3 Minute French - Course 9 | Language lessons for beginners

Explore the French past tense, built from an auxiliary verb and a past participle, with er, ir, and re endings and notes on irregular verbs.

Explore the French past tense, built with an auxiliary verb and a past participle, including verbs of movement, and how to invert the auxiliary to form questions.

Explore when French uses être, not avoir, as the auxiliary in the passé composé, with allé meaning gone and je suis allé expressing I have gone rather than I am.

Learn how the French verb être acts as an auxiliary with past participles to form the past tense, using forms like je suis, tu es, il est, nous sommes.

Explore how eta verbs use eta as the past tense auxiliary instead of avoir, with aller to go, partir to leave parti, and arriver to arrive.

Learn which verbs use ETA in the past tense, including venir with venu, and memorize 14 of 16 with the Mrs. Van der Trump mnemonic.

Explore the 14 verbs of movement that take être as the auxiliary in the passé composé, and learn their meanings and past participle forms, including regular and irregular patterns.

Invert the auxiliary verb with the subject pronoun using a hyphen to form questions in the passé composé, for both avoir and être, with past participles.

Practice forming passé composé with verbs of movement (mrs. van der tramp) using être and applying feminine and plural agreement rules, adding e, s, or es to participles as required.

Learn how to form and agree the past participle with subject gender and number in French movement verbs, with examples of aller and the feminine, plural, and feminine plural endings.

Master French gender and number rules: add an e for feminine, an s for plural, and an s for feminine plural, with examples using Marie, Pierre, and common verbs.

Practice basic French conversation with everyday questions about travel, time, and people, using phrases like how would you say in French, pourquoi, and have they left, to build beginner fluency.

Learn how to say basic travel questions in French, including when I went to Spain and when Marie and Sophie went back to France by train.

Learn the 16 French movement verbs, including devenir and revenir, and the Mrs. and Dr. van der tramp mnemonic; all take être as the auxiliary in the past tense.

Learn practical French phrases for questions like 'has he come back' and 'why did he leave,' with examples such as 'I came back yesterday' and 'I was born in England'.

Explore essential French movement verbs and their conjugations across pronouns, including aller, monter, sortir, devenir, venir, naître, descendre, entrer, revenir, tomber, retourner, arriver, mourir, and partir.

Explore how English expresses past with two meanings, while French uses a single past form for movement verbs, illustrated through common participles like allé, venu, devenu, revenu.

Learn how to form the negative past in French using the auxiliary, with ne pas, and compare English translations like I haven't gone versus I didn't go.

Learn to form past tense questions in French by using the auxiliary verbs avoir or être, swapping subject pronouns, and adding the past participle with real examples.

Explore how to ask past questions in French versus English, with examples like has/have arrived vs did arrive, and learn about feminine past participle agreement affecting pronunciation.

Learn how to form negative questions in the past in French using the auxiliary verbs avoir or être, with inversion and ne pas, placing the past participle at the end.

Compare past negative questions in English with their French equivalents, focusing on been to versus gone to, and how to say where have you been or where did you go.

Practice practical French phrases from lesson 72x, including mood and time expressions like 'I've gone a bit mad' and 'last week,' plus location prompts such as 'in France'.

Practice reverse translations by turning assorted French sentences into English, covering days, places, people, and everyday nouns like croissant and venue names.

Practice recap translations of common French phrases learned earlier, including hotel breakfast times, ordering breakfast, asking where to have lunch, and requesting a room with a king sized bed.

Engage in French to English recap translations, turning the given French sentences into their English meanings, covering times, questions, and everyday terms like Apple and iPad.

Recaps the last lesson's French words and phrases, emphasizing movement verbs like go up, stay, go out, come back, arrive, and leave.

Master the French verb devoir and related infinitive carriers, learning to express 'to have to' or 'must' with present tense conjugations, including irregular forms and common usage.

Explore how to express 'must' and 'must not' in French with the verb devoir, including its negative form and how to say 'I don't have to' using alternative phrases.

Master forming French questions by inverting the verb with the subject pronoun, using examples like 'do I have to' and 'does he have to', and practice common phrases.

Learn to express obligation in French and say you don't have to, using the negative form of avoir à plus an infinitive, with examples like I don't have to go.

Learn how to say common French negations and everyday expressions, from you don't have to and do not to bonsoir, to supermarket conversations, calling etiquette, souvenirs, and leaving tomorrow.

