writing a speech in french

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Speech in French. Plus, How to Write a Speech in French.

How to start, what to include.

Spearheaded by the French Academy, the people in France take their language very seriously. While Spanish radio announcers laugh at their language mistakes, their northern neighbors are terrified of getting something wrong. So even though you know you may be judged critically by a French audience, you can prepare a good presentation by following the rules of good speech writing. Once you break the process down into small steps, it isn't as frightening as it appears. ‌ Writing a speech in French follows the same basic rules as writing one in English: introduction, body of the speech and conclusion. ‌

‌ Begin by welcoming your audience ‌. "Bonjour (or bonsoir) mesdames et messieurs" will do nicely, as it is the expected French greeting.

‌ Apologize for not speaking French perfectly. ‌ Unless you are a bilingual Parisian who refers to french as français, it is a good idea to admit up-front that your language skills are not perfect. Your audience will sympathize more with you if you are honest.

‌ Start your speech in French with a topic sentence that indicates you are witty and well-versed in French literature. ‌ If you can't think of anything, use a quote from a known French writer bordered by quotation marks, such as Sarte, Renard or Voltaire.

‌ Outline what your speech is going to be about in your opening. ‌ Open with j’ai and let your French audience know where you are going with your speech. It is important to stick to your topic, as the French will expect you to deliver what you promise. This could be an example of indirect speech.

‌ Shy away from humor unless you are practically a native speaker and understand the subtle way the French use double innuendos. ‌ Slap-stick American jokes will alienate your audience and leave you looking like a bumpkin.

‌ Pull your speech together in your concluding paragraph ‌. Politely thank your audience for attending, and giving you the courtesy of listening to your speech. Remember that the French stress manners. This could be an example of direct speech.

‌ End your speech in French with a memorable line that links back to your topic sentence. ‌ If you can't think of anything, resort to repeating the quotation you started with, or using another equally as memorable phrase. Pay attention to verb tenses and french grammar.

‌ Edit your speech in French for common grammatical mistakes. ‌ Remember that the French language has masculine and feminine pronouns, so check to make sure you use "le" and "la" are correct. Try to alternate seamlessly between past tense, present tense, subjunctive, and infinitive. Double check conjugation.

‌ Pronunciation takes practice, especially with french words. ‌ Practice your reported speech out loud and sound out your french vocabulary in order to avoid stumbling. Beginning learners should spend extra time on this.

Ask a native French speaker to check your speech to be sure you got everything right.

It takes time to learn French, so go easy on yourself but you still must sound professional.

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The Free Dictionary: French Academy

Jody Hanson began writing professionally in 1992 to help finance her second around-the-world trip. In addition to her academic books, she has written for "International Living," the "Sydney Courier" and the "Australian Woman's Forum." Hanson holds a Ph.D. in adult education from Greenwich University.

French Grammar: Direct and Indirect Speech

How to Speak About Someone Else's Words in French

Pronunciation & Conversation
Resources For Teachers

Learning to use proper grammar is an important part of studying the French language . One element of that is direct and indirect speech, or when you are speaking about what someone else has said.

There are a few grammar rules that you should know when it comes to these styles of speech and this French grammar lesson will walk you through the basics.

French Direct and Indirect Speech ( Discours direct et indirec t)

In French, there are two different ways to express the words of another person: direct speech (or direct style) and indirect speech (indirect style).

In direct speech, you are quoting the words of another person.
In indirect speech, you are referencing what another person has said without quoting them directly.

Direct Speech ( Discours direct )

Direct speech is very simple. You will use it to impart the exact words of the original speaker are reported in quotes.

Paul dit : « J'aime les fraises ». - Paul says, "I like strawberries."
Lise répond : « Jean les déteste ». - Lisa replies, "Jean hates them."
« Jean est stupide » déclare Paul.* - "Jean is stupid" Paul declares.

Notice the use of « » around the quoted sentences. The quotation marks used in English (" ") don't exist in French, instead the guillemets ( « ») are used.

Indirect Speech ( Discours indirect )

In indirect speech, the original speaker's words are reported without quotes in a subordinate clause (introduced by que ).

Paul dit qu'il aime les fraises. - Paul says that he loves strawberries.
Lise répond que Jean les déteste. - Lisa replies that Jean hates them.
Paul déclare que Jean est stupide. - Paul declares that Jean is stupid.

The rules associated with indirect speech are not as simple as they are with direct speech and this subject requires further examination.

Reporting Verbs for Indirect Speech

There are many verbs, called reporting verbs, that can be used to introduce indirect speech:

affirmer - to assert
ajouter - to add
annoncer - to announce
crier - to shout
déclarer - to declare
dire - to say
expliquer - to explain
insister - to insist
prétendre - to claim
proclamer - to proclaim
répondre - to answer
soutenir - to maintain

Switching From Direct to Indirect Speech

Indirect speech tends to be more complicated than direct speech because it requires certain changes (in both English and French). There are three primary changes that may need to be made.

#1 - Personal pronouns and possessives may need to be changed:

	veux voir mère ».	David declares, " want to see mother."
	veut voir mère.	David declares that wants to see mother.

#2 - Verb conjugations need to change to agree with the new subject:

	voir ma mère ».	David declares, "I to see my mother."
	voir sa mère.	David declares that he to see his mother.

#3 - In the above examples, there is no change in the tense because the statements are in the present. However, if the main clause is in the past tense, the verb tense of the subordinate clause may also need to change:

	voir ma mère ».	David declared, "I to see my mother."
	voir sa mère.	David declared that he to see his mother.

The following chart shows the correlation between verb tenses in direct and indirect speech . Use it to determine how to rewrite direct speech as indirect speech or vice versa.

Note: Présent/Imparfait to Imparfait is by far the most common - you don't need to worry too much about the rest.



	or	Imparfait
	or	Plus-que-parfait
	or	Conditionnel
	or	Conditionnel passé
		Subjonctif

Personal Pronouns: French Grammar and Pronunciation Glossary
French Direct Objects and Direct Object Pronouns
Understanding Object Pronoun Verb Order in French
French Grammar Glossary: Future Subjunctive Is Present Subjunctive
French Subordinate Clause: French Grammar and Pronunciation Glossary
Intransitive Verbs: French Grammar and Pronunciation Glossary
French Comparative Adverbs: How They're Formed
How to Conjugate "Diriger" (to Direct)
Learn the French Sequence of Tenses
How to Use French Punctuation
French Indirect Objects and Indirect Object Pronouns
French Object Pronouns
French Transitive Verbs
Auxiliary Verbs: French Grammar and Pronunciation Glossary
Index of French Grammar and Pronunciation Glossary Terms
How to Express Exclamations in French

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33 French Conversational Connectors For Smooth Spoken French

As you learn French and begin using longer sentences to express your ideas, you need to know the connectors in French that allow everything to flow together.

Connectors will turn disjointed phrases into joined up sentences, making your French sound more smooth, natural and fluent.

Let’s have a look at an example in English first:

Yesterday, I went for a walk in the park. I arrived at the park. It started raining. I didn’t have an umbrella. I was starting to feel hungry. I decided to take the bus home. I had wasted my day off. It’s always a bad idea to go out without an umbrella in spring. It serves me right.

Compare that with:

Yesterday, I went for a walk in the park. However , when I arrived at the park, it started raining, and unfortunately, I didn’t have an umbrella. Furthermore, I was starting to feel hungry, so I decided to take the bus home instead – but I had wasted my day off. In fact , it’s always a bad idea to go out in spring without an umbrella, so I guess it serves me right.

Which one sounds more natural? Of course it’s the second one. Why? Thanks to the connectors!

So, to help you out and save you a bit of time, here’s my list of the most important French conversational connectors to get you started.

By the way, if sounding more fluent in French fast is one of your goals, I recommend French Uncovered, which teaches you through StoryLearning®. Click here to find out more and try out the method for free.

33 French Conversational Connectors

These are some of the very first words you will learn in French and are essential when forming even the simplest joined-up sentences.

Most of these words work just like their English counterparts.

#1 Et – And

Example: Je ne veux pas y aller et c’est tout ! – I don’t want to go and that’s that!

#2 Mais – But

Example: Je ne veux pas y aller, mais tu peux me convaincre – I don’t want to go, but you can convince me

#3 Parce que – Because

Example: Je ne veux pas y aller parce que ça m’ennuie – I don’t want to go because it bores me

#4 Peut-être – Perhaps, Maybe

Example: Peut-être qu'on peut y aller après-demain – Perhaps we can go the day after tomorrow

#5 Comme – As, Since

This word in French has several meanings, including “like” (as in “similar”) and “as” (“he’s dressed as a monk”). But here, as a connector, it means “as” or “since”, a meaning that is close to “because”.

Example: Comme ça m’ennuie, je ne veux pas y aller – Since it bores me, I don’t want to go

#6 Donc – Therefore

This is a useful word and is very common – it’s slightly more formal than alors , which we’ll come to in a moment.

Example: Je n’ai pas d’argent donc je ne veux pas y aller – I don’t have any money, therefore I don’t want to go
Example: Je pense donc je suis – I think therefore I am

It's also used in the following expression:

Example: Quoi donc ? – What then?

Multipurpose Connectors In French To Sound Like A Native

Here are a couple of words that are super-common in French and that have lots of meanings.

Learning how to use them correctly can help make your French sound much more natural. And because they have so many uses, they’re extremely useful words to know.

In fact, I could probably write a whole post just about number 7. But I'll just give you an overview for now!

#7 Alors – So, Then, Therefore

This is a word that can seemingly be made to mean almost anything.

But its primary sense is “so” or “therefore”. It’s often used instead of donc and sounds less formal – the difference between the two is similar to the difference between “so” and “therefore” in English.

Note that when it isn’t being used to connect two parts of a sentence, alors can be placed at the beginning or end of what you say.

In English, we use “so” at the start of the sentence or replace it with “then” – which can go at the start or at the end. See the third example below to see how this works.

Je n’ai pas d’argent alors je ne veux pas y aller – I don’t have any money, so I don’t want to go
Je ne le voulais pas alors pourquoi tu l’as acheté ? – I didn’t want it so why did you buy it?
Alors pourquoi tu l’as acheté?/Pourquoi tu l’as acheté alors ? – So/then why did you buy it?/Why did you buy it then?

Alors can also be used when in English you might say “so” or “well”. And just like in English, it has the full range of nuances, depending on how and when you say it.

Here are just a couple of examples:

Alors ? – So? Well? (with a rising, questioning intonation – could mean “what do you want?” “how did it go?” “did you find it?” etc. depending on the context)
Alors ! – Well then! (with a falling intonation, kind of like “I told you so!”)
Bah alors ! – Well then! There, there! (depending on how you say it, it could mean anything from “well what did you expect?” or “serves you right” to “there, there” said to comfort someone!)

#8 Quand Même – All The Same, Anyway

I remember hearing this expression a lot when I was first learning French. Then – and when I finally worked out how to use it myself, I felt that my French had suddenly made a big jump forward.

It’s such a typically French expression that’s more than just another vocabulary item. And sometimes its meaning defies translation.

The basic sense is something like “all the same”. But you'll hear it used in all kinds of situations with varying nuances. Check out these examples:

Je ne veux pas y aller mais je vais y aller quand même – I don’t want to go but I will go all the same (the meaning is close to “anyway” – I will go even though I don’t want to)
Il est quand même un bon jouer – He’s a good player all the same (perhaps some doubt has been expressed about the player’s abilities and the speaker accepts the point but wants to stress that he’s still a good player – ‘yes, sometimes he’s lazy, but he’s a good player all the same’)
C’est cher mais c’est bon quand même ! – It’s expensive, but it’s good though! (here, the idea being expressed is that although the food is expensive, it’s very good so it’s worth the money)

Quand même can also be used alone as a kind of exclamation to express the idea that something is impressive or considerable.

Example: C’était combien ? 1.300€. Quand même ! – How much was it? €1,300. Wow, not exactly cheap! (the meaning is that the price is quite considerable – try to imagine it being said with a Gallic rise of the eyebrows, a slight tilt of the head, a little exhalation and a facial “shrug”!)

Other Useful Connectors In French

Most of these words are similar to the English equivalents.

#9 Pourtant – Yet, Still

Similar to “yet” or “still” in English.

Example: Il est pourtant venu – Yet he came/he still came/yet he still came
Example: Et pourtant, il est quand même venu – And yet he still came

#10 Cepandant – However

Example: Il est beau. Cepandant je le trouve très bête – He’s handsome. However, I find him very stupid

#11 (Tout) D’abord – First (Of All)

Example: D’abord, je vais chercher mon manteau – First, I’m going to fetch my coat

#12 En Général – In General

Example: En général, ils sont tous comme ça – In general, they’re all like that

#13 En fait – In fact, Actually

Also, see actuellement in the “False Friends” section at the end.

Example: En fait, je préfère la bière – In fact, I prefer beer

#14 Quant à – As For, Concerning

Example: Quant à mes amis, ils préfèrent le vin – As for my friends, they prefer wine

#15 D’ailleurs – Moreover, Furthermore

Example: Non, je ne l’ai pas invité. Et d’ailleurs, je lui ai dit de ne pas venir – No, I didn’t invite him. And moreover, I told him not to come

#16 Au Contraire – On The Contrary

Example: Au contraire, ce n’est pas du tout ce que je voulais dire – On the contrary, that’s not what I meant at all

#17 Malgré – Despite

Example: Malgré tout, elle l’aime toujours – Despite everything, she still loves him

#18 Sinon – Otherwise

Example: Tu lui diras. Sinon il va oublier – Tell him. Otherwise he’ll forget

#19 Dès Que – As Soon As

Example: On va partir dès qu’il arrive – We’ll leave as soon as he arrives

#20 Quoique – Whatever

This expression is always followed by a subjunctive verb in French .

Example: Il ne me croit pas, quoique je dise – He doesn’t believe me, whatever I say

#21 Sans Doute – Without

Example: Sans doute, c’est pour ça – Without doubt, that’s why

#22 Par Contre – On The Other Hand

Example: S’il fait beau, j’irai. Par contre, s’il pleut, je reste ici – If the weather is good, I’ll go. On the other hand, if it rains, I’ll stay here

#23 En Plus – Furthermore, Additionally, As Well

Example: Il a volé mon portefeille, et en plus, il m’a insulté ! – He stole my wallet, and furthermore, he insulted me!

#24 Surtout – Above All

Example: Et surtout, il ne faut pas le dire à personne ! – And above all, you mustn’t tell it to anyone!

#25 De Toute Façon – Anyway

Example: De toute façon, je vais lui dire – I’m going to tell him anyway

Connectors In French For Expressing Your Opinion

These are words and phrases for when you need to express your opinion.

#26 Je Pense Que… – I Think That…

Example: Je pense que tu as tort – I think you’re wrong

#27 À Mon Avis – In My Opinion

Example: À mon avis, ce n’est pas le cas – In my opinion, that’s not the case

#28 Pour Moi – For Me

Example: Pour moi, ce n’est pas la peine – For me, it’s not worth it

#29 Selon – According To

Example: Selon mon professeur, ça se dit comme ça – According to my teacher, that’s how it’s said

Connectors In French: False Friend Alert!

To finish, here are a couple of connecting words that many English speakers get wrong – as do many French speakers when they use the English versions.

#31 and #32 are slightly different from English and are easy to confuse. The last is one of the most notorious false friends in the French language.

#30 En Effet – Indeed, Actually

This doesn’t quite mean ‘in effect’. It’s closer to ‘indeed’ or ‘actually’.

Example: En effet, c’est tout à fait vrai ! – Indeed, it’s completely true!

#31 Finalement – In The End, After All

Be careful here – finalement doesn’t mean “finally” as in “he’s finally arrived”. The true meaning is “in the end” and is used, for example, when the final outcome is not what you expected.

Example: Ah ! Alors finalement tu as décidé de venir ! – Ah! So you decided to come in the end!

#32 Enfin – Finally, At Last, At Least

If you want to say “finally”, the correct word is enfin – it expresses the idea that something you have been waiting for has finally happened.

Example: Il a enfin réussi à vendre sa maison ! – He’s finally managed to sell his house!

It also has another meaning that is similar to “at least” in English.

Example: Il a vendu sa maison. Enfin, c’est ce que j’ai entendu – He sold his house. At least, that’s what I heard

#33 Actuellement – At The Moment, Currently, Right Now

Actuellement DOES NOT mean “actually”! If you want to express “actually”, the closest French expression is en fait (in fact).

Actuellement means “currently” or “at the moment”, and this is why sometimes French people will say things like “I’m busy actually” – they really mean “I’m busy right now”.

