french short essays

Write an essay in French

Beyond the fact that writing an essay in French can be a good practice to improve your writing, you may also be asked to write one during your schooling. So, it is important to study the topic of French essay writing and get some useful tips..

» Tips and tricks for your French essay » The structure of a French essay » Sample French Essay

Tips and tricks for your French essay

When writing a French essay for school, you should always use a structured approach and good French skills to present your arguments in a focused way. Beyond French skills, there are also important formal requirements for a successful French essay. We will come back to this in detail later. First, you will find some useful tips and tricks that will help you write more compelling and better French essays in the future.

• Have a clear thesis and structure
• Do sufficient research and use reliable sources
• Use examples and arguments to support your thesis
• Avoid plagiarism and cite correctly
• Always check structure, grammar and spelling

When you write your essay at school or university, you need to make sure that the general structure of your essay, the presentation of the arguments and, above all, your French language skills play a role in the mark you will get. This is why you should definitely take a closer look at the structure of an essay as well as the most important grammar rules and formulations for French essays.

The structure of a French essay

In an essay, you deal at length and in detail with a usually given topic. When you write an essay in French, you must follow a certain structure. Below we show you what this structure looks like and give you some tips for writing the most important parts of your essay.

The Introduction

The introduction prepares the main body of your essay. You think of a meaningful title for your essay, you describe your thesis or your question, you give general information on the subject and you prepare your argument by giving an overview of your most important arguments.

Below are examples and phrases that you can use to write the introduction to your essay in French.

The title should be meaningful, concise and reflect the content of the essay.

Introductory paragraph

The first paragraph of your French essay should briefly introduce the topic and engage the reader. Here are some examples to help you write your essay:

Proposal or question

The central proposition or question of your French essay should be a clear and concise definition of the purpose of the essay. Use these examples to get a clearer idea of ​​how to write theses in French:

Overview of Arguments and Structure

At the end of your introduction, describe the structure of the main part of your essay (your outline) and outline your argument. Here are some French expressions that will certainly help you write your essay:

The body of your essay

The main part of your French essay deals with the given topic in detail. The subject is studied from all angles. The main body of your essay follows a thread of argument and discusses in detail the main arguments of your thesis previously made in the introduction.

In the body of the text, you should discuss the subject of your essay in clear and concise language. To achieve this, we give you some wording aids as well as vocabulary and phrases that you can use to write your essay in French.

Formulation tools:

French vocabulary for essays.

In the conclusion of your French essay, you address the thesis of your essay, summarize the main points of your discussion in the main body, and draw a conclusion. On the basis of the arguments and the resulting conclusions, you formulate in the conclusion of your dissertation final thoughts and suggestions for the future. It is important that you do not add new information or new arguments. This should only be done in the body of your text.

Here are some wording guides to help you write your essay in French:

Sample French Essay

Les avantages des voyages linguistiques

Malgré les difficultés potentielles, les voyages linguistiques offrent aux apprenants une occasion unique d'améliorer leurs compétences linguistiques et de découvrir de nouvelles cultures, ce qui en fait un investissement précieux pour leur développement personnel et académique.

Les séjours linguistiques sont des voyages organisés dans le but d'améliorer les compétences linguistiques des participants. Ces voyages peuvent se dérouler dans le pays ou à l'étranger et durer d'un week-end à plusieurs semaines. L'un des principaux avantages des séjours linguistiques est l'immersion. Entourés de locuteurs natifs, les apprenants sont contraints de pratiquer et d'améliorer leurs compétences linguistiques dans des situations réelles.Il s'agit d'une méthode d'apprentissage beaucoup plus efficace que le simple fait d'étudier une langue dans une salle de classe.

Un autre avantage des séjours linguistiques est l'expérience culturelle. Voyager dans un nouveau pays permet aux apprenants de découvrir de nouvelles coutumes, traditions et modes de vie, et de se familiariser avec l'histoire et la culture du pays. Cela enrichit non seulement l'expérience d'apprentissage de la langue, mais contribue également à élargir les horizons et à accroître la sensibilisation culturelle.

Cependant, les séjours linguistiques peuvent également présenter des inconvénients. Par exemple, le coût du voyage et de l'hébergement peut être élevé, en particulier pour les séjours de longue durée. En outre, les apprenants peuvent être confrontés à la barrière de la langue ou à un choc culturel, ce qui peut être difficile à surmonter. Le coût et les difficultés potentielles des séjours linguistiques peuvent sembler décourageants, mais ils offrent des avantages précieux en termes d'épanouissement personnel et scolaire.

Les compétences linguistiques et les connaissances culturelles acquises peuvent déboucher sur de nouvelles opportunités d'emploi et améliorer la communication dans un cadre professionnel. Les bourses et les aides financières rendent les séjours linguistiques plus accessibles. Le fait d'être confronté à une barrière linguistique ou à un choc culturel peut également être l'occasion d'un développement personnel. Ces avantages l'emportent largement sur les inconvénients et font des séjours linguistiques un investissement qui en vaut la peine.

En conclusion, malgré les difficultés potentielles, les séjours linguistiques offrent aux apprenants une occasion unique d'améliorer leurs compétences linguistiques et de découvrir de nouvelles cultures, ce qui en fait un investissement précieux pour le développement personnel et académique. Qu'il s'agisse d'un débutant ou d'un apprenant avancé, un voyage linguistique est une expérience à ne pas manquer.

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How to Write an Excellent French Essay (Resources Included)

Tips to write an excellent french essay.

Writing essays is challenging enough, but when you are asked to write a French essay, you are not only being asked to write in a foreign language, but to follow the conventions of another linguistic and literary tradition. Like essay-writing in any language, the essential part of writing a French essay is to convey your thoughts and observations on a certain topic in a clear and concise manner. French essays do come out of a certain tradition that is part of the training of all students who attend school in France – or at least secondary school – and when you are a French essay, it is important to be aware of this tradition.

The French philosopher Michel de Montaigne is credited with popularizing the essay form as a literary genre. His work, Essais, first published in 1580, and undergoing several subsequent publications before his death in 1592, covers a wide breadth of topics, ranging from “amitié” to “philosopher c’est apprendre à mourir”, and includes many literary references, as well as personal anecdotes. The name for this genre, essai, is the nominal form of the verb essayer, “to attempt”. We have an archaic English verb essay, meaning the same thing. The limerick that includes the phrase, “... when she essayed to drink lemonade ...” indicates an attempt to drink a beverage and has nothing to do with writing about it. But the writing form does illustrate an attempt to describe a topic in depth with the purpose of developing new insights on a particular text or corpus.

French instructors are very specific about what they would like when they ask for an essay, meaning that they will probably specify whether they would like an explication de texte, commentaire composé, or dissertation. That last essay form should not be confused with the document completed for a doctorate in anglophone countries – this is called a thèse in French, by the way. There are different formats for each of these types of essay, and different objectives for each written form.

Types of Essay

1. l’explication de texte.

An explication de texte is a type of essay for which you complete a close reading. It is usually written about a poem or a short passage within a larger work. This close reading will elucidate different themes and stylistic devices within the text. When you are completing an explication de texte, make sure to follow the structure of the text as you complete a close examination of its form and content. The format for an explication de texte consists of:

i. An introduction, in which you situate the text within its genre and historical context. This is where you can point out to your readers the general themes of the text, its form, the trajectory of your reading, and your approach to the text.

ii. The body, in which you develop your ideas, following the structure of the text. Make sure you know all of the meanings of the words used, especially the key terms that point to the themes addressed by the author. It is a good idea to look words up in the dictionary to find out any second, third, and fourth meanings that could add to the themes and forms you describe. Like a student taking an oral examination based on this type of essay writing, you will be expected to have solid knowledge of the vocabulary and grammatical structures that appear in the text. Often the significance of the language used unfolds as you explain the different components of theme, style, and composition.

iii. A conclusion, in which you sum up the general meaning of the text and the significance of the figures and forms being used. You should also give the implications of what is being addressed, and the relevance of these within a larger literary, historical, or philosophical context.

NB: If you are writing about a poem, include observations on the verse, rhyme schemes, and meter. It is a good idea to refer to a reference work on versification. If you are writing about a philosophical work, be familiar with philosophical references and definitions of concepts.

Caveat: Refrain from paraphrasing. Instead show through careful analysis of theme, style, and composition the way in which the main ideas of the text are conveyed.

2. Le commentaire composé

A commentaire composé is a methodologically codified commentary that focuses on themes in a particular text. This type of essay develops different areas of reflection through analytical argument. Such argumentation should clarify the reading that you are approaching by presenting components of the text from different perspectives. In contrast to the explication de texte, it is organized thematically rather than following the structure of the text to which it refers. The format for a commentaire composé consists of:

i. An introduction, in which you present the question you have come up with, often in relation to a prompt commenting on a thematic or stylistic aspect of the text, such as “Montrez en quoi ce texte évoque l’amour courtois” or “Qu’apporte l’absence de la ponctuation dans ce texte ?” In this section, you will be expected to delineate your approach to the text and illustrate the trajectory of your ideas so that your readers will have a clear idea of the direction these ideas will take.

ii. A tripartite body, in which you explore the question you have come up with, citing specific examples in the text that are especially pertinent to the areas of reflection you wish to explore. These citations should be explained and connected to the broad themes of your commentary, all the while providing details that draw the readers’ attention to your areas of inquiry. These different areas of inquiry may initially seem disparate or even contradictory, but eventually come together to form a harmonious reading that addresses different aspects of the text. The more obvious characteristics of the text should illuminate its subtler aspects, which allows for acute insight into the question that you are in the process of exploring.

iii. A conclusion, in which you evaluate your reading and synthesize its different areas of inquiry. This is where you may include your own opinions, but make sure that the preceding sections of your commentaire remain analytical and supported by evidence that you find in the text.

NB: Looking at verb tenses, figures of speech, and other aspects that contribute to the form of the text will help situate your reader, as will commenting on the register of language, whether this language is ornate, plain, reflects a style soutenu, or less formal patterns of speech.

Caveat: Quotations do not replace observations or comments on the text. Explain your quotations and situate them well within your own text.

3. La dissertation

The dissertation is a personal, organized, and methodical reflection on a precise question that refers to a corpus of writing. Referring to this corpus, you may be asked questions along the lines of “Que pensez-vous de l’équivalence entre l’amour et la chanson exprimée dans ces textes ?” or “Est-ce que la sagesse et la folie ont les mêmes sources?” This type of essay allows for an exploration of a question through knowledge of a corpus as well as through an individual’s cultural knowledge. The format for a dissertation consists of:

i. An introduction, in which you present the topic addressed, the significance of your argument, and the trajectory of your ideas.

ii. The body which, like a commentaire composé, consists of a tripartite development of your argument. This can follow any one of the following structures: a dialectical schema, organized into thèse, antithèse, and synthèse – an argument, its counter-argument, and its rebuttal; an analytical schema, consisting of the description of a situation, an analysis of its causes, and commentary on its consequences; a thematic schema, which consists of a reflection on a topic which you proceed to examine from different angles in an orderly fashion.

iii. A conclusion, in which you address the different ways in which you have approached the question at hand and how this deepens your insights, while placing the question within a broader context that shows room for expansion. The conclusion can open up the topic addressed to show its placement within a literary movement, or in opposition to another literary movement that follows it, for example.

NB: Approach the question at hand with as few preconceptions as possible. If you are writing on a quotation, gather all of your knowledge about its author, the work in which it appears, and the body of literature with which it is associated.

Caveat: Even for a personal reflection, such as a dissertation, avoid using the first person pronoun je. Nous or on are preferable. It is advisable not to switch from one to the other, though.

For each of these essay forms, it is a good idea to make an outline to which you can refer as you write. As your writing progresses, things may shift a bit, but having a structure on which you can rely as you gather your various ideas and information into a coherent argument provides solid foundation for a clear and well-developed essay. This also facilitates smooth transitions from one section of your essay to the next.

During your reading, you may encounter a problem, a contradiction, or a surprising turn of phrase that is difficult to figure out. Such moments in a text give you the opportunity to delve into the unique characteristics of the text or corpus to which you are referring, to propose different solutions to the problems you encounter, and to describe their significance within a larger literary, philosophical, and historical context. Essay writing allows you to become more familiar with French works, with their cultural significance, and with the French language. You can refer to the following resources to guide you in this endeavor:

Auffret, Serge et Hélène. Le commentaire composé. Paris: Hachette, 1991. Dufau, Micheline et Ellen D'Alelio. Découverte du poème: Introduction à l'explication de textes. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1967. Grammont, Maurice. Petit traité de versification française. Paris: A. Colin, 2015. Huisman, Denis et L. R. Plazolles. L’art de la dissertation littéraire : du baccalauréat au C.A.P.E.S. Paris : Société d’édition d’enseignement supérieur, 1965.

The French newspaper Le Monde also has good articles on these essay forms that prepare French students for the baccalauréat exam: CLICK HERE

This is also a website with thorough information on essay writing techniques that prepare students for the baccalauréat exam: CLICK HERE

In addition, the University of Adelaide has tips for general essay writing in French: CLICK HERE

🇫🇷 Looking for More French Resources?

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Writing essays in French Cheat Sheet by JAM

Useful expressions to help structure your A level French essay.

Introd­ucing the first argument

Adding and listing arguments, listing arguments - start, listing arguments - middle, listing arguments - end, indicating the reason for something, expressing contrast / concession, introd­ucing one's own point of view, in conclusion, how's your readability.

