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French Basics Textbook

A free, self-paced textbook in 7 chapters. Read a chapter, then drill it with the 100 companion flashcards using spaced repetition.

7 chapters · 100 cards · Updated

Chapters

  1. 1Greetings, Courtesies, and Introductions

    French conversation typically opens with a time-appropriate greeting. During the day, Bonjour serves as the universal "Hello" or "Good day," while Bonsoir takes over in the evening...

  2. 2Numbers and Time Expressions

    French numbers build a foundation for telling time, shopping, and counting. From zero through ten, the vocabulary is: zéro, un (with the feminine form une), deux, trois, quatre, ci...

  3. 3Colors and Articles

    Color adjectives in French are essential for description, but they behave differently than their English counterparts. Several — rouge, jaune, and orange — are invariable, keeping...

  4. 4Subject Pronouns

    Subject pronouns identify who performs the action of a verb. Je means "I," and like several French words it elides before a vowel or mute h, becoming j', as in j'aime ("I love"). T...

  5. 5Essential French Verbs

    The verb être ("to be") is one of the cornerstones of French. In the present tense it conjugates as je suis, tu es, il/elle est, nous sommes, vous êtes, and ils/elles sont. Althoug...

  6. 6Food and Practical Travel Phrases

    Food vocabulary opens the door to everyday life in French-speaking contexts. Core items include l'eau ("water," feminine), le pain ("bread," with the iconic baguette as its most fa...

  7. 7Family Vocabulary

    Family terms in French distinguish between formal and everyday usage, and the words for sons, daughters, and siblings form the basic building blocks. La mère is "mother" and le pèr...

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