Lessons · Vocabulary · Grammar · Appendices · Texts
Dialogue
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Culture · Rural France
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Vocabulary · Farms
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Grammar · To follow · Suivre
editsuivre /sɥivʁ/ (seweevr) | to follow |
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je suis /sɥi/ (sewee) | I follow |
tu suis /sɥi/ (sewee) | you follow |
il suit /sɥi/ (sewee) | he follows |
nous suivons /sɥi.vɔ̃/ (swee-voh(n)) | we follow |
vous suivez /sɥi.ve/ (sewee-vay) | you follow |
ils suivent /sɥiv/ (seweev) | they follow |
suivi /sɥi.vi/ (sewee-vee) | followed |
The verb poursuivre ( /puʁ.sɥivʁ/), meaning to pursue, to torment, to carry on, or to sue, is conjugated in the same way as suivre.
Examples
editLe chien poursuit le gibier. | The dog pursued the game (wild animal). | ||||
Ce général poursuivit les ennemis deux jours durant. | This general pursued the enemy for two days. | ||||
Ce douloureux souvenir me poursuit nuit et jour. | This painful memory haunts me night and day. | ||||
Je vous ai suivi dans vos succès et vos revers. | I followed you in your successes and setbacks. |
Vocabulary · Camping
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Grammar · To live · Vivre
editvivre /vivʁ/ (veevr) | to live |
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je vis /vi/ (vee) | I live |
tu vis /vi/ (vee) | you live |
il vit /vi/ (vee) | he lives |
nous vivons /vi.vɔ̃/ (vee-voh(n)) | we live |
vous vivez /vi.ve/ (vee-vay) | you live |
ils vivent /viv/ (veev) | they live |
vécu /ve.ky/ (vay-kew) | lived |
Examples
editLes poissons vivent dans l’eau. | Fish live in water. | ||||
Les chênes vivent fort longtemps. | Oak trees live very long. | ||||
Il a vécu quatre-vingts ans. | He lived eighty years. |
Grammar · To be born · Naître
editnaître /nɛtr/ (nehtr) | to be born |
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je nais /nɛ/ (neh) | I am born |
tu nais /nɛ/ (neh) | you are born |
il naît /nɛ/ (neh) | he is born |
nous naissons /nɛ.sɔ̃/ (neh-soh(n)) | we are born |
vous naissez /nɛ.se/ (neh-say) | you are born |
ils naissent /nɛs/ (nehs) | they are born |
né(e)(s) /ne/ (nay) | been born |
Naître is the only -aître verb that takes être as its helping verb (and therefore agrees with the subject as a past participle in perfect tenses).
The verb renaître (to be reborn · /ʀənɛtʀ/) is conjugated in the same way as naître.
Examples
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Les animaux et les plantes naissent puis meurent. | Animals and plants are born, then die. |
Vocabulary · Animal actions
editaccoucher | /a.ku.ʃe/ | To bear (give birth to) | La vache est accouchée d’un garçon. | The cow gave birth to a boy. | |
déranger | /de.ʁɑ̃.ʒe/ | To bother; to disrupt | Si cela ne vous dérange pas, fermez la porte. | If you don't mind, close the door. | |
s’échapper | /e.ʃa.pe/ | To go away, to run away, to escape | L'oiseau a rompu son lien et s'est échappé. | The bird broke its link and escaped. | |
enterrer | to bury | Quand on a arraché du plant, il faut l’enterrer promptement, de peur qu’il ne se sèche. | When one has uprooted the plant, it must be buried quickly, lest it dries. | ||
se gratter gratter |
to scratch, to scrape to stir, to turn over |
Un cheval se gratte contre la muraille. Les poules grattent le fumier. |
A horse is scratching against the wall. The chickens turn over the manure. | ||
grignoter | to nibble | Le chiot s’amuse à grignoter. | The puppy likes to nibble. | ||
mordre | /mɔʁdʁ/ | to bite | Ce chien mord cruellement. Être mordu par un chien enragé. |
This dog bites cruelly. To be bitten by a rabid dog. | |
ronger | /ʁɔ̃.ʒe/ | to gnaw | Les rats rongent la paille dans les greniers. | Rats are gnawing at the straw in the sheds. | |
téter | /te.te/ | to suckle |
Grammar · Pronominal verbs with perfect tenses
editWhen pronominal verbs are conjugated in perfect tenses, être is used as the auxiliary verb.
Reflexive verbs
editIn perfect tenses, the past participles agree with the direct object pronoun, but not the indirect object pronoun, in gender and number. Therefore it would only agree when the reflexive pronoun is the direct object. Also remember that the past participle does not agree with the direct object if it goes after the verb.
- Elle s'est lavée. (She washed herself.)
- Nous nous sommes lavé(e)s. ('We washed ourselves.)
- Elle s'est lavé les mains. (She washed her hands.)
