships Arnaud asks a passerby for directions to the train station.
  • Toulouse's specialties Adjectif Le Présent (Indicatif) Genre féminin Food & Drink Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Marius and Anaïs talk about the Southern city's delicious specialties.
  • Visit to A&E [US: the ER] Le Présent (Indicatif) Genre féminin Adjectif Employment Technology & Science Lucie talks to a doctor at the hospital.
  • Visiting Orléans Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Verbes réguliers avec -ER Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Matthieu asks for recommendations for his first time visiting Orléans.
  • What is Francophonie? Article Article défini Le Présent (Indicatif) Language & Education Damien explains what francophonie is.
  • What's your favourite artistic activity? Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Adjectif Art & Design Sports & Leisure Nora and Lucien share their favourite artistic activities.
  • When I'm sick Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Article Family & Relationships Julien tells us what he does when he's ill.
  • Where is the town hall? Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Pronom sujet Sports & Leisure James asks Mélanie for directions.
  • Which French king am I? Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Verbes réguliers avec -ER Politics, History & Economics This mysterious French king tells us about himself... do you recognise him?
  • Why do I love the Alsace region? Genre féminin Pluriel Adjectif possessif Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Sébastien tells us why he loves this French region.

A2: Lower Intermediate French writing exercises

  • A Creole picnic Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adjectif L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Food & Drink Monuments, Tourism & Vacations During a visit to La Réunion, Julie and Léo went for a typical Creole meal.
  • A day with Grandad Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Le Présent (Indicatif) Bastien went to visit his granddad at his retirement home.
  • A family of dog lovers L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Family & Relationships Anthony had many dogs growing up, but Pip was special.
  • A few days in Dordogne Free Adjectif Pronom d'objet indirect Pronom d'objet direct Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Monique tells Patrick about her coming holiday [US: vacation].
  • A football accident Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Participe passé Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Anthony had his friend Bruno over to play...
  • A great party for Mum [US:Mom]! Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Verbes avec être comme auxiliaire Verbes réguliers avec -ER Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Manon and her sister Aline treated their mother for Mother's Day.
  • A great weekend Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Verbes avec être comme auxiliaire Adjectif Henri had a lovely weekend.
  • A Hallowe'en party Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Question/Interrogative Le Présent (Indicatif) Amélie's guests are having a Hallowe'en blast!
  • A holiday [US:vacation] letter Adjectif L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Jacqueline writes about her holiday [US: vacation] to her friend Patricia.
  • A love for teaching L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Pluriel Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Damien's passion for teaching started early.
  • A new mother Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Adverbe Rachelle and her boyfriend had to learn how to take care of their baby.
  • A new TV Adjectif L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Présent (Indicatif) Sébastien tells Yvan about the TV he just bought.
  • A nice train journey Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Adjectif Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Family & Relationships Lucie and her boyfriend Marc went to the countryside by train this weekend.
  • A noisy hotel room Le Présent (Indicatif) Adverbe Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Bertrand complains to the hotel reception about noises during the night.
  • A nostalgic walk Adjectif Adjectif possessif L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Bernard's neighbourhood has changed a lot over the years.
  • A romantic trip to Paris Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Verbes réguliers avec -ER Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Family & Relationships Anna took her boyfriend on a romantic trip to Paris.
  • A romantic weekend away Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet indirect Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Aline and her boyfriend went away for a relaxing weekend.
  • A sleeper's story L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adjectif Amélie used to be a real sleepyhead.
  • A Thanksgiving gift Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Participe passé Verbes réguliers avec -ER Tammy's family prepared a Thanksgiving meal for a less fortunate family.
  • A week of beach activities Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Verbe auxiliaire Participe passé Oriane spent the week enjoying beach sports and activities.
  • A weekend of chores Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Préposition Romain and his wife Sabine spent the weekend doing chores.
  • Afternoon ice cream Free Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Adjectif Food & Drink Lucie and Greg feel like an ice cream this afternoon.
  • An Italian holiday [US: vacation] Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Préposition Julia's girlfriends went on an Italian holiday [US: vacation].
  • Apple tart Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Participe passé Verbes réguliers avec -ER Bruno helped his aunt make her famous apple tart.
  • Arriving at the hotel Pronom d'objet direct Mode impératif Pronom d'objet indirect Employment Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Aline checks into her Parisian hotel.
  • At a Fatals Picards concert Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adverbe Adjectif possessif Julien and his friend Matthieu went to see the French band Les Fatals Picards on stage.
  • At my best friend's wedding Pronom d'objet direct Le Présent (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Family & Relationships Patrick gives a toast at Stéphane's wedding.
  • At the allergist's Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Employment Technology & Science Pierre went to the allergist to get a diagnosis.
  • At the bar Le Présent (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Forme négative Food & Drink Au bar Patricia and Samuel discuss what drinks they want to order.
  • At the bureau de change Le Présent (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Préposition Employment Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Patrick needs to change some dollars upon arriving in Paris.
  • At the Chinese restaurant Le Présent (Indicatif) Forme négative Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Food & Drink James is ordering food in a Chinese restaurant.
  • At the cinema Le Présent (Indicatif) Adverbe Genre masculin Thibault and Aïssa enjoy an evening at the movies.
  • At the dermatologist's Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet indirect Pronom d'objet direct Employment Technology & Science Manon needs help with her eczema.
  • At the grocery store Le Présent (Indicatif) Question/Interrogative Préposition Employment Food & Drink Family & Relationships Julie and Frank need some things from the grocery store.
  • At the gym Le Présent (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Hélène is looking to join some classes at her gym.
  • At the medieval market in Orléans L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Présent (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Art & Design Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Flora and Sami enjoy Orléans's medieval market.
  • At the mountain restaurant Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Pronom d'objet indirect Food & Drink Gérard and Sylvie stop for lunch after their mountain hike.
  • At the nail salon Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Adjectif Barbara is at the nail salon.
  • At the New Year's Eve House Party Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Verbes réguliers avec -ER Celebrations & Important Dates Mathieu welcomes his guest at his New Year's Eve house party.
  • At the post office Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Infinitif Family & Relationships Christophe has a few errands to run at the post office.
  • At the shoe store Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Pronom d'objet indirect Family & Relationships Christine is looking for a pair of shoes with the help of a nice sales assistant.
  • At the till [US: cash register] Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Adverbe A customer is offered the shop's loyalty card.
  • Bastille Day in the South of France Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adjectif L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Celebrations & Important Dates Bernard tells us about celebrating Bastille Day last summer.
  • Bedtime stories L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Adjectif Pluriel Literature, Poetry, Theatre Family & Relationships Florian remembers the bedtime ritual he had with his daughter.
  • Breakfast in the sun Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adverbe Participe passé Food & Drink Family & Relationships Sabrina surprised Thomas with a nice breakfast on the balcony.
  • Calling the hotel's room service Le Présent (Indicatif) Question/Interrogative Adjectif Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Valérie calls room service from her hotel room.
  • Camille Cottin Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Préposition Verbes avec être comme auxiliaire The French actress introduces herself.
  • Chocolate mousse cooking tips! Mode impératif Le Présent (Indicatif) L'Impératif Présent Food & Drink André gives us some tips to make the perfect chocolate mousse.
  • Chocolatier Amaury Guichon Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Verbe irrégulier Inès introduces Thibault to the famous pastry chef and chocolatier.
  • Conversation on the plane Le Présent (Indicatif) Question/Interrogative Adverbe Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Family & Relationships Pascal and Julie get acquainted on a flight to Montpellier.
  • Cooking as a family L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Préposition Adjectif Food & Drink Family & Relationships Yesterday, Antoine and his family made tartiflette together.
  • Dividing the restaurant bill Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Verbes réguliers avec -ER Food & Drink Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Sports & Leisure Isabelle and her friends are splitting the bill at the restaurant.
  • Do you have a favourite male singer? L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Genre féminin Le Présent (Indicatif) Famous People Music Simone and Amélie are talking about their favourite French-speaking male singers.
  • Do you have any dirty clothes? Le Présent (Indicatif) Question/Interrogative Pronom d'objet direct Family & Relationships Bastien and his mother debate the need for a dirty laundry basket.
  • Drawing a face Adjectif Mode impératif L'Impératif Présent Teacher François asks his pupils to draw a face.
  • Driving in France Le Présent (Indicatif) Adverbe Préposition Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Technology & Science Here are a few things to be aware of when driving in France!
  • Easter in France Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Article défini Learn more about how French people celebrate Easter.
  • Finding a Father's Day present Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Préposition Adjectif Louna and her brother Nassim went shopping for Father's Day.
  • Fireworks Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Idioms about Time Verbes réguliers avec -ER Celebrations & Important Dates Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Juliette went to watch New Year's fireworks yesterday.
  • First Christmas Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Adjectif This year was baby Tristan's first Christmas.
  • First visit to the vet L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Genre féminin Pronom d'objet direct Sébastien's cat just gave birth to four little kittens!
  • Fishing with Dad Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pluriel Genre féminin Sports & Leisure Benjamin went fishing with his father last Sunday.
  • From the city to the countryside Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Verbes avec être comme auxiliaire Marie decided to leave Paris to live in the countryside.
  • Gardening : yes or no? Verbes réguliers avec -ER Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom sujet Thibault and Cécile gives their differing opinions on gardening.
  • Getting to know each other Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Employment Family & Relationships New colleagues Julien and Olivier get to know each other over a coffee.
  • Giving up tobacco Le Présent (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Family & Relationships Amélie has stopped smoking and she's so happy about it!
  • Gwoka: Guadeloupe's music Le Présent (Indicatif) Article défini Article Learn about Guadeloupe's traditional music.
  • Holiday [US: Vacation] by the sea L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Préposition Adjectif possessif Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Family & Relationships Édouard remembers his childhood seaside holidays [US: vacations] in the south of France.
  • I love autumn! Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Préposition Food & Drink Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Jacqueline tells us what she loves to do in the fall.
  • I love my grandmother! Le Présent (Indicatif) Pluriel Préposition Family & Relationships Lucas tells us about his lovely grandmother.
  • I love the mountains! Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Le Présent (Indicatif) Article défini Gilles shares why he loves going to the mountains more than going to the seaside.
  • I prefer going skiing Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Comparatif Sports & Leisure Pierre tells us why he prefers going skiing rather than beach holidays.
