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DELF A2 production orale: How to describe someone in French

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How do you talk about the person you admire most in french? a celebrity or friend? What about their appearance and personality? Well, in this tutorial, we will look at how you should approach this topic by providing the necessary vocabulary and french phrases to get you going. In addition, you will find sample French A2 questions and cue cards, to practice. And finally authentic sample monologues.

French A2 Cue card Examples “Describe a person you admire”:

Cue Card 1

Parlez d’une personne célèbre que vous admirez (écrivain, sportif, acteur, chanteur, personnage de la vie politique…) : nom, âge, nationalité, activité… Décrivez-le/la physiquement. Dites pourquoi vous l’admirez.

Cue Card 2

Décrivez votre professeur préféré. Pourquoi l’aimez-vous ? Racontez un souvenir avec ce professeur.

TIP

Remember cue cards or questions are not limited to those listed above. Cue cards for describing someone can come in the form of talking about the person you admire most, appreciate, describing someone you know, such as their personality or appearance or both. The good news is these question types sometimes require the same basic vocabulary and response pattern.

How to talk about the person you admire in French

Since you will be given 2 cue cards to choose from, the first thing you should do is to introduce the topic you will be talking about. The following french expressions will come in handy.

Aujourd’hui, je vais parler de mon amour

Je vous présente mon idole/modèle/héro/héroïne

Je partage avec vous celui / celle que j’aime

En ce moment, on va parler de la personne que j’admire

You can continue by stating their profession.

Cette personne est …

Il / Elle est …

C’est un / une …

Celle / Celui dont je parle c’est …

 

List of professions in french you may find useful

Professeur – teacher              directeur(euse) – director                  artiste – artist

Médecin – doctor                   infirmier(ière) – nurse                                    dentiste – dentist

Sportif(ve) – athlete                chanteur(euse) – singer                      avocat(e) – lawyer

Soldat – soldier                       scientifique – scientist                        écrivain – writer

Pompier(ière) – firefighter     peintre – painter                                 acteur(trice) – actor

Homme/femme politique – politician    musicien(ne) – musician     étudiant(e) – student

*Remember the professions must agree in gender. Once you speak about a profession, the article is omitted unless you use c’est or an adjective to describe the profession.

You may give additional information about the person

 State the person’s name

  • Il/Elle s’appelle …
  • Son nom est …
  • Le nom de mon amour/mon admirateur(trice) est …
  • Le nom de celle/celui dont je parle est …

 

Give the person’s age

Il/Elle a … ans

Sylvie a … ans

Il /Elle a environ … ans (if you don’t know the exact age of the person)

 

You may also state the nationality of the person

Il / Elle est …

Jamaïquain/e – Jamaican                   Français/e – French                Canadien/ne – Canadian

Belge – Belgian                                   Americain/e – American        Anglais/e – English

Chinois/e – Chinese                            Africain/e – African                Algérien/ne – Algerian

Italien/ne – Italian                              Mexicain/e – Mexican                        Marocain/e – Moroccan

Espagnol/e – Spanish                          Suisse – Swiss                          Russe – Russian

Polonais/e – Polish                              Portugais/e – Portuguese       Japonais/e – Japanese

Adjectives to describe someone  physically in french

For size and appearance

Il/Elle est …

Grand/e – tall                         petit/e – short                                     gros/se – fat

Mince – slim                           beau – handsome                               belle – beautiful

 

For skin colour

Il / Elle a la peau foncée (dark-skinned)                    Il / elle est blanc/blanche (white)

Il / Elle a la peau claire (fair/light-skinned)               Il / elle est noir/noire (black)

 

For eye colour

Il / Elle a les yeux …

bleues (blue), verts (green), noisettes (hazel), bruns (brown)

For hair

Il / Elle a les cheveux …

Noirs (black), châtains/bruns (brown), blonds (blond), roux (red), gris (grey)

longs (long), mi-longs (medium length), courts (short),

bouclés (curly), ondulés (wavy), raides (straight), épais (course/thick)

Others

Il a une barbe – he has a beard

Il a une moustache – he has a moustache

Il / elle porte des lunettes – he/she wears glasses

Il / elle a des taches de rousseur – he/she has freckles

Il / elle a des fossettes – he/she has dimples

Add reasons why you admire such person in french

Je l’admire parce que …

J’admire Sylvie parce que …

Je le/la trouve admirable parce que …

A mon avis, il/elle est admirable parce que …

Selon moi, il/elle est une personne …

List of adjectives to describe someone’s personality in french

Charismatique – charismatic                         courageux/courageuse – courageous

Dynamique – dynamic                                    créatif/créative – creative

Energique – energetic                                                débrouillard/débrouillarde – resourceful

Fidèle – faithful                                               travailleur/travailleuse – hardworking

Honnête – honset                                            extraverti/extravertie – extrovert

Optimiste – optimistic                                    ingénieux/ingénieuse – ingenious

State why you admire him/her

Je l’admire parce qu’il/elle…

  • m’encourage – encourages me
  • me motive – motivates me
  • me pousse de faire de mon mieux – pushes me to do my best
  • m’aide à attendre mes buts – helps me to attain my goals
  • m’aide à comprendre les leçons – helps me to understand the lessons
  • me traite comme un fils/une fille – treats me like a son/daughter

*You may also use adjectives above as reasons.

Example french monologue: “The Person I admire”

Below you will find some examples of people talking about someone that they admire. Lesson to the monologue and see if you can reuse some of the vocabulary to describe the person you admire in french.

The first person, Lucas, speaks about his favourite DJ David Guetta and the second, David, speaks about his favourite handball player, Thierry Omeyer.

Lucas : David Guetta

Lucas nous présente son DJ préféré: David Guetta.

David : le sportif Thierry Omeyer

David vous présente son joueur de handball préféré : Thierry Omeyer.

Example: Describing your favourite teacher in French

Introduction of topic

Je vais vous parler de mon prof préféré/favori

Je vous parler de …

Begin by giving a physical description

Il / Elle est …

Grand/e – tall                         petit/e – short                                     gros/se – fat

Mince – slim                           beau – handsome                               belle – beautiful

Il / Elle a les yeux …

Il / Elle a les cheveux …

Il / Elle a la peau …

Add additional features such as:

Il / elle porte – He / She wears …

lunettes – glasses                   appareil dentaire – braces                 bague – ring

montre – watch                      boucle d’oreille – earring                   bijoux – jewellery

Il / Elle a – He/She has …

Barbe – beard                         moustache – moustache         Taches de rousseur – freckles

Fossettes – dimples                 tatouage – tattoo                    grain de beauté – mole

You may then describe his/her character traits

Il / Elle est …

Drôle – funny                          amical/e – friendly                             gentil/le – kind

Sympa – nice                           taquin/e – playful                               sérieux/se – serious

Intelligent/e – intelligent        ouvert d’esprit – open-minded           patient/e – patient

Franc/he – frank                     impartial – fair

State why you admire him/her

Je l’admire parce qu’il/elle…

  • m’encourage – encourages me
  • me motive – motivates me
  • me pousse de faire de mon mieux – pushes me to do my best
  • m’aide à attendre mes buts – helps me to attain my goals
  • m’aide à comprendre les leçons – helps me to understand the lessons
  • me traite comme un fils/une fille – treats me like a son/daughter

*You may also use adjectives above as reasons.