Learn the present tense conjugation of the irregular verb vouloir as an infinitive carrier. See examples like I want, you want, he wants, we want, they want, and phrases such as I want to leave now and we want to speak French.

Master the negative form of the French verb vouloir with pronoun examples such as je ne veux pas, tu ne veux pas, il ne veut pas, nous ne voulons pas.

learn how to form questions with vouloir by inverting the subject pronoun with the verb and placing a hyphen, with examples like what do you want to do.

Memorize the infinitive carriers and practice forming sentences with any verb to express obligation or desire, using forms like I must, you must, we must, and their negatives.

Practice what we've learned by translating everyday phrases into French, such as 'i have to leave in 5 minutes.' Explore questions like 'pourquoi' and 'déjà vu'.

Practice reverse translations from French to English using everyday phrases, names, and travel scenarios to build beginner comprehension and vocabulary in a practical context.

Recap translations reinforce previously learned French words and phrases, teaching how to say common questions, foods, colors, and times, with examples like rouge, nourriture francaise, and Pierre.

Practice French to English recap translations by interpreting common phrases from beginner level sentences, such as the food is very good, how much is it for, and one month.

Review the recap of last lesson's phrases for must and can, focusing on pouvoir as an irregular infinitive carrier and its present tense conjugations.

Explore the negative present tense of pouvoir in French, with examples that express 'I can't' and 'you can't' alongside related phrases.

Learn how to express common phrases in French, such as inability, permission, and expenses, with practical pronunciation and examples featuring names like Jean and Pierre.

Learn to form questions with pouvoir by inverting it with the subject pronoun and inserting a hyphen, mastering je peux, tu peux, il peut, nous pouvons, vous pouvez, ils peuvent.

Learn to express can and can't in French, form negative questions with pouvoir, and practice phrases like can we buy it and can Sophie find the passports.

Learn how to express 'I know how to' in french with savoir, not pouvoir, using verbs directly to say I know how to speak French or play the piano.

Learn the present tense of the irregular French verb savoir. See how any infinitive after savoir expresses what you know or know how to do.

Learn to say common phrases in French, negate savoir with ne pas, and form questions by inverting the verb with the subject, such as 'can you speak English'.

Learn how to say phrases in French using pouvoir and savoir, practice forms for can and to know, and apply basic survival and safety phrases.

Practice practical French phrases from lesson 74j, including how to say things in French, order wine, ask for help, describe a cake, and discuss travel scenarios for beginners.

Practice reverse translations from French to English by interpreting a variety of everyday phrases, including cinema questions, where to go, staying, speaking French, and locating passports.

Practice recap translations to reinforce words and phrases learned in previous lessons, including how to say in French, absolutely delicious, I would like some grapes, and please.

Practice French to English recap translations of common phrases and everyday expressions, including greetings, dinner-related phrases, directions, and remarks like you are too hasty and bon soir.

In lesson 75a, learners explore structure three, the past-tense infinitive carriers, with no auxiliary or past participle, comparing it to structure one and providing example phrases.

Discover how French infinitive carriers form the past tense endings and how to invert them into questions, using devoir as example and phrases like where did you have to go.

Explore basic French phrases and question forms in lesson 75c, including did you have to, what did you want to do yesterday, and where do they have to go.

learn how to form the past tense with infinitive carriers like pouvoir and devoir by applying the standard endings -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient after removing the i forms.

Explore the French verb pouvoir in the past tense, with forms like pouvait and pouvaient, and learn to invert to form questions, plus examples like I could see Pierre.

Explore saying phrases in french, review past tense endings for vouloir, devoir, pouvoir, and introduce the verb ali to express what you were going to do.

Learn to form questions with aller in French by inverting subject and verb, with examples like was I going, were you going, and what were you going to buy.

Master the French past tense with vouloir, devoir, pouvoir, and aller, using endings and infinitive carriers to form questions and 'we were going to' statements.

Explore structure three, a three-part french framework with first-part question words such as what, where, when, who, and why, and second-part past tense infinitive carriers like did you have to.

Learn how to form French questions by flipping the subject pronoun with the verb using infinitive carriers, and practice infinitives like to eat, to drink, to go, and to pay.

Practice essential beginner French with practical phrases like how to say things in French, who to call, and common verbs and questions drawn from the lesson.

Practice what we've learned by saying how to express common situations in French, from going to the beach today to changing a reservation and calling someone.