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French Essay: Topics, Tips, and Examples [2024 Updated]

Nowadays, knowing several foreign languages is no longer surprising. For example, learning French is common for English-speaking countries. So, getting an assignment on this subject won’t be a surprise for a student.

Our specialists will write a custom essay specially for you!

Writing a French essay, you can dwell into:

• the history of the French language;
• various dialects;
• its grammatical features;
• similarities between French and English (or another language);
• the distribution of the language around the globe.

One studying the language may penetrate the rich French culture and comprehend the nation itself. Besides, writing a French essay can develop the author’s writing skills and broaden their outlook. And even if you make mistakes doing so, it’s not the end of the world. The fact that you’re able to recognize them is already good enough, and you can fix complex errors using a free essay rewriter .

Our writers prepared French essay topics and tips for you to nail your task. See the examples below for better understanding.

📯 French Essay Topics

Are you one of those who are assigned to write French essays? Then we suggest you pick out some of the following problems to investigate:

• History of the French language;
• Dialects of the French language;
• French phonology ;
• French orthography;
• French grammar ;
• French alphabet.

The suggested topics are too vague and need narrowing. You may single out some aspects and analyze it in your paper. An excellent French essay topic should be:

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• Broad for you to have enough room to develop your arguments;
• Narrow enough for you to be able to concentrate on one or several points;
• It should also be creative and original. You want people to enjoy reading it, right?
• Most importantly, the topic should be interesting for you.

If the essay topics seem too formal to you, study, for example, your progress in analyzing the French language. Alternatively, you can state what attracts you in the language and explain why. You may also do a comparative analysis of French and some other languages. Comparing French with English may turn out to be a fascinating task to cope with. Both languages will benefit from your French essay writing.

Here are some topics and French essay examples you can consider writing about:

• Your progress in learning the French language . Here you can write about your personal experience learning the French language. What techniques do you apply, and what motivates you personally? You can explain why you have to learn how to speak French .
• How are the French language and culture in Southern France different from Parisian? In this essay, you can compare the Southern French dialect and culture with the one in Paris. What are some of the critical phonetic, grammar, and linguistic characteristics of Southern French?
• Parisian dialect as a standard of French . When people think about the French language, the Parisian variant immediately comes to mind. In this essay, you can analyze why Parisian French became the standard version.
• Why do you enjoy learning French? This essay focuses on your personal preferences and likes in the process of learning. What makes it fun and enjoyable? Is it French movies, French literature, or understanding French written work documents?
• French influence on English . Although English is a Germanic language, it looks and sounds a lot like French. The influence which French had on English is significant. Look at some historical reasons (the Norman invasion in particular) and why English benefited from it.
• French language in 19th century Russia . Not everyone knows that French was the official language of the Russian elite in the 19th century. Discuss the reasons why and what influence French culture had on Russian literature, music, and language.
• The effect of the French language on the development of English writing . More than 10,000 French words came into the English language. Not only did the vocabulary of English get more prosperous, but the French way of spelling and letter convention influenced English orthography.
• What caused French to become an aristocratic language in Europe? The reasons why the French language became so dominant throughout Europe are broad. In this essay, you can focus on economic grounds, cultural or political reasons.
• An analysis of Canadian French. This essay can be a comparative analysis of Canadian and European French. What are the main differences? What are some similarities between the two variants?
• Is there any similarity between French and German ? All of the languages in the Indo-European language family have some similarities. Therefore, French and German are not exceptions. You can focus on sentence structure, word order, pronunciation, or phonetics.
• The popular strategies in English-French translation .
• Describe the challenges of French language acquisition.
• Analyze the peculiarities of French vowel pronunciation.
• Cultural events and their traditions in French-speaking countries .
• Discuss the advantages of learning French .
• Examine the semantic peculiarities of the French language.
• Explore the role of watching movies in the French language learning process.
• Comparison of language education theories .
• Analyze the impact of French language learning on your personality.
• Describe the methods you’ve used to improve your French language fluency and which turned out to be the most effective.
• Similarities and differences between realism and naturalism in Spanish and French literature .
• What is the role of the French language in the modern world?
• Advantages and disadvantages of knowledge of multiple languages .
• Discuss the role of the French language in the United States.
• The specifics of learning French in early childhood.
• Compare the grammar peculiarities of English and French languages.
• How is the concept of friendship interpreted in American and French cultures?
• Analyze the correlation between the history of France and French language development.
• Explore the origin of the French language.
• Verbal and non-verbal communication in French culture.
• Examine the crucial role of French literature in learning French.
• Describe the relationship between French culture and language.
• Is it a good idea to integrate bilingual programs in early childhood education?
• Discuss the best ways to prepare for the speaking exam in French.
• The role of audiovisual materials in learning French .
• What difficulties did you face when learning to write in French ?
• The essential role of sociocultural context when translating from French.
• Compare the customs of French, Chinese, and Hispanic cultures.
• The best methods of learning the second language .
• Describe the best ways of promoting language development for French language learners.
• Analyze the methods of French word formation .
• Would you like to become a French language teacher?
• Analysis of the food words in English and other European languages.
• Examine the specifics of the French language in former French colonies .

Do not treat your French essay as an ordinary task to undertake. Make it as creative as possible!

🖋️ How to Write a French Essay

Note that writing on some language problems requires more than your knowledge of the subject matter. It also tests your abilities to present them in terms of academic writing.

Special care should be taken concerning the following:

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• The structural organization of your French essay.

Mostly, it is similar to any other academic essay :

• It should start with a hook . In simple terms, it is the opening sentence or two of your writing. It can be a quote, a short story, or a catchy statement that grabs the reader’s attention.

Here’s an example of from the sample essay:

Every language is a mirror of society, a living organism that exists and changes under the influence of historical, political, and social conditions.

• The next part of your essay is a thesis statement . Typically, it should be placed at the end of the first paragraph. The thesis statement’s purpose is to state the central idea in one or two phrases.

Here is a thesis statement from our French essay example:

Today, it is common to study English as a foreign language, as an international means of communication. However, this does not diminish the importance of learning other foreign language like French.

• After that, the body of the essay should start. This part of the composition usually has three separate paragraphs. These paragraphs can include research, supporting evidence, and arguments that prove the point of view.
• The conclusion brings together all the points of the essay. It goes back to the thesis statement and explains the broader importance of the topic. It is the last chance to leave a lasting impression on the reader.

Here is an example form our French essay sample:

To conclude, the above discussion provides evidence and arguments that maintain the position according to which learning French is a necessity nowadays. The crucial points are as follows; first, French has a long tradition of international language; second, French is spoken around the globe; third, it is a language of international relationships. The opposing position that English is sufficient for appropriate global communication was claimed unreasonable – an emphasis in this regard was on the essence of cultural and language diversity.

• The logical organization of your French essay .

There are some ways in which you can coherently write your essay. The following three aspects can guide you when organizing your French essay:

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• Topic sentence : you should mind linking elements within the paragraphs and between them. First of all, each section should include a topic sentence. It aims to identify the central idea and express an overall direction in which the writer will develop the paragraph.

The demand for knowledge of a language has changed in recent years.

• Concluding sentence: each paragraph should also include a concluding sentence. It asserts the main idea of the section and sums up all the information said in it.

It may be claimed that in a period of rather an aggressive introduction of the Anglo-American language in the world, the French need to persistently and resolutely defend their language, their national interests, and calls on other nations to preserve linguistic diversity.

• Linking words: it is crucial to use linking words in your essay. Linking words show relationships between ideas. It can be used to build sentences together to develop a cohesive paragraph.

To see the full essay sample, check the link below:

• Grammar, spelling, and vocabulary.

The last step in writing an A+ French essay is proofreading and editing. Before submitting your academic paper, make sure to pay attention to grammar, spelling, and vocabulary mistakes . Without proofreading, your writing can contain typos and errors that will not leave a good impression.

Good luck with your French essay writing! We hope the article was helpful. If so, share it with your peers and leave a comment below to let us know what you think.

This might be interesting for you:

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• Paragraphs & Topic Sentences: Writing Guides, Writing Tutorial Services, Indiana University Bloomington
• Thesis Generator: Ashford Writing Center
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• Basic Essay and Paragraph Format: Utah Valley University
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It is not helpful to me.

Anyway, thanks for stopping by, Yunika.

Thanks for the help with out this i wouldn’t even know what to do on my essay

Hi, do you also do French powerpoint presentation?

Hi dear, sorry, but we can do a PowerPoint presentation in English only. If that’s what you need, you’re welcome to check out our order form . Good luck and have a nice day!

Good advice. Thanks.

Thanks for your comment. We’re happy to hear that. Be sure to check other posts on this blog.

This was a very great help. I’m writing a French essay, and I know, thanks to your post and the provided tips on French essay writing, I will pass!

Hi! I just want to thank you for your ideas and tips for writing French essays! Write a French paper in English or write an essay for the French by an American) Funny.

Thanks a lot for the help.

No problem, Sash:) Good luck!

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French Writing Practice

French writing exercises by level.

Practise your French writing skills with our ever-growing collection of interactive French writing exercises for every  CEFR level from A0 to C1! If you're unsure about your current proficiency, try our test to get your French level  before diving into the exercises.

All writing exercises are made by our qualified native French teachers to help you improve your writing skills and confidence.

Kwizbot  will give you a series of prompts to translate to French. He’ll show you where you make mistakes as you go along and will suggest related lessons for you.

Boost your French writing skills by adding the lessons you find most interesting to your  Notebook and practising them later.

Click on any exercise to get started.

A1: Beginner French writing exercises

• A Christmas feast Celebrations & Important Dates Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Sébastien is in charge of Christmas Eve Dinner this year.
• A French lunch menu Food & Drink Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Here's the typical lunch menu of a French coffee shop.
• A French woman Employment Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Élodie tells us about her everyday life as a lawyer specialised in women's rights.
• A day in my cat Max's life Family & Relationships Adjectif possessif Article Article contracté Juliette tells about her cat's daily routine.
• A day in the city of Le Mans Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Audrey had a nice time visiting Le Mans, in northwestern France.
• A dream Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Geoffrey tells us about one of his dreams.
• A love story Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Cécile and Andrew meet in a bar.
• A rainy afternoon Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Soizic and Armelle meet up on a rainy day in Brest.
• A romantic Valentine Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Henri tells us about his special plans for Valentine's Day.
• A winter meal Food & Drink Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif Bernard has his perfect comfort meal for cold nights.
• Actress Anne Dorval Famous People Film & TV Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Claire tells us about her favourite actress, French-Canadian Anne Dorval.
• Anne's Easter loot Celebrations & Important Dates Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif Anne lists all the treats she found during her Easter egg hunt.
• Annoying Things Family & Relationships Adjectif Adverbe Article Philippe and Julien share some of the things that really annoy them.
• Arnaud and Ophélie describe themselves Family & Relationships Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif Arnaud and Ophélie describe themselves physically.
• At midnight Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Food & Drink Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Adverbe Sébastien's family celebrates Christmas in the evening of the 24th.
• At the beach Free Food & Drink Sports & Leisure Adjectif Article Article défini Conversation at the beach between an ice cream vendor and a customer.
• At the beach Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Tom is telling us about his day at the beach.
• At the bookshop Employment Literature, Poetry, Theatre Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe François needs help choosing a book.
• At the gift shop Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Mike and Linda pick some souvenirs in a Montmartre gift shop.
• At the newsagent's Employment Family & Relationships Adjectif Adverbe Article Sophie is buying a few items at a French newsagent's.
• At the sporting goods store Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Alain is buying tennis equipment for his son.
• Baby at the beach Family & Relationships Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif Baby enjoys being at the beach with his family.
• Back to School Family & Relationships Language & Education Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif Mathieu tells us about going back to school tomorrow.
• Ball Sports Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Vincent and Leila discuss their favourite ball sports.
• Beyoncé Family & Relationships Famous People Music Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe The famous singer introduces herself.
• Board games Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Jonathan is playing board games with his family.
• Booking a hotel room Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Pierre wants to book a room in a hotel.
• Can I come? Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Marie chats with her roommate's friend Damien.
• Cleaning with my family Family & Relationships Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Jonathan and his family are cleaning the house today!
• Corsica is beautiful! Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Julien explains why he thinks Corsica is so beautiful.
• Do you like the French language? Language & Education Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Noémie and Léo have opposite opinions on the French language!
• Do you like theme parks? Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adverbe Louis and Zoé give their opposite opinions on theme parks.
• Driving in the city Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adverbe Forme négative Sophie and Christophe talk about driving in city centres [US: downtown].
• Easter decorations Free Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Alice and her sister Zoé are decorating their house for Easter.
• Easter preparations Celebrations & Important Dates Language & Education Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Today, Daniel and his pupils are getting ready for Easter.
• Exchanging a scarf Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Article Christine is returning a scarf to the shop
• Father of two Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Léon talks about his two beloved children.
• Filling in a form Employment Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Olivier answers questions from a form.
• Food shopping for a picnic Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Daniel and Aline are buying food for a picnic.
• Gardening with Jacqueline Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Julia always loves to take care of her aunt's garden with her.
• Going on a diet Family & Relationships Food & Drink Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Marie has a plan to lose weight this year.
• Going shopping Family & Relationships Food & Drink Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Annie and Nicolas discuss her upcoming trip to the shop.
• Hanukkah with my family Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Rachelle celebrates Hanukkah with her family every year.
• Hello! I'm Mario! Famous People Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif The famous plumber introduces himself.
• Hello, my name is France! Politics, History & Economics Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif The country France introduces itself.
• Helping my neighbourhood Family & Relationships Adjectif possessif Adverbe Article Noémie likes helping her neighbours after school.
• Helping the planet Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe François does his best to help the planet in his everyday life.
• How to stay healthy Food & Drink Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif Matthieu tells us about his healthy habits.
• How to vote at a polling station in France? Politics, History & Economics Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Learn how to vote in a French election.
• I hate the rain! Sports & Leisure Adverbe Article défini Article indéfini Annie stays in on rainy days
• Load more …