You may also tell of an experience you had 

*This will require you to use the past tense (perfect and the imperfect tense).

Perfect tense

Formed with the auxillary verb avoir or être and is used when there’s a complete action:

DELF A2 Production Orale: How to talk about different sports in french

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In the DELF A2 production orale , of you french exam, a key topic is  leisure activities. This exam guide will look at how to talk about different sports in french, under the main topic, leisure activities.

In your french exam, you will see questions that ask you to speak about sports you practice,  a sporting event you have seen or to talk about popular sports in your country.

After this tutorial you will understand:

how to introduce your topic

Talk about how often you do this sports

Who you do sports with

Where and when you do this sports

You will also get a chance to look at examples and listen to people speaking about their favorite sports in french.

Link to other tutorials you may like: DELF A2 Production Orale: Talk about a dish or recipe in french

What to Expect for your monologue in french DELF A2

For the monologue you will be proposed 2 topics. You will then need to choose one. Make sure you understand the subject and what is required of you before making a final chose.

You will be expected to talk for around 2 minutes on this topic and the examiner may ask you an extra 2 to 3 questions to keep the monologue going.

Here are 2 example cue cards about sports that you may come across for your french exam.

Example DELF A2 leisure activities questions asking about different sports in french

Est-ce que vous avez déjà vu une compétition sportive professionnelle dans un stade? Est ce que vous aimez regarder le sport à la télévision ? Quels sont les sports les plus populaires dans votre pays ? Est-ce que vous préférez regarder d’autres sports ? Dites pourquoi.

Quel(s) sport(s) pratiquez-vous ? Pourquoi ? Avec qui faites-vous du sport ? Où allez-vous en général ?

 

Link to other tutorials you may like: DELF A1-A2 Production Orale role play: Guide to Making a doctor’s appointment

Where to Start?

There are so many different sports and sometimes it is not always easy knowing where to start!

The first thing to do is to get familiar with different vocabulary associated with sports  in french. This includes types of sports, where the sports take place, if it is on a track, pool etc, as well as the equipment used.

List of some common sports in French  :

La natation – Swimming           La pêche – Fishing                   Le cyclisme – Cycling

Le tennis – Tennis                     Le golf – Golf                          L’athlétisme – Track & Field

Le handball – Handball           La voile – Sailing                  Le hockey – Hockey

L’équitation – Horseback riding         Le canoë – Canoeing               Le ski – Skiing

Le basket – Basketball            Le football – Football              Le Volley – Volleyball

Le foot – Soccer              La lutte – Wrestling                La chasse – Hunting

 

 How to introduction your topic about sports in french:

 

Je vais vous parler de mon sport préféré………..

Mon sport préféré est …………… car………………

J’aime beaucoup ce sport car……………………..

Bonjour, Je vais vous parler de ………………….., mon sport préféré

Aujourd’hui, je vais vous parler de mon activité préférée qui est…………..J’aime faire cette activité car…………………………

J’avais vu des compétitions de……………. à la télévision /dans un stade

Je suis dans l’équipe du……………………

You can also add WHERE you practice this sports:

Je pratique ………………

en club———-in a club

sur un terrain de rugby/de football————rugby field/ football field

dans une piscine ———–in a swimming pool

à la maison————at home

dans une salle de sport ———— in a sports Hall/gym

dans une Salle de gymnastique————- in a gymnastics hall

 

Using adverbs of frequency to talk about WHEN you do sports in French

When talking about sports, it is a good idea to talk about how about when or how often you participate in this activity:

Tous les jours——–everyday

chaque soir————-every evening

Souvent————-often

de temps en temps——–sometimes

Rarement———-rarely

Une fois par semaine ——–Once a week

Tous les week-ends——- every weekend

Tous les dimanches ———– every Sunday

Presque tous les jours ———- almost everyday

 

Example:

Mon activité préférée est la gymnastique. J’en fais à mon école tous les lundis, les jeudis et les samedis.

Je m’entraine beaucoup chaque soir————-I train a lot every evening.

You can speak about the sports equipment used:

L’équipement est composé d’un………….————– Equipment includes…………………..

 

Common verbs to speak about Sports in French

Pratiquer un sport ——practice a sports

Jouer au——— to play

Aller à————- to go

Etre sportif (ive) —— to be sportive

Faire du sport —-do a sports

s’entrainer ———-to train

gagner —– to win

perdre ———–to lose

 

Other Useful Vocabulary to speak about sports in french :

 

Team – équipe

Teammate – coéquipier / coéquipière

Coach – coach

Referee – arbitre

Spectator – spectateur

Fan/Supporter – Supporteur/supportrice

Stadium – stade

Competition – compétition

Player – jouer / joueuse

 

Activities used with ‘Jouer au’ + name of sport

Jouer au tennis

Jouer au basket

Jouer au foot

Jouer au golf

Jouer au football

Jouer au volley

Jouer au handball

Jouer au hockey

*Jouer – To play

 

*Activities used with ‘Faire de’ + sport’

 

Faire de la natation

Faire de l’équitation

Faire de la voile

Faire de la lutte

Faire du canoë

Faire du cyclisme

Faire du ski

 

*Activities used with ‘Aller à’ + sport’

Aller à la chasse

Aller à la pêche

 

EXPRESSING YOUR OPINION ABOUT SPORTS IN FRENCH

 

You will also need to familiarize yourself with adjectives that will help in adding support to your arguments or opinions. Here are a few adjectives that can be used to talk about sports.

 

Adjectives/Reasons:

Excitant(e) – Exciting         Amusant(e) – Fun                Intéressant(e) – Interesting

Animé/e – Lively               Ennuyeux(euse) – Boring          Difficile – Hard

Extrême – Extreme          Fatigant(e) – exhausting            Dangereux(euse) – Dangerous

Je pratique le cyclisme parce que c’est amusant —-I practice cycling because it’s fun

Le hockey, c’est un sport de stratégie ————— Hockey, it is a strategic sport

Je ne pratique pas la lutte parce que c’est dangereux.———-I do not practice wrestling because it is dangerous.

J’aime faire du sport parce que c’est excitant————–I like to do sports because it is exciting.

Je n’aime pas faire du sport parce que c’est difficile—————-I do not like to do sports because it is hard.

 

Talking about WHO you do sports with:

Je fais du sport avec mon ami/avec ma famille/avec mes collègues—–I do sports with my friend/ with my family /with my colleagues

Talking about HOW LONG you have been doing this sports

J’ai commencé ce sport quand j’avais 10 ans————- I started this sports when I was 10 years old.

 

Sample Presentation on sports in French :

Bonjour ! Je m’appelle Sylvie et j’aime faire du sport. Je pratique le cyclisme et la natation mais mon sport favori est le foot parce que c’est très amusant. Dans mon pays, les sports les plus populaires sont le cyclisme, la natation et le ski.

Bonjour ! Je m’appelle Sylvie et je n’aime pas faire du sport parce que je ne suis pas sportive. Néanmoins, je pratique le cyclisme et la natation parce que cela m’aide à rester en forme, mais mon sport favori est le foot parce que c’est très amusant. Les sports les plus populaires dans mon pays sont le cyclisme, la natation et le ski.

