11

CHAPITRE 1
COMPRHENSION ORALE (oral comprehension)
BONJOUR
In!ormal mee"in#
Premire rencontre (first meeting) Marc : Bonjour! Sophie : Bonjour! M : Comment t'appelles tu! S : "e m'appelle Sophie# Et toi! M : "e m'appelle Marc# S : Enchant$e% Marc! M : Enchant$ ! Ra&i 'e te rencontrer# Deux amis se rencontrent (two friends are meeting) (ouise : Salut! Pierre : Salut (ouise! ( : Comment &as tu! P : "e &ais )ien% merci% et toi! ( : *a &a! P : A )ient+t! ( : Salut!

$ormal mee"in#
Je me prsente un employeur (I introduce myself to an employer) Pierre : Bonjour Monsieur,Ma'ame Mr, Mme (etellier : Bonjour Monsieur (A BISE P : "e cherche un emploi% puis je &ous 'onner mon In man/ 0rench spea1in2 countries% people 1iss each other on the chee1 or sha1e han's 3hen the/ meet# In Curriculum -itae! e&er/'a/ situations% men sha1e han's% 3hile 3omen Mr,Mme ( : Bien s.r# more o4ten 1iss% an' mi5e' couples 3ill 1iss or sha1e P : Merci )eaucoup# A )ient+t Mr, Mme (etellier# han's 'epen'in2 on their le&el o4 ac6uaintance# The Mr, Mme ( : Au re&oir# 1iss 78le )isou9 or 8la )ise9: )e2ins on the ri2ht chee1
<BSER-ATI<= : il s'a2it ''une rencontre 4ormelle% les 'eu5 personnes se serrent la main# 7It's a 4ormal meetin2% people sha1es han's: rst% 3hich means /ou shoul' mo&e /our hea' to /our le4t ; the num)er o4 1isses &aries 4rom one to 4our 'epen'in2 on the re2ion or countr/ an' on the le&el o4 emotion# A 1iss or han'sha1e is also 2i&en upon lea&in2% e&en i4 the t3o parties ha&e onl/ )een to2ether a 4e3 minutes !

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PRONONCIA%ION (prono&ncia"ion)
Spelling/sounds different t an !nglis "
u ou au r h 2 j ch To pronounce the sin2le letter 9u9 roun' /our lips as i4 to sa/ o )ut sa/ i# This soun' 'oes not e5ist in En2lish# The letters >ou? are al3a/s pronounce' @uA%similar to the En2lish 3or' route# The letters >au?B 7or >eau>: are al3a/s pronounce' @CA% similar to the En2lish 3or's taupe or bureau. The 0rench r is pronounce' in the throat% as i4 /ou are 2ar2lin2# The letter h is al3a/s silent in 0rench# The 0rench letter g is har' 7li1e the 4irst 2 in garage: )e4ore a, o, u, )ut so4t 7li1e the secon' 2 in garage: )e4ore e or i The 0rench letter j is al3a/s pronounce' li1e a so4t g The 0rench letters ch are pronounce' 9shh9% as in champagne

#asal sounds "

A s/lla)le or 3or' en'in2 in one or more &o3els plus n or m pro'uces a soun' calle' a >nasal? in 0rench# The n or m is not pronounce' in this position% )ut its presence chan2es the &o3el in 4ront o4 it# There are three commonl/ use' nasal soun's in 0rench to'a/% 3ith se&eral 'i44erent spellin2s#

an% am% en% em in% ain% ein

The nasal com)inations 3ritten an or en are pronounce' the same 7san2% sent:

im% The nasal com)inations 3ritten in, ain, or ein are all pronounce' the same 7cin6% aim% saint% sein: The nasal com)ination 3ritten on 7son% compte: The nasal com)ination 3ritten un 4oun' in onl/ a 4e3 3or's is no3a'a/s pronounce li1e in% -im

on% om un% um

$eneral %renc Pronounciation tips "

D Most 4inal consonants in 0rench are not pronounce'# In particular% 3atch out 4or 4inal s% En2lish spea1ers almost al3a/s tr/ to pronounce this% an' it is 2enerall/ not pronounce'# Ho3e&er% the letters C, R, F, L are usuall/ pronounce' at the en' o4 a 3or'% so remem)er to )e 9CaRe$uL9!

