Title: French Basics — LearnCoachAssist

Q: What does "Bonjour" mean?
A: Bonjour means "Hello" or "Good day." It is the most common French greeting used during daytime hours.

Q: What does "Au revoir" mean?
A: Au revoir means "Goodbye." It literally translates to "until we see each other again."

Q: What does "S'il vous plaît" mean?
A: S'il vous plaît means "Please" (formal). Use s'il te plaît in informal situations. It literally means "if it pleases you."

Q: What does "Merci" mean?
A: Merci means "Thank you." You can say merci beaucoup for "thank you very much."

Q: What does "De rien" mean?
A: De rien means "You're welcome." It literally translates to "of nothing." Another common alternative is je vous en prie (formal).

Q: What does "Excusez-moi" mean?
A: Excusez-moi means "Excuse me" (formal). Use it to get someone's attention or to apologize for a minor inconvenience.

Q: What does "Bonsoir" mean?
A: Bonsoir means "Good evening." Use it as a greeting when arriving somewhere in the evening, typically after 6 PM.

Q: What does "Bonne nuit" mean?
A: Bonne nuit means "Good night." It is used only when saying goodbye at night or before going to sleep, not as a greeting.

Q: What does "Comment allez-vous?" mean?
A: Comment allez-vous? means "How are you?" (formal). The informal version is Comment vas-tu? or simply Ça va?

Q: What does "Je vais bien" mean?
A: Je vais bien means "I am doing well." A common response to Comment allez-vous? You can also say Ça va bien, merci.

Q: What does "Enchanté(e)" mean?
A: Enchanté (masc.) / Enchantée (fem.) means "Nice to meet you." It literally means "enchanted" or "delighted."

Q: How do you say "What is your name?" in French (formal)?
A: Comment vous appelez-vous? The informal version is Comment tu t'appelles? Both use the reflexive verb s'appeler.

Q: How do you say "My name is..." in French?
A: Je m'appelle... followed by your name. It literally means "I call myself..." Example: Je m'appelle Marie.

Q: How do you say "Yes" and "No" in French?
A: Oui = Yes, Non = No. There is also si, which means "yes" when contradicting a negative statement.

Q: What does "Pardon" mean in French?
A: Pardon means "Sorry" or "Pardon me." Use it when you bump into someone, need to pass, or didn't hear what was said.

Q: What is the French word for the number 0?
A: Zéro (0).

Q: What is the French word for the number 1?
A: Un (1). The feminine form is une.

Q: What is the French word for the number 2?
A: Deux (2).

Q: What is the French word for the number 3?
A: Trois (3).

Q: What is the French word for the number 4?
A: Quatre (4).

Q: What is the French word for the number 5?
A: Cinq (5). The final -q is pronounced when the number stands alone.

Q: What is the French word for the number 6?
A: Six (6). Pronounced "sees" in isolation, but the -x is silent before a consonant.

Q: What is the French word for the number 7?
A: Sept (7). The -p- is silent; pronounced roughly like "set."

Q: What is the French word for the number 8?
A: Huit (8). Pronounced roughly like "weet."

Q: What is the French word for the number 9?
A: Neuf (9). The -f is pronounced as a "v" before ans and heures.

Q: What is the French word for the number 10?
A: Dix (10). Pronounced "dees" in isolation; the -x is silent before a consonant.

Q: What is the French word for the number 20?
A: Vingt (20). The final -t is usually silent unless followed by a number like vingt et un (21).

Q: What is the French word for the number 30?
A: Trente (30).

Q: What is the French word for the number 50?
A: Cinquante (50).

Q: What are the French words for 100 and 1000?
A: Cent = 100, Mille = 1000. Cent takes a plural -s only when not followed by another number (deux cents vs. deux cent dix). Mille never takes a plural -s.

Q: What is the French word for "red"?
A: Rouge. Same form for masculine and feminine. Example: une pomme rouge (a red apple).

Q: What is the French word for "blue"?
A: Bleu (masc.) / bleue (fem.). Example: le ciel bleu (the blue sky).

Q: What is the French word for "green"?
A: Vert (masc.) / verte (fem.). Example: une feuille verte (a green leaf).

Q: What is the French word for "yellow"?
A: Jaune. Same form for masculine and feminine. Example: le soleil jaune (the yellow sun).

Q: What is the French word for "white"?
A: Blanc (masc.) / blanche (fem.). Example: la neige blanche (the white snow).

Q: What is the French word for "black"?
A: Noir (masc.) / noire (fem.). Example: un chat noir (a black cat).

Q: What is the French word for "orange"?
A: Orange. It is invariable—same form for masculine, feminine, and plural nouns.

Q: What is the French word for "purple"?
A: Violet (masc.) / violette (fem.). Example: une fleur violette (a purple flower).

Q: What is the French definite article "le" used for?
A: Le is the masculine singular definite article meaning "the." Example: le livre (the book). It contracts to l' before a vowel or mute -h.