Practice reverse translations from French to English to build beginner translation skills. Work with everyday sentences about travel, time, shopping, and asking questions in French.

Practice recap translations of French phrases learned in prior lessons, covering ordering tea, asking about cheese, dinner time, directions, and traveling abroad with friends.

Practice French to English recap translations. Explore travel, dining, and direction phrases essential for beginners.

Review the French word on, its meanings as one and as we, and its third-person singular conjugation, plus how en replaces nous and adjective agreement when on means we.

Lesson 76b explains how the French on can mean one or we, used for everyone, with examples like can you smoke here and are you allowed to eat inside.

Learn how to say things in French using 'how do you say,' and practice asking for directions, purchases, and services in real-life scenarios.

Learn the feminine plural elles and the pronoun on, used for they and for one or people in general. With examples like elles sont ici and ils vont en France.

Practice what you've learned with practical French phrases, questions about Paris, and adjective agreement, while exploring everyday conversations like at the supermarket and inquiring about smoking.

Practice reverse translations of French sentences into English, focusing on questions like who to call, when to eat, how to pay, and why you can't smoke here.

Practice recap translations and essential French phrases learned in earlier lessons, including 'I would like a bit more, please' and hotel, cinema, and restaurant vocabulary.

Practice French to English translations of phrases for hotel, dining, and time. Examples include I would like a room with a shower and I would like to go at 4:00.

This lesson reviews last lesson phrases and introduces structure four for forming past-tense questions and statements using a question word, an inverted auxiliary (avoir or être), and a past participle.

Learn to form French questions by inverting the pronoun and auxiliary verb (avoir or être) and adding a past participle, with optional question words like have you eaten?

Learn that in French, questions about did or have eaten use the past tense; English shows two translations, while French expresses with one past tense form.

Learn practical French question forms, such as where did you eat and when did they finish, and master past participle agreement with on (we) using the se ending.

Learn to form French questions using question words and inverted auxiliary verbs, with examples like have you, has he, and placing the past participle after the auxiliary.

Explore how to say common actions in French, from eaten and paid to bought and hired, with practice questions like how much have you eaten and what has he done.

Learn practical French phrases through questions and everyday topics, like asking what have they eaten today, when did he finish, how have we paid, and why did you say that.

Practice French past-action questions and basic conversational phrases, such as what have they done, what did they drink, what did you eat, and did she call yesterday.

Learn practical French phrases for everyday questions and quantities, including has she called today, what time did you finish, how much, and how many pizzas.

Learn essential French phrases for making reservations and ordering meals, including how to ask 'have you made a reservation' and 'what have you had'.

Discover practical French phrases for beginners, like 'where have you been' and 'have you seen the film,' with daily vocabulary and pronunciation guidance.

Master practical French phrases for travel in France, including hotel inquiries, asking about time and money, and basic interactions with names like Marie and Pierre.

Practice translating common questions into French, including what did you take with you yesterday, why did they make a reservation, where did they eat, and what film did you see.

Learn essential French questions and phrases for everyday scenarios, such as asking how to say something in French, what they brought, when the film started, and airport conversations.

Practice essential French conversation with everyday questions and responses, including what did you bring, did we eat at the hotel last week, and talking about places like avenue.

Learn practical french phrases for common questions and statements, such as how to say things, did she pay the bill, and how did you find the film, with film commentary.

Learn to form French questions and pronouns with phrases like 'how would you say in French', 'has she tried the wine', and 'whom did you see' in Marseilles and Paris.

Practice practical French phrases for everyday conversation, including asking how to say things, past actions, arrivals, purchases, hotel meals, supermarket time, bill payments, and reservation changes.

Practice reverse translations by turning French sentences into English. Explore travel phrases, wine orders, car rental questions, and last-week events from Spain and Paris.

This lesson recaps essential french phrases through translations from previous lessons. It highlights words like parfait, merci, l'université, and taxi to practice everyday requests.

Practice French to English recap translations by interpreting common sentences such as I would like a scarf and a hat, what time do you want to have lunch, and reservations.

Learn the French verb dépenser (to spend money), its regular present tense conjugation and past tense forms (passé composé), with examples like how much did you spend.

Learn to say I spent too much money in French, ask combien d'argent at the supermarket, and explore the irregular verb comprendre, presented here as 'compound,' in present and past.

Learn practical French phrases, such as 'I understand' and 'you come from,' and how la and l’ trigger feminine past participle agreement.