A2: Lower Intermediate French writing exercises

• A Creole picnic Food & Drink Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif During a visit to La Réunion, Julie and Léo went for a typical Creole meal.
• A family of dog lovers Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Anthony had many dogs growing up, but Pip was special.
• A few days in Dordogne Free Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Monique tells Patrick about her coming holiday [US: vacation].
• A football accident Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Anthony had his friend Bruno over to play...
• A great party for Mum [US:Mom]! Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Manon and her sister Aline treated their mother for Mother's Day.
• A nice train journey Family & Relationships Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Lucie and her boyfriend Marc went to the countryside by train this weekend.
• A noisy hotel room Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Bertrand complains to the hotel reception about noises during the night.
• A romantic trip to Paris Family & Relationships Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Anna took her boyfriend on a romantic trip to Paris.
• A romantic weekend away Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Adverbe Aline and her boyfriend went away for a relaxing weekend.
• Afternoon ice cream Free Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Lucie and Greg feel like an ice cream this afternoon.
• Arriving at the hotel Employment Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Aline checks into her Parisian hotel.
• At my best friend's wedding Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Patrick gives a toast at Stéphane's wedding.
• At the Chinese restaurant Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article James is ordering food in a Chinese restaurant.
• At the allergist's Employment Technology & Science Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Pierre went to the allergist to get a diagnosis.
• At the bar Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adverbe Au bar Patricia and Samuel discuss what drinks they want to order.
• At the bureau de change Employment Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Patrick needs to change some dollars upon arriving in Paris.
• At the grocery store Employment Family & Relationships Food & Drink Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Julie and Frank need some things from the grocery store.
• At the medieval market in Orléans Art & Design Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adverbe Flora and Sami enjoy Orléans's medieval market.
• At the mountain restaurant Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Gérard and Sylvie stop for lunch after their mountain hike.
• At the post office Family & Relationships Adjectif possessif Adverbe Article Christophe has a few errands to run at the post office.
• At the shoe store Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Christine is looking for a pair of shoes with the help of a nice sales assistant.
• Bastille Day in the South of France Celebrations & Important Dates Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adverbe Bernard tells us about celebrating Bastille Day last summer.
• Bedtime stories Family & Relationships Literature, Poetry, Theatre Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Florian remembers the bedtime ritual he had with his daughter.
• Breakfast in the sun Family & Relationships Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Sabrina surprised Thomas with a nice breakfast on the balcony.
• Calling the hotel's room service Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Valérie calls room service from her hotel room.
• Chocolate mousse cooking tips! Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe André gives us some tips to make the perfect chocolate mousse.
• Conversation on the plane Family & Relationships Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Pascal and Julie get acquainted on a flight to Montpellier.
• Cooking as a family Family & Relationships Food & Drink Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Yesterday, Antoine and his family made tartiflette together.
• Dividing the restaurant bill Food & Drink Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Sports & Leisure Adjectif possessif Adverbe Article Isabelle and her friends are splitting the bill at the restaurant.
• Do you have a favourite male singer? Famous People Music Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Simone and Amélie are talking about their favourite French-speaking male singers.
• Do you have any dirty clothes? Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Bastien and his mother debate the need for a dirty laundry basket.
• Driving in France Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Here are a few things to be aware of when driving in France!
• Fireworks Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Juliette went to watch New Year's fireworks yesterday.
• Fishing with Dad Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Benjamin went fishing with his father last Sunday.
• Getting to know each other Employment Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe New colleagues Julien and Olivier get to know each other over a coffee.
• Giving up tobacco Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Amélie has stopped smoking and she's so happy about it!
• Holiday [US: Vacation] by the sea Family & Relationships Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Édouard remembers his childhood seaside holidays [US: vacations] in the south of France.
• I love autumn! Family & Relationships Food & Drink Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Jacqueline tells us what she loves to do in the fall.
• I love my grandmother! Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Lucas tells us about his lovely grandmother.
• I prefer going skiing Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Pierre tells us why he prefers going skiing rather than beach holidays.
• In a taxi Family & Relationships Article Article contracté Article partitif Magalie needs her taxi to take her for a few errands.
• In the changing rooms Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Mélanie is trying on a dress... and testing Pierre's patience!
• Instagram love Family & Relationships Technology & Science Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Adverbe Julien and Sandra became famous thanks to their Instagram account.
• Instructions for a test Language & Education Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Teacher Marc read out the instructions for today's French test.
• Jojo is such a joker! Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Thomas talks about his school friend Jojo, who loves a joke.
• Last night's party Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Pauline and Adrien discuss yesterday's party at Thomas's house.
• Les Sables-d'Olonne Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Julien enjoyed his stay in the seaside town of Les Sables-d'Olonne, in the Pays de la Loire region in France.
• Lockdown solidarity Free Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Clément and his neighbours organised to help each other.
• Making Halloween decorations Celebrations & Important Dates Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif Elsie and her mother are making some spooky Halloween decorations.
• Movie Date Family & Relationships Film & TV Adjectif Article Article défini Luc was nervous for his first date with Belinda.

B1: Intermediate French writing exercises

• A Horror Story Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe On a dark October night, Emma received a disturbing call...
• A childhood passion Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Vincent and his brother loved video games growing up.
• A family day at the park Family & Relationships Food & Drink Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Benoît will spend this Saturday at the park with his daughter Mia.
• A game of hide and seek Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Article Linda and Christian are watching from afar a game of hide and seek between the children.
• A greener future Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Julien is seeing a future where people are more eco-conscious.
• A special Monday Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Adverbe Anna is looking forward to a lazy Easter Monday!
• A strange encounter Family & Relationships Literature, Poetry, Theatre Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Yoann had the strangest encounter in the Broceliande forest!
• A trip to the cinema Film & TV Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Antoine and his daughter Emma are planning a trip to the movies.
• A weather forecast Technology & Science Adjectif Adverbe Article Find out what tomorrow's weather will be like.
• A weekend in Montpellier Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Élise and Lucas plan their weekend in the southern French city.
• An amazing New Year's Eve meal Celebrations & Important Dates Food & Drink Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif Henriette is planning a dazzling meal for New Year!
• An annoying cat allergy Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Éloïse suffers from an annoying cat allergy.
• An incredibly caring boy Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Lydia's son, Olivier, is such a caring person.
• An old scary tradition Celebrations & Important Dates Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Yoann recalls celebrating the old Celtic tradition of Samhain with his Gran.
• Animal emergency Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Julien's cat is stuck in the tree!
• Around the world by motorcycle Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Joël would love to travel the world on his motorcycle.
• Asking about a hotel room Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Catherine has a few questions about the hotel room she's booked.
• At the amusement park Sports & Leisure Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Thomas will go to the amusement park with his friend Samia for their birthday this year.
• At the doctor's Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Robert goes to the doctor for a consultation.
• At the till Employment Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Peter is at the till [US: cash register] of a French supermarket.
• Birthday makeover Family & Relationships Accord Adjectif Adjectif indéfini "New year, new me" Julia thought on her 20th birthday.
• Busy Schedule Family & Relationships Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Isabelle recaps what everyone will have to do on Saturday!
• Camping at home Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Gabriel and Rose are making plans for the weekend.
• Cathy's future holiday [US: vacation] in Montpellier Free Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Learn about Cathy's plan to spend her holiday [US: vacation] in Montpellier.
• Christmas in the mountains Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Antoine will spend Christmas at his dad's house in the Alps, if he can get there!
• Christmas specialities Celebrations & Important Dates Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Paul tells us about some traditional French Christmas dishes.
• Conversation between the election's two rounds Politics, History & Economics Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Marc explains the French presidential election process to his friend Alice.
• Corsican polyphonic singing Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Music Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Do you know about this bewitchingly melodic tradition from Corsica?
• Cycling in Nantes Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Isabelle agrees with Nantes's status as France's "cycling capital".
• Dalida Famous People Music Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Learn about Dalida, an iconic French-speaking singer.
• Dealing with your emotions Sports & Leisure Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Here's a guide to keeping calm.
• Discussing a ski weekend Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Laurent and his friend Matt are planning their ski weekend.
• Dreaming of Paris Family & Relationships Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Grégory imagines his ideal Valentine's Day's proposal.
• Family holiday car trip Family & Relationships Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif possessif Adverbe Concordance des Temps Let the squabbles begin!
• Flying anxiety Family & Relationships Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Jean-Luc has a plan to deal with his fear of flying.
• Following the GPS Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Technology & Science Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Follow this GPS's instructions to reach your destination.
• Getting ready for autumn Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Article Rosalie won't get caught out by the arrival of autumn this year.
• Giving up smoking Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe François tells us how he managed to stop smoking.
• Going back in time Family & Relationships Politics, History & Economics Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adverbe Marine asks Amanda, Bruno and Sébastien what they would do if they could go back in time.
• Going to the bank Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Flora and her father need to go to the bank.
• How to share household chores equally Family & Relationships Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Follow Céline's tips to share household chores more equally.
• I love swimming! Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Thomas tells us about his love for swimming and his hope to one day dive from up high!
• I miss French food! Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adverbe Hélène tells Betty how she's coping with missing French food abroad.
• I want to help! Family & Relationships Adjectif possessif Adverbe Article Suzanne wishes she had more time to help others.
• I've always loved French Family & Relationships Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Emily has always had a fascination for the French language.
• I, Lucky Luke Literature, Poetry, Theatre Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Christophe imagines what he would do if he were the fastest shooter in the West.
• If I could start over... Employment Language & Education Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Anne wishes she could do things differently.
• If I were Wonder Woman Film & TV Literature, Poetry, Theatre Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Annie imagines what it would be like to be Wonder Woman.
• If I were a chef Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Benjamin tells us of his dream of being a chef.
• Interview with a jewellery creator Art & Design Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Hugo is interviewing Marie who creates her own jewellery.

B2: Upper Intermediate French writing exercises

• "Amélie": my favourite film! Film & TV Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Lisa explains why "Amélie" is her favourite film.
• A History of French TV Film & TV Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Learn some interesting facts about the beginnings of French TV.
• A busy weekend ahead Family & Relationships Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Adverbe Olivier sums up his busy schedule for the weekend.
• A day in the countryside Free Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Marie spent last weekend in the countryside with her daughters.
• A great Advent calendar Celebrations & Important Dates Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Find out how to make a unique Advent calendar.
• A great passion for reading Literature, Poetry, Theatre Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Florence talks about her grandmother's passion for books.
• A nice morning surprise Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Lucie will serve a delicious breakfast in bed to her fiancée on their anniversary.
• A nice table "à la française" Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Jacqueline explains the intricacies of setting the table the French way.
• A nightmare journey Free Family & Relationships Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Adverbe Josiane and Robert explain why they're an hour late to their friends' place.
• A perfect interview Employment Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Léo's just had the best job interview of his life!
• A slippery drive Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Richard struggled to get to work this morning: everything was frozen!
• At the football [US: soccer] game Celebrations & Important Dates Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Henri took his dad to a football [US:soccer] game for Father's Day.
• At the neighbours' house Family & Relationships Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Véronique and Bruno are at their neighbours' house for an aperitif.
• Bad Movie Review Film & TV Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Bernadette delivers a scathing movie review.
• Barbara Famous People Music Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Laëtitia talks about her passion for fascinating French singer Barbara.
• Bayonne, France's chocolate capital Food & Drink Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Learn why Bayonne is considered the French capital of chocolate.
• Brasserie La Coupole Food & Drink Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Accord Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Vincent always eats here when he's in Paris.
• British National Museums Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini National museums are free in the UK, as Paul happily found out.
• Building a snowman Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Martine and Bastien enjoyed building a snowman.
• Camping with your dog Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Patrick gives us some advice on taking your dog camping with you.
• Catherine Ségurane: a local heroine Famous People Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Politics, History & Economics Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Toni, a tourist guide from Nice talks about local legend Catherine Ségurane.
• City vs dog poop Family & Relationships Politics, History & Economics Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Alain and Pauline discuss the city's measures to fight against dog waste.
• Composting is awesome! Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Elsa explains composting to her friend Pierre.
• Congratulations on your degree! Family & Relationships Language & Education Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Thomas's aunt and uncle send him an email to congratulate him on getting his Master degree.
• Conversation between friends Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Friends Simon and Isabelle are catching up.
• Couples' annoying habits Family & Relationships Adjectif indéfini Adverbe Article Olivier gets so annoyed by the way couples behave sometimes!
• Family Reunion Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini At a family reunion, Lea sees her aunt Patricia for the first time in years.
• Finding the perfect anniversary gift Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Jean-Paul is listing his gift ideas for his wife on their anniversary.
• French Easter specialties Celebrations & Important Dates Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Discover some of France's regional Easter specialties.
• French-style lemon tart recipe Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Follow the recipe to make a delicious lemon tart.
• Garip Ay's amazing paintings Art & Design Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Jean-Pierre tells us about the work of this fascinating Turkish artist.
• Getting ready for the holiday [US: vacation] Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Article Article contracté Bastien and Alicia are getting ready for tomorrow's departure.
• Giving back Celebrations & Important Dates Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Especially during the holiday season, it's good to give back to those less fortunate than us...
• Going lily-of-the-valley picking Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Jean-Pierre's family goes to pick lily-of-the-valley every year.
• Heatwave Politics, History & Economics Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini A weather forecast on one of the hottest days of the year.
• High cost of cigarette packaging change Politics, History & Economics Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Learn about the cost of the new policy on cigarette packaging in France.
• I can't find my shirt! Family & Relationships Adjectif possessif Adverbe Article Claire and Julien are almost ready to go out...except for Julien's missing shirt!
• In a clothes store Sports & Leisure Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Patrick complains to the sales assistant about a defective item.
• In the return taxi Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Aline talks about her trip with the taxi driver on her way back to the airport.
• Long time no see! Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Marina and her cousin Tom catch up after quite a while.
• Louise Bourgeois Art & Design Famous People Politics, History & Economics Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Marie-Claire tells us about her favourite French artist.
• Mice invasion Family & Relationships Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Lisa and Paul are discussing options to get rid of Lisa's mice.
• Moving house chores Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Sophie had so many chores to do before moving into her new apartment.
• My car is a real beater! Sports & Leisure Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Yann's car has so many problems!
• My chosen family Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Magalie found her own loving family.
• My dream invention Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Sonia asks Sylvie what invention she'd dream to see becoming a reality.
• My first Easter memory Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Alexandre remembers the first time he went egg hunting.
• My grandmother's rosebushes Family & Relationships Accord Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Lucie tells us about her grandmother's beloved and renowned rosebushes.
• My hot-headed nephew Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Michel talks about how his nephew used to get on his nerves.
• My kids' back to school day Family & Relationships Language & Education Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Claire is getting ready for the kids' first day back to school.