  • In a taxi Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet indirect Pronom d'objet direct Family & Relationships Magalie needs her taxi to take her for a few errands.
  • In the changing rooms Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Pronom d'objet direct Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Mélanie is trying on a dress... and testing Pierre's patience!
  • Instagram love Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Préposition Adverbe Family & Relationships Technology & Science Julien and Sandra became famous thanks to their Instagram account.
  • Instructions for a test Mode impératif L'Impératif Présent Préposition Language & Education Teacher Marc read out the instructions for today's French test.
  • It's not my fault! Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Genre féminin Adjectif possessif Teacher Émilie lists her students' funny excuses.
  • Jacques Brel Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Gaston is a big fan of the Belgian singer-songwriter.
  • Jojo is such a joker! Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Genre féminin Verbes réguliers avec -ER Family & Relationships Thomas talks about his school friend Jojo, who loves a joke.
  • Last night's party Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Verbes avec être comme auxiliaire Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Pauline and Adrien discuss yesterday's party at Thomas's house.
  • Les Sables-d'Olonne Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Adjectif Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Julien enjoyed his stay in the seaside town of Les Sables-d'Olonne, in the Pays de la Loire region in France.
  • Lockdown solidarity Free Le Présent (Indicatif) Genre masculin Adjectif possessif Family & Relationships Clément and his neighbours organised to help each other.
  • Making Halloween decorations Pronom d'objet direct Question/Interrogative Préposition Celebrations & Important Dates Sports & Leisure Elsie and her mother are making some spooky Halloween decorations.
  • Mister Snowman Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adjectif Verbes réguliers avec -ER Mister Snowman was born this morning.
  • Mother's Day presents Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet indirect Pronom d'objet direct Eve and Ornella compare their Mother's Day presents.
  • Movie Date Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Verbes avec être comme auxiliaire Film & TV Family & Relationships Luc was nervous for his first date with Belinda.
  • Movie night at home Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adverbe Le Présent (Indicatif) Film & TV Food & Drink Pauline and Alex are getting ready to watch a movie at home.
  • Moving in: Calling the electric company Adjectif possessif Le Présent (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Family & Relationships Bruno sets up the electricity account for his new place.
  • Muscle ache Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Family & Relationships Viviane tells her friend Jérôme how going back to the gym left her pretty sore!
  • My afternoon at the funfair L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Sports & Leisure Sébastien spent last Saturday afternoon at the funfair with his friend Matthieu.
  • My breakfast habits L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Genre féminin Food & Drink Sophie's breakfast habits have changed quite a lot over time.
  • My children's after-school activities Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Genre féminin Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Marc's children have picked their after school activities for this year.
  • My cousin and her accordion Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Language & Education Music Aurélie's cousin Lyse plays the accordion.
  • My dad is the best! Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Pronom d'objet indirect Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Colette talks about her father and how kind he is.
  • My driving licence [US: driver's license] Le Présent (Indicatif) Pluriel Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Family & Relationships Jean-Pierre is taking his driving test tomorrow.
  • My electric car Adjectif Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Le Présent (Indicatif) François is really happy to have bought an electric car, despite a few disadvantages.
  • My favourite team won! Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Genre féminin Yesterday, Anna celebrated her team's victory.
  • My favourite work of art Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Verbes réguliers avec -ER Art & Design Stéphane asks Isabelle, Clémence and Benjamin about their favourite works of art.
  • My gratitude journal Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Genre masculin Benoît gets a lot out of his gratitude journal.
  • My Hallowe'en costume Adjectif Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Genre masculin Daniel tells us how hard it can be to pick one's Hallowe'en costume.
  • My head in the stars L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Préposition Genre masculin Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Technology & Science Thomas has always had one passion: the stars.
  • My kids' letter to Santa Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Participe passé Pluriel Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Julia's twins wrote their first letter to Santa.
  • My name is Tintin! Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Le Présent (Indicatif) Language & Education Literature, Poetry, Theatre Famous reporter Tintin introduces himself.
  • My trips to the swimming pool with my daughter L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Préposition Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Brigitte fondly remembers her weekly trips to the swimming pool with her young daughter.
  • My weekend with Mum [US: Mom] Free Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Participe passé Family & Relationships Claire spent quality time with her mother last weekend.
  • My weekend's activities Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Concordance des Temps Sports & Leisure Éric tells us how the weather affected his weekend's activities.
  • My weekends with Dad L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Pluriel Préposition Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Alexandre remembers the getaway weekends he used to spend with his father.
  • My work experience placement Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Thomas worked in an office as part of his work experience placement.
  • Napoleon, a Corsican emperor Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Genre L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Famous People Politics, History & Economics Did you know that French emperor Napoleon was from Corsica?
  • Natural disasters Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Verbe irrégulier Technology & Science Frank and Julien talk about natural disasters and their causes.
  • New Year's celebrations in Belgium Adjectif Préposition L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Food & Drink Celebrations & Important Dates Magalie discovered a few Belgian traditions when she spent New Year's there.
  • New Year's plans Le Présent (Indicatif) Le Futur Proche (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Celebrations & Important Dates Yann and Paul are discussing their plans for New Year's Eve.
  • On the first floor of the Eiffel Tower L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Présent (Indicatif) Question/Interrogative Visitors Jenny and Sam chat on the first floor of the famous Eiffel tower.
  • One day in Father Christmas's workshop Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adjectif Verbes réguliers avec -ER Let's peek through the window to see what the elves are doing.
  • Organising my desk Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adjectif Adverbe Language & Education Julie got her desk ready to go back to school.
  • Our new family member Adjectif Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Family & Relationships The family is growing bigger with the arrival of Minette, our new cat.
  • Paying bills Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Pronom d'objet indirect Roommates Émilie and Judith discuss bills.
  • Phone call from the bank Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet indirect Pronom d'objet direct Family & Relationships Mr Dupuy gets a phone call from his bank.
  • Picking an outfit Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Pronom d'objet indirect Emma is choosing an outfit with the help of her friend Lucie.
  • Playing with my boys Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Pronom sujet Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Romain likes spending time with his sons.
  • Postcard from Vendée Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Sports & Leisure Juliette writes a postcard from the Vendée region in France to her best friend Matt.
  • Quitting a job Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Employment Michelle had had enough of her boss's disrespect.
  • Reading "The Lord of the Rings" L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Baptiste remembers the first time he read Tolkien's masterpiece.
  • Room for dessert? Le Présent (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Food & Drink Olivier and his girlfriend Sarah debate having dessert at the restaurant.
  • Saïd Taghmaoui Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Préposition L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Famous People Film & TV Learn about this famous French-Moroccan-American actor.
  • Salad Niçoise recipe Mode impératif L'Impératif Présent Préposition Food & Drink Babette teaches us how to make a salad Niçoise.
  • Segway in the park L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Le Présent (Indicatif) Noémie and her friend Manon went for a Segway ride in Versailles's royal gardens.
  • Senegalese soldiers Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Préposition Politics, History & Economics Learn about these Senegalese soldiers and their role in French History.
  • Studying abroad Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Préposition Language & Education Daniela shares her experience studying abroad for a year.
  • Switzerland Adjectif Article défini Genre Learn more about this Francophone country.
  • Taking Grandma phone shopping L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet indirect Family & Relationships Marielle took her grandmother to buy a mobile phone.
  • Tent or camper van? Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Adjectif Sports & Leisure André and Yann discuss their camping preferences.
  • The birth of my son Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Geoffrey remembers the first time he saw his son.
  • The Grund neighbourhood in Luxembourg City Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adjectif Verbes réguliers avec -ER Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Joséphine tells us about her favourite area in Luxembourg City.
  • The LU Tower in Nantes Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom sujet Verbes réguliers avec -ER Food & Drink Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Romain visited the famous former biscuit [US: cookie] factory in Nantes.
  • The new menu at the Bistro du Soleil Adjectif Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Le Présent (Indicatif) Food & Drink Julien was happy to discover the Bistro du Soleil's new menu.
  • The perfect couple Le Présent (Indicatif) Adverbe Verbes réguliers avec -ER Family & Relationships Marielle tells us why she thinks that Marc and Julien are the perfect couple.
  • Tom's first day back to school Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Verbes avec être comme auxiliaire Pronom réfléchi Émilie tells us about her son Tom's first day of school.
  • Two great museums in Nice Le Présent (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Art & Design Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Barnabé tells Hélène about his visits to the Chagall and Matisse museums in Nice.
  • Une leçon de ski L'Impératif Présent Mode impératif Adjectif possessif Sports & Leisure Julie and Yvan are having their first ski lesson.
  • Visit of Marseille Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Verbes avec être comme auxiliaire L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Gaspard spent the weekend in Marseille, France.
  • Visiting Toulouse Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adjectif Verbes réguliers avec -ER Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Bastien and Léa enjoyed their visit of Toulouse's historical centre.
  • Weather forecast Préposition Le Présent (Indicatif) Futur Technology & Science Here's a French weather forecast.
  • Weekend in Lyon Free Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Préposition Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Vincent tells us about the weekend he spent in Lyon with his cousin.
  • Welcome to the Sticks Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Film & TV Mickaël learned a lot from this funny French comedy.
  • What a change! L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Émilie moved from a small village to Paris, and that's a big change!
  • What do you want to watch? Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Pronom d'objet direct Grégoire and Inès decide what they want to watch on TV.
  • When I became a vegetarian Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Forme négative Pronom d'objet indirect Food & Drink Family & Relationships Geoffrey tells us about his journey becoming a vegetarian.
  • Who am I? Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Famous People Politics, History & Economics Guess who this important figure of the French Resistance is.
  • Who is this writer ? Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adjectif Le Présent (Indicatif) Famous People Literature, Poetry, Theatre Guess who this (male) French writer is!
  • Why I learned German L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adjectif Sabrina tells us why she first decided to learn German.
  • Why study French? Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Language & Education Hugo gives us his reasons to pick up French again.
  • Working from home - an opinion L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet indirect Patrick tells us about trying WFH a few months ago.

