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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.
updated 04 June 2009
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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).
Game
Index
List of games to practice your beginning French.
Games - Jeux français
Games and other
fun stuff for French speakers and students
La gauche en France
The French political left is going through some hard times. Learn more about the
past, present, and future of the French Socialist party in this listening
comprehension exercise.
Geneva,
Nyon, Vevay - Switzerland
I recently spent
a couple of days in Geneva, Nyon, and Vevay, Switzerland - read about
my adventures.
Gender
What is gender? How is it used? This index of gender lessons covers
everything related to grammatical gender.
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
Governmental
Organizations
French and
francophone governmental organizations
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.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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.
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.
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 Decide Between Tu and Vous
A simple how to
on figuring out whether to use tu or vous in French.
How
To Get Started Learning French
A simple how to
lesson on getting started in French. These tips and links are helpful
to anyone interested in learning French.
How
to improve your French accent
How can I improve
my French accent?
How
To Introduce Yourself in French
A simple how to
lesson on introducing yourself in French.
How
to learn French
What should I do
once I've seriously decided to learn French?
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 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
A simple how to
on telling time in French, from your About guide to the French
language
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.
Hyphens and m-dashes are important in both English and French, but they are considerably more common in the latter. This lesson explains when, why, and how to use hyphens and m-dashes in French.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
I - French Pronunciation
Lessons on French
pronunciation: the letter I
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.
What's wrong with saying il m'a dit de ne bouger pas? 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 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 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
Lessons on French
pronunciation: French nasal vowels - IN
Incremental
Lessons
Multi-lesson
sites that incorporate two or more kinds of French lessons; e.g.,
pronunciation, grammar, verbs.
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
In French, à plus a person can usually be replaced by an indirect object pronoun that gets placed in front of the verb (e.g., Il me parle). However, a few French verbs and expressions do not allow a preceding indirect object pronoun - instead, they require that you keep the preposition after the verb, and follow it with a stressed pronoun.
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.
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