C1: Advanced French writing exercises

• A bad matchmaker Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Sophie tells us about her failed attempt at matchmaking.
• A couple's ups and downs Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Hélène explains how she and her partner managed to navigate out of a rough patch.
• A difficult sibling relationship Family & Relationships Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Yvan has always had a fraught relationship with his sister.
• A dreadful teenager Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Philippe recalls his bad behaviour as a teenage boy.
• A ghost story Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Hugo is visiting his mother on All Saints' Day.
• A hard time at work Employment Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Adverbe Érica went through a rough time at work.
• A horrible storm! Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Julien remembers spending a horrible night due to a violent storm.
• A last minute request Employment Family & Relationships Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Isabelle's colleague keeps making her miserable...
• A lovely car Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Find out about Michel's beloved 2CV car.
• A lovely encounter Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif On her daily walk, Audrey met a furry little friend in need of help...
• A special Christmas in Switzerland Celebrations & Important Dates Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Damien recalls a wonderful family Christmas holiday in Switzerland.
• A sudden reappearance Family & Relationships Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif After years of disappearance, Olivia's friend is back.
• Advice for new pet owners Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Laurent asks people for their advice on welcoming a new pet at home.
• Alice and the Caterpillar (Alice in Wonderland) Literature, Poetry, Theatre Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Alice meets the mysterious Caterpillar in this adapted excerpt from "Alice in Wonderland"
• An animal tale Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini By a lovely winter morning, Henri the hare meets poorly Lili the rabbit.
• An incredible trip on the Canal du Midi Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Patrice recalls his trip along the Canal du Midi.
• An upcycling tutorial Art & Design Sports & Leisure Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Find out a few ideas for your upcycling projets.
• Anna's birthday party Family & Relationships Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Clément discusses the organisation of his daughter's birthday party with his friend Charlotte.
• At Uncle Robert's 70th birthday Family & Relationships Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Adverbe Laura catches up with her cousin Charlotte at a family event.
• At the psychiatrist's Employment Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Mme Dupont is talking to her psychiatrist.
• At the ski resort Sports & Leisure Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Paul needs to get ski gear for himself and his family.
• Back to School shopping Family & Relationships Language & Education Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Viviane and Christian try and get everything on their children's school supply list.
• Bathroom chat Family & Relationships Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Bruno and Sonia are having a chat in the bathroom.
• Brest during World War II Politics, History & Economics Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Alex is talking about WWII in Brest with his granddad.
• Californian dream Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adverbe Olivia finally followed her dream to move to California.
• Camping in the woods Free Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Nathalie enjoys camping in the middle of the woods.
• Coco Chanel Famous People Politics, History & Economics Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Learn about this extraordinary woman who became a fashion icon.
• Complaining about a hotel room Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Gérard complains to the receptionist about the state of his hotel room.
• Coping with the heatwave Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Emma asks how Simon and his pregnant girlfriend Christelle coped with the extreme heat.
• Drôme provençale, a little piece of heaven Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Politics, History & Economics Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Vincent tells us about this beautiful region in the South of France.
• Engagement dinner's speech Family & Relationships Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Adverbe The bride's father thanks the guests for attending and announces the evening programme.
• Engagement surprise Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Louise enjoys an unexpected visit at her engagement party.
• Fireside memories Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Manuelle has warm memories of family times by the fireside.
• First day back to school Family & Relationships Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Sabrina tells us what she'll do on her children's first day back to school.
• French Mobile Phone Habits Politics, History & Economics Technology & Science Accord Adjectif Adjectif indéfini We're taking a look at the importance of mobile phones in French people's lives.
• Gardening weekend Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Jean-Pierre had a busy weekend taking care of his garden.
• Gastronomical review Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Discover a mouthwatering review of a French restaurant.
• Gluten-free living Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Alexandre tells us how he dealt with his newly discovered gluten allergy.
• Gustave Moreau Museum Art & Design Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Claire tells us about her fascination for 19th-century symbolist painter Gustave Moreau.
• Holidaying in July Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini July is a hard time to organise holiday [US: vacation] for, as Martine and Sam found out!
• How to show your love? Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Marianne and her partner Adèle are making some changes to show their appreciation for each other more.
• In the lives of the writers of French romance novels Employment Literature, Poetry, Theatre Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Discover what the life of a French writer of romance novels looks like.
• Jean-Marc Vallée Famous People Film & TV Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Nathan and Florence discuss the late Quebecois director Jean-Marc Vallée.
• Johnny Hallyday, a French icon Famous People Music Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Paul and his mum talk about her favourite French singer, Johnny Hallyday.
• La Petite France in Strasbourg Art & Design Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Discover this unique area of Strasbourg, a UNESCO site and tourists' favourite.
• Last-minute hesitations Family & Relationships Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif François is torn between his love for Marianne and his duty to the Duchess who he's about to marry.
• Letter to Santa Celebrations & Important Dates Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Timothée writes to Santa, hoping he's been good enough this year...
• Letter to my daughter Family & Relationships Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Adverbe Marc writes a love letter to his newborn baby girl.
• Long distance relationships Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Here's some advice on how to keep your long distance relation working.
• Luxembourg: A bit of history Politics, History & Economics Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Learn about the early history of this interesting country.

In this section

• Hanukkah 2023 Menorah
• Christmas 2023 Advent Calendar
• Tips and ideas to improve your French writing skills
• French Glossary and Jargon Buster

French Your Way

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How to Write The Perfect French Essay For Your Exam

November 16, 2014 by Jessica 3 Comments

Here are tips to help you write a great French essay with exam requirements in mind. Once you’re done, I strongly suggest you proofread your text using my checklis t.

Note: if you’re preparing for the French VCE, there is an updated version of these exam tips in my guide  “How to Prepare for the French VCE & Reach your Maximum Score” .

While supervising exams or tutoring for exam preparation, I’ve seen too many students writing straight away on their exam copies. Stop! Resist the urge to jump on your pen and take a step back to make sure that you will be addressing all the exam requirements or you may be shooting yourself in the foot and lose precious points.

I recommend that you train with exam sample questions so that you set up good working habits and respect the required length of the essay, as well as the timing (allow at least 10 minutes for proofreading).

Crafting your French Essay

1. identify the situation: preparation work.

•   Read the topic carefully, slowly and at least twice to absorb every information/detail.
• Underline/highlight/jot down any piece of information that you are expected to reuse:
• What type of text do you need to write? (a journal entry? A formal letter? A speech? Etc). Note to VCE French exam students : refer to page 13 of the VCE French Study Design for more information about the different types of texts.
• Who are you in the situation? (yourself? A journalist? etc)
• Who are you addressing? (a friend? A large audience? Etc) à adjust the degree of formality to the situation (for example by using the “tu”/”vous” form, a casual or formal tone/register, etc)
• What are the characteristic features of the type of text you need to write? (eg a journal entry will have the date, a formal letter will start and end with a formal greeting, etc)
• What is your goal ? What are you expected to talk about / present / defend / convey?
• What are the length requirements for your French essay ? Respect the word count (there’s usually a 5% or so tolerance. Check the requirements specific to your exam)

Tip : when you practice at home, count how many words in average you fit on a line. This will give you a good indication of how many lines your text should be.

Ex: You write an average of 15 words per line. If you are required to write a 300-word French essay, you should aim for:

300 words / 15 words per line = 20 lines total.

2. Draft the outline of your essay

•  An essay typically has an introduction, a body with 2 or 3 distinct parts and a conclusion . (See if that outline is relevant to the type of text you are expected to write and adjust accordingly.)
• Use bullet points to organize your ideas.
• Don’t remain too general. A good rule is to use one main idea for each part and to back it up/reinforce in/illustrate it with one concrete example (eg. data).
• Brainstorming about things to say will also help you use a wider range of vocabulary , which will get noticed by the examiner. Are there some interesting/specific words or expressions that you can think of using in your text (example: if you are writing about global warming, brainstorm the vocab related to this topic. Brainstorm expressions to convince or disagree with something, etc)?
• Make sure you have reused every point identified in part 1 .

 3. Write your essay

•  It’s better if you have time to write or at least draft a few sentences on your draft paper rather than writing directly because:
• You want to meet the word count requirements
• You don’t want multiple words to be barred cross crossed-out and your page looking messy and great anything but neat!
• you don’t want to have to rush so much that your handwriting is really unpleasant to read (or worse, impossible to read…)
• So… monitor your time carefully!

  Structuring your text

• Visually, the eye should instantly be able to see the structure of your French essay: make paragraph and skip lines so that it doesn’t look like an unappealing large block of text.
• Use connectors/link words to structure your text and make good transitions.

4. Proofread, proofread, proofread!

•   It’s important that you allow at least 10 minutes for proofreading because there most likely are a few mistakes that you can fix very easily. It would therefore be a shame not to give yourself your best chances of success! Check out my Proofreading Checklist.

Bonne chance!

If you need any help with your essay, you can submit it to me there.

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Published on October 6th, 2023 | by Adrian Lomezzo

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

Image source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-shot-of-a-quote-on-a-paper-5425603/

Bienvenue! Do you dream of unleashing your inner French literary genius, but worry that your writing might inadvertently reveal your foreign roots? Fret not, mes amis, as we have the ultimate guide to help you master the art of essay writing en Français!

Within these pages, we’ll navigate the intricate waters of linguistic nuances, cultural subtleties, and grammatical finesse, allowing you to exude the aura of a native French speaker effortlessly. Many students like you have embarked on this journey, seeking academic assistance from platforms like  https://paperwritten.com/  to conquer their writing pursuits.

From crafting a compelling introduction to fashioning impeccable conclusions, we’ll unveil the secrets that will leave your professors applauding your newfound linguistic prowess. So, bid adieu to those awkward linguistic giveaways and embrace the sheer elegance of French expression – all while keeping your foreign identity beautifully concealed! Let’s embark on this adventure together and unlock the true essence of writing like a native French virtuoso.

1.   Mastering French Grammar and Vocabulary: Building a Strong Foundation

To create a compelling French essay, it’s essential to lay a solid groundwork. Ensure that your French grammar is accurate and that you possess a rich vocabulary. Avoid relying on online translators, as they may yield awkward or incorrect sentences. Instead, embrace reputable dictionaries and language resources to enhance your language skills effectively.

2.   Mimic Sentence Structures: The Art of Authentic Expression

To truly immerse yourself in the French language, observe and mimic the sentence structures used by native speakers. Analyzing essays written by experienced writers can prove invaluable in grasping the authentic style required to compose a captivating essay.

3.   Use Transition Words: Crafting a Smooth Flow of Ideas

In French essays, the use of transition words and phrases plays a pivotal role in connecting ideas seamlessly. Incorporate expressions like “de plus,” “en outre,” “en conclusion,” “tout d’abord,” and “par conséquent” to add coherence and elegance to your writing.

4.   Embrace French Idioms and Expressions: Unveiling Cultural Fluency

Demonstrate a deeper understanding of the French language and culture by incorporating idioms and expressions where appropriate. However, remember to use them sparingly to avoid overwhelming your essay.

5.   Pay Attention to Formality: Striking the Right Tone

Tailor the formality of your writing to suit the context of your essay. Whether you are crafting an academic piece or a more personal creation, be mindful of your choice of vocabulary and sentence structures to match the required tone.

6.   Research Cultural References: The Power of In-depth Knowledge

If your essay touches upon French culture, history, or literature, extensive research is key. Delve into your subjects to avoid mistakes and showcase your genuine interest in the matter at hand.

7.   Avoid Direct Translations: Let French Be French

To avoid awkward phrasing, strive to think in French rather than translating directly from your native language. This will lead to a more natural and eloquent essay.

8.   Practice Writing Regularly: The Path to Proficiency

Mastering the art of French writing requires regular practice. Embrace writing in French frequently to grow more comfortable with the language and refine your unique writing style.

9.   Read French Literature: A Gateway to Inspiration

Explore the world of French literature to expose yourself to diverse writing styles. This practice will deepen your understanding of the language and immerse you further in French culture and history.

10.   Connect with French Culture: Bridges of Cultural Resonance

Incorporate cultural references that resonate with French readers, such as art, cuisine, festivals, historical figures, or social customs. Authenticity is key, so avoid relying on stereotypes.