 

Vocabulaire :

*bonjour – hello          *mais – but           *très – very           *néanmoins – nevertheless

*sportive – athletic

 

Example of people talking about sports they do:

 

Speaking about dancing

Aliénor : je pratique la danse

Je vais vous parler de mon sport préféré, la danse. En fin d’année, nous faisons toujours un grand spectacle.

Julie : je pratique du vo

Le vo est un art martial vietnamien et je m’entraîne très souvent.

how to say and talk about basketball in french

One of the most popular sports that is mention on a french exam is basketball. We have a listening when some is talking about basketball.

Gaspard : les ligues de basket-ball

Gaspard nous parles des ligues françaises et américaines de basket-ball ainsi que des grands basketteurs connus.

Roseline : ma passion, la gymnastique

J’ai fait beaucoup de gym dans ma jeunesse, j’ai aussi fait des compétitions.

TEF expression orale preparation section A : Asking about housing

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This is a TEF Expression Orale preparation guide on how to answer section A type tasks. You will find this tutorial helpful if you are preparing for any TEF exams, such as  the TEFAQ, TEF Canada or TEF ANF and aiming to achieve level B1 and above (B2 and C1).

What questions to ask about an apartment or house you would like to rent? In this tutorial we look at:

  1. What is the format of Section A of the TEF Expresssion Orale test
  2. What the examiner  expects from you
  3. 3 Sample TEF Expression Orale Section Task on house and apartment rental
  4. Over 30 Sample french questions to ask when calling about an apartment or house, with exam tips and recommendation

Link to other TEF articles: Best TEF books and online preparation resources

Format of Section A of the TEF Expresssion Orale test

The oral expression portion of the TEF comes in the form of a role-play. The objective is for you to demonstrate you have the necessary skills and level in french to deal with everyday real-life situations.

In Section A you will be presented with the kind of advertisement, or an extract from an information brochure, that you are likely to come across in your day to day life. So this could be:

  1. an offer of employment
  2. offer of services
  3. information about recreation facilitates
  4. standard  rental ads
  5. vacation home rentals

What the examiner expects from you

The extract in itself is very general. Containing just the minimal details. You are then expected to gather further information by asking relevant questions. This includes asking for clarification of information you saw in the original extract. Or it could be clarification of the answers you obtained during the conversation.

The examiner will evaluate whether you are able to hold a formal conversation while seeking clarification and further information on a particular subject of interest. Under these conditions, you will need to come up with approximately 10 questions, more or less, to get  more information about the listed product, service or event.

3 Sample TEF Expression Orale Section Tasks

Below are 3 examples for the TEF test that can be used for most TEF exams expression orale such as TEF Canada expression Orale and the TEFAQ

Exemple 1

Vous avez lu cette annonce d’appartement/ maison et vous êtes intéressé(e). Vous téléphonez pour avoir plus d’informations.

→ Posez une dizaine de questions.

→ Votre examinateur(trice) joue le rôle de votre interlocuteur(trice)

 

Annonce 1: Appartement

A louer a AVON proche FONTAINEBLEAU , un studio pour étudiant. Bus et gare a proximité ainsi que les commerces. Pièce a vivre et salle d’eau. Libre mi aout.

Annonce 2: Appartement

A Louer a ST FARGEAU PONTHIERRY, dans le Hameau de Jonville. Un appartement récent de 2 pièces au 1er étage avec un balcon, 1 place de parking en sous sol et 1 place de parking extérieur.Chauffage au gaz individuel, eau comprise. Entrée avec placards, cuisine semi ouverte, séjour sur balcon, chambre, salle de bains.

Annonce 3: maison

A LOUER! Maison individuelle avec sous-sol total, sur un terrain de 200 m², comprenant, au rez-de-chaussée : une entrée, un séjour, une cuisine aménagée et équipée, une salle d’eau et un WC. A l’étage : 3 chambres. Surface Habitable : 71,54 m² Loyer : 1196,00 Euros par mois.

What type of questions to ask for the TEF ?

As you can see from the example, all 3 advertisement while offering property for rental, the type of information provided in each advertisement is not the same. As a result it is useless to memory 10 questions on property rental in french and hope that this activity will appear on your exam. So what do you do?

The first think to remember that the questions you should ask, are questions that you would normally ask under the same real life situation. The TEF Expression Orale exam task are not designed to confused or trick you. Just know the examiner is actually there to facilitate the evaluation of you true level in french.

 

How to start the conversation

First thing you will need to do is to say Hello and state your name:

Allo? Bonjour, je m’appelle  …………..,

This can be followed by one of the following phrases:

Je suis très intéressée par votre annonce.

Je viens de tomber sur votre annonce et je serais très intéressé par votre appartement car je travail juste à coté à ……………….

Je recherche très activement un logement dans votre résidence et je suis très intéressée par votre studio,

J’ai vu votre annonce pour une chambre/maison/un appartement à louer et elle m’intéresse beaucoup

Je suis à la recherche d’un appartement à louer…………….

You can also say where you saw this advertisement

  • J’ai lu l’annonce dans le journal
  • J’ai lu votre annonce sur Internet.

You can then follow this by trying to get information about the property that was not listed in the advertisement. Or information that you believe it would be good to have further information about.

10 General Questions that you can about the property

The following general questions will help you decide if this is the right apartment for you.

  1. Quelle est sa superficie ?
  2. A quelle date débute la location ?
  3. A partir de quand  est-il disponible ?
  4. Quelle est la durée de la location ?
  5. Quelles sont les pièces à fournir?
  6. quelles sont les garanties demandées pour la location?
  7. Est-ce qu’il est lumineux ?
  8. Où le bien est-il situé ?
  9. le contrat de bail ?
  10. Quelles sont les garanties exigées par le propriétaire ?
  11. Est-ce que ce serait possible de le visiter ?

 

10 Questions about cost and expense associated with an apartment

Asking about what could be cost and possible expense associated with an apartment is also logical since these can vary enormously the price of the rental. You can ask for example:

  1. Combien cout la location ?
  2. et le loyer est à combien ?
  3. Quel est le montant des charges et que comprennent-elles ?
  4. L’’eau et le chauffage sont-ils compris dans le loyer?
  5. Dans ce prix est compris le chauffage et l’électricité ?
  6. l’eau ou le chauffage sont pris en compte dans ces charges?
  7. Dois-je vous verser une caution ?
  8. Le propriétaire souhaite-t-il une caution?
  9. Quel est le montant de la caution (un garant)?
  10. A combien s’élève la taxe d’habitation ?

 

4 Questions about the building and shared space for an apartment

  1. A quel étage se situe cet appartement ?
  2. Il y a un ascenseur ?
  3. Il y a un digicode/ l’interphone /gardien ?
  4. Il y a escaliers ou  ascenseur ?

In addition to the above questions, asking about the layout of the building can also be considered. For example, if there are professional premises on the ground floor, ask about their activity since noise along other things could become a nuisance. A bar on the ground floor or fast food that operates late at night?  You must try to guess the possible nuisances.s

 

6 Questions on the comfort of the residence

Imagine that you have a car, then an apartment that comes with a parking spot would be interesting.  In addition, if you would like to add your own style, such as to repaint. Other things such as the building is well insulated etc.

