French for Beginners

Topics Covered:

• DIRE (to say), LIRE (to read), ÉCRIRE (to write)
• Alternate forms of negation
• Dis donc ! Dites donc !

Bienvenue mes amis ! Today, we meet with Kevin again. As you might have noticed, Kevin's motivation for learning French is quite different from Michelle's and Jacques's. So far, he's flunked French in high school and needs to get good grades for his college application. The only problem for Valérie is that Kevin doesn't seem to like French very much or France for that matter. Hopefully she can help him do better and maybe even like it...at least a little. Kevin has been working hard but not without complaining...he's a teenager after all. We hope you have already looked up our grammar lessons for this week and have done the exercises. Enjoy Act X!

Topics Covered:

• Modal verbs vouloir, pouvoir, devoir
• Demonstrative determiners
• À mon avis..

Bonjour mes amis ! Bienvenue ! Today, for Act IX, we'll be joined by Michelle who is still making plans for her big move to France with her husband. She has been very consistent with her French lessons and is making much progress. I encourage you to follow Michelle's example. Non, non, I don't mean that you have to move to France! Rather, keep taking advantage of the tools available on our website, study the lessons and do the exercises and quizzes in advance. You'll enjoy the dialogs even more! Vous êtes prêts ? Allons-y !

Topics covered:

• Introduction to questions
• Faire in the present
• Faire et expressions idiomatiques
• Ça ne fait rien / Cela ne fait rien

Bonjour et bienvenue ! C'est moi, Jean-Paul ! I'm glad to introduce Act VIII. Yes, Act VIII already! I'm sure you're keeping pace with our students and making fine progress as they are. I also hope you're being entertained enough so that you almost don't notice you're learning a new language. Today, I leave you in good hands. You'll be once again joined by our very patient teacher, Valérie as well as Jacques who, I'm sure, will know how to entertain you. And don't forget, take time to consult the lessons and the flashcard before enjoying the dialogues.

Topics covered:

• RE verbs in the present
• Possessive determiners
• Tu te rends compte !
• Tu ne te rends pas compte !

Bonjour les amis, c'est Jean-Paul ! Bienvenue ! Today, I introduce to you Act VII and a special treat: a new character! ... I mean, a new student! He is not new to Valérie, however. He has been studying with her as long as Jacques and Michelle have. Why haven't we introduced him earlier, you might ask? Well, Kevin, that's his name, is not particularly talkative. In fact, it's been challenging for Valérie to make him talk during the first lessons. He now seems to be coming out of his shell, so I feel it's the right time to introduce him to you, dear spectators. Contrary to our other students, Kevin has actually lived in France for a while as an exchange student and has quite a different opinion of France. You'll find out more about that today. I hope you already consulted the lessons and the flashcard in preparation for today's show. I know Kevin has. Vous êtes prêts ? Allons-y !

Topics covered:

• Adverbs
• -IR verbs in the present
• Être en train de

Bonjour les amis and welcome to Act VI. Today, we meet with Michelle for the third time. Valérie has been continuing the lessons with her and, as it turns out, Michelle is very determined to learn French... and to move to France with her retired husband.

As you know, Valérie meets with her students to practice what they have already learned at home. We hope you do the same, that is to study the material before you enjoy the dialogues. Our website has just the kind of tools you need to progress at the same pace as Michelle and Jacques: lessons, essays, quizzes, pronunciation guide and flashcard. Are you ready then? Enjoy Act VI

Topics covered:

• Adjectives
• Avoir and idiomatic expressions (part 2)
• Qu'est-ce que c'est ?
• C'est, ce n'est pas
• Ce sont, ce ne sont pas

Bonjour les amis ! I'm glad to welcome you to Act V. Did you miss Jacques? We haven't seen him in a few weeks. Today, we will catch up with him. Jacques has been busy with his restaurant project but it hasn't prevented him from continuing his lessons with Valérie. He's actually doing great!

Valérie now gives the grammar lessons to her students to study before they meet. So during the class, they can focus more on speaking. We hope that you also find time to study the lessons every week on our website before enjoying the dialogues. Have you already looked at the flashcard and the lessons for today? Oui ? Let's start then! Enjoy Act V.

Topics covered:

• Prepositions with aller
• Aller in the present
• Ça va

Bonjour ! C'est moi Jean-Paul, your host for Act IV. Oui, Act IV already! We hope that following Jacques and Michelle in their endeavor to learn French is helping you to learn as well. Before you listen to the play, take time to familiarize yourself with the flashcard. Shall we begin?

Valérie, our French teacher, is meeting with Michelle today for another lesson. As it turns out, Michelle is a really serious student with a specific goal, or dream... Who are we to say? Let's hope she continues to learn for our great pleasure. Vous êtes prêts ? Enjoy Act IV.

Topics covered:

• Introduction to French verbs
• -ER verbs in the present
• Definite articles
• Voilà and Voici

Bonjour ! I'm glad to welcome you today to Act III of our play. I am sure you, like all of Valérie's students, must have reviewed the flashcard, studied the lessons on our website and even did grammar exercises before you listened to the play. Très bien ! We're ready to start!

Today Valérie meets with a student you haven't met yet. Her name is Michelle. She is at the same level as Jacques and she has a boisterous personality as well! Michelle's motivation to learn French? We'll discover it today. Well, let's meet Michelle! Enjoy the show! Prêts ?

Topics covered:

• Basic verb negation
• Indefinite articles
• Avoir in the present
• Avoir and idiomatic expressions
• Il y a

Welcome to the Language Theater! Bienvenue! Do you remember my name? That's right, je m'appelle Jean-Paul. I hope you really enjoyed Act I and are ready for Act II. Are you ready? Oh, one more thing: review the flashcard before listening to the play. These new words will be used in the play and you should memorize them. They will also be used in our coming acts.

Well, let's begin! Today Valérie, our French teacher, is having another lesson with Jacques. Let's see how much he remembers from his first lesson! Enjoy the show!

Topics covered:

• Un and une
• Tu and vous
• Personal pronouns
• Être in the present
• Ah bon !

Bienvenue ! Welcome to the Language Theater! Come in, come in! Take your seat and get ready for a unique experience. My name is Jean-Paul and I will take you through this masterful play.

I hope you will enjoy the performance and learn to understand and even speak French by the end of the play. Oh, and by the way, it's a long play... from one act to the next, you will learn the language, discover nuances of French culture, and experience the thrill of a theatrical performance in the language you are learning. Oui, oui ! We start with just a few words of French in act I, but by the end of our play, most of the acts will be performed in French! Oh, what a thrill it is to enjoy a play in French!

Now, a few words about the format of the show, or "course" if you will ... A French teacher, Valérie, gives one-on-one lessons. The students who come for the lessons have very little knowledge of French, almost none. From the first lesson to the last, they will learn to the extent that each one of them will be able to understand and speak French well. You are cordially invited to enjoy the Language Theater and learn French with our students.

Well, let's begin Act I. Valérie, our French teacher, is waiting for her student Jack. This is the first time Valérie and Jack meet in person.