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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 30 August 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
Q - French Pronunciation
Lessons on French
pronunciation: the letter Q
Quand,
Lorsque, Lors de, Pendant
Learn the
difference between the French words quand, lorsque, lors de, and
pendant.
Quand,
Lorsque, Lors de, Pendant - Test
Test on French words quand, lorsque, lors de, and
pendant.
Quand même
What does the French expression quand même mean? Learn all about it here.
Quand on parle du loup
What does the expression quand on parle du loup mean? Learn all about
it here.
Quantities, Weights, + Measures in French
Learn how to talk about quantities so that you can go shopping
and follow recipes in French.
Quatre à quatre
What does the French expression quatre à quatre mean? Learn all about it here.
All about Que
The French word que, which contracts to qu' in front of a
vowel or mute h, has numerous uses and meanings. This lesson includes links
to detailed information on each use of que.
Que - French Conjunction
When the French word que is used as a conjunction, it is usually equivalent to "that,"
but can also have other meanings such as "whether" and "when."
Que dalle !
What does the idiomatic French expression que dalle !
mean? Learn all about it here.
"Que livre," "Quoi livre"
What's wrong with saying que livre or quoi livre to mean "what
book"? Learn about this French mistake.
Quelle mouche t'a piqué ?
What does the French expression quelle mouche t'a piqué mean? Learn all about it here.
Quelque
Quelque is an indefinite adjective and adverb that is found in numerous
indefinite terms and expressions.
Questions - French Questions
How hard can it
be to ask questions in French?
Questions - Test
How hard can it
be to ask questions in French? Test yourself.
La question ne se pose pas
What does the French expression la question ne se pose pas mean? Learn all about it here.
Quiconque
Quiconque is a formal French word, found mainly in formal registers such as law and other
administrative jargons. It can be an indefinite relative pronoun or an indefinite pronoun.
Qui vs Que: Interrogative Pronouns
Qui and Que as
interrogative pronouns.
Quiz
on Dates
Are you a history
buff? Take this quiz on important dates in francophone
history.
Quiz of the Day
Take a different French quiz every day.
Quote of the Day - Great French and Francophone Thinkers
Daily words of
wisdom from great French and francophone thinkers, in French and
English
Quizzes
Quizzes on a range of francophone subjects
Quiz: Confusing French Pairs
How well do you understand the difference between confusing French pairs like savoir/connaître,
tu/vous, and passé
composé/imparfait? This automatic-scoring quiz will ask up to 200 questions on 20 different confusing
French topics to help you pinpoint your most common mistakes.
"Quoi livre," "Que livre"
What's wrong with saying quoi livre or que livre to mean "what
book"? Learn about this French mistake.
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
R - French Pronunciation
Lessons on French
pronunciation: the letter R
Raconter
- Expressions
The French verb raconter, to tell, is used in a number of idiomatic expressions.
Learn how to talk about telling lies, telling one's life story, talking on and
on, and more with this lesson.
Raconter des salades
What does the French expression raconter des salades mean? Learn all about it here.
Radio français et francophone - French & Francophone Radio
Listen to news
and music from francophone countries
Ramadan
in Morocco
Although Muslims practice Islam in various ways every day, the holy month of
Ramadan is an especially religious time. One of the pillars of Islam is
fasting during Ramadan. During daylight hours for this entire month, Muslims
must voluntarily abstain from indulging in physical desire, which includes
eating, drinking, smoking, and having sex. Learn more about this holiest of
holy months, as celebrated in Morocco.
Rappeler
Conjugations for the French verb rappeler (and other verbs that end in
-eler)
Re- French Prefix
The French prefix re- can be added to hundreds if not thousands
of verbs to make new
verbs. Depending on the first letter of the word it's added to, re- may
change to ré-, res-, or r-.
Read a French Menu, How to
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.
Reading
Activities and
resources to work on your French reading skills, as well as criteria
used by various agencies to determine French
proficiency.
Reading Comprehension
Three reading comprehension exercises for intermediates and four aimed at
intermediate/advanced French speakers. Each one has an article to read,
a study guide with vocabulary and grammar, and a quiz.
