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French Grammar & Master Syllabus Studio · A0

Master the complete CEFR French curriculum from foundations to native fluency. Features detailed definitions, phonetic tables, formula rules, native audio, TEF/TCF exam traps, and real-life drills. Level A0 is 100% Free. Levels A1–C2 are unlocked with the PRO All-Access Pass ($19 USD).

23 Units in Level A0
🗣️ English Phonetics On All Examples
🔊 1-Click Audio Native Voice
🍁 TEF Traps CLB 7+ Focus
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Master Syllabus Studio 📐
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🎯 Overall Level A0 Mastery 0% Completed
0 of 23 Units Mastered 6 Structured Chapters
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⏱️ ~2.5 hrs Est. Study Time
🗣️ 100% Native Audio Included
🍁 IRCC Aligned TEF/TCF CLB 7+ Standards
💡 Tip: Complete each unit's 30s quiz to earn your mastery badge!
Chapter 1 · Foundations

🌱 Alphabet, Accents & Phonetics Foundations

Master the 26 French letters, accent marks, guttural R, silent finals, and everyday survival etiquette.

4 Units · 0 Done
UNIT 01 🌱 Foundation Level A0

The French Alphabet & Phonetic Guide

🇬🇧 L'Alphabet Français ⏱️ 4 min study 🔊 Native Voice

The French alphabet consists of the same 26 letters as English, but each letter possesses a distinct vocalic name, sound, and pronunciation mechanics.

Mastering the French letter names is mandatory for spelling your name, email, and address in Canadian immigration interviews and everyday administrative interactions.

Letter Name Phonetic Example Audio
A aa[ah]ami (friend)
B bbé[bay]bonjour (hello)
C ccé[say]café (coffee)
D ddé[day]deux (two)
E ee[euh]école (school)
G ggé[zhay]gâteau (cake)
H hhache[ahsh]hôtel (hotel)
J jji[zhee]jardin (garden)
R rerre[air - guttural]rouge (red)
U uu[ü - rounded]université
Y yi grec[ee-grek]yaourt (yogurt)
🗣️ Real-World French in Context
Un ami très fidèle.
🗣️ [uhn ah-mee treh fee-del]
🇬🇧 A very faithful friend. (Letter A)
Bonjour tout le monde !
🗣️ [bohn-zhoor too luh mohnd]
🇬🇧 Hello everyone! (Letter B)
Deux cafés s'il vous plaît.
🗣️ [duh kah-fay seel voo pleh]
🇬🇧 Two coffees please. (Letter C & D)
L'école est fermée aujourd'hui.
🗣️ [lay-kohl ay fehr-may oh-zhoor-dwee]
🇬🇧 The school is closed today. (Letter E)
Un grand jardin avec des fleurs.
🗣️ [uhn grahn zhar-dan ah-vek day fluhr]
🇬🇧 A big garden with flowers. (Letter F, G, J)
L'hôtel se trouve ici.
🗣️ [loh-tel suh troov ee-see]
🇬🇧 The hotel is located here. (Letter H & I)
Une belle maison rouge.
🗣️ [oon behl meh-zohn roozh]
🇬🇧 A beautiful red house. (Letter M & R)
Le soleil brille sur la table.
🗣️ [luh soh-lay bree soor lah tahbl]
🇬🇧 The sun is shining on the table. (Letter S & T)
L'université de Montréal.
🗣️ [loo-nee-vehr-see-tay duh mohn-ray-ahl]
🇬🇧 The University of Montreal. (Letter U)
Une voiture noire et rapide.
🗣️ [oon vwah-toor nwahr ay rah-peed]
🇬🇧 A black and fast car. (Letter V & N)
⚠️ Common Pitfall to Avoid in TEF / TCF
❌ Mistake: Pronouncing French 'G' as [jee] instead of [zhay]
✓ Correction: French 'G' is [zhay], French 'J' is [zhee]
💡 Remember that 'G' and 'J' sound names are the exact reverse of English.
🧠 Quick Check Drill
Which French letter has the phonetic name 'i grec'?
UNIT 02 🌱 Foundation Level A0

French Accent Marks & Diacritics

🇬🇧 Les Accents ⏱️ 4 min study 🔊 Native Voice

Accent marks are essential diacritics written above or under letters. They change pronunciation and meaning, and are never optional.

Omitting an accent mark in French is considered a spelling mistake on TEF/TCF Canada exams and can change the grammatical meaning completely (e.g. 'a' [has] vs 'à' [at/to]).

Accent Symbol Applied To Function & Pronunciation Examples
Aiguée onlyClosed /e/ sound ("ay")café, été, école
Graveè, à, ùe, a, uOpen /ɛ/ on è; distinguishes a/à, ou/oùpère, mère, là, où
Circonflexeâ, ê, î, ô, ûall vowelsHistorical marker of a lost 's'château, forêt, hôtel, île
Trémaë, ï, üe, i, uSeparates consecutive vowel soundsNoël, naïf, haïr
Cédilleçc onlySoftens 'c' into /s/ before a, o, ufrançais, garçon, ça
🗣️ Real-World French in Context
J'adore le café chaud en été.
🗣️ [zhah-dor luh kah-fay shoh ahn ay-tay]
🇬🇧 I love hot coffee in summer. (Accent aigu)
Mon père habite là-bas.
🗣️ [mohn pair ah-beet lah-bah]
🇬🇧 My father lives over there. (Accent grave)
Où est la gare centrale ?
🗣️ [oo ay lah gahr sahn-trahl]
🇬🇧 Where is the central station? (où vs ou)
L'hôtel et le château sont magnifiques.
🗣️ [loh-tel ay luh shah-toh sohn mah-nyee-feek]
🇬🇧 The hotel and the castle are magnificent. (Circonflexe)
Joyeux Noël à toute la famille !
🗣️ [zhwah-yeuh noh-el ah toot lah fah-mee]
🇬🇧 Merry Christmas to the whole family! (Tréma)
Le garçon apprend le français.
🗣️ [luh gahr-sohn ah-prahn luh frahn-seh]
🇬🇧 The boy is learning French. (Cédille)
Elle est très naïve mais gentille.
🗣️ [el ay treh nah-eev meh zhahn-tee]
🇬🇧 She is very naive but kind. (Tréma)
Je suis sûr de réussir mon test.
🗣️ [zhuh swee soor duh ray-oo-seer mohn test]
🇬🇧 I am sure of passing my test. (sûr vs sur)
Comment ça va ce matin ?
🗣️ [koh-mahn sah vah suh mah-tan]
🇬🇧 How are things this morning? (Cédille)
La forêt boréale au Canada.
🗣️ [lah foh-reh boh-ray-ahl oh kah-nah-dah]
🇬🇧 The boreal forest in Canada. (Circonflexe)
⚠️ Common Pitfall to Avoid in TEF / TCF
❌ Mistake: Writing 'ou' (or) when you mean 'où' (where)
✓ Correction: Où est la gare ? (Where is the station?)
💡 Without the accent grave, 'ou' means 'or'. With accent grave, 'où' indicates place.
🧠 Quick Check Drill
Which accent turns the hard 'C' into a soft /S/ sound before vowels a, o, and u?
UNIT 03 🌱 Foundation Level A0

Core Pronunciation & Liaison Rules

🇬🇧 La Prononciation ⏱️ 4 min study 🔊 Native Voice

French pronunciation follows consistent phonetic rules: final consonants are usually silent, nasal vowels resonate through the nasal cavity, and liaison links adjacent words.

