Je parle français

French for Beginners: Français pour débutants

Unit 1: French for Beginners

Français pour débutants

How to learn French

French for Beginners Français pour débutants. If you want to start learning French from the bottom up,you've come to the right place! This is a self-study course divided into 30 loosely the med units consisting of grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation lessons; cultural tips; and assorted listening exercises and quizzes along the way. Keep reading for some info and advice on making the most of this course, or go straight to the lessons.  

Each unit is in the form of a checklist with links to online lessons and other resources. I recommend spending at least a week but no more than a month on each unit: study/practice each item in the list and then go back through them again more quickly to cement your learning before moving on to the next unit. And of course you can go back to an earlier unit any time you like. You can save a printable pdf copy of each checklist to your computer or you can create a Checklist account to save a dynamic version online. Both options are completely free, so it's up to you!

Units 1 Consist of:

* Greetings

* Introductions

* Nouns

* Verbs

* Alphabet

1. Greetings : Salutations

Greetings Salutations In English, there's a phrase commonly used with children: "what's the magic word?" or "say the magic word!" and that magic word is "please." In French, as important it is to say s'il vous plaît, there's a word that's even more magical: bonjour. Saying hello is more than just a matter of greeting someone; it's the very first word you should say when entering a store,asking for help, or beginning any kind of conversation whatsoever. Even if it's the only French word you know, you should always say bonjour - it can make the difference between a friendly exchange and a frosty one - learn more.

What to say (and when)

Bonjour means hello, good morning, good afternoon, or good day - but only as a greeting. To wish someone a good day upon leaving, say bonne journée.

Bonsoir means good evening, so you should start using it around 6pm. To wish someone a good evening  upon leaving, say bonne soirée.

Note that the greetings are single words: bonjour and bonsoir, not bon jour and bon soir. In contrast, the good wishes upon leaving are two separate words: bonne journée and bonne soirée. (Also see jour vs  journée, soir vs soirée)

Salut is an informal greeting that you can use at any time of day.

Coucou is an informal, playful way to say "hi," especially when calling out for someone, such as when knocking on a half-open door. (It comes from baby talk.)