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Beginning Conversational French

Course

Section titled “Course”

Lesson 1 Introduction and Pronunciation

Section titled “Lesson 1 Introduction and Pronunciation”

L1 Anki Cards

Section titled “L1 Anki Cards”

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  • Each vowel in context
  • Linking words examples (e.g. vous avez, les amis)
  • Nasal sounds words and pronunciation pictures
  • Syllable even tone with aéroport
  • E pronunciated at end of line: faites-le {fet luh} = do it; quitte-le {keat luh} = leave him

Lesson 1 Resources

Section titled “Lesson 1 Resources”
  • French Information Center - This site has all sorts of information about France, especially if you’re planning a trip.
  • French Embassy - This is the site for the French Embassy in the United States. It has information about visiting France, specifically for Americans.
  • An Explanation of French Accent Marks - If you’e been struggling with how to tell the difference in the accent marks or when to use them, this article is very helpful.

Lesson 2: Conversation Basics

Section titled “Lesson 2: Conversation Basics”

L2 Anki Cards

Section titled “L2 Anki Cards”

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  • Later in flash card development, use phrases/weather in this chapter for more flash cards
  • Counting and gesture pointing start with thumb in France (see chapter pictures)
  • Pair le, la, l’ with nouns to remember gender
  • Possession: see notes in Lesson 2 PDF (de + le contracts to du, de la mère, des pères, des amis, …)

Lesson 2 Resources

Section titled “Lesson 2 Resources”

Lesson 3 Numbers and Dates

Section titled “Lesson 3 Numbers and Dates”

L3 Anki Cards

Section titled “L3 Anki Cards”

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Per Fluent Forever, learn thematically or usage:

  • Personal pronouns (I, you, he/she, they)
  • Numbers
  • Dates

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  • Numbers
  • Math (font, et, moins, diviser par)
  • Days of week
  • Call a date of the using cards with blanks - e.g. le premier janvier deux-milles et deux = January 1, 2002
    • six février mille-neuf-cents-soixante-douze = February 6, 1972
    • le dix-huit Octobre mille-neuf-cents-vingt-quatre = October 18, 1980
  • Time with blanks for minutes (et demi, et quart, minutes, moins le quart)

Lesson 3 Resources

Section titled “Lesson 3 Resources”

Lesson 4: Airport

Section titled “Lesson 4: Airport”

L4 Anki Cards

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  • Practice conversations in lesson plans

Lesson 4 Resources

Section titled “Lesson 4 Resources”

Lesson 5: Hotels

Section titled “Lesson 5: Hotels”

L5 Anki Cards

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  • le rez de chaussée - ground floor of building

Lesson 5 Resources

Section titled “Lesson 5 Resources”

L5 Assignment

Section titled “L5 Assignment”

You’re ready to make up your own dialogue! Create a mock hotel reservation. Write down what kind of room you want, ask for the rate, and any other information you would need to know. Be sure to come up with responses! If you have any questions, post them to the Discussion Area.

  1. What is the difference between le gaz (lesson 4) and l’essence (lesson 3) or is there a difference?
    1. I am guessing l’essence is like fuel for cars or a generator and le gaz is natural gas like in homes.
    2. Yes, l’essence for cars, le gaz for homes
  2. If I have a family of 2 adults and 1 child under 12, what would the hotel room probably called?
    1. la chambre pour trois or la chambre pour deux (plus un enfant et un petit lit)?
    2. Likely la chambre pour trois since beds are small in Europe. Best to tell the hotel your family and age of children for them to decide.

Lesson 6 Restaurants

Section titled “Lesson 6 Restaurants”

L6 Anki Cards

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  • Est-ce que le pain est compris? - is the bread included, blank = est compris
  • Peut-on avoir plus de petits pains? - Can we have some more rolls?, blank - peut-on
  • Seulement du café et un croissant, s’il vous plaît. - Just coffee and a croissant, please - Blank = du

Lesson 6 Resources

Section titled “Lesson 6 Resources”

L6 Assignment

Section titled “L6 Assignment”

Plan a menu in French for a day. Include all meals and snacks. If you have any questions, please post them to the Discussion Area.

  • Petite déjeuner: Deux œufs, le pain (le baguette), avec fruit - la myrtille (blueberry)
  • Déjeuner: le fromage avec le pain, les legumes come la tomate et petits pois (peas)
  • Dîner: la salade niçoise et le canard

Lesson 7 Currency and Communications

Section titled “Lesson 7 Currency and Communications”

L7 Anki Cards

Section titled “L7 Anki Cards”

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  • Quel est l’argent de la France?
  • Internet (m) — The Internet. The definite article le (the) is rarely used before the word Internet in French. It’s treated like a proper noun, hence its capitalization. La toile (the web) and le net (the ‘Net) are two other French terms for the Internet. Elle passe beaucoup de temps sur Internet.; blank = Internet (note no le in front)

Lesson 7 Resources

Section titled “Lesson 7 Resources”

L7 Questions

Section titled “L7 Questions”

Re-Bonjour Sara, j’ai des questions sur les ordinateurs

Comment dit “WIFI” en français?

If I wanted to know where/how to access the internet would I say the following?

  • Où peut-on accéder à l’internet / WIFI?
  • Comment peut-on accéder à l’internet / WIFI?

