FrenchTasticPeople.com » prof_frenchtastic http://frenchtasticpeople.com speak French, be Frenchtastic! Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:14:43 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Mastering Two Useful Expressions with the Verb Venir (to come) http://frenchtasticpeople.com/mastering-two-useful-expressions-with-the-verb-venir-to-come/ http://frenchtasticpeople.com/mastering-two-useful-expressions-with-the-verb-venir-to-come/#comments Sat, 24 Jul 2010 23:04:01 +0000 prof_frenchtastic http://frenchtasticpeople.com/?p=2130 Bonjour tout le monde!

In this new – and easy to follow – lesson, I will talk about the verb venir (to come) and how to use it to effectively in various contexts. For example, you can use venir to indicate an origin and you can also use it to talk about actions you [...]]]>

Bonjour tout le monde!

In this new – and easy to follow – lesson, I will talk about the verb venir (to come) and how to use it to effectively in various contexts. For example, you can use venir to indicate an origin and you can also use it to talk about actions you have just completed. But before we start digging deeper, we should take a look at the verb itself and how it is conjugated.

Venir If you don’t know how to spell this audio conjugation, click here.

Now let’s learn 2 very useful French expressions with the verb VENIR:

1- TALKING ABOUT A PLACE OF ORIGIN

For example, you can use venir de (to come from) to talk about somebody’s place of origin:

-          “Mr. Smith vient des Etats-Unis.” (Mr. Smith comes from the United States).
-          “Abou vient du Sénégal.” (Abou comes from Senegal)
-          “Andrea Bocelli vient d’Italie.” (Andrea Bocelli comes from Italy)
-          “D’où viens-tu?” (Where do you come from? or Where are you from?)


2- TALKING ABOUT WHAT YOU’VE JUST DONE

Venir can also be used to talk about actions you have just completed. Just like the examples listed above, we will use venir de, BUT this time, it is followed by a verb in the infinitive form. Follow these simple examples and you will be able to describe the actions you’ve just accomplished in French:

[Important: Here, the verb venir can only be conjugated in the simple present tense]

-          “Je viens de rencontrer Bob dans un café.” (I’ve just met Bob at a coffee shop.).
-          “Nous venons de voir un grand film.” (We have just watched a great movie.)
-          “Viens-tu de m’appeler?” (Have you just called me?)
-          “Marie et Anne viennent de partir.” (Mary and Anne just left.)
-          “Vient-il de pleuvoir?” (Has it just rained?)

You see, this is not that difficult, is it? :-) Just make sure to learn how to conjugate the venir in the simple present tense and follow the different examples mentioned here.

You will find all the audio files for these examples at http://frenchtasticpeople.com. Make sure to contact me if you ever run into problems. Merci et à bientôt!

Herman

]]> http://frenchtasticpeople.com/mastering-two-useful-expressions-with-the-verb-venir-to-come/feed/ 6 Penser (à) vs. Penser (que) http://frenchtasticpeople.com/penser-a-vs-penser-que/ http://frenchtasticpeople.com/penser-a-vs-penser-que/#comments Sun, 18 Jul 2010 17:09:26 +0000 prof_frenchtastic http://frenchtasticpeople.com/?p=1891 Penser is a French verb that belongs to the 1st group (ER-verbs). Its literal meaning in English is to think. Penser is very much used in daily conversations, but it can sometimes lead to some confusion for non-native French speakers.

je pense nous pensons tu penses vous pensez [...]]]>

Penser (à) vs. Penser (que)

Penser is a French verb that belongs to the 1st group (ER-verbs). Its literal meaning in English is to think. Penser is very much used in daily conversations, but it can sometimes lead to some confusion for non-native French speakers.

je pense nous pensons
tu penses vous pensez
il/elle/on pense ils/elles pensent

One common mistake, for example, is to misspell it. Penser with an ‘e’ means to think. Panser with an ‘a’ means to dress (a wound).

Penser and Panser are both pronounced the same way, and that’s why you should make sure to know their respective spellings.

