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Archive for the ‘Beginner level’ Category

Vocabulary with audio files, some listening and reading activities to test your understanding and a quiz on French idiomatic expressions, all focused on love: that’s our program this week of Valentine’s Day.

This festival has its origins in ancient Rome, specifically under the reign of Claudius II the Cruel in the third century. The latter, having experienced problems in recruiting soldiers, resolved to prohibit marriage, apparently believing that single men would be more willing to join his legions.

Valentinus of Terni, a monk or a priest, took no notice of the ban and continued to perform marriages in secret. Claudius had him imprisoned and then beheaded; but in the meantime, Valentinus had restored sight to Julia, the blind daughter of his jailer. He wrote to her a heart-shaped letter which he signed “Your Valentinus.” He was canonized a few centuries later, making him the patron saint of engaged couples. Then, Valentine’s Day was set on February 14 to replace Lupercalia, a fertility festival of pagan origin which was celebrated on the 15th of same month.

About’s Laura K. Lawless teaches learners to express their feelings with the help of audio files. The links at the bottom of the page will take you to a quiz on the French language of Love, to a list of terms of endearment with sound files and to a list of expressions with « love ». You will also have the opportunity to answer yes to the question : Is French the most romantic language? http://french.about.com/od/vocabulary/a/love.htm

Canal Rêve offers three short stories of romantic encounters that have all resulted in marriages. Meet Marie and Patrick, then complete a questionnaire to test your listening comprehension. Read the stories of Paul and Monique and that of Isabelle and Romain before engaging in some conjugation activities.

http://babelnet.sbg.ac.at/canalreve/rencontres/index.htm

Finally, the CLE (Centre linguistique pour étrangers – Linguistic Centre for Foreigners) from Tours in France has put online a nine question quiz entitled « Pour la Saint-Valentin : les mots du cœur » (Valentine’s Day: Words From the Heart).You’ll discover some French idioms also related to love.

http://www.cle.fr/centre_linguistique-fr-idm-105-n-Exercices-idh-47.html

Happy Valentine’s Day !

Your Bon Français Team

The Quebec Winter Carnival is a major popular festival that emerged from the earliest days of the French colony. The largest winter carnival in the world, it is the third largest carnival after the Rio Carnival and the celebrations of Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

The word carnival comes from the Italian phrase “carne levare”, that is to say « to remove the meat », because it ends on Mardi Gras which preceeds Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Thus, February is the month of carnivals. Like all other carnival celebrations, the Quebec Winter Carnival is associated with symbols such as orchestral or brass band music, parades and processions with floats and costumes, in the case above, the wearing of a traditional sash : the pointed belt. Today we present three links to learn more about the festivities that surround this great winter celebration.

Carnaval.qc.ca is the official website of the Quebec Carnival. It consists of several sections, among others “About” which details all activities surrounding the carnival and the Teacher’s Corner where you’ll find a school kit consisting of book games, online games and crafts; Fun Zone includes photo albums, wallpapers, a great video called Carnaval in Action as well as excerpts of Carnival songs with French lyrics. http://www.carnaval.qc.ca/en

The French version of the site is available at: http://www.carnaval.qc.ca/

The Virtual Museum of Canada made the Quebec Winter Carnival one of its online exhibits. This site includes sections like The Carnival devoted to the origins of this celebration; the Quebec section briefly traces the history of the city, Merry Carnival! and The Palace explore some of Quebec Carnival’s most famous symbols, and finally, the section Festivities examines some of it sactivities.

http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/Festiva1/en/mcq/index.html

For the French version of the site, click on the link: http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/Festiva1/fr/mcq/

Finally, the OQLF (Office québécois de la langue française) devotes a page to the Carnival entitled Les mots du Carnaval (The Words of the Carnival) that contains about twenty terms associated with the carnival. Click on each one to obtain a definition. In French only.

http://www.olf.gouv.qc.ca/ressources/bibliotheque/dictionnaires/terminologie_carnaval/lex_carnaval.html

Merry Carnival !

The study of grammar is to language what the memorization of dates is to History, that is to say something often dull, yet inevitable. Recognizing this, we have chosen for you high quality grammars, pleasant to read and filled with exercises that allow you to monitor your understanding of the material as you go along. We sincerely hope that you enjoy exploring them.

