french essay on my best friend

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How to Write an Essay in French Without Giving Yourself Away as a Foreigner

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When it comes to expressing your thoughts in French , there’s nothing better than the essay.

It is, after all, the favorite form of such famed French thinkers as Montaigne, Chateaubriand, Houellebecq and Simone de Beauvoir.

In this post, I’ve outlined the four most common types of essays in French, ranked from easiest to most difficult, to help you get to know this concept better. 

Why Are French Essays Different?

Must-have french phrases for writing essays, 4 types of french essays and how to write them, 1. text summary (synthèse de texte).

• 2. Text Commentary (Commentaire de texte)

3. Dialectic Dissertation (Thèse, Antithèse, Synthèse)

• 4. Progressive Dissertation (Plan progressif)

And one more thing...

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Writing an essay in French is not the same as those typical 5-paragraph essays you’ve probably written in English.

In fact, there’s a whole other logic that has to be used to ensure that your essay meets French format standards and structure. It’s not merely writing your ideas in another language .

And that’s because the French use Cartesian logic (also known as Cartesian doubt) , developed by René Descartes , which requires a writer to begin with what is known and then lead the reader through to the logical conclusion: a paragraph that contains the thesis. Through the essay, the writer will reject all that is not certain or all that is subjective in his or her quest to find the objective truth.

Sound intriguing? Read on for more!

Before we get to the four main types of essays, here are a few French phrases that will be especially helpful as you delve into essay-writing in French:

Introductory phrases , which help you present new ideas.

Connecting phrases , which help you connect ideas and sections.

Contrasting phrases , which help you juxtapose two ideas.

Concluding phrases , which help you to introduce your conclusion.

The text summary or synthèse de texte  is one of the easiest French writing exercises to get a handle on. It essentially involves reading a text and then summarizing it in an established number of words, while repeating no phrases that are in the original text. No analysis is called for.

A  synthèse de texte  should follow the same format as the text that is being synthesized. The arguments should be presented in the same way, and no major element of the original text should be left out of the  synthèse.

Here is an informative post about writing a synthèse de texte , written for French speakers. 

The text summary is a great exercise for exploring the following French language elements:

• Synonyms , as you will need to find other words to describe what is said in the original text.
• Nominalization , which involves turning verbs into nouns and generally cuts down on word count.
• Vocabulary , as the knowledge of more exact terms will allow you to avoid periphrases and cut down on word count.

While beginners may wish to work with only one text, advanced learners can synthesize as many as three texts in one text summary. 

Since a text summary is simple in its essence, it’s a great writing exercise that can accompany you through your entire learning process.

2. Text Commentary  (Commentaire de texte)

A text commentary or commentaire de texte   is the first writing exercise where the student is asked to present an analysis of the materials at hand, not just a summary.

That said, a  commentaire  de texte  is not a reaction piece. It involves a very delicate balance of summary and opinion, the latter of which must be presented as impersonally as possible. This can be done either by using the third person (on) or the general first person plural (nous) . The singular first person (je) should never be used in a  commentaire de texte.

A commentaire de texte  should be written in three parts:

• An introduction , where the text is presented.
• An argument , where the text is analyzed.
• A conclusion , where the analysis is summarized and elevated.

Here is a handy in-depth guide to writing a successful commentaire de texte,  written for French speakers.

Unlike with the synthesis, you will not be able to address all elements of a text in a commentary. You should not summarize the text in a commentary, at least not for the sake of summarizing. Every element of the text that you speak about in your commentary must be analyzed.

To successfully analyze a text, you will need to brush up on your figurative language. Here are some great resources to get you started:

• Here’s an introduction to figurative language in French.
• This guide to figurative language  presents the different elements in useful categories.
• This guide , intended for high school students preparing for the BAC—the exam all French high school students take, which they’re required to pass to go to university—is great for seeing examples of how to integrate figurative language into your commentaries.
• Speaking of which, here’s an example of a corrected commentary from the BAC, which will help you not only include figurative language but get a head start on writing your own commentaries.

The French answer to the 5-paragraph essay is known as the  dissertation .  Like the American 5-paragraph essay, it has an introduction, body paragraphs and a conclusion. The stream of logic, however, is distinct.

There are actually two kinds of  dissertation,  each of which has its own rules.

The first form of  dissertation  is the dialectic dissertation , better known as  thèse, antithèse, synthèse . In this form, there are actually only two body paragraphs. After the introduction, a thesis is posited. Following the thesis, its opposite, the antithesis, is explored (and hopefully, debunked). The final paragraph, what we know as the conclusion, is the  synthesis , which addresses the strengths of the thesis, the strengths and weaknesses of the antithesis, and concludes with the reasons why the original thesis is correct.

For example, imagine that the question was, “Are computers useful to the development of the human brain?” You could begin with a section showing the ways in which computers are useful for the progression of our common intelligence—doing long calculations, creating in-depth models, etc.

Then you would delve into the problems that computers pose to human intelligence, citing examples of the ways in which spelling proficiency has decreased since the invention of spell check, for example. Finally, you would synthesize this information and conclude that the “pro” outweighs the “con.”

The key to success with this format is developing an outline before writing. The thesis must be established, with examples, and the antithesis must be supported as well. When all of the information has been organized in the outline, the writing can begin, supported by the tools you have learned from your mastery of the synthesis and commentary.

Here are a few tools to help you get writing:

• Here’s a great guide to writing a dialectic dissertation .
• Here’s an example of a plan for a dialectic dissertation , showing you the three parts of the essay as well as things to consider when writing a dialectic dissertation.

4. Progressive Dissertation ( Plan progressif)

The progressive dissertation is slightly less common, but no less useful, than the first form.