Consonants at the end of French words (especially d, p, s, t, x, z) are silent. The letter 'R' is guttural in the throat. 'H muet' allows liaison and contraction, while 'H aspiré' blocks them.

Mechanic Phonetic Rule Concrete Examples Audio
Silent FinalsFinal d, p, s, t, x, z are completely silentpetit, grand, beaucoup
Nasal VowelsAir vibrates through the nose: an, on, in, undans, bon, vin, parfum
Guttural RProduced in the back of the throat (/ʁ/)Paris, rouge, regarder
LiaisonSilent end consonant links to next vowel soundles amis [lezami], vous avez [vuzave]
Silent 'H'H muet links (l'homme); H aspiré blocks it (le héros)l'homme vs le héros
🗣️ Real-World French in Context
Les enfants sont très contents.
🗣️ [lay-zahn-fahn sohn treh kohn-tahn]
🇬🇧 The children are very happy. (Liaison 'z')
Vous avez un passeport valide.
🗣️ [voo-zah-vay-zuhn pahs-pohr vah-leed]
🇬🇧 You have a valid passport. (Liaisons 'z' and 'n')
Le vin rouge français est réputé.
🗣️ [luh van roozh frahn-seh ay ray-poo-tay]
🇬🇧 French red wine is renowned. (Nasals & R)
Dans un grand restaurant à Paris.
🗣️ [dahn-zuhn grahn res-toh-rahn ah pah-ree]
🇬🇧 In a big restaurant in Paris. (Silent consonants)
L'homme travaille à l'hôpital.
🗣️ [lohm trah-vah-yuh ah loh-pee-tahl]
🇬🇧 The man works at the hospital. (H muet elision)
Le héros de cette belle histoire.
🗣️ [luh ay-roh duh set behl ees-twahr]
🇬🇧 The hero of this beautiful story. (H aspiré - no liaison)
Ils parlent lentement et clairement.
🗣️ [eel pahrl lahn-tuh-mahn ay klehr-mahn]
🇬🇧 They speak slowly and clearly. (Silent -ent)
Un petit garçon mange du pain.
🗣️ [uhn puh-tee gahr-sohn mahnzh doo pan]
🇬🇧 A little boy eats some bread.
⚠️ Common Pitfall to Avoid in TEF / TCF
❌ Mistake: Pronouncing the '-ent' at the end of 3rd-person plural verbs like 'ils parlent'
✓ Correction: 'Ils parlent' is pronounced [eel pahrl], exactly like 'il parle'.
💡 The verb ending '-ent' in 3rd person plural is always silent.
🧠 Quick Check Drill
Is the '-ent' ending pronounced in the French verb 'ils parlent'?
UNIT 04 🌱 Foundation Level A0

Essential Greetings, Survival Dialogue & Social Etiquette

🇬🇧 Les Salutations ⏱️ 4 min study 🔊 Native Voice

Everyday polite expressions, greetings, and etiquette protocols essential for real-world interactions and Canadian immigration tests.

French culture places immense importance on initial greetings. Always greet shopkeepers, examiners, and colleagues with 'Bonjour' or 'Bonsoir'. Leaving without saying 'Au revoir' or 'Bonne journée' is considered rude.

📐 Cheat-Sheet Formula & Rules 
Social Politeness Lexicon:
- Bonjour          [bohn-zhoor]         (Hello / Good morning - daytime)
- Bonsoir          [bohn-swahr]         (Good evening - after ~6 PM)
- Salut !          [sah-loo]            (Hi / Bye - informal with friends)
- Au revoir !      [oh ruh-vwahr]       (Goodbye - standard polite)
- À tout à l'heure [ah too tah luhr]    (See you later today)
- S'il vous plaît  [seel voo pleh]      (Please - formal / plural)
- S'il te plaît    [seel tuh pleh]      (Please - informal)
- Merci beaucoup   [mehr-see boh-koo]   (Thank you very much)
- De rien          [duh ryan]           (You're welcome / It's nothing)
- Je vous en prie  [zhuh vooz ahn pree] (You're welcome - formal)
- Je ne comprends pas [zhuh nuh kohm-prahn pah] (I don't understand)
- Parlez-vous anglais ? [pahr-lay voo zahn-gleh] (Do you speak English?)
🗣️ Real-World French in Context
Bonjour madame, comment allez-vous aujourd'hui ?
🗣️ [bohn-zhoor mah-dahm koh-mahn tah-lay voo oh-zhoor-dwee]
🇬🇧 Good morning ma'am, how are you today?
Bonsoir monsieur, une table pour deux s'il vous plaît.
🗣️ [bohn-swahr muh-syuh oon tahbl poor duh seel voo pleh]
🇬🇧 Good evening sir, a table for two please.
Salut Alex, ça va bien et toi ?
🗣️ [sah-loo ah-leks sah vah byan ay twah]
🇬🇧 Hi Alex, I'm good and you? (Informal)
Merci beaucoup pour votre aide précieuse aujourd'hui.
🗣️ [mehr-see boh-koo poor voh-truh ed pray-syuhz oh-zhoor-dwee]
🇬🇧 Thank you very much for your valuable help today.
Je vous en prie, c'est un plaisir de vous aider.
🗣️ [zhuh vooz ahn pree seh tuhn pleh-zeer duh voo zay-day]
🇬🇧 You are very welcome, it is a pleasure to help you.
Excusez-moi, où se trouve le guichet de métro ?
🗣️ [ek-skew-zay mwah oo suh troov luh gee-shay duh may-troh]
🇬🇧 Excuse me, where is the subway ticket counter?
Je ne comprends pas, pouvez-vous parler plus lentement ?
🗣️ [zhuh nuh kohm-prahn pah poo-vay voo pahr-lay ploo lahn-tuh-mahn]
🇬🇧 I don't understand, can you speak more slowly?
Parlez-vous anglais ? Je commence tout juste le français.
🗣️ [pahr-lay voo zahn-gleh zhuh koh-mahns too zhoost luh frahn-seh]
🇬🇧 Do you speak English? I am just starting French.
Au revoir et bonne journée à vous !
🗣️ [oh ruh-vwahr ay bohn zhoor-nay ah voo]
🇬🇧 Goodbye and have a great day!
À tout à l'heure pour la réunion de travail.
🗣️ [ah too tah luhr poor lah ray-oo-nyohn duh trah-vah-yuh]
🇬🇧 See you later for the work meeting.
⚠️ Common Pitfall to Avoid in TEF / TCF
❌ Mistake: Using 'Salut' with an immigration officer or elder
✓ Correction: Always use 'Bonjour monsieur / madame'
💡 'Salut' is informal and only appropriate between peers, children, and close friends.
🧠 Quick Check Drill
What is the polite, formal French expression for 'You are welcome'?
🍁 Milestone Unlocked · Core Sentence Conjugation Ahead

You have mastered Chapter 1 Foundations! Enter Chapter 2 Core Verbs.

Now that you master the French Alphabet, Accent marks, and Pronunciation rules, you are fully prepared for the core pillars of spoken and written French: ÊTRE, AVOIR, and regular 1st Group -ER verbs.