11 D I4 a 0rench 3or' en's in an e 73ith no accent:% that e is silent% )ut the consonant )e4ore it is pronounce'# Masculine an' 4eminine nouns an' a'jecti&es are o4ten 'istin2uishe' in this 3a/# 0or e5ample: petit (small% masc.), has a silent 4inal t% 3hereas petite 7small% 4em#:% has a pronounce' t )ut a silent 4inal e. D In man/ cases% a 4inal consonant that is normall/ silent is pronounce' 3hen the 4ollo3in2 3or' )e2ins 3ith a &o3el# This is calle' liaison# Eou 3ill learn 2ra'uall/ the rules 4or 3hen to 'o this#

Spelling in %renc "

'hen (o& spell in $rench) (o& nee* "o name +o"h "he le""ers an* an( accen"s, %here are !o&r accen"s "ha" can +e place* on -o.els an* one accen" !or "he le""er c, $or e/ample, "he .or* 0!ran1ais2 is spelle* alo&* 3$4R4A4N4C c5*ille4A4l4S,2 %he .or* 05"&*ian"3 is spelle* o&" 0E accen" ai#& 4%4U464l4A4N4%2, %he accen" mar7s in $rench are re8&ire*9 a .or* is misspelle* i! "he accen" is incorrec", $rench accen"s are !or spellin# an* pron&ncia"ion onl() an* *o no" chan#e "he s"ress on a .or*, In $rench .or*s *o no" ha-e !i/e* s"ress on a par"ic&lar s(lla+le, %he spo7en emphasis al.a(s #oes on "he las" s(lla+le o! "he .or* or phrase,
(%his is &nli7e En#lish) .here e-er( .or* has a !i/e* s"ress) an* .here chan#in# "he posi"ion o! "he s"ress can e-en al"er "he meanin# o! "he .or*, $or e/ample) "he con"en" o! a +oo7 can +e in"eres"in#) .hereas a person is con"en"),

D The >accent ai2u> 7li1e $: is onl/ use' on a letter e% an' it chan2es its pronunciation# An is al3a/s pronounce' 7remem)er the 3or' tudiant: D The 9accent 2ra&eB 7 li1e F% G% H: is use' mostl/ on the letter e, )ut also appears in a ra3 cases on the letter a an' the letter u% to 'istin2uish some short 3or's 4rom other 3or's 3ith the same spellin2# D The >accent circon4le5e9 7li1e +% .% I: is purel/ a spellin2 mar1# It occurs on 3or's that containe' an s a4ter the &o3el in <l' 0rench# Man/ 3or's 3ith circum4le5es resem)le similar En2lish 3or's that 1ept the s: e#2# : ile J isle 7islan':; hote J host# The circum4le5 can appear on an/ &o3el# D The 9tr$ma9 7li1e K: is use' in cases 3here t3o &o3els ne5t to each other are pronounce' separatel/# 0or e5ample% the 3or' Hati. D The 9c$'ille9 7*: is use' onl/ on the letter c% )e4ore a, o, or u to 2i&e it the so4t soun'#

11 The easier e5ample to remem)er is the 3or' > ran!ais9 D To sa/ capital " sa/ 9" majuscule#9 To spell the countr/ 0rance% sa/ 90 majuscule R A = C E9 D I4 a letter is 'ou)le'% /ou ma/ sa/ >'eu59 @t3oA )e4ore the name o4 the letter instea' o4 sa/in2 the letter t3ice# 0or e5ample% >lettre? : >( E deu# T R E#?

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:RAMMAIRE e" CONJU:UAISON

S&+;ec" prono&ns) .i"h special a""en"ion "o <-o&s< an* <"&< ((o&),

%o !orm a sen"ence) .e nee* a" a minim&m a s&+;ec" an* a -er+, %he s&+;ec" is "he person or "hin# "ha" is *oin# "he ac"ion) an* "he -er+ is "he ac"ion, =o& m&s" +e a+le "o i*en"i!( correc"l( "he s&+;ec" o! a $rench sen"ence) +eca&se (o& m&s" chan#e "he !orm o! "he -er+ "o ma"ch i"s s&+;ec", S&+;ec"s can +e sin#&lar (one person)) or pl&ral (more "han one person)) an* are re!erre* "o as 3!irs")3 3secon*)3 an* 3"hir*3 person,

Sin2ular 0irst person Secon' person Thir' person "e J I Tu J /ou 7in4ormal: Il% elle J he% she% it on J one =ous Jus