Learn how to say what in French, starting questions with cur, using the feminine quel/quelle, and applying mid-sentence phrases to ask 'what is' with a noun following.

Learn how to say things in French, form questions starting with what, and practice verbs like to spend money and to understand in everyday phrases.

Practice common French phrases from this lesson, such as asking how much money you've spent today, what someone bought, and expressing confusion in conversation.

Practice reverse translations from French to English using everyday phrases from the caption, like combien d'argent and how much money did you spend in France.

In this lesson, students practice recap translations of words and phrases learned before, including how to say time, cinema, absolutely fantastic, tired, delicious, and ordering food with pour moi.

Learn to translate common French sentences into English through a French to English recap, covering phrases about people, time, requests, and everyday actions.

Review essential words for spending and understanding in French, and learn the conditional tense of vouloir to express would like.

This lesson teaches how to express wishes in French using the conditional form of vouloir, including negative constructions with ne pas and forming questions by switching subject and verb.

Learn to express would like and to spend time in French using vouloir and passé, with examples such as I would like to spend two weeks here.

Explore the regular present tense and passé composé forms of the French verb passer, with examples about spending time and asking would you like to spend a week in France.

Discover how to say 'I would like' in French using vouloir and its forms. Practice the verb passer to spend time and describe holidays in Paris, France, with les vacances.

Learn to ask in French about holidays and durations, including how long you spent or have lived somewhere, and note that holiday is feminine, affecting endings.

Explore basic French question forms and duration expressions, from asking how long someone spent at your house to how long you’d like to spend abroad, with 'I hope to' usage.

Learn to express hopes in French with phrases like j'espère partir and j'espère finir, applying them to holidays abroad, talking with Marie, and visiting the Eiffel Tower.

Learn to say we hope in French with on espère and practice short phrases like we hope to see Marie tomorrow and we hope to arrive tomorrow morning at 7:30.

Learn how the adverb only is placed after the verb in French versus before the verb in English, with examples like I'm spending one week here.

Learn to express wishes and possibilities in French with si seulement, featuring examples like 'if only it were possible' and 'nous pouvons prendre le train seulement si nous partons maintenant'.

This lecture explains how to say 'I hope that' in French with 'j'espère que,' attaches to infinitives or other clauses, and shows examples like 'j'espère que c'est bon'.

Discover when j'espère uses an infinitive or que in French, with examples like j'espère aller en France and j'espère que tu vas en France, and the des versus de rule.

Practice practical French phrases for dining, travel, and lodging, including asking to eat here today, spending holidays in France, stay durations, and renting a car.

Practice French to English translations with everyday phrases, from asking what to do today to ordering two bottles of red wine and shopping in Aix en Provence.

Reinforce your understanding with recap translations of words and phrases from earlier lessons. Practice French phrases for prices, times, and dining, such as ordering at a restaurant tonight.

Translate a series of French sentences into English to practice essential everyday phrases, including 'it's 5:00', 'with me', 'how much is the big car', and 'Can I try the cheese?'

Review how to express 'I would like' and related French forms. Explore combien to ask how much or how many with nouns, e.g., combien d'argent and combien de jours.

Master fronting the preposition pour to form French questions like 'pour combien de temps?', avoid ending sentences with a preposition, and translate 'how long are you going for?' into French.

Discover how to ask how many days in France using combien de jours and pour combien de jours, and how quel forms vary by gender and number to mean which.

Learn to form which-questions in French, including masculine and feminine plural forms, with examples like which car does she have and which wine did they order.

Learn informal and formal forms of prefer in French, ask which you prefer, and use infinitives after prefer to with examples like France or Spain and red or white wine.

Learn how to ask in French and express preferences with 'je préfère' plus infinitives, including 'I prefer to spend holidays in France' and 'I prefer to pay'.

Learn how to express preferences in French, including 'je préfère' and 'tu préfères', the use of infinitives after préférer, and forming questions like 'do you prefer to do something?'

Practice essential French phrases for everyday questions, including how to say in French, how many days to hire a car, and preferences about staying home or going out.

Practice reverse translations of French sentences to English, identifying meanings for phrases about cars, holidays, hotels, meals, and cheese.

Practice recap translations to reinforce words and phrases learned previously, including telling time, asking about places and people, ordering wine, and basic conversations in French.

Explore French to English recap translations of phrases for shopping, dining, travel, and directions, including how much is this and may I have a room tonight or make a reservation.