Lesson 1: Structure

Tu et Vous

Tu is used in the following situations:

between peers (students, and other young people)
between people who know eachother on a first name basis
between members of your family
when talking to children
when talking to animals

Vous is used in the following situations:

Between people who are NOT on a first name basis
When speaking to someone you have just met
When speaking to people that are older than you

Qui est-ce? Qu'est-ce que c'est? Est-ce que....?

Qui est-ce? is used to ask who somebody is.

Qui est-ce?	Who is It?
C'est George.	It's George.

Qu'est-ce que c'est? is used to ask what something is.

Qu'est-ce que c'est?	What is it?
C'est un stylo.	It's a pen

Est-ce que....? is used to turn any statement into a question.

C'est John.	It's John.
Est-ce que c'est John?	Is it John?
C'est une chaise.	It's a chair.
Est-ce que c'est une chaise?	Is it a chair?

*NOTE* When que is followed by a vowel, it becomes qu'

Est-ce qu'elle jolie?

Is she pretty?

Les articles ind�finis

Each noun is either feminine or masculine, but there is really no pattern so you just have to memorize them. Indefinite articles are the equivilent of saying "a pencil", "a book", or "some pens".

	Singular	Plural
Masculine	un crayon	des crayons
Feminine	une craie	des craies

Pronouns

Je	I
Tu	You (singular/informal
Il	He
Elle	She
On	People, One
Nous	We
Vous	You (plural, formal)
Ils	They (masculine or mixed sex group)
Elles	They (feminine)

The verb �tre

French verbs have a different form for each pronoun. There is no formula for the verb �tre, you just have to memorize it.

Je	Suis
Tu	Es
Il/Elle/On	Est
Nous	Sommes
Vous	�tes
Ils/Elles	Sont

Adjectives

The feminine forms of most adjectives are formed by placing an e at the end of the word (there will be more rules on this later). The plural of an adjective is usually formed by adding an s to the word. All adjectives must agree with the gender and number of the word they are modifying.

Masculine	Feminine
Il est grand	Elle est grande
Ils sont grands	Elles sont grandes
Il est joli	Elle est jolie
Ils sont jolis	Elles sont jolies
Le jardin est jaune	La jupe est jaune

Irregular adjectives

masculine	feminine
blanc	blanche
vieux	vielle
beau	belle
gentil	gentille

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