Let's Listen
Get ready to add a few more common words to your vocabulary. These words will be help you expand your conversational skills, and they will also allow you to read some short stories in French. Reading in French will introduce you to new vocabulary in context. And hopefully you will have some fun, too. Review the new high frequency words below. Click the audio button to hear them in the order they appear on the list.
| More Common French Vocabulary | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| dit | says | ||
| veut | wants | ||
| donne | gives | ||
| Il y a | There is or There are | ||
| ne…pas | do not | ||
| un garçon | a boy | ||
| une fille | a girl | ||
The first three words, dit, veut, and donne, are verbs; we can use them in sentences with il and elle.
Hint:
Remember that verbs change a bit with different subjects, like je or tu, but you still might recognize them when you see them.
Let's Practice...
Look closely at the sentences using these three verbs. Can you figure out what they mean.? Click the audio buttons to hear how the sentences sound, especially because there are lots of silent letters in French.
Elle dit: Bonjour!
Il veut un dollar.
Elle donne un chocolat.
| Your Responses | Sample Answers |
|---|---|
| She says “hello.” | |
| He wants a dollar. | |
| She gives a chocolat. | |
The expression Il y a is made up of three separate words, but these words work together to mean there is or there are. Here is an example.
For example:
Il y a un garçon
There is a boy.
The words ne and pas go before and after a verb to make the meaning negative. Here are a few examples. Can you tell the meaning of these phrases?
For example:
Elle n’a pas de cousin.
Il ne veut pas de chocolat.
She does not have a cousin.
He does not want chocolate.
Practice some more with these new words by completing the matching activity below.
Now, you are ready for the practice activities on the next slide. Bonne chance!
Question
How do you say there are in French?
Il y a