✓ 4 Foundation Units Mastered ⚡ 19 Core Syntax Units Ahead
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Core Conjugations 🚀
Chapter 2 · Core Verbs

⚡ Essential Auxiliary & Present Tense Verbs

Conquer Être (to be), Avoir (to have), regular 1st Group -ER verbs, Aller (to go), and Faire (to do).

5 Units · 0 Done
UNIT 05 ⚡ Tenses Level A0

Le Présent du verbe ÊTRE

🇬🇧 To Be ⏱️ 4 min study 🔊 Native Voice

ÊTRE is the most essential auxiliary verb in the French language. It is used to state your identity, nationality, profession, marital status, and physical or emotional states.

Unlike English which has irregular forms (am, is, are), French conjugates ÊTRE into 6 distinct forms. Memorizing this table is the foundation of all French conversation and grammar.

📐 Cheat-Sheet Formula & Rules 
Conjugation Table:
Je suis       [zhuh swee]       (I am)
Tu es         [too ay]          (You are - informal)
Il est        [eel ay]          (He is)
Elle est      [el ay]           (She is)
On est        [ohn nay]         (We are / One is)
Nous sommes   [noo sohm]        (We are - formal)
Vous êtes     [voo zeht]        (You are - polite / plural)
Ils sont      [eel sohn]        (They are - masculine)
Elles sont    [el sohn]         (They are - feminine)
🗣️ Real-World French in Context
Je suis étudiant et je suis indien.
🗣️ [zhuh swee zay-too-dyahn ay zhuh swee zan-dyan]
🇬🇧 I am a student and I am Indian.
Elle est médecin à l'hôpital de Montréal.
🗣️ [el ay mayd-san ah loh-pee-tahl duh mohn-ray-ahl]
🇬🇧 She is a doctor at the Montreal hospital.
Nous sommes ravis d'apprendre le français.
🗣️ [noo sohm rah-vee dah-prahn-druh luh frahn-seh]
🇬🇧 We are delighted to learn French.
Vous êtes prêt pour votre entretien d'immigration ?
🗣️ [voo zeht preh poor voh-truh ahn-truh-tyan deem-mee-grah-syohn]
🇬🇧 Are you ready for your immigration interview?
⚠️ Common Pitfall to Avoid in TEF / TCF
❌ Mistake: Je es étudiant
✓ Correction: Je suis étudiant
💡 'Je' always conjugates with 'suis'. 'Es' is exclusively used with 'tu'.
🧠 Quick Check Drill
Which form of ÊTRE corresponds to 'vous' (you formal/plural)?
UNIT 06 ⚡ Tenses Level A0

Le Présent du verbe AVOIR

🇬🇧 To Have ⏱️ 4 min study 🔊 Native Voice

AVOIR expresses ownership, physical sensations (hunger, cold, thirst), and is used to state your exact age ('J'ai 25 ans').

Critical French Rule: While English says 'I am 25 years old' (using To Be), French says 'I have 25 years' (J'ai 25 ans). Never use ÊTRE for age!

📐 Cheat-Sheet Formula & Rules 
Conjugation Table:
J'ai          [zhay]            (I have)
Tu as         [too ah]          (You have)
Il a          [eel ah]          (He has)
Elle a        [el ah]           (She has)
Nous avons    [nooz ah-vohn]    (We have)
Vous avez     [vooz ah-vay]     (You have)
Ils ont       [eel zohn]        (They have - with liaison 'z')
Elles ont     [el zohn]         (They have - feminine)

Essential Idiomatic Expressions:
- Avoir faim (To be hungry)
- Avoir soif (To be thirsty)
- Avoir chaud / froid (To be hot / cold)
- Avoir besoin de (To need something)
🗣️ Real-World French in Context
J'ai vingt-neuf ans et j'ai un visa canadien.
🗣️ [zhay van-t-nuhf ahn ay zhay uhn vee-zah kah-nah-dyan]
🇬🇧 I am twenty-nine years old and I have a Canadian visa.
Nous avons très faim après les cours.
🗣️ [nooz ah-vohn treh fan ah-preh lay koor]
🇬🇧 We are very hungry after classes.
Est-ce que tu as un passeport valide ?
🗣️ [es-kuh too ah uhn pahs-pohr vah-leed]
🇬🇧 Do you have a valid passport?
Ils ont une grande maison à Vancouver.
🗣️ [eel zohn toon grahnd meh-zohn ah vahn-koo-vehr]
🇬🇧 They have a big house in Vancouver.
⚠️ Common Pitfall to Avoid in TEF / TCF
❌ Mistake: Je suis 30 ans
✓ Correction: J'ai 30 ans
💡 Age in French always requires the verb AVOIR ('to have years').
🧠 Quick Check Drill
How do you say 'I am hungry' in French?
UNIT 07 ⚡ Tenses Level A0

Regular -ER Verbs in the Present

🇬🇧 1st Group ⏱️ 4 min study 🔊 Native Voice

Over 85% of French verbs belong to the 1st Group (-ER verbs). Once you learn this single ending pattern, you can conjugate hundreds of everyday verbs.

To conjugate: Take the infinitive (e.g. Parler), remove '-er' to get the stem ('parl-'), and attach the 6 standard present endings: -e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent.

📐 Cheat-Sheet Formula & Rules 
Endings Pattern:
Je       + [Stem] + -e    (je parle)      [zhuh pahrl]
Tu       + [Stem] + -es   (tu parles)     [too pahrl]
Il/Elle  + [Stem] + -e    (il parle)      [eel pahrl]
Nous     + [Stem] + -ons  (nous parlons)  [noo pahr-lohn]
Vous     + [Stem] + -ez   (vous parlez)   [voo pahr-lay]
Ils/Elles+ [Stem] + -ent  (ils parlent)   [eel pahrl - '-ent' is silent!]

High-Yield Verbs:
- Habiter (to live)
- Aimer (to like/love)
- Travailler (to work)
- Regarder (to watch)
- Écouter (to listen)
🗣️ Real-World French in Context
J'habite à Toronto et je travaille dans la technologie.
🗣️ [zhah-beet ah toh-rohn-toh ay zhuh trah-vah-yuh dahn lah tek-noh-loh-zhee]
🇬🇧 I live in Toronto and I work in technology.
Tu aimes écouter de la musique française ?
🗣️ [too em ay-koo-tay duh lah moo-zeek frahn-sehz]
🇬🇧 Do you like listening to French music?
Nous étudions le français deux heures par jour.
🗣️ [nooz ay-too-dyohn luh frahn-seh duh zuhr pahr zhoor]
🇬🇧 We study French two hours a day.
Ils parlent anglais et français couramment.
🗣️ [eel pahrl ahn-gleh ay frahn-seh koo-rah-mahn]
🇬🇧 They speak English and French fluently.
⚠️ Common Pitfall to Avoid in TEF / TCF
❌ Mistake: Pronouncing the '-ent' ending in 'ils parlent'
✓ Correction: Pronounce as [eel pahrl] — the '-ent' is completely silent.
💡 Never pronounce the letters 'ent' at the end of 3rd person plural verbs.
🧠 Quick Check Drill
What is the 'nous' form of the verb 'travailler'?
UNIT 08 ⚡ Tenses Level A0

Le Verbe ALLER & Introduction to Futur Proche

⏱️ 4 min study 🔊 Native Voice

ALLER (to go) is used for physical movement and serves as the building block for Futur Proche (Aller + Infinitive = 'going to do something').