Reading Skills
Links to various
organizations' criteria for the determination of French reading skill
level.
Reasons
for Applying - Lettres d'emploi - French Job Letters
Tips and formulas
for writing commercial correspondence. French job applications require
very formal language - find it here!
Recevoir
Conjugations for the French verb recevoir
Reciprocal Verbs
What on earth are reciprocal verbs and why do they need a pronoun? Find out with this
French lesson and quiz.
Reference Software
French reference software: dictionaries
Reflexive Pronouns
What on earth are
pronominal verbs and why do they need a pronoun? Find out with this
French lesson and quiz.
Reflexive Verbs
What on earth are
reflexive verbs and why do they need a pronoun? Find out with this
French lesson and quiz.
Regional French Dialects - Listening Comprehension
Take a listen to this 15-minute sound file about regional French
dialects (Le français des régions) broken into four parts and
developed into listening comprehension exercises.
Register
Register refers to the level of formality of a given word, expression,
grammatical structure, gesture, or means of pronunciation. In French, there are
six registers.
Les
Règles d'écriture
The rules of
writing in French - the description of each rule breaks the very rule
it is describing.
Regret - Lettres commerciales - French Business Letters
Tips and formulas
for writing commercial correspondence. French job applications require
very formal language - find it here!
Regular
-ER Verbs
Learn how to
conjugate regular -er French verbs
Regular
-ER Verbs - Test
Test yourself on
regular -er verbs
Regular -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.
Regular
-IR Verbs - Test
Test on
conjugating regular -ir verbs
Regular -RE Verbs
-RE verbs are the third, smallest, and final category of regular French verbs. Study these conjugations
in order to conjugate all regular -RE verbs.
Regular
-RE Verbs - Test
Learn to
conjugate regular -RE verbs
Relative Adjectives - Adjectifs relatifs
Relative adjectives are placed in front of nouns to indicate a link between
that noun and an antecedent. In both English and French, relative
adjectives are used mainly in legal, administrative, or other highly-formal language.
Relative Pronouns
Lesson and quiz
on French relative pronouns
Relative Pronouns - Test
Test your
knowledge of French relative pronouns
Rendre
- Retourner - Renvoyer - Rembourser - Transitive French Verbs
Learn the
difference between the transitive French verbs that mean to return:
rendre, retourner, renvoyer, and rembourser.
Rendre
- Expressions
The verb rendre has many meanings on its own, and is also used in a number of
idiomatic expressions which must be memorized.
Renting a Car ~ Louer une voiture
Take a look at this page for some French vocabulary and phrases that will come in useful
when renting a car.
Repeating auxiliary verbs
When using more than one verb in the passé composé or another
compound tense, you can - but don't always have to - repeat the auxiliary
verb in front of each past participle. Whether you have to repeat the
auxiliary depends on whether the main verbs take the same auxiliary verb.
Requests - Lettres commerciales - French Business Letters
Tips and formulas
for writing commercial correspondence. French job applications require
very formal language - find it here!
Resolutions for the New Year
Another new year is upon us - take advantage of this annual fresh start to make a New Year's resolution
(une bonne résolution de nouvel an) regarding your French learning.
Au restaurant ~ At the
Restaurant
Beginning-level French dialogue between a waiter and customer.
Restaurant Vocabulary - French for
Beginners
Terms and phrases useful in French restaurants.
Restaurants in Paris
In February 2006, some friends and I spent four days eating our way around Paris. Here are the restaurants we liked.
Résumés - Le CV français
When applying for a job in a French-speaking country, your résumé needs to
be in French, which is more than a matter of translation. Aside from the obvious
language difference, certain information that may not be required on résumés
in your country is required in France. This article explains the basic
requirements and formats of
French résumés, and includes several samples to help you get started.
Retourner
- Rentrer - Rendre - Revenir - Renvoyer - Rembourser - Rapporter - To
Return in French
Learn the
difference between all of the different French verbs that mean to
return: retourner, rentrer, rendre, revenir, renvoyer, rapporter, and
rembourser.