Example: Je ne suis pas disponible actuellement – I’m not available right now/currently

Connectors In French: A Quick Way To Improve Your French

Many of these words are invaluable since they can help you express yourself much more clearly and accurately.

Plus, there are no complicated grammar rules to learn. You can sound more natural and fluent with minimal effort.

En plus , by incorporating them into your active French vocabulary, you can make yourself sound much more like a native speaker.

Et finalement , that’s the goal that everyone is hoping to achieve!

This list is a great start point. But now it's over to you. As you read French and listen to French , notice these connectors. Observe how native people use them in their conversations. How do they pronounce them? Where and when do they use them.

This is great preparation for using them in your conversations with French speakers.

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8 Essential French Parts of Speech to Speak More Proficiently

black couple standing against a stone wall over the seine river

Learning French can be exciting even as you begin with basic conversational phrases and find yourself progressing quickly. As you pick up more vocabulary, you’ll aspire to more sophisticated ways of expressing your ideas. Creating your own sentences unlocks a whole new level of language proficiency. To reach that next step in your language learning, you’ll want to understand the basics of how a sentence is put together.

Learning some language concepts, such as French parts of speech, can help you build your sentences and speak French with confidence . No language learning journey looks the same, but Rosetta Stone has features for every learner, so you can create a personalized experience that is both fun and engaging.

What are french parts of speech.

Parts of speech are categories of words that have specific functions in a sentence. Knowing which category to use and how they connect together can help you build a sentence that expresses your idea clearly—and also sounds correct. Certain parts of speech work together, follow an order, and influence the meaning of the sentence.

Being familiar with the parts of speech in French can help when you’re studying French grammar rules. This guide will help clarify the important French parts of speech so you can feel confident knowing how to construct sentences in French.

How many parts of speech are there in the French language?

English has eight parts of speech , according to Britannica. Some grammarians group them differently, but we will cover these eight basic categories of parts of speech in the French language as well.


	noun	indicates the person, place, thing, or idea
	pronoun	replaces a noun
	article	precedes a noun and gives you information about gender, number, and more
	verb	indicates action or state of being
	adjective	describes a noun
	adverb	modifies or describes a verb or an adjective
	conjunction	links words or clauses
	preposition	tells the relationship between nouns or pronouns

How can I identify the French part of speech for a word?

In many French vocabulary lists and dictionaries, you’ll see the French word followed by some extra letters or abbreviations. It might look like one of these examples:

magie nf
magie, n. f.

The “nf” or “n.f. ” refers to “noun, feminine.” This is useful to distinguish the noun magie (magic) from the adjective magique (magical). It’s a quick way to know the French part of speech the word belongs to when you need quick help.

There are also commonly used abbreviations for other parts of speech and characteristics.

magique adj. (adjective)
manger v. (verb)
mon adj poss (possessive adjective)
même adv (adverb)

Le nom/le substantif (noun)

If hearing the word “noun” brought to mind the common definition “person, place, thing, or idea,” then you’re on the right track already! Here are a few more features of nouns in French:

Nouns are usually accompanied by a déterminant (determiner). These can be typical articles (a, an, the) or other words like (each, some, this, my).

la chaussette = the sock (definite article)
une chaussette = a sock (indefinite article)
cette chaussette = this sock (demonstrative)
mes chaussettes = my socks (possessive)

Singular or plural nouns are used to demonstrate the number of persons, places, things, or ideas.

La chemise = the shirt
Les chemises = the shirts

French nouns have grammatical gender of either masculine or feminine. The gender can change the meaning of the noun, which is why it’s important to learn their gender and not just the meaning.

Le chèvre = the goat cheese
La chèvre = the goat

Serving two purposes, nouns can function as subjects or objects in a sentence.

La chèvre a mangé la chaussette. = The goat ate the sock. (The goat is the subject.)
J’ai mangé le chèvre. = I ate the goat cheese. (The goat cheese is the object.)

Le pronom (pronoun)

This popular Romance language has several different types of French pronouns , which are used to replace a noun in order to avoid repetition. Your reader or listener can get annoyed pretty quickly if you repeat a name or noun excessively while you tell a story. Compare these examples in English:

Without pronouns : I looked for my cousin, but I didn’t see my cousin because my cousin went to the store with my cousin’s friend.
With pronouns : I looked for my cousin, but I didn’t see him because he went to the store with his friend.

Le pronom sujet (subject pronoun)

Subject pronouns are often one of the French parts of speech learners will memorize. You can use subject pronouns to replace a noun when it is the subject of the sentence. Remember, not all nouns are grammatically the subject, so you’ll have to ask “who or what is doing the verb, or the action?” to determine the subject.

Nous mangeons beaucoup de pizza. = We eat a lot of pizza.

Who eats a lot of pizza? “We” do. So “we” is the subject pronoun.


	I
	you (singular, informal)
	he / she/ one / we (informal)
	we
	you (formal, plural)
	they

Le pronom réfléchi (reflexive pronoun)

Reflexive verbs are used when the subject of the verb receives the action of the verb. To accomplish this in English we sometimes use words like “myself.” Sometimes the reflexive pronoun doesn’t translate to English at all, as French has lots of verbs that are used reflexively.

Je me lave les mains. = I wash my hands.
Elle se regarde dans le miroir. = She looks at herself in the mirror.
Nous nous amusons . = We have fun.


	myself
	yourself
	himself / herself / oneself
	ourselves
	yourself / yourselves
	themselves

Le pronom objet direct (direct object pronoun)

Direct object pronouns replace the noun as the object of the sentence, receiving the action of the verb. Compare how different this is to the subject pronoun.

La pizza est ma nourriture favorite. Je la mange tous les jours. = Pizza is my favorite food. I eat it every day.


	me
	you
	himher
	us
	you (formal, plural)
	them

Le pronom objet indirect (indirect object pronoun)

Indirect object pronouns are used in place of nouns when they are the indirect object in the sentence. The indirect object answers the question “to whom/what” or “for whom/what” is the action happening.

Elle me parle. = She talks to me.
Nous leur écrivons. = We write to them.


	to / for me
	to / for you
	to / for him / her
	to / for us
	to / for you (formal, plural)
	to / for them

Le pronom relatif (relative pronoun)

Relative pronouns are connectors in French. They link related thoughts, and are used like relative pronouns in English, to introduce a dependent clause. Their English translations will depend on the context and function in the sentence.

J’ai lu le livre que tu m’as recommandé.
La femme qui m’a donné le livre est ta mère.
Je cherche le marché où j’ai acheté les pommes.

Other relative pronouns include:

que = that, which, whom
qui = who
où = where, when
lequel (and variations) = which, that
dont = from / of which

L’article (article)

Articles belong to the category of déterminants (determiners), which comprise a few useful parts of speech in French. Indefinite, definite, and partitive articles give you important information about the noun, such as its grammatical gender and number. It also indicates whether it’s a specific noun or object or a generalization.

L’article défini (the definite article) is the French equivalent of the English word “the.” Use this to specifically refer to an item.

Donne-moi le stylo. = Give me the pen.

L’article indéfini (the indefinite article) is the same as the English word “a” or “some.” Use this to refer to a non-specific object or subject.

Donne-moi un stylo. = Give me a pen.

L’article partitif (the partitive article) is a way to say “some” for uncountable words.

Donne-moi du pain et du fromage. = Give me some bread and some cheese.

Let’s take a look at the differences between these types of articles.

Je voudrais la pizza. = I want the pizza. (You want the whole pizza, and there’s a specific pizza you’re referring to.)
Je voudrais une pizza . = I want a pizza. (You want a whole pizza, but you haven’t specified which pizza it is.)
Je voudrais de la pizza. = I want some pizza. (You want part of a pizza.)

While you might order un fromage (a whole round of cheese) or du fromage (some quantity of cheese), and be happy with either, these articles aren’t always interchangeable. Some differences in use matter!

Je vois des chiens ! = I see some dogs! (can indicate excitement)
Je vois du chien ! = I see some dog! (can indicate trepidation)

Le verbe (verb)

Verbs are the action of the sentence and one of the most crucial French parts of speech. Verbs come in many different forms and give you important information in the sentence such as the mood and tense.

The mood could be indicative, subjunctive, conditional, or imperative:

Indicative: Je fais les devoirs. = I do the homework.
Subjunctive: Il faut que je fasse les devoirs. = It’s necessary that I do the homework.
Conditional: Je ferais les devoirs si j’avais plus de temps. = I would do the homework if I had more time.
Imperative: Fais les devoirs ! = Do the homework!

The tense can tell you when the action occurs in the main timeframes of past, present, and future.

Past: J’ ai fait les devoirs. = I did the homework.
Present: Je ne fais pas les devoirs le samedi. = I don’t do homework on Saturdays.
Future: Je ferai les devoirs un jour. = I will do the homework one day.

Subject-verb agreement is an important concept to know when learning to form French sentences. The verb needs to agree or match with the subject, meaning a plural subject needs a plural verb (dogs eat vs dog eats). Conjugating the verb form can follow regular patterns or can break the rules unpredictably. These “rule-breakers” are called irregular verbs, and this includes many of the most common verbs in French . Here are several ways to conjugate the verb “do.”

Je fais les devoirs. = I do the homework.
Il faut que les élèves fassent les devoirs. = It is necessary that the students do the homework.
On a fait les devoirs. = We did the homework.
Mirabel fera les devoirs cette année ! = Mirabel will do the homework this year!

L’adjectif (adjective)

Adjectives modify or describe nouns and pronouns, and just like verbs, an adjective needs to agree or match the noun it describes in both grammatical gender (masculine and feminine) and number (singular and plural). French adjectives follow rules about placement and agreement.

French adjective agreement

Due to French gender rules , many adjectives have four different forms, although there can be even more when considering spelling variations.

Masculine singular: Le pain est délicieux mais cher. = The bread is delicious but expensive .
Feminine singular: La baguette est délicieuse mais chère. = The baguette is delicious but expensive .
Masculine plural: Les champignons sont délicieux mais chers. = The mushrooms are delicious but expensive .
Feminine plural: Les fraises sont délicieuses mais chères. = The strawberries are delicious but expensive .

L’adjectif possessif (possessive adjective)

In French, possessive adjectives are another déterminant (determiner) that also functions like an adjective, matching the grammatical gender and number of the singular noun that follows. This works differently than the English possession of “his” vs “her.” There is also a plural possessive adjective, as well as spellings that change before vowel sounds.

C’est son stylo. = It’s her pen. / It’s his pen.
C’est sa voiture. = It’s her car. / It’s his car.
Ce sont ses parents. = They are her parents. / They are his parents.
C’est son idée. = It is her idea. / It is his idea.

L’adjectif démonstratif (demonstrative adjective)

Demonstrative adjectives belong in the déterminant category as well. They answer the question “to which are you referring?” These are equivalent to English words like “this,” “that,” or “those.” They also agree with the noun that follows in both grammatical gender and number and can replace an article.

Je voudrais ce livre. = I would like this book.
Cette maison est si belle ! = This house is so beautiful!
Je n’aime pas ces couleurs .= I don’t like these colors.
Cet enfant a perdu ses chaussures . = This child has lost his shoes.

La conjonction (conjunction)

French conjunctions are an essential part of speech in French that serves to link more than one word or clause. They can be coordinating, meaning they link the same part of speech; subordinating, meaning they make one clause dependent on the other; or the conjunction can even be a phrase.

Some common French conjunctions are:

donc = so, therefore
ni = neither, nor
car = because
quand = when
ou bien = or else
soit… soit… = either… or…

L’adverbe (adverb)

Adverbs modify or describe a verb or an adjective. You are probably most familiar with adverbs that end in “-ly” in English, like “rapidly” or “certainly.” Many French adverbs can be formed by using the suffix “-ment,” as in rapidement or certainement .

There are adverbs of place, position, manner, degree, time, frequency, and more. Some of the most common are:

très = verb
seulement = only
en fait = in fact
peut-être = maybe
assez = rather
souvent = often
vraiment = really, truly
déjà = already
presque = almost
encore = again
toujours = always
vite = quickly
bien = well
partout = all around
jamais = never

Le préposition (preposition)

Last but not least in our list of French parts of speech are prepositions. These useful words precede a noun or pronoun in order to show things like direction or location.

It’s not especially useful to try to memorize rules for using prepositions as their use is highly idiomatic. While some French prepositions can be learned as a direct translation, it is often better to learn them as a part of a phrase.

Some common prepositions are:

avec = with
chez = at the home of
parmi = since
avant = before
depuis = since
jusqu’à = until
pendant = during

However, the translation often gets more complicated when you put these useful words into a sentence! Each of these uses of à has a different meaning in context.

À demain ! = See you tomorrow! / Until tomorrow!
C’est à moi . = It’s mine.
C’est une cuillère à soupe. = It’s a soup spoon.
Elle travaille à la bibliothèque. = She works at the library.
Elles vont aller à Noël . = They are going to go on Christmas Day.
J’aime bien le thé à poire. = I rather like pear tea.
Je vais à la poste. = I’m going to the post office.
L’école est à 5 minutes d’ici. = The school is 5 minutes away from here.
La femme à la jupe jaune parle espagnol. = The woman in the yellow skirt speaks Spanish.
Mon frère habite à Paris. = My brother lives in Paris.
Nous travaillons à deux km de l’école. = We work two kilometers from the school.
On est ouvert de février à juin. = We are open from February through June.

Learn French parts of speech in context with Rosetta Stone

The more French you learn in context, the more French parts of speech begin to make sense. Knowing the difference between an adjective and an adverb, for example, can help you sound more natural. Rosetta Stone’s Dynamic Immersion method is the most intuitive way to learn a new language, helping you first comprehend then use parts of speech in French seamlessly to form sentences of your own, just as you did when learning to speak as a child.

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Jamie Edwards

Jamie Edwards is a Spanish and French teacher and loves learning and writing about Italian. Her “places to explore” list never gets shorter because she always wants to return! Her sights are set on Scotland and Italy next.

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Indirect speech in French

How to turn direct speech into indirect speech, declarative sentences, demands/requests.

Lingolia Plus French

What is indirect speech?

Indirect speech (le discours indirect) allows us to report what someone else said. When do this, we normally don’t use their exact words with quotation marks (direct speech) , but instead we use indirect speech to paraphrase or give the gist of what was said.

Indirect speech is introduced using certain reporting verbs that introduce a statement or an opinion.

Read on to learn how to transform direct speech to indirect speech in French grammar. Remember to check your knowledge in the free and interactive exercises.

Amandine est dans le café où Jean travaille. Il lui raconte la chose suivante: « J’ai vu une animatrice de télé. Elle est venue ici hier et a mangé une glace. Je l’attendrai demain. »

Une semaine plus tard, Amandine téléphone à une amie: « J’ai vu Jean au café il y a quelques jours. Il a dit . Il a raconté . Il a dit . »

When turning direct speech into indirect speech, we need to remember the following points:

change the pronouns Example: Il a dit: « J’ ai vu une animatrice de télé. » →Il a dit qu’ il avait vu une animatrice de télé. He said that he had seen a TV host.
change the verb : use the 3 rd person instead of the 1 st person and change the tense (see below) Example: Il a dit: « Je l’ attendrai demain. » → Il a dit qu’il l’ attendrait le lendemain. He said he would wait for her the next day.
if necessary, change the time and place Example: Il a dit: « Elle est venue ici hier . » →Il a dit qu’elle était venue le jour précédent au café . He said that she had come into the café the previous day.

Changing the Tense

If reporting verb is in the présent (e.g. il raconte ), the tense remains unchanged in the indirect speech. In some cases, however, we still need to change the verb form (1 st person singular → 3 rd person singular).

If the reporting verb is in a past tense (e.g. il racontait ), the tense of the indirect speech must be shifted back (see table).

Direct Speech	Indirect Speech

/

Declarative sentences in indirect speech are attached to the reporting verb with the word que ( qu’ before a vowel).

Question-word questions are introduced by the same question-word in indirect speech.

For yes-no questions (questions without a question-word), the indirect speech begins with si , which corresponds to the English “if” or “whether” in indirect speech.

For more detail on this topic, check out our page on indirect questions in French grammar .

Demands and requests are expressed in indirect speech by using an infinitive clause. In order to make it clear that it’s a request, we often replace the word dire with demander .

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Learn French the fast and easy way!

Common connectors and transitions phrases in French

In French, connectors and transition phrases are important tools for linking ideas and creating a coherent narrative in both written and spoken communication.