- Nous nous sommes lavé les mains. (We washed our hands.)
Reciprocal verbs
editLike reflexive verbs, the past participle of reciprocal verbs agrees in number and gender with the direct object if it goes before the verb. It therefore agrees with all reciprocal pronouns that function as direct objects.
- Nous nous sommes aimé(e)s. (We liked each other.)
The reciprocal pronoun can also function as an indirect object without a direct object pronoun.
- Nous nous sommes parlé. (We spoke to each other.)
- Elles se sont téléphoné. (They called one another.)
- Vous vous êtes écrit souvent ? (Did you write often to each other?)
Naturally pronominal verbs
editIn perfect tenses, these verbs agree with the direct object if it goes before the verb. Otherwise, the past participle agrees with the subject.
- Elle s'est souvenue. (She remembered.)
- Le chien s'est couché. (The dog lay down.)
Note that assis(e)(es), the past participle of s'asseoir (to sit), does not change in the masculine plural form.
Supplementary vocabulary · Farm animals
editla vache | cow | ||||
le mouton | sheep | ||||
le porc | pig | ||||
la chèvre | goat | ||||
le poulet | chicken | ||||
le cheval | horse | ||||
la dinde | turkey | ||||
le lama | llama |
Supplementary vocabulary · Interacting with animals
editagacer | /a.ɡa.se/ | to irritate, to tease | Ce vent, ce bruit agace les nerfs. Je m'agace dès que je n'arrive pas a faire quelque chose. agacer un enfant, un chien |
This wind, this sound irritates the nerves. I annoy myself when I just can not do something. to tease a child, a dog | |
appeler | /ap(ə)le/ | to call, to call out | J'appelle le nom du chien. Nous devrons appeler un médecin. Elle a appelé à l'aide. |
I call the dog's name. We should call a doctor. She called out for help. | |
câliner | /ka.li.ne/ | to cuddle | Elle câline trop ce chien. Une petite fille aime à se faire câliner. |
She cuddles this dog too much. A little girl likes to be cuddled. | |
caresser | /ka.ʁɛ.se/ | to stroke, to caress | Le zéphyr caresse les fleurs. | The breeze caresses the flowers. | |
élever | /ɛl.ve/ | to raise, to bring up | conjugated like lever | Élevez le chaton. Élevez davantage cette lampe. La lecture de cet ouvrage élève l’esprit. |
Bring up the kitten. Raise this lamp more. Reading this book raises the spirit. |
enfermer | ɑ̃fɛʁme/ | to lock away, to confine | Je vais enfermer les chevaux dans une écurie. enfermer dans une cage |
I'm going to lock the horses in a stable. to lock in a cage | |
lâcher | /lɑ.ʃe/ | to release, to unleash, to loosen, to let go | J'ai lâché un oiseau. Lâcher les chiens, les laisser courir après la bête. |
I released a bird. Unleash the dogs, let them run after the beast. | |
nourrir | /nu.ʁiʁ/ | to feed | Cette fertile région produit tout ce qui est nécessaire pour nourrir hommes et animaux. | This fertile region produces everything that is needed to feed people and animals. | |
s’occuper de | to take care of, to deal with | Il s’occupe de son jardin. Il s’occupe trop du soin de sa santé. Moi, je m'occupe des clients. |
He takes care of his garden. He deals too much with the care of his health. Me, I'll take care of the clients. | ||
se promener promener promener un chien |
to go for a walk, to stroll to walk out (an animal) to walk a dog |
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sauver se sauver |
/sɔ.ve/ | to save, to rescue to escape, to take refuge |
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soigner | /swaɲe/ | to nurse, to look after, to take care of | Je vais soigner le cheval. Il est soigné par tous ceux qui l’entourent. |
I will take care of the horse. He was taken care of by all those around him. |
Supplementary vocabulary · At the sea · À la mer
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la baleine | /ba.lɛn/ | whale | |||
la bouée | /bwe/ | buoy | |||
l'île (f) | /il/ | island | La Corse est une île. Il y a une petite île dans ce lac. Ce parc est l’île de verdure de la ville. |
Corsica is an island. There is a small island in the lake. This park is an island of greenery in the city. | |
la jumelle (marine) | /ʒy.mɛl/ | (marine) binoculars | Passe-moi les jumelles. | Pass me the binoculars. | |
le marin | /ma.ʁɛ̃/ | seaman | |||
la mer | /mɛʁ/ | sea | |||