Conjugation of ALLER is completely irregular. In daily Canadian French, Futur Proche is used far more often than Futur Simple to talk about immediate future plans.

📐 Cheat-Sheet Formula & Rules 
Conjugation of ALLER:
Je vais       [zhuh vay]        (I go / I am going)
Tu vas        [too vah]         (You go)
Il/Elle va    [eel/el vah]      (He/She goes)
Nous allons   [nooz ah-lohn]    (We go)
Vous allez    [vooz ah-lay]     (You go)
Ils/Elles vont[eel/el vohn]     (They go)

Futur Proche Formula:
[Aller au présent] + [Verbe à l'infinitif]
- Je vais partir (I am going to leave)
- Nous allons réussir (We are going to succeed)
🗣️ Real-World French in Context
Je vais au centre-ville pour mon cours de français.
🗣️ [zhuh vay oh sahn-truh-veel poor mohn koor duh frahn-seh]
🇬🇧 I am going downtown for my French class.
Ce soir, nous allons préparer le dîner ensemble.
🗣️ [suh swahr nooz ah-lohn pray-pah-ray luh dee-nay ahn-sahmbl]
🇬🇧 Tonight, we are going to prepare dinner together.
Elle va passer son examen TEF Canada le mois prochain.
🗣️ [el vah pah-say sohn neg-zah-man tef kah-nah-dah luh mwah proh-shan]
🇬🇧 She is going to take her TEF Canada exam next month.
Où allez-vous pour les vacances d'été ?
🗣️ [oo ah-lay voo poor lay vah-kahns day-tay]
🇬🇧 Where are you going for summer vacation?
⚠️ Common Pitfall to Avoid in TEF / TCF
❌ Mistake: Je vais à la maison (when returning home)
✓ Correction: Je vais à la maison / Je rentre chez moi
💡 Remember that 'aller' conjugates to 'vais' for 'je', never 'je va'.
🧠 Quick Check Drill
What is the 'ils' form of the verb ALLER?
UNIT 09 ⚡ Tenses Level A0

Le Verbe FAIRE & Weather Expressions

⏱️ 4 min study 🔊 Native Voice

FAIRE (to do / to make) is an essential verb used for daily chores, sports, hobbies, and all weather descriptions ('Il fait beau').

To describe weather in French, always use 'Il fait + adjective' (never use 'Il est' for weather). Example: Il fait chaud, il fait froid, il fait beau.

📐 Cheat-Sheet Formula & Rules 
Conjugation of FAIRE:
Je fais       [zhuh fay]        (I do / make)
Tu fais       [too fay]         (You do)
Il/Elle fait  [eel/el fay]      (He/She does)
Nous faisons  [noo fuh-zohn]    (We do - pronounced 'fuh-zohn')
Vous faites   [voo fet]         (You do - irregular!)
Ils/Elles font[eel/el fohn]     (They do)

Weather Expressions (Météo):
- Il fait beau (The weather is nice)
- Il fait froid (It is cold)
- Il fait chaud (It is warm/hot)
- Il fait du soleil (It is sunny)
- Il fait du vent (It is windy)
🗣️ Real-World French in Context
En hiver au Canada, il fait très froid mais il fait beau.
🗣️ [ahn nee-vehr oh kah-nah-dah eel fay treh frwah may eel fay boh]
🇬🇧 In winter in Canada, it is very cold but the weather is nice.
Qu'est-ce que vous faites comme travail à Montréal ?
🗣️ [kes-kuh voo fet kohm trah-vah-yuh ah mohn-ray-ahl]
🇬🇧 What kind of work do you do in Montreal?
Je fais mes devoirs de grammaire chaque matin.
🗣️ [zhuh fay may duh-vwahr duh grah-mehr shahk mah-tan]
🇬🇧 I do my grammar homework every morning.
Nous faisons du sport le week-end au parc.
🗣️ [noo fuh-zohn doo spohr luh week-end oh pahrk]
🇬🇧 We do sports on the weekend at the park.
⚠️ Common Pitfall to Avoid in TEF / TCF
❌ Mistake: Vous faisez
✓ Correction: Vous faites
💡 FAIRE has the irregular 'vous' form 'vous faites' (like 'vous dites').
🧠 Quick Check Drill
How do you say 'The weather is hot today'?
Chapter 3 · Verbs & Moods

🔄 Reflexive Verbs, Modals & The Imperative

Express daily routines with reflexive verbs, modal auxiliaries (vouloir, pouvoir, devoir), and instructions.

4 Units · 0 Done
UNIT 10 🔄 Verbs & Moods Level A0

Essential Reflexive Verbs

🇬🇧 S'appeler & Daily Routine ⏱️ 4 min study 🔊 Native Voice

Reflexive verbs show that the subject performs an action upon themselves. They use reflexive pronouns: me, te, se, nous, vous, se.

The most common reflexive verb is 'S'appeler' (literally: to call oneself), which is how French speakers introduce themselves: 'Je m'appelle Rahul'.

📐 Cheat-Sheet Formula & Rules 
Conjugation of S'appeler:
Je m'appelle        [zhuh mah-pel]        (My name is)
Tu t'appelles       [too tah-pel]         (Your name is)
Il/Elle s'appelle   [eel/el sah-pel]      (His/Her name is)
Nous nous appelons  [noo noo zah-plohn]   (Our name is / We are called)
Vous vous appelez   [voo voo zah-play]    (Your name is - polite)
Ils/Elles s'appellent [eel sah-pel]       (Their names are)

Daily Routine Verbs:
- Se lever (to get up)
- Se coucher (to go to sleep)
- S'habiller (to get dressed)
🗣️ Real-World French in Context
Bonjour, je m'appelle Priya et je vis à Ottawa.
🗣️ [bohn-zhoor zhuh mah-pel pree-yah ay zhuh vee ah oh-tah-wah]
🇬🇧 Hello, my name is Priya and I live in Ottawa.
Comment vous vous appelez, monsieur ?
🗣️ [koh-mahn voo voo zah-play muh-syuh]
🇬🇧 What is your name, sir?
Je me lève à sept heures tous les matins.
🗣️ [zhuh muh lev ah set uhr too lay mah-tan]
🇬🇧 I get up at seven o'clock every morning.
Ils s'appellent David et Alexandre.
🗣️ [eel sah-pel dah-veed ay ah-lek-zahn-druh]
🇬🇧 Their names are David and Alexandre.
⚠️ Common Pitfall to Avoid in TEF / TCF
❌ Mistake: Mon nom appelle
✓ Correction: Je m'appelle / Mon nom est
💡 Always use 'Je m'appelle' for natural self-introductions in French.
🧠 Quick Check Drill
Complete the polite question: 'Comment vous _______ ?'
UNIT 11 🔄 Verbs & Moods Level A0

Modal Verbs: Vouloir, Pouvoir & Devoir

⏱️ 4 min study 🔊 Native Voice

Modal verbs express desire (Vouloir = want), ability/permission (Pouvoir = can), and necessity/obligation (Devoir = must). They are directly followed by an infinitive.

Formula: [Conjugated Modal Verb] + [Infinitive Verb]. For polite requests in exams, use 'Je voudrais' (I would like) instead of 'Je veux' (I want).