In this lesson, we’ll go over some common connectors and transition phrases in French that you can use to improve your communication skills.

Premièrement, deuxièmement, enfin. (First, secondly, finally.) These connectors are used to order and sequence ideas in a narrative.

De plus, en outre, par ailleurs. (Moreover, furthermore, besides.) These connectors are used to add more information to an idea or argument.

Néanmoins, cependant, pourtant. (Nevertheless, however, yet.) These connectors are used to introduce a contrasting idea or argument.

En effet, effectivement, en réalité. (Indeed, in fact, actually.) These connectors are used to introduce a statement or fact that supports a previous idea or argument.

Ainsi, par conséquent, donc. (Thus, consequently, therefore.) These connectors are used to indicate a conclusion or result based on previous ideas or arguments.

D’un côté, de l’autre côté. (On one hand, on the other hand.) These connectors are used to present two contrasting sides of an argument.

En somme, finalement, pour conclure. (In summary, finally, to conclude.) These connectors are used to signal the end of a narrative or argument and provide a summary or conclusion.

À mon avis, selon moi, je pense que. (In my opinion, in my view, I think that.) These connectors are used to introduce a personal opinion or belief.

Bien que, malgré, quoique. (Although, despite, even though.) These connectors are used to introduce a contrasting idea or situation.

En revanche, par contre, au contraire. (On the other hand, however, conversely.) These connectors are used to introduce a contrasting idea or situation.

Learning and using these common connectors and transition phrases in French will help you to create a more structured, coherent and persuasive communication style.

It is important to also learn other advanced expressions and connectives to express more complex thoughts and ideas.

With practice and persistence, you’ll soon be able to speak and write more fluently in French.

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The Best Way to Learn French : A guide

Improving your french writing and speaking.

Quick story: When I was learning Italian, many years ago, I got pretty good at reading Italian. I could even stand in line at the train station and eavesdrop on people behind me — and I understood most of what they were saying.

But when I tried to speak to my friend's (Italian) mother, she could not understand anything I said. She sat next to me in the car and wailed, "I didn't understand anything!" (And guess what? I understood her perfectly. )

I was the two legged cat above. I had been reading textbooks and listening to everyone around me, but I had no practice spontaneously producing intelligible language from my own mouth. I couldn't find the right words to use, and I couldn't pronounce the words I did find.

So, even though you might find reading and listening to be a lot easier to work on, especially when you're studying independently, don't neglect practicing your speaking and writing skills as well.

You may think that being able to write in French is just about getting the spelling right, and figuring out how to use those different accent characters .

Spelling and funny characters are only part of the writing puzzle. They can all be practiced with flashcards and a whole lot of repetition. There's no great mystery to learning this — it's all about memory and practice.

The harder part of the equation is the production part.

When you're writing you need to be able to pull the words from your brain, and put them together in a way that makes sense. It's a productive skill, rather than a comprehension skill like reading or listening.

Being unable to produce language is a problem:

It's that feeling of going "blank", and not being able to find the words.
It's recognizing the words and grammar if you see it, but not being able to create it yourself.

To stop that happening, you need practice.

Practicing production through writing is a good place to start because you have time to stop and think about what you're going to write. You can look up new words, or research the best way to say something — this isn't cheating. (You'll likely remember this stuff much better for the effort you've put in!)

But for some people writing can also feel difficult or intimidating because you're not getting any immediate feedback, like you'd get if you were speaking to someone.

Some ideas for practicing your writing production: ‍

When you're just getting started:

Flashcards are your friend here. Start with words in your language, and try to recall and write the words in French.
Move up to whole sentences: See the sentence in your language, and try to write the French translation.

Many French courses will have these kinds of challenges built into the software, so you'll be able to get instant feedback. (But you'll also get instant feedback with a plain old piece of paper flashcard too!) ‍

When you're more advanced:

Write a diary about what you did today. Practice those past tenses! You could also include what you're doing right now, and what you're going to do tomorrow.
Write about your favorite subjects, or your opinions.
Write letters (don't send them, of course!). Try writing to people who you'd use a different register with. E.g., a sibling or friend, vs your old high school teacher.
Write role-plays. Create dialogues between characters. Try creating conversations between different kinds of people where a different register would be used. E.g., imagine a doctor with a patient; a parent with a child; high school buddies; a husband and wife; a homeowner and a burglar; you and your childhood hero, etc. Ask your tutor or language partner if they sound realistic. What would people normally say here?
Read an article or story and summarise it in your own words.
Recall a scene from your favorite movie and rewrite the dialogue in French. If you're stuck for ideas, you could try this scene from The Princess Bride (and learn how to represent English modal verbs in French, which does not have them .)

It's best to do all these challenges with a good dictionary or translator in hand, otherwise it could be too difficult. Use the English to French option, and take the opportunity to learn some new vocabulary.

Important: Make sure you get feedback!

Your ability to practice your writing/spelling really depends on your ability to get reliable feedback and corrections. A software or AI can only do so much — once you're beyond the phrases in your French course or flash cards, you really need a human to check and correct your writing.

You could use a tutor, a conversation exchange buddy, or you may be able to find forums or groups where you can get fluent speakers to critique your work.

Our second productive skill also comes in two parts: The first part is similar to writing above : being able to pull the language from your memory and put it together in a way that makes sense. The key difference with speaking is that you have to do it much faster than with writing, and you don't have time to pause to look things up!

The second part of this skill is pronunciation : being able to speak the words so that people will understand you.

Improving your speaking production

The goal here is to be able to find the words to express yourself verbally in French, so many of the things you practice for writing production (above) will work here too. (Just say them out loud.) ‍

Use your flashcards (or the equivalent tool in your French course). Look at a word or sentence in your own language, and try to say it in French.

Try recording a short audio or video diary. (This will be very interesting to look back on later!)
Try speaking for a minute or two on a topic that interests you. (Record it to show to your tutor or language exchange partner)
Find a real human to speak to . This is usually the best option. Either a tutor or a language exchange partner will help. Your conversations can be spontaneous, unscripted, and you'll get instant feedback on what you're doing right or wrong.

Improving your speaking pronunciation

Making the right sounds.

When we say pronunciation, you're probably thinking about your ability to morph your mouth into the right shape to make those French sounds. (And your ability to get over your self-consciousness to do it!)

The first step is knowing and being able to hear the sounds you're trying to imitate. Learn French With Alexa has an entertaining French pronunciation playlist that might help.

Rhythm and intonation

Pronunciation is a big part of the equation, but there are also a couple of other things in play when you're trying to make yourself understood by French speakers.

Rhythm : Which words are emphasised in a sentence? Which words seem to be grouped together? Where does the speaker pause?
Intonation : Where does the speaker's voice rise and fall in a sentence? This can carry a lot of meaning in French (especially when asking questions).

The best way to get better at these is simply to practice — listen and repeat.

A more advanced strategy that may help you adjust to the rhythm of spoken French is shadowing : This is where you listen to a piece of audio and try to copy the pronunciation, rhythm and intonation — all immediately after the speaker . (Don't wait until they finish speaking — you should both be speaking at the same time!)

The idea is that this can force you to speak at the same speed as the speaker, with the same pauses, emphasis and intonation. You'll be developing your "muscle memory" for the rhythm of the language.

If this is something you enjoy doing, and it gets you speaking French out loud — fantastic. Go for it. You may want to start with slower pieces of audio, like our French children's stories before moving up to native speed audio.

If you find it too difficult, too stressful, or you just don't feel like it's helping... that's also perfectly fine. Opinion is divided on whether it's an effective technique. Olly from StoryLearning has a good (if potentially selective) summary of the concept in this video.

How to practice pronunciation? (Hint: You need feedback)

Practicing your pronunciation when studying independently is a tricky thing, because what you really need is feedback . You need to be able to say a word or sentence, and then be told how well you did.

Did you make the sounds correctly?
Did you raise your voice at the right time?
Did you emphasise the right words in the sentence, and pause in natural places?

Without that feedback, there's a chance you'll learn bad habits in your pronunciation — and these can be hard to unlearn.

You've got three main options for getting feedback and corrections on your pronunciation:

Feedback option #1: Software "pronunciation checkers"

Some French courses come with "pronunciation checkers" — where you record your voice, and the software checks your pronunciation. You can also use Google Translate with the voice input selected, and speak to your computer or device. See if Google can recognise what you're saying in French.

Sounds fun, right?

I actually have mixed feelings about this technology. On one hand, I frequently have a hard time getting Siri / Google / Alexa to understand me when speaking my own first language . So I don't really trust a voice recognition AI to tell me when my French is hitting the mark.

But on the other hand, if this is what encourages you to start speaking your French out loud in the beginning... then that's fantastic. Give it a whirl! Just don't place too much stock in the software's opinion — I've found them to be both overly generous ( Rosetta Stone ) and incredibly picky ( Rocket French ).

Feedback option #2: Recording yourself and checking your own pronunciation

A less high-tech (but potentially more reliable) trick is to listen to a short recording from a French speaker, and then record yourself speaking the same material.

Then compare your pronunciation with the source recording. Use your own ears to figure out if you've nailed the pronunciation or not.

Some courses have this built into their audio examples, but you can also do it with any piece of audio and a recording device. (You could record yourself imitating the pronunciation of a YouTube video, for instance.)

Your success with this method depends on your ability actually hear when your pronunciation is good or bad — so it's important that you've learned to recognize those French sounds first.

Feedback option #3: Using a tutor or conversation partner

This is the best way to work on your pronunciation, especially once you move beyond the examples in your French course to start creating your own spontaneous speech.

A tutor will be able to show you the shapes you need to make with your mouth to achieve those more interesting sounds, and both a tutor and a conversation partner can tell you when you're getting things right or wrong.

How do you find a tutor? How else can a tutor be helpful? We'll look at that in the next chapter!

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Direct vs. Indirect Speech

By: Author David Issokson

Posted on Published: July 9, 2020 - Last updated: May 20, 2024

What is direct vs. indirect speech in French?

In French there are two kinds of speech: direct speech (le discours direct) and indirect speech (le discours indirect) . When using direct speech you quote what another person says with quotation marks. The French use the following quotation marks: « ». Also, note that some textbooks refer to this as direct and indirect discourse.

par example:

Paul dit: «J’ai faim». Paul says, “I’m hungry.”
Marie demande: «Où sont les toilettes?». Marie asks, “Where’s the restroom?”

In indirect speech (le discours indirect) you’re referring to what another person said without using any quotation marks. Indirect speech can become a bit complicated because several grammatical elements such as personal pronouns and possessive adjectives can change.

Paul dit qu’il a faim. Paul says he’s hungry.
Marie demande ou sont les toilettes. Marie asks where’s the rest room.

Agreement of tenses – la concordance des temps

When switching from direct speech to indirect speech the present tense and passé composé are maintained. This doesn’t apply to the imperative, which we’ll look at further below.

In the examples below we’ll look at specific elements of speech which change between the direct and indirect speech.

Example 1 – Le présent

In this first example there’s no change in tense (présent), but the possessive adjective (mes amis -> ses amis) changes as well as the indirect object pronoun (me -> lui).


Marie dit: «Mes amis sont en retard et il me rendront visite demain.»	Marie dit que ses amis sont en retard et qu'ils lui rendront visite demain.

Example 2 – Le passé composé

In this second example there’s no change in tense (passé composé), but the possessive adjective changes (mon mari -> son mari) as well as the personal pronoun (moi -> elle).


Marie dit: «Mon mari et moi, nous sommes partis en vacances, l'année dernière. »	Marie a dit que son mari et elle sont partis en vacances, l'année dernière.

Example 3 – L’impératif

When dealing with the imperative, the imperative in the direct speech becomes the infinitive in the indirect speech. In the indirect speech, the personal pronoun (il) and indirect object pronouns (me) come into play. Additionally, moi becomes lui.


«Assieds-toi!», «Ne parle pas!», «Donne-moi l'argent!»	Il m'a dit de m'assoir, de ne pas parler, de lui donner l'argent.

Example 4 – Indirect question

When dealing with an indirect question the word “si” (if) is used in the indirect speech. The personal pronoun tu becomes je.


«Tu travailles? Est-ce que tu travailles?»	Il me demande si je travaille.

Example 5 – Qu’est-ce qui

Qu’est-ce qui in a question becomes ce qui.


«Qu'est-ce qui est difficile?»	Il me demande ce qui est difficile.

Example 6 – Qu’est-ce que

Qu’est-ce que becomes ce que.


«Qu'est-ce que tu manges?»	Il me demande ce que je mange.

Example 7 – Information questions

For questions seeking information using «Ou est-ce que?», «Quand est-ce que?», «Comment est-ce que» etc., the est-ce que is disappears in the indirect speech.


«A quelle heure est-ce que tu t'en vas? Où est-ce que tu vas? Quand est-ce que tu retournes?»	Je me demande à quelle heure il s'en vas, où il va et quand il retourne.

Verbs which can be used with indirect speech

The following is a list of words that can be used in indirect speech. In the main clause (beginning of the sentence) they can be followed by que (that), si (if), où (where) etc.

affirmer to say, claim
annoncer to announce
assurer to ensure, maintain
avouer to admit, confess
confier to confide
constater to note, notice
crier to shout
délarer to state
dire to say
expliquer to explain
insister to insist
observer to observe, notice
prétendre to claim
proclamer to proclaim
promettre to promise
remarquer to notice
répondre to answer
réléver to reveal
s’apercevoir to realize
savoir to know
se rendre compte to realize
soutenir to maintain

All French grammar lessons

More resources:

francais.lingolia.com (exercise)
laits.utexas.edu (exercise)

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David Issokson

David Issokson is a lifelong language learner and speaks over seven languages. Of all the languages he speaks, he's the most passionate about French! David has helped hundreds of students to improve their French in his private lessons. When not teaching or writing his French Word of the Day lessons, David enjoys his time skiing, hiking and mountain biking in Victor, Idaho.

See all posts by David Issokson

Indirect Speech

Discours indirect

Direct and indirect speech are two types of reported speech which, you guessed it, are used to report someone else’s words. Indirect speech is considerably more complicated than direct as it involves several grammatical changes.

Reporting verb

Indirect speech requires a reporting verb to take the place of the quotation marks used in direct speech . The reporting verb must be followed by the subordinating conjunction que (usually) or si , with the original utterance turned into a subordinate clause . The most common reporting verb is dire (to say, tell) but there are many others .

With the help of the reporting verb, you can paraphrase the original sentence, but this is where it gets tricky because certain grammatical changes are then required.

Point of view

Since you’re expressing another person’s point of view, you need to change the subject pronoun (and any other personal pronouns ) in the subordinate clause from first person to third person.

Par exemple…


espère étudier à Paris ».		espère étudier à Paris.
Hélène says, " hope to study in Paris."		Hélène says hopes to study in Paris.

Of course, when the subject changes, the verb conjugation must change to match it.


faim »,		faim.
Lise comments, "I hungry."		Lise remarks that she hungry.

Likewise, you need to change any possessive adjective (or other expression of possession ).


licence ! »		licence.
Thomas writes, "I got B.A.!"		Thomas writes that he got B.A.

Verb tenses

When relating speech indirectly with a reporting verb in the present tense, the verb tense in the subordinate clause is unaffected, as you can see in the examples above. However, when the reporting verb is in the past tense, the verb in the subordinate clause may need to change.

1) If the verb in the subordinate clause is in the imperfect, past perfect, conditional, conditional perfect, or subjunctive, the verb tense remains the same (though the conjugation must still change to match the new subject).

froid. » froid.		Marie said, "I cold." cold.
y aller. » y aller.		Paul wrote, "I to go." to go.

2) If the subordinate verb is in the present tense, passé composé , future, future perfect, or imperative, the verb tense must change in indirect speech, as follows:


Present tense				Imperfect
Passé composé				Pluperfect
Future				Conditional
Future perfect				Conditional perfect
Imperative				Infinitive

Par exemple …

partir à midi. » partir à midi.		Ana said, "I to leave at noon." to leave at noon.
la réponse demain. » la réponse demain.		Thomas proclaimed, "I the answer tomorrow." the answer tomorrow.


				Conditional
				Conditional perfect



				Imperfect

				Past perfect

				Subjunctive

Note: The vast majority of indirect speech is reported in the present/imperfect, so don’t stress out about the other verb tense/mood changes.

Related lessons

Reported speech
Reporting verbs
Subordinating conjunctions
Indirect commands

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Guide to Indirect and Direct Speech in French

guide to indirect and direct speech how and when to use them

In French, you have two main ways of getting your point across or expressing what someone has said, reported speech and indirect speech. Indirect speech is used to report what someone said without repeating their exact words. And direct speech is used in the opposite way, you convey what someone said using their exact words. But when would you use each of them correctly?

