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The ultimate source of information about French: a regularly-updated, alphabetical listing of every feature on the Learn French at About site: lessons, articles, tests, sound files, links, and more.

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G - French Pronunciation
Lessons on French pronunciation: the letter G

Les Galeries Lafayette
Les Galeries Lafayette is one of the most famous department stores in France. Learn about the history of store and the people behind it in this listening comprehension exercise from Champs-Élysées audiomagazine (read my review).

Games - Jeux français
Games and other fun stuff for French speakers and students.

Geneva, Nyon, Vevay - Switzerland
I recently spent a couple of days in Geneva, Nyon, and Vevay, Switzerland - read about my adventures.

Gender and Number of Nouns - French for Beginners
French for beginners: an introduction to the gender and number of French nouns

Gender of compound nouns
French compound nouns are made up of two or more words and are often connected by hyphens. Figuring out their gender can be a little tricky, but there are some rules that can help.

Gender Patterns
French gender is a constant headache for many students of French. There's no simple way to know the gender of every noun other than just learning the gender with each word. There are, however, some patterns in suffixes and word endings - certain endings tend to indicate masculine nouns, while other endings favor feminine nouns. These gender patterns are not fool-proof, but they can help you to figure out the gender of many French nouns.

Gender Quiz: States and Provinces
Do you know which US states and Canadian provinces are masculine and which are feminine? Take this quiz to find out, or click the lesson links to learn the French names for each state and province.

Geography Quiz - Francophone Countries
How much do you know about the geography of francophone countries? Take this quiz to find out.

Gestures
You've probably seen the French performing some familiar gestures as well as a few unfamiliar ones. It is as essential to understand this French "sign language" as it is any vocabulary. This lesson has definitions and instructions for 35 gestures, including a register rating and photos.

Gestures - Top 10
My lessons on French gestures are among the most popular pages on my site, partly because gestures are so frequently used when speaking French, and partly because many gestures are not commonly taught in French classes. Among the dozens of gestures and facial expressions in my lessons, there are ten that really stand out.

Gifts for Francophiles
Wondering what to buy for the French lover on your list? Someone who really loves French probably already has a good dictionary and grammar book, so here are some gifts that will thrill your favorite Francophile.

Giving Orders in French - Les Ordres
You probably know that the imperative is commonly used to give orders, but what about other constructions? Have you ever seen another verb form used and figured it was a mistake? It probably wasn't - in fact there are four different ways to give orders in French.

GN - French Pronunciation
Lessons on French pronunciation: the letters GN

Going to the Dentist ~ Chez le dentiste
Going to the dentist is another situation where you want to make sure that you can communicate effectively. Take a look at this page for essential French vocabulary and verbs for talking to a dentist.

Golf Vocabulary in French
Golf Vocabulary in French, from your About.com Guide to French

La goutte qui fait déborder le vase
What does the idiomatic French expression La goutte qui fait déborder le vase mean? Learn all about it here.

Governmental Organizations
French and francophone governmental organizations

Grâce à
Thanks to this lesson, you'll know how to use the French expression grâce à.

Graffiti
Graffiti does not necessarily equal vandalism. It's a means of personal and even artistic expression. Learn about some of the people and techniques behind graffiti.

Grammaire française
Définitions et leçons.

Grammar
Work on your French grammar - no matter what your level - with extensive French grammar lessons and resources.

Grammar Books
There are hundreds of French grammar books - how can you know which is the best? That's where I come in - here are my favorite grammar books: the ones I use every day as well as those I've grown beyond, but keep because they once helped me so much.

Grammar for Beginners
French for beginners: grammar lessons

Grammar Glossary
A quick reference guide to French grammar, including parts of speech, verb forms, and much more. Each entry has a definition and links to further information, and you can search by the French or English name.

La Grande Arche de La Défense
La Grande Arche de La Défense is one of the most visited monuments in France. Learn about the history of this site and the monument itself.

Grand Dérangement defined
What was Le Grand Dérangement?

