Learn French, lesson by lesson
French possessive adjectives change based on the gender and number of the noun they describe, not the owner. A man says ma mère (my mother) and a woman says mon père (my father). All Possessive Adjectives English Masc. Sing. Fem. Sing. Plural my mon [mɔ̃] ma [ma] mes [me] your (tu) ton [tɔ̃] ta [ta] … Read more
French numbers 0-16 each have unique forms. Numbers 17-19 combine “ten” with 7, 8, 9. From 20 onwards, numbers follow a regular pattern: tens + hyphen + unit. Numbers 0-10 Number French IPA 0 zéro [ze.ʁo] 1 un [œ̃] 2 deux [dø] 3 trois [tʁwa] 4 quatre [katʁ] 5 cinq [sɛ̃k] 6 six [sis] 7 … Read more
French numbers 70-99 use a mathematical approach: 70 = “sixty-ten” (soixante-dix), 80 = “four-twenties” (quatre-vingts), 90 = “four-twenties-ten” (quatre-vingt-dix). Numbers 70-79 (60 + 10-19) Number French IPA Logic 70 soixante-dix [swa.sɑ̃t.dis] 60 + 10 71 soixante et onze [swa.sɑ̃.te.ɔ̃z] 60 + 11 72 soixante-douze [swa.sɑ̃t.duz] 60 + 12 75 soixante-quinze [swa.sɑ̃t.kɛ̃z] 60 + 15 79 … Read more
Ordinal numbers indicate position or order: first, second, third, etc. In French, most ordinal numbers are formed by adding -ième to the cardinal number. The main exception is premier (first), which has its own unique form and is the only ordinal that agrees in gender: premier (m) / première (f). Ordinal Numbers 1st-10th Position French … Read more
Asking and telling time is essential in everyday French. The French use both the 12-hour and 24-hour clock, with the 24-hour system common in schedules and formal contexts. Time expressions use the verb être and the structure il est + hour. Asking the Time Quelle heure est-il? [kɛ.lœ.ʁɛ.til] — What time is it? (standard) Il … Read more
In French, days, months, and seasons are not capitalized unless they begin a sentence. The French week starts on Monday. The Seven Days French IPA English lundi [lœ̃.di] Monday mardi [maʁ.di] Tuesday mercredi [mɛʁ.kʁə.di] Wednesday jeudi [ʒø.di] Thursday vendredi [vɑ̃.dʁə.di] Friday samedi [sam.di] Saturday dimanche [di.mɑ̃ʃ] Sunday Using Days This coming day (no article): Je … Read more
French dates follow a different format than English: day before month, and cardinal numbers (not ordinal) are used for most days. Learning dates is essential for appointments, travel, and official documents. Date Format French uses: day + month + year le 15 mars 2024 [lə kɛ̃z maʁs dø mil vɛ̃t katʁ] — March 15, 2024 … Read more
Être (to be) is one of the two most important verbs in French. It’s irregular, so you must memorize each form. It’s used for descriptions, professions, nationalities, locations, and more. Present Tense Conjugation Subject Conjugation IPA je suis [ʒə sɥi] tu es [ty ɛ] il/elle/on est [il/ɛl ɛ] nous sommes [nu sɔm] vous êtes [vu.z‿ɛt] … Read more
Avoir (to have) is the second essential French verb. It’s irregular and used not only for possession but also in many expressions where English uses “to be” (age, hunger, fear, etc.). Present Tense Conjugation Subject Conjugation IPA j’ ai [ʒe] tu as [ty a] il/elle/on a [il/ɛl a] nous avons [nu.z‿a.vɔ̃] vous avez [vu.z‿a.ve] ils/elles … Read more
Aller (to go) is one of the most important and frequently used verbs in French. It’s completely irregular, so you must memorize all its forms. Beyond its basic meaning of movement, aller is essential for forming the near future tense (futur proche) and for asking how someone is doing. Present Tense Conjugation Subject Conjugation IPA … Read more