Module 1: Bienvenue!
Les Salutations (greetings)
Les salutations 🎯 :
In this first lesson, you’re going to learn how to greet and introduce yourself to someone in French. Make sure you watch the videos in order and download your pdf to follow along the lesson.
Vidéo 1:
Bonjour. Je m’appelle Paul. Comment ça va aujourd’hui?
Bonjour: Hello
Je m’appelle: I am called / My name is
Comment ça va: How is it going?
Aujourd’hui: Today
Vidéo 2:
Salut! Bien merci. Et tu*?
Ça va bien: I’m ok/I’m well.
Et toi: And you?
*In the dialogue, Rufus answers Et tu? which is a very common mistake learners make. The correct answer is Et toi. Check the FAQ section at the end of the lesson for more information.
Vidéo 3:
Ça va très bien, merci! Comment tu t’appelles?
Très bien: very well
Merci: thank you
Comment tu t’appelles?: How are you called? (what’s your name)
Vidéo 4:
Je m’appelle Rufus. Je suis anglais et je parle un peu français.
Je m’appelle: I am called / My name is
Je suis anglais*: I’m English.
et: and
je parle: I speak
un peu: a bit
français*: French
*note: nationalities and languages are always spelt in lowercase in French.
Vidéo 5:
Je ne parle pas anglais mais c’est ok. Ne t’inquiète pas.
À bientôt et bienvenue à Paris Rufus!
Je ne parle pas : I don’t speak
Mais: but
C’est ok: that’s okay
Ne t’inquiète pas: don’t worry
À bientôt: see you soon
Bienvenue à Paris: Welcome to Paris
Vidéo 6: Exercice
Listen to Carole.
She asks two questions – What would you reply? – Compare your answers with the correction below.
Transcription:
Bonjour. Je m’appelle Carole. Comment tu t’appelles?
Je parle français et toi?
Possible answers include a greeting word + your name + I speak /I don’t speak:
Possible answer 1:
Bonjour, je m’appelle (Your Name). Je parle français.
Possible answer 2:
Bonjour, je m’appelle (Your Name). Je ne parle pas français.
Possible answer 3:
Bonjour, je m’appelle (Your Name). Je parle un peu français.
TIPS 💡:
Les nationalités
Les langues
Les pronoms
QUIZZ & GAMES 📖:
Mots-croisés
Le Pendu
Quizz
AUDIO FLASHCARDS 🎧 :
CULTURE 🗺:
La bise 💋:
So what is la bise?
It literally means “the kiss“ and it’s a typical way for French people to say bonjour. But be careful, la bise doesn’t work in every situation. We only do la bise to people we know and are friends with. Otherwise, a handshake will do just fine.
MODULE 1 - F.A.Q 💡:
“Salut” is used for a more casual tone – you would say “Salut” to your friends but you wouldn’t say “Salut” to your boss for example. “Bonjour” is more formal and general so in doubt, just use that one ;).
Also, you can use “Salut” to say both Hi and Goodbye.
We use “Tu” with talking to people we know (friends, family members, colleagues…).
We use “Vous” when talking to people we don’t know like the waiter at a restaurant or an employee at the bank. It’s called “la forme de politesse” (the polite form).
The difference between Tu and Toi is mainly grammatical. Tu is a pronoun subject (pronom sujet) meaning you will use Tu with a verb:
- Tu parles français = You speak French.
(Tu + verb parler)
Toi is a stressed pronoun (pronom tonique) meaning you will use Toi when you want to put an emphasis on the person you’re referring to. Toi is not used with a verb and is a great tool to use to keep a conversation going without building long sentences.
- Je parle français. Et toi?