Q: What is the French definite article "la" used for?
A: La is the feminine singular definite article meaning "the." Example: la maison (the house). It contracts to l' before a vowel or mute -h.

Q: What is the French definite article "les" used for?
A: Les is the plural definite article meaning "the," for both masculine and feminine plural nouns. Example: les enfants (the children).

Q: What is the French indefinite article "un" used for?
A: Un is the masculine singular indefinite article meaning "a" or "one." Example: un garçon (a boy).

Q: What is the French indefinite article "une" used for?
A: Une is the feminine singular indefinite article meaning "a" or "one." Example: une fille (a girl).

Q: What is the French indefinite article "des" used for?
A: Des is the plural indefinite article meaning "some." Example: des livres (some books). Used where English might use no article.

Q: What is the French partitive article "du" used for?
A: Du (contraction of de + le) is the masculine partitive article meaning "some." Example: du pain (some bread).

Q: What is the French partitive article "de la" used for?
A: De la is the feminine partitive article meaning "some." Example: de la musique (some music). Before a vowel it becomes de l'.

Q: What does the French subject pronoun "je" mean?
A: Je means "I." It becomes j' before a vowel or mute -h. Example: j'aime (I love).

Q: What does the French subject pronoun "tu" mean?
A: Tu means "you" (singular, informal). Use it with friends, family, children, and peers.

Q: What does the French subject pronoun "il" mean?
A: Il means "he" or "it" (masculine). Also used as an impersonal pronoun: il pleut (it's raining).

Q: What does the French subject pronoun "elle" mean?
A: Elle means "she" or "it" (feminine). Example: Elle est belle (She is beautiful).

Q: What does the French subject pronoun "nous" mean?
A: Nous means "we." In spoken French, on is often used instead of nous in informal speech.

Q: What does the French subject pronoun "vous" mean?
A: Vous means "you" (plural, or singular formal). Use it to address strangers, elders, or groups.

Q: What does the French subject pronoun "ils" mean?
A: Ils means "they" (masculine or mixed group). Even one male in the group requires ils.

Q: What does the French subject pronoun "elles" mean?
A: Elles means "they" (all-female group). If even one male is present, French switches to ils.

Q: Conjugate "être" (to be) in the present tense for je, tu, il/elle.
A: Je suis (I am), tu es (you are), il/elle est (he/she is). Être is one of the most important irregular verbs in French.

Q: Conjugate "être" (to be) in the present tense for nous, vous, ils/elles.
A: Nous sommes (we are), vous êtes (you are), ils/elles sont (they are).

Q: Conjugate "avoir" (to have) in the present tense for je, tu, il/elle.
A: J'ai (I have), tu as (you have), il/elle a (he/she has). Avoir is also used as an auxiliary in compound tenses.

Q: Conjugate "avoir" (to have) in the present tense for nous, vous, ils/elles.
A: Nous avons (we have), vous avez (you have), ils/elles ont (they have).

Q: Conjugate "aller" (to go) in the present tense for je, tu, il/elle.
A: Je vais (I go), tu vas (you go), il/elle va (he/she goes). Aller is also used to form the near future: je vais manger (I am going to eat).

Q: Conjugate "aller" (to go) in the present tense for nous, vous, ils/elles.
A: Nous allons (we go), vous allez (you go), ils/elles vont (they go).

Q: Conjugate "faire" (to do/make) in the present tense for je, tu, il/elle.
A: Je fais (I do/make), tu fais (you do/make), il/elle fait (he/she does/makes). Faire is used in many expressions like faire du sport.

Q: Conjugate "faire" (to do/make) in the present tense for nous, vous, ils/elles.
A: Nous faisons (we do/make), vous faites (you do/make), ils/elles font (they do/make). Note the irregular vous faites form.

Q: Conjugate "vouloir" (to want) in the present tense for je, tu, il/elle.
A: Je veux (I want), tu veux (you want), il/elle veut (he/she wants). Je voudrais (I would like) is the polite conditional form.

Q: Conjugate "vouloir" (to want) in the present tense for nous, vous, ils/elles.
A: Nous voulons (we want), vous voulez (you want), ils/elles veulent (they want).

Q: Conjugate "pouvoir" (to be able to/can) in the present tense for je, tu, il/elle.
A: Je peux (I can), tu peux (you can), il/elle peut (he/she can). In formal questions, je peux becomes puis-je.

Q: Conjugate "pouvoir" (to be able to/can) in the present tense for nous, vous, ils/elles.
A: Nous pouvons (we can), vous pouvez (you can), ils/elles peuvent (they can).

Q: How do you conjugate the regular -er verb "parler" (to speak) in the present tense?
A: Je parle, tu parles, il/elle parle, nous parlons, vous parlez, ils/elles parlent. Most -er verbs follow this pattern. The endings -e, -es, -e, -ent are all silent.

Q: Give an example sentence using "parler" and explain its usage.
A: Je parle français (I speak French). Parler is a regular -er verb and a model for conjugating the largest group of French verbs. It can be followed directly by a language name without a preposition.

