Articles about French
460+ articles on French language topics!
lequel, auquel, duquel
These compound relative pronouns provide precision in French, particularly when referring to nouns with prepositions. They agree in gender and number with their antecedents and are essential for formal, written French. 1. Lequel / Laquelle / Lesquels / Lesquelles (Which,…
Auxiliary verbs
French auxiliary verbs, also known as helper verbs, are used alongside main verbs to express tense, mood, or voice. Some of the most common auxiliary verbs in French include aller, vouloir, devoir, savoir, and pouvoir. These verbs modify the meaning…
Demonstrative pronouns
Demonstrative pronouns in French—celui, celle, ceux, celles—replace specific nouns while indicating gender and number. They correspond to English pronouns like “this one,” “that one,” “these,” and “those.” Unlike demonstrative adjectives (which modify nouns), demonstrative pronouns stand alone, referring to something…
demonstrative adjectives
French demonstrative adjectives (ce, cet, cette, ces) are used to point out specific nouns and must agree in gender and number. Here’s how they work: 1. Masculine Singular: ce / cet 2. Feminine Singular: cette 3. Plural (Both Genders): ces…
que vs ce que
In French, the words que and ce que both translate to “that” or “what” in English, but they function differently in sentences. 1. “Que” as a Relative Pronoun Que is a relative pronoun that refers to a previously mentioned noun…
qui vs ce qui
In French, the words qui and ce qui both translate to “who” or “which” in English, but they serve different grammatical purposes. Qui tends to mean “who” or “which,” while ce qui tends to mean “what” or “that which.” 1….
en meanings
The French word “en” is a versatile preposition and pronoun with multiple meanings. Here we examine several of its most important meanings. 1. “In” or “To” a Feminine Country/Region/Continent When referring to locations, “en” means “in” or “to” with feminine…
avoiding il faut que
Many French speakers rely heavily on “il faut que” (which requires the subjunctive) to express necessity. Learn four other ways to express necessity, obligation, and needs in French, without struggling with the subjunctive mood. 1. The Simplest Alternative: “Il faut…
être en train de
In French, there is no direct equivalent to the English present continuous (“I am eating”) or past continuous (“I was eating”). Instead, French speakers use the construction “être en train de” + infinitive to emphasize that an action is (or…
six and dix
In French, the numbers six (6) and dix (10) have pronunciation patterns that often confuse learners. Depending on context, these words can be pronounced with three different sounds: The pronunciation changes depending on: 1. Pronouncing Six and Dix with an…
Accents on letters
Accented letters in French are essential for correct pronunciation and often carry historical significance. The five main diacritical marks in French are the acute accent (é), grave accent (è), circumflex (ê), tréma (ë), and cedilla (ç). Each affects pronunciation, and…
imperative mood
The imperative mood in French is used to give commands, make requests, or offer advice. It is only conjugated in the second-person singular (tu), first-person plural (nous), and second-person plural (vous). A key distinction exists between affirmative (eg, Do something)…
reflexive verbs imperative
The imperative mood in French is used to give commands, make requests, or offer advice. When using reflexive verbs (verbes pronominaux) in the imperative, the word order and placement of reflexive pronouns change depending on whether the command is affirmative…
adjective position
In French, most adjectives come after the noun they describe. But some common adjectives come before the noun. How do you know which is which? A good way to remember is with the BAGS rule. 🔤 Most Adjectives Come After…
object pronoun position in passé composé
In French, when a sentence uses the passé composé (the past tense formed with avoir or être), object pronouns still come before the verb. The verb in the passé composé includes both the auxiliary verb (avoir or être) and the…
cours vs corps
One of the classic pronunciation pitfalls for French learners is the word “cours” (as in un cours de français)—which is often confused with “corps” (as in le corps humain). Although these words are spelled similarly, they sound quite different in…
adjective + de + infinitive
In French, when an adjective is followed by an infinitive verb, the preposition de is frequently placed between them. This structure creates a direct relationship between the quality expressed by the adjective and the action denoted by the verb. Unlike…
noun + de + infinitive
In French, when a noun is followed by an infinitive verb, the preposition de is placed between them. Examples Key Observations