Mission: send a postcard from the seaside
Writing a short message or postcard. The shape of a friendly message, and how to reach 40 to 50 words with simple sentences.
FrenchA1 · Being politeAbout 5 min: 3 reading, 2 practiceUpdated
- Open and close a friendly message (Cher / Chère, Salut
- Bises, À bientôt)
- Write a postcard: where you are, the weather, what you do, what you are going to do
- Write 40 to 50 words using sentences you already know
- Check your text before you hand it in
Being polite: lesson 4 of 4
- A1 · Being polite
- Mission: buy a baguette politely 4 min
- Mission: buy lunch at the market 5 min
- A1 · Forms and paperwork
- Mission: check in at a hotel 4 min
- A1 · Being polite
- Mission: send a postcard from the seaside 5 min
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Level Level A1 (around the DELF A1 exam). Real French: a postcard to a friend from your holiday.
What it is
Your mission: you are on holiday by the sea, and your friend Romain has asked for a postcard. Write him 40 to 50 words: where you are, the weather, what you do, and what you are going to do tomorrow.
A friendly postcard, message or reply to an invitation is the kind of text you will often write. The A1 level (DELF A1) asks for about 40 to 50 words in the official sample papers (the newest sample says at least 40), a good length to aim for.
A friendly message has four parts:
| Part | Examples |
|---|---|
| 1. Greeting | Cher Paul, (m) / Chère Marie, (f) / Salut Léa ! |
| 2. Where you are, and the weather | Je suis à Nice. Il fait beau et chaud. |
| 3. What you do, and what you are going to do | Je vais à la plage tous les jours. Demain, je vais visiter le musée. |
| 4. Closing and name | Bises, Anna / À bientôt ! Tom / Amitiés, Sophie |
Cher agrees: Chère Marie, Chers amis.
Real French: in a text message to a friend you will see Bisous (kisses) and À plus ! (see you later) more often than Bises and À bientôt. Both are fine between friends; keep the fuller forms in a card or a letter.
Quick check
Tap an answer to check it.
How do you start a postcard to your friend Julie?
- Julie is a woman: chère
- Too formal for a friend
Show answer
Chère Julie,. cher → chère for a woman.
Why it matters
In the official sample papers this part is worth 15 of the 25 writing marks, and it is very predictable: the examiners check that you answer every point in the task, use the right greeting and closing, and write simple sentences correctly. Short correct sentences score better than long sentences with mistakes.
Worked example
The task, in exam style: You are on holiday by the sea. Write a postcard to a friend (40 to 50 words): say where you are, what the weather is like, what you do, and what you are going to do tomorrow.
Chère Clara,
Je suis en vacances à Biarritz avec ma famille. Il fait très beau et chaud ! Le matin, je vais à la plage et l'après-midi, je fais du vélo. L'hôtel est petit mais sympathique. Demain, nous allons visiter Bayonne.
Bises,
Lucie
That is 43 words, counting the greeting and the closing, and every sentence uses a pattern from earlier lessons: être, faire, aller, the near future, adjectives that agree.
Common mistake
Missing a point in the task. If the task asks for four things (where, weather, activities, tomorrow), each must be there: the examiners check every point. Underline the points in the task before you write, and tick them off.
Second: forgetting the greeting or the closing. A message with no Cher … , and no Bises loses marks even if the sentences are perfect.
Quick check
Tap an answer to check it.
The task asks: where you are, the weather, and your plans for tomorrow. Which text answers it fully?
- The plans for tomorrow are missing
- Where you are is missing
Show answer
Je suis à Lyon. Il fait froid. Demain, je vais visiter le musée.. All three points are there.
Key terms
- Cher / Chère
- Dear (to a man / a woman)
- Salut
- Hi (informal)
- Bises / Grosses bises
- Love (between friends and family)
- À bientôt
- See you soon
- Amitiés
- Best wishes (friendly but less close)
- en vacances
- on holiday
Practise the key terms
Tap a card to turn it over. 6 cards.
| Front | Back |
|---|---|
| Cher / Chère | Dear (to a man / a woman) |
| Salut | Hi (informal) |
| Bises / Grosses bises | Love (between friends and family) |
| À bientôt | See you soon |
| Amitiés | Best wishes (friendly but less close) |
| en vacances | on holiday |
Practice
Build the sentence
Put the postcard in order: greeting, where, weather, plans, closing.
Show answer
Cher Marc, Je suis à Rome. Il fait beau. Demain, je vais visiter le Colisée. Bises, Anna. Greeting, where, weather, plans, closing.
Sort it
Opening or closing?
Chère Sophie,
greeting a womanShow answer
Opening. greeting a woman
Bises,
friendly closingShow answer
Closing. friendly closing
Salut Hugo !
informal greetingShow answer
Opening. informal greeting
À bientôt !
see you soonShow answer
Closing. see you soon
Amitiés,
best wishesShow answer
Closing. best wishes
Quick quiz
Tap an answer to check it.
How do you write "Dear friends" (a mixed group)?
- Plural: chers
- amis (mixed group) is masculine plural
Show answer
Chers amis,. Masculine plural: chers amis.
Practise speaking
Studyfern has no voice tools of its own. To practise out loud, copy this prompt into a voice-capable AI assistant and talk with it.
Mission role-play. You are Romain, my friendly French friend waiting for my postcard, at level A1. Speak slowly and clearly. Use only these words and patterns: cher, chère, salut, je suis à, il fait beau, il fait chaud, il fait froid, je vais à la plage, je fais du vélo, demain je vais visiter, l'hôtel est, petit, grand, sympathique, avec ma famille, avec mes amis, bises, à bientôt. I will say a short holiday postcard out loud, one sentence at a time, as if I were writing it. After each sentence, tell me what kind of mistake I made, if any, and let me try again. When I have finished, tell me if any of these were missing: greeting, where I am, weather, activities, plans, closing. When all six are there, say « Mission accomplie ! » and give me one tip. Keep every reply under 2 sentences. Explain corrections in English.
Listen too. Listen to native speakers before and after: see the free listening and shadowing links.
Good to know. AI feedback on pronunciation is hit and miss, so check yourself against native recordings. Many assistants turn your speech into text first, so a vowel or liaison you got wrong may be silently “heard” as the right word. Don't share personal details: use a made-up name and town.
New to this? Read Practising speaking with an AI.
In short
- Four parts: greeting, where and weather, activities and plans, closing.
- Cher (m), chère (f), chers (plural); Salut is informal.
- Close with Bises, À bientôt or Amitiés, then your name.
- Aim for 40 to 50 words of short, correct sentences.
- Answer every point in the task.
Mastery check
Answer without looking back. Score 80% or more and the lesson is marked done. Your result is kept only in this browser.
Check yourself
Answer in your head first, then open the answer. Nothing is saved.
How do you close a postcard to a close friend?
Show answer
Bises (or Grosses bises), then your name.
How many words do the official A1 sample papers ask for?
Show answer
40 to 50 (the newest sample: at least 40).
What should you do with the task's points before writing?
Show answer
Underline them and tick each one off as you write it.
Further reading
- France Éducation international publishes the official DELF A1 sample papers on its website.
- TV5MONDE, Apprendre le français, free A1 exercises to practise the phrases from this lesson.
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