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Yes, you really CAN learn French easily
French Online Courses, French Vocabulary

Yes, you really CAN learn French easily

by Amelie Hurford
December 27, 2016

French is a difficult language, but once you get to know the most common and useful verbs, it becomes a real piece of cake to master the basics!

You can Learn French Quickly and Easily. One of these verbs is the verb… POUVOIR.

The verb ”POUVOIR” is used a lot in French and can be translated in English by:

  • to be able to
  • to can
  • to be allowed to
  • to manage to

The particularity with this verb is that is it an irregular (which means tricky conjugation), but above all: it is a powerful verb!

It will make you able to say what you can do and to ask someone to do something for you!

Asking someone to do something:

Peux-tu faire les courses? -> Can you do the grocery shopping?

Pouvez-vous me donner le pain? -> Can you give me the bread?

Saying what you can/cannot do:

Je peux vous aider. -> I can help you.

Ma soeur peut t’apprendre le francais. -> My

sister can learn to you French.

Ma fille ne peut pas sortir ce soir. -> My daugher cannot go out tonight.

Then, the verb POUVOIR is also present in a few French expressions, check these ones:

Je n’en peux plus. -> I can’t do it anymore.

Je n’y peux rien. -> It’s not my fault.

Once you get the verb POUVOIR in mind, it becomes really easy to build basic but powerful sentences! Leave us a comment using this verb 🙂

If you want to know more about how to create easy and useful French sentences? We have a

large range of options for you available at French Lessons Australia!

To learn LEARN FRENCH easily contact us at info@french-lessons-australia.com to get more information or enroll now online or at one of our classes!

The passé composé with the verb “être”
French Grammar, French Vocabulary

The passé composé with the verb “être”

by Amelie Hurford
December 22, 2016

The ”passé composé” is the present perfect tense. This tense is used a lot in French to describe a situation that happened in the past at a definite time but that still has a meaning for today…

Seems very theoretical, but really, it is not as you will see soon with French Lessons Australia!

 

When to use it?

The passé composé is the usual tense for events and incidents that happened in a close past. Unlike the English present perfect, the passé composé is used very often by French people.

Sometime indicators can be used in addition to strengthen this relation between past and present! For instance: hier (yesterday), l’autre jour (the other day), samedi passé (last Saturday), plusieurs fois (several times), l’année passée (last year), … As you can see, it is not necessary to be very recent to use the passé composé. As soon as the information is still relevant with today, the passé composé is appropriate.

Obviously, the passé composé is not the only past tense used in French. The imperfect tense and the past simple tense are also used as we will see in another post on French Lessons Sydney. However, the passé composé is one of the predominant tense in everyday’s language!

How to use it?

The passé composé is, as its name suggests, a compound tense. Which means that it can be compounded with either the auxiliary  ‘être’ or ‘avoir’, followed by the past participle of the verb. The passé composé of a limited group of verbs is formed with the auxiliary ‘être’, and usually express a change of position.

The passé composé with the verb “être”

The conjugation of the auxiliary ‘être’ looks like this:

Je suis

Tu es

Il/Elle est

Nous sommes

Vous êtes

Ils/Elles sont         

Once you have put your auxiliary with your past participle, there is a rule you need to know: the past participle always agrees with the subject in gender and number.

That seems a bit complicated but basically it means that if the subject of your sentence is feminine you add an ‘e’ at the end of the past participle. If your subject is plural (more than one subject), you add an ‘s’.

Example: You are a group of girls and explain to your friend that you went to the beach yesterday. You will say “Nous sommes allées a la mer hier”. If you were a group of men, you would say “Nous sommes allés a la mer hier”.

If you want to learn more about French tenses, or just to know more about French in general and what we do at French Lessons Australia, don’t hesitate to contact us at info@french-lessons-australia.com

The old secrets of authentic Colmar and Strasbourg
French Online Courses, French Vocabulary

The old secrets of authentic Colmar and Strasbourg

by Amelie Hurford
December 21, 2016

Colmar is probably not the most known city in France, but it is for sure one of the loveliest!

What does this place look like? And why should you definitely see it?

Besides this city, another, bigger, called Strasbourg is also a must-see for its similar medieval architecture, but also for its European importance… At French Lessons Brisbane, we will give you 5 good reasons to visit these 2 beautiful places!

Colmar Medieval towns

Colmar is situated in the Alsace region, in the North East of France, close to the German border. Well-known for its wines and its lovely streets that makes you feel like you were walking 500 years ago, Colmar is one of these cities that remain in your memory.

There are still houses that have been built during the Middles Ages, and many places such as a monastery make Colmar a cultural and historical town to visit.

A good climate

Colmar is also known for its charming climate. Indeed, it is one of the driest cities in France, and its weather in summer is mild and Clement. During the winter, it rarely snows, which is quite surprising regarding its localization on the map!

A long history

Colmar is as you may have understood a pretty old town. The first time we heard about it was during the 9th century. Obviously, multiple wars left traces on the town, but is also what makes its charm… Colmar was the last city to be freed after the Nazi occupation.

