While I drink my coffeeFrench lessons
Short lessons with examples and pronunciation guides.
Pronunciation. Sounds and familiar words
A reference for A0: stress, accents, u and ou, words you already know and the French r.
Stress at the endWhy café, Paris and chocolat lean on the last syllable7 examplesAccents: é, è, êThe marks above e change its sound9 examplesThe sounds u and outu and tout are not the same8 examplesTwin words-tion, -té, -eux, -ment: words you already know8 examplesArticles and genderle, la, les, un, une8 examplesThe letter rThe throaty r and the silent -er8 examples
Reading. How to read French
A reference for A0: silent letters, letter groups, nasal sounds and liaison.
Silent lettersWhy petit sounds like «puh-tee»9 examplesLetter combinationsou, oi, eau, ch, gn and others14 examplesNasal soundsbon, pain, enfant, un7 examplesLiaison and apostrophesles amis, j'aime, l'hôtel8 examples
A1. First grammar
Être and avoir, -er verbs, articles and gender, colours, countries, the negative and aller, along Vivi’s story.
Nº1Je suis, elle est: the verb êtreto be: who you are, where you are, how you are5 examplesNº1-er verbs: je regarde, elle habiteparler, regarder, habiter, aimer5 examplesNº1Il y a and the weatheril y a, il pleut, il fait beau5 examplesNº2Un, une, le, la: gender and articlesa suitcase and the suitcase5 examplesNº2Colours and agreementrouge, noire, petite: the adjective follows the noun5 examplesNº2At the shop: je cherche, c’est combien, je la prendsfind it, ask the price, buy it5 examplesNº3J’ai vingt-cinq ans: the verb avoirto have: things, age, I’ve got5 examplesNº3À Paris, en France, au Canadacities and countries: where and where to5 examplesNº3Ne… pas: the negativeI don’t understand, I don’t like, I haven’t got5 examplesNº4Je vais au café: the verb allerto go: au, à la, à l’5 examples
A1. Situations: café, directions, visiting
Politeness, numbers, coffee, the station, meeting people and first requests as a guest.
Nº4Politeness and first phrasesbonjour, merci, s'il vous plaît and how to introduce yourself3 examplesNº4Numbers up to 100and that famous counting from 70 to 998 examplesNº5Cafés and shoppingorder a coffee, ask a price, pay2 examplesNº5Directions and the stationask where things are1 exampleNº5Small talk for a colleaguetell them about yourself and switch to «tu»2 examplesNº6Meeting your friend’s friendsc’est, mon amie, son copain; introduce yourself3 examplesNº6Ask someone to repeatplus lentement, répéter, je ne comprends pas3 examplesNº6First requests as a guestje peux, de l’eau, où est; ask and respond3 examplesNº7Recognise words on signsouvert, fermé, entrée, sortie; read and check3 examplesNº7Order a waffle yourselfje voudrais; avec / sans; specify a topping3 examplesNº7Check the price and confirmc’est combien; pour une; a short order check3 examplesNº8Suggest a tripon va… ?; tu veux venir ?; aller + infinitive3 examplesNº8Choose a day and transportje préfère; vendredi ou samedi; le train ou le bus3 examplesNº8Who paysc’est … qui paie; merci, c’est gentil3 examples