B1: Intermediate French writing exercises

  • A childhood passion L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adverbe Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Vincent and his brother loved video games growing up.
  • A clichéd break-up Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Pronom d'objet indirect Family & Relationships François uses all the clichéd breakup lines to leave his girlfriend Sophie.
  • A dinner invitation Préposition Le Conditionnel Présent Article défini Sabrina invites her friends Louise and Manon to dinner.
  • A family day at the park Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Préposition Food & Drink Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Benoît will spend this Saturday at the park with his daughter Mia.
  • A friend's apology Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Le Présent (Indicatif) Forme négative Gaston apologises for hurting his friend Miriam.
  • A game of hide and seek Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Family & Relationships Linda and Christian are watching from afar a game of hide and seek between the children.
  • A gem of a restaurant Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Forme négative Gilles and his wife Martine discovered a little Italian restaurant in town last weekend.
  • A greener future Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Verbes réguliers avec -IR Technology & Science Julien is seeing a future where people are more eco-conscious.
  • A Horror Story Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Pronom d'objet indirect Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships On a dark October night, Emma received a disturbing call...
  • A luxury holiday [US: vacation] with friends Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Verbes réguliers avec -IR Alain has the perfect luxury holiday [US: vacation] planned for when he wins the lottery!
  • A special Monday Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Celebrations & Important Dates Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Anna is looking forward to a lazy Easter Monday!
  • A strange encounter Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pronom réfléchi Pronom d'objet direct Literature, Poetry, Theatre Family & Relationships Yoann had the strangest encounter in the Broceliande forest!
  • A trip to the cinema Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Le Présent (Indicatif) Film & TV Sports & Leisure Antoine and his daughter Emma are planning a trip to the movies.
  • A weather forecast Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Préposition Verbe irrégulier Technology & Science Find out what tomorrow's weather will be like.
  • A weekend in Montpellier Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Le Présent (Indicatif) Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Élise and Lucas plan their weekend in the southern French city.
  • A wonderful job Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Pronom relatif Guillaume loves his job as an A&E [US: ER] doctor.
  • An afternoon in the fall Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet indirect Adjectif Zoë is planning to meet her friend Quentin for a nice October afternoon.
  • An amazing New Year's Eve meal Pronom d'objet indirect Pronom d'objet direct Préposition Food & Drink Celebrations & Important Dates Henriette is planning a dazzling meal for New Year!
  • An annoying cat allergy L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Genre féminin Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Family & Relationships Éloïse suffers from an annoying cat allergy.
  • An awful new boyfriend L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adverbe Grégory finds his aunt's new boyfriend quite repulsive!
  • An incredibly caring boy L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Adverbe Pronom d'objet direct Family & Relationships Lydia's son, Olivier, is such a caring person.
  • An old scary tradition L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Préposition Adjectif Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Celebrations & Important Dates Yoann recalls celebrating the old Celtic tradition of Samhain with his Gran.
  • An opinion on football [US:soccer] Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom relatif Verbes réguliers avec -ER Théo has a nuanced take on football [US:soccer].
  • Anger management Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Adverbe Lucie talks about her techniques to manage her anger.
  • Animal emergency Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Family & Relationships Julien's cat is stuck in the tree!
  • Around the world by motorcycle Le Conditionnel Présent Préposition Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Sports & Leisure Joël would love to travel the world on his motorcycle.
  • Asking about a hotel room Adjectif possessif Verbe irrégulier Pronom d'objet direct Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Catherine has a few questions about the hotel room she's booked.
  • At the amusement park Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Sports & Leisure Thomas will go to the amusement park with his friend Samia for their birthday this year.
  • At the coffee machine Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Forme négative Cyril, Pauline and Eve catch up by the coffee machine on Monday morning.
  • At the doctor's Le Présent (Indicatif) Mode impératif L'Impératif Présent Family & Relationships Robert goes to the doctor for a consultation.
  • At the patisserie Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Le Conditionnel Présent Le Présent (Indicatif) Daniel needs a special cake.
  • At the till Préposition Verbes réguliers avec -ER Le Présent (Indicatif) Employment Sports & Leisure Peter is at the till [US: cash register] of a French supermarket.
  • Back pain L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adverbe Flora tells the doctor how she hurt her back.
  • Beatrice's baby shower Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Emma and her sister organised their cousin's baby shower.
  • Becoming a model Mode impératif L'Impératif Présent Pronom réfléchi Art & Design Employment Enjoy some useful tips on becoming a model.
  • Becoming an astronaut L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Pronom d'objet indirect Élodie dreams of becoming an astronaut.
  • Belgian food facts Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Genre Discover some interesting food-related facts about Belgium.
  • Birthday makeover Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pluriel Adjectif possessif Family & Relationships "New year, new me" Julia thought on her 20th birthday.
  • Busy Schedule Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Idioms about Time Family & Relationships Isabelle recaps what everyone will have to do on Saturday!
  • Camping at home Préposition Verbe irrégulier Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Sports & Leisure Gabriel and Rose are making plans for the weekend.
  • Cancelling a purchase L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Préposition Adjectif possessif Justin calls Bokado's customer service to cancel his order.
  • Cathy's future holiday [US: vacation] in Montpellier Free Préposition Verbe irrégulier Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Learn about Cathy's plan to spend her holiday [US: vacation] in Montpellier.
  • Choosing a travel pass in Paris Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet indirect Pronom d'objet direct Susan needs (travel) tickets to visit Paris.
  • Christmas at my parents' house Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Participe passé Verbe irrégulier Quentin spent a classic Christmas with his parents.
  • Christmas in the mountains Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Antoine will spend Christmas at his dad's house in the Alps, if he can get there!
  • Christmas specialities Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Article Food & Drink Celebrations & Important Dates Paul tells us about some traditional French Christmas dishes.
  • Conversation between the election's two rounds Le Présent (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Verbes avec être comme auxiliaire Politics, History & Economics Marc explains the French presidential election process to his friend Alice.
  • Corsican polyphonic singing Genre Verbes réguliers avec -ER Adjectif Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Music Do you know about this bewitchingly melodic tradition from Corsica?
  • Credit card fraud Verbes réguliers avec -ER Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Josiane calls her bank about a suspicious transaction.
  • Cycling in Nantes Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Adjectif Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Sports & Leisure Isabelle agrees with Nantes's status as France's "cycling capital".
  • Dalida Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Genre féminin Préposition Famous People Music Learn about Dalida, an iconic French-speaking singer.
  • Dealing with your emotions Adverbe Adjectif possessif L'Impératif Présent Sports & Leisure Technology & Science Here's a guide to keeping calm.
  • Discussing a ski weekend Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Pronom d'objet direct Sports & Leisure Laurent and his friend Matt are planning their ski weekend.
  • Dreaming of Paris Le Conditionnel Présent Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Family & Relationships Grégory imagines his ideal Valentine's Day's proposal.
  • Family holiday car trip Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Question/Interrogative Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Family & Relationships Let the squabbles begin!
  • Flying anxiety Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Le Présent (Indicatif) Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Family & Relationships Jean-Luc has a plan to deal with his fear of flying.
  • Following the GPS Mode impératif L'Impératif Présent Préposition Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Technology & Science Follow this GPS's instructions to reach your destination.
  • François Damiens's hidden camera videos L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Adjectif Philippe and Anissa talk about their favourite hidden camera pranks by François Damiens.
  • Getting ready for autumn Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Verbe irrégulier Celebrations & Important Dates Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Rosalie won't get caught out by the arrival of autumn this year.
  • Giving up smoking L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Participe passé Family & Relationships François tells us how he managed to stop smoking.
  • Going back in time Le Conditionnel Présent Verbe irrégulier L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Politics, History & Economics Family & Relationships Marine asks Amanda, Bruno and Sébastien what they would do if they could go back in time.
  • Going to the bank Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Préposition Adjectif possessif Family & Relationships Flora and her father need to go to the bank.
  • Guadeloupe's Carnival Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Adverbe Discover this colourful Guadeloupe tradition.
  • How do you like to keep up with the news? Le Présent (Indicatif) Pluriel Troisième personne Vanessa and Ludovic tell us how they stay informed.
  • How to share household chores equally Mode impératif L'Impératif Présent Préposition Family & Relationships Follow Céline's tips to share household chores more equally.
  • I love swimming! L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Sports & Leisure Thomas tells us about his love for swimming and his hope to one day dive from up high!
  • I miss French food! L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Adjectif Pronom d'objet indirect Food & Drink Hélène tells Betty how she's coping with missing French food abroad.
  • I want to help! Le Conditionnel Présent Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Préposition Family & Relationships Suzanne wishes she had more time to help others.
  • I, Lucky Luke Le Conditionnel Présent Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Adverbe Literature, Poetry, Theatre Christophe imagines what he would do if he were the fastest shooter in the West.
  • I've always loved French Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Emily has always had a fascination for the French language.
  • If I could be a child again Le Conditionnel Présent Adverbe Forme négative Laurent would love to be 10 again.
  • If I could start over... Le Conditionnel Présent Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet indirect Employment Language & Education Anne wishes she could do things differently.
  • If I were a chef Le Conditionnel Présent Pronom relatif Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Food & Drink Benjamin tells us of his dream of being a chef.
  • If I were Céline Dion Le Conditionnel Présent Adjectif Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Ornella imagines what it would be like to be the French Canadian star.
  • If I were Wonder Woman Le Conditionnel Présent Pronom réfléchi Adjectif possessif Film & TV Literature, Poetry, Theatre Annie imagines what it would be like to be Wonder Woman.
  • In the changing rooms [US: locker rooms] Pronom d'objet direct Pronom d'objet indirect Forme négative The guys are chatting after football [US: soccer] practice.
  • Interview with a jewellery creator Le Présent (Indicatif) Pluriel Question/Interrogative Art & Design Hugo is interviewing Marie who creates her own jewellery.