Gratitude
There are many different ways to express gratitude in French, from a simple thank you to ultra-polite expressions of appreciation. There's also a common dilemma about whether to use de or pour when thanking someone for something. Take a look at this lesson to learn the formulas.

Greetings - French for Beginners
French for beginners: greetings

Le Guide Michelin
Le Guide Michelin is a French institution, but after more than 100 years, is it still feasible? Learn about Le guide Michelin and contemporary French cuisine in this 2-part listening comprehension exercise from Champs-Élysées audiomagazine (read my review).

La Guinguette
La Guinguette is an online source of French news. Features range from politics to culture and include a sound file, French transcript, and English translation.

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H - French Pronunciation
Lessons on French pronunciation: the letter H

Habiter vs Vivre
The French verbs habiter and vivre both mean to live, but are used in different circumstances. You won't be able to live with yourself if you don't learn how to use them both.

Haitian Creole - French Dialect
Learn about the French-related Haitian creole

Halloween in France
What is Halloween? Where did it come from? Why and how is it celebrated in France? If you've ever puzzled over these questions, take a look at this article - the answers are here!

Hangman ~ Le Pendu ~ French Classroom Game
Play Hangman in French class - it's easy to set up, a fun way to review vocabulary and grammar in any language class, and adaptable for all levels.

Hanukkah vocabulary
Hanukkah is a Jewish festival of survival and freedom that lasts for eight days. Learn some French vocabulary related to this annual Jewish celebration which begins this year on 4 December.

H aspiré
The H is always silent in French, but it comes in two varieties. The H aspiré doesn't allow contractions or liaisons.

Haut comme trois pommes
What does the French expression haut comme trois pommes mean? Learn all about it here.

Henna in Morocco
Henna is a plant used in Morocco and many other countries/cultures to dye the skin in intricate patterns, sometimes called temporary tattoos. I recently got my hands hennaed and took pictures of the process.

Heureux au jeu, malheureux en amour
What does the French expression heureux au jeu, malheureux en amour mean? Learn all about it here.

High-Intermediate French Mistakes
High-intermediate means your French is pretty good - you excel in everyday situations, and can even hold your own in long discussions, but there are still some issues that you can't seem to get the hang of, or that you simply don't remember five minutes after looking them up. I've found that reading several explanations of the same issue can help cement understanding of these sticky issues, so here are ten of the most common high-intermediate French mistakes with links to my lessons - maybe this time it will finally make sense.

History
History of francophone countries and cultures

H muet
The H is always silent in French, but it comes in two varieties. The H muet allows contractions or liaisons.

Hockey Vocabulary in French
Hockey Vocabulary in French

Holidays in Francophone Countries
Calendar of holidays in francophone countries

Homepage - About the French Language
Free resources for students, teachers, and lovers of French, including teaching ideas, online dictionaries, and weekly lessons and quizzes. You're also welcome to practice your French in the chatroom and forums where you'll meet other French lovers like yourself!

Homeschooling
Links and resources for French homeschoolers

Home Vocabulary - French for Beginners
Learn how to say the rooms of the house.

Homework Help
Resources to help you with your French homework: lessons, links, quizzes, and activities to help you learn, practice, remember, and use French.

Homophones
Homophones are words that have the same pronunciation but different meanings and, sometimes, spellings. Therefore, French homophones can cause difficulties in oral comprehension and spelling. These pages should help you to understand the difference between the most common French homophones.

Honi soit qui mal y pense
What does the French expression Honi soit qui mal y pense mean? Learn all about it here.

Hospitality in Morocco
Moroccans are extremely friendly and hospitable, and I think that they are the most generous people I've ever met.

Hosting Exchange Students
Have you ever thought of hosting a foreign exchange student?  Are you hesitant because you have some unanswered questions?  This article answers the questions most frequently asked about our experiences.

À l'hôtel
Beginning-level dialogue between a hotel receptionist and a guest.

Hotel Vocabulary
If you're going to France, this page of French hotel vocabulary will help you to make your reservation, ask about services, and pay your bill.

How can I get better at conjugating French verbs?
How can I get better at conjugating French verbs?