📐 Cheat-Sheet Formula & Rules 
Conjugations:
VOULOIR (to want):
- Je veux / Tu veux / Il veut / Nous voulons / Vous voulez / Ils veulent
- Polite: Je voudrais [zhuh voo-dreh]

POUVOIR (can / to be able):
- Je peux / Tu peux / Il peut / Nous pouvons / Vous pouvez / Ils peuvent

DEVOIR (must / to have to):
- Je dois / Tu dois / Il doit / Nous devons / Vous devez / Ils doivent
🗣️ Real-World French in Context
Je voudrais un renseignement sur le programme de visa, s'il vous plaît.
🗣️ [zhuh voo-dreh uhn rahn-sehny-mahn soor luh proh-grahm duh vee-zah seel voo pleh]
🇬🇧 I would like some information about the visa program, please.
Est-ce que je peux vous poser une question ?
🗣️ [es-kuh zhuh puh voo poh-zay oon kes-tyohn]
🇬🇧 Can I ask you a question?
Nous devons étudier régulièrement pour réussir le test.
🗣️ [noo duh-vohn zay-too-dyay ray-goo-lyehr-mahn poor ray-oo-seer luh test]
🇬🇧 We must study regularly to pass the test.
Vous pouvez m'expliquer cette règle de grammaire ?
🗣️ [voo poo-vay mex-plee-kay set reh-gluh duh grah-mehr]
🇬🇧 Can you explain this grammar rule to me?
⚠️ Common Pitfall to Avoid in TEF / TCF
❌ Mistake: Je veux un café s'il vous plaît (in formal settings)
✓ Correction: Je voudrais un café s'il vous plaît
💡 'Je veux' sounds demanding. 'Je voudrais' is polite and courteous.
🧠 Quick Check Drill
What is the polite phrase for 'I would like'?
UNIT 12 🔄 Verbs & Moods Level A0

L'Impératif

🇬🇧 Giving Directions & Instructions ⏱️ 4 min study 🔊 Native Voice

The Imperative mood is used to give instructions, advice, directions, and polite commands. It has only 3 forms: Tu, Nous, and Vous, and drops the subject pronoun.

Crucial Rule for -ER verbs: Drop the final 's' in the 'tu' form (e.g. Tu parles -> Parle !). With 'vous', the ending is always '-ez' (Parlez !).

📐 Cheat-Sheet Formula & Rules 
Formation:
Take the present tense form and remove the subject pronoun:
- Parler -> Parle ! (Speak! - informal) | Parlons ! (Let's speak!) | Parlez ! (Speak! - polite/plural)
- Écouter -> Écoute ! | Écoutons ! | Écoutez !
- Tourner -> Tournez à droite ! (Turn right!)
- Continuer -> Continuez tout droit ! (Continue straight ahead!)
🗣️ Real-World French in Context
Écoutez bien l'enregistrement et répondez aux questions.
🗣️ [ay-koo-tay byan lahn-ruh-zhees-truh-mahn ay ray-pohn-day oh kes-tyohn]
🇬🇧 Listen carefully to the recording and answer the questions.
Tournez à gauche au feu rouge, puis continuez tout droit.
🗣️ [toor-nay ah gohsh oh fuh roozh pwee kohn-tee-noo-ay too drwah]
🇬🇧 Turn left at the red light, then continue straight ahead.
Prenez votre temps pour bien lire les instructions.
🗣️ [pruh-nay voh-truh tahn poor byan leer lay zan-strook-syohn]
🇬🇧 Take your time to read the instructions carefully.
Répétez après moi cette phrase en français.
🗣️ [ray-pay-tay ah-preh mwah set frahz ahn frahn-seh]
🇬🇧 Repeat this French sentence after me.
⚠️ Common Pitfall to Avoid in TEF / TCF
❌ Mistake: Vous écoutez la leçon ! (as an imperative)
✓ Correction: Écoutez la leçon !
💡 Never include the pronoun 'vous' or 'tu' in imperative commands.
🧠 Quick Check Drill
How do you tell someone politely 'Please repeat'?
UNIT 13 🔄 Verbs & Moods Level A0

Le Verbe VENIR & Le Passé Récent

🇬🇧 Venir de + Infinitif ⏱️ 4 min study 🔊 Native Voice

VENIR (to come) expresses physical movement or origin ('Je viens d'Inde'). Paired with 'de + infinitive', it expresses recent past actions ('I just did...').

Passé Récent formula: [Venir au présent] + de + [Infinitif]. Example: 'Je viens d'arriver au Canada' means 'I just arrived in Canada'.

📐 Cheat-Sheet Formula & Rules 
Conjugation of VENIR:
Je viens      [zhuh vyan]       (I come)
Tu viens      [too vyan]        (You come)
Il/Elle vient [eel/el vyan]     (He/She comes)
Nous venons   [noo vuh-nohn]    (We come)
Vous venez    [voo vuh-nay]     (You come)
Ils viennent  [eel vyen]        (They come)

Passé Récent Formula:
[Sujet] + [Venir] + de/d' + [Infinitif]
- Je viens de finir (I just finished)
- Nous venons d'arriver (We just arrived)
🗣️ Real-World French in Context
Je viens d'Inde et j'habite maintenant à Calgary.
🗣️ [zhuh vyan dande ay zhah-beet man-tuh-nahn ah kahl-gah-ree]
🇬🇧 I come from India and I now live in Calgary.
Attendez une minute, je viens de terminer mon travail.
🗣️ [ah-tahn-day oon mee-noot zhuh vyan duh tehr-mee-nay mohn trah-vah-yuh]
🇬🇧 Wait a minute, I just finished my work.
Le train vient d'entrer en gare de Montréal.
🗣️ [luh tran vyan dahn-tray ahn gahr duh mohn-ray-ahl]
🇬🇧 The train just entered the Montreal station.
D'où venez-vous exactement ?
🗣️ [doo vuh-nay vooz eg-zahk-tuh-mahn]
🇬🇧 Where do you come from exactly?
⚠️ Common Pitfall to Avoid in TEF / TCF
❌ Mistake: Je viens à finir mon travail
✓ Correction: Je viens de finir mon travail
💡 Passé Récent always requires the preposition 'de' (or d' before vowels), never 'à'.
🧠 Quick Check Drill
What does 'Je viens d'arriver' mean in English?
Chapter 4 · Parts of Speech

🧩 Articles, Quantities & Pronouns

Master definite, indefinite, and partitive articles (du, de la), subject pronouns, and possessive adjectives.

4 Units · 0 Done
UNIT 14 🧩 Parts of Speech Level A0

Articles Définis & Indéfinis

🇬🇧 Le, La, Les / Un, Une, Des ⏱️ 4 min study 🔊 Native Voice

Every French noun has a grammatical gender: masculine or feminine. Articles introduce nouns and must agree with them in gender and number.

Definite articles (le, la, l', les) specify a known object ('the'). Indefinite articles (un, une, des) introduce an unspecific item ('a', 'an', 'some').