  • Ivory Coast: a destination like no other Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Préposition Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Find out why Ivory Coast is such an amazing holiday [US:vacation] destination.
  • Learning to read in French Le Présent (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Language & Education David talks about how he learned to read fluently in French.
  • Let's go back to the gym! Verbes réguliers avec -ER Adverbe Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Olivier and Victoria discuss going back to the gym after the winter.
  • Liberty, Equality, Fraternity Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adjectif Participe passé Learn about the origin of the French Republic motto.
  • Lighthouses in Brittany Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Pronom d'objet Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Politics, History & Economics Learn about the beautiful lighthouses you can find in Brittany.
  • Lockdown shopping Le Présent (Indicatif) Adverbe Préposition Marguerite's Christmas shopping habits will be a bit disrupted this year.
  • Looking for a new house Pronom d'objet direct Pronom d'objet indirect Le Conditionnel Présent Sébastien and Éric are looking at real-estate listings.
  • Looking for my phone Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Adverbe Pronom d'objet direct Family & Relationships Jonathan lost his phone on the train...
  • Lyon saucisson Adjectif Idioms about Time Genre féminin Food & Drink Learn about Lyon's famous pork sausage and how best to enjoy it.
  • Making friends online Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Participe passé Family & Relationships Technology & Science Find out how Mary made new friends online
  • Marseille's famous people Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adverbe Préposition Louis and Emma talk about their favourite celebrities from Marseille.
  • Message to my granddaughters Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Verbe irrégulier Family & Relationships Grandmother Viviane has a message for her beloved granddaughters.
  • My brother and his wife Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Genre féminin Pronom d'objet indirect Family & Relationships Marielle tells us about her brother's great relationship.
  • My European trip Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Préposition Verbes réguliers avec -ER Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Jonathan is planning a mini tour of Europe for next year's holiday [US: vacation].
  • My family's breakfasts Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Adjectif Food & Drink Sébastien tells us about his family's different breakfast routines.
  • My favourite things at Easter Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom relatif Verbes réguliers avec -ER Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Alain talks about the things he loves about this time of year.
  • My Hallowe'en Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -IR Verbes réguliers avec -ER Like every year, Bastien will spend Hallowe'en with his nephews.
  • My ideal day Le Conditionnel Présent Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Genre féminin Sports & Leisure Anna tells us how she would spend her ideal day.
  • My ideal garden Adjectif Le Conditionnel Présent Verbe irrégulier Flora imagines her perfect garden.
  • My ideal person Le Conditionnel Présent Adjectif possessif Pluriel Family & Relationships Cédric imagines his ideal partner.
  • My love for museum gift shops Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Adjectif Art & Design Laurent loves museums, and their gift shops even more!
  • My neighbour from Hell Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Adjectif indéfini Family & Relationships Julie's neighbour, Sonia, is pretty terrible!
  • My new flat [US: apartment] L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Family & Relationships Franck is moving soon into a much nicer flat [US: apartment]
  • My New Year's Eve's celebration Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Verbes réguliers avec -IR Food & Drink Celebrations & Important Dates This year, Paul is hosting New Year's Eve.
  • My next holiday [US: vacation] Préposition Verbes réguliers avec -ER Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Monuments, Tourism & Vacations François has his holiday [US: vacation] to Canada well planned!
  • My post-university plans Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Adverbe Employment Language & Education Antony wants to move to Paris after his studies.
  • My Provence dream Le Conditionnel Présent Article Verbe irrégulier Juliette dreams of what life would be like if she lived in Provence.
  • New in town Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Adjectif Verbes réguliers avec -ER Family & Relationships Caroline writes in her diary about her plans to make new friends in a new town.
  • New recruit Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Le Présent (Indicatif) Employment Family & Relationships Antoine sums up his first two months in the company.
  • New year, new resolutions Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Comparatif Adjectif Celebrations & Important Dates Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Séverine and her friend Maya discuss their future New Year's resolutions.
  • Next summer in Paris Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Pronom d'objet indirect Sabrina will visit her friends in Paris next summer.
  • On the phone to Grandma Pronom d'objet indirect Pronom d'objet direct Pronom démonstratif Family & Relationships Jeanne calls her grandmother to catch up.
  • Our family chalet L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Présent (Indicatif) Genre féminin Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Sports & Leisure Florian tells about his family's chalet tradition.
  • Our Halloween costumes Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adjectif Question/Interrogative Celebrations & Important Dates Lisa and her friend Olivier discuss what they'll wear for Halloween.
  • Our next family reunion Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Préposition Sophie can't wait to see her family again.
  • Our Parisian holiday Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Préposition Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Anthony has his Paris holiday all planned out.
  • Our plans for Music Day Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Celebrations & Important Dates Music Sabine and Thomas discuss their plans to celebrate Music Day on June 21.
  • Picking our wedding flowers Adjectif possessif Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Pluriel Perrine has opted for a country-style wedding, with matching flowers.
  • Police check Le Présent (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Family & Relationships Janine is stopped for a routine police check.
  • Ready for Easter Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Préposition Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Celebrations & Important Dates Christine and Baptiste discuss their plans for Easter.
  • Ready for school? Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Celebrations & Important Dates Language & Education Family & Relationships Lisa and Jonathan discuss their kids' state of mind before going back to school.
  • Ready for the zombie apocalypse Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Verbes réguliers avec -IR Sébastien explains how he and his friends will deal with the imminent zombie apocalypse.
  • Sailing in the Caribbean Le Conditionnel Présent Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Préposition Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Sports & Leisure Patrick and Sébastien are planning a sailing tour of some of Caribbean islands.
  • Selfies L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Le Présent (Indicatif) Family & Relationships Technology & Science Marc considers the photographic phenomenon of the selfie.
  • Selling stamps Le Présent (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Christophe needs help to sell a stamp collection.
  • Spanish cooking Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Food & Drink Jean-Luc cooked a Spanish meal for his friends, with mixed results!
  • Splitting the bill Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Adverbe Food & Drink Sports & Leisure Lisa, Julien and Manon have to split the bill at the restaurant.
  • Squabbling Sisters' Scrabble Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Pronom d'objet indirect Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Maya and Liane are arguing while playing Scrabble.
  • Studying abroad Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Language & Education Louis decided to go study abroad next year.
  • Studying for an exam Pronom d'objet direct Verbe irrégulier Pronom d'objet indirect Language & Education Julie, Matthieu and Laurent discuss their revision strategies.
  • Studying programme Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Préposition Language & Education Jérôme and Thomas have a plan to study for their end-of-semester exams.
  • Surfing in Biarritz Préposition Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Sports & Leisure Milo and Stéphane talk about going surfing in Biarritz.
  • Synchronised swimming L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Adverbe Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Frank would love to join a synchronised swimming team.
  • Table for one Question/Interrogative Préposition Mode impératif Food & Drink Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Kelly is trying her luck for a table at a restaurant.
  • The 8 skittles game Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Verbe irrégulier Sports & Leisure Learn about this French version of a classic sport.
  • The best carnivals in the world Le Conditionnel Présent Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Adjectif Celebrations & Important Dates Sports & Leisure Simon asks Mathieu and Lydia what carnival they'd love to go to.
  • The best concert ever! Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Music Laura tells us about the great concert she went to yesterday.
  • The brass band Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Le Présent (Indicatif) Music Alice can't wait to go and see the brass band on Sunday!
  • The Cirque of Mafate in La Réunion Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Find out about an exceptional place to visit on Réunion island.
  • The manga phenomenon in France Adjectif Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Le Présent (Indicatif) Learn more about French people's love for these Japanese comics.
  • The new dad Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Verbes réguliers avec -ER Family & Relationships Christophe wants to share so much with his newly born daughter.
  • The play Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Pronom d'objet indirect Literature, Poetry, Theatre Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Lucie just joined an after work drama class.
  • The pleasure of traditional mail L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Adverbe Pluriel Coralie has always loved sending and receiving letters.
  • The power of love L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adverbe Gaspard became a new man when he fell in love.
  • The year of the Baccalauréat Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Adverbe Verbes réguliers avec -ER Language & Education Laurent is planning the year ahead to prepare his end-of-high school exams.
  • Travel money in France: what to do and not to do Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Verbes réguliers avec -ER Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Politics, History & Economics Sports & Leisure Listen to Marc, a travel expert, tell people about travel money on a radio show.
  • Trip to Paris Free Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Family & Relationships Mélanie's sister and her husband went to Paris last year.
  • Trip to the theatre Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Adverbe Thierry went back to the theatre last weekend.
  • Two model daughters Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -IR Verbes réguliers avec -ER Family & Relationships Marina and Louise are on their best behaviour to convince their parents to let them go out.
  • Visit to the Chocolate Fair Préposition Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Food & Drink Vincent and his familly will go to the Paris Chocolate Fair this year.
  • Watching the Olympic Games Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Pronom d'objet direct Bruno and Flora like following the Olympics.
  • What I love about my partner Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Pronom d'objet direct Adèle talks about her partner's best features.
  • What literary hero would you be? Le Conditionnel Présent Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Adjectif Literature, Poetry, Theatre Michel and Lisa discuss what character from a novel they'd like to be.
  • When I'm retired Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Pluriel Verbe irrégulier Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Bernard tells us what he'll do once he retires.
  • Which band to see? Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Pronom d'objet direct Sabrina and Angélique are deciding which band they want to go see next.
  • Winter weather forecast Préposition Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Film & TV Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Tomorrow's weather forecast is very wintery.