la mouette | /mwɛt/ | gull, seagull | |||
le navire | /na.viʁ/ | ship | Les navires sont à l’ancre le long de la plage. | The ships are anchored along the beach. | |
le pêcheur la pêcheuse |
/pɛ.ʃœʁ/ /pɛ.ʃøz/ |
fisher | |||
la plage | /plaʒ/ | beach | À cet endroit, la Seine découvre une petite plage. | At this point, the Seine discovers a small beach. | |
le poisson | /pwa.sɔ̃/ | fish | |||
le port | /pɔʁ/ | port, harbour | Marseille est un des plus beaux ports du monde. Il s’est assuré un port dans la tempête. |
Marseille is one of the finest ports in the world. He secured a port in the storm. | |
la sardine | /saʁ.din/ | sardine | |||
la serviette (de plage) | /sɛʁ.vjɛt/ | (beach) towel | also: napkin | Chérie, passe-moi la serviette, j’ai du savon dans les yeux ! | Honey, pass me the towel, I have soap in my eyes! |
la vague | /vaɡ/ | wave | Il est englouti par les vagues. | He is engulfed by the waves. | |
la voile | /vwal/ | sail, sailing | un voile (m) is a veil | Hissons la grande voile, matelots ! | Raise the mainsail, seamen! |
(se) noyer | /nwa.je/ | to drown | J'ai noyé mon chien dans le fleuve. Elle s'est noyée dans l'océan. Il s’est noyé dans la rivière. |
I drowned my dog in the river. She drowned in the ocean. He drowned in the river. | |
ramer | /ʁa.me/ | to row | |||
nager | /na.ʒe/ | to swim |
Supplementary vocabulary · Wild animals
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l'aigle (m/f) | /ɛɡl/ | eagle | J’ai aperçu un aigle noir. L’aire d’un aigle est souvent très étendue. |
I saw a black eagle. The area of an eagle is often extensive. | |
le cerf (élaphe) | /sɛʁ/ | (red) deer | Les cerfs élaphes mâles, plus lourds que les femelles, sont moins rapides qu'elles. | Red deer males, heavier than the females, are slower than them. | |
la chouette (effraie) | /ʃwɛt/ | (barn) owl | Le cri de la chouette est lugubre. | The cry of the owl is gloomy. | |
la cigogne | /si.ɡɔɲ/ | stork | |||
le crocodile | /kʀɔkɔdil/ | crocodile | Ce fleuve est infesté de crocodiles. | This river is infested with crocodiles. | |
le dauphin | /do.fɛ̃/ | dolphin | Le marsouin est une espèce de dauphin. | The porpoise is a species of dolphin. | |
l'éléphant (d’Afrique, d’Asie) (m) l'éléphante (f) |
/e.le.fɑ̃/ /e.le.fɑ̃t/ |
(African, Asian) elephant | |||
la girafe | /ʒi.ʁaf/ | giraffe | |||
l'hibou (m) | /ibu/ | owl | |||
l'hippopotame (m) | /i.pɔ.pɔ.tam/ | hippopotamus | |||
le kangourou | /kɑ̃.ɡu.ʁu/ | kangaroo | |||
le lion la lionne |
/ljɔ̃/ /ljɔn/ |
lion | |||
le loup | /lu/ | wolf | Le loup hurle et grogne. | The wolf howls and growls. | |
l'ours (brun, blanc/polaire, noir) (m) l'ourse (f) |
/uʁs/ /uʁs/ |
(brown, polar, black) bear | Les ours peuvent se soutenir et marcher sur leurs pattes arrière. | Bears can support themselves and walk on their hind legs. | |
le panda | /pɑ̃.da/ | panda | Le panda est une espèce très menacée. | The panda is a highly endangered species. | |
la panthère | /pɑ̃tɛʀ/ | panther | |||
le perroquet | /pɛ.ʁɔ.kɛ/ | parrot | |||
le phoque | /fɔk/ | seal | |||
le renard (polaire) | /ʁənaʁ/ | (arctic) fox | Les renards dévastent les basses-cours. Le renard est connu pour être très rusé. Le renard exhale une odeur fétide. |
The foxes devastate the barnyard. The fox is known to be very tricky. The fox gives off a foul odor. | |
le requin | /ʁǝ.kɛ̃/ | shark | |||
le rhinocéros | /ʁi.nɔ.se.ʁɔs/ | rhinoceros | Les rhinocéros ont un corps massif et des jambes grosses et courtes. | Rhinoceros have a massive body and short large legs. | |
le singe | /sɛ̃ʒ/ | monkey, ape | L’orang-outang est un singe arboricole. | The orangutan is an arboreal ape. | |
le tigre la tigresse |
/tiɡʁ/ /tiɡʁɛs/ |
tiger | |||
le zèbre la zébresse |
/zɛbʁ/ /ze.bʁɛs/ |
zebra |
Text
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Exercises
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Supplementary exercises
edit(Highlight or hover over a line to show the answer.) Translate each sentence into English.
Elle a accouché très courageusement. | She gave birth very courageously. |
Le chien ronge un os. | The dog gnaws a bone. |
Les souris ont rongé ce morceau de pain. | The mice have eaten the piece of bread. |
Les vers rongent le bois. | The worms eat away the wood. |
French : Lessons · Vocabulary · Grammar · Appendices · Texts