Since then, Colmar has focused on its historical beauties. A large part of its historic centre has become a protected sector, and its local musee: the Musee Unterlinden is the most visited provincial one in France!

half-timbered-houses-in-Colmar

 

Siege of the European Parliament

Strasbourg is located in the same region as Colmar but is bigger and popular for political matters as well as it is the official seat of the European Parliament since 1952! Strasbourg is the seat of several European institutions, such as the Council of Europe (with its European Court of Human Rights) and the Eurocorps. The city is also the seat of the International Institute of Human Rights. This political importance for the EU can be explained by its geographical position between the two first European leaders: France and Germany. In fact, Strasbourg has been for centuries the witness of the rivalry (and enmity) opposing these two great powers. Becoming a strategic city for the EU is therefore symbolic as well.

cathedrale strasbourg

 

A World heritage site

Strasbourg’s historic city centre is classed by the UNESCO as a world heritage site! The city’s gothic sandstone cathedral and its astronomic clock does have something magical, and medieval sights are all around the city centre.

Did you enjoy Colmar and Strasbourg? Or would you like to visit them but you would like to first start French? Don’t hesitate anymore longer and contact us at info@french-lessons-australia.com  🙂

Learn French The French word for fitness is Aptitude. French always stay fit and healthy, as they do Exercise for pleasure, do Healthy relaxation and there is No age limit ever to learn anything new.
French Grammar, French Vocabulary

Learn French with Fitness Vocabulary

by Amelie Hurford
December 19, 2016

The French word for fitness is Aptitude. French always stay fit and healthy, as  they do Exercise for pleasure, do Healthy relaxation and there is No age limit ever to learn anything new.

 

This is a country where on one corner, you find a boulangerie with mouth-watering pastries, and on the next, a café where Parisians linger for hours. It’s a place known for rich desserts, baguettes made from refined flour, foie gras, fatty meats, and wine. Yet most inhabitants seem to have little trouble maintaining a healthy weight.

“French women refuse to accept being overweight”

We know how hard it can be to do workout,  when you are learning French.  It’s tricky how words can fail you when you try to tell your personal trainer to “turn off the treadmill.” So, to make your regular visits to the gym that little bit easier we’ve pulled together a few choice words and phrases. Enjoy French Lessons Australia’s vocabulary for workout.

 

  • The body – le corps
  • Flat stomach – un ventre plat
  • Health – la santé
  • Lose weight – perdre du poids
  • Shape – la forme
  • Figure – la silhouette
  • Slimming – minceur
  • Tone up – tonifier
  • Classes – les cours
  • Bums and tums – les abdos-fessiers
  • Personal training – les cours particuliers
  • Dance – la danse
  • Swimming – la notation
  • Weights area – la salle de musculation
  • Weight bench – un banc de musculation
  • Weights – les haltères
  • Cardio theatre – la salle cardio

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Learn French for a culturally amazing Paris experience
French Vocabulary

Learn French for a Culturally Amazing Paris Experience

by Amelie Hurford
December 19, 2016

5 Reasons to Visit Museum D’Orsay

Paris is a beautiful city, thronged by millions of tourists and travelers every year.

The place is full of beautiful experiences that make for a perfect holiday! Numerous historically significant sites, delectable food and wine, adventure, shopping and so much more… Paris offers it all! There are several museums in Paris: each unique and significant! The museum cultural in Paris is very strong and a visit to Paris is incomplete without ‘Museum Hopping’.

The Museum D’Orsay is one such gem of a museum that is an absolute must-see for every traveller in Paris. It is a museum dedicated to impressionism. The building in itself is a masterpiece and housed within are sone of the most particular pieces of art you will ever see! It is home to some of finest works by French and European artists from the 19th and early 20th centuries.

5 reasons that make Museum D’Orsay a must see:

  • Paintings

The Museum houses some of the most beautiful and fascinating paintings by artists from the 19th and early 20th century. Whether you have an eye for art or not, each painting has the power to hold your interest. The paintings represent different and varying subjects, some that were horrifying in those times and some that depict life back then. The surreal use of colours mixed with detailed depiction of objects and people, make these paintings breathtakingly beautiful!

  • Sculptures and Artefacts 

There are numerous sculptures and artefacts by famous artists housed within the museum. These are made using a variety of materials and styles. The sculptures and artefacts have significance in history or social settings of their time. Some of the sculptures are so beautiful and life that one cannot marvel at the artists amazing work.

  • History of Orsay

Orsay was originally a train station and the museum building has gone through many changes. The building and the history behind it are a fascinating element that add to the charm of the place.

  • Impressionism

Impressionism is an age of some of the most beautiful art and art forms that we see today. Art, literature or theatre, the impressionism age has significant elements that draw one’s attention.

  • Architecture

The museum building is fascinating and displays impeccable architecture. A visit to the museum becomes beautiful from the very first moment you lay your eyes on the building. An architectural wonder-inside and out!

Paris is a must on every travellers list and the Museum D’Orsay must be on the itinerary too! When traveling to Paris, taking French lessons may be an added value to your experience. Knowing the local language always helps in understanding things better, easier to travel around the city and one can also read and understand the local fervor better. Check our Online Course for travellers now HERE !