B2: Upper Intermediate French writing exercises

  • "Amélie": my favourite film! Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Verbes réguliers avec -ER Film & TV Lisa explains why "Amélie" is her favourite film.
  • "Vernon Subutex" - an opinion Le Présent (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Carole tells us why she loves the first volume of Virginie Despentes's trilogy.
  • (Scary) Bedtime stories Le Subjonctif Présent Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet indirect Jasmine talks to her partner Nicolas about the type of bedtime stories he is telling their son.
  • A busy weekend ahead Le Subjonctif Présent Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Mode subjonctif Family & Relationships Olivier sums up his busy schedule for the weekend.
  • A day in the countryside Free Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Préposition Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Marie spent last weekend in the countryside with her daughters.
  • A great Advent calendar Adjectif L'Impératif Présent Mode impératif Celebrations & Important Dates Sports & Leisure Find out how to make a unique Advent calendar.
  • A great passion for reading L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Le Présent (Indicatif) Literature, Poetry, Theatre Sports & Leisure Florence talks about her grandmother's passion for books.
  • A History of French TV Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pronom relatif Préposition Film & TV Learn some interesting facts about the beginnings of French TV.
  • A little lost dog L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Sébastien helped a lost dog find his home.
  • A networking New Year's Eve Le Subjonctif Présent Le Présent (Indicatif) Mode subjonctif Jacques has to go to a networking party for work on New Year's Eve.
  • A nice morning surprise Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Préposition Pronom d'objet direct Food & Drink Lucie will serve a delicious breakfast in bed to her fiancée on their anniversary.
  • A nice table "à la française" Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Le Subjonctif Présent Verbes réguliers avec -ER Food & Drink Jacqueline explains the intricacies of setting the table the French way.
  • A nightmare journey Free Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Family & Relationships Josiane and Robert explain why they're an hour late to their friends' place.
  • A perfect interview Le Présent (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Employment Léo's just had the best job interview of his life!
  • A professional phone call Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet indirect Pronom d'objet direct Sonia Martel is talking to M. Delarue's executive assistant.
  • A slippery drive Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Adverbe Technology & Science Richard struggled to get to work this morning: everything was frozen!
  • A surprise gift Préposition L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Gaspard remembers a special gift he made for his mother when he was a boy.
  • A year full of changes Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Pronom d'objet indirect Annette reflects back on the last year and its ups and downs.
  • Ahmed the elephant : an Ivory Coast story Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Préposition Participe passé Discover the heartwarming true story of Ahmed the elephant.
  • At the dry cleaner's Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Verbe irrégulier Eric brought his favourite suit jacket to the dry cleaner's.
  • At the football [US: soccer] game Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Participe passé Celebrations & Important Dates Sports & Leisure Henri took his dad to a football [US:soccer] game for Father's Day.
  • At the garage sale Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Patrick explains to Amelle how to find bargains.
  • At the neighbours' house Pronom d'objet direct Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet indirect Food & Drink Family & Relationships Véronique and Bruno are at their neighbours' house for an aperitif.
  • At the repair shop Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Adverbe Sabrina needs help with her laptop.
  • At university Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Genre féminin Le Présent (Indicatif) Léa and Laura bump into each other at their new university.
  • Autumn/Winter 2020 trends Verbe irrégulier Préposition Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Discover the Autumn/Winter 2020 fashion trends.
  • Bad Movie Review L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Adjectif Le Subjonctif Présent Film & TV Bernadette delivers a scathing movie review.
  • Barbara L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Genre féminin Famous People Music Laëtitia talks about her passion for fascinating French singer Barbara.
  • Bastille Day in France L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Adjectif Pronom relatif Mathilde remembers how she used to celebrate Bastille Day with her family.
  • Bayonne, France's chocolate capital Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif Préposition Food & Drink Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Learn why Bayonne is considered the French capital of chocolate.
  • Bouldering in Fontainebleau Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Mode impératif Irène loves spending the day rock-climbing in Fontainebleau.
  • Brasserie La Coupole Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Adverbe Food & Drink Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Vincent always eats here when he's in Paris.
  • British National Museums Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Préposition Monuments, Tourism & Vacations National museums are free in the UK, as Paul happily found out.
  • Building a snowman Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Pronom d'objet indirect Sports & Leisure Martine and Bastien enjoyed building a snowman.
  • Camping with your dog Le Présent (Indicatif) Mode subjonctif Le Subjonctif Présent Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Patrick gives us some advice on taking your dog camping with you.
  • Car breakdown Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Verbes avec être comme auxiliaire Le Plus-que-Parfait (Indicatif) Julien's car broke down at the most inconvenient time.
  • Catherine Ségurane: a local heroine Préposition Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom réfléchi Famous People Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Politics, History & Economics Toni, a tourist guide from Nice talks about local legend Catherine Ségurane.
  • City vs dog poop L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Genre féminin Politics, History & Economics Family & Relationships Alain and Pauline discuss the city's measures to fight against dog waste.
  • Composting is awesome! Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Verbe irrégulier Technology & Science Elsa explains composting to her friend Pierre.
  • Congratulations on your degree! Pluriel Pronom d'objet direct Genre masculin Language & Education Family & Relationships Thomas's aunt and uncle send him an email to congratulate him on getting his Master degree.
  • Conversation between friends Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Pronom d'objet indirect Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Friends Simon and Isabelle are catching up.
  • Couples' annoying habits Le Présent (Indicatif) Forme négative Verbes réguliers avec -ER Family & Relationships Olivier gets so annoyed by the way couples behave sometimes!
  • DIY with Dad L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Genre masculin Première personne Émilie loved spending time in her father's shed.
  • Extreme cosmetic surgery Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Le Subjonctif Présent Adjectif possessif Anella had several operations to look like her idol, the Barbie doll.
  • Family Reunion Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Family & Relationships At a family reunion, Lea sees her aunt Patricia for the first time in years.
  • Fatherly pride L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Luc is so proud of his daughter's stage debut.
  • Fighting lockdown blues Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet indirect Verbe irrégulier Samia did everything she could to cheer up her grandmother Janine during lockdown.
  • Finding the perfect anniversary gift Pronom d'objet direct Pronom d'objet indirect Le Présent (Indicatif) Family & Relationships Jean-Paul is listing his gift ideas for his wife on their anniversary.
  • First night out after Baby Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Adjectif indéfini Romane couldn't wait to go out with her girlfriends again!
  • French Easter specialties Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Verbes réguliers avec -ER Celebrations & Important Dates Discover some of France's regional Easter specialties.
  • French-style lemon tart recipe Mode impératif L'Impératif Présent Préposition Food & Drink Follow the recipe to make a delicious lemon tart.
  • Garip Ay's amazing paintings Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Pronom relatif Art & Design Jean-Pierre tells us about the work of this fascinating Turkish artist.
  • Getting ready for the holiday [US: vacation] Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Bastien and Alicia are getting ready for tomorrow's departure.
  • Giving back Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom réfléchi Pronom relatif Celebrations & Important Dates Especially during the holiday season, it's good to give back to those less fortunate than us...
  • Going lily-of-the-valley picking Adjectif possessif Pronom d'objet indirect Pronom d'objet direct Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Jean-Pierre's family goes to pick lily-of-the-valley every year.
  • Happy Father's Day! Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Adverbe Sabrina has prepared the perfect Father's Day for her dad.
  • Heatwave Préposition Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Impératif Présent Politics, History & Economics Technology & Science A weather forecast on one of the hottest days of the year.
  • High cost of cigarette packaging change Préposition Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Politics, History & Economics Learn about the cost of the new policy on cigarette packaging in France.
  • Holiday [US: Vacation] in French-speaking Switzerland Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adverbe Genre Irène tells Jules how delighted she was by her trip to French-speaking Switzerland.
  • Holidaying abroad: pros and cons Le Présent (Indicatif) Adverbe Verbes réguliers avec -ER Sébastien weighs up his pros and cons of going abroad for the holiday.
  • Horse riding on the beach L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Adverbe Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Iris discovered the joy of horse riding by the sea.
  • How I met your mother L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Le Plus-que-Parfait (Indicatif) Julien tells his children how he met their mother Émilie.
  • How to become an official candidate in the French presidential election? Le Subjonctif Présent Mode subjonctif Le Présent (Indicatif) Learn about the French electoral process to become a presidential candidate.
  • I can't find my shirt! Pronom d'objet direct Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Le Présent (Indicatif) Family & Relationships Claire and Julien are almost ready to go out...except for Julien's missing shirt!
  • In a clothes store Pronom d'objet direct Pronom d'objet indirect Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Sports & Leisure Patrick complains to the sales assistant about a defective item.
  • In the return taxi Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Verbes avec être comme auxiliaire Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Aline talks about her trip with the taxi driver on her way back to the airport.
  • In the woods with my dog Ulysse Le Présent (Indicatif) Infinitif Préposition Gaëlle enjoys her walks through the woods with her dog Ulysse.
  • Jean-Pierre Bacri Pronom d'objet direct Pronom d'objet indirect Adverbe Yann and Élodie loved the great French actor who passed away in 2021.
  • Living abroad Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom relatif Adverbe Bastien thinks that living abroad can only enrich one's life.
  • Lockdown letters Pronom d'objet indirect Pronom d'objet direct Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Alexandre has been sending letters to his grandmother during lockdown.
  • Long time no see! Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Le Présent (Indicatif) Forme négative Family & Relationships Marina and her cousin Tom catch up after quite a while.
  • Louise Bourgeois Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pluriel Genre masculin Art & Design Famous People Politics, History & Economics Marie-Claire tells us about her favourite French artist.
  • Mice invasion Pronom d'objet direct Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet indirect Family & Relationships Lisa and Paul are discussing options to get rid of Lisa's mice.
  • Moving house chores Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Family & Relationships Sophie had so many chores to do before moving into her new apartment.
  • My car is a real beater! Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Pronom d'objet indirect Sports & Leisure Technology & Science Yann's car has so many problems!
  • My chosen family L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Préposition Family & Relationships Magalie found her own loving family.
  • My dream invention Le Conditionnel Présent Verbe irrégulier Le Subjonctif Présent Technology & Science Sonia asks Sylvie what invention she'd dream to see becoming a reality.
  • My exotic Christmas Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Préposition L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Celebrations & Important Dates Aline is remembering spending last Christmas in Marrakech, Morocco.
  • My first Easter memory L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Plus-que-Parfait (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Alexandre remembers the first time he went egg hunting.
  • My grandmother's rosebushes L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Pronom d'objet indirect Family & Relationships Lucie tells us about her grandmother's beloved and renowned rosebushes.
  • My hot-headed nephew L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Genre féminin Family & Relationships Michel talks about how his nephew used to get on his nerves.
  • My kids' back to school day Le Subjonctif Présent Mode subjonctif Le Présent (Indicatif) Language & Education Family & Relationships Claire is getting ready for the kids' first day back to school.
  • My life is a hashtag Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Participe passé Family & Relationships Technology & Science Sébastien explains why hashtags are so important in his life.
  • My mother's favourite singer Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Pronom d'objet direct Famous People Music Patricia tells us about her mum's passion for French singer Serge Lama.
  • My passion for French cuisine Le Présent (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pronom relatif Food & Drink James presents some of the reasons why he loves French cooking.
  • My plan for the day of my exam Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Adverbe Language & Education Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Viviane has perfectly planned for her exam day.
  • My sense of direction Verbe irrégulier Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Joseph and Sabrina discuss their more or less deficient sense of direction.
  • My sister the future pianist Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Music Sports & Leisure Lucas's sister has always dreamed of playing piano.
  • New town, new friends Le Présent (Indicatif) Adverbe Genre féminin Family & Relationships Laurence wants to help her daughter make new friends in their new town.
  • New vs old technologies L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Technology & Science Enzo asks retiree Gertrude her opinion on new technologies.
  • New wallpaper in the dining room L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Préposition Pronom d'objet Josiane explains her choice of new wallpaper for the dining room.
  • Nostalgia: pros and cons Le Présent (Indicatif) Le Subjonctif Présent Infinitif Noémie and Alain discuss the pros and cons of nostalgia.
  • Nudist beaches in France Préposition Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Discover some of France's nudist beaches.
  • Oceanopolis is great! Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Préposition Adjectif possessif Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Sports & Leisure Céline tells you about her visit to the ocean discovery park in Brest, Brittany.
  • On the terrace of a fancy restaurant Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Préposition Food & Drink Family & Relationships Jean-Luc and his fiancée are enjoying a meal on the terrace of a fancy restaurant.
  • On Valentine's Day, beware of faux pas! Le Subjonctif Présent Mode subjonctif Le Présent (Indicatif) Family & Relationships Henri gives us tips to pick the right Valentine's Day's present.
  • Our "grown-up" hobbies Préposition Le Présent (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Viviane and Luc tell us about their respective hobbies: adult colouring and homebrewing.
  • Our camper holiday [US: RV vacation] Pronom d'objet direct L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet indirect Élodie and her cousin Sarah had the best time on their camper holiday [US: RV vacation].
  • Our holiday [US:vacation] in Wallonia Verbes réguliers avec -ER Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Préposition Daniel and Claire are planning their visit to Wallonia [re: French-speaking Belgium].
  • Our new house's renovations Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Family & Relationships Jacques and his partner Louise are planning their new house's renovations.
  • Our plans for Valentine's Day Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Pronom d'objet direct Barnabé and Samia discuss their Valentine's Day plans.
  • Pears in red wine and cassis Mode impératif L'Impératif Présent Préposition Food & Drink Here's chef Paul Bocuse's famous (and delicious) "Poires à la Beaujolaise" recipe.
  • Planning a camping trip Verbe irrégulier Le Présent (Indicatif) Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Patricia and Alexandre are planning their camping weekend.
  • Playing video games Pronom d'objet direct Pronom d'objet indirect Le Présent (Indicatif) Sports & Leisure Quentin and Lise are playing a racing video game together.
  • Pre-date stress L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Forme négative Préposition Family & Relationships Luc was really nervous last week ahead of his date with the amazing Olivia !
  • Public Transport L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adverbe Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships François discovered the joys of public transport when moving from a small village to Paris.
  • Rebooking a flight Le Présent (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Question/Interrogative Employment Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Patrice calls Easyplane to postpone his flight.
  • Robbery at the bakery L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Verbes avec être comme auxiliaire Employment Here's a local news article about a robbery.
  • Saving up for Christmas Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Préposition Mode subjonctif Politics, History & Economics Celebrations & Important Dates Nadia has a plan to save money until the Holidays.
  • Sorting out my office Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adverbe L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Family & Relationships Jean-Pascal's office needed a good clean.
  • Stendhal syndrome Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Participe passé Le Plus-que-Parfait (Indicatif) Learn more about this fascinating, if controversial, affliction.
  • Strasbourg's Christmas Market Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Adjectif Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Celebrations & Important Dates Olivier tells us about one of the most magical Christmas markets in France.
  • Thanksgiving celebrations Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Verbes réguliers avec -ER Adam and his friends are making their own Thanksgiving dinner this year.
  • The adventures of Fantômette L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Conditionnel Passé Adjectif possessif Literature, Poetry, Theatre Nadia has always loved the character of Fantômette!
  • The Alsace wine route Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pluriel Verbes réguliers avec -ER Food & Drink Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Henri is finding out about Laura's trip to Alsace.
  • The Appeal of 18 June 1940 Article Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Article défini Politics, History & Economics Celebrations & Important Dates Discover the historical context around Charles de Gaulle's most famous speech.
  • The benefits of yoga Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom relatif Pronom réfléchi Discover a few of the many benefits yoga can bring into one's life.
  • The best hotel booking L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Adjectif Pronom d'objet direct Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Olivier had the most amazing hotel experience!
  • The mental load L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Présent (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Emma explains how the bulk of household organisational tasks tends to fall on women's shoulders.
  • The Nice Carnaval Préposition Pronom relatif L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Celebrations & Important Dates Sports & Leisure Guillaume plans on going to the famous Nice Carnaval this year.
  • The Paul Bocuse Institute in Lyon Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adverbe Verbe irrégulier Famous People Food & Drink Language & Education Marie's son dreams of studying at this world-renowned French cooking school.
  • The Ritz hotel in Paris Préposition Adjectif Le Présent (Indicatif) Famous People Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Learn about one of the most iconic hotels in Paris.
  • The worst holiday [US: vacation] ever! L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Amandine tells us about her very disappointing holiday [US: vacation]!
  • Thomas Pesquet Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Préposition Famous People Technology & Science Learn about France's most famous astronaut.
  • Toussaint Louverture Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Préposition Adjectif Famous People Politics, History & Economics Find out why this historical figure is important in Haiti.
  • Train mishap L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Genre masculin Family & Relationships Lisa missed her stop on her way to work!
  • Training for a marathon Mode impératif Verbe irrégulier L'Impératif Présent Sports & Leisure Follow our tips to train and run your first marathon.
  • Trouble on the way to holiday [US: vacation] Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Pronom d'objet indirect Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Family & Relationships On the road to go on holiday [US: vacation], Christophe and Laure's car engine overheated.
  • Two tourist destinations Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Le Subjonctif Présent Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Béatrice and Simon are discussing two different places to visit in France.
  • Visit to Disneyland Paris Le Présent (Indicatif) Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Sports & Leisure Tristan can't wait to visit the famous theme park for the first time!
  • Visiting my best friend L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet indirect Adjectif possessif Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Juliette wants to visit her best friend Pierre who moved away last year.
  • Water damage Le Présent (Indicatif) Mode subjonctif Le Subjonctif Présent Family & Relationships Noémie and Samuel investigate a water leak in their flat [US: apartment].
  • Welcome to Bordeaux's Tourist Office Free Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Adjectif Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Bordeaux's Tourist Office introduces us to the city's best touristic attractions
  • What is joual? Adjectif Le Présent (Indicatif) Article défini Learn about this typical French Canadian way of speaking.
  • What monster would you be? Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Le Conditionnel Présent Préposition Family & Relationships Suzanne asks David, Agathe and Hugo what monsters they'd like to be.
  • What to get Mum [US Mom]? Pronom d'objet indirect Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Daniel and his girlfriend Olivia decide what to get his mother for her birthday.
  • Where to study L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Subjonctif Présent Le Conditionnel Présent Italian student Mateo finally picked the country where he wants to study.
  • Women's vote in France Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Politics, History & Economics Catherine and Blanche tell us about the first time they were allowed to vote in 1945.
  • Workaholic's back to work Le Présent (Indicatif) Pluriel Le Subjonctif Présent Employment Arthur hates time off and can't wait to be back at work!
  • Working as an A&E [US: ER] doctor Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom réfléchi Adverbe Employment Technology & Science Find out what it's like for Dr. Patrick Dupond to work as an A&E [US: ER] doctor.