  1. La location comprend-t-elle une cave ou un parking ?
  2. Y a-t-il une ligne téléphonique ?
  3. Ai-je le droit de refaire la déco des pièces ?
  4. Quel est le type de chauffage ? Est-il compris dans les charges ?
  5. Les fenêtres sont-elles en double vitrage ?
  6. Est qu’il y a des places de stationnement?———–Is there parking spaces?

 

6 Questions about the neighbourhood “Le quartier”

The housing environment is a very important element in choosing your home. In everyday life, these amenities can make your life easier.

  1. Est-ce que se trouve de supermarchés auprès ?———– Is there any supermarket near?
  2. Est qu’il y a de parc au prés de cette immobile ?————Is there a park near this immobile
  3. Y-a-t-il des transports en commun?———–Is there public transport?
  4. Est qu’il y a des arrêts de bus à proximité? ————Is there bus stops nearby?
  5. Est qu’il y a des commerces à proximité?
  6. Est qu’il y a des écoles à proximité?

 

DELF A2 Production Orale: Talk about a dish or recipe in french

How do you talk about or describe your favourite dish in french or even just talk about a recipe for a local dish from your country in french? In this tutorial we will be looking at a topic that appears often on the DELF A2 Production Orale section of your french exam: How to talk about food.

You will find this type of speaking task in section 2 of the Production Orale under MONOLOGUE and section 3 under ROLE PLAY. We will be looking at examples from both these sections. Plus, we will be listening to different people talking about a local dish and their favourite dish in french.

What to Expect for your monologue in french DELF A2

For the monologue you will be proposed 2 topics. You will then need to choose one. Make sure you understand the subject and what is required of you before making a final chose.

You will be expected to talk for around 2 minutes on this topic and the examiner may ask you an additional 2 to 3 questions to keep the monologue going.

Here are 2 example cue cards about food that you may come across for your french exam.

Sample Task 1:
Quel plat de votre pays voulez-vous faire goûter à des amis français ? Quels sont les ingrédients? Expliquez comment on le prépare, comment et à quelle occasion on le mange.

Sample Task 3:
Aimez-vous cuisiner ? À quelle(s) occasion(s) ? Parlez d´un plat que vous savez préparer ou que vous avez vu préparer par quelqu´un d´autre.

 

Tips for Talking about your favourite dish in french

 

First and foremost remember to introduce your topic, example:

je vais présenter vous mes (mon) plats (plat) préféré(s)

J’ai envie de partager avec vous mon plat préféré

Mon plat préféré………………..

Le plat que je préfère est . ……………..

 

And if you would like to talk about more than one dish:

Moi, j’adore tous les plats. C’est trop difficile pour moi de choisir un seul plat….

 

This can be followed by stating what type of dish it is:

c’est le plat typique de…………..

C’est un plat traditionnel/régional/classique/…………………..

Cette spécialité de/du …………..

C’est un plat originaire du/de………………..

 

What in is it consist of?

Remember to use very specific vocabulary on not only food but food preparation. You can revisit our article on how to write a recipe in french to check some vocabulary. You should speak about what food it is.

Dans ce plat il y a……………………

We can look at some vocabulary on meat: le poulet (chicken), le porc (pork), le jambon (ham), le bifteck (steak), l’agneau (lamb), le veau (veal), la dinde (turkey)

How is it prepared? For example:

  • cuire————-cook
  • bouillir————–boil
  • griller—————grill

How it is served?

  • chaud(e)——-hot
  • froid(e)———cold
  • (for meat)  bleu/saignant (very rare), mi- saignant (rare), à point (medium rare), bien cuit (well done).

When do you normally eat it? Is it only on special occasions, such as a national holiday? It is a meal served for breakfast, lunch or dinner?

Then mention why you like it and why it is your favourite food.

J’aime vraiment …………………. parce que ………………..

Useful tips for talking about a recipe in french

Aujourd’hui, je vous présente ma recette (préférée) qui, elle, est composée avec des …………..

J’adore cuisiner……………….

Je vous présente une recette de………/une recette rapide et simple

Cette recette peut-être préparée en version végétarienne ou végétalienne…………..

Pour la préparation……………..

 

Remember to use connecting words when necessary:

D’abord………….Ensuite………………..Après……….et………….

Useful expressions to describe a dish or recipe in French:

Vocabulary related to taste:

  • goûter —————–to taste
  • le goût ————— taste
  • la saveur —————- flavor

Words to describe how a dish taste

Le plat est très ……..————— THe dish is very…………….
savoureux / savoureuse ————-tasty
goûteux / goûteuse—————–flavorful
délicieux / délicieuse——————–delicious
succulent / succulente—————-succulent (tender, juicy, and tasty)

il faut absolument goûter à ……… ————- You need to absolutely taste………

C’est délicieux————————It’s delicious.
L’assaisonnement est parfait——————-The seasoning is perfect.
La viande est très bien cuite, et tendre.————-The meat is very well cooked, and tender.
Les légumes sont bien croquants———————-The vegetables are nicely crunchy.

 

Other useful words to describe how food taste includes:

amer / amère———————–bitter
aigre———————-sour
salé——————–salty
sucré——————sweet
fort / forte—————-spicy/hot
épicé———————spicy
pimenté——————spicy

For some candidate you might want to explain further if it is a vegetation or vegan dish:

végétarien / végétarienne——————–vegetarian
végétalien / végétalienne———————vegan

Tips for ROLE PLAY in DELF A2 Production Orale

For the role play you will have two topics and you will need to choose one.You must be able to show that you can deal with day-to-day situation that you may meet in a french speaking environment. You must also show that you are able to greet and use polite expressions.

Here are 2 sample cue cards from the DELF A2 Production Orale part 3 on role play. You will be doing the role play with the examiner.

 

SAMPLE SUBJECT 1. Recette de cuisine
Vous adorez cuisiner. Vous proposez à un ami français de venir chez vous cuisiner ensemble un plat de votre pays. Vous vous mettez d’accord sur qui fait quoi.
L’examinateur joue le rôle de l’ami.

 

SAMPLE SUBJECT 2 RECETTE
Un(e) ami(e) français(e) vous téléphone pour connaître la recette d’un plat typique de votre pays. Vous répondez à ses questions. À la fin de la conversation, vous lui proposez de venir l’aider à préparer le plat.
[L’examinateur / l’examinatrice joue le rôle de votre ami(e).]

 

Example of people talking about their favourite dish or a local dish

Here we have 3 people who talk about different recipes. Listen careful to the monologue. Try and see if there is any usually vocabulary that you can use in your monologue or role play. Then go to the end of the page and try to response to one of the cue cards above.

Gaëlle : les crêpes bretonnes

Pour les gourmands ! Quelle différence entre les crêpes et les galettes ? Vous allez tout savoir!

Jean-Claude : la recette des crêpes bretonnes

Jean-Claude nous donne sa recette des crêpes, spécialités de la Bretagne.