Retourner
- Rentrer - Rendre - Revenir - Renvoyer - Rembourser - Test
Learn the
difference between all of the different French verbs that mean to
return: retourner, rentrer, rendre, revenir, renvoyer, and
rembourser.
Retourner
- Rentrer - Revenir - Intransitive French Verbs
Learn the
difference between the intransitive French verbs that mean to return:
retourner, rentrer, and revenir.
-RE Verbs
-RE verbs are the third, smallest, and final category of regular French verbs. Study these conjugations
in order to conjugate all regular -RE verbs.
La Révolte des Accents is a fictional tale about a problem that's all too real: the disappearance of accents in written French. Learn about this wonderful book, its author, and his linguistic crusade in this listening comprehension exercise.
Rhythm - French Pronunciation
The musicality of the French language is due to its rhythm, particularly the
lack of stressed syllables. Learn about the prosody of French, how it differs
from English, and more about French pronunciation.
Riots in France
On 27 October 2005, riots began in a Parisian suburb and quickly spread across
France and even to neighboring countries. In this three-part discussion, a
reporter discusses the riots with two neighborhood elders in Clichy-sous-Bois
who are trying to calm down the situation.
Rire
Conjugations for the French verb rire
Robe des champs
What does the French expression en robe des champs mean? Learn all about it here.
Roman numerals in French
Roman numerals are used quite often in French, as both cardinal
numbers and ordinal numbers. They are commonly used to express dates, time periods, events, and
more.
Romantic
Movies
Well, they say French is the
language of love, so what better language to watch romantic movies in? Here are
some that I've loved and I think you and your significant other will too.
Rouen,
France
I recently spent
a couple of days near Rouen - read about my adventures.
Rouler - Expressions
Rouler literally means to roll, to wheel along, or to con, and is also used in a number of idiomatic expressions.
Learn how to talk about rolling on the ground laughing, rolling out dough, getting swindled, going 80 km per hour,
and more useful expressions with this lesson.
The Rude French
Dispelling the
rumors - are the French as rude as everyone says?
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
S - French Pronunciation
Lessons on French
pronunciation: the letter S
Salutations - Lettres d'emploi - French Job Letters
When writing a French business letter,
choose your salutation carefully.
Sample
French Business Letter - Corréspondence commerciale
An example of a
French business letter, with links to the various formulas
needed.
Sans
Learn about the
French preposition sans
Sans - Expressions
The French preposition sans literally means without and is also used in a number of expressions.
Santa Barbara French
Festival
Join the fun at the largest Bastille Day celebration in the Western United States held
on 17-18 July 2004 Santa Barbara, California. Admission is free and over 20,000
people are expected to attend.
Sarkozy for President
Nicolas Sarkozy is one of the front-runners in the 2007 French presidential election.
Learn about his platform and pro-American stance in this listening comprehension exercise from Champs-Élysées audiomagazine (read my review).
Sauver la mise
What does the idiomatic French expression sauver la mise mean? Learn all about it here.
Savoir
Conjugations for the French verb savoir
Savoir
vs Connaitre - French Verbs To Know
What's the
difference between the French verbs savoir and
connaitre?
Savoir
vs Connaître - Test
What's the
difference between the French verbs savoir and connaître?
Savoir - All About Savoir
The verb savoir has several different meanings, depending mainly on the tense
it is conjugated into. This lesson explains the various uses and meanings
of this common French verb.
Savoir - French Expressions
The French verb savoir means "to know," and is used in many idiomatic French expressions.
SC - French Pronunciation
Lessons on French
pronunciation: the letters SC
Schools
If you want to
get serious about studying French, you should take a class. This list
is by no means exhaustive, but it can certainly get you started on
your search for great French classes.
School Systems
A comparison of the French, Canadian, and
American school systems.
School Vocabulary
For beginners, with sound files.
Scrapbook Project
Language classes are as fun or as boring as the teacher and students make them.
