All the French A2 lessons on one page, chapter by chapter: each lesson explains the grammar and vocabulary in English, with examples in French. Back to the French A2 overview.
French A2 lessons by chapter
French A2 Lessons
Clear grammar and vocabulary lessons in English, every French example translated.
Telling friends what you did last weekend
To talk about last weekend in French, use the passé composé: the present of avoir or être plus a past participle. Most verbs take avoir (j'ai…
Remembering childhood: then and now
To describe childhood memories in French, use the imparfait for habits and states: take the nous form of the present, drop -ons, and add -ais, -ais,…
Finding and visiting a rental flat
To read a French rental ad, decode the short codes: T2 means two main rooms (a living room and one bedroom), cc means charges are included,…
Talking through your background at an interview
In a French job interview, talk about finished jobs with the passé composé (j'ai travaillé pendant deux ans), and about what you still do with the…
Weighing up prices, quality and customer reviews
To compare products in French, put plus, moins or aussi before an adjective and que after it: plus cher que, moins rapide que, aussi solide que.…
Getting help and advice at a French pharmacy
At a French pharmacy, say what hurts with avoir mal à + body part (j'ai mal à la gorge, j'ai mal au dos), show your ordonnance,…
Planning and booking your trip
Use the futur proche (aller + infinitive) for plans that are decided and close, and the futur simple (infinitive + -ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont)…
Returning goods and complaining politely
To return an item in French, name the problem (ça ne marche pas, il manque une vis), then make a soft request with the conditional: je…
Saying yes or no to invitations
To invite someone in French, give the occasion, the day and the place, then ask: Ça te dit de venir ? To accept, say Volontiers !…
Friendly emails to friends and coworkers
An informal French email has a short subject line, a friendly greeting such as Salut or Coucou, a few lines of news and questions, and a…
How to advise someone politely
In French, give advice with tu devrais or vous devriez for a gentle suggestion, tu dois or il faut for a strong need, the imperative for…
Talking about looks and character
To describe a person in French, use être + an adjective that agrees with the subject for personality, avoir + les cheveux or les yeux for…
Handling bank counters and parcel services
To handle the bank and the post office in French, use polite set phrases: Je voudrais or Pouvez-vous followed by an infinitive, such as Je voudrais…
Cooking instructions and kitchen measures
French recipes use the imperative, the present-tense form without the subject: Coupez les oignons, Ajoutez du sel, Faites cuire. After a quantity, use de with no…
Reading headlines and short news reports
French headlines are short: they drop articles and use the present tense for past events, as in Le maire démissionne. The article itself tells the story…
Celebrating the French calendar year
French celebrations follow a fixed calendar: la Chandeleur on February 2 with crêpes, la Fête de la musique on June 21 with free concerts, le 14…
Keeping fit: sports, habits and gym memberships
In French you faire a sport with du, de la, de l' or des (faire du yoga) and you jouer a game with au, à la…
Going green at home and work
To talk about eco-friendly habits in French, use trier, recycler and gaspiller with the right bin: le bac jaune, le conteneur à verre, le composteur. Say…
Fixing phone problems and forgotten passwords
In French, the pronouns le, la and les replace a direct object and stand before the verb: Je télécharge l'appli becomes Je la télécharge. They let…
Picking up a rental car and driving off
At a French rental desk you show your permis de conduire, pay a caution and return the car with a full tank. To avoid repeating a…