11.   Use a French Thesaurus: Expanding Your Linguistic Palette

Discovering new contextually appropriate words can elevate your writing. Embrace a French thesaurus to find synonyms that may not be apparent through direct translations.

12.   Master French Punctuation: The Finishing Touch

Take care to use correct French punctuation marks, such as guillemets (« ») for quotes and proper accent marks. These subtle details add a professional touch to your essay.

13.   Practice French Rhetorical Devices: Crafting Eloquent Prose

Experiment with rhetorical devices like parallelism, repetition, and antithesis to lend depth and sophistication to your writing.

14.   Pay Attention to Word Order: Unlocking French Sentence Structure

French boasts a unique sentence structure distinct from English. Dive into the intricacies of subject-verb-object order and grasp the art of organizing sentences to sidestep common foreign mistakes. Embracing this essential aspect will elevate your writing to a truly native level.

15.   Use French Idiomatic Expressions: Infuse Cultural Flair

Enrich your prose with the colorful tapestry of French idioms, reflecting the vibrant essence of the culture. Yet, a word of caution – wield them with finesse, for the strategic placement of an idiom can imbue your essay with unparalleled flair and authenticity.

16.   Master Pronouns and Agreement: The Dance of Language

The dance of pronouns, nouns, and adjectives requires your keen attention. Like a skilled performer, ensure their seamless alignment to avoid inadvertently revealing your non-native status. Mastering this harmony is key to writing like a true Francophone.

17.   Understand Subtle Connotations: Unveiling Linguistic Shades

Delve into the labyrinth of French words, where subtle connotations diverge from their English counterparts. Familiarize yourself with these delicate nuances, for it is in their mastery that your writing shall find refinement.

18.   Study Formal and Informal Registers: Tailoring Language to Purpose

Akin to selecting the perfect outfit for each occasion, comprehend the art of using formal and informal language. Consider your essay’s purpose and audience, and with this knowledge, enhance your authenticity, seamlessly aligning with the appropriate linguistic register.

19.   Practice Dialogue Writing: Conversing with Eloquence

Embark on the journey of dialogue writing to enrich your linguistic repertoire. As you hone your conversational skills, watch as authenticity gracefully weaves itself into your written work, enchanting readers with its charm.

20.   Seek Feedback: A Second Set of Eyes

To refine your essay further, seek the guidance of a native French speaker or language tutor from the  best cheap essay writing services . Their valuable feedback can uncover any language or cultural mistakes you may have made, allowing you to make necessary improvements.

Equip yourself with these priceless tips and set forth on your quest to master the art of French writing. Embrace the language’s allure, immerse in its rich culture, and watch your words flow with grace and poise. À la plume! Let the pen become your ally in crafting captivating prose that echoes with authenticity and charm. 

Header Photo Credit by George Milton: https://www.pexels.com/photo/smiling-woman-in-eyeglasses-with-books-7034478/

About the Author

Adrian Lomezzo is a content writer and likes to write about technology and education. He understands the concern of parents due to the evolving technology and researches deeply in that area. When he is not researching, he buries himself in books along with his favorite cup of hot chocolate.

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The Best Short Stories to Improve Your French (And Where to Read Them for Free)

This article contains affiliate links. This means French Together may earn a commission for purchases made through these links. Read our full affiliate disclosure .

One of the best French teachers I ever had was a charming criminal.

After several years of learning French, I started reading French stories and books on my own. Some were fairly easy, while others required me to look up nearly every word (and in the days before dictionary apps, this meant taking a significant pause in my reading). 

But those experiences also ended up teaching me things. Vocabulary sticks with you more if you had to struggle to find its meaning, and grammatical structures that an author knowingly or unknowingly relies on tend to stay in your mind like an echo.

The criminal I mentioned wasn’t a real-life one, but a certain Arsène Lupin, gentleman cambrioleur (gentleman burglar), the hero of a series of early 20 th century crime/adventure novels, and still a pop culture figure in France today, not to mention the inspiration for a French TV series, as well as a manga and anime series, Lupin the Third , among other things . It wasn’t easy to read all of Arsène Lupin’s adventures, but as I went along, I got better, and my vocabulary got richer, too.

Even if top-hatted jewel thieves who are masters of disguise and seduction don’t appeal to you (hard for me to believe, but okay), there are so many other French short stories out there that are worth discovering – and learning from. 

Like movies , TV shows , and any other form of the arts or media, not only will they teach you things like vocabulary and grammar; they’ll also give you an insight into French culture (or whatever francophone culture you’re interested in). These make short stories a great addition to a good conversational French course .

Let’s look at some French fairy tales and short stories that can help you boost your vocabulary, grammar, and cultural knowledge – and let your imagination take you to new places, too.

Why read French stories?

No matter how good a language student you are, sometimes grammar and memorization will wear you down. And even if they don’t, language is a living thing. It’s important to know its rules and workings, but vital to understand how it’s used in context.  You might know how to conjugate the verb réfléchir , but do you know how to use it in a sentence?

Reading in French will show you how French-speakers use their language to express themselves. Even if you prefer older stories or fairy tales, you’ll learn about conventions – for example, French fairy tales often start with the phrase Il était une fois… (Once upon a time) and are often told in the passé simple (literary) tense. More contemporary stories will show you the way people really talk today – even how their words sound, if an author chooses to write things phonetically. 

How to read in French

Reading in a foreign language can be daunting, even downright frustrating. Remember what I wrote about my “lessons” with Monsieur Lupin:  It wasn’t all jumping over rooftops and stealing diamonds (or the Mona Lisa); I spent a lot of time looking up words and figuring out turns of phrase. 

Here are five rules I’ve learned about reading in French:

Choose a story that interests you

Obviously, this isn’t always possible – for example, if you have to read a certain story for a class. But on your own, you’ll probably be able to find French stories that genuinely interest you. Hopefully, the list in this article will help with that. When you’re interested in a story, you’re more willing to look up vocabulary…and just to continue with it, even through tricky parts. After all, you want to find out what happens at the end, right?

Accept that reading in French (or any foreign language) isn’t like reading in your native language

No matter how fluent you become, your brain will have to work just a little harder, and you’ll probably still have a word you’ll need to look up now and then, or a tricky sentence that you have to stop and untangle, no matter how advanced your language level is.  This might seem discouraging, but it’s actually the opposite; think of it as a continual source of learning. There are even be health benefits to reading in a foreign language: studies show that learning and working with a foreign language is excellent exercise for your mind, and may stave off dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. 

Know that it will get easier

Although there’s always a chance you’ll come across some tricky vocabulary or grammar, reading in French will get easier. Just like anything else, practice makes perfect. Today, I can read an Arsène Lupin story or novel with much more ease than I did when I first began L’Arrestation d’Arsène Lupin years ago. And of course, that ease filters down to nonfiction, too, making things like newspaper articles and notes from my son’s school a breeze. So, stick with it.

Know what you’re getting into

If you’re just starting out, you probably shouldn’t pick up À la recherche du temps perdu and expect that you’ll be able to get through it with just a little effort. Start small, with short stories and fairy tales for kids, for example (For suggestions, check out the list a little further on in this article). Get comfortable with the general conventions of written French, and when you feel ready, move on to the next level. 

Accept difficulty and defeat

No matter how proficient you become in French, it’s unlikely that you will never again have any kind of difficulty whatsoever when it comes to reading it. After all, there are some authors whose writing style may just be really hard for anyone to understand, even if they’re a native French speaker. So, if you’re struggling with one particular book or writer, don’t beat yourself up; try to understand why. Is it because of their vocabulary choice, the subject matter, the way they structure their sentences? Then, decide if you want or need to continue reading, and if you do continue, accept that you’ll need to use your dictionary and other resources. And keep in mind rule number two: Reading a challenging text in French can be frustrating, but it’s also an amazing learning opportunity and workout for your brain. The good news is, if the next thing you choose to read is even slightly easier, you’ll definitely feel the difference.

The best tools for reading in French

Now that we’ve covered all that, if you’re thinking you need a French dictionary, you’re right!

If you’ve got an intermediate or advanced level of French, you could download (or buy a print copy of) a purely French dictionary, where the words you look up are defined in French, not translated into your native language. 

If you’re a beginner, it’s probably best to use a dictionary that translates French words into your native language. And let’s face it: If you need to understand a word almost instantly, this is the best option for any level.  

It’s best to own a French or French-[your language] dictionary, not to borrow one. This way, you can take your time with the story you’re reading and not feel rushed because you have to give the dictionary back to your friend or the library. You can find print dictionaries in online and real-life bookstores, and if you prefer to go the lightweight (or, really, no-weight) tech way, you can find a list of several French-English and French [-other language] dictionary apps here . Good news – many of these are free!

As I pointed out in that article, the supremely easy, absolute best way to use your French or French-[your language] dictionary while reading is to use an e-reader with integrated dictionary, so that you can highlight a word you don’t understand and instantly get its definition.

There are several good e-reader to choose from but French Together’s founder Benjamin Houy recommends the Kindle as it has the best French dictionary.

Where to find French fairy tales, short stories and children’s books

So, now we know why and how to read in French – but where can you find French fairy tales and short stories?

Most of the French fairy tales and short stories I’m going to list in this article can be found online. If I don’t provide a link, please believe there’s a reason for this, and just do a Google search for the story or fairy tale you’re interested in.

But be careful when you do. The French word for fairy tale is un conte  or un conte de fées . This should make it easy to find stories in that category. But if you’re looking for short stories, it can be more complicated.

The French word for “short story” is une nouvelle , but this also means “a news item”. So, say you want to find a short story by your favorite contemporary Francophone author, Amélie Nothomb. You’d Google “Amelie Nothomb nouvelle” and would probably just find links to news items about her. This means you may have to play around a bit, for example searching for “nouvelles écrites par Amélie Nothomb” – or just “Amélie Nothomb bibliographie”.

Unfortunately, most contemporary short stories aren’t available for free online. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t other, usually free or cheap, ways to get your hands on them. This list , from our article on French movies, offers some suggestions. 

Now that we’ve got all that covered, let’s get to what you’ve probably been waiting for….WHAT to read in French!

The best French fairy tales

For many people, learning to read in a foreign language begins the same way learning in their native language did, with children’s stories. It’s true that stories for kids often use simpler language and are fairly short and entertaining. Reading fairy tales has an added bonus – since these are often stories most of us are familiar with, it’s easier to guess at or understand new vocabulary you may come across.

French culture also has a long history of fairy tales, from Gabrielle-Suzanne de Villeneuve  and Madame Leprince de Beaumont’s first written versions of La belle et la bête (“Beauty and the Beast”), to Charles Perrault’s creation or retellings of numerous iconic fairy tales like Le petit chaperon rouge (“Little Red Riding Hood”), Le chat botté (“Puss in Boots”), and La belle au bois dormant (“Sleeping Beauty”).

And of course, even if they’re not French in origin, French kids (and adults) know and love classics like Boucles d’or et les trois ours (“Goldilocks and the three bears”), Les trois petits cochons (“The Three Little Pigs”), and Petit Poulet (“Chicken Little” or “Henny Penny”).

There are lots of different versions of these and many other fairy tales in French, so be sure to adapt them to your level. Remember that fairy tales have origins that date back centuries or longer, so if you want to read an original version of La belle et la bête , you’ll have to navigate older French expressions and grammatical structures. Older French is much easier to understand than older versions of a language like English, but it can still be tricky for beginners. 

As a general rule, if your French level is intermediate to advanced, try the original version of a fairy tale. If your level is beginner to intermediate, think about a modern version of the fairy tale. Once you’re comfortable with it, you can revisit the fairy tale in its original form.

Here are some French fairy tales and where to find them:

• You can read the fairy tales collected by Charles Perrault in his book Histoires ou contes du temps passé, avec des moralités  : Contes de ma mère l’Oye here .  
• You can read the two earliest versions of La belle et la bête (“Beauty and the Beast”) here .
• You can find lots of other French fairy tales and fairy tale-type stories, including both original and modern ones with themes like “Christmas”, etc., at this site . 
• And here’s another site that offers an extensive list of French fairy tales and stories for kids (or us adults who like imaginative stories!).
• Another great resource for modernized, easy-to-read versions of several fairy tales in French is The French Experiment . The stories here also have an audio recording to go along with them, so you can get some listening practice, as well. I’d suggest listening and reading along. 

Les Fables de La Fontaine

If you like fairy tales, you may also want to check out Jean de La Fontaine’s Fables , which are famous throughout the world. Of course, to be fair, the 17 th century French poet actually adopted and adapted many of his fables from much older sources that came from places around the world. Still, his retellings are successful for a reason: He puts such life and personality into his characters and their stories, and many of his poetic turns of phrase are pretty great.

La Fontaine is also a major French cultural reference. Most children in French schools memorize at least a few of his fables, starting at a young age. My husband and I were shocked and delighted when my four-year-old son started reciting La cigale et la fourmi the other day! So, being familiar with these will plug you into a certain part of the growing-up-in-France experience, and can help you catch references and puns related to the fables in French TV shows, movies, books, newspapers, etc.

Modern French fairy tale classics

The French passion for fairy tales didn’t end hundreds of years ago. Contes (fairy tales) and contes détournés (twisted fairy tales) are being written all the time here.  Some of them may one day become classics. For now, the most recent fairy tales to receive that honor are probably those in two collections: Les contes du chat perché by Marcel Aymé (written in the 1930’s and ‘40’s) and Les contes de la rue Broca by Pierre Gripari (written in 1967).