In this quick tutorial, I would like to explain two important uses of penser: “penser à” and “penser que”. In case you’re wondering, ‘à” in “penser à” is a preposition and here, it means “about”. “Que” in “penser que” is a relative pronoun and it means “that”. Generally, “penser que” will be followed by another clause (see example further below).

  • Penser à…to think about: A few examples where you can see “penser à” at work:

-          Je pense à toi. I think about you.

-          Nous pensons à ce problème tout le temps.  We think about this problem all the time.

-          Anne est en voyage, mais elle pense aux enfants.  Anne is on a trip, but she is thinking about the children.

(Please note that à will become aux when the noun that follows it is masculine AND plural (enfants))

  • Penser que…to think that: A few examples where you can see “penser que” at work:

-          Je pense que vous avez raison.  I think that you are right.

-          Nous pensons que ce problème est difficile. We think that this problem is difficult.

-          Anne pense que ses voisins sont sympas.  Anne thinks that her neighbors are nice.

]]> http://frenchtasticpeople.com/penser-a-vs-penser-que/feed/ 4 500 French Verbs Audio Catalog Project – Your Input Is Needed! http://frenchtasticpeople.com/500-french-verbs-audio-catalog-project/ http://frenchtasticpeople.com/500-french-verbs-audio-catalog-project/#comments Sat, 17 Jul 2010 03:20:35 +0000 prof_frenchtastic http://frenchtasticpeople.com/?p=1874 As if I wasn’t busy enough changing diapers (don’t get me wrong, it’s the best part of being a dad ), I have decided today to start building a huge audio database of French verbs. My project is to eventually have more than 500 French verbs included in this database [...]]]>

Salut tout le monde!

As if I wasn’t busy enough changing diapers (don’t get me wrong, it’s the best part of being a dad :-) ), I have decided today to start building a huge audio database of French verbs. My project is to eventually have more than 500 French verbs included in this database and conjugated at all tenses!!! Now multiply 500 (verbs) by 17 (tenses – this number is up for debate) and you should have a pretty good idea of the immensity of the project. So wish me good luck!

For now, I have compiled a wonderful list of just 10 verbs, which you can find here. Hey, we all have to start somewhere, right? :-)
http://frenchtasticpeople.com/french-verbs-audio-database/

At this point, I’m not really thinking of any particular order when creating this audio database. I simply want to get as much as possible done whenever I can afford the time. But I would like you guys to tell me which verb(s) you would like to see on the list first. It can be ANY French verb you’ve encountered in class or during a conversation, or while listening to a French-speaking radio station, or on TV. I would like YOU to have a say in this database so it can be relevant to your language needs.

Let’s say, for example, I decide to work on the verb “rebrousser” (to turn around/to brush up (or back) , while you are, at the moment, very much interested in learning about “manger” (to eat). Well, it is up to you to send me a quick message to let me know that it will make more sense for you to learn this verb instead of that verb, otherwise, I may never know what your priorities are in terms of French verbs to learn.

So, I look forward to hearing from all of you. Hopefully, by next next year, you’ll have 500 reasons more to like the French language. Merci.

]]> http://frenchtasticpeople.com/500-french-verbs-audio-catalog-project/feed/ 10 Expressing likes and dislikes in French http://frenchtasticpeople.com/expressing-likes-and-dislikes-in-french/ http://frenchtasticpeople.com/expressing-likes-and-dislikes-in-french/#comments Wed, 14 Jul 2010 02:30:00 +0000 prof_frenchtastic http://frenchtasticpeople.com/?p=1852 Welcome to another concise French tutorial! Here, I’m going to show you how to quickly formulate in sentences your interests for various activities in French. The verb you definitely want to learn for this lesson is AIMER.

Besides being used quite much in French romantic movies, the [...]]]>

Salut chers membres de la communauté Frenchtastic.

Welcome to another concise French tutorial! Here, I’m going to show you how to quickly formulate in sentences your interests for various activities in French. The verb you definitely want to learn for this lesson is AIMER.