Frédéric : flambage d’une viande

J’aime bien faire ça quand je reçois du monde. Je vous explique ma recette.

DELF A2 Production Orale Monologue Practice

With the voice recorder below,  record your monologue then replay to listen to how well you did. Remember you can record yourself as many time as you like. Once you are finished, download your recording and ask someone, such as your teacher, to give feedback on your presentation. Good luck and wish you all the best for your exam.

Free Alliance Francaise online course for A1 A2 B1

Alliance française,  Paris Ile-de-France, is currently offering 3  free french online classes. These courses are for level A1, A2 and B1.

The aim of these courses is to not only teach French, but also to introduce French culture to newly arrived foreigners. So if you are want to live in France or already living in France as a student, immigrant, expatriate etc,these courses are for you.

These course are designed to help newcomers  reach the A1, A2 and B1 levels of the European Reference Framework for Languages (CEFR). These 3 online courses aim to help them to be more independent in their daily life and their administrative procedures.

If you are currently putting together your application for the French Nationality or your 10 year French Residence Card, this is a french language learning course. This course, in addition to a good exam preparation guide, can help you attain level A2 for your residence card or B1 for your french nationality.

The collection, which is called « Vivre en France – Cours de français », was designed with the support of the Directorate General of Foreigners in France and in partnership with RFI. They are available on the FUN platform (France Digital University) until December 31, 2020. To access it, simply create an account on France Digital University and register.

To access the collection « Vivre en France – Cours de français » just click on the link below :

https://www.fun-mooc.fr/universities/direction-generale-des-etrangers-en-france/ 

 

What to expect in these free online french courses:

The courses are offered in the form of videos, illustrations or audio content within different chapters called sequences. Each requires several hours of self-study before you can move on to the next sequence and reach the end of the program. You can navigate the course freely and choose to work first on the sequences and activities that interest you the most.

You are then evaluated by the FUN platform with a final online exam. You will be able to receive a certificate of completion if you have successfully finish the course.

These courses are accessible on your mobile phone, tablet or computer.

 

(1) Free Alliance Francaise online course niveau débutant A1

About FUN-MOOC : Vivre en France niveau débutant A1

This first Alliance Francaise online course ” Vivre en France – Cours de français” target beginner at level A1. You will get 50 hours of French classes online, that is open to everyone and also free.

The lessons are structure in a way where you discover the French language with characters, namely: Ayssé, Peter, Maria, Rajan, Tania, Haroun and Yuta. All of whom are new to France and who will discover France and the french language with you.  There are 17 sequences in this class. Each sequence represents 3 hours of independent learning with a different theme: everyday life, French culture, civic life or administrative procedures.

You can see the course introduction video below.

 

If you want to sign up and access this course directly, just click on the link below:

https://www.fun-mooc.fr/courses/course-v1:dgef-interieur+134003+session01/about

Prerequisites this free online course

This course is for beginners in French: For those who have never studied French (or you have only taken a French course). This course targets A1 level objectives of the European Reference Framework for Languages.

Plan du cours

• Séquence 1 : « J’arrive en France »
• Séquence 2 : « Je me présente dans une administration »
• Séquence 3 : « Je décris mon quartier »
• Séquence 4 : « Je fais connaissance avec mes voisins »
• Séquence 5 : « Je fais les courses »
• Séquence 6 : « Je fais des achats »
• Séquence 7 : « J’organise un rendez-vous»
• Séquence 8 : « Je me loge »
• Séquence 9 : « Je voyage en France »
• Séquence 10 : « Je m’occupe de ma famille »
• Séquence 11 : « Je me soigne »
• Séquence 12 : « Je fais une demande administrative »
• Séquence 13 : « Je cherche un emploi »
• Séquence 14 : « Je me forme »
• Séquence 15 : « Je découvre la France »
• Séquence 16 : « Je fais des projets »
• Séquence 17 : « Evaluation finale »

 

(2) FUN-MOOC : Vivre en France niveau élémentaire A2

Prerequisites for this Alliance Francaise online course

This course is for people who have a beginner level in French: you have followed the MOOC “Living in France – A1 level”, you have obtained the level A1, or you have the equivalent of 80 to 100 hours of learning . This course aims at A2 level objectives of the European Reference Framework for Languages.

About the course

Although all courses can be completed separately, this course continues from where the first course ends. You will continue to follow Ayssé, Peter, Maria, Rajan, Tania, Haroun and Yuta who will accompany you in an experience to discover the French language and culture. There are 18 sequences in this course. For each sequence, count 4 hours of independent learning around a different theme: everyday life, French culture, civic life or administrative procedures.

To access this course directly follow the link below:

https://www.fun-mooc.fr/courses/course-v1:dgef-interieur+134001+session01/about

Breakdown of the course:

Plan du cours
• Séquence 1 : « Prendre le métro »
• Séquence 2 : « Les commerces »
• Séquence 3 : « Négocier, marchander »
• Séquence 4 : « Les renseignements administratifs »
• Séquence 5 : « Consulter un médecin »
• Séquence 6 : « Acheter un médicament »
• Séquence 7 : « L’école »
• Séquence 8 : « La petite enfance »
• Séquence 9 : « Travailler en France »
• Séquence 10 : « Les loisirs culturels »
• Séquence 11 : « Le sport »
• Séquence 12 : « Les villes françaises »
• Séquence 13 : « Le logement »
• Séquence 14 : « La gastronomie française »
• Séquence 15 : « Les traditions culinaires »
• Séquence 16 : « L’apéro en terrasse »
• Séquence 17 : « Les boutiques ouvertes le dimanche »
• Séquence 18 : « Evaluation finale »

 

(3) FUN-MOOC : Vivre en France niveau  B1

Prerequisites for this Alliance Francaise online course

This course is for people who have a basic level in French: you have followed the MOOC “Living in France – A2 level”, you have obtained the A2 level, or you have the equivalent of 180 to 200 hours of learning . This course aims at level B1 objectives of the European Reference Framework for Languages.

About the course

 There are 22 sequences in this course. For each sequence, count 4 hours of autonomy learning around a different theme: everyday life, French culture, civic life and administrative procedures. To access this course directly, follow the link below:

 https://www.fun-mooc.fr/courses/course-v1:dgef-interieur+134002+session01/about

 

Breakdown of the course:

Plan du cours
• Séquence 1 : « Se déplacer, découvrir une ville »
• Séquence 2 : « L’administration et les papiers »
• Séquence 3 : « L’organisation du système de santé »
• Séquence 4 : « Les services de santé »
• Séquence 5 : « Les principes de la République »
• Séquence 6 : « Droits et devoirs »
• Séquence 7 : « Les structures familiales »
• Séquence 8 : « La formation professionnelle »
• Séquence 9 : « Travailler en France »
• Séquence 10 : « Chercher un emploi avec le numérique »
• Séquence 11 : « Les grands rendez-vous culturels »
• Séquence 12 : « Faire du sport »
• Séquence 13 : « Villes, régions et département »
• Séquence 14 : « Villes et lieux de mémoire »
• Séquence 15 : « La nature dans la ville »
• Séquence 16 : « La laïcité »
• Séquence 17 : « Les spécialités régionales »
• Séquence 18 : « Apprécier les traditions culinaires »
• Séquence 19 : « Les sorties en famille »
• Séquence 20 : « Les cafés, les restos, les brasseries »
• Séquence 21 : « La mode »
• Séquence 22 : « Evaluation finale »

 

Best TEF exam preparation books with sample papers

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If you are looking for the best TEF exam preparation books and TEF online preparation resources, whether it is for :

  • le TEF Canada
  • le TEF Naturalisation ( if you are applying for French nationality)
  • le TEFAQ (if you would like to move to Québec)
  • Le TEF études en France
  • TEF pour la carte de résident ( To access your 10 year residency card in France)
  • Attesting your French skills for academics and employment

These books  and online resources are guaranteed to prepare you for your exam. They were selected because they provide an efficient exam study guide. Plus they also include sample papers which closely reflect what you will see on test day.