At French Lessons Australia, we offer French lessons that are easy to follow and guarantee great results. Many people have come to us to learn French and mastered the language in a very short span of time.

The verb faire and its expressions
French Online Courses, French Vocabulary

Faire conjugaison verb of this important french verb

by Amelie Hurford
December 14, 2016

The verb faire, is one of the most used verbs in the French language.

You can translate it in English by “to do” or “to make”, but there are also countless expressions using it with a different meaning. Let’s jump on the French Lessons Brisbane train and learn how to understand this word better…

 

To do/to make

While in English, people make a distinction between two types of actions using either “to make” or “to do”, French people make it perhaps more simple and only use one verb: Faire.

For instance, to say that your friend makes you smile, you will say ‘mon ami me fait sourire’. Besides, if you want to say that you do your homework every weekend, then you’ll say ‘je fais mes devoirs tous les week-ends’.

In a general way, everytime you want to translate the verbs to do or to make, you can use the verb faire.

Expressions using ”faire”

French people really like this verb and tend to use it quite a lot. It

would be too long (and possibly too boring) to list here all the expressions using ”faire” so French Lessons Australia  will only provide you here with the most useful ones:

Talking about the weather: whether it is cold or warm outside, French will say ‘Il fait froid’ (it is cold) or ‘Il fait chaud’ (it is warm). If the weather is nice, you can say ‘Il fait bon’ (it is good), and if the weather is bad you can say ‘Il fait mauvais’ (it is bad).

Talking about the chores: various expressions about chores or sport also use the verb ”faire”. Doing the dishes will be translated by ‘faire la vaisselle’. Doing housework will be ‘faire le menage’. Cooking could be translated by ‘cuisiner’ or ”faire la cuisine’ (to do the kitchen, literally). Going out to buy food will be ‘faire les courses’. If you do a sport, you can always use the verb ”faire” as well: ‘faire du sport’. In this way, swimming can either be translated by ‘nager’ or ‘faire de la natation’. Doing some fitness will be ‘faire du fitness’. Doing bicycle will be ‘faire du velo’, etc…

Some random expressions: when you ask someone to pay attention, you will say ”fais attention” to this person. If you hurt yourself, we use the expression ‘se faire mal’, so in this case you will say ‘je me suis fait mal’. Then, you can also express the fact of becoming very rich: ‘faire fortune’. To explain that something doesn’t matter, you can just say ”ca ne fait rien”. And if you trust someone, you can tell him ‘je te fais confiance’.>

How to conjugate the verb ”faire”

Unfortunately, the verb ”faire”, as most of the very used verbs in French, is an irregular verb. That means that you will need to know its conjugation by heart, but don’t worry it’s pretty easy!

Unfortunately, the verb ”faire”, as most of the very used verbs in French, is an irregular verb.

That means that you will need to know its conjugation by heart, but don’t worry it’s pretty easy!

Je fais = I do, make

Tu fais = You do, make

Il/Elle fait = She does, makes

Nous faisons = We do, make

Vous faites = You do, make

Ils/Elles font = They do, make

This post has been provided by French Lessons Australia, don’t hesitate to contact us via email at info@frenchlessons-australia.com.au

French Grammar, French Vocabulary

4 easy fundamental prepositions to indicate great locations

by Amelie Hurford
December 7, 2016

Prepositions are used in both French and English, but according to the context of the sentence, they don’t always have the same meaning or translation.

French Lessons Australia is here to help you out with a specific kind of propositions: the ones that indicate location or direction to or from a place.

 

A preposition shows the relationship of a noun or a pronoun to another word in a sentence.

Today, we will see the most useful ones in French!

 

à

 

Note that this preposition is always used before the name of a city or a person. When it is a country, the rule change as you will see later in this post.

You perhaps also have noticed that the à becomes ”au” in some cases. When the following noun is masculine (and is not the name of a place like Paris), à becomes au. Eg. I do the shopping at the supermarket =>Je fais les courses ausupermarche.  To indicate a time or a direction, à is also used. Examples:

  • Our meeting is at 3pm -> Notre reunion est à 3h de l’apres-midi.
  • It is the first on the right ->C’est la premiere à 

 

de

 

Here, de becomes d’ when a word starting with a vowel follows the preposition. Eg. My boyfriend comes from Australia -> Mon petit amivientd’Australie.

The form ”du” is also possible. It is in fact the contraction of ”de le” (from the) that cannot be said in French. When the place of origin is not a geographical name (eg le bureau, le jardin, le magasin) but is masculine, you will use du. If this is not geographical name but it is feminine, you will say de la. Eg. I come from the bakery -> Je pars de laboulangerie.

De can also be translated by about when it is used with verb ”parler” (to talk). Eg. What are you talking about? ->De quoi parles-tu?

 

 

dans/en

 

When you talk about a country, you can either use the preposition en or au, depending if the country is feminine or masculine. Eg. (1) I am in France -> Je suisen France (feminine name). (2) She is in Canada -> Elle estau Canada. (masculine name)

 

chez

 

That’s it for today, I hope this post was helpful and we hope to hear from you soon at info@frenchlessons-Autralia.com.au

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