Plurial -ous J/ou 74ormal: Ils% elles J the/

D In 0rench% je 7I : is not capitaliLe'% e5cept at the )e2innin2 o4 a sentence# D In 0rench% not onl/ people )ut also thin2s ha&e 2en'er M that is to sa/% thin2s are either masculine or 4eminine# There is no separate pronoun 4or it# $l is masculine% use' 4or he or masculine it. %lle is 4eminine% use' 4or she or 4eminine it# D &n means one an' is use' in conte5ts 3here En2lish spea1ers mi2ht use 'ou in4ormall/# In American En2lish% the su)ject pronoun one 7e#2#% ?Nhere 'oes one sit at a )ase)all 2ame!?: soun's stu44/% )ut its use is e5tremel/ common in 0rench# &n is also use' in spo1en 0rench to mean (e# Re2ar'less o4 its meanin2% on is 4ollo3e' )/ the thir' person sin2ular 4orm o4 the &er)% i#e# the same 4orm as il an' elle. D I4 there is a mi5 o4 masculine an' 4eminine people or o)jects% 0rench al3a/s uses the masculine plural# A 2roup o4 ten 3omen an' one man 3oul' use the su)ject pronoun ils.

11

'Tu' and 'vous'

In the pre&ious ta)le o4 su)ject pronouns% /ou sa3 that in 0rench% there are t3o 3or's 4or the En2lish >/ou#? Althou2h 3e place' tu in the sin2ular column an' )ous in the plural column% choosin2 3hich o4 these 3or's to use 'epen's on t3o 'i44erent criteria# =ot onl/ can the secon' person% 'ou% )e sin2ular or plural; in 0rench% it also can )e either in4ormal or 4ormal#

I! (o& ha-e a !ormal rela"ionship .i"h someone) (o& m&s" a**ress "hem .i"h "he !ormal !orm) .hich is &ous, I! (o& ha-e an in!ormal rela"ionship) (o& .ill a**ress a sin#le person as tu) +&" more "han one person as &ous' So) .e ha-e? sin#&lar in!ormal@"& sin#&lar !ormal@-o&s pl&ral in!ormal@-o&s pl&ral !ormal@-o&s

B&" .ha" *o 0!ormal2 an* 0in!ormal2 mean>

The social conte5t is &er/ important here# An interaction that is accepta)l/ in4ormal in one instance mi2ht nee' to )e 4ormal in a 'i44erent countr/% social class% or settin2# I4 /ou 3atch 0rench mo&ies 4rom the OCs% most hus)an's an' 3i&es a''ress each other 4ormall/% as )ous# =o3a'a/s% it 3oul' stri1e most people as e5tremel/ stran2e to hear a /oun2 couple a''ress each other 3ith )ous# Eoun2 people% especiall/ stu'ents% commonl/ use tu 3ith each other e&en i4 the/ 'o not 1no3 each other% )ut man/ a'ults 3ill use )ous until the/ )ecome 2oo' 4rien's# Callin2 someone tu instea' o4 &ous ma/ )e insultin2% an' callin2 someone )ous instea' o4 tu ma/ )e con4usin2 or seem stan' o44ish to /our listener# <ne last thin2 to note is that >4ormal? 'oes not e6ual >superior#? In the &ast majorit/ o4 cases% i4 an a'ult relationship is 4ormal% )oth si'es 3ill use )ous# 0or e5ample% at the 'entistBs o44ice% )oth the 'entist an' the patient 3ill call each other )ous# An a'ult% ho3e&er% 3oul' a''ress an un1no3n chil' )/ tu% )ut the chil' 3oul' respon' 3ith )ous# 0rench has t3o &er)s to 'escri)e >callin2 someone tu? (tuto'er: an' >callin2 someone &ous> 7)ou)o'er:#

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Aer+ con;&#a"ion an* "he -er+ BC"reD ("o +e)

As 3e note' a)o&e% 3hen 4ormin2 a sentence in 0rench% /ou must use the proper 4orm o4 the &er) 3ith each su)ject# Since there are si5 'i44erent 2rammatical persons% there are si5 4orms o4 each &er) in the present tense# The )asic 4orm o4 the &er) is the in4initi&e% an' chan2in2 the &er) to the proper 4orm is calle' conju2atin2 the &er)#

In!ini"i-es in $rench can +e i*en"i!ie*) an* #ro&pe*) accor*in# "o "heir en*in#s? )er* )ir* or )re, O-er FGH o! "he -er+s in "he lan#&a#e !all in"o "he re#&lar 4er #ro&p) .hich means "ha" once (o& learn "he si/ !orms in "ha" pa""ern) (o& can con;&#a"e an( -er+ in "ha" #ro&p, Al"ho&#h "he -as" ma;ori"( o! $rench -er+s !all in"o re#&larE pa""erns) &n!or"&na"el() "he mos" common -er+s in an( lan#&a#e "en* "o +e irre#&lar -er+s, %he !irs" -er+ (o& nee* "o 7no. is "he -er+ B+treD) .hich means to ,e, =o& can see +elo. "ha" ;&s" li7e "he -er+ to ,e in En#lish) "he !orms o! "he -er+ B+treD in $rench are -er( irre#&lar I "ha" is) "he( *o no" loo7 m&ch li7e each o"her) nor *o "he( loo7 li7e "he in!ini"i-e, Unli7e "he re#&lar -er+ parler-) "he si/ !orms o! "he -er+ +tre *o no" share "he same s"em) +&" are comple"el( *i!!eren" !rom each o"her,