📐 Cheat-Sheet Formula & Rules 
Definite Articles (The):
- Le garçon (masculine singular)
- La fille (feminine singular)
- L'ami / L'école (before vowel or mute 'h')
- Les étudiants (all plurals)

Indefinite Articles (A / An / Some):
- Un passeport (masculine singular)
- Une carte (feminine singular)
- Des livres (all plurals)
🗣️ Real-World French in Context
L'étudiant a un stylo et les documents d'immigration.
🗣️ [lay-too-dyahn ah uhn stee-loh ay lay doh-koo-mahn deem-mee-grah-syohn]
🇬🇧 The student has a pen and the immigration documents.
C'est une ville magnifique avec de beaux parcs.
🗣️ [seh toon veel mah-nyee-feek ah-vek duh boh pahrk]
🇬🇧 It is a magnificent city with beautiful parks.
Le professeur donne des exemples très clairs.
🗣️ [luh proh-feh-suhr dohn day zeg-zahmpl treh klehr]
🇬🇧 The professor gives very clear examples.
J'ai acheté un livre et une bouteille d'eau.
🗣️ [zhay ah-shuh-tay uhn leevr ay oon boo-teh-yuh doh]
🇬🇧 I bought a book and a bottle of water.
⚠️ Common Pitfall to Avoid in TEF / TCF
❌ Mistake: Le eau
✓ Correction: L'eau
💡 'Le' and 'la' drop their vowel and become 'l'' before a vowel sound.
🧠 Quick Check Drill
Which article is used for a feminine singular noun ('the')?
UNIT 15 🧩 Parts of Speech Level A0

Articles Partitifs: Du, De la, De l', Des

🇬🇧 Some / Any ⏱️ 4 min study 🔊 Native Voice

Partitive articles express an unspecified amount of an uncountable substance (food, liquids, abstract qualities): 'some' or 'any'.

Masculine: du (du pain, du café). Feminine: de la (de la viande, de la salade). Before vowels: de l' (de l'eau). In negative sentences, all partitives become simply 'de' (Je ne bois pas de café)!

📐 Cheat-Sheet Formula & Rules 
Partitive Forms:
- Du        [doo]           (de + le = masc singular)
- De la     [duh lah]       (fem singular)
- De l'     [duh l]         (before vowels / h)
- Des       [day]           (plural)

Critical Negation Transformation:
In negative sentences, du/de la/de l'/des change to 'de' or 'd'':
- J'ai du temps -> Je n'ai pas DE temps.
- Il boit du lait -> Il ne boit pas DE lait.
🗣️ Real-World French in Context
Je prends du café avec du sucre et de la crème.
🗣️ [zhuh prahn doo kah-fay ah-vek doo soo-kruh ay duh lah krem]
🇬🇧 I take some coffee with sugar and cream.
Il faut boire beaucoup de l'eau pendant l'été.
🗣️ [eel foh bwahr boh-koo doh pahn-dahn lay-tay]
🇬🇧 You must drink a lot of water during summer.
Je ne mange pas de viande parce que je suis végétarien.
🗣️ [zhuh nuh mahnzh pah duh vyahnd pahrs kuh zhuh swee vay-zhay-tah-ryan]
🇬🇧 I do not eat meat because I am vegetarian.
Avez-vous du courage pour relever ce défi ?
🗣️ [ah-vay voo doo koo-rahzh poor ruh-luh-vay suh day-fee]
🇬🇧 Do you have courage to take up this challenge?
⚠️ Common Pitfall to Avoid in TEF / TCF
❌ Mistake: Je ne mange pas de la viande
✓ Correction: Je ne mange pas de viande
💡 After 'ne... pas', partitive articles (du, de la, des) must be replaced by 'de'.
🧠 Quick Check Drill
What is the correct negative form of 'Je bois du lait'?
UNIT 16 🧩 Parts of Speech Level A0

Les Pronoms Sujets & Pronoms Toniques

🇬🇧 Moi, Toi, Lui ⏱️ 4 min study 🔊 Native Voice

Subject pronouns execute the verb (Je, Tu, Il). Stressed pronouns (Moi, Toi, Lui, Elle, Nous, Vous, Eux, Elles) add emphasis and follow prepositions (avec, pour, chez).

Use stressed pronouns alone in short answers ('Qui veut du café ? — Moi !') and after prepositions like 'avec moi' (with me), 'chez lui' (at his house), 'pour toi' (for you).

📐 Cheat-Sheet Formula & Rules 
Pronoun Mapping Table:
Subject     Stressed Pronoun      Pronunciation
Je      ->  Moi                   [mwah]        (Me / As for me)
Tu      ->  Toi                   [twah]        (You)
Il      ->  Lui                   [lwee]        (Him)
Elle    ->  Elle                  [el]          (Her)
Nous    ->  Nous                  [noo]         (Us)
Vous    ->  Vous                  [voo]         (You)
Ils     ->  Eux                   [uh]          (Them - masc)
Elles   ->  Elles                 [el]          (Them - fem)
🗣️ Real-World French in Context
Moi, j'adore Montréal, mais lui préfère Vancouver.
🗣️ [mwah zhah-dohr mohn-ray-ahl may lwee pray-fehr vahn-koo-vehr]
🇬🇧 As for me, I love Montreal, but he prefers Vancouver.
Est-ce que tu viens avec nous au restaurant ce soir ?
🗣️ [es-kuh too vyan ah-vek noo oh res-toh-rahn suh swahr]
🇬🇧 Are you coming with us to the restaurant tonight?
Ce cadeau est spécialement pour toi et pour elle.
🗣️ [suh kah-doh ay spay-syahl-mahn poor twah ay poor el]
🇬🇧 This gift is specially for you and for her.
Qui veut pratiquer le français oral ? — Moi !
🗣️ [kee vuh prah-tee-kay luh frahn-seh oh-rahl mwah]
🇬🇧 Who wants to practice spoken French? — Me!
⚠️ Common Pitfall to Avoid in TEF / TCF
❌ Mistake: Avec je
✓ Correction: Avec moi
💡 After prepositions (avec, pour, sans, chez), always use stressed pronouns.
🧠 Quick Check Drill
What is the stressed pronoun for 'il' (he)?
UNIT 17 🧩 Parts of Speech Level A0

Les Adjectifs Possessifs

🇬🇧 Mon, Ma, Mes / Ton, Ta, Tes ⏱️ 4 min study 🔊 Native Voice

Possessive adjectives show ownership (my, your, his/her). In French, the possessive adjective agrees with the GENDER OF THE NOUN OWNED, not the owner!

Example: Pierre (a man) talking about his car says 'ma voiture' because 'voiture' is feminine. A woman talking about her father says 'mon père' because 'père' is masculine.

📐 Cheat-Sheet Formula & Rules 
Possessive Adjectives Grid:
Owner       Masc Sing     Fem Sing      Plural
Je (my)     Mon           Ma (Mon*)     Mes
Tu (your)   Ton           Ta (Ton*)     Tes
Il/Elle     Son           Sa (Son*)     Ses
Nous (our)  Notre         Notre         Nos
Vous (your) Votre         Votre         Vos
Ils/Elles   Leur          Leur          Leurs

*Special Phonetic Rule:
If a feminine noun starts with a vowel or mute 'h', use 'mon, ton, son' instead of ma, ta, sa:
- Mon amie (my female friend)
- Mon école (my school)
🗣️ Real-World French in Context
Voici mon passeport, ma demande et mes photos.
🗣️ [vwah-see mohn pahs-pohr mah duh-mahnd ay may foh-toh]
🇬🇧 Here is my passport, my application, and my photos.
Son père et sa mère habitent à Toronto.
🗣️ [sohn pehr ay sah mehr ah-beet ah toh-rohn-toh]
🇬🇧 His/her father and his/her mother live in Toronto.
Notre professeur est canadien et ses explications sont claires.
🗣️ [noh-truh proh-feh-suhr ay kah-nah-dyan ay say zek-splee-kah-syohn sohn klehr]
🇬🇧 Our teacher is Canadian and his explanations are clear.
Où sont vos documents d'identité officiels ?
🗣️ [oo sohn voh doh-koo-mahn dee-dahn-tee-tay oh-fee-syel]
🇬🇧 Where are your official identity documents?
⚠️ Common Pitfall to Avoid in TEF / TCF
❌ Mistake: Ma amie
✓ Correction: Mon amie
💡 Before feminine words starting with a vowel, use 'mon' to prevent vowel collision.
🧠 Quick Check Drill
Which possessive adjective correctly completes '_______ amie' (feminine friend)?
Chapter 5 · Syntax Mechanics

📐 Sentence Mechanics, Negation & Questions

Build negative sentences (ne...pas), ask questions with inversion or est-ce que, and use location prepositions.

