Cheat sheet

Being polite: cheat sheet

The summary, key terms and the trap to avoid for every lesson, in order. Print it, or read it, cover it, and say it back.

Mission: buy a baguette politely A1 · Being polite

tu: one person you know well.
vous: one person you're polite to, or any group.
With a shopkeeper or an official, use vous.
Stay with one choice in a conversation.

tu: you: one person you know well
vous: you: polite, or more than one person
je voudrais: I would like
s'il vous plaît: please (polite / plural)
s'il te plaît: please (to someone you say tu to)

Watch out: Switching between tu and vous in the same conversation. Pick one and keep it: with vous, keep s'il vous plaît and vous pouvez …; with tu, use s'il te plaît and tu peux ….

Mission: buy lunch at the market A1 · Being polite

Ask politely: je voudrais … s'il vous plaît.
Some: du (m), de la (f), de l' (vowel), des (plural).
After a quantity or a negative: de (d').
Prices: ça coûte combien ? ça fait 4,50 € (quatre euros cinquante).
Shop phrases: vous désirez ? et avec ça ? c'est tout.

je voudrais: I would like (polite)
du, de la, de l', des: some
un kilo de / une bouteille de / un paquet de: a kilo / bottle / packet of
ça coûte combien ? / c'est combien ?: how much is it?
ça fait …: that comes to …
vous désirez ?: what would you like?
et avec ça ?: anything else?
c'est tout: that's all

Watch out: Using du, de la or des after a quantity: ~~wrong: un kilo des pommes~~, ~~wrong: une bouteille de l'eau~~. After a quantity, use plain de: un kilo de pommes, une bouteille d'eau.

Mission: check in at a hotel A1 · Forms and paperwork

Nom = surname, Prénom = first name.
Dates go day / month / year: 05/03 is 5 March.
In words: le 5 mars 1998.
Courriel = email; Code postal = postcode.

nom: family name, surname
prénom: first name
date de naissance: date of birth
courriel: email address (forms may also say e-mail, mél or adresse électronique)
situation de famille: marital status, e.g. célibataire (single), marié(e) (married)

Watch out: Reading 05/03/1998 as 3 May. French dates always start with the day, so 05/03 is the 5th of March.

Mission: send a postcard from the seaside A1 · Being polite

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.

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

Watch out: 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.