Here is one idea for an interesting project for your students or for independent-study students looking to spice up their self-instruction. While this project is best suited for a long-term activity to be turned in at the end of the year, it can also be adapted for less time - whatever fits your schedule.
Screensavers
My Christmas present to you! Five screensavers related to Moroccan culture or
French.
Se
Se is one of the most often misused French pronouns. It
can only be used in two kinds of constructions, so check out this lesson
to get "unconfused." :-)
Search this Site!
Not finding what you need? Try searching
the About the French Language site.
Se Faire - Expressions
Expressions with
the French verb se faire
Ségolène Royal - présidente ?
Ségolène Royal is a socialist and is working hard to become France's first
female president. Learn about her platform and her struggle in this discussion from
LaGuinguette
audio magazine.
Self-study checklist
A checklist of the French for beginners
lessons.
Une Semaine à Paris
Une Semaine à Paris is a bilingual audio book and travel guide to Paris. Each
chapter includes a French dialogue, English translation, and related travel
tips, and the entire dialogue is pronounced in French on three audio CDs. Read
my review of this combination travel guide and bilingual audio book.
Semantics
Links to
everything you ever wanted to know about French
semantics
Sembler
Sembler is a very common and useful French verb. It is a regular -ER
verb, can be personal or impersonal, and may be followed by the subjunctive.
Semi-Auxiliary Verbs
In addition to the auxiliary verbs avoir and être, French has a number of
semi-auxiliary verbs. Semi-auxiliary verbs are conjugated in order to express various nuances of
time, mood, or aspect and are followed by an infinitive.
Senses
Learn French words and verbs related to the five senses, as well as some
French vocabulary related to the sixth sense.
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.
Sentences - Warm-up Activity
Building sentences is French class filler or warm-up activity. Students practice verb conjugations
or word order by putting together words or sentences on individual index cards.
Sentir
Conjugations for the French verb sentir
Sequence of Tenses
When speaking French, it is important to use the
correct sequence of tenses. In complex sentences, there is a relationship
between the verb in the main clause and the verb in the subordinate clause.
Using the correct sequence of tenses is just as important as conjugating the
verbs correctly and using the appropriate mood.
Servir
Conjugations for the French verb servir
Shopping - French for Beginners
French for
beginners: travel vocabulary - shopping
Si
The French word si can be an adverb or a conjunction. Either way,
si has several meanings and is used in numerous French
constructions.
Si
Clauses - French if / then clauses
Learn all about
French si clauses.
Si Clauses - Impossible/Hypothetical
Situations
The pluperfect/conditional perfect construction
Si Clauses - Likely Situations
The present tense constructions
Si Clauses - Unlikely Situations
The imperfect/conditional construction
Si
Clauses - French if / then clauses - Test
Test on si clauses
Si ce n'est pas indiscret
What does the French expression si ce n'est pas indiscret mean? Learn all about it here.
Si tu veux
The French expression si tu veux can mean more than just "if you
want." Learn all about it here.
"Si vous voudriez"
What's wrong with this? Learn about this French mistake.
Simple Past - Passé simple
The passé simple is the literary equivalent of the passé composé, used only in formal writing
and speech. Although you will probably never need to actually use the passé simple, it is
important and easy to recognize it. Take a look at this lesson for passé simple
conjugations of regular and irregular verbs.
Simone de Beauvoir
Simone de Beauvoir was one of France's most beloved authors and an early French
feminist. Learn about her life and work in this listening comprehension exercise from
Champs-Élysées audiomagazine (read my review).
La Simplification de la langue française
L'Académie française, the prestigious organization which regulates the French
language, shocked Francophones around the world with its announcement of
wide-sweeping changes to make French « plus facile et moins agaçant » (easier
and less aggravating).
Singular French Nouns
In both French and English, many nouns can be singular or plural: un homme
(one man), deux hommes (two men), la chaise (the chair), les chaises (the
chairs). But there are quite a few French nouns that can only be singular,
including abstractions, matter, and sciences.
Singulars and Plurals
Nouns are not always singular in both French and English. Here is a list of words that are
singular or uncountable in English but plural or countable in French.