Q: How do you conjugate "manger" (to eat) in the present tense?
A: Je mange, tu manges, il/elle mange, nous mangeons, vous mangez, ils/elles mangent. Note the extra -e- in nous mangeons to keep the soft "g" sound.

Q: Give an example sentence using "manger" and explain its spelling change.
A: Nous mangeons à midi (We eat at noon). Manger adds an -e- before endings starting with -a or -o to preserve the soft /ʒ/ sound of the "g."

Q: What is "l'eau" in French?
A: L'eau (fem.) means "water." Example: Je voudrais un verre d'eau, s'il vous plaît. (I would like a glass of water, please.)

Q: What is "le pain" in French?
A: Le pain (masc.) means "bread." Bread is central to French culture. A baguette is the most iconic type of French bread.

Q: What is "la viande" in French?
A: La viande (fem.) means "meat." Example: Je ne mange pas de viande (I don't eat meat).

Q: What is "le poisson" in French?
A: Le poisson (masc.) means "fish." Be careful not to confuse it with le poison (poison), which has only one -s.

Q: What is "le riz" in French?
A: Le riz (masc.) means "rice." The final -z is silent. Example: du riz blanc (white rice).

Q: What is "le lait" in French?
A: Le lait (masc.) means "milk." Example: un café au lait (a coffee with milk).

Q: What is "l'œuf" in French?
A: L'œuf (masc.) means "egg." Singular is pronounced like "uff." The plural les œufs is pronounced "lay zuh" — the -f becomes silent.

Q: What is "le fruit" in French?
A: Le fruit (masc.) means "fruit." Unlike English, the final -t is pronounced. Example: une salade de fruits (a fruit salad).

Q: What is "le légume" in French?
A: Le légume (masc.) means "vegetable." Example: les légumes frais (fresh vegetables).

Q: What is "le poulet" in French?
A: Le poulet (masc.) means "chicken" (as food). A live chicken is une poule (hen) or un coq (rooster).

Q: What is "le fromage" in French?
A: Le fromage (masc.) means "cheese." France produces over 400 varieties. Example: un plateau de fromages (a cheese platter).

Q: What is "le vin" in French?
A: Le vin (masc.) means "wine." Example: un verre de vin rouge (a glass of red wine).

Q: How do you say "Where is...?" in French?
A: Où est...? Example: Où est la gare? (Where is the train station?) For plural: Où sont...?

Q: How do you say "How much does this cost?" in French?
A: Combien ça coûte? You can also say C'est combien? for a more casual version.

Q: How do you say "I need help" in French?
A: J'ai besoin d'aide. Literally "I have need of help." For emergencies, you can shout Au secours!

Q: How do you say "The check, please" in French?
A: L'addition, s'il vous plaît. In France, the waiter will not bring the check until you ask for it.

Q: How do you say "I don't understand" in French?
A: Je ne comprends pas. In spoken French, the ne is often dropped: Je comprends pas.

Q: How do you say "Do you speak English?" in French?
A: Parlez-vous anglais? (formal) or Tu parles anglais? (informal). A polite way to ask before switching languages.

Q: How do you say "Where are the toilets?" in French?
A: Où sont les toilettes? In France, les toilettes is always plural. You may also see signs for les WC.

Q: How do you say "I would like..." in French?
A: Je voudrais... This is the polite conditional form of vouloir. Example: Je voudrais un café (I would like a coffee).

Q: How do you say "A table for two" in French?
A: Une table pour deux, s'il vous plaît. Replace deux with any number as needed.

Q: How do you say "I have a reservation" in French?
A: J'ai une réservation. You might add au nom de... (under the name of...) followed by your name.

Q: How do you ask "What time is it?" in French?
A: Quelle heure est-il? The response uses Il est... followed by the time. Example: Il est trois heures (It is three o'clock). French often uses the 24-hour clock.

Q: What does "aujourd'hui" mean in French?
A: Aujourd'hui means "today." Example: Aujourd'hui, c'est lundi (Today is Monday).

Q: What does "demain" mean in French?
A: Demain means "tomorrow." Example: À demain! (See you tomorrow!). Après-demain means "the day after tomorrow."

Q: What does "hier" mean in French?
A: Hier means "yesterday." Example: Hier, il a plu (Yesterday, it rained). Avant-hier means "the day before yesterday."

Q: What are the French words for "mother" and "father"?
A: La mère = mother, le père = father. Informal: maman (mom) and papa (dad).

Q: What are the French words for "brother" and "sister"?
A: Le frère = brother, la sœur = sister. Example: J'ai deux frères et une sœur (I have two brothers and one sister).

Q: What are the French words for "son" and "daughter"?
A: Le fils = son (the -ls is pronounced), la fille = daughter. Note: la fille can also mean "girl."

Q: What is the French word for "grandparents"?
A: Les grands-parents. Le grand-père = grandfather, la grand-mère = grandmother. Informal: papi/papy and mamie/mamy.