In other words, by just using one of these essential books, in addition to any of those online resource, you are guaranteed to be better prepared for your TEF exam.

Please be aware that the books recommended are not designed to teach  you french. The main purpose of these books are to get you exam ready. In other words,  get you familiar with the exam format and question structure so there will be no surprise come exam day.

If you are looking for french learning resources check other articles on this site which will provide you with the best study study french books to get you up to the level you will need to be for your exam. If you are looking for a free french language learning course, to help with preparation, check out the other articles on this site for recommendations.

You might also like to read: How to answer TEF Expression Orale section A task part 1

It is recommended that you do some lessons in french, whether it is self-study or within a classroom setting before trying out these books. Otherwise, you might get discouraged as the books on  this list is  written entirely in french.

 

The 5 tests that the TEF exam preparation books cover

Listening comprehension : This test is obligatory for all test takers no matter which TEF exam you will take.

Reading comprehension : This test is obligatory for those doing the Le TEF études en France, TEF pour la carte de résident and le TEF Canada

Oral expression : This test is obligatory for those doing the le TEF Naturalisation, TEF pour la carte de résident, le TEFAQ and le TEF Canada

Written expression : This test is obligatory for those doing the TEF pour la carte de résident, Le TEF études en France and le TEF Canada

Glossary and structure :This test is obligatory for those doing the Le TEF études en France.

As you can see, depending on your goals (ie.: Study in France or live in Québec), some tests will be mandatory while others will remain optional. As a result,  just choose the sections that apply to you and work through them.

Lets get started!

List of Books for TEF Exam Preparation

 

TEF Test d’Evaluation de Francais – TEF – 250 activites (French Edition) by Sylvie Pons

This book is intended for a non-French speaking public wishing to prepare for the TEF. It is also endorsed by the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIP), the organisation behind the TEF exam.This says a lot about this book.

The structure of this book is very user friendly.  To give you an idea, here is a breakdown of this book. It is first and foremost divided into 3 parts:

Part 1

The first part explains how to use the book. It also does a good job of explaining what is expected of you on exam day and how to approach each test.  For those looking to take the e-TEF, this book has included information about it within it’s pages.

Part 2

Then part two covers training activities, to familiarize you with the exam structure and exam type questions. As you know the TEF grade your level in french on a scale of 0+ to 6. In other words 7 levels. 0+ being the lowest at CEFR level A1.1 and level 6 being the highest at CEFR level C2.

TEF test questions gets progressively more difficult, with the easiest being at level 0+ and the most difficult being at level 6. This book makes it extremely easy finding not only the sections but the levels that are relevant to your TEF exam.

How so?

For each group of questions, the level it corresponds to, is clearly highlighted. This makes it easier to do a self assessment and find out if you have reached the level that you need to succeed in your exam or if you need to improve your level in french even further.

For those taking the le TEF Naturalisation, for example, you can easy see where the level B1 for your french nationality starts, and work forward from there.

Part 3

With the third part actually being the mock exam or if you like the sample tests. For this part, since there are only 2 practice test, do try to simulate real exam situation by timing yourself. This is to see how you would do under real exam condition.

A word of caution!

The CD for this book is sold separately. So if price is a factor for you, you might want to do the maths before buying. In addition, some people have complained that the answer key is filled with mistakes. I personally have used it and found it to be pretty good in helping with TEF preparation. But in any case you might want to pay close attention when doing the exercises and recheck and verify your answers .

 

Test d’Evaluation De Francais (French Edition) by Hachette Livre

This book,like the one above , provides a thorough overview of the structure of the TEF, along with test taking strategies and 2 practice exams. CD is not include with this book.

This book was published almost 20 years ago, but the structure of the test has not changed that much since that time. If you are interested in more information about the e-tef, you will not find it here. All in all a pretty good TEF preparation book.

And that rounds off our list of recommended books!

Yeah there are really only 2 recommended books. Why? Because both, or any one of these two, will get you ready for your TEF exam. For those required to do the Expression Orale test, really pay close attention to the examples offered in these books, because the exercises are almost identical to what you will see on your actual exam. This is true for other test sections as well.

TEF online preparation

If you are unable to get your hands on any one of these books, an alternative would be an online TEF exam preparation course.

The official site of the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIP), the organisation behind the TEF exam, current has a number of  free sample papers and other preparation resources.

There are currently 5 elearning training modules, each module covering one of the 5 tests that are offered (Listening and Reading comprehension, Oral and written expression, and Language Structure). Be sure to work through these modules to get a feel of the actual exam.

You should also go ahead and download the candidate manual that correspond to your exam, if you haven’t already. This manual provides a real step by step guide of the format of the exam. This includes sample questions for the listening sections of your exams.

There is also an app, Français 3.0,  that is designed to help you prepare for the TEF exam. This app is available on Google play store and also on the Apple Itunes Store. Unlike the other resources on the CCIP website, this app is not 100 percent free. After download look forward to the famous in-app purchase. Consider on average €0.89 – €1.99 per test item.

Not such a bad price considering. At that price, this app can be a great addition to your TEF exam preparation resources. If you are interested, check out the introduction video for the app below, courtesy of the CCIP.

Over all, I find these resources really indispensable.

if you want to go further, you can also look at the TEF preparation online course that is recommended by the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIP).  This is a bit more expensive, at  €39, than one of the recommended books or the app, but is said to be user friendly and accessible from you PC.

If you have any recommendation just leave a comment below.

Free online french course for DELF B2 and DALF C1 (2018)

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The third session of the free french online course Préparer et Réussir le DELF B2 et le DALF C1, is currently underway. So, if you are looking for a free online french course to help you prepare for your exam, this it is.

This MOOC is offered by the University of Jendouba (Tunisia) in collaboration with the Language and Communication Center of Oujda (Morocco). This course is aimed at anyone preparing for the the DELF B2 French language diploma  and the Advanced Language Diploma DALF C1.

If you are interested please see the following link: Préparer et Réussir le DELF B2 et le DALF C1

About the course “Préparer et Réussir le DELF B2 et le DALF C1”

If you are interested in studying in France or currently applying to French universities, you will realise that a B2 or C1 level in french is indispensable for your application.

And that is not all. If you are interested in applying for a job or an internship in a french speaking country or company this is a good certificate to have.

More and more recruiters like to see a French-language certification on a CV, because fluency in French is required in the professional environment of many French-speaking countries and is an added value in others.