How long does it take to become fluent in French?
How long does it take to become fluent in French?

How Proust Can Change Your Life
A review of Alain de Botton's How Proust Can Change Your Life.

How to fake a French accent
I love the beautiful accent that the French have when they speak English, and sometimes it's fun or even useful to imitate it. If you're an actor, comedian, or grand séducteur, you can learn how to fake a French accent with this in-depth look at how the French speak English.

How to improve your French accent
How can I improve my French accent?

How to learn French
What should I do once I've seriously decided to learn French?

How to learn French online
My free, 20-week French learning course is available as an online checklist or a weekly newsletter. Whichever format you choose, you'll be presented with basic French vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar lessons in a logical study order, with each week's lessons building upon previous topics. On each page, you will notice that there are many links, both within the lesson and at the end of it. Some of these links are part of the course and some aren't, which can be confusing, so this article explains the difference.

How to pronounce the French R
A simple how to on pronouncing the French R - one of the most difficult sounds in the French language.

How to pronounce the French U
A simple how to lesson on pronouncing the French U - one of the most difficult French sounds.

How to pronounce French wines
If you love French wine but hate ordering it, here's a page that can help. This list of French wines and related vocabulary includes sound files to help you pronounce the names of French wines.

How to read a French menu
Reading the menu in a French restaurant can be a little tricky, and not just due to language difficulties. There may be important differences between restaurants in France and in your own country, including what food is offered and how it is prepared. Here are some terms and tips to help you find your way around a French menu.

How to say ___ in French
Here are some ideas and resources to help you find out how to say anything in French.

How to say I Love You in French
A step-by-step lesson on saying "I love you" in French.

How To Set Up the French Internet (PC)
A simple how to on setting up the French internet. You can have your Internet Explorer dialog boxes and menus in French.

How To Tell Time in French
Learn how to tell time in French. This multi-part lesson includes notes, sound files, and practice exercises to help master telling time in French.

How To Type Accents
Learn how to type accents on any computer

Hyères, France - Fête des fleurs
On 5 and 6 April 2008, the southern French city of Hyères hosted its annual flower festival with an open day event at SICA (Société d'intérêt collectif agricole) / Marché aux fleurs d'Hyères. 500 growers produce over 180 million flowers a year, making it the largest flower market in France and the fourth largest in Europe. With information booths, wine and flower tasting, and a flower parade, it was a fascinating look at this colorful aspect of the Hyérois community.

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I - French Pronunciation
Lessons on French pronunciation: the letter I

Ice breakers
Getting the conversation started isn't always easy. Check out these ideas for fun and easy ways to break the ice in French class.

Idiomatic Verbs
Idiomatic pronominal verbs have a different meaning when used with a pronoun.

-IER Verbs
French verbs that end in -ier are conjugated according to the same rules as regular -er verbs, but there is a letter combination in certain conjugations that makes -ier verbs seem strange. If / then clauses
Learn all about French si clauses.

Il est - French expression il est
Learn how to use the French expression il est

Il est né le divin enfant
"Il est né le divin enfant" is a traditional French Christmas carol. The tune is not, as far as I know, the same as any song in English.

"Il faut lui faire attention"
What's wrong with saying il faut lui faire attention to mean "we have to pay attention to it"? Learn about this French mistake.

"Il l'a fait soi-même"
What's wrong with saying il l'a fait soi-même? Learn about this French mistake.

"Il m'a dit du faire"
What's wrong with "il m'a dit du faire"? Learn about this French mistake.

Il m'aime un peu, beaucoup, passionnément, à la folie, pas du tout
If there's any possibility that you are suffering from unrequited love, you might want to learn the expression Il m'aime un peu, beaucoup, passionnément, à la folie, pas du tout.

Il ne casse pas trois pattes à un canard
What does the French expression il ne casse pas trois pattes à un canard mean? Learn all about it here.

"Il n'y a pas du pain"
What's wrong with saying il n'y a pas du pain? Learn about this French mistake.