Les contes du chat perché

Literally: The sitting cat’s stories; often translated as The Wonderful Farm ) is a series of stories about a family with two little girls who can talk to and interact with the animals on their farm, including the titular cat. It’s probably best for intermediate and advanced-level French readers. Unfortunately, there’s no way to get a free copy online.

Don’t be put off by complex intro, which is deliberately written in a sort of high-end French. The stories themselves are usually much easier to understand.

Les contes de la rue Broca ( Tales of the rue Broca )

This fairy tale collection is set in Paris itself, although a rather imaginary version. It’s full of strange and often funny fairy tale figures, like la sorcière de la rue Mouffetard, a witch who’s found the recipe for eternal youth: eating a young girl with tomato sauce…but the young girl’s name has to start with an “N.”

Unfortunately, this book also isn’t available for free (unless you can find it at your local library), but you can buy it on sites like Amazon. Make sure that the version you buy is the complete one, not just a few selected stories. That means the book description should say either “unabridged” or “integral”.

French short stories

If fairy tales and fables aren’t your thing, don’t worry. There are countless French short stories ( nouvelles ) out there, as well. You’re sure to find at least a few that you like.

Here are some that I can personally recommend:

French Short Stories for Beginners by Frederic Bibard.

Unfortunately, this book isn’t free (although you can read sample pages on Amazon). But I’m including it here because it’s really helpful. I have Bibard’s Italian version of this book, and it’s a really cool feeling to read a simple, straightforward story in a language you’re just starting out in, and really get it. The stories themselves are about everyday things, so you’ll get lots of useful vocabulary and expressions from them, and both the very reasonably-priced e-book and the print version include an audio option/CD that you can use to practice your listening skills or read along with. 

La Nuit , or any other short story by Guy de Maupassant

Nineteenth century writer Guy de Maupassant is one of the masters of the French short story. You may even have read one of his works in your French class, as they’re fairly easy to read for intermediate and advanced speakers. His stories are often spooky or depressing (or both), and often give an intriguing glimpse into some aspect of 19 th century life in France. If that last part doesn’t interest you, don’t worry  – “spooky” or “unsettling” is usually what’s really in the spotlight. 

My personal favorite story by Maupassant is La Nuit ( “Night”),  in which the narrator wanders through nighttime Paris and it gets inexplicably darker and darker. But if you don’t like that idea or if you want more Maupassant, here’s an awesome site with a huge list of free links to most of his short stories.  You’ll see that these are available in different languages -for the original French version, just click on the title of the story. 

Une passion dans le désert (“A Passion in the Desert”) by Honoré de Balzac

If you’re an advanced reader, check out this unforgettable story of a soldier who essentially falls in love with a panther. It’s a strange concept, but as you read, if you’ve ever been in love (or if you love love stories), you’ll realize that it’s also very familiar. The story, ultimately, isn’t about a man and a panther at all, but about the very nature of love. It’s sad, poetic, and haunting. You can find it for free here . 

Arsène Lupin, Gentleman Cambrioleur (Arsène Lupin, Gentleman Burglar) by Maurice Leblanc

Of course I’m going to include my “teacher” Arsène Lupin on this list! This short book is a collection of the earliest Arsène Lupin stories, the first of which, L’Arrestation d’Arsène Lupin (“The Arrest of Arsène Lupin”) , was published in 1905. 

Perhaps because they’re plot-driven and not poetic or psychological, these stories are generally a bit easier to read than many other contemporary tales, although they can be challenging at times. But Monsieur Lupin is so charming and surprising that you’ll want to stop and look up anything you don’t understand so that you don’t miss the next twist in the story.

Le loup garou (“The Werewolf”) by Boris Vian

Writer and jazz musician Boris Vian (1920-1959) tackled an eclectic range of subjects in his stories and books, but one of the themes that often comes back is man’s cruel nature. He deals with that in a funny way here, with the story of Dennis, a kind wolf who lives in the suburbs of Paris and is cursed to transform into a man during the day. He wanders into the city and discovers just how monstrous humans can be.  

This story is probably best for advanced readers, since it uses a lot of slang and wordplay. You can buy the eponymous story collection it comes in online, or look for it using the suggestions on our list . 

Short stories by other French and Francophone authors

If there’s a French or Francophone author you like, whether contemporary or classic, more likely than not they’ve written at least one short story. So, check out their official website or Wikipedia page (especially the original French version) for a list of their works. Then, do a search for the title of the story – you may end up finding a way to read it for free online.

You can also find lots of French short stories and children’s books on the following websites:

• Barnes & Noble (US)
• Waterstones (UK)

Hopefully, this list has given you some stories to add to your French reading list – or even inspired you to read a fairy tale or short story in French for the first time. Bonne lecture et bon apprentissage! (Happy reading and learning!)

Finding these short stories too hard to understand? You may need to spend more time practicing conversational French first.

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Alysa Salzberg

Alysa Salzberg is an American writer, worrier, teacher, and cookie enthusiast who has lived in Paris, France, for more than a decade. She has taught English and French for more than ten years, most notably as an assistante de langue vivante for L'Education Nationale. She recently published her first novel, Hearts at Dawn , a "Beauty and the Beast" retelling that takes place during the 1870 Siege of Paris. You can read about her adventures here , or feel free to stop by her website .

French Texts for Beginners

French texts for beginners (A1/A2) and intermediates (B1/B2) to practice your French reading and comprehension skills. Learning to read French well is a genuine accomplishment. For beginning learners, we offer an enjoyable way to improve your comprehension with the brief, text-based lessons below.

Professional French teachers designed the texts and exercises with easy vocabulary and elementary grammar to help you grow in ability and confidence. Following your review of each text, answer the questions of comprehension in our online exercises, and we'll evaluate it immediately. You get instant feedback about your French reading skills. It's challenging, fun and free!

Hint: Download our texts and exercises as pdf and use it as free teaching materials for your students.

• Cinéma DIALOGUE PREMIUM How about we go to the movies? ? »
• Les vacances d'été PREMIUM Summer holidays and the French ? »
• Séjour à la ferme PREMIUM A day off away from the city ? »
• Du soleil sous la neige PREMIUM Clean, fresh air: just what was needed ? »
• Formation en anglais PREMIUM I need information about the English class. ? »
• Journée en forêt PREMIUM A walk in the woods with grandpa ? »
• La réunion de famille PREMIUM The only time of the year when the family gets together ? »
• Le chat et la taupe PREMIUM The mole was lucky to escape ? »
• Le jour du marché PREMIUM I'm going to buy the vegetables for today's meal ? »
• Les courses d'Arthur PREMIUM The days when Arthur does the shopping ? »
• Les lectures de Hector PREMIUM ? »
• Trouver l'amour sur internet PREMIUM Will Amelie find the love of her life? ? »
• Un instant de détente PREMIUM A bit of relaxation after lots of work ? »
• La nouvelle année PREMIUM Sabrina's goal for next year ? »
• Le français, langue de Molière PREMIUM One of the greatest writers in the French language ? »
• La photographie PREMIUM ? »
• Le jardinage PREMIUM ? »
• Les voyages en bus PREMIUM ? »

French Writing Examples

The following shows writing examples at various proficiency levels. These were produced by real language learners and may contain errors. See Writing Section Tips at the bottom of this page.

French Proficiency Tests and Resources

Writing Examples

At this level, I am able to create individual words that have no extended meaning.

I can share some simple vocabulary, which deals with the prompt/task/situation, but I tend to struggle to connect those words to create meaning.

La me're ,la souer ,le frere

At this level, I am beginning to develop the ability to create meaning by grammatically connecting words.

Specifically, I can connect some basic subjects and verbs or verbs and objects, but I may be inconsistent at doing this.

I am often limited in my vocabulary to Novice level topics that I experience in my every-day life or that I have recently learned.

Jai une grande famille.

At this level, I can create simple sentences with very basic grammatical control and accuracy.

There are often errors in my responses, while at the same time I might have good control with some very simple structures and functions of the language that I have just learned or studied.

At the Novice levels, errors are expected as I try to create simple sentences. Generally, the sentences that I am able to create are very basic and simple with few, if any, added details.

Je voyage a japan. Pour la vacacion j'ai chemises et shorts. Japan est chaud.

At this level, I can create simple sentences with some added detail; such sentences help create VARIETY.

At the Intermediate Low level, simple sentences are enhanced by use of prepositional phrases, helping verb usage, as well as some adverbs and a variety of adjectives.

I generally create independent sentences (ideas) that can be moved around without affecting the overall meaning of the response. There are still a number of errors in my response, but I have fairly good control of more basic sentences. I am feeling more confident in using different structures and expanding vocabulary and taking more risks with my responses.

Je préfère l'été. Il fait chaud et je peux nager. Ma famille aime nager en été. Parfois, nous allons au lac pour nager. Je déteste l'hiver. Mais, j’aime faire le ski.

At this level, I can now create enough language to show groupings of ideas.

My thoughts are loosely connected and cannot be moved around without affecting meaning.

I can also create a few sentences with complexity and am able to use some transition words.  I am also able to use more than just simple present tense, but often make mistakes when I try to use other tenses.

My vocabulary use is expanding and I am able to use more than the usual, high frequency or most common vocabulary. I feel that I am able to create new language on my own and communicate my everyday needs without too much difficulty.

J’aime l’hiver parce que quand il fait froid je peux jouer dans la neige. J’adore la neige. Je peux faire les bonhomme de neige avec mes cousins à notre cabine. Aussi, pres de notre cabine il y a une station de ski où nous pouvons faire de ski. C’est très amusant parce que nous pouvons faire du ski ensemble. Dans l’été c’est aussi amusant a notre cabine. C’est très jolie dans les montagnes.

At this level, I have good control of the language and feel quite confident about an increasing range of topics.

There are still some occasional errors in my language production, but that does not hinder my ability to communicate what I need to share.

I can use circumlocution to explain or describe things for which I do not know specific vocabulary or structures. I can understand and use different time frames and am just beginning to develop the ability to switch most time frames with accuracy. I can use transition words and concepts with some ease. My language has a more natural flow, but I still may have some unnatural pauses or hesitations.

Je crois que des jeunes élèves ne devraient pas avoir des portables avec l'Internet. Ces enfants sont trop jeunes d'utiliser un portable. D'abord, on n'est pas responsable et ne comprendre pas l'Internet et ce qu'on peut trouver sur l'Internet à cette âge. L'Internet peut être dangereuse et ce n’est pas bon pour les enfants d'utiliser sans des parents les regardent. Si des enfants ont un portable, on a l'acces à l'Internet sans des parents. Ensuite, des enfants n'ont pas besoin d'un portable. Il vaut mieux que des jeunes élèves jouent au dehors ou s'amuser avec leurs amis. Beacoup de gens ont un portable et ne faire rien sauf utiliser leur portable. Ce n'est pas une bonne habitude.

At this level my response contains a number of complexities with higher degree of accuracy.

Such language allows me to address each aspect of the prompt more completely and with more depth of meaning.

I am able to use Advanced vocabulary or Advanced terms, conjugations etc. with confidence. I feel that I can create natural flow using as much detail and descriptive language as possible to create a clear picture. Errors with more complex structures may still occur. My ability to switch time frames begins to increase in accuracy.

Actuellement la présence des téléphones mobiles est en train d'augmenter. Tout les adultes, et presque tout les adolescents utilisent des «smart phones» aujourd'hui. Mais est-ce que les élèves de primaire devraient avoir des téléphones? Pour mieux répondre à cette question, il faut d’abord éxaminer les avantages que les téléphones pourraient avoir. Puis, on doit considérer la grand coût des développements technologiques. Alors, sans doute, les téléphones mobiles peuvent être utiliseé de faciliter la communication. Pour les enfants et les jeunes gens, les téléphones peuvent les aider à connecter avec leurs familles : les enfants qui ont des téléphones pourraient toujours appeler leurs parents s'ils devaient l'assistance. Tandis que pour les parents, c'est un moyen acceptable de donner l'indépendance, parce que tant que leurs enfants ont des portables, ils peuvent les contacter et ils peuvent toujours vérifier que leurs enfants sont sûrs. Mais par contre, ces commodités sont assez chères et pourraient ne pas être abordables pour toutes les familles. Chaque famille doit décider pour eux-mêmes.

At this level my response demonstrates my ease with the language.

I am able to create a response which not only addresses each aspect of the prompt, but delves into each point with clarity and concise language.

I am able to incorporate a number of more complex structures as well as Advanced vocabulary and Advanced phrases with a higher degree of accuracy throughout the majority of the response.

The language I create has a natural flow due to the way I incorporate a variety of patterns and complexities into my response. My response shows my ability to create language that has sophistication of language skills and syntactical density. My ability to switch time frames accurately is evident, if called for in the prompt.