The verb tre (to be)

ENo"e: Nhen conju2atin2 re2ular

&er)s% the stem remains the same% an' one must simpl/ memoriLe the en'in2s# parler (to spea() I spea1 /ou spea1 he spea1s 3e spea1 /ou spea1 the/ spea1

je suis tu es il,elle,on est nous sommes &ous Ptes ils,elles sont

I am /ou are he,she,one is 3e are /ou are the/ are

je parle tu parles il parle

nous parlons &ous parleL ils parlent

D =ote that none o4 the 4inal consonants o4 the &er) 4orms are pronounce'# D The *s+ in the 4orm il est is also ne&er pronounce'#

11 D Because o4 liaison% )ous ,tes is pronounce' @&u LEtA# 7Eou pronounce the >s? on &ous )ecause it is 4ollo3e' )/ a 3or' )e2innin2 3ith a &o3el:# Remem)er that )ous can ha&e a sin2ular or a plural meanin2; ho3e&er% there is onl/ one 4orm o4 the &er) that 2oes 3ith the pronoun )ous# Nhether )ous means one person or more than one person% the 4orm is al3a/s )ous ,tes. D I4 /ou use a noun instea' o4 a pronoun as /our su)ject% /ou use the &er) 4orm that matches the 2rammatical person# 0or e5ample% ma m-re . elle 7thir' person sin2ular:% so it uses the thir' person sin2ular 4orm o4 the &er): /a m-re est anglaise.%lle est anglaise.

Ar"icles an* :en*er o! No&ns

Bo"h people an* "hin#s ha-e #en*er in $rench, %his means "ha" all no&ns in $rench are ei"her masc&line or !eminine, In En#lish) people ha-e #en*er) +&" "hin#s *o no", So .e re!er "o a man as 0he)2 a .oman as 0she)2 +&" a +oo7 as 0i",2 In $rench) ho.e-er) a +oo7 (&n li-re) is masc&line) so "he appropria"e prono&n !or +o"h a man an* a +oo7 is Bil., %o En#lish spea7ers) &sin# 0 e2 an* 0s e2 !or people is so na"&ral "ha" .e *onJ" "hin7 a+o&" i") an* i! someone re!ers "o a man as 0she)2 i" is -er( con!&sin# "o &s, In ;&s" "his .a() i! (o& &se "he .ron# prono&n !or a $rench o+;ec") a $rench spea7er .ill +ecome con!&se*, I! (o& are no" &se* "o remem+erin# "ha" o+;ec"s ha-e #en*er) (o& ma( "hin7 i" &nimpor"an" +&" i" is an impor"an" par" o! $rench s"r&c"&re "ha" (o& m&s" .or7 "o #e" ri#h" in or*er "o +e &n*ers"oo*,

Sometimes% the 2en'er 4or a noun is lo2ical; 4or e5ample% it ma1es sense that the 0rench 3or' 4or >3oman? is 4eminine% an' it ma/ e&en ma1e sense to /ou that the 3or' 4or >car? is 4eminine% )ecause En2lish spea1ers sometimes re4er to their cars as >she#? <ther times% ho3e&er% especiall/ in the case o4 inanimate o)jects% there is no 3a/ to 2uess 3hether a 3or' is masculine or 4eminine# There4ore% /ou nee' to learn each nounBs 2en'er alon2 3ith the 3or' itsel4# The easiest 3a/ to learn a nounBs 2en'er is to al3a/s practice sa/in2 or 3ritin2 the noun to2ether 3ith the correct article# There are three t/pes o4 articles in 0rench# In this chapter% 3e 3ill learn the 4irst o4 these : the 'e4inite article% 3hich is the e6ui&alent o4 the in En2lish# Each t/pe o4 article has separate 4orms 4or masculine% 4eminine% an' plural# In other 3or's% there are 'i44erent 3or's 4or the in 0rench% 'epen'in2 on 3hether it is a masculine% a 4eminine% or a plural the#