Slang
More than 70 words and expressions ranging from informal to
vulgar. Each word has a definition, sample sentences, and related words, and
most also include a pronunciation guide and sound file.
Slang
and Colloquial French
The French you learn in the
classroom is not the same as what you'll hear on the street or in the
news. While
it is essential to master correct, formal French, it is
equally important to be able to understand and use slang and colloquial
expressions before you can
call yourself fluent. These resources teach you what very few teachers ever
dared: real French, as spoken between friends and enemies.
Slang Dictionaries
French slang
dictionaries
Soccer and the World Cup
On Sunday, 9 July, France faced Italy in the 2006 World Cup Final. Here is a
list of French vocabulary related to soccer and the World Cup. Allez les Bleus !
Sociolinguistics
Learn all about
French sociolinguistics
Software
Learn French with interactive, audio-visual software
Soi
Soi is another oft-confused French pronoun. It is used only for unspecified
persons. Need more info? See the lesson!
Soir vs
Soirée, An vs Année, Jour vs Journée, Matin vs Matinée
There are two
French words for year (an, année), day (jour, journée), morning
(matin, matinée), and evening (soir, soirée). This lesson will teach
you how to tell these confusing pairs apart.
Sonner - Expressions
The verb sonner literally means to ring and is used in a
number of idiomatic expressions which must be memorized. Learn how to talk about
ringing bells, ringing ears, ringing hollow, and more with this lesson.
Sortir
Sortir is one of the most common French verbs. It is irregular in conjugation
and may require either être or avoir in the compound tenses, depending on
whether it means "to go out" or "to take out."
Souffrir
Conjugations for the French verb souffrir
South Acadia defined
What is Acadie du
sud / South Acadia?
Spanish is Easier than French... Not!
There is a common myth among English speakers that Spanish is much easier to learn than French. When asked for
more information, perpetrators of this urban legend invariably mention how difficult
French pronunciation and spelling are, in comparison to Spanish. While there is
some truth to this, there are also things in Spanish that are more difficult
than French. This article is a detailed comparison of the two languages so that
you can decide for yourself if one of them is more difficult.
Speaking
Activities and
resources to work on your French speaking skills, as well as criteria
used by various agencies to determine French
proficiency.
Speaking Skills
Criteria for
determining your level of French speaking proficiency.
Specialized French Dictionaries
French dictionaries on medicine, science, law, and more.
Special forms of adjectives
Since French adjectives usually have to agree with the nouns they modify in
gender and number, most of them have up to four forms. But there are several
French adjectives that have an additional variation: a special form that is used
when the adjective precedes a word that begins with a vowel or mute H.
Special Occasions
Learn how to say (and sing) happy birthday in French, and other French vocabulary for special
occasions.
Special Uses of the
Subjunctive
Although the French subjunctive is most often used in subordinate
clauses, it
can also be used in main or independent clauses, with or without que. Take a
look at these special uses of the subjunctive mood.
Specific Verb Lessons
Lessons on specific French verbs: aller, manquer, venir, etc.
Spelling
I know, I know -
spelling is boring! But if you plan to write in French, you'll want to
work on it, so you might as well give these hand-picked French
spelling lessons a try.
Spelling-change verbs
There are two groups of French -ER verbs that have spelling changes
in certain conjugations due to the hard/soft vowel phenomenon. I call these spelling-change verbs,
and you can learn about their changes in all tenses with this lesson.
Spelling Tricks
A table of common spelling equivalents between French and English that will
help your vocabulary to grow by leaps and bounds by teaching you to recognize
and spell French cognates.
Sports
Links to and
vocabulary for a few of the many sports enjoyed in francophone
countries.
Sports Quiz
How much do you know about sports in francophone countries? Find out with this
short quiz.
Sports Vocabulary in French
Sports vocabulary: French to English
Sports
Vocabulary in French - English to French
Sports Vocabulary
Stem-Changing Verbs
French -ER verbs that take regular endings but have two different radicals.