How to Use Indirect Speech?

As we briefly mentioned in the introduction to this lesson, indirect speech is used to express what someone said without saying their exact words , you might want to use it to paraphrase a quote or a brief summary of what was said. The sentences using indirect speech use que to introduce the indirect action.

This speech mode is not as simple as the direct one. There is a certain number of verbs, also known as reporting verbs, that can be used to introduce indirect speech sentences.

Fatima affirme que les choses vont changer.

Fatima says that things are going to change.

Il crie que des fourmis se baladent sur lui.

He screams he has ants all over him.

Elles expliquent que les classes sont difficiles.

They explain that the classes are difficult.

Direct Speech in French

Contrary to indirect speech, direct speech is easier to use and form. You use it to quote word by word what was said by another person. This speech is usually introduced by quotation marks.

Ma plus jeune fille dit : “Je vais être ecrivaine”.

My youngest daughter says: “I’m going to be a writer”.

Ta mére nous dit toujours : “Je suis très fier de vous deux”.

Your mother always tells us: “I am very proud of you two”.

Sa soeur prononce au milieu du dejeuner: “J’ai tombé enceinte.”

His sister utters in the middle of lunch: “I got pregnant.”

How to Turn Direct Speech into Indirect Speech in French?

Indirect speech is in fact a little more complicated than direct speech because there are certain details that you have to keep in mind if you want to go back and forth between the two of them.

Direct Speech:

David déclare a son épouse: “ Je veux voir la mer”.

David says to his wife: “I want to see the sea”.

Indirect Speech:

David déclare qu’ il veut voir la mer.

David says that he wants to see the sea.

Silvie a dit: “Je veux voir ma mère.”

Silvie said: “I want to see my mother.”

Silvie dit qu’elle veut voir sa mère.

Silvie says she wants to see her mother.

Direct Speech

Theo a déclaré : “Je veux jouer au foot.”

Theo said: “I want to play soccer.”

Indirect Speech

Theo a déclaré qu’il voulait jouer au foot.

Theo said he wanted to play soccer.

You’re Ready to Use the Reported Speech in French

As we come to the end of this lesson, we hope you feel ready to use this important tool to express, quote, or even paraphrase what someone else said. With this lesson, the techniques, and the examples we’ve presented, you can start communicating everything you need to get your point across with ease. Remember that practice makes perfect and that we have all the tools you need to speak and write French like a native speaker.

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French Writing Practice

French writing exercises by level.

Practise your French writing skills with our ever-growing collection of interactive French writing exercises for every CEFR level from A0 to C1! If you're unsure about your current proficiency, try our test to get your French level before diving into the exercises.

All writing exercises are made by our qualified native French teachers to help you improve your writing skills and confidence.

Kwizbot will give you a series of prompts to translate to French. He’ll show you where you make mistakes as you go along and will suggest related lessons for you.

Boost your French writing skills by adding the lessons you find most interesting to your Notebook and practising them later.

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A1: Beginner French writing exercises

A Christmas feast Celebrations & Important Dates Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Sébastien is in charge of Christmas Eve Dinner this year.
A French lunch menu Food & Drink Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Here's the typical lunch menu of a French coffee shop.
A French woman Employment Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Élodie tells us about her everyday life as a lawyer specialising in women's rights.
A day in my cat Max's life Family & Relationships Adjectif possessif Article Article contracté Juliette tells about her cat's daily routine.
A day in the city of Le Mans Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Audrey had a nice time visiting Le Mans, in northwestern France.
A dream Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Geoffrey tells us about one of his dreams.
A love story Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Cécile and Andrew meet in a bar.
A rainy afternoon Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Soizic and Armelle meet up on a rainy day in Brest.
A romantic Valentine Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Henri tells us about his special plans for Valentine's Day.
A winter meal Food & Drink Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif Bernard has his perfect comfort meal for cold nights.
Actress Anne Dorval Famous People Film & TV Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Claire tells us about her favourite actress, French-Canadian Anne Dorval.
Anne's Easter loot Celebrations & Important Dates Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif Anne lists all the treats she found during her Easter egg hunt.
Annoying Things Family & Relationships Adjectif Adverbe Article Philippe and Julien share some of the things that really annoy them.
Arnaud and Ophélie describe themselves Family & Relationships Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif Arnaud and Ophélie describe themselves physically.
At midnight Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Food & Drink Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Adverbe Sébastien's family celebrates Christmas on the evening of the 24th.
At the beach Free Food & Drink Sports & Leisure Adjectif Article Article défini Conversation at the beach between an ice cream vendor and a customer.
At the beach Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Tom is telling us about his day at the beach.
At the bookshop Employment Literature, Poetry, Theatre Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe François needs help choosing a book.
At the gift shop Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Mike and Linda pick some souvenirs in a Montmartre gift shop.
At the newsagent's Employment Family & Relationships Adjectif Adverbe Article Sophie is buying a few items at a French newsagent's.
At the sporting goods store Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Alain is buying tennis equipment for his son.
Baby at the beach Family & Relationships Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif Baby enjoys being at the beach with his family.
Back to School Family & Relationships Language & Education Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif Mathieu tells us about going back to school tomorrow.
Ball Sports Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Vincent and Leila discuss their favourite ball sports.
Beyoncé Family & Relationships Famous People Music Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe The famous singer introduces herself.
Board games Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Jonathan is playing board games with his family.
Booking a hotel room Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Pierre wants to book a room in a hotel.
Can I come? Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Marie chats with her roommate's friend Damien.
Cleaning with my family Family & Relationships Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Jonathan and his family are cleaning the house today!
Corsica is beautiful! Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Julien explains why he thinks Corsica is so beautiful.
Do you like the French language? Language & Education Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Noémie and Léo have opposite opinions on the French language!
Do you like theme parks? Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adverbe Louis and Zoé give their opposite opinions on theme parks.
Driving in the city Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adverbe Forme négative Sophie and Christophe talk about driving in city centres [US: downtown].
Easter decorations Free Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Alice and her sister Zoé are decorating their house for Easter.
Easter preparations Celebrations & Important Dates Language & Education Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Today, Daniel and his pupils are getting ready for Easter.
Exchanging a scarf Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Article Christine is returning a scarf to the shop
Father of two Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Léon talks about his two beloved children.
Filling in a form Employment Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Olivier answers questions from a form.
Food shopping for a picnic Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Daniel and Aline are buying food for a picnic.
Gardening with Jacqueline Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Julia always loves to take care of her aunt's garden with her.
Going on a diet Family & Relationships Food & Drink Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Marie has a plan to lose weight this year.
Going shopping Family & Relationships Food & Drink Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Annie and Nicolas discuss her upcoming trip to the shop.
Hanukkah with my family Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Rachelle celebrates Hanukkah with her family every year.
Hello! I'm Mario! Famous People Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif The famous plumber introduces himself.
Hello, my name is France! Politics, History & Economics Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif The country France introduces itself.
Helping my neighbourhood Family & Relationships Adjectif possessif Adverbe Article Noémie likes helping her neighbours after school.
Helping the planet Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe François does his best to help the planet in his everyday life.
How to stay healthy Food & Drink Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif Matthieu tells us about his healthy habits.
How to vote at a polling station in France? Politics, History & Economics Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Learn how to vote in a French election.
I hate the rain! Sports & Leisure Adverbe Article défini Article indéfini Annie stays in on rainy days
Load more …

A2: Lower Intermediate French writing exercises

A Creole picnic Food & Drink Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif During a visit to La Réunion, Julie and Léo went for a typical Creole meal.
A family of dog lovers Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Anthony had many dogs growing up, but Pip was special.
A few days in Dordogne Free Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Monique tells Patrick about her coming holiday [US: vacation].
A football accident Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Anthony had his friend Bruno over to play...
A great party for Mum [US:Mom]! Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Manon and her sister Aline treated their mother for Mother's Day.
A nice train journey Family & Relationships Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Lucie and her boyfriend Marc went to the countryside by train this weekend.
A noisy hotel room Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Bertrand complains to the hotel reception about noises during the night.
A romantic trip to Paris Family & Relationships Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Anna took her boyfriend on a romantic trip to Paris.
A romantic weekend away Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Adverbe Aline and her boyfriend went away for a relaxing weekend.
Afternoon ice cream Free Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Lucie and Greg feel like an ice cream this afternoon.
An Easter egg hunt Celebrations & Important Dates Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif Discover where Julien and his siblings found their Easter eggs!
Arriving at the hotel Employment Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Aline checks into her Parisian hotel.
At my best friend's wedding Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Patrick gives a toast at Stéphane's wedding.
At rapper Soprano's concert Music Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Romain was thrilled to finally see his idol Soprano live!
At the Chinese restaurant Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article James is ordering food in a Chinese restaurant.
At the New Year's Eve House Party Celebrations & Important Dates Accord Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Mathieu welcomes his guest at his New Year's Eve house party.
At the allergist's Employment Technology & Science Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Pierre went to the allergist to get a diagnosis.
At the bar Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adverbe Au bar Patricia and Samuel discuss what drinks they want to order.
At the bureau de change Employment Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Patrick needs to change some dollars upon arriving in Paris.
At the dermatologist's Employment Technology & Science Accord Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Manon needs help with her eczema.
At the farmers' market Food & Drink Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Stéphane enjoys a visit to his local farmers' market.
At the grocery store Employment Family & Relationships Food & Drink Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Julie and Frank need some things from the grocery store.
At the medieval market in Orléans Art & Design Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adverbe Flora and Sami enjoy Orléans's medieval market.
At the mountain restaurant Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Gérard and Sylvie stop for lunch after their mountain hike.
At the post office Family & Relationships Adjectif possessif Adverbe Article Christophe has a few errands to run at the post office.
At the shoe store Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Christine is looking for a pair of shoes with the help of a nice sales assistant.
Bastille Day in the South of France Celebrations & Important Dates Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adverbe Bernard tells us about celebrating Bastille Day last summer.
Bedtime stories Family & Relationships Literature, Poetry, Theatre Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Florian remembers the bedtime ritual he had with his daughter.
Breakfast in the sun Family & Relationships Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Sabrina surprised Thomas with a nice breakfast on the balcony.
Calling the hotel's room service Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Valérie calls room service from her hotel room.
Chocolate mousse cooking tips! Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe André gives us some tips to make the perfect chocolate mousse.
Conversation on the plane Family & Relationships Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Pascal and Julie get acquainted on a flight to Montpellier.
Cooking as a family Family & Relationships Food & Drink Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Yesterday, Antoine and his family made tartiflette together.
Dividing the restaurant bill Food & Drink Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Sports & Leisure Adjectif possessif Adverbe Article Isabelle and her friends are splitting the bill at the restaurant.
Do you have a favourite male singer? Famous People Music Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Simone and Amélie are talking about their favourite French-speaking male singers.
Do you have any dirty clothes? Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Bastien and his mother debate the need for a dirty laundry basket.
Driving in France Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Here are a few things to be aware of when driving in France!
Fireworks Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Juliette went to watch New Year's fireworks yesterday.
Fishing with Dad Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Benjamin went fishing with his father last Sunday.
Getting to know each other Employment Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe New colleagues Julien and Olivier get to know each other over a coffee.
Giving up tobacco Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Amélie has stopped smoking and she's so happy about it!
Holiday [US: Vacation] by the sea Family & Relationships Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Édouard remembers his childhood seaside holidays [US: vacations] in the south of France.
I love autumn! Family & Relationships Food & Drink Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Jacqueline tells us what she loves to do in the fall.
I love my grandmother! Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Lucas tells us about his lovely grandmother.
I prefer going skiing Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Pierre tells us why he prefers going skiing rather than beach holidays.
In a taxi Family & Relationships Article Article contracté Article partitif Magalie needs her taxi to take her for a few errands.
In the changing rooms Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Mélanie is trying on a dress... and testing Pierre's patience!
Instagram love Family & Relationships Technology & Science Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Adverbe Julien and Sandra became famous thanks to their Instagram account.
Instructions for a test Language & Education Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Teacher Marc read out the instructions for today's French test.
Jojo is such a joker! Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Thomas talks about his school friend Jojo, who loves a joke.

B1: Intermediate French writing exercises

A French April Fool's Celebrations & Important Dates Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Cécile and her sons are making the traditional French fish for April Fool's day.
A Horror Story Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe On a dark October night, Emma received a disturbing call...
A childhood passion Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Vincent and his brother loved video games growing up.
A clichéd break-up Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif François uses all the clichéd breakup lines to leave his girlfriend Sophie.
A family day at the park Family & Relationships Food & Drink Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Benoît will spend this Saturday at the park with his daughter Mia.
A game of hide and seek Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Article Linda and Christian are watching from afar a game of hide and seek between the children.
A good work routine Employment Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Marc plans to improve his work routine.
A greener future Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Julien is seeing a future where people are more eco-conscious.
A special Monday Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Adverbe Anna is looking forward to a lazy Easter Monday!
A strange encounter Family & Relationships Literature, Poetry, Theatre Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Yoann had the strangest encounter in the Broceliande forest!
A trip to the cinema Film & TV Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Antoine and his daughter Emma are planning a trip to the movies.
A weather forecast Technology & Science Adjectif Adverbe Article Find out what tomorrow's weather will be like.
A weekend in Montpellier Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Élise and Lucas plan their weekend in the southern French city.
An amazing New Year's Eve meal Celebrations & Important Dates Food & Drink Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif Henriette is planning a dazzling meal for New Year!
An annoying cat allergy Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Éloïse suffers from an annoying cat allergy.
An incredibly caring boy Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Lydia's son, Olivier, is such a caring person.
An old scary tradition Celebrations & Important Dates Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Yoann recalls celebrating the old Celtic tradition of Samhain with his Gran.
Animal emergency Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Julien's cat is stuck in the tree!
Around the world by motorcycle Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Joël would love to travel the world on his motorcycle.
Artist Chéri Chérin Art & Design Famous People Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Learn about the amazing Congolese artist Chéri Chérin.
Asking about a hotel room Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Catherine has a few questions about the hotel room she's booked.
At the amusement park Sports & Leisure Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Thomas will go to the amusement park with his friend Samia for their birthday this year.
At the doctor's Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Robert goes to the doctor for a consultation.
At the till Employment Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Peter is at the till [US: cash register] of a French supermarket.
Becoming a model Art & Design Employment Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Enjoy some useful tips on becoming a model.
Birthday makeover Family & Relationships Accord Adjectif Adjectif indéfini "New year, new me" Julia thought on her 20th birthday.
Busy Schedule Family & Relationships Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Isabelle recaps what everyone will have to do on Saturday!
Camping at home Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Gabriel and Rose are making plans for the weekend.
Cathy's future holiday [US: vacation] in Montpellier Free Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Learn about Cathy's plan to spend her holiday [US: vacation] in Montpellier.
Christmas in the mountains Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Antoine will spend Christmas at his dad's house in the Alps, if he can get there!
Christmas specialities Celebrations & Important Dates Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Paul tells us about some traditional French Christmas dishes.
Conversation between the election's two rounds Politics, History & Economics Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Marc explains the French presidential election process to his friend Alice.
Corsican polyphonic singing Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Music Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Do you know about this bewitchingly melodic tradition from Corsica?
Cycling in Nantes Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Isabelle agrees with Nantes's status as France's "cycling capital".
Dalida Famous People Music Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Learn about Dalida, an iconic French-speaking singer.
Dealing with your emotions Sports & Leisure Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Here's a guide to keeping calm.
Discussing a ski weekend Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Laurent and his friend Matt are planning their ski weekend.
Dreaming of Paris Family & Relationships Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Grégory imagines his ideal Valentine's Day's proposal.
Easter baking class Celebrations & Important Dates Food & Drink Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif Flora and Yvan enjoy decorating their Easter chocolate bunnies.
Family holiday car trip Family & Relationships Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif possessif Adverbe Concordance des Temps Let the squabbles begin!
Flying anxiety Family & Relationships Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Jean-Luc has a plan to deal with his fear of flying.
Following the GPS Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Technology & Science Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Follow this GPS's instructions to reach your destination.
Getting ready for autumn Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Article Rosalie won't get caught out by the arrival of autumn this year.
Giving up smoking Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe François tells us how he managed to stop smoking.
Going back in time Family & Relationships Politics, History & Economics Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adverbe Marine asks Amanda, Bruno and Sébastien what they would do if they could go back in time.
Going to the bank Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Flora and her father need to go to the bank.
How to share household chores equally Family & Relationships Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Follow Céline's tips to share household chores more equally.
I love swimming! Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Thomas tells us about his love for swimming and his hope to one day dive from up high!
I miss French food! Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adverbe Hélène tells Betty how she's coping with missing French food abroad.
I want to help! Family & Relationships Adjectif possessif Adverbe Article Suzanne wishes she had more time to help others.