Besides being used quite much in French romantic movies, the French verb aimer is also commonly used to express what you like or (don’t like). In the chart below, you can learn how to conjugate this verb.

j’aime I like nous aimons we like
tu aimes you like vous aimez you like
il/elle/on aime he/she/it likes ils/elles aiment they like

Now, here are a few examples to show you how to use this verb in concrete situations:

1. J’aime regarder les étoiles pendant la nuit. I like watching the stars at night

2. Anne aime lire les livres de géo. Anne likes reading geography books

3. Leurs enfants aiment jouer au foot dans le jardin. Their children like playing soccer in the garden

Some useful questions to learn:

a. Est-ce que Maria aime cuisiner? Does Maria like to cook?

b. Est-ce que tu aimes lire les journaux? Do you like reading newspapers?

c. Qu’est-ce que tu aimes faire? What do you like to do?

e. Je n’aime pas parler en public. I don’t like speaking in public.

f. Roger et Marc n’aiment pas nager. Roger and Marc don’t like swimming.

You will find more on the topic at http://frenchtasticpeople.com/classroom/lessons/chapter-three/using-the-verb-aimer-to-express-your-interests/

]]> http://frenchtasticpeople.com/expressing-likes-and-dislikes-in-french/feed/ 3 [Listening Exercise] Matching weather with seasons. http://frenchtasticpeople.com/matching-weather-with-season/ http://frenchtasticpeople.com/matching-weather-with-season/#comments Sun, 11 Jul 2010 17:14:36 +0000 prof_frenchtastic http://frenchtasticpeople.com/?p=1802 Bon dimanche à tous! Here is a listening exercise to help you quickly review what we’ve learned in our last lesson about the weather and the seasons in French. If you haven’t had the chance to take a look at the material, make sure to obtain this complete lesson on the weather and seasons [...]]]>

Bon dimanche à tous! Here is a listening exercise to help you quickly review what we’ve learned in our last lesson about the weather and the seasons in French. If you haven’t had the chance to take a look at the material, make sure to obtain this complete lesson on the weather and seasons in French. You’ll find there all the audio files and images you need to get you going.

[Listening Exercise]:

What’s the weather like in each season? Listen carefully to each question and choose the correct answer(s). (There may be more than 1 correct answer).

1.
a. il neige.                                                     b. il fait chaud.

c. il fait frais.                                                          il pleut.

e. il fait du vent.                                               f. il fait froid.

2.
a. il fait chaud.                                                           b. il pleut.

c. il fait frais.                                                               d. il neige.

e. il y a du brouillard.                                              f. il fait froid.

3.
a. il y a du brouillard.                                              b. il fait frais.

c. il fait du vent.                                                         d. il neige.

e. il fait chaud.                                                           f. il fait froid.

4.
a.. il fait froid                                                           b. il fait frais.

c. il fait chaud                                                         d. il neige.

e. il pleut.                                                                 f. il fait du vent.

Download the written copy of this exercise Thumbnail [Exercise] Weather and Seasons

]]> http://frenchtasticpeople.com/matching-weather-with-season/feed/ 7 Using the French Verb Faire to Describe the Weather http://frenchtasticpeople.com/using-the-french-verb-faire-to-describe-the-weather/ http://frenchtasticpeople.com/using-the-french-verb-faire-to-describe-the-weather/#comments Fri, 09 Jul 2010 22:35:27 +0000 prof_frenchtastic http://frenchtasticpeople.com/?p=1784 Bonjour tout le monde!!! Another Frenchtastic lesson brought to you by Herman aka professor Frenchtastic!

Faire is a very important verb in French. Its literal meaning in English is to do or to make, but it can take several other meanings in various contexts. Note: Make sure you download the audio-zip files for [...]]]>

Bonjour tout le monde!!! Another Frenchtastic lesson brought to you by Herman aka professor Frenchtastic! :)

Faire is a very important verb in French. Its literal meaning in English is to do or to make, but it can take several other meanings in various contexts. Note: Make sure you download the audio-zip files for the verb faire at the end of this article. The zip folder includes several mp3 files.

