Survival French Language Course
🥖 Level 1: Survival French (Weeks 1–2)
Goal: Order a croissant, find the toilet, and say pardon with flair.
🔤 Vocabulary &
Phrases
- Greetings:
Bonjour, Salut, Au revoir
- Politeness
basics: S’il vous plaît, Merci, Excusez-moi
- Yes /
No / I don’t understand: Oui / Non / Je ne comprends pas
- Numbers
1–100
- Food,
directions, emergencies, and transport
🧠 Grammar
- Subject
pronouns (je, tu, il/elle, etc.)
- Present
tense of essential verbs: être, avoir, aller, faire
- Simple
question formation: Est-ce que / rising intonation
- Definite
and indefinite articles (le/la/l’/les, un/une/des)
🗣️ Speaking Practice
- Introducing
yourself (Je m’appelle…)
- Ordering
in restaurants or cafés
- Asking
for directions
- Hotel
and airport basics
🥐 Cultural Tips
- Always
greet with Bonjour before asking anything
- Tipping
is appreciated, but not obligatory
- Personal
space is small—hello cheek kisses are a thing
🎒 Level 2: Everyday French for Travel & Study (Weeks 3–6)
Goal: Handle daily routines, transportation,
shopping, and polite chit-chat.
🔤 Vocabulary &
Phrases
- Days,
months, time expressions
- School/University
vocab: cours, devoirs, professeur
- Transportation
and tickets
- Shopping,
prices, clothing, pharmacy terms
🧠 Grammar
- Regular
-er verbs in the present tense
- Negation:
ne…pas, ne…jamais, ne…plus
- Gender
and adjective agreement
- Prepositions
(à, de, chez, en, sur)
🗣️ Speaking Practice
- Describing
your routine (Je me lève à…)
- Asking
how much something costs
- Describing
your schedule or daily life
- Booking
a train, bus, or museum ticket
🧃 Cultural Tips
- Don’t
rush the meal—dining is sacred
- “Tu”
vs “Vous” matters—respect the formality
- Public
transport is punctual, quiet, and eye-contact-free
💼 Level 3: Social &
Business French Basics (Weeks 7–10)
Goal: Navigate polite conversation, meetings, and
professional situations.
🔤 Vocabulary &
Phrases
- Office
words: réunion, dossier, rendez-vous, email
- Formal
expressions: Je voudrais…, Pourriez-vous…
- Making
polite requests and introductions
- Email
and phone etiquette
🧠 Grammar
- Irregular
verbs (vouloir, pouvoir, devoir)
- Reflexive
verbs (se lever, s’appeler)
- Simple
future with aller + infinitive
- Using
il faut, on peut, je dois (modal-like phrases)
🗣️ Speaking Practice
- Making
and rescheduling appointments
- Introducing
yourself professionally
- Talking
about your work or studies
- Phone
conversations and leaving a message
🧁 Cultural Tips
- Be
formal until told otherwise
- Business
attire = elegant but not flashy
- Being
direct is fine… in writing. Otherwise, sugarcoat it
📚 Level 4: Intermediate
Communication (Weeks 11–14)
Goal: Express ideas clearly, describe experiences,
and handle minor crises.
🔤 Vocabulary &
Phrases
- Expressing
feelings and opinions
- Travel
stories, health concerns, and social events
- Making
comparisons and giving feedback
- Expressions
like ça dépend, c’est pas mal, j’ai hâte de…
🧠 Grammar
- Past
tense: passé composé
- Imperfect
tense: imparfait
- Comparatives
and superlatives
- Common
conjunctions: parce que, mais, donc, lorsque
🗣️ Speaking Practice
- Talking
about a recent experience
- Giving
directions or recommendations
- Expressing
likes/dislikes
- Handling
a basic complaint
🎬 Cultural Tips
- French
humor is dry, sarcastic, and layered with references
- Conversation
often includes politics, art, or philosophy
- Bureaucracy
is… a rite of passage
🌍 Level 5: Practical
Fluency & Cultural Intelligence (Weeks 15–20)
Goal: Speak fluently, decode indirect language, and
participate in academic or business discussions.
🔤 Vocabulary &
Phrases
- Debating,
disagreeing, and negotiating
- Professional/academic
vocabulary: projet, soutenance, colloque
- Cultural
idioms: avoir le cafard, mettre les pieds dans le plat
- Polite
disagreement, clarifying confusion, handling misunderstandings
🧠 Grammar
- Conditional
tense (Je voudrais, Tu pourrais)
- Subjunctive
mood (Il faut que tu viennes)
- Future
tense (Je partirai demain)
- Indirect
speech and reported questions
🗣️ Speaking Practice
- Giving
presentations or detailed opinions
- Participating
in meetings or debates
- Explaining
a process or giving instructions
- Making
polite suggestions or hypothetical statements
🧠 Cultural Tips
- French
people love correcting French—don’t take it personally
- There’s
often an unspoken code in business and social settings
- Be
ready to defend your opinion... even about cheese
📚 RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
- Apps:
LingQ, Duolingo, Babbel, Beelinguapp
- Books:
Practice Makes Perfect: French, Easy French Reader, 501
French Verbs
- YouTube: GlobalGuideMedia French, Français Authentique, Comme Une Française, FrenchPod101
- TV
& Film: Lupin, Call My Agent (Dix pour cent), Les
Revenants
- Language
Exchange: Tandem, HelloTalk, MyLanguageExchange
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