Pomme, an initiative of the University of Alberta, is a completely free site dedicated to French grammar. It provides 400 rules and 400 exercises classified by degree of difficulty where 1 indicates the beginner level and 5 the most advanced one. ABC of French Grammar is an English simplified version of French grammar and can be found in the index. The Conjugaison component provides access to the conjugation of all verbs in all tenses. A registrant will receive an individualized program of rules and exercises through the online diagnostic test. Learners can even take personal notes with the notebook available online. http://www.pomme.ualberta.ca/pomme/

Both French grammars of Glenunga International High School in Australia are written in English and also include exercises. The first is designed for learners of all levels. The topics are: verbs, nouns and articles, prepositions, adjectives, pronouns, adverbs, days, months, seasons and  weather as well as numbers, time and quantity. http://www.gihs.sa.edu.au/loteweb/Grammar/

The second link takes you to an advanced grammar about  verbs, adjectives, problem words and pronouns:

http://www.gihs.sa.edu.au/loteweb/grammar_advanced/index.html

See you soon,

Your Bon Français Team

Portals or directories, each of the several sites that we present today are worth a long detour. Whether you are looking for a complete course or just want to check a specific point of grammar, you will surely find what you need there.

Charity begins at home, the proverb  goes. Well, we start our nomenclature with our own FSLall directory, searchable in  English as well as in French. It includes  over 1400 free online resources for French learning and teaching, carefully divided by levels and categories.  One of these categories is devoted to business French and is designed specifically for those who must write or speak French at work. http://www.fslall.com/

Le point du FLE: This site lists and organizes high-quality free resources, relevant and useful in the fields of French as a second, foreign or native language. Its main sections are: activities, grammar, tenses of the indicative and other moods, French for specific audiences, general resources and a special section for teachers. It offers French dictionaries, audio exercises, humor, vocabulary, FFL courses online and news. There are also writing tips, software downloads, and resources for French teaching. For all levels. http://www.lepointdufle.net/

ClicNet is dedicated to French as a second or foreign language. Although this site is not regularly updated anymore, it remains of high value. The many educational resources there are directly usable in a French course and are classified by subjects. Each one shows a description and the language level required. (Level 1 = beginners and false beginners;  Level 2 = intermediate and advanced ; Level 3 = high advanced). http://clicnet.swarthmore.edu/fle.html

In conclusion, we would be remiss to ignore the excellent Français Facile website which contains thousands of French resources and of which we made an extensive reference to in our last article.

Good surfing,

The Bon Français team

This week, entire courses have the place of honor. Whether you’re a true or false beginner, a learner of intermediate or advanced level, the resources that we recommend today will enrich your knowledge of the language of Molière step by step.

FrançaisFacile.com : Here is an ideal site to learn French or improve your knowledge of it. There are level tests, 7241 courses and exercises as well as the following utilities: conjugate, play, translate, pronounce, check and multiple dictionaries. A component on the site allows you to record yourself to hear your pronunciation. A registration to the site allows you, among other things, access to the system  to translate French / other language, to participate in forums, find pen pals, have your scores recorded in the school report and enjoy a customized workbook. You can also receive a free weekly French lesson by email. http://www.francaisfacile.com/

The following link provides access to courses divided into four levels. http://www.francaisfacile.com/guide/index.php?niv=1

Ielanguages.com : This site offers a complete French course, from basic phrases and sounds to past and imperfect subjonctive tenses. The lessons, divided into seven courses, include MP3s, exercises and flashcards, some of them with an audio component allowing you to record yourself to compare your accent with the native speaker’s pronunciation on the audio files. Among other things, the site also includes sections devoted to informal French, a blog, and French-Italian, French-German bilingual resources. A site to discover! http://www.ielanguages.com/french.html

Canal Rêve’s course 1,2,3 Bravo is primarily meant for beginner and intermediate learners. It aims to develop oral and written comprehension, as well as specific skills in everyday communication. It consists of 8 modules divided into three parts: communication, vocabulary and writing (écrit). Each of these parts includes videos, audio files and exercises. http://babelnet.sbg.ac.at/canalreve/bravo/index2.htm

The following link includes activities that complement the units of 1,2,3 Bravo. http://babelnet.sbg.ac.at/canalreve/bravo/bravo.htm

Good studying!

This week, we suggest three French courses that are aimed at beginners and « false beginners », who are those who want to get back to studying French and need substantial revision. We selected these courses due to their organization which  follows a logical progression likely to facilitate your learning and help you acquire a solid foundation.