Today, I am going to talk to you about the weather, more exactly, I am going to show you how to describe the weather in French using the the verb faire. You can find the complete lesson with pictures and sound files at http://frenchtasticpeople.com/classroom/lessons/chapter-three/the-weather-and-the-seasons/

You say Quel temps fait-il? to ask somebody: what’s the weather like?

To answer this question, you have a range of possibilities, (depending on the current weather, of course :) , but the verb faire will be used frequently, as in:

il fait beau it’s nice. il fait du soleil it’s sunny.
il fait chaud it’s warm. il fait frais it’s cool.
il fait du vent it’s windy. il fait froid it’s cold.

Learn how to conjugate the verb Faire in the simple present

Je fais | Tu fais | Il/Elle/On fait | Nous faisons | Vous faites | Ils/Elles font
The mp3 files of FAIRE to download Thumbnail Verb Faire in the Present Tense
]]> http://frenchtasticpeople.com/using-the-french-verb-faire-to-describe-the-weather/feed/ 3 Expressing Future Actions With the Futur Proche http://frenchtasticpeople.com/expressing-future-actions-with-the-futur-proche/ http://frenchtasticpeople.com/expressing-future-actions-with-the-futur-proche/#comments Thu, 08 Jul 2010 04:13:13 +0000 prof_frenchtastic http://frenchtasticpeople.com/?p=1742 Note: (Make sure to download the audio-zip file at the end of this lesson to help you better pronounce the conjugated forms of the verb aller)

Bonjour dear Frenchtastic members!

Here is another useful language lesson brought to you by FrenchtasticPeople.com .

To express future actions in French, you can use two main methods. [...]]]>

Note: (Make sure to download the audio-zip file at the end of this lesson to help you better pronounce the conjugated forms of the verb aller)

Bonjour dear Frenchtastic members!

Here is another useful language lesson brought to you by FrenchtasticPeople.com .

To express future actions in French, you can use two main methods. Of course, one of them, quite simply, consists in using the futur simple tense. The second one, which is very commonly-used among French speakers, is the Futur Proche, and this is what I am going to show you today.

  • What is the futur proche (near future), anyway, and how is it different from the futur simple?

To get a better of the futur proche in French, simply think about the grammatical construction to be going to + verb in English.

Examples:

-         She is going to wash the dishes. à Elle va laver les assiettes.

-         We are going to watch a movie tonight. à Nous allons regarder un film ce soir.

The main difference between the futur proche and the futur simple is that with the former, you can express actions in the future that are about to happen in a “relatively short period of time”. But what does a “relatively short period of time” really mean? Well, it’s hard to determine. At times, I will use the futur proche to express actions that are to occur the following year, such as in “Je vais aller en France l’année prochaine” and I can also use the futur simple to describe actions that will occur any second from now, but neither use seems to be incorrect in a spoken conversation.

  • How to form the futur proche?

As you can see from the above examples, to express future actions with the futur proche, you must use the verb aller (to go), in the simple present, followed directly by a verb in the infinitive* form, for example, manger, danser, prendre, venir, etc.

(*I will assume here that you are pretty familiar with the infinitive form, but if you aren’t feel free to shoot me an email at prof_moderator@frenchtasticpeople.com and I’ll explain it to you).

Formula: Futur Proche

Subject + Aller (conjuguated in the simple present) + verb (in the infinitive form).

{Aller} in the simple present tense:

Je vais | Tu vas | Il/Elle/On va | Nous allons | Vous allez | Ils/Elles vont
Download the mp3 files for ALLER Thumbnail Aller - Simple Present Tense

In the meantime, why don’t you solve this little exercise?

Translation from English (or your own language) into French and vice versa.

  1. Marcel va diner au restaurant ce soir.
  2. Les enfants vont jouer dans le parc ce week-end.
  3. We are going to learn French this summer.

Are you going to study today? (Use the inversion method to ask a question. Email me if in trouble :-)

Au revoir!