4 Units · 0 Done
UNIT 18 📐 Sentence Structure Level A0

La Négation de Base: Ne ... Pas

⏱️ 4 min study 🔊 Native Voice

French negation wraps around the conjugated verb like a sandwich: Ne + [Verb] + Pas. Before a vowel sound, 'ne' contracts to 'n''.

Formula: [Subject] + ne/n' + [Conjugated Verb] + pas + [Complement]. In TEF/TCF exam speaking and writing, dropping 'ne' is penalized as a register error.

📐 Cheat-Sheet Formula & Rules 
Negation Blueprint:
Affirmative:  Je parle français.
Negative:     Je NE parle PAS français.

With Vowel (Elision):
Affirmative:  J'aime le café.
Negative:     Je N'aime PAS le café.
Affirmative:  Il habite à Paris.
Negative:     Il N'habite PAS à Paris.

With Compound Verbs (Futur Proche):
- Je NE vais PAS partir (ne... pas wraps around the conjugated verb 'vais').
🗣️ Real-World French in Context
Je ne parle pas encore couramment français, mais j'apprends.
🗣️ [zhuh nuh pahrl pah zahn-kohr koo-rah-mahn frahn-seh may zhah-prahn]
🇬🇧 I do not yet speak French fluently, but I am learning.
Il n'est pas disponible pour l'entretien aujourd'hui.
🗣️ [eel neh pah dees-poh-neebl poor lahn-truh-tyan oh-zhoor-dwee]
🇬🇧 He is not available for the interview today.
Nous ne voulons pas perdre de points sur notre score CRS.
🗣️ [noo nuh voo-lohn pah pehr-druh duh pwan soor noh-truh skohr seh-er-es]
🇬🇧 We do not want to lose points on our CRS score.
Elle ne va pas voyager avant d'avoir reçu son invitation.
🗣️ [el nuh vah pah vwah-yah-zhay ah-vahn dah-vwahr ruh-soo sohn nan-vee-tah-syohn]
🇬🇧 She is not going to travel before receiving her invitation.
⚠️ Common Pitfall to Avoid in TEF / TCF
❌ Mistake: Je parle pas anglais (in formal tests)
✓ Correction: Je ne parle pas anglais
💡 While casual speech omits 'ne', TEF and TCF exams require the complete 'ne ... pas'.
🧠 Quick Check Drill
What is the correct negative form of 'J'habite à Ottawa'?
UNIT 19 📐 Sentence Structure Level A0

Question Formation: Intonation, Est-ce que & Inversion

⏱️ 4 min study 🔊 Native Voice

There are three primary ways to ask questions in French: Rising Intonation (casual), 'Est-ce que' (standard & versatile), and Inversion (formal & professional).

For TEF Speaking Section A (gathering information from an interviewer), using 'Est-ce que' and question words is the safest, most natural strategy.

📐 Cheat-Sheet Formula & Rules 
Three Question Registers:
1. Intonation (Rising pitch at end):
   - Vous parlez français ? [voo pahr-lay frahn-seh?]

2. Est-ce que (Standard - adds 'est-ce que' before statement):
   - Est-ce que vous parlez français ? [es-kuh voo pahr-lay frahn-seh?]

3. Inversion (Verb hyphenated with pronoun):
   - Parlez-vous français ? [pahr-lay-voo frahn-seh?]

Question Words + Est-ce que:
- Où est-ce que vous habitez ? (Where do you live?)
- Quand est-ce que le test commence ? (When does the test start?)
🗣️ Real-World French in Context
Est-ce que vous pouvez me donner le formulaire d'inscription ?
🗣️ [es-kuh voo poo-vay muh doh-nay luh fohr-moo-lehr dan-skreep-syohn]
🇬🇧 Can you give me the registration form?
Combien coûte un cours de préparation au TEF Canada ?
🗣️ [kohm-byan koot uhn koor duh pray-pah-rah-syohn oh tef kah-nah-dah]
🇬🇧 How much does a TEF Canada preparation course cost?
Travaillez-vous actuellement dans la province de l'Ontario ?
🗣️ [trah-vah-yay vooz ahk-too-el-mahn dahn lah proh-vans duh lohn-tah-ryoh]
🇬🇧 Do you currently work in the province of Ontario?
À quelle heure est-ce que les portes ouvrent demain matin ?
🗣️ [ah kel uhr es-kuh lay pohrt zoorv duh-man mah-tan]
🇬🇧 What time do the doors open tomorrow morning?
⚠️ Common Pitfall to Avoid in TEF / TCF
❌ Mistake: Est-ce que où vous habitez ?
✓ Correction: Où est-ce que vous habitez ?
💡 Question words (Où, Quand, Pourquoi) must precede 'est-ce que'.
🧠 Quick Check Drill
Which construction means 'Where do you live?'
UNIT 20 📐 Sentence Structure Level A0

Prepositions of Location: À, Au, En, Aux, Chez

⏱️ 4 min study 🔊 Native Voice

French uses specific prepositions depending on whether you are going to a city (À), a masculine country (Au), a feminine country (En), or a person's house/business (Chez).

Cities take 'À' (À Paris, à Montréal). Feminine countries (ending in 'e') take 'En' (En France, en Inde). Masculine countries take 'Au' (Au Canada, au Japon). Plural countries take 'Aux' (Aux États-Unis).

📐 Cheat-Sheet Formula & Rules 
Preposition Rules for Places:
- Cities: À (à Toronto, à Ottawa, à Paris)
- Feminine Countries (end in -e): En (en France, en Inde, en Italie)
- Masculine Countries (end in consonant): Au (au Canada, au Mexique, au Brésil)
- Plural Countries: Aux (aux États-Unis, aux Émirats Arabes Unis)
- People's Place / Doctor / Offices: Chez (chez le médecin, chez moi)
🗣️ Real-World French in Context
J'habite au Canada, mais je suis né en Inde.
🗣️ [zhah-beet oh kah-nah-dah may zhuh swee nay ahn nande]
🇬🇧 I live in Canada, but I was born in India.
Elle va à Montréal pour passer son examen de langue.
🗣️ [el vah ah mohn-ray-ahl poor pah-say sohn neg-zah-man duh lahng]
🇬🇧 She is going to Montreal to take her language exam.
Nous allons chez le médecin pour la visite médicale d'immigration.
🗣️ [nooz ah-lohn shay luh mayd-san poor lah vee-zeet may-dee-kahl deem-mee-grah-syohn]
🇬🇧 We are going to the doctor's for the immigration medical exam.
Ils voyagent aux États-Unis pour les vacances de Noël.
🗣️ [eel vwah-yahzh oh zay-tah-zoo-nee poor lay vah-kahns duh noh-el]
🇬🇧 They are traveling to the United States for Christmas holidays.
⚠️ Common Pitfall to Avoid in TEF / TCF
❌ Mistake: J'habite en Canada
✓ Correction: J'habite au Canada
💡 Canada is a masculine country, so it takes the preposition 'au' (à + le = au).
🧠 Quick Check Drill
Which preposition completes: 'Elle habite _______ Canada'?
UNIT 21 📐 Sentence Structure Level A0

Essential Question Words

🇬🇧 Où, Quand, Pourquoi, Comment ⏱️ 4 min study 🔊 Native Voice

Question words (Les mots interrogatifs) allow you to elicit specific details: Who, What, Where, When, Why, How, and How much.