FrenchTutorial.com : Learn French for free with 13 chapters, 160 pages and more than 200 audio files. The French Tutorial is a step by step course  covering the basics and pronunciation, as well as grammar, vocabulary and everyday French. It offers audio support for better oral comprehension, a table of contents and an index for faster searches. http://www.frenchtutorial.com/

BBC.co.uk : French Steps : Here is a great online course intended for beginners. Learn practical spoken French with the help of French teacher Hakim M’Barek in just 24 manageable steps. Includes a user guide, syllabus, vocabulary list, grammar tips, pronunciation with audio files, Fast Tracks for revision, progress page and a printable learning log. You can complete the course in 12 weeks with French Steps weekly email tips and encouragement. http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/french/lj/

About.com : Learn French – French for beginners : Learn French with hundreds of pages written for anyone with little or no French knowledge. Whether you’re just beginning to learn French or picking it up again after a long absence, you’ll find everything you need on these pages. You can subscribe to a 20 week French for Beginners email course, or go to the checklist to get the same lessons organized in a logical study order. You can also access a French proficiency test and the French for Beginners forum on the page.

http://french.about.com/od/lessons/a/beginningfrench.htm

Good Studying !

Your Bon Français’ team

Next week : intermediate level courses

French comics are often Belgian. In fact, it is almost impossible to speak about French cartoons without emphasizing  the outstanding contribution of Belgium, where comics are considered an art in itself. Creators like Hergé, Franquin, Peyo, Greg and Morris, to name a few, have all created unforgettable characters who have acquired an immense fame. It is with pleasure that we present today a series of fun sites where you will learn about French culture through some of his most famous cartoons.

Tintin.be : With 24 albums having sold 230 million copies and translated into over 80 languages, Tintin is a cult comic strip. Created by the cartoonist Hergé more than 80 years ago, his adventures have delighted generations of readers while often helping them learn geography. Tintin’s official website, available in English, French and Dutch, not only brings together everything you need to know about his adventures and the endearing characters contained therein, but also many other things. There are games for all, and for children videos, topical articles focusing on several issues, including the conquest of space, and a section for tintinologists, who are Tintin’s hardcore fans. http://www.tintin.be/

Smurf.com : These little guys came out of the imagination Peyo (Pierre Culliford) in 1958. Fifty years later, books, activity books, television series, figurines and games are extremely popular all over the world. Their official website, available in six languages, tells the origin of the Smurfs, introduces the author, and each of the different but similar little blue characters, as well as the detestable Gargamel and his cat Azrael. A perfect location to learn to speak Smurf and French! http://www.smurf.com/smurf.php/www/home/fr

Gaston Lagaffe.com : Here is the official site of the mythical character created by André Franquin in 1957. Indolent, lazy and blundering, Gaston is the anti-hero par excellence. He holds a (too often lying) position in Spirou Magazine, where he spends most of his time trying to avoid work. On his website, you will discover all about Gaston Lagaffe: albums, characters, unpublished drawings, news, games and goodies as well as contests … and loads of blunders! French only.  http://www.gastonlagaffe.com/

Astérix.com : Astérix is from France or rather from ancient Gaul. He is also another iconic character of the 9th art. His adventures take place in 50 BC, at the very time of Julius Caesar, in a village of indomitable Gauls. The series, created by writer René Goscinny and illustrator Albert Uderzo, has over 30 albums translated into 107 languages. The site is thus multilingual. The official virtual village of Asterix and his faithful companion Obelix includes all the news from Asterix, e-cards, « smailix »(smileys), video games, contests, unpublished drawings, film clips and much more and can be found at the following address: http://www.asterix.com/index.html.fr?rub=francais

Have Fun!

This post presents four links especially directed to our young learners in elementary school. They will find coloring pages and a wide variety of games and interactive activities with audio files. Children will surely enjoy themselves while improving their French vocabulary and their general knowledge as well. Hours of fun!