L'utilisation des portables devient de plus en plus présente dans notre société. On trouve même les enfants d'un âge très jeune ayant les ordinateurs ou bien leurs propres portables. Avec cette croissance, il est nécessaire qu'on se demande: est-il juste que les enfants de l'école primaire aient les portables, soit avec l'Internet soit sans? Lorsqu'on se met dans plusieurs perspectives du monde, il est plus clair d'en résoudre et d'en répondre. En pensant des possibilités de l'éducation, de la mondalisation, et de l'interaction, il faut garder une équilibre entre l'utilisation de la téchnologie et des stratèges d'engager tête-à-tête. Je suis professeur au lycée, où j'enseigne le français et l'anglais comme langue étrangère. Il est vrai que je déteste quand mes élèves utilisent leurs portables en classe, malgré les règles qui existent. Mais, je crois aussi en l'utilisation de la téchonologie comme une source d'apprendre. Il existe plein de site-webs utiles, d'applications engageant, et de façons d'incorporer une variéte d'activités en classe. Avec cette perspective, il est indispensible que les enfants de cette société sachent utiliser la téchnologie, et surtout les portables, d'une manière appropriée et juste. Il commence à un âge tôt la téchnologie, et si les enseignants au primaire peuvent inclure des activités qui sont basées sur la téchnologie, les enfants commenceront à bénéficier du savoir qu'apportent les portables pour mieux apprendre le monde d'aujourd'hui.

Writing Section Tips

Additional resources can be found in the Power-Up Guide and on our Video Tutorials page.

• Be a ‘show-off’ – this is the time to show what you can do!
• Be organized in your writing.
• Challenge yourself to go above and beyond what you normally write.
• Be creative and don’t stress out over possible errors. Perfection is not the goal!

Simply do your best and enjoy creating and communicating in the language that you are learning.

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Simple-French

Simple French Lessons Online and Other Things Too

Lesson 4: Talk about Yourself

Learn how to briefly  talk about yourself in French. Learn how say what your name and age are, where you live (city and country), what you do for a living , what you like doing , where you work and what languages you speak . Audio text with interactive exercises to improve your learning.

Read the text below and listen to the audio for pronunciation. Next, do the reading comprehension exercise and answer the questions at the end. For any problems with comprehension, take a look into the Notes section.

1. Text: Talk About Yourself in French

[wp-svg-icons icon=”volume-medium” wrap=”i”]

Bonjour. Je m’appelle  Marie. J ’ ai 27 ans et j ’ habite à  Nantes, en France. J ’ ai toujours vécu dans cette ville. Je suis professeur de français et je  travaille à l’Université. J’ aime apprendre les langues étrangères . Je parle anglais et espagnol. J’aime également  sortir avec des amis et voyager. Je suis déjà allée* en Allemagne, en Pologne, en Espagne,  en Angleterre et en Irlande. Et toi, quels pays as -tu visités ?

[su_spoiler title=”Vocabulary”]

habiter à Nantes / à Paris / à Rome travailler à l ‘hôpital / à la radio / au centre commercial J ‘ ai vécu : I have lived / I lived … aimer apprendre / manger / voyager / rencontrer

[/su_spoiler]

[su_spoiler title=”Grammar”]

Le présent et le passé (Le passé composé )

A. simple present tense:.

 – Le présent : current actions and situations, habits, general truths

• Je m’appelle Marie.
• J’habite à Nantes.
• Je parle espagnol.
• Je suis professeur.

Conjugation example:

The most common French verb group is the the “-er” group, that all the verb that end on “er”. Examples: parler, habiter, aimer, s’appeler.

All of them conjugate the same way, by adding the appropriate suffixes to the stem (its base)  of the verb.  -e, -es,-e, -ons, -ez, -ent

B. Past Tense

 –  le passé composé : completed actions in the past..

être / avoir + verb (past participle).

Whether you need to use être or avoir depends on the verb.

Eg. avoir + vivre

• Je vis à Nantes. I live in Nantes .
• J’ ai vécu à Nantes. I lived / have lived in Nantes .

Eg. être + aller

• Je vais à Berlin. I go to Berlin.
• Je suis allé à Berlin. I have been to Berlin.
• Je vais à l’école. I go to school.
• Je suis allé à l’école. I went to school / I have been to school.

! I have been to Spain = Je suis allé en Espagne = J’ai visité Espagne. 

! Je suis allé e  = you add the “e” at the end of the “allé” when you “Je” refers to a girl. It exists and is visible only in writing.

Le passé composé conjugation

The “s” in this sentence should appear if “Vous” refers to more than one person. If it is “vous” as in the polite and formal way of addressing someone, the “s” is dropped.  

[su_spoiler title=”Phonetics”]

3. Exercises

Reading Comprehension: 

[su_spoiler title=”Explanation of the exercise”]

[content id=”439″]

[xyz-ihs snippet=”talk-about-yourself-3-with-check”]

4. Homework

• what your name is and how old you are
• where you live (city, country)
• what kind of work you do and where you work
• what you like doing
• what foreign languages you speak
• what countries you have visited
• Quel est ton prénom ?
• Quel âge as-tu ?
• Que fais-tu dans la vie ? (Où travailles-tu ?)
• Qu’est-ce que tu aimes faire ?
• Quelles langues étrangères parles-tu ?
• Quels pays étrangers as-tu visités ?
• Learn by heart the answers you have created.

One Reply to “Lesson 4: Talk about Yourself”

1. Je m’appelle Juan. 2. J’ai 23 ans. 3. Je suis étudiant. 4. J’aime voyager aussi. 5. Je peux parler espagnol, italien, anglais et français. 6. J’ai visité 3 pays étrangers: France, Italie, Grande Bretagne.

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Modern Languages

Short essay.

Higher Topics

Short Essay New Higher

This document tells you how to structure your Short Essay and gives some bits of advice.

Higher Writing Phrases

french expressions

Sample essays and phrases for many topics within Higher course :  expressions higher

Extra phrases for family relationships : Friends family

Extra phrases on home area : Higher_French_Home_Area_voc.

Essay Ma famille

Essay Mes Parents

Essay Mes Freres

Essay Chez Soi

Ma Ville  – useful vocab. when describing Scotland as a tourist destination

Essay La ville et la campagne

Essay Les Loisirs

Essay  technologies

Essay La Télé

Essay La Sante blog

Essay  Alcohol

Essay Les Problemes

LEARNING & EMPLOYABILITY

Essay  Subjects

Essay   L’Uniforme

Essay  Etes – vous dans un bon lycee

Essay  Les Langues

Essay  Petit Boulot

Copy of Holidays with paren  – advantages & disadvantages of holidays with parents

Mes vacances ideales  – ideal holidays

Scotland as tourist destination

19 thoughts on “Short Essay”

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10 Short Classic French Poems with English Translations [Plus Audio]

Poetry is often reflective of love and romance , so it only makes sense that the French would excel at it.

Not only does poetry sound absolutely beautiful in French, but there are also loads of great French poets out there.

To top it all off, French poetry is a great short form of literature to read if you’re curious about the French language, and can even show you a thing or two about rhyme and meter!

Classic French Poems

• 1. “La tombe dit à la rose”  by Victor Hugo

2. “Demain, dès l’aube” by Victor Hugo

• 3. “Quand vous serez bien vieille”  by Pierre de Ronsard

4. “Les chats” by Charles Baudelaire

• 5. “La courbe de tes yeux”  by Paul Éluard

6. “Chanson d’automne” by Paul Verlaine

7. “le corbeau et le renard” by jean de la fontaine.

• 8. “Le pont Mirabeau”  by Guillaume Apollinaire 
• 9. “Chant d’automne”  by Charles Baudelaire

10. “Les pas” by Paul Valery

Where to find more french poems, basics of french poetry, how to learn french with short poems, and one more thing....

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1. “La tombe dit à la rose”   by Victor Hugo

Victor Hugo is basically a king when it comes to French literature.

In addition to “Les Misérables”  and “ Notre-Dame de Paris”  (The Hunchback of Notre Dame), Hugo boasts a long list of published poems, novels and even over 4,000 drawings. 

The following poem , “La tombe dit à la rose” (The Grave and the Rose), was written after the death of Hugo’s daughter Léopoldine.

Her death took a huge toll on Hugo emotionally and was a subject in his work for years afterward.

This poem personifies both the grave and the rose in conversation.

In general, it’s a discussion of death and the afterlife and can be interpreted as life talking to death. 

La tombe dit à la rose : – Des pleurs dont l’aube t’arrose Que fais-tu, fleur des amours ? La rose dit à la tombe : – Que fais-tu de ce qui tombe Dans ton gouffre ouvert toujours ?

La rose dit : – Tombeau sombre, De ces pleurs je fais dans l’ombre Un parfum d’ambre et de miel. La tombe dit : – Fleur plaintive, De chaque âme qui m’arrive Je fais un ange du ciel !

“The Grave says to the Rose” by Victor Hugo

Since French and English poems are organized differently, translations aren’t always simple.

Check out this video of a reading of this poem:

This is another of Hugo’s works, once again reflecting his grief over his daughter. 

It’s made up of three stanzas, each of which is made up of four lines with the rhyme pattern ABAB.

Demain, dès l’aube, à l’heure où blanchit la campagne, Je partirai. Vois-tu,  je sais que tu m’attends. J’irai par la forêt,  j’irai par la montagne. Je ne puis demeurer loin de toi plus longtemps.

Je marcherai les yeux fixés sur mes pensées, Sans rien voir au dehors, sans entendre aucun bruit, Seul, inconnu, le dos courbé, les mains croisées, Triste, et le jour pour moi sera comme la nuit.

Je ne regarderai ni l’or du soir qui tombe, Ni les voiles au loin descendant vers Harfleur, Et, quand j’arriverai, je mettrai sur ta tombe Un bouquet de houx vert et de bruyère en fleur.

“Tomorrow at Dawn” by Victor Hugo

Tomorrow at dawn, at the hour when the countryside grows white, I shall leave. Do you see, I know that you are waiting for me. I shall go by the forest; I shall go by the mountains. I cannot remain far from you any longer.

I will walk with my eyes fixed on my thoughts, Without anything to see outside, without hearing any sound, Alone, unknown, the curved back, the crossed hands, Sad, and the day for me will be like the night.

I will not look at the gold of the evening fall, Nor the distant sails descending to Harfleur, And, when I will arrive, I will place on your grave, A bouquet of green holly and heather.

Notice how similar the tone for this poem is to  “La tombe dit à la rose.” 

It’s very somber and sad, demonstrating Hugo’s grief in a beautifully artistic way.

Here’s a video of the poem being read aloud:

3. “Quand vous serez bien vieille”   by Pierre de Ronsard

Near the end of his life, Renaissance poet Pierre de Ronsard dictated six sonnets for his work,  “Sonnets pour Hélène.”  

The style of the sonnets followed two different models developed by French poets Marot and Pelletier.

This sonnet is of the Marot form.

Quand vous serez bien vieille, au soir, à la chandelle, Assise auprès du feu, dévidant et filant, – Direz, chantant mes vers, en vous émerveillant : Ronsard me célébrait du temps que j’étais belle.

Lors, vous n’aurez servante oyant telle nouvelle, Déjà sous le labeur à demi sommeillant, Qui au bruit de mon nom ne s’aille réveillant, Bénissant votre nom de louange immortelle.

Je serai sous la terre et fantôme sans os : Par les ombres myrteux je prendrai mon repos : Vous serez au foyer une vieille accroupie,

Regrettant mon amour et votre fier dédain. Vivez, si m’en croyez, n’attendez à demain : Cueillez dès aujourd’hui les roses de la vie.

“When You’ll Be Very Old” by Pierre de Ronsard

When you are quite old, and sit in the evening by candlelight Near the fire, rambling and burning out, You will say, singing my verses and marveling at them: Ronsard celebrated me back when I was beautiful.

Then you shall not have such a servant, Already under the half-asleep labor,  Who at the sound of my name doesn’t awake, Blessing your name of immortal praise.

I will be under the earth and a boneless ghost: By the myrtle shadows I will take my rest: You will be an old woman,

Regretting my love and your proud disdain. Live, if you believe me, don’t wait for tomorrow: Pick the roses of life today.

This poem (and the others in this work) were actually written to Ronsard’s niece when she refused his advances. 

Ronsard writes to his niece in a way that reminds her that she may regret turning down his love when she is old and alone and he has died.

A prominent poet in 19th century France, Baudelaire had a lot to do with the way literature evolved during and after his time.

The man wrote of romance, topics of industrialization and beauty in his time.

He was also a well-known essayist and critic, and even translated Edgar Allen Poe’s work into French with great success.

Les amoureux fervents et les savants austères Aiment également, dans leur mûre saison, Les chats puissants et doux, orgueil de la maison, Qui comme eux sont frileux et comme eux sédentaires.

Amis de la science et de la volupté Ils cherchent le silence et l’horreur des ténèbres; L’Érèbe les eût pris pour ses coursiers funèbres, S’ils pouvaient au servage incliner leur fierté.

Ils prennent en songeant les nobles attitudes Des grands sphinx allongés au fond des solitudes, Qui semblent s’endormir dans un rêve sans fin;

Leurs reins féconds sont pleins d’étincelles magiques, Et des parcelles d’or, ainsi qu’un sable fin, Étoilent vaguement leurs prunelles mystiques.

“The Cats” by Charles Baudelaire

Both ardent lovers and austere scholars Love in their mature years, The strong and gentle cats, pride of the house, Who like them are sedentary and sensitive to cold.

Friends of learning and sensual pleasure, They seek the silence and the horror of darkness; Erebus would have used them as his gloomy steeds: If their pride could let them stoop to bondage.

When they dream, they assume the noble attitudes Of the mighty sphinxes stretched out in solitude, Who seem to fall into a sleep of endless dreams;

Their fertile loins are full of magic sparks, And particles of gold, like fine grains of sand, Spangle dimly their mystic eyes.

The cat in the poem is actually symbolic of women, and is a character that often appears in Baudelaire’s work.

