Fiches de Grammaire #2 Flashcards
Nouns and articles:
certain noun endings provide clues to their gender
- ment
masc
le dépaysement
Nouns and articles
Definite and indefinite articles
- definite and indefinite articles agree in gender and number with the nouns they modify
- the gender of nouns that refer to people typically matches the gender of the person: un garçon/ une fille; un chanteur/une chanteuse; un enfant/une enfant.
Nouns and articles:
To form the plural of most french nouns
to form the plural of most french nouns add an -s
If the object of the infinitive is not stated immediately or at all
Use c’est + [adjective] + à + [infinitive] if the object of the infinitive is not stated immediately after it or not stated at all.
Examples:
Il est facile de vendre une maison (It is easy to sell a house)
Une maison, c’est facile à vendre (A house is easy to sell)
C’est facile à vendre! (It’s easy to sell)
Nouns and articles:
certain noun endings provide clues to their gender
- ette
fem
l’assiette
Nouns and articles:
certain noun endings provide clues to their gender
- ier
masc
le clavier
Nouns and articles:
If a singular french nouns ends in -s, -x, or
-z
If a singular french nouns ends in -s, -x, or -z
its plural form remains the same
Examples:
le gaz = les gaz
le pays = les pays
la voix = les voix
Use il/elle est and ils/elles sont
Use il/elle est and ils/elles sont to describe specific people or things that have been previously mentioned
Examples:
Essayez ce pain au chocolat! Il est vraiment délicieux!
(Try this chocolate croissant. It’s really delicious)
Voici Madame Duval et sa fille. Elles sont bilingues
(Here are Mrs. Duval and her daughter. They are bilingual)
C’est and Il/Elle est:
Meaning
C’est and Il/elle est both mean it is or s/he is
Nouns and articles:
certain noun endings provide clues to their gender
- ie
fem
la pâtisserie
To describe an idea or concept expressed as an infinitive rather than a noun…
To describe an idea or concept expressed as an infinitive rather than a noun,
use the impersonal construction il est + [adjective] + de (d’) + [infinitive]
Examples:
Il est important de se brosser les dents après le repas (It is important to brush one’s teeth after meals)
Il est essentiel d’apprendre une langue éstrangère à l’école. (it is essential to learn a foreign language at school)
Nouns and articles:
certain noun endings provide clues to their gender
- ade
fem
la charade
Nouns and articles:
certain noun endings provide clues to their gender
- ace
fem
la place
Nouns and articles:
certain noun endings provide clues to their gender
- ail
masc
(le travail)
Nouns and articles:
certain noun endings provide clues to their gender
- sion
fem
l’exoression
Nouns and articles:
certain noun endings provide clues to their gender
- as
masc
le repas
to describe an idea or concept that has already been mentioned or stated earlier in a sentence
Use c’est + [adjective] to describe an idea or concept that has already been mentioned or stated earlier in the sentence
Examples:
Ce brosser les dents après les rapas, c’est important (Brushing one’s teeth after meals is important)
J’apprends une langue étrangère à l’école. ** C’est** vrai! (I’m learning a foreign language at school. It’s true!)
When stating a persons nationality, religion, political affiliation, or profession what do you use?
When stating a persons nationality, religion, political affiliation, or profession il/elle est and c’est un/une and their respective plural forms ils/elles sont and ce sont des, are both correct.
If you include an adjective, you can only use c’est un/une or ce sont des
Examples:
Il est journaliste (He’s a journalist)
C’est un journaliste (He’s a journalist)
C’est un journaliste célèbre (He’s a famous journalist)
Nouns and articles:
certain noun endings provide clues to their gender
-aine
fem
la laine
Important:
Because infinitives and concepts typically have no gender
Because infinitives and concepts typically have no gender, use only il est or c’est with them, never elle est.
An adjective following il est or c’est is always in the masc. singular form
Ce sont and ils/elles sont
Meaning
Ce sont and ils/elles sont mean they are
Nouns and articles:
certain noun endings provide clues to their gender
- euse
fem
la chanteuse
Important: No definite article!
Note that no definite article is used with il/elle est and ils/elles sont
Examples:
Il est médecin (He is a doctor)
**Elles sont socialistes **(They are socialists)
Nouns and articles:
certain noun endings provide clues to their gender
- isme
masc
le surréalisme
Nouns and articles:
If a singular noun ends in -au, -eau, -eu, or œu
If a singular noun ends in -au, -eau, -eu, or -œu
its plural form usually ends in -x
Examples:
le chapeau = les chapeaux
le jeu = les jeux
Nouns and articles:
certain noun endings provide clues to their gender
- ain
masculine
l’ecrivain
Nouns and articles:
certain noun endings provide clues to their gender
**- al **
masc
le journal
Nouns and articles:
certain noun endings provide clues to their gender
- ée
fem
la journée
Nouns and articles:
certain noun endings provide clues to their gender
- ère
fem
la boulangère
Nouns and articles:
certain noun endings provide clues to their gender
- ture
fem
la rupture
Nouns and articles:
certain noun endings provide clues to their gender
- tié
feminine
l’amitié
Nouns and articles:
If a singular noun ends in -al
If a singular noun ends in -al,
drop the -al and add -aux
Example:
le cheval = les chevaux
Nouns and articles:
certain noun endings provide clues to their gender
- té
feminine
la responsabilité
Nouns and articles:
certain noun endings provide clues to their gender
- trice
feminine
l’atrice
Nouns with irregular forms (3)
a few nouns have very irregular plural forms:
l’œil = les yeux
le ciel = les cieux
le monsieur = les messieurs
Nouns and articles:
certain noun endings provide clues to their gender
- eau
masc
le bureau
Nouns and articles:
certain noun endings provide clues to their gender
-age
masc
(le voyage)
Nouns and articles:
certain noun endings provide clues to their gender
- if
masc
le tarif
Nouns and articles:
certain noun endings provide clues to their gender
- et
le bonnet
Nouns and articles:
certain noun endings provide clues to their gender
- oir
masc
le pouvoir
Nouns and articles:
certain noun endings provide clues to their gender
- tion
fem
l’addition
Nouns and articles:
certain noun endings provide clues to their gender
- esse
fem
la tristess
Nouns and articles:
certain noun endings provide clues to their gender
-asme
mas
le sarcasme
Use C’est and ce sont
Use C’est and ce sont to describe people or things
Examples:
C’est mon stylo (It’s my pen)
Ce sont mes amis (They are my friends)
Nouns and articles:
certain noun endings provide clues to their gender
- in
masc
le bassin
Nouns and articles:
certain noun endings provide clues to their gender
- ance
fem
la chance
Nouns and articles:
certain noun endings provide clues to their gender
- ence
fem
la compétence
Nouns and articles:
certain noun endings provide clues to their gender
- ent
masc
l’argent
Nouns and articles:
certain noun endings provide clues to their gender
- ière
fem.
la cuisinière