B2: Upper Intermediate French writing exercises

"Amélie": my favourite film! Film & TV Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Lisa explains why "Amélie" is her favourite film.
A History of French TV Film & TV Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Learn some interesting facts about the beginnings of French TV.
A busy weekend ahead Family & Relationships Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Adverbe Olivier sums up his busy schedule for the weekend.
A day in the countryside Free Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Marie spent last weekend in the countryside with her daughters.
A great Advent calendar Celebrations & Important Dates Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Find out how to make a unique Advent calendar.
A great passion for reading Literature, Poetry, Theatre Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Florence talks about her grandmother's passion for books.
A nice morning surprise Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Lucie will serve a delicious breakfast in bed to her fiancée on their anniversary.
A nice table "à la française" Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Jacqueline explains the intricacies of setting the table the French way.
A nightmare journey Free Family & Relationships Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Adverbe Josiane and Robert explain why they're an hour late to their friends' place.
A perfect interview Employment Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Léo's just had the best job interview of his life!
A slippery drive Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Richard struggled to get to work this morning: everything was frozen!
At the football [US: soccer] game Celebrations & Important Dates Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Henri took his dad to a football [US:soccer] game for Father's Day.
At the neighbours' house Family & Relationships Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Véronique and Bruno are at their neighbours' house for an aperitif.
Bad Movie Review Film & TV Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Bernadette delivers a scathing movie review.
Barbara Famous People Music Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Laëtitia talks about her passion for fascinating French singer Barbara.
Bayonne, France's chocolate capital Food & Drink Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Learn why Bayonne is considered the French capital of chocolate.
Brasserie La Coupole Food & Drink Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Accord Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Vincent always eats here when he's in Paris.
British National Museums Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini National museums are free in the UK, as Paul happily found out.
Building a snowman Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Martine and Bastien enjoyed building a snowman.
Camping with your dog Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Patrick gives us some advice on taking your dog camping with you.
Catherine Ségurane: a local heroine Famous People Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Politics, History & Economics Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Toni, a tourist guide from Nice talks about local legend Catherine Ségurane.
City vs dog poop Family & Relationships Politics, History & Economics Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Alain and Pauline discuss the city's measures to fight against dog waste.
Composting is awesome! Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Elsa explains composting to her friend Pierre.
Congratulations on your degree! Family & Relationships Language & Education Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Thomas's aunt and uncle send him an email to congratulate him on getting his Master degree.
Conversation between friends Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Friends Simon and Isabelle are catching up.
Couples' annoying habits Family & Relationships Adjectif indéfini Adverbe Article Olivier gets so annoyed by the way couples behave sometimes!
Easter, a family celebration Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini François and his family celebrate the religious holiday of Easter.
Family Reunion Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini At a family reunion, Lea sees her aunt Patricia for the first time in years.
Finding the perfect anniversary gift Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Jean-Paul is listing his gift ideas for his wife on their anniversary.
Food shopping in farm shops Food & Drink Politics, History & Economics Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Find out the advantages and disadvantages of food shopping in a farm shop.
French Easter specialties Celebrations & Important Dates Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Discover some of France's regional Easter specialties.
French-style lemon tart recipe Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Follow the recipe to make a delicious lemon tart.
Garip Ay's amazing paintings Art & Design Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Jean-Pierre tells us about the work of this fascinating Turkish artist.
Getting ready for the holiday [US: vacation] Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Article Article contracté Bastien and Alicia are getting ready for tomorrow's departure.
Giving back Celebrations & Important Dates Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Especially during the holiday season, it's good to give back to those less fortunate than us...
Going lily-of-the-valley picking Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Jean-Pierre's family goes to pick lily-of-the-valley every year.
Heatwave Politics, History & Economics Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini A weather forecast on one of the hottest days of the year.
High cost of cigarette packaging change Politics, History & Economics Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Learn about the cost of the new policy on cigarette packaging in France.
I can't find my shirt! Family & Relationships Adjectif possessif Adverbe Article Claire and Julien are almost ready to go out...except for Julien's missing shirt!
In a clothes store Sports & Leisure Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Patrick complains to the sales assistant about a defective item.
In the return taxi Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Aline talks about her trip with the taxi driver on her way back to the airport.
Long time no see! Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Marina and her cousin Tom catch up after quite a while.
Louise Bourgeois Art & Design Famous People Politics, History & Economics Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Marie-Claire tells us about her favourite French artist.
Mice invasion Family & Relationships Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Lisa and Paul are discussing options to get rid of Lisa's mice.
Moving house chores Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Sophie had so many chores to do before moving into her new apartment.
My car is a real beater! Sports & Leisure Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Yann's car has so many problems!
My chosen family Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Magalie found her own loving family.
My dream invention Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Sonia asks Sylvie what invention she'd dream to see becoming a reality.
My exotic Christmas Celebrations & Important Dates Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Aline is remembering spending last Christmas in Marrakech, Morocco.
My first Easter memory Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Alexandre remembers the first time he went egg hunting.

C1: Advanced French writing exercises

3 Culinary delights from French-speaking countries Food & Drink Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Find out about three dishes from French-speaking countries.
A bad matchmaker Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Sophie tells us about her failed attempt at matchmaking.
A couple's ups and downs Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Hélène explains how she and her partner managed to navigate out of a rough patch.
A difficult sibling relationship Family & Relationships Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Yvan has always had a fraught relationship with his sister.
A dreadful teenager Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Philippe recalls his bad behaviour as a teenage boy.
A ghost story Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Hugo is visiting his mother on All Saints' Day.
A hard time at work Employment Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Adverbe Érica went through a rough time at work.
A horrible storm! Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Julien remembers spending a horrible night due to a violent storm.
A last minute request Employment Family & Relationships Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Isabelle's colleague keeps making her miserable...
A long-standing friendship Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Carole tells us about her long-standing relationship with her friend Aline.
A lovely car Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Find out about Michel's beloved 2CV car.
A lovely encounter Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif On her daily walk, Audrey met a furry little friend in need of help...
A special Christmas in Switzerland Celebrations & Important Dates Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Damien recalls a wonderful family Christmas holiday in Switzerland.
A sudden reappearance Family & Relationships Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif After years of disappearance, Olivia's friend is back.
Advice for new pet owners Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Laurent asks people for their advice on welcoming a new pet at home.
Alice and the Caterpillar (Alice in Wonderland) Literature, Poetry, Theatre Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Alice meets the mysterious Caterpillar in this adapted excerpt from "Alice in Wonderland"
An animal tale Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini By a lovely winter morning, Henri the hare meets poorly Lili the rabbit.
An incredible trip on the Canal du Midi Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Patrice recalls his trip along the Canal du Midi.
An upcycling tutorial Art & Design Sports & Leisure Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Find out a few ideas for your upcycling projets.
Anna's birthday party Family & Relationships Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Clément discusses the organisation of his daughter's birthday party with his friend Charlotte.
At Uncle Robert's 70th birthday Family & Relationships Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Adverbe Laura catches up with her cousin Charlotte at a family event.
At the psychiatrist's Employment Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Mme Dupont is talking to her psychiatrist.
At the ski resort Sports & Leisure Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Paul needs to get ski gear for himself and his family.
Back to School shopping Family & Relationships Language & Education Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Viviane and Christian try and get everything on their children's school supply list.
Bathroom chat Family & Relationships Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Bruno and Sonia are having a chat in the bathroom.
Brest during World War II Politics, History & Economics Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Alex is talking about WWII in Brest with his granddad.
Californian dream Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adverbe Olivia finally followed her dream to move to California.
Camping in the woods Free Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Nathalie enjoys camping in the middle of the woods.
Coco Chanel Famous People Politics, History & Economics Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Learn about this extraordinary woman who became a fashion icon.
Complaining about a hotel room Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Gérard complains to the receptionist about the state of his hotel room.
Coping with the heatwave Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Emma asks how Simon and his pregnant girlfriend Christelle coped with the extreme heat.
Drôme provençale, a little piece of heaven Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Politics, History & Economics Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Vincent tells us about this beautiful region in the South of France.
Engagement dinner's speech Family & Relationships Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Adverbe The bride's father thanks the guests for attending and announces the evening programme.
Engagement surprise Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Louise enjoys an unexpected visit at her engagement party.
Finding love at a yoga retreat Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Seniors Germaine and Pierrot didn't expect to fall in love at a yoga retreat.
Fireside memories Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Manuelle has warm memories of family times by the fireside.
First day back to school Family & Relationships Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Sabrina tells us what she'll do on her children's first day back to school.
French Mobile Phone Habits Politics, History & Economics Technology & Science Accord Adjectif Adjectif indéfini We're taking a look at the importance of mobile phones in French people's lives.
Gardening weekend Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Jean-Pierre had a busy weekend taking care of his garden.
Gastronomical review Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Discover a mouthwatering review of a French restaurant.
Gluten-free living Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Alexandre tells us how he dealt with his newly discovered gluten allergy.
Gustave Moreau Museum Art & Design Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Claire tells us about her fascination for 19th-century symbolist painter Gustave Moreau.
Holidaying in July Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini July is a hard time to organise holiday [US: vacation] for, as Martine and Sam found out!
How to show your love? Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Marianne and her partner Adèle are making some changes to show their appreciation for each other more.
In the lives of the writers of French romance novels Employment Literature, Poetry, Theatre Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Discover what the life of a French writer of romance novels looks like.
Jean-Marc Vallée Famous People Film & TV Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Nathan and Florence discuss the late Quebecois director Jean-Marc Vallée.
Johnny Hallyday, a French icon Famous People Music Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Paul and his mum talk about her favourite French singer, Johnny Hallyday.
La Petite France in Strasbourg Art & Design Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Discover this unique area of Strasbourg, a UNESCO site and tourists' favourite.
Last-minute hesitations Family & Relationships Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif François is torn between his love for Marianne and his duty to the Duchess who he's about to marry.
Letter to Santa Celebrations & Important Dates Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Timothée writes to Santa, hoping he's been good enough this year...

In this section

Hanukkah 2023 Menorah
Christmas 2023 Advent Calendar
Tips and ideas to improve your French writing skills
French Glossary and Jargon Buster

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How to Improve Your French Writing

Do you enjoy writing and learning French?

If so, why not do both? It’s one of the best ways to immerse yourself in the language .

In this post, we’ll look at how you can start with the basics and work up to practicing in a variety of different writing styles.

Essentials for Writing in French

How to write well in french, learn how narration works, learn the passé simple, grow your vocabulary, use online resources to get started, tips to improve french writing, track your progress with a journal, try writing poetry, put new words to immediate use, don’t use a dictionary too often, write a little first, then check grammar, why are french writing skills important, and one more thing....

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

To be good at writing in French, there are a number of different skills that you’ll need to brush up on. Putting the following skills together will help your writing sound more fluent and improve your overall accuracy:

Sentence structure
Conjugations

Narrating in French involves a complicated weaving of different verb tenses. It’s critical to learn to use the right tense at the right time .

To set the scene, use the imparfait to describe things that are happening, or characteristics of participants, as the principal action is taking place.

Principal events in a timeline can be narrated in the passé composé or the passé simple. In some cases, this type of narration might even make use of the présent . Narration can be either in the present or in the past depending on the narrator’s point of view.

Let’s look at this sentence as an example:

Alors que le roi se promenait dans son jardin, un gland est tombé sur sa tête.

(As the king was walking in his garden, an acorn fell on his head.)

Notice how se promener is in the imparfait but tomber is in the passé composé . The king walking is “setting the scene,” and the acorn falling is the principal event in the narration. This is just one example of French narration.

Instead of using the passé composé, we could use the passé simple when narrating principal events.

Our sentence thus becomes:

Alors que le roi se promenait dans son jardin, un gland tomba sur sa tête .

In written French, the passé simple can take the place of the passé composé (unless it’s a quote of someone speaking). It’s a much more economical way of narrating, although often not taught by French teachers.

Knowing your audience is just as important as good tense use. The way you write a text, specifically the vocabulary used, differs between, say, children’s stories, emails to your boss and text messages to your close friends.

Writing is a great way to learn vocabulary because you’re putting that vocabulary into use instead of just reading it.

If you have story ideas but are unsure how to proceed, there are many online resources to help you.

Here are a few ways you can use them.

Try collaborative French writing forums.

Certain forums, such as De Plume en Plume or Le Monde de L’Écriture , allow you to actually post short stories for review in exchange for reviewing other peoples’ work.

Commentary can include anything that helps you finish your story, be it grammar corrections, critiques or ideas of how to continue. These sites also propose written exercises such as collaborative writing or prompts like “Describe a garden in under 100 words.”

Check out concours de nouvelles.

Many French libraries, universities and municipalities host writing contests called concours de nouvelles (literally “short story competition”) where certain people can submit a text. Some have entry conditions (e.g., participants must be under/over a certain age, live in a region, etc.), but others are open to anyone.

Usually, contests give you specific scenarios, such as writing a story based on a simple picture or completing an unfinished work.

There are a range of different ways you can improve your French writing skills. Here are some ideas to get you warmed up.

Language instructors often integrate a written journal into their curricula because it lets students see their improvement in real-time. The writing is personal, so you can experiment with more complicated structures, knowing you won’t be critiqued.

Poetry teaches you to not only write in French, but to become comfortable handling the language. This is your chance to break out of the groove of repetitive exercises and truly experiment. Try reading up on French poetry and then writing some of your own using rhyming, plays on words, etc.

You’re probably already reading French daily (or you should be!). Once you learn a new word, make sure you utilize it right away in your writing, otherwise it might slip away from your memory.

If you’re pressed for time, you can use language learning programs like Duolingo or Memrise to quickly pick up and learn French words.

It’s okay if you can’t think of a synonym for every word. Just use the words you know. I try to “talk around” words I don’t know if I get stuck. After all, it’s what you do when speaking. Only if this is impossible should you use a dictionary.

Keep in mind that even if you know a word, you might not know its gender or spelling. Sometimes it’s possible to guess the spelling from pronunciation, and genders might be inferred from similar words, but often you’ll just have to memorize.

You don’t want to rely on dictionaries or grammar books to check every sentence, but at the same time you don’t want to wait until you’re completely done with a piece of writing to check it over. Usually I write roughly a paragraph, then check it before moving on. This lets me learn from my mistakes in real-time while not using learning resources as a crutch.

FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.

You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app.

P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

Try FluentU for FREE!

It’s important to know that modern French society may test how well you write in many situations. Here are just a couple examples.

The phenomenon of graphologie

Even with computers, writing on paper remains very important in France. It’s so important, in fact, that many employers use it to learn more about their employees.

As part of a pseudo-scientific practice known as graphology, prospective employees submit handwritten letters that are analyzed by graphologists to determine psychological traits from their handwriting. The BBC provides a good explanation for the French enthusiasm for graphology.

The French take letters seriously!

It’s not a stretch to say that the French use written correspondence more than English speakers do. Up until recently, it was often considered more polite to submit handwritten letters of motivation than typed letters when applying for a job.

Unlike the relative creative liberty given in American business correspondence, French counterparts usually follow tried-and-true templates, such as the one seen here .

Notice the last line:

“Veuillez agréer, (Madame, Monsieur), l’expression de mes sincères salutations.” (Please accept, [Sir or Madam], the expression of my sincere greetings.)

This long-winded formality, called a formule de politesse, is one of the mainstays of formal communication in French —a long way from our simple “From” or “Sincerely”!

Now you have everything you need to start developing your French writing skills!

Although it might seem like a daunting task, with the above tips and plenty of practice, your writing should see an improvement in no time.

FluentU has a wide variety of great content, like interviews, documentary excerpts and web series, as you can see here:

FluentU brings native French videos with reach. With interactive captions, you can tap on any word to see an image, definition and useful examples.

For example, if you tap on the word "crois," you'll see this:

Practice and reinforce all the vocabulary you've learned in a given video with learn mode. Swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you’re learning, and play the mini-games found in our dynamic flashcards, like "fill in the blank."

All throughout, FluentU tracks the vocabulary that you’re learning and uses this information to give you a totally personalized experience. It gives you extra practice with difficult words—and reminds you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned.

Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

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LinguaJunkie.com

A very cranky language blogger dishing out brutal language tips.

French Conversation: Learn 15 Easy Dialogs for Beginners

Hey Junkies!

Want to learn to talk French? Master some easy French conversation? Good.

Today, you finally learn 15 simple French conversations. In fact, if you print this page and re-read (out loud) it every now and then, they’ll get stuck in your brain for good.

In this easy French conversation guide, you’ll learn:

How to introduce yourself
How to ask about plans
and much more

You’ll also get the translations for each one. By the end, you will know 15 French conversations and have plenty of French conversation topics.

15 French Conversation Examples for Beginners

By the way…

You should also listen and hear real French. Try this Free Lesson from FrenchPod101.com (click here to visit) for all the best ways to say bye in French.

