Articles about French
720+ articles on French language topics!
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articles – singular
French has two main kinds of singular articles. The indefinite article points to one thing that is not yet known, not yet named, or not important to identify. The definite article points to one thing that is known, specific, already…
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pronunciation of -er verbs in futur simple
Future simple pronunciation in French with -er verbs and the silent e The French future simple tense of most -er verbs is built by adding endings to the full infinitive. On paper, the infinitive stays whole. In speech, though, things…
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mener vs porter
French has two large families of verbs that often cause trouble for learners: verbs built on mener and verbs built on porter. They often look alike because they take the same prefixes such as ap-, em-, ra-, and re-. Yet…
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differently
English uses “differently” in many ways. French does not always use one direct match. The best choice depends on what “differently” means in the sentence. The main French words are: Each has its own use. Différemment Différemment is the most…
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depending on
English uses “depending on” in many ways. It can mean “according to”, “based on”, “if this changes”, or “in relation to”. French does not use one fixed phrase for all these cases. The best choice depends on what follows, and…
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vous êtes, vous faites, vous dites
Most French verbs use the ending -ez with vous in the present tense. Examples: Yet three very common verbs do not follow this pattern: These forms end in -tes instead of -ez. This is not a random quirk of modern…
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nous vs on
French has two common ways to say “we”: Both can mean the same thing in many cases. Yet they do not sound the same. The choice changes the tone, the level of formality, and sometimes the sense of the sentence….
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shortened nouns ending in -o or -os
French speakers shorten long words by cutting off the end and adding o or os.This makes speech faster and more casual.The style started in working-class slang and spread to everyday talk.It works like saying “rhino” for “rhinoceros” in English. Most…
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if + imperfect + present conditional
French often uses a three-part pattern to speak about imagined situations, unreal events, advice, wishes, regrets, and polite requests: si + imperfect, present conditional (si = “if”) This is one of the main ways to say “if this happened, that…
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arriver vs se passer
meanings Arriver means “to happen” or “to occur.” It points to a single event or result.Se passer also means “to happen,” but it focuses on how something unfolds or goes. Arriver can also mean “to arrive” at a place. Se…
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même
The French word même has several jobs. It can be an adjective, an adverb, or part of a compound word. Its core ideas are “same,” “even,” and “self.” Meaning 1: same (adjective) As an adjective, même agrees with the noun…
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avoir envie de
The French phrase avoir envie de means “to want” or “to feel like.” It is common in everyday speech. You use it to express a wish, a need, or a longing for something. Literal meaning The word envie alone means…
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rien à voir
meaning Rien à voir means “nothing to do with” or “not related.”It shows that two things are separate, not connected, or not alike. usage Use it when someone thinks two things are linked but they are not.Use it to change…
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plus & moins
Plus and moins are core words in French. They express more and less, mark comparison, and help form the superlative. They also act as adverbs, pronouns, and nouns in set phrases. Basic meaning With nouns Use de after plus and…
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ça fait un bail
ça fait un bail is a common informal French phrase. It means “it’s been a long time.” It is used to speak about a long gap since an event, or since you last saw someone. core meaning The phrase marks…