Zut Language skills : Interactive Activities for French Teachers and Students. A terrific site that contains plenty of online interactive activities organised by class year. The resources include an opportunity to listen to conversations and then do comprehension exercises. The more difficult words are highlighted and may be selected for a translation. In addition to audio clips, there are word searches, crosswords, worksheets and other interesting resources. This British site is free to use after 4pm and before 9am (which is, in North America a part of the night and of the morning only) so it could be used as a homework resource. A subscription is required to access it at any time. http://zut.languageskills.co.uk/index.html

Zut Junior Language skills : Interactive Activities for French Teachers and Students. As its name suggests, this site is the younger brother of the former and is intended for younger children. The exercises include the following sections: Je parle français (I speak French), Je me présente  (I introduce myself), En famille, (in the family), Les animaux (animals), Mon anniversaire (my birthday),  Le monde (the world), Moi et mon école (my school and I),  Qu’est-ce que tu veux ? (what do you want?), Les sports, Les vêtements, (clothing), J’habite (my place) and La France. The site also contains a Christmas section with exercises, christmas carols and pictures to print out and colour in. http://zutjunior.languageskills.co.uk/index.html

Enchanted Learning : French : This is a perfect site for children from third to fifth grade. In addition to visual English-French and French-English dictionaries wirh many audio files, this site offers printable colouring pages, some of which are real short books. There are interactive activities on several themes including: Colours, Numbers, Time and the Calendar, Shapes, Animals, The Body, People, Food, Clothing, The House, Vehicles, Opposites, Musical instrument, etc..  A place where children learn many things in addition to learning French! http://www.enchantedlearning.com/themes/french.shtml

BBC.co.uk : French Games : This page offers matching games with audio files that also rely on memory and observation. Themes include: Sounds, Numbers, All About Me and Families.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primarylanguages/french/all_games/

See you next week

The goal of the three sites presented today is to provide support to pupils of  primary, secondary and college levels. Through a series of games, exercises and explanations, they enable the refinement and practice of French lessons studied in class. In our opinion these activities, chosen with care by professional instructors, will be useful to those who are learning French independently.

WildFrench : This site is intended to assist both teachers and learners of French by making available a range of online resources that complement several of the courses actually in use in British schools. The material is designed for students of the late primary to the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GSCE). Click on the image of the textbook of your choice for a range of extra activities to help improve your progress and have some fun. http://www.wildfrench.co.uk/

Languages Online : This website’s aim is to provide an interactive format through which pupils can practice the language they learn in a variety of exercise styles. All resources provided on this site were initially designed for use by classes. Many units come with explanations, but it is assumed that learners should have been taught the material covered prior to attempting a unit. The site also includes games to play online or to download, and listening activities. http://www.languagesonline.org.uk/

Nourrir son français : Marie-Josée Caron’s website is intended for students of French as a Second Language (FSL) or as a Foreign Language(FFL), but also for all those who feel the need to self assess or to practice the rules of the French language. It contains many links listed by categories leading to exercises or to online documents about the French language. Click on “Ingrédients” to complete activities online or on the button “Recettes” (recipes) to go to grammars or dictionaries. To learn how to guide your study efficiently, click on “Projet”. http://www.er.uqam.ca/nobel/m205160/

See you soon

We have selected for you two magazines and a blog maintained by specialized teachers of  French as a second or foreign language. They put at your disposal a large quantity of varied, enjoyable, stimulating  educational ressources, for you to enjoy as you improve your language skills. The activities and explanations contained therein will surely captivate you.

Bonjour de France.com : This great webzine is written by FSL/ FFL teachers and features free educational exercises, tests and games to learn French as well as worksheets for teachers. It includes topics such as understanding (with exercises for all levels of learning), grammar, vocabulary, teaching, idioms, business French, simulation exercises in context (mises en situation), world news, discoveries and games for all. Something for everyone. http://www.bonjourdefrance.com/bonjour.htm

La gazette Lingua franca d’alpha.b : Here is the ezine of alpha.b, a language institute specialized in teaching French as a foreign language. The entries therein are of great interest for learners of French, notably « Le français dans tous ses états » (French in all its forms), which examines proverbs, idioms, false friends and anglicisms. “Leçons et exercices de français » (Lessons and French exercises) includes activities classified by level of knowledge, from A1 to C2. There is even humor in the « Lingua Franca vous met sur le coup » (Lingua Franca puts you on the spot) to discover. http://gazette.alpha-b.fr/

Moddou FLE -Estudio de Frances : This blog is sure to please. The author, Marc Oddou, offers a fine collection of activities of all kinds, many with audio files as well as clear and concise explanations. You’ll find the following sections: grammar, with a subfolder conjugation, vocabulary and games, phonetics, TBI (for « tableau blanc interactif » – interactive whiteboard), which contains activities with very interesting options. Must see. http://www.estudiodefrances.com/

Have fun!

Bon Français Team.