French A1 Lesson 1

Cultural Part: Paris

Let’s see together some sentences about Paris. Don’t worry about the pronunciation for now; the goal is to get you used to the French language.

Key Vocabulary

• Paris – Paris
• La Tour Eiffel – The Eiffel Tower
• Le Louvre – The Louvre (famous museum)
• La Seine – The Seine River
• L’Arc de Triomphe – The Arc de Triomphe
• Montmartre – Montmartre (artistic neighborhood)
• Champs-Élysées – Champs-Élysées (famous avenue)
• Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris – Notre-Dame Cathedral
• Musée d’Orsay – Orsay Museum
• Croissant – Croissant (French pastry)
• Baguette – Baguette (French bread)
• Fromage – Cheese
• Vin – Wine
• Bonjour – Hello / Good morning
• Merci – Thank you
• Excusez-moi – Excuse me
• Oui – Yes
• Non – No

Key Sentences

• Paris est la capitale de la France.
  Paris is the capital of France.
• La Tour Eiffel est un symbole emblématique de Paris.
  The Eiffel Tower is an iconic symbol of Paris.
• Le Louvre est le plus grand musée du monde.
  The Louvre is the largest museum in the world.
• La Seine traverse la ville de Paris.
  The Seine River runs through the city of Paris.
• L’Arc de Triomphe est situé sur l’avenue des Champs-Élysées.
  The Arc de Triomphe is located on the Champs-Élysées avenue.
• Montmartre est connu pour son ambiance artistique.
  Montmartre is known for its artistic atmosphere.
• La cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris est célèbre pour son architecture gothique.
  The Notre-Dame Cathedral is famous for its Gothic architecture.
• Le Musée d’Orsay abrite une collection impressionnante d’art impressionniste.
  The Musée d’Orsay houses an impressive collection of Impressionist art.
• Les croissants et les baguettes sont des spécialités de la cuisine française.
  Croissants and baguettes are specialties of French cuisine.
• On peut déguster d’excellents fromages et vins à Paris.
  You can taste excellent cheeses and wines in Paris.
• Bonjour, comment ça va ?
  Hello, how are you?
• Excusez-moi, où se trouve la Tour Eiffel ?
  Excuse me, where is the Eiffel Tower?
• Merci beaucoup !
  Thank you very much!
• Oui, c’est vrai.
  Yes, that’s true.
• Non, je ne pense pas.
  No, I don’t think so.

Fun Facts about the Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower is 300 meters tall and was completed in 1889 for the Exposition Universelle (World's Fair). It was initially meant to be a temporary structure, but everyone loved it! ... Except the French!

When it was built, many Parisians criticized it, calling it an eyesore. Now, it’s a symbol of love and romance!

At night, the Eiffel Tower sparkles every hour on the hour for five minutes, using 20,000 light bulbs! It’s a magical sight you won’t want to miss.

Pourquoi Se Présenter? (Why Introduce Yourself?)

When you introduce yourself, you’re sharing a little bit about who you are. Imagine meeting a new friend at school or in a café. Saying

"Bonjour, je m’appelle [Your Name]" can break the ice! Plus, it shows you’re friendly and open to making connections.

Comment Se Présenter? (How to Introduce Yourself?)

Here’s a simple way to introduce yourself in French:

Salut! Je m'appelle [Your Name].

J’ai [Your Age] ans.
Je viens de [Your Country].
J'aime [Your Hobby].
Et toi?

Example:

Salut! Je m'appelle Quentin. J’ai 25 ans. Je viens de la France. J'aime jouer au football. Et toi?

Se présenter: Exercice 1

Understanding Pronouns in French: Je, Tu, Il, Elle, and More!

What Are Pronouns?

Pronouns replace nouns in sentences, helping us avoid repetition and making our speech more natural. In French, there are several personal pronouns corresponding to different subjects.