Press play on the button below
You can get more fun French lessons at the link above.

1. Introducing yourself

If you want to introduce yourself in French , then this French conversation is for you.

You’ll also learn how to talk about your nationality.

Hello, my name is Robert.
Nice to meet you, Robert. My name is Jill.
What is your nationality? I am French.
I am American.

2. Talking about weather

People talk about weather all around the world.

So, it’s a good French conversation topic to have. And these phrases will help you talk about it.

What is the weather like today?
It’s raining.
Is it cold?
No, it is a little hot.

3. Talking about plans

Here’s a potential conversation in French between two friends. What do friends talk about? Going out, of course!

What do you want to do today?
Do you want to go to the cinema or the park?
I would like to see a movie.
At what time?
At 1:00 P.M. (13:00)
Okay. See you soon!

4. Talking about what you are doing

Another good French conversation example. Most of us talk about “what we’re doing” with friends quite often. So, you’ll need to know this in French.

What are you doing?
I am watching TV. What are you doing?
I am listening to music.
Is tha t it?
No, I am studying math also.

5. Asking about learning French

And since you’re indeed learning French, you should be able to talk about it.

How long have you studied French?
I have studied for five years. And you?
I have studied French since 2017.
Why do you study French?
I love France. And French is very beautiful.

6. More introduction information

In this French conversation example, you’ll learn how to talk about age and where you’re from.

Where are you from?
I am from the United States. And you?
I am from Canada.
How old are you?
I’m forty. And you?
I am thirty-five years old.

7. Talking about likes

Do you like vegetables?
Yes, I prefer carrots and peas.
Do you like fruits?
Yes, I love strawberries and apples.
Me too. Fruits are delicious.

8. Talking about dislikes

No. I do not like vegetables.
You don’t like onions?
I hate onions.

9. Ordering food

I would like a ham and cheese sandwich.
And with that?
I would like a green salad.
Is that all?
I would like a coffee.

10. Shopping

A macaron, it costs how much?
I would like two macarons, please.
That will be four euros.
Here it is.

11. Asking about hobbies

What do you like to do?
I like to cook and to read.
I like to play sports. I like soccer and basketball.

12. Asking how someone is doing

How are you?
I doing well. And you?
I am doing poorly.

13. Asking about classes

Do you like math?
Yes. It’s very easy.
Do you like biology?
No. Biology is hard.
How is the teacher?
The teacher is strict.

14. Booking a hotel

I would like to reserve a room.
For how many people?
For two people.
With two beds?
No. With one bed.

15. Asking directions

Where is the pharmacy?
The pharmacy is near the museum.
To the right or to the left?
The pharmacy is facing the museum.

These are 15 French conversation examples that beginners should know.

And now, you technically have 15 conversations inside your head. Meaning, you’re able to speak and understand a bit of French. Good enough, eh?

For extra French conversation practice, be sure to:

print this page
re-read as much as possible to drill the words into your head
the reading won’t take long – maybe 5 minutes max
play the audio lesson at the top of this article

Also, if you want to “save” this lesson, here’s the basic french conversation pdf. Download it and keep it forever.

Finally, if you want some actual French learning resources, then check these out.

FrenchPod101.com – Learn French with Podcasts
8+ Best French Textbooks for Beginners

– The Main Junkie

P.S. Want to speak French with an easy 3 minute lesson?

Then check out FrenchPod101. They have 3-10 minute audio/video lessons that get you speaking and understanding French. So, if you want to speak and learn this language…

Click here to get a Free Lifetime Account at FrenchPod101.com

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French Texts for Beginners

French texts for beginners (A1/A2) and intermediates (B1/B2) to practice your French reading and comprehension skills. Learning to read French well is a genuine accomplishment. For beginning learners, we offer an enjoyable way to improve your comprehension with the brief, text-based lessons below.

Professional French teachers designed the texts and exercises with easy vocabulary and elementary grammar to help you grow in ability and confidence. Following your review of each text, answer the questions of comprehension in our online exercises, and we'll evaluate it immediately. You get instant feedback about your French reading skills. It's challenging, fun and free!

Hint: Download our texts and exercises as pdf and use it as free teaching materials for your students.

Cinéma DIALOGUE PREMIUM How about we go to the movies? ? »
Les vacances d'été PREMIUM Summer holidays and the French ? »
Séjour à la ferme PREMIUM A day off away from the city ? »
Du soleil sous la neige PREMIUM Clean, fresh air: just what was needed ? »
Formation en anglais PREMIUM I need information about the English class. ? »
Journée en forêt PREMIUM A walk in the woods with grandpa ? »
La réunion de famille PREMIUM The only time of the year when the family gets together ? »
Le chat et la taupe PREMIUM The mole was lucky to escape ? »
Le jour du marché PREMIUM I'm going to buy the vegetables for today's meal ? »
Les courses d'Arthur PREMIUM The days when Arthur does the shopping ? »
Les lectures de Hector PREMIUM ? »
Trouver l'amour sur internet PREMIUM Will Amelie find the love of her life? ? »
Un instant de détente PREMIUM A bit of relaxation after lots of work ? »
La nouvelle année PREMIUM Sabrina's goal for next year ? »
Le français, langue de Molière PREMIUM One of the greatest writers in the French language ? »
La photographie PREMIUM ? »
Le jardinage PREMIUM ? »
Les voyages en bus PREMIUM ? »

How to Write a French Accent (13 Best Tips with Examples)

Writing a French accent can be a great way to add depth and authenticity to a story.

Here’s how to write a French Accent in a story:

Write a French accent by researching French culture, using appropriate formality, recognizing rhythm and cadence, showcasing regional differences, and sprinkling in French expressions and idioms. Avoid stereotypes and clichés for a genuine character portrayal.

In this article, we’ll explore the best ways to create and describe French accents, write French characters, and avoid common mistakes.

How to Write a French Accent (13 Best Tips for Writers)

Woman in front of the Eifel Tower - How To Write a French Accent

Table of Contents

In this section, we’ll explore 13 essential tips for writing a French accent in a story.

You don’t need to use all of these tips every time but it’s good to know about them in case they make sense for your story, character, and scene.

Tip 1: Understand the Rhythm and Cadence of French

To write a French accent, it’s important to first understand the rhythm and cadence of the French language.

French has a distinct flow, and words are often linked together, with the final consonant of one word blending into the beginning of the next.

This is called liaison.

To replicate this in your writing, try to use phrases that mimic the natural flow of French.

Example: Instead of writing “I am going to the store,” try writing “I am going to zee store.”

Tip 2: Focus on Pronunciation

Another way to capture a French accent is to focus on pronunciation.

French vowels are often pronounced differently from English vowels. For example, the French ‘u’ sound is made with the lips rounded, while the ‘r’ is a guttural sound.

You can play with these differences in your writing to evoke a French accent.

Example: Instead of writing “What are you doing?” try writing “What are you doo-eeng?”

Tip 3: Use French Expressions and Idioms

Incorporating French expressions and idioms into your character’s dialogue can add authenticity and depth to their accent.

These phrases not only give your character a unique voice but also help to establish their French background.

Example: Instead of writing “That’s too bad,” try writing “C’est dommage.”

You can also try:

C’est la vie: “Such is life” – a phrase used to express acceptance or resignation to an unfortunate situation.
Il fait un temps de chien: “It’s a dog’s weather” – used to describe bad weather.
Mettre son grain de sel: “To put one’s grain of salt” – to give one’s opinion or interfere in a situation.

Tip 4: Pay Attention to Word Choice

Consider the word choice of a French-speaking character.

French speakers may use certain phrases or expressions that are unique to their culture. By using these phrases in your writing, you can further enhance the character’s French accent.

Example: Instead of writing “I don’t care,” try writing “Je m’en fiche.”

Tip 5: Use Contractions

French speakers often use contractions when speaking English.

Including contractions in your character’s dialogue can help to create a more natural-sounding French accent.

Example: Instead of writing “I would like,” try writing “I’d like.”

Tip 6: Include French Vocabulary

Sprinkle French vocabulary into your character’s dialogue to further emphasize their French accent.

This can be particularly effective if the words are contextually appropriate and easy for readers to understand.

Example: Instead of writing “My friend,” try writing “Mon ami.”

Tip 7: Avoid Stereotypes and Clichés

When writing a French accent, it’s important to avoid relying on stereotypes and clichés.

This means steering clear of exaggerated or overused phrases that might make your character feel more like a caricature than a genuine person.

Instead of writing a character who is a beret-wearing, baguette-carrying Parisian, consider exploring the character’s unique interests or background, such as their passion for art, their rural upbringing, or their career in the tech industry

Example: Instead of writing “Sacrebleu!” try using a more nuanced exclamation, such as “Oh là là!”

Tip 8: Be Mindful of Grammar

French speakers may make grammatical errors when speaking English, particularly when it comes to verb conjugation or word order.

However, be careful not to make your character’s dialogue overly confusing or difficult to understand.

Example: Instead of writing “I am happy very,” try writing “I am very happy.”

Tip 9: Consider Regional Differences

France is a diverse country with various regional accents and dialects.

When writing a French accent, consider your character’s specific background and how their accent might differ based on their upbringing.

Example: A character from Marseille might have a distinct Provençal accent, characterized by a sing-song intonation and certain vowel shifts, compared to a Parisian accent, which may be more neutral and easy to understand for non-French speakers.

Tip 10: Pay Attention to Language Formality

In French, the level of formality in speech varies depending on the relationship between the speakers.

Be mindful of this when writing dialogue for your French character.

In particular, remember the distinction between the informal “tu” and the formal “vous” when addressing someone.

A French character may switch between the two depending on the context and their relationship with the person they’re speaking to.

A character inviting a friend to dinner might say, “Ça te dirait de venir dîner chez moi ce soir ?” (“Would you like to come over for dinner tonight?”)
A character speaking to their boss or an elder might say, “Vous désirez prendre un café, Madame Dupont?” (“Would you like to have a coffee, Mrs. Dupont?”)

Tip 11: Use Cultural References Wisely

Incorporating French cultural references in your character’s dialogue can add depth and authenticity.

However, be cautious not to overuse them or rely on clichés.

Choose references that are relevant to the character’s background and experiences, and make sure they fit the context of the scene.

A character who loves French cinema might mention famous French directors or films in conversation, such as François Truffaut or “La Nouvelle Vague” movement.
A character who has a passion for French cuisine could discuss regional dishes or culinary techniques, like the art of making the perfect soufflé or the diversity of French cheeses.

Tip 12: Practice and Revise

Practice writing French accents and revise your work to ensure your character’s speech is authentic and engaging.

Share your work with others, especially native French speakers, to receive feedback and improve your skills.

Remember, writing accents can be challenging, and it’s okay to make mistakes as you learn. By practicing and revising, you’ll become more confident in your ability to write a convincing French accent.

Tip 13: Learn from Authentic Sources

One of the best ways to learn how to write a French accent is to immerse yourself in authentic sources.

Listen to native French speakers, watch French films, and read French literature. This will help you pick up on the nuances of the language and understand the subtleties of French accents.

French Films: “Amélie,” “La Haine,” “Les Intouchables”
French Music: You can find playlists on Spotify
French Speakers: YouTube is full of free French lessons by French speakers.

Check out this video where Lilly Rose teaches you how to do a French Accent when speaking in English:

How To Describe a French Accent

To effectively describe a French accent, employ vivid language that engages the reader’s senses.

Illustrate the melodic quality of the accent, how words gracefully connect, and the unique enunciation of particular letters.

By utilizing sensory-rich language, you enable your reader to “hear” the accent in their imagination while reading.

You could also describe the way a character rolls their ‘r’ in a gentle, throaty manner, or how they elongate certain vowels, giving their speech a lilting quality.

You might also show their tendency to softly emphasize the last syllable of a word, creating a distinct rhythm in their speech.

How To Write a French Character (Dos and Don’ts Chart)


Research French culture, history, and language to create an authentic character.	Rely on stereotypes or clichés when creating a French character.
Use French expressions and idioms to give your character a unique voice.	Overdo the accent, making it difficult for readers to understand your character’s dialogue.
Write dialogue that reflects the character’s background, education, and social status.	Use French words or phrases without providing context or translation if needed.

The Best Way To Write a French Accent

The best way to write a French accent is to evoke the accent rather than trying to write out every word in French.

This means using a combination of English and French words, focusing on pronunciation and word choice, and sprinkling in French expressions or idioms.

This approach allows your reader to understand the dialogue while still getting a sense of the French accent.

For example, instead of writing: Bonjour, mon ami. Comment ça va? you could write: “Bonjour, my friend. How are you?”

This way, the reader can still understand the meaning while getting a sense of the character’s French accent.

How To Write a French Accent in a Story Examples

Here are five more examples of how to write a French accent in a story:

Example 1: “Ah, monsieur,” she said, her voice melodic and smooth, “you must try the croissant. It is divine!”
Example 2: He shook his head with a laugh, “‘Alas, we cannot all be as magnifique as the Eiffel Tower.”
Example 3: “I must admit, your American hamburgers are quite tasty, but they can’t compare to a proper French baguette,” he said with a wink.
Example 4: She let out a sigh, “Bof, this traffic is terrible! I miss the tranquility of my village in Provence.”
Example 5: “You must be careful when pronouncing ‘tu’ and ‘vous,’ my dear,” he explained, “as they have very different meanings in French.”

3 Common Mistakes Writers Make When Writing a French Accent

Let’s look at some common mistakes writers make when writing French accents in their stories, novels, and screenplays.

Mistake 1: Overemphasizing the Accent

One common mistake writers make when attempting to write a French accent is overemphasizing the accent itself.

While it’s essential to convey the accent to your reader, going overboard can make your character’s dialogue difficult to understand and feel exaggerated.

Focus on using just enough accentuation to give your character a distinct voice without making their speech too cumbersome.

Mistake 2: Relying on Stereotypes and Clichés

Another mistake writers often make is relying on stereotypes and clichés when crafting a French character’s accent.

This can result in one-dimensional characters that lack depth and authenticity.

To avoid this, it’s crucial to research French culture, language, and history, as well as listen to native speakers.

This will help you create a more nuanced and believable character with a realistic accent.

Mistake 3: Ignoring Regional Variations

France is a diverse country with regional variations in accents, dialects, and language usage.

A common mistake writers make is failing to consider these regional differences when creating a French character’s accent.

To avoid this pitfall, research the specific region your character is from, and incorporate elements of that regional accent into your writing.

This added layer of detail will make your character feel more authentic and well-rounded.

How To Write a French Character

Creating a French character for your story involves more than an accent.

Consider the following five steps when developing your next French protagonist or antagonist.

Step 1: Research French Culture, History, and Language

To write a well-rounded French character, it’s essential to understand the intricacies of French culture, history, and language.

This knowledge will inform your character’s background, motivations, and behavior, giving them depth and realism.

Immerse yourself in French films, books, and articles to gain a better understanding of the culture and people.

Step 2: Create a Rich Backstory

A French character’s backstory should reflect their unique experiences and upbringing.

Consider factors such as their social class, education, occupation, family dynamics, and personal beliefs.

Crafting a rich backstory will not only help shape your character’s personality and motivations but also inform their dialogue and interactions with others.

Step 3: Use Appropriate Language and Phrasing

When writing your French character’s dialogue, focus on capturing the nuances of their pronunciation and word choice without overdoing the accent.

This will help convey their French background without making the dialogue difficult to understand.

Strive to maintain a balance between creating a distinct voice for your character and keeping the dialogue accessible for readers.

Step 4: Develop Your Character’s Relationships and Conflicts

Your French character’s relationships and conflicts with other characters are essential to building a compelling narrative.

Consider how their cultural background and personal experiences might influence their interactions and decisions.

This will create dynamic and engaging character arcs that resonate with readers.

Step 5: Focus on Individuality and Depth

When creating your French character, emphasize their individuality and depth rather than resorting to common tropes.

Develop their unique traits, quirks, and challenges, resulting in a more relatable and engaging character that stands out from the crowd.

By investing time and effort into character development, you’ll create a memorable and well-rounded French character that will captivate your readers.

Final Thoughts: How To Write a French Accent

There are many other accents you can write in your stories.

Check out some of the other articles below for writing authentic characters that come to life on the page.