Essential for Section A of the TEF/TCF Speaking test where you must ask the examiner 10 to 12 questions about an advertisement or event.

📐 Cheat-Sheet Formula & Rules 
Question Words Roster:
- Où ?          [oo]          (Where?)
- Quand ?       [kahn]        (When?)
- Comment ?     [koh-mahn]    (How?)
- Pourquoi ?    [poor-kwah]   (Why?)
- Combien ?     [kohm-byan]   (How much / How many?)
- Qui ?         [kee]         (Who?)
- Que / Quoi ?  [kuh / kwah]  (What?)
🗣️ Real-World French in Context
Où se trouve le centre d'examen à Ottawa ?
🗣️ [oo suh troov luh sahn-truh deg-zah-man ah oh-tah-wah]
🇬🇧 Where is the examination center located in Ottawa?
Quand est-ce que les résultats officiels seront disponibles ?
🗣️ [kahn tes-kuh lay ray-zool-tah oh-fee-syel suh-rohn dees-poh-neebl]
🇬🇧 When will the official results be available?
Pourquoi apprenez-vous le français ? — Pour immigrer au Canada.
🗣️ [poor-kwah ah-pruh-nay voo luh frahn-seh poor eem-mee-gray oh kah-nah-dah]
🇬🇧 Why are you learning French? — To immigrate to Canada.
Combien coûte une heure de tutorat en ligne ?
🗣️ [kohm-byan koot oon uhr duh too-toh-rah ahn leeny]
🇬🇧 How much does one hour of online tutoring cost?
⚠️ Common Pitfall to Avoid in TEF / TCF
❌ Mistake: Combien de coûte l'examen ?
✓ Correction: Combien coûte l'examen ?
💡 'Combien de' is followed by a noun (combien d'heures); 'Combien' is directly followed by the verb (combien coûte).
🧠 Quick Check Drill
Which word means 'Why' in French?
Chapter 6 · Mastery Review

🎯 Practical Fluency & Diagnostic Milestones

Master French numbers 0–100, telling time, and test your readiness with the A0 diagnostic exam.

2 Units · 0 Done
UNIT 22 🎯 Practice & Review Level A0

French Numbers 0–100, Prices & Telling Time

⏱️ 4 min study 🔊 Native Voice

Mastering numbers is critical for TEF Listening: understanding train times, flight departures, prices in dollars, and phone numbers.

French numbers use specific combinations from 70 upwards: 70 = soixante-dix (60+10), 80 = quatre-vingts (4*20), 90 = quatre-vingt-dix (4*20+10). Telling time uses: 'Il est [heure] heures [minutes]'.

📐 Cheat-Sheet Formula & Rules 
Core Numbers Table:
0: zéro | 1: un | 2: deux | 3: trois | 4: quatre | 5: cinq
6: six | 7: sept | 8: huit | 9: neuf | 10: dix
11: onze | 12: douze | 13: treize | 14: quatorze | 15: quinze | 16: seize
20: vingt | 30: trente | 40: quarante | 50: cinquante | 60: soixante
70: soixante-dix | 80: quatre-vingts | 90: quatre-vingt-dix | 100: cent

Telling Time (L'heure):
- Il est huit heures du matin (It is 8:00 AM)
- Il est midi (It is 12:00 PM noon)
- Il est minuit (It is 12:00 AM midnight)
- Il est trois heures et demie (It is 3:30)
🗣️ Real-World French in Context
L'examen commence à neuf heures et demie précises.
🗣️ [leg-zah-man koh-mahns ah nuhf uhr ay duh-mee pray-seez]
🇬🇧 The exam begins at exactly half past nine.
Ce manuel de préparation coûte quarante-cinq dollars canadiens.
🗣️ [suh mah-noo-el duh pray-pah-rah-syohn koot kah-rahnt-sank doh-lahr kah-nah-dyan]
🇬🇧 This preparation handbook costs forty-five Canadian dollars.
Il est actuellement deux heures et quart de l'après-midi.
🗣️ [eel ay tahk-too-el-mahn duh zuhr ay kahr duh lah-preh mee-dee]
🇬🇧 It is currently quarter past two in the afternoon.
Mon numéro de dossier comporte quatre-vingt-douze pages.
🗣️ [mohn noo-may-roh duh doh-syay kohm-pohrt kah-truh-van-dooz pahzh]
🇬🇧 My application file comprises ninety-two pages.
⚠️ Common Pitfall to Avoid in TEF / TCF
❌ Mistake: Il est huit temps
✓ Correction: Il est huit heures
💡 To state the time in French, always use 'heures', never 'temps'.
🧠 Quick Check Drill
What number is 'soixante-dix' in French?
UNIT 23 🎯 Practice & Review Level A0

A0 Comprehensive Mastery & TEF Diagnostic Exam

⏱️ 4 min study 🔊 Native Voice

Capstone diagnostic covering all 20 Level A0 grammar competencies: Être vs Avoir, -ER verbs, modal verbs, prepositions, and negation.

Achieving a score of 80% or higher confirms complete foundational readiness to advance to CEFR Level A1 coursework.

📐 Cheat-Sheet Formula & Rules 
A0 Mastery Checklist:
✓ Être & Avoir conjugation without hesitation
✓ Subject-verb agreements with regular -ER verbs
✓ Correct preposition usage (à, en, au, chez)
✓ Correct negation sandwich (ne... pas)
✓ Numbers 0-100 and telling time
🗣️ Real-World French in Context
Je m'appelle Rahul, j'ai 29 ans, je suis ingénieur et j'habite au Canada.
🗣️ [zhuh mah-pel rah-hool zhay van-t-nuhf ahn zhuh swee an-zhay-nyuhr ay zhah-beet oh kah-nah-dah]
🇬🇧 My name is Rahul, I am 29 years old, I am an engineer, and I live in Canada.
Nous ne voulons pas faire d'erreurs sur notre demande d'immigration.
🗣️ [noo nuh voo-lohn pah fehr deh-ruhr soor noh-truh duh-mahnd deem-mee-grah-syohn]
🇬🇧 We do not want to make mistakes on our immigration application.
⚠️ Common Pitfall to Avoid in TEF / TCF
❌ Mistake: Confusing 'ils ont' (they have) with 'ils sont' (they are)
✓ Correction: 'Ils ont' has a z-liaison [eel-zohn]; 'ils sont' has an s-sound [eel-sohn].
💡 Mastering this auditory distinction prevents critical misunderstandings in listening exams.
🧠 Quick Check Drill
Which sentence is 100% grammatically correct in French?
🌐 Translate (EN ↔ FR)