"I Love You" in French
A step-by-step lesson on saying "I love you" in French.

Il pleut des cordes
What does the idiomatic French expression il pleut des cordes mean? Learn all about it here.

"Il s'est fait piqué"
What's wrong with this? Learn about this French mistake.

Il y a
Learn to use the essential French expression il y a.

Il y a - Test
Test on the essential French expression il y a

Il y a vs Depuis
The French temporal expressions depuis and il y a have distinctly different meanings and uses, yet they commonly present difficulties for French students. Here is a detailed explanation and comparison of depuis and il y a to help you clearly understand the difference once and for all.

Il y a quelque chose qui cloche
What does the French expression il y a quelque chose qui cloche mean? Learn all about it here.

"Il y sera"
What's wrong with saying il y sera to mean "there will be?" Learn about this French mistake.

"Ils se sont parlés"
What's wrong with writing ils se sont parlés? Learn about this French mistake.

Imperative - l'Impératif
The imperative is a French mood which is used to  give an order, express a desire, offer advice, recommend something, and make a polite request. Learn the conjugations and uses of the French imperative.

Imperative - Test
Learn how to give commands with the French imperative

Imperfect - l'Imparfait
The French imperfect is a descriptive past tense which indicates an ongoing state of being or a repeated or incomplete action, with no indication of the beginning and end of the state of being or action.

Imperfect - Formation
Learn about the formation of the French verb tense imparfait.

Imperfect - Test
Take a test on the French verb tense imparfait.

Imperfect Subjunctive
It's important to be able to recognize the French imperfect subjunctive.

Impersonal Expressions ~ Expressions impersonnelles
Impersonal expressions are those which do not have a specific subject, as in "Il est difficile à dire." In grammatical terms, "impersonal" does not mean cold, but rather invariable by grammatical person.

Impersonal French - Le français impersonnel
Grammatically speaking, impersonal refers to words or structures which are invariable; that is, they do not specify a grammatical person. This index to impersonal French includes impersonal expressions, pronouns, verbs, and passive structures.

Impersonal Verbs
Impersonal verbs have only one conjugation: the third person singular indefinite, or il. Some of these verbs also have personal versions with different meanings, so it's important to learn to recognize impersonal verbs.

Importance of Accents
Think accents don't matter when writing or typing in French? Think again! There are dozens of French word pairs which are spelled (though not always pronounced) the same other than accents. To avoid confusion, you should always distinguish between these "accent homographs" by using the correct accents.

Impossible n'est pas français
What does the French proverb impossible n'est pas français mean? Learn all about it here.

Improve your French accent
Learning French is one thing; speaking with a great accent is another. While it's not the easiest thing in the world, it's certainly not impossible to develop a decent French accent. Here are some ideas to help you improve your French pronunciation.

Improve your French reading comprehension
Reading in French is an excellent way to learn new vocabulary and get familiar with French syntax, while at the same time learning about some topic, be it politics, culture, or a favorite hobby. Here are some tips and activities to improve your French reading skills.

Improve your French verb conjugations
Conjugating French verbs in a workbook or letter is one thing, but remembering individual verb conjugations when you're speaking is another matter entirely. Here are some tips to help you get better at conjugating French verbs.

Improve your French vocabulary
Words, words, words! Languages are made up of words, and French is no exception. Here are all kinds of French vocabulary lessons, practice ideas, and tips to help you get better at learning and remembering French words.

IN - Pronunciation
Learn how to pronounce the French nasal vowel IN.

In- French prefix
The French prefix in- is added to adjectives, adverbs, and nouns to create their opposites. Its pronunciation and even spelling vary according to the word it's attached to.

Indefinite Adjectives
Learn all about French indefinite adjectives.

Indefinite Adjectives - Test
How much do you know about about French indefinite adjectives? Take this test to find out.

Indefinite Adverbs ~ Adverbes indéfinis
I find that one of the hardest things to translate into French is indefiniteness. I've never seen this covered in French grammar books, but I think French indefinite adverbs, or at least the French equivalents for English indefinite adverbs, is an interesting grammatical category that should not be overlooked.