Middle East Crisis White House and Netanyahu Spar Over His Complaints About U.S. Support

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A displaced Palestinian packing a tent before fleeing Rafah, southern Gaza. Bashar Taleb/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
Israeli police disperse Ultra-Orthodox Jews blocking a highway in Bnei Brak, Israel, during a protest against conscription into the Israeli military. Jack Guez/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
An Israeli military vehicle near the Israel-Gaza border. Amir Cohen/Reuters
Palestinians receiving food aid in Jabaliya, northern Gaza. Mahmoud Issa/Reuters
Israeli protesters blocking a highway in Tel Aviv, demanding the immediate release of all hostages held in Gaza. Eloisa Lopez/Reuters

Follow news updates on the crisis in the Middle East .

Netanyahu’s comments are ‘deeply disappointing,’ the White House says.

The White House and the Israeli prime minister traded barbs on Thursday over the support the United States is providing Israel for its military operations in Gaza, in the latest sign of tensions between the two allies over the conduct of the war.

John F. Kirby, a White House spokesman, said on Thursday that the Biden administration has expressed disappointment to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the Israeli leader lashed out on Tuesday at the United States for withholding some heavy munitions.

Mr. Kirby said that there was “no other country that’s done more, or will continue to do more, than the United States to help Israel defend itself,” adding that Mr. Netanyahu’s comments were “deeply disappointing and certainly vexing to us.”

In response, Mr. Netanyahu said on Thursday that he was “willing to absorb personal attacks if that is what it takes for Israel to get the arms and ammunition it needs in its war for survival.”

It was the latest back-and-forth between leaders of the two staunch allies that have increasingly diverged on how Israel is conducting the war, as both leaders face an avalanche of domestic and international pressure to change course.

Since the Hamas-led attack in Israel on Oct. 7, the United States has largely supported Israel, offering weapons and, for the most part, backing at the United Nations, but the relationship has frayed. Last month the Biden administration blocked a shipment of heavy bombs and artillery shells to Israel — while allowing other weapons to flow — and earlier this month the administration backed a U.N. resolution for a cease-fire over protests from Israel.

At particular issue for Mr. Netanyahu has been the continued weapons support, and this week he has ensured that the dispute remained in the public eye, describing White House actions and words as affronts to him and to Israel.

On Monday, President Biden overcame congressional opposition to one of the biggest arms sales ever to Israel, an $18 billion deal for F-15 jets .

On Tuesday, Mr. Netanyahu released a video statement calling it “inconceivable” that the Biden administration was withholding weapons from “America’s closest ally, fighting for its life.”

The administration said there were no new developments on that score and nothing had been withheld apart from the shipment 2,000 pound bombs , under review since early May over concerns about their use in densely populated parts of Gaza. A White House spokeswoman, Karine Jean-Pierre, said of Mr. Netanyahu, “We genuinely do not know what he is talking about.”

In his comments on Thursday, Mr. Kirby reiterated that no one had done more to help Israel defend itself than the United States.

“I mean, my goodness, this president put U.S. fighter aircrafts up in the air in the middle of April, to help shoot down several 100 drones and missiles, including ballistic missiles, that were fired from Iran proper at Israel,” he said, adding that Mr. Netanyahu’s remarks were disappointing “given the amount of support that we have, and will continue to provide Prime Minister Netanyahu.”

The spokesman for the State Department, Matthew Miller, echoed Mr. Kirby’s remarks, asserting the U.S. commitment to Israel was “sacrosanct.”

“We have proved that not just with words but with deeds,” Mr. Miller said. “I don’t think it is productive to engage in an intense public back and forth about this.”

Johnatan Reiss contributed reporting from Jerusalem.

— Daniel Victor and Erica L. Green

Key Developments

U.N. experts say arms makers supplying Israel may be violating international law, and other news.

A group of U.N. experts warned arms manufacturers, including Boeing, Caterpillar and Lockheed Martin, that transferring any weapons or weapon components to Israel could make them complicit in serious violations of international humanitarian law, even if those transfers are carried out under existing export licenses or indirectly through an intermediary country. In a statement on Thursday, the experts also warned financial institutions invested in those arms manufacturers, including Bank of America and JP Morgan Chase, that their business relationships could potentially move them from “being directly linked to human rights abuses to contributing to them, with repercussions for complicity in potential atrocity crimes.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel demanded on Wednesday that his coalition partners “get a hold of themselves” and “put aside all extraneous interests” to focus on the war, as divisions within Israel’s government become sharper and more public. Mr. Netanyahu has clashed with members of his own party and with far-right and religious party leaders in his coalition. The wide-ranging conflicts include how far to go in requiring military service by ultra-Orthodox Jews, who controls the assignments of rabbis, leaks to the news media and how much of a voice the far right should have in setting war policy.

The troubled humanitarian pier built by the United States off the coast of Gaza is back up and running, Gen. Patrick S. Ryder, the Pentagon spokesman, said at a news briefing on Thursday. The pier was “re-anchored and reestablished” on Wednesday, he said, and “overnight, the transfer of humanitarian assistance from Cyprus to Gaza resumed,” with more than 1.4 million pounds being delivered to a marshaling area, where it is loaded onto trucks. General Ryder said the pier was always intended to be a temporary solution and added that, “contrary to some press reporting on the matter,” there was no end date established for the mission. Aid groups have said that they are hesitant to deliver aid from the marshaling area because of security concerns and that supplies are piling up there.

Cross-border aerial attacks between Israeli forces and Hezbollah continued across the border of Israel and Lebanon on Thursday, with dozens of rockets launched at Israeli towns and an Israeli strike on a Hezbollah commander, according to the Israeli military. Approximately 60 projectiles, including rockets and anti-tank missiles, hit open areas in northern Israel, according to an Israeli military spokesperson. No casualties were reported. The Israeli military also said it had killed Fadel Ibrahim, identified as a commander of Hezbollah’s ground forces, in an airstrike near Deir Kifa in the south of Lebanon. Tensions at the northern border have risen for months, and the prospect of a full-fledged war between the two forces looms.

U.S. lawmakers called for some Palestinians fleeing Gaza to be granted refugee status. In a letter to Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Thursday, 70 members of Congress called for more pathways for relief for Palestinians affected by the war who are relatives of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. “Historically, the U.S. has resettled very few Palestinian refugees,” the lawmakers noted, including just 56 refugees, or 0.09 percent of the total number of resettled refugees, in 2023, and 16 so far in 2024. “Given the dire conditions currently on the ground in Gaza, it is time for this to change,” said the lawmakers, who were led by Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, Democrat of Illinois.

Israel’s energy minister threatened a “power outage for months” in Lebanon if the Israeli electricity grid were hit and disabled for even a few hours by Hezbollah. The statement came from Eli Cohen, the energy minister, in a post on social media on Thursday. Earlier in the day, Shaul Goldstein, the chief executive of the government company responsible for managing the country’s electric grid, said that Hezbollah “could easily bring down the electricity grid in Israel.” Mr. Goldstein’s comments sparked outrage among right-wing media commentators, and Mr. Cohen’s response appeared to be designed to send a message that Israel could not be easily crippled.

Israel’s use of 2,000-pound bombs and other heavy weapons in densely populated areas of Gaza may have consistently violated international law and could constitute war crimes, the United Nations human rights office said on Wednesday. In a report that focused on six attacks last year, the office said Israeli forces “took an expansive approach to targeting” that apparently considered members of Gaza’s civilian administration and Hamas political structures, who were not directly involved in hostilities, as military targets, possibly violating the laws of war. Israel issued a 12-page rebuttal that said the U.N. report was legally unsound and revealed “numerous biases.”

A quiet administrative change advances a far-right Israeli minister’s effort to control the West Bank.

Israel is putting key responsibilities in the occupied West Bank under an administrator who answers to a hard-line government minister, Bezalel Smotrich, who favors annexation of the territory, in what analysts and human rights activists describe as the latest step toward the far right’s aim of expanding Israeli settlements there.

The administrative move has been a longtime goal of Mr. Smotrich, the finance minister and settler leader, and increases his formal authority over many areas of civilian life, including building and demolition permits, a crucial tool for settlers who view construction as a way to strengthen their grip on the West Bank.

It is the latest of several changes over the past two years that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, the most right-wing in Israel’s history, has made to the way that the West Bank is ruled. Since early 2023, the government has eased the planning process for new settlements and gradually transferred more powers from the defense minister, Yoav Gallant, to Mr. Smotrich, a longtime settler activist who wants to prevent the possibility of creating a Palestinian state in the territory.

The moves stop short of fully placing the West Bank under civilian control, and they have limited effect in the 40 percent of the West Bank that is administered by the Palestinian Authority, a semi-autonomous Palestinian-run body. But critics say that they collectively take Israel a step closer to annexing the territory in all but name.

For decades, Israel has defended its control of the territory there by saying that it is a temporary military occupation since the 1967 war that complies with the international laws applicable to occupied territories, rather than a permanent annexation that places the West Bank under the sovereign control of Israel’s civilian authorities. But the empowerment of Mr. Smotrich, a civilian minister, tests that argument to its limits.

The latest move, which creates a civilian head of an area previously overseen only by the military, was finalized by the Israeli military on May 29, according to copies of two military orders seen by The New York Times. It names a deputy head of the civil administration in the West Bank who will answer to Mr. Smotrich, an ultranationalist member of Mr. Netanyahu’s coalition who has a broad portfolio in the West Bank.

Settlers like Mr. Smotrich want to build more Israeli settlements across the West Bank on land that Palestinians hoped would be the core of a future Palestinian state. While previous Israeli governments and generals have built and protected hundreds of settlements, the latest order would likely accelerate that process, analysts and activists said.

Critics have already accused the government of failing to clamp down on illegal settlement construction and violence committed by settlers, and of thwarting measures to enforce the law.

Since the war began in October, the government has cracked down on the territory with near-daily military raids it says are aimed at terrorists. The government has also emboldened settlers and enacted new regulations that have put additional economic pressure on Palestinians .

“We are speaking about a change with a very clear political dimension to permit all kinds of plans for building settlements very quickly and without any obstacles,” said Michael Milshtein, an author and expert in Palestinian studies at Tel Aviv University.

The military has for decades been responsible for civil administration in most of the West Bank as well as for security, and critics say the shift to civilian administration, a longstanding aim of Mr. Smotrich, ties decision-making more closely to Israeli domestic politics. Analysts noted, however, that Defense Minister Yoav Gallant would retain input and could block certain measures.

Aviv Tatarsky, a researcher at Ir Amim, an Israeli nongovernmental organization, said that the order was “historic,” because “for the first time you have in a formal way management in the West Bank that is not done through the army but through the Israeli civil political system.”

The civilian political influence over the military administration already existed to some extent, though it was hidden from view, he said, “but now it’s stopped playing the games.”

A spokesman for Mr. Smotrich did not respond to a request for comment.

The person named to fill the new administrative post, Hillel Roth, is a settler and a member of the religious nationalist community who will likely act to facilitate Mr. Smotrich’s agenda, analysts said.

Mr. Milshtein noted that Mr. Smotrich had separately aimed to weaken the Palestinian Authority, which administers some parts of the West Bank. Mr. Smotrich announced in May that Israel would withhold revenue from the authority, worsening its severe fiscal crisis. In June, Mr. Smotrich said that he had ordered about $35 million in tax revenue that Israel collected on behalf of the authority to be diverted to the families of Israeli victims of terrorism .

Since Israel occupied the West Bank, previously controlled by Jordan, in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, the government has encouraged Jews to settle there, providing land, military protection, electricity, water and roads. More than 500,000 settlers now live among 2.7 million Palestinians in the territory.

Most of the world considers the settlements illegal. Some Israeli Jews justify settlement on religious grounds, others on the basis of history — both ancient and modern — while some say Israel must control the territory to prevent armed Palestinian groups from taking power.

Patrick Kingsley contributed reporting.

— Matthew Mpoke Bigg

DeepL: translate & write 4+

Ai translator and writing tool.

#19 in Reference
4.8 • 12.8K Ratings

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Description.

Translate +30 languages and improve your writing with powerful Language AI DeepL is your go-to AI translation and writing assistant for precise translations, powerful grammar fixes, and clear style enhancements. With the power of advanced Language AI, DeepL allows you to translate text, photos, files, and even speech into over 30 languages on the go. It also offers intelligent writing suggestions for English and German to help you create clear, error-free, and impactful texts with ease. So all of your mobile communication, from emails to social media posts, shines with professionalism and confidence. DeepL Translator - Translate texts: translate quickly and reliably between more than 30 languages by typing - High quality: DeepL consistently outperforms competitors by a factor of 3:1 - Quick detection: translations begin as you type - Camera translation: take a picture to translate text in images (requires iOS 15, 11 languages) - Photo translation: import photos for higher quality translations of signs, menus, and more in 11 languages - Speech to text: speak and translate your words into most languages using your device's microphone - Text to speech: hear your translated text spoken aloud in most languages - File translation: Translate text from files in 11 languages - Alternative translations: explore different options for single words and short phrases - Dictionary: learn more about the words you translate and how to use them in different contexts (11 language pairs) - Saved translations: tap the bookmark icon to save words and phrases for future reference - Translation history: easily find, edit, and reuse past translations - Understand non-Latin languages better: see translations of languages such as Japanese or Russian in the Latin alphabet - Tone adjustment: choose formal or informal styles (available with a paid plan) - Handwriting: draw text characters instead of typing, available on your iPad Translations between the following languages are supported: Arabic, Bulgarian, Chinese (simplified), Czech, Danish, Dutch, English (American), English (British), Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latvian, Lithuanian, Norwegian (bokmål), Polish, Portuguese, Portuguese (Brazilian), Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Ukrainian DeepL Write - Wording: rephrase for clarity, conciseness, and effectiveness - Grammar: check your grammar for total confidence - Spelling: say goodbye to typos and errors - Punctuation: easily follow the punctuation rules of your language DeepL Write is currently only available for English and German - with many more languages coming soon. Free to download - access core features without cost! - Enjoy more translation features with a DeepL account - Log in to your organization's team account via SSO - To unlock all features, you may need a DeepL paid plan Like millions of others every day, get DeepL for iOS to communicate effortlessly across language barriers - wherever you are. Terms & Conditions: https://www.deepl.com/app-terms Policy: https://www.deepl.com/privacy DeepL Support: https://www.deepl.com/support

Version 24.5.1

3 new updates for you: - Improved camera translation: translate text directly in photos—translations appear on top of the original text - Alternatives: view different options for single words and short phrases to fine-tune your translations - Glossaries: translate key words and phrases as defined by you or your organization (DeepL Pro only)

Ratings and Reviews

12.8K Ratings

Best translator, private too!

UPDATED! DeepL (Pro), how I love thee, let me count the ways: This is my favorite translator, with more accurate word definitions than I’ve found elsewhere (proven in my language classes, translating scores of documents I submitted for my residency permit, and for communication with my non-English speaking family), including suggested variations on word and phrase translations. The addition of features found in the other big translator—scanned live translation, photos, documents—means I can FINALLY delete that other app, much to my delight! If you use the online/desktop versions of this app, DeepL also has an editable and recallable glossary, and for those with a Pro account: formal and informal translation options (such as found in languages like German). You can even click on a word or phrase in the translation to trigger a pop up of suggested edits. Another bonus: the makers have designed this app with privacy in mind, collecting no personally identifying data. And one more thing: the big-name translator uses almost four times as much memory as this app. Thank you DeepL team!

Latest Version Lost Critical Functionality

This app isn’t cheap. But I have found it worth the price tag as its translation abilities from English to Portuguese are the best I’ve experienced. I live in Portugal and am very dependent on this app. But, sometimes it misses the right words and gets it all wrong. I have found its dictionary function invaluable to double-check certain words, so I can be sure its right before I send a message. So I was absolutely SHOCKED when this functionality disappeared recently, making the app no better than any other app (most far less expensive) out there. I sent a message and was informed that the dictionary function indeed has been disabled for the phone app. Why? This functionality was so useful and to disable it makes no sense. Also, its not what I purchased. I now need to go to a different app to look up certain words, which is ridiculous given that DeepL clearly has the ability to offer this as a phone app. Many of us use translation apps on our phones, not desktops, so this is very very disappointing and makes me lose confidence that with a paid subscription DeepL won’t make other decisions that take functionality away. I won’t continue paying for this app as it’s considerably less robust than when I purchased it almost a year ago.

This is my personal opinion on this app. In general, I think it’s great, and I would rate it five stars… apart from the fact that there are limited languages. Of course, that’s not the biggest deal, but that’s just what I believe. For example, Korean isn’t available (as stated by a few other reviews I’ve seen), so I commonly use translators that aren’t as accurate, and unequivocally they barely make sense with translations. Another conflict I have with limited languages is the image translator, since occasionally I need to translate photos — I was sad to see the language I needed was not available, and once again had to resort to inadequate translators. (Which thought some languages were other languages…) Other than that, the app is great and I love it! :) Edit: Okay, I have seen the new update and they added more languages! My points about this being a great app still stand and I would recommend this to anyone who needs a reliable translator.

