French A1/A2 - Essential Grammar & Vocab Flashcards

Question 1

Essential Greetings & Politeness

Accepted Answer

Translate the following core polite expressions into French:
- **Hello**: *Bonjour* (formal/day) / *Salut* (informal)
- **Goodbye**: *Au revoir*
- **Please**: *S'il vous plaît* (formal) / *S'il te plaît* (informal)
- **Thank you**: *Merci* (beaucoup)

Question 2

Articles: Definite, Indefinite, and Partitive

Accepted Answer

Explain the three types of articles in French and when to use them:
1. **Definite** (*le, la, l', les*): Specific items ("the").
2. **Indefinite** (*un, une, des*): Unspecified countable items ("a/an", "some").
3. **Partitive** (*du, de la, de l'*): Uncountable quantities or food/drink ("some").

Question 3

Subject Pronouns (Pronoms Sujets)

Accepted Answer

List the standard French subject pronouns:
- **Je / J'** (I)
- **Tu** (You, singular informal)
- **Il / Elle / On** (He / She / One or We)
- **Nous** (We, formal/written)
- **Vous** (You, plural or formal singular)
- **Ils / Elles** (They)

Question 4

Auxiliary Verbs: Être & Avoir (Present Tense)

Accepted Answer

Conjugate **être** (to be) and **avoir** (to have) in the present tense (*présent*):

**Être**: je suis, tu es, il/elle est, nous sommes, vous êtes, ils/elles sont.

**Avoir**: j'ai, tu as, il/elle a, nous avons, vous avez, ils/elles ont.

Question 5

Regular -ER Verb Conjugation

Accepted Answer

What are the endings for regular **-ER** verbs in the present tense? Illustrate with **parler** (to speak).

Endings: **-e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent**
- Je parl**e**
- Tu parl**es**
- Il/Elle parl**e**
- Nous parl**ons**
- Vous parl**ez**
- Ils/Elles parl**ent**

Question 6

Adjective Agreement and Placement

Accepted Answer

- **Agreement**: Adjectives must agree in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) with the noun (usually add **-e** for feminine, **-s** for plural).
- **Placement**: Most adjectives go **after** the noun (*un livre bleu*). Exception: **BANGS** (Beauty, Age, Number, Goodness, Size) adjectives go **before** (*une belle maison*).

Question 7

High-Frequency Verbs: Aller, Faire, Pouvoir, Vouloir

Accepted Answer

What are the meanings and *je* conjugations for these key irregular verbs?
- **Aller** (to go) $\rightarrow$ *je vais*
- **Faire** (to do/make) $\rightarrow$ *je fais*
- **Pouvoir** (can/to be able to) $\rightarrow$ *je peux*
- **Vouloir** (to want) $\rightarrow$ *je veux*

Question 8

Negation: Ne... pas

Accepted Answer

How do you form a basic negative sentence in French?

Place **ne** (or **n'** before a vowel) before the conjugated verb and **pas** after it.

*Structure*: Subject + **ne** + Verb + **pas**
*Example*: Je **ne** parle **pas** allemand.

Question 9

Question Formation (3 Ways)

Accepted Answer

What are the three main methods to form a question in French?
1. **Intonation** (raise pitch): *Tu viens ?*
2. **Est-ce que** (add to statement): *Est-ce que tu viens ?*
3. **Inversion** (swap verb and pronoun): *Viens-tu ?*

Question 10

Prepositions of Place (Cities & Countries)

Accepted Answer

Which preposition do you use for "in/to" before cities and countries?
- **Cities**: **à** (*à Paris*)
- **Feminine countries** (end in -e): **en** (*en France*)
- **Masculine countries**: **au** (*au Canada*)
- **Plural countries**: **aux** (*aux États-Unis*)

Question 11

Vocabulary: Family Members

Accepted Answer

Translate the primary family vocabulary:
- **Father / Mother**: *le père* / *la mère*
- **Parents**: *les parents*
- **Son / Daughter**: *le fils* / *la fille*
- **Brother / Sister**: *le frère* / *la sœur*
- **Grandparents**: *les grands-parents*

Question 12

Vocabulary: Food & Beverage Basics

Accepted Answer

Translate these common food items into French with their articles:
- **Bread**: *le pain*
- **Water**: *l'eau* (f.)
- **Coffee**: *le café*
- **Cheese**: *le fromage*
- **Meat**: *la viande*

Question 13

Passé Composé with Avoir

Accepted Answer

How is the *passé composé* formed with **avoir**, and what are the regular past participle endings?

**Structure**: Present tense of *avoir* + Past Participle.

**Regular Participles**:
- **-ER** $\rightarrow$ **-é** (*parler* $\rightarrow$ *parlé*)
- **-IR** $\rightarrow$ **-i** (*finir* $\rightarrow$ *fini*)
- **-RE** $\rightarrow$ **-u** (*vendre* $\rightarrow$ *vendu*)

*Example*: *J'ai mangé une pomme.*

Question 14

Passé Composé with Être (DR & MRS VANDERTRAMP)

Accepted Answer

When is **être** used as the auxiliary verb in the *passé composé*, and what agreement rule applies?

- Used for 17 verbs of movement/state change (**DR & MRS VANDERTRAMP**) and all **reflexive verbs**.
- **Rule**: The past participle **must agree** in gender and number with the subject.
*Example*: *Elle est venue hier.*

Question 15

Imparfait: Formation

Accepted Answer

How do you form the **imparfait** tense in French?

1. Take the **nous** form of the present tense.
2. Drop the **-ons** to find the stem.
3. Add endings: **-ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient**.

*Exception*: **Être** uses the stem *ét-* (*j'étais*).

Question 16

Imparfait vs. Passé Composé

Accepted Answer

How do you choose between the **Passé Composé** and the **Imparfait**?

- **Passé Composé**: Completed past actions, specific events, or main storyline steps ("what happened").
- **Imparfait**: Ongoing past states, background description, habits, or repeated actions ("was doing / used to do").

*Example*: *Je lisais (imparfait) quand il a frappé (passé composé).*

Question 17

Direct Object Pronouns (COD)

Accepted Answer

What are the Direct Object Pronouns (*le, la, l', les*) and where are they placed?

- They replace a noun directly receiving the verb's action (answers "whom?" or "what?").
- Placed **immediately before** the conjugated verb.

*Example*: *Je regarde le film.* $\rightarrow$ *Je **le** regarde.*

Question 18

Indirect Object Pronouns (COI)

Accepted Answer

What are the Indirect Object Pronouns (*lui, leur*) and when are they used?

- Used to replace a person preceded by the preposition **à** (answers "to whom?").
- **lui** (to him/her), **leur** (to them).
- Placed **before** the conjugated verb.

*Example*: *Je parle à Marie.* $\rightarrow$ *Je **lui** parle.*

Question 19

Vocabulary: Time Expressions & Prepositions

Accepted Answer

Translate these high-frequency time markers:
- **Today**: *aujourd'hui*
- **Yesterday**: *hier*
- **Tomorrow**: *demain*
- **In (future duration)**: *dans* (e.g., *dans trois jours*)
- **For (duration)**: *pendant* (e.g., *pendant deux heures*)

Question 20

Vocabulary: Essential Adjectives (Opposites)

Accepted Answer

Provide the French pairs for these common adjective opposites:
- **Big / Small**: *grand(e)* / *petit(e)*
- **Good / Bad**: *bon(ne)* / *mauvais(e)*
- **Hot / Cold**: *chaud(e)* / *froid(e)*
- **Expensive / Cheap**: *cher(chère)* / *bon marché*

French A1/A2 - Essential Grammar & Vocab

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