C1: Advanced French writing exercises

  • A bad matchmaker Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Pronom d'objet Family & Relationships Sophie tells us about her failed attempt at matchmaking.
  • A birthday party Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Pronom relatif Verbes réguliers avec -ER Nicolas has planned a birthday party full of games for his daughter Flora.
  • A chilling story L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Préposition Pronom relatif A young couple had just moved into a huge manor...
  • A couple's ups and downs Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Pronom réfléchi Family & Relationships Hélène explains how she and her partner managed to navigate out of a rough patch.
  • A difficult sibling relationship L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Pronom relatif Pronom réfléchi Family & Relationships Yvan has always had a fraught relationship with his sister.
  • A dissatisfied customer Mode subjonctif Le Subjonctif Présent Pronom d'objet direct Monsieur Dubois writes to complain about not receiving an order.
  • A dreadful teenager L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Pronom d'objet indirect Family & Relationships Philippe recalls his bad behaviour as a teenage boy.
  • A drunken evening Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Participe passé Pronom d'objet direct Christophe had quite an eventful evening!
  • A ghost story L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Pronom relatif Le Passé Simple (Indicatif) Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Hugo is visiting his mother on All Saints' Day.
  • A hard time at work L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Employment Érica went through a rough time at work.
  • A horrible storm! L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Mode subjonctif Le Plus-que-Parfait (Indicatif) Technology & Science Julien remembers spending a horrible night due to a violent storm.
  • A last minute request L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Employment Family & Relationships Isabelle's colleague keeps making her miserable...
  • A lovely car L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Genre féminin Deuxième personne Technology & Science Find out about Michel's beloved 2CV car.
  • A lovely encounter L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Adjectif Genre féminin Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships On her daily walk, Audrey met a furry little friend in need of help...
  • A snow storm to remember Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adverbe Le Subjonctif Présent Lily recalls last year's snow storm.
  • A special Christmas in Switzerland L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Plus-que-Parfait (Indicatif) Préposition Food & Drink Celebrations & Important Dates Damien recalls a wonderful family Christmas holiday in Switzerland.
  • A sudden reappearance Pronom d'objet direct Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet indirect Family & Relationships After years of disappearance, Olivia's friend is back.
  • A wedding proposal L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct David tells us how he planned to propose to his girlfriend.
  • Advice for new pet owners Pronom d'objet indirect Pronom d'objet Adjectif Family & Relationships Laurent asks people for their advice on welcoming a new pet at home.
  • Alberto Giacometti Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Jean-Louis and Samuel discuss the famous Swiss artist.
  • Alice and the Caterpillar (Alice in Wonderland) Le Présent (Indicatif) Le Passé Simple (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Literature, Poetry, Theatre Alice meets the mysterious Caterpillar in this adapted excerpt from "Alice in Wonderland"
  • An animal tale L'Imparfait (Indicatif) L'Impératif Présent Le Passé Simple (Indicatif) Family & Relationships By a lovely winter morning, Henri the hare meets poorly Lili the rabbit.
  • An incredible trip on the Canal du Midi Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Verbe irrégulier Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Sports & Leisure Patrice recalls his trip along the Canal du Midi.
  • An upcycling tutorial Adjectif Préposition Pronom d'objet direct Art & Design Sports & Leisure Technology & Science Find out a few ideas for your upcycling projets.
  • Anna's birthday party L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Le Subjonctif Présent Food & Drink Family & Relationships Clément discusses the organisation of his daughter's birthday party with his friend Charlotte.
  • Anne of Brittany Le Passé Simple (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Genre féminin Learn about the extraordinary woman who was crowned Queen of France twice.
  • At the psychiatrist's Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Le Subjonctif Présent Le Présent (Indicatif) Employment Family & Relationships Mme Dupont is talking to her psychiatrist.
  • At the ski resort Le Présent (Indicatif) Le Subjonctif Présent Mode subjonctif Sports & Leisure Paul needs to get ski gear for himself and his family.
  • At the water park Le Présent (Indicatif) Le Subjonctif Présent Mode subjonctif The whole family is having a good time at the water park.
  • At Uncle Robert's 70th birthday Mode subjonctif Verbe irrégulier Le Subjonctif Présent Family & Relationships Laura catches up with her cousin Charlotte at a family event.
  • Back to School shopping Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Mode impératif Language & Education Family & Relationships Viviane and Christian try and get everything on their children's school supply list.
  • Bathroom chat Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Family & Relationships Bruno and Sonia are having a chat in the bathroom.
  • Brest during World War II L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Le Plus-que-Parfait (Indicatif) Politics, History & Economics Alex is talking about WWII in Brest with his granddad.
  • Californian dream L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Subjonctif Présent Mode subjonctif Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Olivia finally followed her dream to move to California.
  • Camping in the woods Free L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Préposition Le Plus-que-Parfait (Indicatif) Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Nathalie enjoys camping in the middle of the woods.
  • Coco Chanel Le Passé Simple (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Article Famous People Politics, History & Economics Learn about this extraordinary woman who became a fashion icon.
  • Complaining about a hotel room Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Pronom d'objet indirect Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Gérard complains to the receptionist about the state of his hotel room.
  • Coping with the heatwave Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Mode subjonctif Le Subjonctif Présent Family & Relationships Emma asks how Simon and his pregnant girlfriend Christelle coped with the extreme heat.
  • Deep-sea diving in Martinique L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Pronom relatif Léonard took his new wife Sophie deep-sea diving in Martinique.
  • Discovering Guadeloupe Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -IR Pronom relatif Alicia takes us on a tour of some of Guadeloupe's tourist spots.
  • Drôme provençale, a little piece of heaven Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom relatif Adjectif possessif Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Politics, History & Economics Vincent tells us about this beautiful region in the South of France.
  • Easter plans Le Subjonctif Présent Mode subjonctif Le Présent (Indicatif) Julia hopes Easter will be nicer this year!
  • Édith Piaf Genre féminin Le Passé Simple (Indicatif) Genre masculin Famous People Music Here's a short biography of one of France's most beloved singers.
  • Engagement dinner's speech Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Préposition Pronom d'objet direct Family & Relationships The bride's father thanks the guests for attending and announces the evening programme.
  • Engagement surprise Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Family & Relationships Louise enjoys an unexpected visit at her engagement party.
  • Family Zoom Call Le Subjonctif Présent Mode subjonctif Le Présent (Indicatif) Laurent tries to coordinate a Zoom call with his mother and grandparents.
  • Financial advice Le Subjonctif Présent Mode subjonctif Le Présent (Indicatif) Alicia had a meeting with her financial advisor.
  • Finding love at a yoga retreat L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Adverbe Adjectif possessif Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Seniors Germaine and Pierrot didn't expect to fall in love at a yoga retreat.
  • Fireside memories L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Préposition Family & Relationships Manuelle has warm memories of family times by the fireside.
  • First day back to school Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Préposition Le Subjonctif Présent Food & Drink Family & Relationships Sabrina tells us what she'll do on her children's first day back to school.
  • Fishing with my father Free L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Pronom réfléchi Adjectif possessif Julien remembers going fishing with his dad when he was young.
  • French Mobile Phone Habits Préposition Mode subjonctif Le Présent (Indicatif) Politics, History & Economics Technology & Science We're taking a look at the importance of mobile phones in French people's lives.
  • Gardening weekend Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Participe passé Adjectif possessif Sports & Leisure Jean-Pierre had a busy weekend taking care of his garden.
  • Gastronomical review L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Pronom relatif Le Présent (Indicatif) Food & Drink Discover a mouthwatering review of a French restaurant.
  • Gluten-free living L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Pronom d'objet indirect Food & Drink Alexandre tells us how he dealt with his newly discovered gluten allergy.
  • Gustave Moreau Museum L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet indirect Art & Design Claire tells us about her fascination for 19th-century symbolist painter Gustave Moreau.
  • Holidaying in July L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Mode subjonctif Monuments, Tourism & Vacations July is a hard time to organise holiday [US: vacation] for, as Martine and Sam found out!
  • How to show your love? Verbe irrégulier Adjectif possessif Préposition Family & Relationships Marianne and her partner Adèle are making some changes to show their appreciation for each other more.
  • How to take the best portrait photos Le Présent (Indicatif) Le Subjonctif Présent Mode subjonctif Sylvie gives Jacques some tips to improve his portrait photos.
  • If only I'd won the lottery! Pronom d'objet direct Le Conditionnel Passé Verbes avec être comme auxiliaire Vincent shares what he would have done with the lottery money if he'd won.
  • If you could learn anything instantly... Le Conditionnel Présent Le Subjonctif Présent Mode subjonctif Irène, Julien and Pascal answer the question.
  • In the Jura mountains with my dog Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom relatif Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Stéphane recommends going on a mountain holiday [US: vacation] with your dog.
  • In the lives of the writers of French romance novels Le Présent (Indicatif) Le Subjonctif Présent Mode subjonctif Employment Literature, Poetry, Theatre Discover what the life of a French writer of romance novels looks like.
  • Jean-Marc Vallée Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pronom relatif L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Famous People Film & TV Nathan and Florence discuss the late Quebecois director Jean-Marc Vallée.
  • Johnny Hallyday, a French icon L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Famous People Music Paul and his mum talk about her favourite French singer, Johnny Hallyday.
  • La Petite France in Strasbourg Préposition Adjectif Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Art & Design Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Discover this unique area of Strasbourg, a UNESCO site and tourists' favourite.
  • Last-minute hesitations L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Adverbe Adjectif possessif Family & Relationships François is torn between his love for Marianne and his duty to the Duchess who he's about to marry.
  • Letter to my daughter L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Subjonctif Présent Mode subjonctif Family & Relationships Marc writes a love letter to his newborn baby girl.
  • Letter to Santa Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Mode subjonctif Celebrations & Important Dates Timothée writes to Santa, hoping he's been good enough this year...
  • Long distance relationships Le Subjonctif Présent Mode subjonctif Le Présent (Indicatif) Family & Relationships Here's some advice on how to keep your long distance relation working.
  • Luxembourg: A bit of history Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom réfléchi Pronom relatif Politics, History & Economics Learn about the early history of this interesting country.
  • Missed plane! Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adverbe Le Subjonctif Présent Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Family & Relationships Bastien missed his morning flight to Paris!
  • Missing a friend's Hen [US: Bachelorette] Party Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Adverbe Manquer l'EVJF d'une amie
  • Moana's French voice-over's interview Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Film & TV Paul interviews Cerise Calixte, the French actress who gave her voice to Disney's Moana (Vaiana in the French version).
  • Montpellier, city of street art Le Présent (Indicatif) Mode subjonctif Le Subjonctif Présent Art & Design Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Valentin tells us why Montpellier is a great street art city.
  • Multilingualism in Alsace Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Article Pronom d'objet direct Politics, History & Economics Language & Education Find out which languages are spoken in Alsace.
  • My family's Hallowe'en L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Pronom réfléchi Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Martin tells us about his family's Hallowe'en traditions.
  • My first Mother's Day Le Plus-que-Parfait (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Danielle looks back on her very first Mother's Day with her son.
  • My Hanukkah traditions L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Genre féminin Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Rachelle explains why Hanukkah is such a special occasion for her.
  • My life as a locavore Le Présent (Indicatif) Adverbe Le Subjonctif Présent Sophie explains why she decided to become a locavore.
  • My son's school trip transformation L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Préposition Pronom relatif Family & Relationships Naomi wondered about her son's strange behaviour after his school trip to France.
  • My trip to Lyon Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pronom relatif L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Yvan spent a few days exploring the French city.
  • Nice's cuisine: a healthy diet Le Présent (Indicatif) Préposition Adjectif Food & Drink Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Find out why the dishes from Nice are so healthy.
  • Not the festival type Mode subjonctif Le Subjonctif Présent Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Jean-Marc discovered that outdoor festivals were really not his thing!
  • Ode to my favourite uncle L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Pronom d'objet indirect Simon writes a loving text to his favourite uncle.
  • Of the difficulties of learning French Le Présent (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Mike and Jane discuss the challenges they encountered learning French.
  • On a desert island L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Présent (Indicatif) Le Conditionnel Présent Family & Relationships Technology & Science Pierre discusses his friend Yves's choice of single item that he would take with him on a desert island.
  • Our baby's progress Le Subjonctif Présent Mode subjonctif Le Présent (Indicatif) Christophe can't believe how fast his baby daughter is growing up.
  • Paris Catacombs Visit: Juliette's review Le Présent (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adverbe Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Juliette reviews her visit of Paris's Catacombs.
  • Paris's Haussmannian revolution L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Passé Simple (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Art & Design Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Learn about the architectural revolution that took place in Paris in the 19th century.
  • Planning mishap Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Pronom d'objet indirect Sports & Leisure Family & Relationships Fabienne and Pascal were to meet Charlotte and Cyril to go to the cinema...except they showed up an hour late! What happened?
  • Playground battle Le Passé Simple (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Family & Relationships Thomas and Alex fought an epic battle in the school playground.
  • Police Station Dialogue Pronom d'objet direct Pronom d'objet indirect L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Family & Relationships Detective Jacques Poireau is interviewing a murder suspect.
  • Pompidou Centre Free Le Passé Simple (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Préposition Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Politics, History & Economics Learn about the history of this unique building in Paris.
  • Prepaid travel cards Pronom d'objet direct Pronom d'objet indirect L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Technology & Science Alain talks about the advantages of prepaid travel cards.
  • Real daredevils! Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Adverbe L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Patricia's twins have a loyalty card at the local hospital...
  • Results of the 2022 presidential election's first round Pronom relatif Verbes réguliers avec -ER Verbe irrégulier Politics, History & Economics Here's a summary of the main results of the first round of France's 2022 presidential elections.
  • Review of the iPhone 8 Plus Comparatif Forme négative Adverbe Technology & Science Christine reviews the disappointing new iPhone 8 Plus.
  • Roxy's bath Le Présent (Indicatif) Mode subjonctif Le Subjonctif Présent Giving a bath to her dog Roxy is really no picnic for Lisa!
  • Staycation: a positive experience Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Forme négative Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Sports & Leisure Oscar talks about his experience with staycations.
  • Stereotypes about girls: an evolution? Mode subjonctif Le Subjonctif Présent Question/Interrogative Politics, History & Economics Family & Relationships Danielle Moreau, a sociologist, talks about the evolution of stereotypes towards girls on a radio show.
  • Summer recipes Le Présent (Indicatif) Le Subjonctif Présent Mode subjonctif Food & Drink Marielle shares her favourite summer dishes with us.
  • Taking the children to the park Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Family & Relationships Overwhelmed dad Luc tells us about the challenge that is taking the kids to the park.
  • Taking the driving license test Le Subjonctif Présent Mode subjonctif Verbe irrégulier Irène is taking her driving license test.
  • The "Veuve Clicquot" Le Passé Simple (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Pronom relatif Food & Drink Politics, History & Economics Here's the story of how widow Barbe-Nicole Clicquot created one of the most famous champagne brands in the world.
  • The Abbey of Fontevraud: a Royal affair Le Présent (Indicatif) Verbes réguliers avec -ER Préposition Famous People Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Politics, History & Economics Eleanor of Aquitaine answers a few questions about the Abbey of Fontevraud.
  • The benefits of music Pronom d'objet indirect Pronom d'objet direct Le Présent (Indicatif) Music Mathieu tells us about the benefits of music.
  • The best house painting company Adjectif possessif Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet indirect You won't find a better house painting company than Jean-Pierre's!
  • The city of the future Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) Verbe irrégulier Pronom relatif Family & Relationships Technology & Science Yann asked people what they imagine cities will look like in the future.
  • The feminist revolutionary Olympe de Gouges Mode subjonctif Le Subjonctif Présent Verbes réguliers avec -ER Famous People Politics, History & Economics Bastien tells us about this extraordinary humanist writer from 18th century France.
  • The flower fair Adjectif L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Damien and his family really enjoyed their visit to the flower fair.
  • The French language in the world Préposition Le Présent (Indicatif) Article défini Employment Language & Education Find out about the impact of French in the world.
  • The GPS is malfunctioning! Pronom d'objet direct Pronom d'objet indirect Le Présent (Indicatif) Technology & Science Rémi and Isabelle's car GPS is malfunctioning!
  • The King cake Le Présent (Indicatif) Mode subjonctif Le Subjonctif Présent Food & Drink Celebrations & Important Dates Learn about the tradition around King cake.
  • The Lumberjack - Part 1 L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Pronom d'objet Celebrations & Important Dates Literature, Poetry, Theatre Here's an original Christmas story about a lumberjack who lived in the North Pole...
  • The Lumberjack - Part 2 Forme négative Le Présent (Indicatif) Le Passé Simple (Indicatif) Celebrations & Important Dates Literature, Poetry, Theatre Who left those tiny footprints? Here's the end of our original Christmas story!
  • The town of Gruyères Mode subjonctif Adjectif Le Subjonctif Présent Sébastien had a lovely time visiting the famous Swiss town.
  • To our adopted son Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Le Subjonctif Présent Family & Relationships Christian tells his son how wanted he was and still is.
  • Unicycle passion Le Plus-que-Parfait (Indicatif) L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) Yvette tells us about the day when her passion for unicycling was born.
  • Welcome to Lille Le Présent (Indicatif) Adverbe Adjectif Monuments, Tourism & Vacations The northern city has a lot to offer to visitors.
  • What's a good mother? Le Présent (Indicatif) Le Subjonctif Présent Pronom relatif Family & Relationships Julie has been getting much contradictory advice since she became a mother.
  • Who's your favourite football [US:soccer] player? Le Présent (Indicatif) Pronom d'objet direct Pronom d'objet indirect Bertrand and Léa discuss their favourite French football [US:soccer] players.
  • Why did I become a vet? L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Genre féminin Le Présent (Indicatif) Jean-Luc tells us what made him choose this profession.
  • Working as a PA Mode subjonctif Le Subjonctif Présent Verbe irrégulier Employment Sophie talks about her career as a personal assistant.
  • Writer's Block L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Préposition Le Subjonctif Présent Literature, Poetry, Theatre Lucille talks about coping mechanisms to circumvent the dreaded writer's block.
  • Yves Saint-Laurent L'Imparfait (Indicatif) Adjectif possessif Genre féminin Art & Design Famous People Thibault and his friend Sonia talk about French designer Yves Saint-Laurent.