Here’s a video of this poem being read aloud:

5. “La courbe de tes yeux”   by Paul Éluard

Paul Éluard is one of the fathers of the surrealist movement and even became a prominent member of the communist party.

Due to his political nature, much of his work reflects historical events during the time he was an active writer.

This is a surrealist love poem that is about the adoration of a woman.

La courbe de tes yeux fait le tour de mon cœur, Un rond de danse et de douceur, Auréole du temps, berceau nocturne et sûr, Et si je ne sais plus tout ce que j’ai vécu C’est que tes yeux ne m’ont pas toujours vu.

Feuilles de jour et mousse de rosée, Roseaux du vent, sourires parfumés, Ailes couvrant le monde de lumière, Bateaux chargés du ciel et de la mer, Chasseurs des bruits et sources des couleurs,

Parfums éclos d’une couvée d’aurores Qui gît toujours sur la paille des astres, Comme le jour dépend de l’innocence Le monde entier dépend de tes yeux purs Et tout mon sang coule dans leurs regards.

“The Curve of Your Eyes” by Paul Éluard

The curve of your eyes goes around my heart, A round of dance and sweetness, Halo of time, nocturnal and safe cradle, And if I don’t know any more all that I’ve lived through It’s because I haven’t always been seen by you.

Leaves of day and scum of dew, Reeds of the wind, perfumed smiles, Wings covering the world with light, Ships filled with the sky and the sea, Hunters of noises and sources of colors,

Perfumes bloomed from a brood of dawns That always lies on the straw of the stars, As the day depends on innocence The whole world depends on your pure eyes And all my blood flows in their looks.

With a tumultuous love life of his own, both the adoration of women and the woes of love are recurring themes in Éluard’s work.

Notice the colorful imagery that the writer uses to paint a vivid picture of his subject.

Paul Verlaine, a prominent figure in French literature, was born in 1844 in Metz, France. He emerged a key poet of the Symbolist movement and the Decadent movement.

“Chanson d’automne” by Paul Verlaine is a celebrated French poem renowned for its portrayal of autumn’s beauty. Composed in the late 19th century, Verlaine’s verses resonate with vivid imagery and poignant emotion.

Les sanglots longs Des violons De l’automne Blessent mon coeur D’une langueur Monotone.

Tout suffocant Et blême, quand Sonne l’heure, Je me souviens Des jours anciens Et je pleure;

Et je m’en vais Au vent mauvais Qui m’emporte Deçà, delà, Pareil à la Feuille morte.

“Autumn Song” by Paul Verlaine

When a sighing begins In the violins Of the autumn-song, My heart is drowned In the slow sound Languorous and long

Pale as with pain, Breath fails me when The hours toll deep. My thoughts recover The days that are over, And I weep.

And I go Where the winds know, Broken and brief, To and fro, As the winds blow A dead leaf.

Watch this video to listen to a reading of the poem:

Jean de la Fontaine is known mostly for his children’s fables.

Most of these stories are centered around animal characters and tend to be rather simple since they are meant for kids.

His stories also usually come with some kind of life lesson.

Maître Corbeau, sur un arbre perché, Tenait en son bec un fromage. Maître Renard, par l’odeur alléché, Lui tint à peu près ce langage : «Hé ! bonjour, Monsieur du Corbeau. Que vous êtes joli ! que vous me semblez beau ! Sans mentir, si votre ramage Se rapporte à votre plumage, Vous êtes le Phénix des hôtes de ces bois.» A ces mots le Corbeau ne se sent pas de joie ; Et pour montrer sa belle voix, Il ouvre un large bec, laisse tomber sa proie. Le Renard s’en saisit, et dit : «Mon bon Monsieur, Apprenez que tout flatteur Vit aux dépens de celui qui l’écoute : Cette leçon vaut bien un fromage, sans doute.» Le Corbeau, honteux et confus, Jura, mais un peu tard, qu’on ne l’y prendrait plus.

“The Crow and the Fox” by Jean de la Fontaine

Master Crow, perched on a tree, Holding in his beak some cheese, Master Fox, attracted by the smell, Told him something like: “Well, hello Mister Crow. How beautiful are you! How beautiful you are to me! Without lying, if your voice Is the same as your feathers, You are the Phoenix of the hosts of these woods.” And to show his beautiful voice, He opened his big beak, letting his prey fall. The fox seizes it, and says: “My good sir, Learn that all who flatter Live at the expense of those who listen to them: This lesson is worth a cheese, without a doubt.” The crow, ashamed and confused, Swore, but a little late, he wouldn’t be taken again.

Notice the animal theme, as this poem follows a crow and a fox.

There is also a beautiful kind of flow to this poem that of course ends with the lesson of being wary of flattery.

8. “Le pont  Mirabeau”   by Guillaume Apollinaire 

Guillaume Apollinaire was a bold poet, known for his influence on surrealism.

He was a 19th century writer who was an innovator in poetic expression and invented the calligram, a poem in which words are organized to create a picture for the reader.

Read this poem, which is a sad reflection on love.

Sous le pont Mirabeau coule la Seine Et nos amours Faut-il qu’il m’en souvienne La joie venait toujours après la peine

Vienne la nuit sonne l’heure Les jours s’en vont je demeure

Les mains dans les mains restons face à face Tandis que sous Le pont de nos bras passe Des éternels regards l’onde si lasse

L’amour s’en va comme cette eau courante L’amour s’en va Comme la vie est lente Et comme l’Espérance est violente

Passent les jours et passent les semaines Ni temps passé Ni les amours reviennent Sous le pont Mirabeau coule la Seine

“The Mirabeau Bridge” by Guillaume Apollinaire 

Under the Mirabeau bridge flows the Seine And our love Must I remember The joy would always come after the pain

Night comes with the sound of the hour The days are gone I stay

Love goes away like this running water Love goes away How life is slow  And how hope is violent

Days pass and weeks pass Without time passing Without love returning Under the Mirabeau bridge runs the Seine

Notice how Apollinaire uses repetition and a roundabout way of writing to bring everything together.

Check out this video to hear the poem being read:

9. “Chant d’automne”   by Charles Baudelaire

This poem comes from “ Les Fleurs du mal” (“The Flowers of Evil”), the only volume of poetry published before Baudelaire’s death.

The collection is a reflection of the evil in the world, and contains some of the most melodious verses and deeply emotional feelings.

Bientôt nous plongerons dans les froides ténèbres; Adieu, vive clarté de nos étés trop courts ! J’entends déjà tomber avec des chocs funèbres Le bois retentissant sur le pavé des cours.

Tout l’hiver va rentrer dans mon être: colère, Haine, frissons, horreur, labeur dur et forcé, Et, comme le soleil dans son enfer polaire, Mon cœur ne sera plus qu’un bloc rouge et glacé.

J’écoute en frémissant chaque bûche qui tombe; L’échafaud qu’on bâtit n’a pas d’écho plus sourd. Mon esprit est pareil à la tour qui succombe Sous les coups du bélier infatigable et lourd.

II me semble, bercé par ce choc monotone, Qu’on cloue en grande hâte un cercueil quelque part. Pour qui ? — C’était hier l’été; voici l’automne ! Ce bruit mystérieux sonne comme un départ.

J’aime de vos longs yeux la lumière verdâtre, Douce beauté, mais tout aujourd’hui m’est amer, Et rien, ni votre amour, ni le boudoir, ni l’âtre, Ne me vaut le soleil rayonnant sur la mer.

Et pourtant aimez-moi, tendre cœur ! soyez mère, Même pour un ingrat, même pour un méchant; Amante ou sœur, soyez la douceur éphémère D’un glorieux automne ou d’un soleil couchant.

Courte tâche ! La tombe attend; elle est avide ! Ah! laissez-moi, mon front posé sur vos genoux, Goûter, en regrettant l’été blanc et torride, De l’arrière-saison le rayon jaune et doux !

“Autumn Song” by Charles Baudelaire

Soon we shall plunge into the cold darkness; Farewell, vivid brightness of our short-lived summers! Already I hear the dismal sound of firewood Falling with a clatter on the courtyard pavements.

All winter will possess my being: wrath, Hate, horror, shivering, hard, forced labor, And, like the sun in his polar Hades, My heart will be no more than a frozen red block.

All atremble I listen to each falling log; The building of a scaffold has no duller sound. My spirit resembles the tower which crumbles Under the tireless blows of the battering ram.

It seems to me, lulled by these monotonous shocks, That somewhere they’re nailing a coffin, in great haste. For whom? — Yesterday was summer; here is autumn That mysterious noise sounds like a departure.

I love the greenish light of your long eyes, Sweet beauty, but today all to me is bitter; Nothing, neither your love, your boudoir, nor your hearth Is worth as much as the sunlight on the sea.

Yet, love me, tender heart! be a mother, Even to an ingrate, even to a scapegrace; Mistress or sister, be the fleeting sweetness Of a gorgeous autumn or of a setting sun.

Short task! The tomb awaits; it is avid! Ah! let me, with my head bowed on your knees, Taste the sweet, yellow rays of the end of autumn, While I mourn for the white, torrid summer!

It’s clear that Baudelaire is using a much more sophisticated vocabulary (rhyming  ténèbres  and  funèbres),  but he certainly paints a grim, vivid picture.

Since “ Les Fleurs du mal” is about Baudelaire’s reactions to the evil in the world, you might see his poetry as rather dreary.

But his way of painting a picture for the reader was adopted by many poets after him, and he is known for this skillful description.

Paul Valéry was a famous French poet in the early 20th century.

His poetry and essays dive deep into big questions about life, art, and the mind. Valéry was part of important literary movements like Symbolism.

Read his poem “Les pas” which is about footsteps:

Tes pas, enfants de mon silence, Saintement, lentement placés, Vers le lit de ma vigilance Procèdent muets et glacés.

Personne pure, ombre divine, Qu’ils sont doux, tes pas retenus! Dieux !… tous les dons que je devine Viennent à moi sur ces pieds nus!

Si, de tes lèvres avancées, Tu prépares pour l’apaiser, A l’habitant de mes pensées La nourriture d’un baiser,

Ne hâte pas cet acte tendre, Douceur d’être et de n’être pas, Car j’ai vécu de vous attendre, Et mon coeur n’était que vos pas.

“The Footsteps” by Paul Valery

Your steps, children of my silence, Holy, slowly placed, Towards the bed of my vigilance Proceed mute and frozen.

Pure person, divine shadow, How sweet are your steps held back! Gods!…all the gifts I guess Come to me on these bare feet!

If, from your protruding lips, You prepare to appease him, To the inhabitant of my thoughts The food of a kiss,

Do not hasten this tender act, Sweetness of being and not being, Because I lived to wait for you, And my heart was only your steps.

Watch this video to listen to a reading of this poem:

While these poems may be a good introduction, chances are that you’ll want to venture out and search for even more French poetry.

Here are some great resources to do that:

Websites for Short French Poems

• Sitaudis.com  is a French website with tons of poems, stories and essays. So in addition to being a great poetry site, it’s a good place for literary criticism in French (if you’re feeling up to it).
• Short-Edition.com  is a go-to for  short stories , poems, flash fiction and  comics , all in French. You can also check out the English version of the website. 
• AllPoetry.com  and PoemHunter.com are fantastic if you want to see the French and English side by side. The only drawback is that there isn’t an infinite number of French poems.
• As a little bonus, here are three French poems about spring.

French Poetry Audio Resources

• French Today has a great podcast that is all about French poetry and analysis. It’s available on iTunes and on their website. Not only are the poems read aloud, but also discussed using simple French to get your brain churning.
• If you’re really into Baudelaire, there’s a whole website dedicated to him and specifically “Les Fleurs du mal” (Flowers of Evil). Not only are there text versions and discussions, but a whole audio section.
• And of course, if you have a specific poem or poet in mind, typing it in on YouTube will bring up recitations of the most popular French poems.

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Whether you’re using French poetry for pleasure or have intentions of becoming a French poetry master, you need to know how French and English poetry differ.

Here are some of the main differences you may notice:

• French doesn’t have significant stressed accents on syllables. You only need to worry about counting syllables to find the meter. Just keep in mind that silent e’s are counted for syllables!
• The most common metric lengths used in French are 8-syllable, 10-syllable and 12-syllable lines.
• In French, you have your three   formes fixes   which are the Ballade , Rondeau  and Virelai . These were commonly put to music back in ye olden days (13th-15th century), but were brought back into style in the 19th century by the likes of Hugo and Baudelaire. 

Here is how to make the most out of French short poems:

• Translate the poem to English and back into French. This way you can get used to the idea of translating. 
• Look up words that you don’t understand.  This way you can learn their meaning and understand the whole poem better. 
• Make flashcards out of those words you have to look up.  This way you can commit them to memory. 
• Make it a  routine.  If you are able to read French short poems regularly, you will find yourself being able to understand them easier and easier every time. 
• Write your own poems .  Once you’ve understood French style, you can try creating your own poems in the language. This will help you practice your writing skills!
• Try listening to the poems.  Lots of poems will have audio versions of someone reciting it out loud. This can help you practice your listening skills and gain a better understanding of the poem as a whole.
• Read the poem out loud. As mentioned before, this will help you practice correct pronunciation and realize how French flows as a language.
• Analyze the poem. Go line by line and write what the words mean literally as well as any figurative meaning that you interpret. 

Now you’ve had a taste of some fantastic French poetry, get out there and find some more!

FluentU has a wide variety of great content, like interviews, documentary excerpts and web series, as you can see here:

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