The Basic Personal Pronouns

• Je (I)
• Tu (You - informal)
• Il (He)
• Elle (She)
• On (One/We - informal)
• Nous (We)
• Vous (You - formal or plural)
• Ils (They - masculine or mixed group)
• Elles (They - feminine)

Using Pronouns in Sentences

Examples:

• Je: Je mange une pomme. (I am eating an apple.)
• Tu: Tu es mon ami. (You are my friend.)
• Il: Il aime le football. (He loves soccer.)
• Elle: Elle chante bien. (She sings well.)
• On: On va au cinéma. (We are going to the movies.)
• Nous: Nous avons un chien. (We have a dog.)
• Vous: Vous êtes très gentils. (You are very kind.)
• Ils/Elles: Ils jouent au basket.
  Elles étudient ensemble. (They (feminine) study together.)

Clever Tip: Think of these pronouns as your storytelling friends—they help you avoid repetition and keep your speech fluid!

Interesting Facts About Pronouns

In French, the subject pronoun is essential. Unlike English where “I eat” might be clear, in French you must include the pronoun: “Je mange.” Also, note that "on" can serve as “one,” “we,” or refer to people in general.

Making Sentences with Pronouns

Practice with these examples:

• Je suis fatigué. (I am tired.)
• Tu es drôle. (You are funny.)
• Il est étudiant. (He is a student.)
• Elle est belle. (She is beautiful.)
• On a un projet. (We have a project.)
• Nous sommes prêts. (We are ready.)
• Vous avez raison. (You are right.)
• Ils aiment voyager. (They love to travel.)

Pourquoi Ces Verbes? (Why These Verbs?)

Être is used to describe identity and state of being (e.g., "Je suis étudiant").
Avoir expresses possession (e.g., "J’ai un livre").
S’appeler is used to introduce your name (e.g., "Je m’appelle [Your Name]").

Conjugaison au Présent (Present Tense Conjugation)

The French Alphabet

For an in-depth look at the French alphabet, check out this guide: BBC - French Alphabet Guide.

Articles Définis et Indéfinis

Qu'est-ce qu'un article? (What is an article?)

In French, articles are words that define a noun as specific or unspecific. There are two types of articles:

1. Articles Définis (Definite Articles)

• le: for masculine singular nouns (e.g., le livre - the book)
• la: for feminine singular nouns (e.g., la maison - the house)
• l’: for singular nouns that begin with a vowel or a mute ‘h’ (e.g., l’école - the school)
• les: for plural nouns (e.g., les chats - the cats)

2. Articles Indéfinis (Indefinite Articles)

• un: for masculine singular nouns (e.g., un livre - a book)
• une: for feminine singular nouns (e.g., une maison - a house)
• des: for plural nouns (e.g., des chats - some cats)

Comment Utiliser Les Articles

Examples with Definite Articles:

Le chat est noir. (The cat is black.)

La fleur est belle. (The flower is beautiful.)

Examples with Indefinite Articles:

Un chat est sur le toit. (A cat is on the roof.)

Une fleur est dans le jardin. (A flower is in the garden.)

Devoirs - Homeworks

Homeworks A1 leçon 1

• Duolingo Monday – Tuesday – Wednesday – Thursday – Friday. Submit proof of completion of Duolingo to your teacher BEFORE the class.
• Introduce yourself on video following the leçon 1 guideline. Don’t worry about looking bad or mispronouncing; we know you haven’t learned the alphabet yet.
• Conjugate in the present tense the following verbs:
  • Regular -er Verbs: Manger, Parler, Aimer, Regarder, Jouer
  • Regular -ir Verbs: Finir, Choisir, Réfléchir, Grandir, Obéir
• Conjugate AVOIR and ÊTRE in the present tense.
• Make 10 sentences using the following complements:
  • Une pomme = an apple
  • Un café = a coffee
  • Un thé = a tea
  • Mes devoirs = My homeworks
  • Mon téléphone = my phone
  • Un chat = a cat
  • Un chien = a dog
  • Un éléphant = an elephant
  • Un étudiant = a student (male)
  • Un plat = a dish
• What you MUST know BEFORE the next lesson:
  • Subjects (Je, Tu, etc.)
  • How to conjugate -ER and -IR verbs in the present simple tense
  • How to make a simple sentence
  • How to conjugate AVOIR and ÊTRE in the present simple tense
  • How to briefly introduce yourself
  • What is a subject, a verb, a complement
  • ALL the vocabulary of lesson 1
• Complete the pre-class assignments BEFORE the next class.