Level B2, intermediate level, guarantees a good command of the language, both written and oral, understanding and production. That’s why it’s the minimum level required to join a French-language university.

Level C1 proves that you have an advanced level and that the use of the language is no longer difficult.

All the subjects that are proposed to you during this preparation course for the exams (DELF) level B2(DALF) level C1, are very close to those of the CIEP, the organisation that is responsible for these exams.

Format and organization of this online french course

The total duration of this course is 6 weeks, one week per sequence.

The  first week’s introduction (sequence zero) will give you different ways to assess your initial level in French and then you can decide which is the best course to register for. The following four sequences are each devoted to one of the 4 skills evaluated on the exams. Namely, listening comprehension, written comprehension, written production and oral production.

For each skill, you will be offered 4 topics for the DELF B2 and 3 topics for the DALF C1, along with their answers.

You are required to write at least two written and oral comprehension subjects, two written production subjects for DELF B2, one for DALF, and one oral production subject. You can then organize yourself as you would like and keep the extra topics for another week or to distribute your preparation to the 4 events as you see fit.

The last week, full mock exam will be proposed.

In regards to communication, the forums will allow you to exchange your ideas on the various topics of production proposed.
A webinar will be organized during the last three weeks, during which you will be able to interact synchronously with the experts. If you would like to see what the webinar will be like, check out the webinair from a previous session below:

You will have an average of between 2 and 3 hours of work per week, apart from the last week, where you will have 3 hours 20 minutes for the DELF and 5 hours 30 minutes for the DALF, if you do the whole mock exam.

Prerequisites for “Préparer et Réussir le DELF B2 et le DALF C1”

Have a B2 level beforehand for the preparation of the DELF or a level C1 for the preparation of the DALF.
In no case this course aims to bring you to these two levels, even if the preparation of these exams will probably make you progress in the French language. It is only intended to train you in their four parts of your french exam:

listening comprehension
written comprehension
written production
oral production

Plan du cours

Séquence zéro : documents vous permettant de choisir dans quel parcours vous inscrire :
Parcours 1 : DELF B2
Parcours 2 : DALF C1 SCIENCES HUMAINES
Parcours 3 : DALF C1 SCIENCES

Séquence 1 :
Parcours 1 : 4 sujets de compréhension orale DELF B2
Parcours 2 et 3 : 3 sujets de compréhension orale DALF C1

Séquence 2 :
Parcours 1 : 4 sujets de compréhension écrite DELF B2
Parcours 2 et 3 : 3 sujets de compréhension écrite DALF C1

Séquence 3 :
Parcours 1 : 4 sujets de production écrite DELF B2
Parcours 2 : 3 sujets de production écrite DALF C1 domaine sciences humaines
Parcours 3 : 3 sujets de production écrite DALF C1 domaine sciences

Séquence 4 :
Parcours 1 : 4 sujets de production orale DELF B2
Parcours 2 : 3 sujets de production orale DALF C1 domaine sciences humaines
Parcours 3 : 3 sujets de production orale DALF C1 domaine sciences

Séquence 5 : Examen blanc
Parcours 1 : sujet complet du DELF B2
Parcours 2 : sujet complet du DALF C1 domaine sciences humaines
Parcours 3 : sujet complet du DALF C1 domaine sciences

Evaluation

Either you will get an automated assessment for understanding multiple choice questions, or you will be peer reviewed for open questions and both speaking and writing production tests.
To receive an attestation that states that you have completed the DELF B2 course, you will have to do at least two subjects of written and oral comprehension, two subjects of written production and a subject of oral production.

To receive an attestation that states that you have completed the DALF C1 course, you will have to do at least two subjects of written and oral comprehension, a subject of written and oral production and to obtain a minimum result of 50%.

 

7 must-have French podcast for TCF, TEF or DELF/DALF exams

 

French Podcast are a great way to improve your  listening and comprehension skills. Furthermore, these two skills that are essential for getting a high score on french exam. If you are taking an exam such as the DELF, TCF and TEF, this podcast is for you . Below you will find 7 of our favourite french podcast to get you started right away.

But what exactly is a podcast?

podcastWell a podcast is a prerecorded program you can find online.  An example of a podcast can be a online radio talk show. Podcast usually consist of different episodes of various lengths. And usually consist of audio files, video files, documents, or any combination of the three.

Many people chose to just download the audio files. However, you can subscribe to the podcast and get regular updates as they release new stuff. Podcast are pretty great because they are also FREE.

Where to get Your French Podcast:

You can download some podcast directly from the hosting website to your chosen listening device or various Podcast services including iTunes, Soundcloud, Podcast apps, Stitcher, Spotify, Acast, and many more. Etc.

 

Recommended Podcast for Learning French

For learning French, there are a lot of podcast to learn French out there, however if you are thinking of taking a French exam such as the DELF, TCF or the TEF, Coffee Break French, Yabla french and Learn French by Podcast are a definite must-have. These three well developed podcasts meet the needed of the student who is preparing for an exam.

 

“Coffee Break French” Podcast for French Level A1 and C1:

cbf-stepbystep

“Coffee Break French”  Podcast targets beginner to advance french learners. They offer a free and premium version of their french podcast lessons, which is broken down into four seasons. Each  season is focused on a different  level in french, making it earlier to find the level that best suits your profile.

What is free and what is not, with “Coffee Break French” ? Free version of this french podcast includes the audio lesson file, while the premium version includes additional materials such as flashcards, lessons guides and additional audio. Is it worth it, the free version? Short answer: Yes. Long answer: continue reading.

 

Where to start with “Coffee Break French” podcast

Start with Season 1, if you are a beginner (A1). This french podcast, which starts with the very basics, is great for true beginners as well as false beginners who just want to refreshen up on the basics. A lot of time is spent getting the learner to focus on pronunciation and sentences structure. All the grammar stuff is clearly broken down and overall this podcast is pretty enjoyable.

Season 2 of “Coffee Break French” is for “upper beginners” or those who speak a bit of french but need a refresher on some basic grammar before moving to an intermediate level (A1-A2). It provides very good supplementary resources for your A1, A2 level french exams.

For intermediate learners of french, Those studying at the B1 -B2 level, we have “Coffee Break French”  season 3. And as you might have guessed, season 4 is for advanced learners of french, level B2 to C1.

TV5 Monde French Podcast for level:  A1-C2

Apprendre.TV : Test de Connaissance du Français show Test de Connaisance du Francais (TCF) practice resources and mock exams is available from TV5 Monde. While this french podcast provides training exercises for the TCF,  you can adopt a lot of their exercises for preparation of other french exams such as the DELF and TEF .

One key reason why this is a great french podcast for anyone who is preparing for the TCF exam, is that it covers all the areas of the TCF.  You will be working on improving you french with  authentic type exam questions. In addition, there is also a transcript and hand-out for the exercises located on the podcast. You can download the handout from Tv5 Monde website or you can download it with your podcast.

 

“Learn French with Podcast” for the Level  A1 to C2:

18268_logo

This french podcast  is a must have . It offers professional recording on not only formal French but also the day to day French you will find in the streets. All the explanations are very clear and the dialogs are pretty realistic.  Using the podcast will definitely give you an advantage over the other candidates.

