French lessons Melbourne

  • none of your business

    The English expressions “none of your business” and “none of my business” can be translated into French in several ways depending on the level of formality and the tone. French offers both direct, informal equivalents and more polite or neutral alternatives. None of your business The most common informal way to say “none of your…

  • compound colour adjectives

    Most French learners know that adjectives normally agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. For colours, that means changing the ending: But there’s a twist. Sometimes, even if the noun is feminine or plural, the colour adjective stays in its masculine singular form. When colours are invariable: compound adjectives When a colour…

  • present participle

    The French present participle is a verb form ending in -ant. It is less common in French than in English, but it plays an important role in certain contexts. It can be used as a verb, an adjective, or as part of a clause. It is also used after the preposition en to form what…

  • ce qui vs ceux qui

    The difference between ce qui and ceux qui boils down to what they refer to and whether the idea is singular or plural. 1. ce qui Key point: ce qui is neutral and can refer to both concrete and abstract things, but it’s singular in meaning. 2. ceux qui Key point: ceux qui is plural…

  • pas vrai ?

    The French expressions pas vrai and c’est pas vrai are common in everyday speech. They are both used to express surprise, disbelief or doubt. While they literally mean “not true” or “it’s not true,” they are often better translated as “no way,” “really?” or “you’re kidding.” These phrases are informal and frequently heard in spoken…

  • allez !

    The French word “allez !” is the imperative form of the verb aller (to go) in the second-person plural (vous). However, its usage extends far beyond a simple command. It can function as an exhortation, a command, or even a casual farewell, depending on context. As an exhortation “Allez !” is often used to encourage…

  • descendre

    The French verb descendre is a counterpart to monter, primarily meaning “to go down,” “to descend,” or “to get off.” Like monter, it can take either être or avoir in the passé composé, with the choice of auxiliary affecting meaning. It also carries additional contextual meanings. Main meanings of descendre 1. To go down, to…

  • monter

    The French verb monter is a versatile verb with several meanings, primarily “to climb,” “to go up,” or “to mount.” It can also mean “to assemble,” “to set up,” or “to take up” depending on the context. Additionally, its conjugation in the passé composé varies between être and avoir, which changes its meaning slightly. Main…

  • unlikely

    The English word “unlikely” can be translated into French in several ways, depending on context. The most common options are peu probable, improbable, and hasardeux, each with distinct nuances. Other alternatives include invraisemblable and douteux. Peu probable Meaning: Literally “little probable,” this is the most neutral and commonly used translation for “unlikely.” It expresses a…