Herman

]]> http://frenchtasticpeople.com/expressing-future-actions-with-the-futur-proche/feed/ 0 10 French Words and Expressions To Learn For The World Cup. http://frenchtasticpeople.com/10-french-words-to-learn-in-the-world-cup/ http://frenchtasticpeople.com/10-french-words-to-learn-in-the-world-cup/#comments Sat, 03 Jul 2010 17:13:26 +0000 prof_frenchtastic http://frenchtasticpeople.com/?p=1638 Never mind the fact that the French soccer team has had a less-than-stellar performance in this 2010 South African World Cup… But here are 10 common French words and expressions you definitely want to know if you are crazy about soccer as I am.

1. [...]]]>

10 French Words and Expressions For Soccer Fans

Never mind the fact that the French soccer team has had a less-than-stellar performance in this 2010 South African World Cup… But here are 10 common French words and expressions you definitely want to know if you are crazy about soccer as I am.

1.

 La coupe du monde The World Cup: La Coupe du Monde.

2.

 Equipe de foot A soccer team: Une équipe de foot.

3.

A coach: Un entraîneur.

4.

 joueur de foot A player: Un joueur de foot.

5.

 ballon de foot A ball: Un ballon.

6.

 maillot de foot A sport shirt: Un maillot.

7.

 gardien de but A goalkeeper: Un gardien de buts.

8.

 marquer un but To score a goal: Marquer un but.

9.

 les buts The goal post: Le poteau.

10.

 The supporters: Les supporters.
]]> http://frenchtasticpeople.com/10-french-words-to-learn-in-the-world-cup/feed/ 1 French Reading Quiz on School Subject http://frenchtasticpeople.com/french-reading-quiz-on-school-subject/ http://frenchtasticpeople.com/french-reading-quiz-on-school-subject/#comments Mon, 24 Aug 2009 16:04:07 +0000 prof_frenchtastic http://frenchtasticpeople.com/?p=1544 Bonjour les amis,

Last weekend, posted a new lesson on the school subjects in French. I hope you’ve had some time to study it during the weekend and today, I would like you to quickly test what you’ve remembered from it. Click here to complete this short French reading quiz.

Remember, you [...]]]>

Bonjour les amis,

Last weekend, posted a new lesson on the school subjects in French. I hope you’ve had some time to study it during the weekend and today, I would like you to quickly test what you’ve remembered from it.
Click here to complete this short French reading quiz.

Remember, you can always find the original lesson on French School Subjects here.
Post your comments or questions here if you have any problems, and I will make sure to respond as quickly as I can. Bonne chance :-)

]]> http://frenchtasticpeople.com/french-reading-quiz-on-school-subject/feed/ 1 What do you study at school? http://frenchtasticpeople.com/what-do-you-study-at-school/ http://frenchtasticpeople.com/what-do-you-study-at-school/#comments Sat, 22 Aug 2009 01:45:29 +0000 prof_frenchtastic http://frenchtasticpeople.com/?p=1538 Bonjours les amis! It’s already back-to-school here in the United States, and this post couldn’t be more timely. Philosophy, French, Geometry, Music, etc, etc. I’m sure you easily guessed the topic I’m about to discuss here: school subjects! Bravo! Why don’t we learn how to pronounce these school subjects in French? How about using [...]]]>

Bonjours les amis!
It’s already back-to-school here in the United States, and this post couldn’t be more timely. Philosophy, French, Geometry, Music, etc, etc. I’m sure you easily guessed the topic I’m about to discuss here: school subjects! Bravo!
Why don’t we learn how to pronounce these school subjects in French? How about using the verb AVOIR to do this?
I am giving you below a hint of what our current lesson is about:

la biologie. Biology Vous avez un cours de biologie à 11 heures. You have a biology class at 11 o’clock.
la musique. Music Chris adore la musique classique. Chris loves classical music.

If you want to continue this Frenchtastic journey, simply click on this link to learn more about French disciplines and courses.

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