Basics 2 · 87d34f329053aa6b09884a45f6d0d076


Verbs

English verbs don't change that much. For example, we say I run, you run, he runs, and so on. But French verbs change a lot!

subject verb (parler)
je
I
parle
speak
tu
you
parles
speak
il / elle
he / she
parle
speaks

But don't be fooled! The s in parles is actually silent, so all these forms are pronounced the same!

Gender

In French, adjectives can look different depending on the gender of what they describe. Normally, feminine adjectives end in e.

Gabriel est espagnol.
Sarah est espagnole.
Il est américain.
Elle est américaine.

Sometimes the extra e changes the sound a little, so listen carefully!

Use your nose!

Some French sounds are nasal, meaning the air goes through the nose! With these, the n after the vowel isn't pronounced. It's just there to let you know to use your nose!

anmange, enchanté (nasal "ah")
injardin, intelligent (nasal "eh")
onnon, garçon (nasal "oh")
unun, lundi (nasal "uh")