Beginner French Language Course

Beginner French Language Course

Goal: Hold basic conversations, understand simple spoken/written French, and survive a trip to France without panicking.

Week 1: Introduction & Essentials

Themes: Greetings, Introductions, Alphabet

• Vocabulary: Bonjour, salut, au revoir, s’il vous plaît, merci, oui, non
• Grammar: Subject pronouns (je, tu, il/elle, etc.)
• Conversation Practice: Introducing yourself
• Listening: Basic French greetings from audio samples
• Culture: Formal vs. informal “you” (tu vs. vous)

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Week 2: Numbers, Days, and Dates

Themes: Counting, Calendar

• Vocabulary: Numbers 0–100, days of the week, months
• Grammar: Definite/indefinite articles (le, la, un, une)
• Conversation Practice: Saying your birthday, asking the date
• Listening: French calendar terms
• Culture: How dates are written in France

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Week 3: Basic Verbs & Questions

Themes: Everyday Actions

• Vocabulary: Common verbs: être, avoir, aller, faire
• Grammar: Present tense (être/avoir); question words (qui, quoi, où, quand, pourquoi, comment)
• Conversation Practice: Asking simple questions
• Listening: Dialogues with questions and responses
• Culture: French body language and gestures

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Week 4: Describing People & Things

Themes: Colors, Size, Appearance

• Vocabulary: Colors, adjectives for size/shape
• Grammar: Adjective agreement with nouns
• Conversation Practice: Describing a person or object
• Listening: Descriptions of people
• Culture: Fashion and the French obsession with scarves

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Week 5: Family & Relationships

Themes: Family, Friends

• Vocabulary: Family members, relationship terms
• Grammar: Possessive adjectives (mon, ma, mes)
• Conversation Practice: Talking about your family
• Listening: Family discussions
• Culture: French family structure and traditions

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Week 6: Daily Routine & Time

Themes: Your Day

• Vocabulary: Daily activities, time expressions
• Grammar: Reflexive verbs in present tense
• Conversation Practice: Describing your daily routine
• Listening: A French person’s day
• Culture: A typical French weekday vs. weekend

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Week 7: Food & Dining

Themes: Restaurants, Meals

• Vocabulary: Food items, ordering phrases
• Grammar: Partitive articles (du, de la, des)
• Conversation Practice: Ordering at a café
• Listening: French café dialogue
• Culture: French meal times and etiquette

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Week 8: Around Town

Themes: Directions, Locations

• Vocabulary: Places in town, direction phrases
• Grammar: Prepositions of place (dans, sur, à côté de…)
• Conversation Practice: Asking for and giving directions
• Listening: Navigation scenarios
• Culture: The French obsession with bakeries

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Week 9: Hobbies & Free Time

Themes: Interests

• Vocabulary: Sports, leisure activities
• Grammar: Verb + infinitive construction (j’aime + faire…)
• Conversation Practice: Talking about hobbies
• Listening: French people discussing their free time
• Culture: Popular pastimes in France

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Week 10: Shopping & Money

Themes: Markets, Buying Things

• Vocabulary: Clothing, prices, money terms
• Grammar: Demonstrative adjectives (ce, cette, ces)
• Conversation Practice: Buying clothes or souvenirs
• Listening: Shopping conversations
• Culture: The art of bargaining in markets

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Week 11: Travel & Transportation

Themes: Getting Around

• Vocabulary: Modes of transport, travel verbs
• Grammar: Using “aller” with prepositions (Je vais à Paris)
• Conversation Practice: Asking about transport, buying tickets
• Listening: Train station announcements
• Culture: French transportation systems

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Week 12: Review & Survival Situations

Themes: Consolidation

• Vocabulary: Emergency words, signs, phrases
• Grammar: Recap major points
• Conversation Practice: Simulated real-life scenarios
• Listening: Emergency instructions, tourist help
• Culture: What NOT to do in France (etiquette crash course)

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Ongoing Practice Tools

• Websites: LearnLanguageCenter.com, Busuu, Mondly
• Apps: Duolingo, Babbel, Drops, Memrise
• Music: Stromae, Angèle, Louane
• Movies with subtitles: Amélie, Intouchables
• YouTube channels: GlobalGuideMedia, Français Authentique, Comme Une Française