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ccube academy

50 Common French Phrases for Beginners: Start Speaking Like a Pro

  • Post author: Elijah Logan
  • Post last modified: May 13, 2023
  • Post category: Blog

50 Common French Phrases for Beginners Start Speaking Like a Pro

Learning a new language can be both exciting and intimidating, but mastering the basics is the first step to becoming fluent. French, known as the language of love and diplomacy , is no exception. With over 220 million speakers worldwide, learning French can be an invaluable skill for travel, work, and personal growth.

In this blog post, we’ve compiled a list of common French phrases with descriptions and examples to help beginners familiarize themselves with the language and become more confident in their conversational skills.

Also Read: 6 Ways To Mastering French Vocabulary : Tips, Tricks, and Expressions

These phrases will help you navigate everyday situations and allow you to communicate with native speakers more effectively. Let’s dive in!

Table of Contents

Here are 50 common French phrases with descriptions and examples:

common French phrases with descriptions and examples

  • Bonjour (Good morning/Hello) – A standard greeting used in both formal and informal settings. Example: “Bonjour, comment ça va?” (Hello, how are you?)
  • Bonsoir (Good evening) – A greeting used in the evening in both formal and informal situations. Example: “Bonsoir, Madame.” (Good evening, ma’am.)
  • Salut (Hi/Bye) – An informal greeting or farewell. Example: “Salut, ça va?” (Hi, how’s it going?)
  • Au revoir (Goodbye) – A polite way to say goodbye. Example: “Au revoir, à demain!” (Goodbye, see you tomorrow!)
  • Merci (Thank you) – To express gratitude. Example: “Merci pour le cadeau.” (Thank you for the gift.)
  • Merci beaucoup (Thank you very much) – To emphasize appreciation. Example: “Merci beaucoup pour votre aide.” (Thank you very much for your help.)
  • De rien (You’re welcome) – A polite response to someone who thanked you. Example: “Merci pour le café.” “De rien.” (Thank you for the coffee. You’re welcome.)
  • S’il vous plaît (Please – formal) – A polite request in a formal context. Example: “Pourriez-vous me passer le sel, s’il vous plaît?” (Could you pass me the salt, please?)
  • S’il te plaît (Please – informal) – A polite request in an informal context. Example: “Passe-moi le sucre, s’il te plaît.” (Pass me the sugar, please.)
  • Excusez-moi (Excuse me – formal) – To get someone’s attention, apologize, or make your way through a crowd. Example: “Excusez-moi, pourriez-vous me dire où se trouve la gare?” (Excuse me, could you tell me where the train station is?)
  • Excuse-moi (Excuse me – informal) – Informal version of “Excusez-moi.” Example: “Excuse-moi, tu pourrais m’aider avec ça?” (Excuse me, could you help me with this?)
  • Pardon (Pardon/Sorry) – To apologize for a minor mistake or inconvenience, or to ask someone to repeat what they said. Example: “Pardon, je n’ai pas compris.” (Sorry, I didn’t understand.)
  • Comment ça va? (How are you?) – A common way to ask someone how they are doing. Example: “Salut, comment ça va?” (Hi, how are you?)
  • Comment allez-vous? (How are you? – formal) – A more formal way to ask someone how they are doing. Example: “Bonjour, Madame Martin, comment allez-vous?” (Hello, Mrs. Martin, how are you?)
  • Je m’appelle… (My name is…) – To introduce yourself and share your name. Example: “Je m’appelle Pierre. Enchanté.” (My name is Pierre. Nice to meet you.)
  • Enchanté(e) (Nice to meet you) – To express that you are pleased to meet someone. Example: “Je m’appelle Sophie. Enchantée.” (My name is Sophie. Nice to meet you.)
  • Oui (Yes) – An affirmative response. Example: “Est-ce que tu veux venir au cinéma avec moi?” “Oui!” (Do you want to come to the movies with me? Yes!)
  • Non (No) – A negative response. Example: “Tu aimes les épinards?” “Non.” (Do you like spinach? No.)
  • Comment tu t’appelles? (What’s your name? – informal) – To ask someone’s name in an informal context. Example: “Comment tu t’appelles?” “Je m’appelle Julie.” (What’s your name? My name is Julie.)
  • Comment vous appelez-vous? (What’s your name? – formal) – To ask someone’s name in a formal context. Example: “Comment vous appelez-vous?” “Je m’appelle Monsieur Dupont.” (What’s your name? My name is Mr. Dupont.)
  • Ça va? (How’s it going?) – A casual way to ask someone how they are doing. Example: “Salut, ça va?” “Oui, ça va bien, merci.” (Hi, how’s it going? Yes, I’m fine, thank you.)
  • D’accord (Alright/OK) – To express agreement or understanding. Example: “On se retrouve à 19h?” “D’accord.” (We’ll meet at 7 PM? Alright.)
  • Je ne sais pas (I don’t know) – To express uncertainty or lack of knowledge. Example: “Où est la bibliothèque?” “Je ne sais pas.” (Where is the library? I don’t know.)
  • Je ne comprends pas (I don’t understand) – To indicate that you don’t understand something. Example: “Je ne comprends pas cette phrase.” (I don’t understand this sentence.)
  • Pouvez-vous répéter, s’il vous plaît? (Can you repeat, please? – formal) – To ask someone to repeat something in a formal context. Example: “Pouvez-vous répéter, s’il vous plaît?” (Can you repeat, please?)
  • Peux-tu répéter, s’il te plaît? (Can you repeat, please? – informal) – To ask someone to repeat something in an informal context. Example: “Peux-tu répéter, s’il te plaît?” (Can you repeat, please?)
  • Parlez-vous anglais? (Do you speak English? – formal) – To ask if someone speaks English in a formal context. Example: “Parlez-vous anglais?” “Oui, un peu.” (Do you speak English? Yes, a little.)
  • Tu parles anglais? (Do you speak English? – informal) – To ask if someone speaks English in an informal context. Example: “Tu parles anglais?” “Oui, assez bien.” (Do you speak English? Yes, quite well.)
  • Combien ça coûte? (How much does it cost?) – To inquire about the price of something. Example: “Combien ça coûte, ce sac?” (How much does this bag cost?)
  • Où sont les toilettes? (Where is the bathroom?) – To ask for the location of the restroom. Example: “Où sont les toilettes, s’il vous plaît?” (Where is the bathroom, please?)
  • À tout à l’heure (See you later) – To say goodbye when you expect to see someone later the same day. Example: “Je vais au magasin. À tout à l’heure!” (I’m going to the store. See you later!)
  • À bientôt (See you soon) – To say goodbye when you expect to see someone again soon. Example: “Au revoir, à bientôt!” (Goodbye, see you soon!)
  • À demain (See you tomorrow) – To say goodbye when you plan to see someone the next day. Example: “Bonne soirée, à demain!” (Have a good evening, see you tomorrow!)
  • Quelle heure est-il? (What time is it?) – To ask for the current time. Example: “Quelle heure est-il?” “Il est 3 heures de l’après-midi.” (What time is it? It’s 3 PM.)
  • Comment dit-on… en français? (How do you say… in French?) – To ask for the translation of a word or phrase. Example: “Comment dit-on ‘apple’ en français?” “On dit ‘pomme’.” (How do you say ‘apple’ in French? It’s ‘pomme.’)
  • J’aimerais… (I would like…) – To express a preference or desire for something. Example: “J’aimerais une tasse de thé, s’il vous plaît.” (I would like a cup of tea, please.)
  • Je voudrais… (I would like…) – Another way to express a preference or desire for something. Example: “Je voudrais un billet pour Paris, s’il vous plaît.” (I would like a ticket to Paris, please.)
  • C’est bon (It’s good) – To express satisfaction or approval. Example: “Tu as goûté ce gâteau?” “Oui, c’est bon!” (Have you tasted this cake? Yes, it’s good!)
  • Je suis fatigué(e) (I am tired) – To express that you are tired. Example: “Je suis fatigué, je vais me coucher.” (I am tired, I’m going to bed.)
  • Je suis désolé(e) (I am sorry) – To apologize for a mistake or inconvenience. Example: “Je suis désolé, je suis en retard.” (I am sorry, I am late.)
  • Je t’aime (I love you) – To express love or affection for someone. Example: “Je t’aime, mon amour.” (I love you, my love.)
  • Il fait beau (The weather is nice) – To describe pleasant weather. Example: “Il fait beau aujourd’hui, n’est-ce pas?” (The weather is nice today, isn’t it?)
  • Il fait froid (It’s cold) – To describe cold weather. Example: “Il fait froid ce matin!” (It’s cold this morning!)
  • Il fait chaud (It’s hot) – To describe hot weather. Example: “Il fait chaud cet après-midi, allons à la plage.” (It’s hot this afternoon, let’s go to the beach.)
  • C’est loin? (Is it far?) – To ask about the distance to a destination. Example: “C’est loin, la gare?” “Non, c’est à 10 minutes à pied.” (Is the train station far? No, it’s a 10-minute walk.)
  • C’est près? (Is it near?) – To ask about the proximity of a destination. Example: “C’est près, l’épicerie?” “Oui, juste au coin de la rue.” (Is the grocery store near? Yes, just around the corner.)
  • Où se trouve…? (Where is… located?) – To ask for the location of a place. Example: “Où se trouve le musée d’Orsay?” (Where is the Orsay Museum located?)
  • Qu’est-ce que c’est? (What is it?) – To inquire about the nature or identity of something. Example: “Qu’est-ce que c’est, ça?” “C’est une écharpe.” (What is this? It’s a scarf.)
  • Je voudrais réserver une table (I would like to reserve a table) – To make a reservation at a restaurant. Example: “Je voudrais réserver une table pour deux personnes à 20h, s’il vous plaît.” (I would like to reserve a table for two people at 8 PM, please.)
  • L’addition, s’il vous plaît (The check, please) – To request the bill at a restaurant. Example: “L’addition, s’il vous plaît.” (The check, please.)
Suggestion: French Phonetics – Unlocking the Secrets of French Pronunciation