Indefinite Article
Learn to use the French indefinite article

Indefinite Demonstrative Pronouns - Ce, Ceci, Cela, Ça
Indefinite (aka neuter or invariable) demonstrative pronouns do not have a specific antecedent and thus do not have different forms for gender and number.

Indefinite Pronouns
Learn all about French indefinite pronouns.

Indefinite Pronouns - Test
Test on French indefinite pronouns

Indefinite Relative Pronouns
Indefinite relative pronouns (ce qui, ce que, ce dont, and quoi) link relative clause to main clauses when there is no specific antecedent.

Independent Study Resources
Learning French on your own? The Learn French at About site has all kinds of tools and resources for independent learners.

Indirect Object Pronouns
Learn all about French indirect object pronouns

Indirect Object Pronouns - Test
Test yourself on French indirect object pronouns

Indirect Speech
Discours indirect - French indirect speech

Indefinite Structures and Parts of Speech
I find that one of the hardest things to translate into another language is indefiniteness: anyone did something everywhere all the time. This index includes links to lessons on every kind of indefiniteness, from indefinite adjectives to the indefinite subject pronoun.

Infinitives
Introduction to French infinitives and how to use them.

Infinitives - Test
Test on using French infinitives

Informal Negation - Pas without Ne
If you've ever watched French movies or television, or chatted with native speakers, you have almost certainly heard pas (or another negative adverb) without ne, as this is a typical characteristic of informal and familiar French. Although it is nearly always written, ne is often dropped in spoken French.

Informal pronunciation and grammar
If you've ever listened to native French speakers talk to friends or family, you've almost certainly noticed that they don't sound like your French teacher or audio tapes. You might notice missing or different words, funny contractions, and strange grammar - because French, like any other language, has different levels of formality. This series of lessons will summarize the various informal and familiar sounds and structures of French. In this lesson, you will learn about how pronouns are used informally.

Informal questions
French questions asked informally can sound a lot different from the grammatically correct questions that you learn to ask in French class. Read over this lesson to learn about how questions are used informally.

Institut de français
Most of the visitors to this site are learning French, and many would like to learn French in France. Readers often ask me to recommend a great French language program, but since I have never studied in France, I'm unable to offer any recommendations. However, visitors to the forum often discuss their French learning, including various schools that they have studied at. One French language school that many learners have tried and liked is the Institut de français, located in Villefrance-sur-mer, 3 miles east of Nice.

Intermediate French Grammar
Intermediate French grammar lessons and links.

Intermediate French Listening Exercises
Listening exercises for intermediate French students.

Intermediate French Mistakes
After learning French for a while, whether in a class or on your own, you've probably found that there are some things you just can't figure out how to say, or that people are always correcting you on. These may be issues that you haven't been taught yet, or concepts that you've studied but just don't get. As an intermediate French speaker, you still have plenty of time to fix these mistakes before they fossilize in your mind. Here are ten of the most common intermediate-level French mistakes with links to lessons.

Intermediate Proficiency Test
Test yourself on intermediate French vocabulary and grammar.

Intermediate Pronunciation
Resources to help intermediate-level French speakers improve their pronunciation.

Intermediate French Reading Exercises
Exercises to help intermediate-level French students practice and polish their reading skills.

Intermediate French Resources
Everything the intermediate French student needs: links, lessons, quizzes, and more.

Intermediate French Speaking Resources
Intermediate students will find these links helpful as they work to improve their French speaking skills.

Intermediate French Spelling
Learn some of the tricks to mastering French spelling.

Intermediate French Tests
French tests to challenge intermediate-level French students.

Intermediate French Tools
I think intermediate students may be the most difficult group to buy French resources for, because intermediate is such a vague term. Someone may be a decent conversationalist but not know the grammar, or have all of the verb conjugations down but speak with a less-than-stellar accent. Here is an assortment of tools to meet everyone's needs: grammar references; dictionaries; audio resources, for listening and pronunciation work; and a couple of "fun" items as well.