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The developer, DeepL GmbH , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

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The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20500

Remarks by President Biden and President Macron of France at State Dinner | Paris, France

Élysée Palace

8:13 P.M. CEST

PRESIDENT MACRON: (As interpreted.) Mr. President, dear Joe; Madam First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden. (In English.) I want to reassure you, it’s just a toast and not a speech — (laughter) — so I will be very short. (As interpreted.) Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends, my wife and myself are very honored to be hosting you today here at the Élysée with all of your delegation and all of our guests, because every time there is an occasion to celebrate that brings together Americans and French people, the spirit of 1776 is never far, conjuring what is best in both of our countries. These warm feelings borne of a long and deep friendship is further enhanced by the joy today of hosting you today for your first official state visit to France with a very pleasant feeling of déjà vu. Indeed, a year and a half ago, you were hosting me in Washington in December 2022, thus demonstrating through regular visits how close we are in the reciprocal interests of our countries. And this year, 2024, for all people who are attached to the Franco relation- — Franco-American relationship, there is something special to celebrate because there is a reciprocal sacrifice for our independence, for our freedom. Indeed, this year, we will celebrate the 200th anniversary of the farewell tour of the Marquis de Lafayette, a hero of the American Revolution. I know that he is close to the hearts of all Americans. We also commemorate the 80th anniversary of the landings in Normandy and in Provence. We stood side by side then, as we did two days ago in Normandy for the ceremonies on June 6th, to bow our heads in the peaceful cemetery of Colleville to remember their courage on the Omaha Beach — Omaha the bloody — where so many of your countrymen gave their lives for a country they had never been to before. Never will we forget these heroes who, from Normandy to Berlin, helped to free a continent in our country. Their sacrifice has cemented our friendship. Amongst these heroes, there was a young man, Harold Terens. He was 18 when Pearl Harbor happened. At the age of 20, he was a radio operator working with your Air Force. He was at his duty post on D-Day, and then the war led him everywhere in France, in Morocco, and all the way to Ukraine. Today, Harold has chosen our country to marry Jeanne Swerlin. They are with us today, and they are just making their marriage vows, so let us congratulate the young newlyweds. (Applause.) (Speaks French.) (As interpreted.) We’re very pleased to be here for your wedding (inaudible). On this foundation, so many relations have developed — from cinema to music, from literature to space, from energy to transport, agriculture and health — so many partnerships that have served to consolidate our bilateral relationship that we have further strengthened recently. It’s also this relation that make it possible to affirm our values faced with a war of aggression by Russia in Ukraine or today in the Middle East in Gaza, and, once again, thank you for the initiative that you have just taken and that we support to be united in spite of our differences when the main values are at stake. This is what is our — lie across the Atlantic.

When it comes to defending our values, we stand together, so, of course, there’s something a bit special in our relationship, because you are — you’re American; we are French. And there’s something of a mutual fascination you find from Tocqueville all the way to Miller or, indeed, in our respective film industries.

We love the American Dream, and you like the French art de vivre , the French lifestyle. And we tend to be maybe defending our singularities, but we love each other for what we are. And this applies to each and every one of us.

And when I — we see the affection that you have for France, the way in which you have been prepared to attend the Olympic and Paralympic Games, I can see that more than ever you remain your best allies — united we stand, divided we fall. This is enshrined in the very name of your country. This should be the philosophy that should inspire us, that inspired the Greatest Generation to which you pay tribute yesterday at Pointe du Hoc. And, indeed, that is what binds us together today.

We are allies. We will remain allies. And these are the values which 80 years down the road keep us together.

And this is why, Mr. President, dear Joe, dear Jill, it is such an honor to have you here in France on the occasion of this state visit that is an opportunity to celebrate the untrammeled vitality of our alliance and this very special relationship between our two nations and, indeed, our love for freedom.

If I may, I would like to propose a toast to the United States of America, to France, and, indeed, to the friendship between the United States and France.

(President Macron offers a toast.) (Applause.)

PRESIDENT BIDEN: Mr. President, Brigitte, distinguished guests. You know, one of the things that’s been a legend in my family is my middle name is Robinette. And, allegedly, I’ve ne- — I’ve been told by my grandfather that this was established — I have not found it yet; maybe someone could help me — that I’m a son of the American Revolution, because Robinette came over with Lafayette and never went home. He stayed in the United States.

So, that makes me a son of the American Revolution. And — but I haven’t been able to establish that yet. So, maybe one of your genealogists can figure it out for me.

Look, the — your — France is our first ally. And that’s not insignificant. The fact of the matter is you were with us to help us secure our freedom, and we were with you 170 years later — (clears throat) — excuse me — to do the same. And ever since, we’ve remained united, unyielding, as well as unwavering in our partnership.

That’s what democracies do. That has been an extraordinary week here for us, for Jill and me. It’s just been amazing to be here. I’ve been here a number of times over the years. I know I don’t look it, but I’m only 40 years old. (Laughter.) But all kidding aside, been here many times, but this has been the most remarkable trip that I’ve ever made.

Together, we celebrated D-Day, the heroes of D-Day, and told the story of the alliance and how, together, we saved Europe. And the people of France t- — and t- — and you two, personally, honored our veterans with such warmth and dignity. On behalf of all the American people, we want to say thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of our heart. I mean it.

When the American troops came to these shores 80 years ago on an audacious mission to save the continent, they each carried a book given to them by the U.S. military. And the book was called “A Pocket Guide to France.” Seriously. It included helpful hints like this: “No bragging; the French don’t like it.” (Laughter.) Not a joke. “Be generous; it won’t hurt you.” “Avoid controversial topics, even if you — even if you took French in high school.” (Laughter.)

And try to follow at least one — I tried my best to follow at least one of those. But, you know —

And then it said the French are allies who, quote — to quote, “happen to speak democracy in a different language. And we democracies aren’t just doing favors; we’re fighting for each other when history goes — when history goes — gets through. We all are in the same boat,” end of quote.

France and the United States have always been there for one another. We stand together when the going gets tough, and that’s a fact. We stand together to defend the values that lie at the soul — the very soul of both our nations — and I believe that to be the case today — liberty, equality, brotherhood. Generation after generation, people across both our nations have upheld these ideals because they know, when we stand as one, our countries are stronger and, literally, the world is safer. Emmanuel, you’ve heard me say it before. We stand at an inflection point in history. The decisions we make now will determine the course of our future for decades to come. We have a lot of opportunity but a lot of responsibility. And it gives me hope to know France and the United States stand together now and always — or as the “Pocket Guide to France” given to the invading Americans might say, “We’re rowing in the same boat.” Ladies and gentlemen, to France, the United States, and to our people, may we continue to seek democracy. May we — in both our languages. And may we always stay together. It’s been a great honor to be here. And I want to thank you. I’m going to raise my glass. (President Biden offers a toast.) To France. (Applause.) END 8:25 P.M. CEST

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Writing a speech (persuasive writing)
Giving a Speech in French
30 Useful French Essay Phrases and Transition Words in French
How To Write French Essay
How To Form French Direct vs. Indirect Speech
Sentence Structure Charts

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AMG_Graduates' Speech
AMG_Graduates' Speech
AMK_Graduates' Speech
Canadian French Text To Speech
Macron's EU speech: French president urges the European Union to renew its commitment to democracy
40 Minutes French Speaking Practice for Beginners

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10 Common French phrases: How to structure a speech or talk
In this lesson, we'll go over 10 common French phrases for structuring a speech or talk. Bonjour à tous. (Hello, everyone.) This phrase is used to begin a speech or talk, and to greet the audience. Je vais parler de ___. (I'm going to talk about ___.) This phrase is used to introduce the topic or theme of the speech or talk.
Speech in French. Plus, How to Write a Speech in French
What to Include. ‌ Outline what your speech is going to be about in your opening. ‌ Open with j'ai and let your French audience know where you are going with your speech. It is important to stick to your topic, as the French will expect you to deliver what you promise. This could be an example of indirect speech.
Using Direct and Indirect Speech in French Grammar
Switching From Direct to Indirect Speech. Indirect speech tends to be more complicated than direct speech because it requires certain changes (in both English and French). There are three primary changes that may need to be made. #1 - Personal pronouns and possessives may need to be changed: DS.
Giving a Speech in French
https://bit.ly/366bLRo ← if you want to learn more vocabulary, phrases, and example sentences you can use in real-life situations, click here to download you...
33 Connectors In French For Smooth Speech
33 French Conversational Connectors For Smooth Spoken French. by Olly Richards. As you learn French and begin using longer sentences to express your ideas, you need to know the connectors in French that allow everything to flow together. Connectors will turn disjointed phrases into joined up sentences, making your French sound more smooth ...
8 Essential French Parts of Speech to Speak More Proficiently
English has eight parts of speech, according to Britannica. Some grammarians group them differently, but we will cover these eight basic categories of parts of speech in the French language as well. French. English. Function. le nom / le substantif. noun. indicates the person, place, thing, or idea. le pronom.
Indirect speech in French
When turning direct speech into indirect speech, we need to remember the following points: Il a dit: « J' ai vu une animatrice de télé. →Il a dit qu' il avait vu une animatrice de télé. He said that he had seen a TV host. Il a dit: « Je l' attendrai demain. → Il a dit qu'il l' attendrait le lendemain.
French Direct & Indirect Speech: 5 Things You Should Know
Do you want to learn how to use direct and indirect speech in French? In this article, you will discover five things you should know about this topic, such as the difference between direct and indirect speech, the use of quotation marks, the change of pronouns and tenses, and some common expressions. This article will help you improve your French communication skills and avoid common mistakes ...
Common connectors and transitions phrases in French
In this lesson, we'll go over some common connectors and transition phrases in French that you can use to improve your communication skills. Premièrement, deuxièmement, enfin. (First, secondly, finally.) These connectors are used to order and sequence ideas in a narrative. De plus, en outre, par ailleurs.
The Best Way to Learn French
Feedback option #2: Recording yourself and checking your own pronunciation. A less high-tech (but potentially more reliable) trick is to listen to a short recording from a French speaker, and then record yourself speaking the same material. Then compare your pronunciation with the source recording.
French Reported Speech
As you can see, indirect speech is immediately more complicated: It requires a reporting verb. and a subordinating conjunction. followed by a subordinate clause. The subject pronoun in the subordinate clause has to change, as does the verb conjugation. For more detail about these and other required changes, go on to page 2: Indirect speech.
Direct vs. Indirect Speech
In French there are two kinds of speech: direct speech (le discours direct) and indirect speech (le discours indirect). When using direct speech you quote what another person says with quotation marks. The French use the following quotation marks: « ». Also, note that some textbooks refer to this as direct and indirect discourse.
30 Useful French Essay Phrases and Transition Words in French
Learn 30 useful French essay phrases and transition words to enhance your writing and speaking skills in French.
French Parts of Speech
Parts of speech are the building blocks of everything you say, write, hear, and read. Even if you hate the thought of learning any grammar terms, knowing the difference between these eight basic parts of speech is essential for improving your French ability. Each part of speech is bolded in both languages, and you may notice that for some of ...
Indirect Speech
Indirect speech requires a reporting verb to take the place of the quotation marks used in direct speech. The reporting verb must be followed by the subordinating conjunction que (usually) or si, with the original utterance turned into a subordinate clause. The most common reporting verb is dire (to say, tell) but there are many others.
Guide to Indirect and Direct Speech in French
In French, you have two main ways of getting your point across or expressing what someone has said, reported speech and indirect speech. Indirect speech is used to report what someone said without repeating their exact words. And direct speech is used in the opposite way, you convey what someone said using their exact words.
Free French writing practice
All writing exercises are made by our qualified native French teachers to help you improve your writing skills and confidence. Kwizbot will give you a series of prompts to translate to French. He'll show you where you make mistakes as you go along and will suggest related lessons for you. Boost your French writing skills by adding the lessons ...
French Conversation Practice: 10 Dialogue Scripts
2. At the Grocery Store. This dialogue offers opportunities to practice a formal register, modal verbs such as vous devez (you must) and vous pouvez (you can) and saying thank you. Note that vous (formal "you") is employed since this is a more formal encounter. You and the cashier don't know each other personally.
How to Improve Your French Writing
Learn the passé simple. Grow your vocabulary. Use online resources to get started. Tips to Improve French Writing. Track your progress with a journal. Try writing poetry. Put new words to immediate use. Don't use a dictionary too often. Write a little first, then check grammar.
French Conversation: Learn 15 Easy Dialogs for Beginners
1. Introducing yourself. If you want to introduce yourself in French, then this French conversation is for you. You'll also learn how to talk about your nationality. Bonjour, je m'appelle Robert. Hello, my name is Robert. Enchantée, Robert. Je m'appelle Jill. Nice to meet you, Robert.
French Reading: French Texts for Beginners
French texts for beginners (A1/A2) and intermediates (B1/B2) to practice your French reading and comprehension skills. Learning to read French well is a genuine accomplishment. For beginning learners, we offer an enjoyable way to improve your comprehension with the brief, text-based lessons below. 41 free texts Premium: 146 texts.
How to Write a French Accent (13 Best Tips with Examples)
Tip 1: Understand the Rhythm and Cadence of French. To write a French accent, it's important to first understand the rhythm and cadence of the French language. French has a distinct flow, and words are often linked together, with the final consonant of one word blending into the beginning of the next. This is called liaison.
Introduce yourself in French (+Mp3) with these 10 examples
Do you want to learn how to introduce yourself in French with confidence and ease? In this article, you will find 10 examples of self-introduction in French, with audio files to help you practice your pronunciation. You will also learn some useful phrases and vocabulary to talk about yourself in French. Whether you need to introduce yourself in a formal or informal situation, this article will ...
White House and Netanyahu Spar Over His Complaints About U.S. Support
In response, Mr. Netanyahu said on Thursday that he was "willing to absorb personal attacks if that is what it takes for Israel to get the arms and ammunition it needs in its war for survival."
‎DeepL: translate & write on the App Store
‎DeepL is your go-to AI translation and writing assistant for precise translations, powerful grammar fixes, and clear style enhancements. With the power of advanced Language AI, DeepL allows you to translate text, photos, files, and even speech into over 30 languages on the go. It also offers intelli…
Remarks by President Biden and President Macron of France at State
Élysée Palace 8:13 P.M. CEST PRESIDENT MACRON: (As interpreted.) Mr. President, dear Joe; Madam First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden. (In English.) I want to reassure you, it's just a toast and not a ...

Speech in French. Plus, How to Write a Speech in French.

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French Grammar: Direct and Indirect Speech

French Direct and Indirect Speech ( Discours direct et indirec t)

Direct Speech ( Discours direct )

Indirect Speech ( Discours indirect )

Reporting Verbs for Indirect Speech

Switching From Direct to Indirect Speech

33 French Conversational Connectors For Smooth Spoken French

33 French Conversational Connectors

#1 Et – And

#2 Mais – But

#3 Parce que – Because

#4 Peut-être – Perhaps, Maybe

#5 Comme – As, Since

#6 Donc – Therefore

Multipurpose Connectors In French To Sound Like A Native

#7 Alors – So, Then, Therefore

#8 Quand Même – All The Same, Anyway

Other Useful Connectors In French

#9 Pourtant – Yet, Still

#10 Cepandant – However

#11 (Tout) D’abord – First (Of All)

#12 En Général – In General

#13 En fait – In fact, Actually

#14 Quant à – As For, Concerning

#15 D’ailleurs – Moreover, Furthermore

#16 Au Contraire – On The Contrary

#17 Malgré – Despite

#18 Sinon – Otherwise

#19 Dès Que – As Soon As

#20 Quoique – Whatever

#21 Sans Doute – Without

#22 Par Contre – On The Other Hand

#23 En Plus – Furthermore, Additionally, As Well

#24 Surtout – Above All

#25 De Toute Façon – Anyway

Connectors In French For Expressing Your Opinion

#26 Je Pense Que… – I Think That…

#27 À Mon Avis – In My Opinion

#28 Pour Moi – For Me

#29 Selon – According To

Connectors In French: False Friend Alert!

#30 En Effet – Indeed, Actually

#31 Finalement – In The End, After All

#32 Enfin – Finally, At Last, At Least

#33 Actuellement – At The Moment, Currently, Right Now

Connectors In French: A Quick Way To Improve Your French

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