FAQs About Common Phrases in French

Q1: do i need to learn both formal and informal versions of french phrases.

Yes, it’s important to understand both formal and informal phrases in French. The level of formality used depends on your relationship with the person you’re speaking to and the context of the conversation.

Generally, use formal phrases when speaking with strangers, older people, or in professional settings. Informal phrases are more appropriate for friends, family, and peers.

Q2: How do I practice my pronunciation of these French phrases?

To improve your pronunciation, listen to native speakers in videos, podcasts, or language learning apps. You can also practice speaking with a language partner or tutor, who can provide feedback on your pronunciation.

Repeating phrases aloud and recording your voice can also help you identify areas for improvement.

Q3: Are these 50 French phrases enough to become fluent in French?

While these 50 phrases are a great starting point, they are not sufficient to become fluent in French. Fluency requires a deeper understanding of grammar, vocabulary, and cultural context. Continue building your vocabulary, practicing grammar, and engaging in conversations with native speakers to progress towards fluency.

Q4: How long will it take to learn and memorize these 50 French phrases?

The time it takes to learn and memorize these phrases varies depending on your language learning background, dedication, and personal learning style. Consistent practice and repetition will help you retain the phrases more effectively.

Q5: What are some other resources I can use to learn French?

There are many resources available to help you learn French. Some popular options include language learning apps (e.g., Duolingo, Babbel, and Rosetta Stone), online courses, language schools, textbooks, podcasts, YouTube channels, and language exchange platforms.

Q6: How can I improve my French listening skills?

To improve your listening skills, expose yourself to French as much as possible. Watch French movies and TV shows, listen to French podcasts and music, or attend language meetups or conversation groups. This will help you become familiar with the rhythm, intonation, and colloquial expressions used by native speakers.

Q7: Can I learn French without a teacher?

While having a teacher can provide guidance and support, it is possible to learn French on your own. Self-study methods, such as using language learning apps, online courses, and textbooks, can be effective. However, it’s essential to find opportunities to practice speaking with native speakers, whether through language exchange platforms, conversation groups, or other social settings.

Mastering these 50 common French phrases will help you build a strong foundation in the language and make your travels in French-speaking countries much more enjoyable. As you progress, continue to expand your vocabulary and learn more about the nuances of the language. Remember, practice makes perfect, so keep speaking, listening, and engaging with native speakers to improve your skills. Bonne chance (good luck) on your French language journey!

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Simplifying Language Learning | KS3, GCSE, iGCSE, A-Level, Conversational, Business & Pleasure | German, French, Spanish, Italian & Arabic Language Resources & Tuition

  • French GCSE
  • French GCSE Speaking Skills
  • French GCSE Writing Skills

French GCSE Speaking and Writing Handout with 39 ‘Ingredients’, Examples and Translations

  • Read Time: 3minutes

French GCSE Speaking and Writing Handout with 39 ‘Ingredients’, Examples and Translations

Useful French GCSE Speaking and Writing Phrases for Grades 4-9

Sometimes I wonder if we give students too many handouts. Especially when I consider how often they look at them. Or on the other side of the scale, how reliant students can become on using handouts to produce their ‘own’ work.

For these reasons, I am reluctant to give out so many handouts in my lessons. Usually only sharing those which I feel my language learners will truly benefit from, or can learn from. This is were this 39 Ingredients to Access Higher Grades in French GCSE Writing and Speaking handout document comes in! It’s a brilliant revision resource as it contains useful phrases that students can easily use in their speaking and writing (after practice, practice and more practice, of course!)

Last year, I taught in a Grammar school and made a similar handout for my German students. This contained 36 elements to access higher grades at German GCSE with the ‘ingredients’, examples and translations. I made the resource to work closely with the MFL Progress Ladder that we used in our school. Our department felt that it gave students a useful visual of what they must include to access the higher grades. If you are interested in implementing something similar, take a peek here: https://theidealteacher.com/progress-display-gcse-modern-languages

French GCSE Speaking and Writing Grade 3-9

Not Another Useless Handout for French GCSE Speaking and Writing…!

This brand new French speaking and writing document is a super useful 3-page PDF handout for French GCSE students. Especially since it contains a list of detailed elements that students should progressively be including in the ‘new’ 9-1 MFL GCSE examinations, presented in an easy to access format. However, it also includes many ‘sparkly elements’, with real examples and translations that students can use, such as relative clauses, impersonal phrases, sentence starters and the passive voice, for example, to access the higher grades. So far, it really has been quite popular with my students (and other French teachers).

If you think this handout would be useful to your French GCSE students,  feel free to download it below.  If you do download and find it useful, please consider leaving a small donation. I make all the resources myself and whilst I love to share, it is very time consuming!

Before you download, HAVE YOU SUBSCRIBED TO MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL FOR MORE USEFUL FRENCH REVISION QUIZZES AND LISTENING PRACTICE?

useful phrases for french writing

How Should I Use The  GCSE French Phrases for Accessing Grades 4-9 in Writing and Speaking  with Students?

As with most things in teaching, there are a number of ways in which you could exploit the handout for accessing grades 4-9 at GCSE French level in your lessons. With my students, I distributed the handout in the lesson. Students work with it during activities in lessons, as well as during homework tasks to develop familiarity. I recommended that they highlight 2-4 phrases from each ‘ingredient’ and aim to use them in their spoken and written work.

The students were also asked to learn the phrases, as part of a vocab test, in which they had to expand the words or phrases into ‘on-topic’ sentences. I also advised that they will also be tested generally on the elements at various points, to avoid becoming too reliant on the physical document. As a challenge for those who wished to, I have asked them to go away and add their own original ideas to the list. I took these in for marking and many students had a good go at adding to my suggestions. I found that it gave the learners ownership of the document and freedom to develop their language skills and competency independently.

Let me know in the comments below if you found the handout useful for your GCSE French course or if you think I am missing something! Please also share on social media to help colleagues out if it is of use to you.

Like this activity? Have you joined my mailing list? Did you like this useful student handout for French GCSE and want to stay up-to-date with the latest content, including more ready to use resources? Remember to sign up to my mailing list (Sign Up tab above, or the Email Sign Up fields on the right of the site!)

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3 thoughts on “ french gcse speaking and writing handout with 39 ‘ingredients’, examples and translations ”.

Love the resources. Thanks for sharing

Great resources for my private students learning French here in South Africa! Thanks Sabina!

Great resource for beginners

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Writing - Complete Phrases

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GCSE French Writing - Phrases/Structure

GCSE French Writing - Phrases/Structure

Subject: French

Age range: 14-16

Resource type: Assessment and revision

Jenie's Shop

Last updated

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docx, 11.89 KB

Final revision resource for AQA French GCSE Writing, listing Grade 9 vocabulary, complex grammatic structures, and common errors such as accents. Memorise a few of your favourite phrases from each section, or use this as a writing guide of what to include in your writing to allow you to access top bands.

  • Connectives
  • Infinitive Phrases
  • Subordinate clauses
  • Tenses + time phrases
  • Subjunctive
  • Other phrases (idioms, connective phrases, metaphors and similes, rhetorical questions etc.)
  • Tips (things to make sure to include to achieve advanced writing)
  • Verbs (for when you get writer’s block)
  • Direct Object Pronouns
  • Indirect Object Pronouns
  • Verbs that are followed by *à *
  • Different ways to say “in” (e.g in + town vs in + country etc.)
  • Verbs that use etre as the auxiliary
  • Health idioms/phrases
  • Advice specific to Question 1
  • Advice specific to Question 2

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