Intermediate French Verbs
Verb exercises for intermediate French students.

Intermediate French Vocabulary
Lessons and resources for intermediate-level French vocabulary.

Intermediate French Writing Resources
Writing help and exercises for intermediate French students.

International Day of Francophonie
Celebrate the International Day of Francophonie

International Jobs Using French
The sky is the limit!

International Organizations - Jobs Using French
Work in one of thousands of international organizations.

Internet country codes
Every country in the world has an official two-letter country code for use on the internet. These codes are used in website addresses and emails, and can therefore tell you where a website is located. In addition, they can be used to perform country-specific searches. Here are the country codes for French-speaking countries.

Interrogative Adjectives
What are French interrogative adjectives?

Interrogative Pronouns: Qui / Que
Qui and Que as interrogative pronouns.

Interrogative Pronouns: Qui / Que - Test
Qui and Que as interrogative pronouns.

Interrogative Words
How hard can it be to ask questions in French?

Introduction to Adjectives
French for beginners: an introduction to French adjectives.

Introduction to Adverbs
French for beginners: an introduction to French adjectives.

Introduction to Conjunctions
For beginners: a definition and a list of the most common French conjunctions.

Introduction to French
If you've ever wondered where French came from and how it fits in with other languages, or what exactly a Romance language is, here is some basic information.

Introduction to Nouns
French for beginners: an introduction to French nouns.

Introduction to Prepositions
For beginners: a definition of prepositions, plus a list of the most common ones with links to lessons.

Introduction to Sentences
A sentence (une phrase) is a group of words including at minimum a subject (which may be stated or implied) and a verb. Learn about French sentences, including sentence parts and the four different types of sentences.

Introduction to Translation and Interpretation
Translation and interpretation are the ultimate jobs for people who love language. However, there are a lot of misunderstandings about these two fields, including the difference between them and what kind of skills and education they require. This article is an introduction to the fields of translation and interpretation.

Introduction to Verbs
French for beginners: introduction to French verbs.

Introductions - French for Beginners
French for beginners: introducing oneself and others.

Invariable adjectives of color
In French, adjectives normally have to agree with the nouns they modify in gender and number. However, there are numerous adjectives which don't agree - they have a single form that does not change to reflect the gender or number of the noun. Many colors are invariable in French.

Invariable adjectives from other languages
In French, adjectives normally have to agree with the nouns they modify in gender and number. However, there are numerous adjectives which don't agree - they have a single form that does not change to reflect the gender or number of the noun. French adjectives borrowed from other languages are usually invariable.

Inversion - Uses
Inversion is the grammatical structure where the normal French word order subject + verb is inverted to verb + subject and joined by a hyphen. You probably know that inversion is commonly used in asking questions, but there are a number of other uses as well.

Invitations
There are a number of different ways to extend, accept, and refuse invitations in French, both formally and informally.

IO - French Pronunciation
Lessons on French pronunciation: the letters IO

IPA - International Phonetic Alphabet
The International Phonetic Alphabet, or IPA, is a standardized alphabet for phonetic notation: a comprehensive set of symbols and diacritical marks used to transcribe the speech sounds of all languages in a uniform fashion. The most common uses of the International Phonetic Alphabet are in linguistics and dictionaries.

Irregular -ER verbs
There are a lot of French verbs that end in -ER and there are a lot of irregular French verbs, but there is only one irregular -ER verb. However, there are three groups of -ER verbs that have some irregularities.

Irregular -IR Verbs
Learn how to conjugate the different kinds of irregular -ir French verbs.

Irregular -IR Verbs - Test
Test on conjugating the different kinds of irregular -ir French verbs.

Irregular -RE Verbs
Learn to conjugate dozens of irregular -RE French verbs by recognizing and memorizing the patterns.

Irregular -RE Verbs - Test
Test yourself on irregular -RE French verbs.

-IR Verbs
-IR verbs are the second most common category of regular French verbs. Once you've learned the rules of conjugation for them, you'll have no problem conjugating dozens of common verbs.

Islam in Morocco
A look at Islam in Morocco

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