The progressive form basically consists of examining an idea via multiple points of view—a sort of deepening of the understanding of the notion, starting with a superficial perspective and ending with a deep and profound analysis.

If the dialectic dissertation is like a scale, weighing pros and cons of an idea, the progressive dissertation is like peeling an onion, uncovering more and more layers as you get to the deeper crux of the idea.

Concretely, this means that you will generally follow this layout:

• A first, elementary exploration of the idea.
• A second, more philosophical exploration of the idea.
• A third, more transcendent exploration of the idea.

This format for the dissertation is more commonly used for essays that are written in response to a philosophical question, for example, “What is a person?” or “What is justice?”

Let’s say the question was, “What is war?” In the first part, you would explore dictionary definitions—a basic idea of war, i.e. an armed conflict between two parties, usually nations. You could give examples that back up this definition, and you could narrow down the definition of the subject as much as needed. For example, you might want to make mention that not all conflicts are wars, or you might want to explore whether the “War on Terror” is a war.

In the second part, you would explore a more philosophical look at the topic, using a definition that you provide. You first explain how you plan to analyze the subject, and then you do so. In French, this is known as  poser une problématique  (establishing a thesis question), and it usually is done by first writing out a question and then exploring it using examples: “Is war a reflection of the base predilection of humans for violence?”

In the third part, you will take a step back and explore this question from a distance, taking the time to construct a natural conclusion and answer for the question.

This form may not be as useful in as many cases as the first type of essay, but it’s a good form to learn, particularly for those interested in philosophy. Here’s an in-depth guide  to writing a progressive dissertation.

As you progress in French and become more and more comfortable with writing, try your hand at each of these types of writing exercises, and even with other forms of the dissertation . You’ll soon be a pro at everything from a synthèse de texte to a dissertation!

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18 French sayings about friendship

French culture is known for its appreciation for good food, wine, fashion, and most importantly, friendship. The French have a rich history of proverbs and sayings that embody their perspectives on life, love, and relationships, and their sayings about friendship are no exception. In this blog post, we’ll explore ten of the most famous French sayings about friendship and what they mean.

1. “L’amitié n’a pas de prix” – Friendship has no price. This saying emphasizes the importance of friendship and the value of having a good friend in your life. No matter what challenges you may face, a true friend will always be there for you, and that is priceless.

2. “L’amitié, c’est une fleur qui ne se fane jamais” – Friendship is a flower that never fades. This saying likens friendship to a beautiful, enduring flower that never fades away, no matter what happens. It suggests that true friendship is a bond that lasts a lifetime.

3. “L’amitié c’est comme le vin, plus ça vieillit, plus ça devient bon” – Friendship is like wine, the older it gets, the better it becomes. This saying reflects the idea that, just like wine, friendship only improves with time. The longer you know a person, the more you appreciate their character and the bond that you share.

4. “Les amis, c’est comme les étoiles, il y en a beaucoup, mais les bonnes sont rares” – Friends are like stars, there are many, but the good ones are rare. This saying reminds us that not all friends are created equal. While it’s easy to make acquaintances, it’s much harder to find true friends who will stand by you through thick and thin.

5. “Il vaut mieux avoir peu d’amis mais de bons amis” – It’s better to have few friends but good friends. Similar to the previous saying, this one suggests that it’s better to have a few close, trustworthy friends than a large group of acquaintances who may not have your best interests at heart.

6. “L’amitié, c’est un cadeau précieux” – Friendship is a precious gift. This saying highlights the value of friendship, which can bring joy, support, and comfort to our lives. Just like a gift, friendship should be cherished and appreciated.

7. “Entre amis, tout est permis” – Among friends, everything is allowed. This saying suggests that there is a special bond between friends that allows them to be more relaxed and open with each other. Friends can be themselves around each other, without the fear of judgment or criticism.

8. “L’amitié c’est comme un abri, il protège du vent et de la pluie” – Friendship is like a shelter, it protects from wind and rain. This saying compares friendship to a warm, safe place where you can take refuge from life’s challenges. A good friend provides comfort and support when you need it most.

9. “L’amitié, c’est un pont entre les âmes” – Friendship is a bridge between souls. This saying describes friendship as a connection between two people that allows them to understand and support each other on a deeper level.

10. “L’amitié c’est s’accepter mutuellement tels que nous sommes, sans essayer de changer l’autre.” – Friendship is about accepting each other as we are, without trying to change the other person.

11. “L’amitié double les joies et divise les peines.” – Friendship doubles joys and halves sorrows.

12. “L’amitié ne se mesure pas en années, mais en moments.” – Friendship is not measured in years, but in moments.

13. “Les vrais amis sont ceux qui sont là quand on a besoin d’eux.” – True friends are those who are there when you need them.

14. “On peut choisir ses amis, pas sa famille.” – You can choose your friends, not your family.

15. “L’amitié c’est comme une fleur, il faut la cultiver pour qu’elle grandisse.” – Friendship is like a flower, it needs to be cultivated for it to grow.

16. “Les vrais amis sont ceux qui restent même quand ils sont loin.” – True friends are those who remain even when they are far away.

17. “L’amitié véritable ne connaît ni frontières ni distances.” – True friendship knows no borders or distances.

18. “L’amitié est la plus belle des choses au monde, car elle ne coûte rien et donne beaucoup.” – Friendship is the most beautiful thing in the world, because it costs nothing and gives a lot.

In conclusion, French sayings about friendship highlight the importance of mutual support, trust, and love in friendship. These sayings offer insight into the cultural attitudes towards friendship and serve as a reminder of the value of meaningful connections in our lives.

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