Stem-Changing
Verbs - Test
Test on French
Stem-Changing Verbs
The Story of French
The Story of French is a definitive analysis of French as it is spoken around the
world. An in-depth, compelling, and above all affectionate look at the language of love, The
Story of French is required reading for all Francophiles.
Street French Slang Dictionary
& Thesaurus
A review of David Burke's book Street French.
Stressed Pronouns
Learn to use
stressed pronouns in French
Stressed Pronouns - Test
Test on French
stressed pronouns
Student
Personality Quiz
Take this quiz to find out your French student personality! Discover whether
your study habits are worthy of an A, B, C, or even, gasp, a D.
Study Tips
A guideline for you to follow in order to get the most out of your French
studies.
Subject Pronouns
French for
beginners: subject pronouns
Subjunctive
Students of French tend to agree that the subjunctive is the most difficult
French verb form, which is why I have over a dozen pages of lessons and info on
the French subjunctive to help you learn all about it. While this is good for
your French learning, it can make it more difficult for you to find the lesson
you need - here is a simple index that can help.
Subjunctive - Avoiding it
The subjunctive is a fairly difficult verb mood for many students of French.
Between the conjugations and deciding when to use it, the subjunctive can be
very tricky. Although the subjunctive is commonly used in French, there are
numerous ways to avoid it.
Subjunctive - Irregular Verbs
Master the ever
tricky French subjunctive - forms of irregular verbs.
Subjunctive - Irregular verbs - Test
Test yourself on the subjunctive conjugations of irregular verbs.
Subjunctive - Regular Verbs
Master the ever
tricky French subjunctive - forms of regular verbs
Subjonctive - Regular verbs - Test
Test yourself on the subjunctive conjugations of rregular verbs.
Subjunctive - Usage
Master the ever
tricky French subjunctive - using the subjunctive.
Subjunctive - Usage - Test
Test yourself on
the ever tricky French subjunctive
Subjunctivator
An interactive tool that helps to improve your knowledge of which French verbs and expressions take the subjunctive.
Subordinating
Conjunctions
Learn about French subordinating conjunctions.
Suffixes
Learn about -et, -ée, and more French suffixes.
Suivre
Conjugations for the French verb suivre
Superlatives and Comparatives
Clear explanations,
detailed descriptions, and lots of examples - I consider it one of the
best explanations of French comparatives and superlatives that exist. :-)
Sur
Learn about the
French preposition sur
Sur - Expressions
Expressions with
the French preposition sur
Sur le vif Audio Books
The publisher of the online audio magazine La Guinguette has launched a
new series of intermediate/advanced French audiobooks about contemporary French
called Sur le vif (Real Life). The first three are reviewed here.
Surprise - Lettres commerciales - French Business Letters
Tips and formulas
for writing commercial correspondence. French job applications require
very formal language - find it here!
Symbols
A quick reference guide to the names of French symbols and
punctuation marks, including ! ? « » * & dozens more.
Synonyms for bon
If you want to make your French sound more, well, French, one place to start is
with your vocabulary. In French classes, you tend to learn the most common,
basic terms. Bon is one such example, but there are numerous synonyms to
choose between, in both normal and informal registers. Take a look at this
lesson to learn some different ways to say "good."
Synonyms for non
Saying no is pretty simple, but there are quite a few synonyms and precisions to be
aware of. Check out this lesson to learn how to say no, not a chance, I don't think so,
and more.
Synonyms for oui
Saying yes is pretty simple, but there are quite a few synonyms and precisions to be aware of. Check
out this lesson to learn how to say yes, yeah, sure, and more.
Synonyms for petit
The adjective petit is a very common
French word that can be
replaced by any number of
synonyms. Take a look
at this lesson to learn some different ways to say "small" and
"short," and be sure
to note the different nuances.
Synonymns for très
The adverb très is a very common word that can be
replaced by any of a number of
synonyms, in both normal and informal registers. Take a look
at this lesson to learn some different ways to say "very," and be sure
to note the differences in intensity.
Syntax
Learn all about
French syntax
