All the French A1 lessons on one page, chapter by chapter: each lesson explains the grammar and vocabulary in English, with examples in French. Back to the French A1 overview.
French A1 lessons by chapter
French A1 Lessons
Clear grammar and vocabulary lessons in English, every French example translated.
Saying who you are in French
To introduce yourself in French, say your name with Je m'appelle…, your job or nationality with Je suis…, and your town with J'habite à…. With a…
Letters, emails and phone numbers out loud
To spell your name in French, say each letter with its French name (A, bé, cé, dé…), name accents aloud (é = e accent aigu), and…
Where you live and where you are from
In French, the preposition before a place depends on its type: à with cities (à Dakar), en with feminine countries or countries starting with a vowel…
Ordering coffee and paying the bill
To order in a French café, greet the server, say Je voudrais followed by un or une and the item, and add s'il vous plaît. Ask…
Ordering produce at a French market stall
At a French market you name the amount, then de, then the food, with no article: un kilo de tomates, une douzaine d'œufs. Ask the price…
Finding your way around a French city
To find a place in French, say Excusez-moi, où est la gare ? The answer uses the polite command form of vous: Allez tout droit, puis…
Reserving a room and checking in
To book a hotel in French, say Je voudrais une chambre pour deux nuits and add details such as avec douche or petit-déjeuner compris. Give dates…
Getting around by metro, bus and train
To use public transport in French, name the line or stop (la ligne 3, l'arrêt), ask Quel quai ? or À quelle heure part le train…
Visiting and renting your first apartment
To describe a home in French, name the room (la cuisine, le salon, la chambre), say what is in it with il y a, and add…
Describing your day from morning to night
To talk about your daily routine in French, use reflexive verbs with a pronoun before the verb (je me lève, elle se couche), add clock times…
Booking a visit and giving the time
To make an appointment in French, say Je voudrais prendre rendez-vous, then ask about availability with Vous êtes disponible lundi ? and fix the time on…
Telling the doctor where it hurts
To tell a doctor what is wrong in French, say Je suis malade (I am sick) and use avoir mal à plus the body part: J'ai…
Filling in a French registration form
To fill in a French form, write your last name (nom) in capitals, your first name (prénom), your birth date as day/month/year, your address with number,…
Packing for the weather: seasons and temperatures
To talk about the weather in French, use impersonal il with faire (il fait beau, il fait froid), with pleuvoir (il pleut) and neiger (il neige).…
Talking about your family and loved ones
To talk about family in French, learn the relatives (la mère, le frère), the status words (marié, célibataire) and the possessives mon, ma, mes, son, sa,…
Free time plans for the weekend
To talk about free time in French, use aimer, adorer or détester followed by an infinitive, faire with du, de la, de l' or des for…
Shopping for clothes in a French boutique
To shop for clothes in French, name the item with its color (une veste verte), say your size with Je fais du 40, and ask Je…
Booking, ordering and paying in a restaurant
To eat out in French, book with Je voudrais réserver une table pour quatre personnes, order with Je voudrais… or Je vais prendre…, choose your steak…
Notes, texts and postcards for friends
A short message in French has three parts: an opening that matches the reader (Salut or Bonjour Madame), one or two present-tense facts such as Je…
Answering and making phone calls
To make a basic call in French, answer with Allô ?, introduce yourself with C'est plus your name, and ask Je voudrais parler à Mme Lemaire.…