A: Internet (m) — The Internet. The definite article le (the) is rarely used before the word Internet in French.

Lesson 8 Shopping

Section titled “Lesson 8 Shopping”

L8 Assignment

Section titled “L8 Assignment”

Look through your closet and name what you see. Then, say what colors your clothes are. Also, make a list of what souvenirs you’d buy for your family.

L8 Resources

Section titled “L8 Resources”

Lesson 9 Entertainment

Section titled “Lesson 9 Entertainment”

L9 Anki Cards

Section titled “L9 Anki Cards”
  • l’oeuvre {lehvr} = work

L9 Resources

Section titled “L9 Resources”
  • Theme Park Listings - English site that shows all sorts of theme parks in France.
  • Tourist Spots Shows places in France to visit. In English.
  • 10 Best Places to Visit in France Get your passport ready! I like this site because not only is it full of beautiful places to go, it also includes links for places to stay and sites to visit while you are there.

Lesson 10 Culture

Section titled “Lesson 10 Culture”

L10 Resources

Section titled “L10 Resources”
  • Museum of Natural History in Paris This is the official site for the Museum of Natural History in Paris. The museum is divided into a few different sites. Looks like a great place to visit!
  • The Louvre This is the Louvre museum’s site. It has current info on hours and prices. Also great photos of some of the works!
  • Science Museum in Paris This site is for the Palais Découverte, literally the Palace of Discoveries. I think it’s probably an excellent science center!
  • Versailles The official site for Versailles. It’s an amazing palace! Site has great info on hours, also interesting history tidbits.
  • Notre Dame of Paris Notre-Dame de Paris’s official site. It’s in French, but it has spectacular photos of the cathedral. Also has a webcam showing the view from the top of Notre Dame!

Lesson 11 In Case of Emergency

Section titled “Lesson 11 In Case of Emergency”

L11 Anki

Section titled “L11 Anki”
  • When you talk about body parts in French, always use the, not my. For example, you wouldn’t say, “I washed my face.” You’d say, “I washed the face.”
  • French Sayings:
Sayings


Assez!
{ah-say!}
= Stop that!


Allons-y!
{ah-lohn-zee!}
= Let’s go!


Attention!
{ah-tawn-syohn!}
= Look out!


Vite!
{veet!}
= Hurry!


Maintenant!
{man-tuh-nawnt!}
= Now!


Formidable!
{fohr-mee-dahbl!}
= Wow!


Aïe!
{ah-ee!}
= Ouch!


Je ne vous crois pas.
{zhun-voo-kwah-pah}
= I don’t believe you.


Bien sûr!
{byen-seer!}
= Of course!


Mais non!
{may-noh!}
= Of course not!


Pas de moyen!
{pah-duh-mwoh-yan!}
= No way!


Etes-vous sûr?
{eht-voo-seer?}
= Are you sure?


Pourquoi pas?
{poor-kwah-pah?}
= Why not?


C’est vrai.
{say-vray}
= That’s true.


Je l’aime.
{zhuh-lam}
= I like it.


Je ne l’aime pas.
{zhun-lam-pah}
= I don’t like it.


Ça suffit.
{sah-sew-fee}
= That’s enough.


Va-t’en!
{vah-tawn!}
= Get lost!


Eh bien!
{ay-byen!}
= Well now!


Proverbs


Il faut tourner sa langue sept fois dans sa bouche avant de parler.
{eel-foh-toor-nay-sah-lahng-seht-fwah-dawn-sah-boosh-ah-vawnt-duh-pahr-lay}
= People must turn their tongues seven times in their mouth before speaking. Think before you speak!


L’eau va à la rivière.
{loh-vah-ah-lah-ree-vyayr}
= Water goes to the river. Money leads to riches.


Vouloir, c’est pouvoir.
{vool-wahr-say-poo-voir}
= To want, is to be able to. If you want to do something enough, you’ll be able to do it.


L’exception confirme la règle.
{lehk-sehp-syohn-kohn-feerm-lah-rehgle}
= The exception proves the rule.


Tout est bien qui finit bien.
{too-tay-byen-kee-fee-nee-byen}
= All’s well that ends well.


Idioms




    ouvrir le bal
    {oo-vreer-luh-bahl}
    = to start something


    (literally, "to open the ball" or get the ball rolling)
    cousu d’or
    {koo-zew-dohr}
    = filthy rich


    (literally, "to be sewn of gold")
    Ni vu ni connu!
    {nee-vew-nee-koh-new!}
    = My lips are sealed!


    (literally, "neither seen nor known")
    boire un bouillon
    {bwahr-ewn-boo-yohn}
    = to go broke


    (literally, "to drink broth")
    passer de la pommade à
    {pah-say-duh-lah-poh-mahd-ah}
    = to butter someone up


    (literally, "to pass cream to")
    And finally, my favorite!


    parler français comme une vache espagnole
    {pahr-lay-frawn-say-kuhm-ewn-vahsh-ehs-pahn-yohl}
    = to murder the French language


    (literally, "to speak French like a Spanish cow")

L11 Resources

Section titled “L11 Resources”

Lesson 12 Putting it All Together

Section titled “Lesson 12 Putting it All Together”

L12 Anki

Section titled “L12 Anki”
  • Review Chapter 12 for common pronunciation tips

L12 Resources

Section titled “L12 Resources”