Transcripts are also available (paid) for all the lessons and are completed with very clear explanation on grammar and vocabulary.

 

Yabla French Podcast for all levels : A1 -C2

YablaYabla French is a great way for French learners who wish to improve their language skills.  This podcast is based on the website of the same name. It consist of authentic French videos which covers topics such as include television programs, music videos, interviews, documentaries, and travel. Yabla French provides two download options: Caption only in french or caption with English and french.

The beauty about Yabla french is that it offers video clips for someone who is at the A1 level to someone at the C2 level. However, the podcast version does not have the exercise practice that normally comes with the website versions. All in all, this is a great podcast to have to start you off with authentic listening at any level.

“News in Slow French” Podcast for levels : French A2 -B2

http://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/8/4/4/e/844e595133ce5874/nsf_logo.jpg“News in Slow french” is developed by Linguistica 360. In this podcast they discuss the Weekly News in simplified french, at a slow pace. This is a key advantage for beginners, as you can understand almost every word and sentence while observing French grammar, and French expressions.

Lessons with transcripts, are published on the podcast website and contain hundreds of learning lessons from beginning to intermediate French.Even though they state that this podcast is for beginner to intermediate, I would recommended that you have completed at least level A1 before considering this podcast. It might be slow, but there is a lot of vocabulary and expression that as a total beginner will leave you totally frustrated.

 

 

” French Listening Resources” Podcast for the Level B1 to C2:

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French Listening Resources by ielanguages.com is a great french podcast that allows you listen to natural, unrehearsed French on a variety of topics recorded by native speakers in France. Furthermore, sometimes these podcast comes in a video format, so you are able to watch the video, making it a little more interesting.

You can also visit the podcast website and read along with the transcripts to improve your oral comprehension. This podcast targets students or independent learner who want to learn the real spoken language of France as opposed to textbook language.

 

“French Culture” Podcast for the Level B1 to C2:

france cultureThe group Radio France , is behind this great french podcast, “France Culture”. It allows you to listen to programmes on various topics in podcast format, anywhere in the world. Topics includes Current affairs, Literature, Art and entertainment, History, Science etc.  All of these topics are essential to you Comprehension Orale of your favourite french exam.

This podcast is for french learners who are already have a high B1 level  and above. This is because  everything is  in french and there is no a transcript thus making it difficult for people just starting to learn french.

Which French podcast would you recommend?

Have you tried any of these podcast and want to share your experience with other learners who are getting ready for their french exams?  Or do you just want to recommend another podcast? Let us know what you think below.

Delf Prim A1 Production orale: How to introduce yourself in french (audio included)

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In part 1 of Production Orale section of your DELF Prim A1 french exam,  you will be asked you introduce yourself in french. In part one of this tutorial of your DELF Prim, we will be practicing listening to and answering  questions  related to presenting yourself in french.

Getting yourself familiar with the Production Orale spoken questions is a great way to improve your confidence on the day of your DELF Prim A1 exam. Even better, practicing aloud for your production orale, answering these questions and listening to yourself in order to improve your pronunciation and fluency.

Example DELF Prim A1 question types:

Lets look at the questions you will be expected to be familiar with for your DELF Prim A1 french exam.

Questions sur l’identité :
– Quel est ton nom ? Tu t’appelles comment ? Tu peux épeler ton nom ?
– Tu as quel âge ?
– Quelle est ta nationalité ?
– Quelle est ta date d’anniversaire ? Quel jour tu es né ?

So how do we practice answering these questions?

First you will read and listen to audio files related to the questions. We will then listen to 2 children talking about themselves in french.  Finally, at the bottom of the page you will practice the speaking section by using the online recorder and recording yourself, providing the personal information that will be required by the examiner. At the end of the recording, you will be able to listen to the audio file you have created and download the file,  if needed.

 

Questions Asking About your name:

 

  1. Quel est ton nom ?                 ( What is your name?)

 

 

 

2. Tu t’appelles comment ?                 ( What are you called?)

 

 

3.Tu peux épeler ton nom ?                  (Can you spell your name?)

 

Question Asking your age:

 

1.Tu as quel âge ?                       (How old are you?)

 

Questions Asking your Nationality:

 

1. Quelle est ta nationalité ?                        (What is your nationality?)

 

 

2. Je suis française, et toi ?                      ( I am French, and you?)

 

 

Example of children introducing themselves in french:

Here are 2 children who are introducing themselves. Listen to the audio and then see if you can practice introducing yourself in the same way. Listen to the audio as many times as you would like.

Killian : qui suis-je ?

Je m’appelle Killian, j’ai 11 ans et j’habite à Rambouillet.

Adrien se présente

Adrien se présente, parle de ses plats préférés et de ses passions.

Now at You!

Online Practice for Your DELF Prim Production Orale

Remember on the day of the exam, if you are not sure of the question, feel free to ask to examiner to repeat.

Once you have finished, check around on our site for other online practice exercises for your DELF Prim french exam.

Free Interactive Online French Course for level B1

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If you are looking for a free online course  that will help you make the jump from level B1 to level B2 in French then do consider the course: Paroles de FLE {Français Langue Etrangère} niveau B2.

 

The registration for the MOOC Paroles de FLE which is offered by the Université de Nantes, France, is opened until 29 of October 2017. This course is 6 weeks long, with Classes starting the 16th of October and finishing the 18th of December 2017.

As always, if you are reading this article after the registration has passed, don’t be discouraged. Continue to check back as there is always the possibility of other sessions opening soon.  Follow the link to register: https://www.fun-mooc.fr/courses/course-v1:univnantes+31001+session03/about

About the Course, Paroles de FLE {Français Langue Etrangère} niveau B2

Unlike the other two MOOCs mentioned on this blog, this one is not directed at any particular French exam per se. Focus surrounds helping you to perfect your French and understand the French language better. In other words, guiding you towards true autonomy, a key element of language learning.

The third edition of this MOOC, will enable you to improve your French skills on the four competences of the CEFR and to carry out a reflective practice in a context of enriching exchanges throughout the 6 weeks of the course.

The structure of the course revolves around the development of listening strategies to better perceive the subtleties of the language and grasp the implicit.

In fact, you will pursue two main objectives:

  1.  Better understanding oral French in different situations (examples: a conversation, a television report, etc.). You will be able to interact and train with other French speakers on MOOC exchange areas;
  2. Developing listening strategies to facilitate understanding of a variety of topics, including accents, voices, and varied rhythms;

Breakdown of the Paroles de FLE Program

  1. Week 1: Introduction to the course, summarize in writing an audio document.
  2. Week 2: Select information to write a short summary from written documents or videos.
  3. Week 3: Learn how to prioritize information, argue, debate.
  4. Week 4: Interpreting a speech, comparing oral and written language to tell facts.
  5. Week 5: Extract ideas and propose an oral presentation. Better understand the accents, rhythms, oral reception and oral production.
  6. Week 6: Synthesis and assessment of the linguistic background.

Prerequisites Paroles de FLE

This MOOC is intended for all those who are learning French at the B1 level acquired from the CECRL (intermediate to advanced level): students in French and French, FLE teachers, professionals using the French language, etc.