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Definite Articles
The 'e4inite article correspon's to the En2lish 3or' >the#? It has 4our 4orms in 0rench: singulier masculin minin le or lB la or lB pluriel les les

E5emples : singulier masculin minin le )ureau la chaise pluriel les )ureau5 les chaises

singulier masculin minin ('homme ('amie

pluriel (es hommes (es amies

D The 2en'er 7masculine or 4eminine: an' num)er 7sin2ular or plural: o4 the noun 'etermine 3hich 4orm o4 the article must )e use'# D 0or instance% /ou sa/ le bureau 7the 'es1 : )ecause bureau 7'es1 : is masculine% an' le is the masculine 4orm o4 the. D Eou sa/ la chaise 7the chair : )ecause chaise 7chair : is 4eminine% an' la is the 4eminine 4orm o4 the# D Since there is onl/ one 4orm 4or the plural% /ou sa/ les bureau# 7the 'es1s: an' les chaises 7the chairs:% 3ith no 'i44erence )et3een the masculine an' 4eminine articles# D Both le an' la chan2e to l0 )e4ore a noun )e2innin2 3ith a &o3el or an hQ 7remem)er that h is silent in 0rench# Nhen the le or la )ecomes l0 % it is pronounce' to2ether 3ith its noun as one 3or' M there is no pause )et3een the l0 an' the noun; e#2# l0ami, l0homme# D In the plural% les ma1es liaison 3ith a plural noun )e2innin2 3ith a &o3el or silent h% e#2# les hommes 7@le L<mA:% les amis 7@le La miA:# Remem)er that liaison means that /ou pronounce a 4inal consonant that is normall/ silent )ecause the ne5t 3or' )e2ins 3ith a &o3el# It is important to learn the articles 4or t3o reasons : 0irst% the/ tell /ou 3hether a noun is masculine or 4eminine% an' that 3ill stop /ou 4rom con4usin2 people )/ usin2 the 3ron2 pronoun to re4er to an o)ject% 4or e5ample# Secon'l/% since the 4inal s is silent in 0rench% /ou usuall/ cannot tell 4rom hearin2 a noun 3hether it is sin2ular or plural# Ho3e&er% the pronunciation o4 the article is 'i44erent an' 3ill tell /ou 3hether the 3or' is sin2ular or plural# 0or e5ample% la chaise is sin2ular; les chaises is plural# Eou can see that chaise an' chaises are pronounce' the same% )ut the article is pronounce' 'i44erentl/# As /ou practice the &oca)ular/ 3or's 4or this chapter% al3a/s sa/ or 3rite the appropriate article 3ith a noun# I4 the 3or' )e2ins 3ith a &o3el or silent h, the article 3ill not 'i&ul2e the 2en'er o4 the noun# In those cases% 4or e5ample% lBhomme 7m#:% a small >m#? or >4#? a4ter the 3or' in the &oca)ular/ list tells /ou 3hether the 3or' is masculine or 4eminine#

11

N&m+ers

=um)ers in 0rench are simple until /ou 2et to TC! In most 0rench spea1in2 countries% inclu'in2 0rance% Cana'a% an' 4ormer 0rench colonies in A4rica an' the Cari))ean% num)ers 4rom TC to 1CC are counte' )/ UCs instea' o4 )/ 1Cs# This is 2enerall/ consi'ere' to )e a remnant o4 the Celtic lan2ua2e spo1en in 0rance )e4ore the Romans in&a'e'# 0rench spea1ers in Bel2ium% S3itLerlan'% an' the 4ormer Bel2ian colonies in A4rica ha&e a'opte' some3hat easier s/stems# Ho3e&er% it is un4ortunatel/ )est 4or /ou to learn the har'er s/stem% )ecause that is 3hat is use' )/ the &ast majorit/ o4 0rench spea1ers#

0irst% here are the num)ers 4rom C RS# Practice their pronunciation#

11 0rom TC SS% num)ers are counte' )/ UCs instea' o4 )/ 1Cs# This means that to sa/ >VV%? /ou sa/ >TC 1V#? Nhen /ou hear the 3or' soi5ante or 6uatre &in2ts in 0rench% /ou cannot assume that 3hat 4ollo3s is a >TC? or an >WC?; it ma/ 3ell )e a >VC? or a >SC#? Here are the num)ers 4rom TC 1CC# Practice their pronunciation#

=um)ers 4rom 1CC SSS simpl/ com)ine the 'i44erent num)ers: RXU J cin6 cent trente 'eu5 XSV J trois cent 6uatre &in2t 'i5 sept