Learning French log (Road to DELF B1)

Continue or start your personal language log here, including logs for challenge participants
LanguageLearner0007
Orange Belt
Posts: 131
Joined: Fri Apr 22, 2022 5:52 pm
Languages: English (N), Russian (N), French (intermediate), German (beginner)
x 212

Re: Learning French log (Road to DELF B1)

Postby LanguageLearner0007 » Sat May 28, 2022 8:35 pm

Maybe this will help someone, the subtitles French [CC] follow the French spoken language and this is perfect for understanding. But not every title will have them.

I started watching Plan Coeur which is quite fun, very happy to find that.
2 x

LanguageLearner0007
Orange Belt
Posts: 131
Joined: Fri Apr 22, 2022 5:52 pm
Languages: English (N), Russian (N), French (intermediate), German (beginner)
x 212

Re: Learning French log (Road to DELF B1)

Postby LanguageLearner0007 » Wed Jun 01, 2022 3:26 pm

Notes to self

13. Charles est très poli. Il parle ________.
Charles is very polite. He speaks politely.

I answered "poliement" whereas the correct answer was "poliment".

I hesitated here but remembered that it is supposed to be formed from a feminine form, like "parfaitement".

Apparently, it was one of the few exceptions:

joli -> joliment
vrai -> vraiment
absolu -> absolument

Rule:

Although regular adverbs are formed from feminine adjectives by adding -ment, when the masculine form of the adjective ends in any other vowel than a silent e, the adverb is formed from the masculine form instead of the feminine.
3 x

LanguageLearner0007
Orange Belt
Posts: 131
Joined: Fri Apr 22, 2022 5:52 pm
Languages: English (N), Russian (N), French (intermediate), German (beginner)
x 212

Re: Learning French log (Road to DELF B1)

Postby LanguageLearner0007 » Wed Jun 01, 2022 3:58 pm

Notes to self

14.

________ partir maintenant pour ne pas être en retard.
We must leave now not to be late.
(HINT: Use "falloir")

I answered "Il faut nous" whereas the correct answer was "Il faut".

This is a tricky one. I remembered that this is a particular expression that is only used in this form (il faut) but I thought that it still needs a pronoun. Apparently not...

I must say this one is quite tricky but the easiest way to remember for me is that this structure can be only followed by an infinitive or a noun, not a pronoun, depending on the context.

Rule:

Il faut can be followed by a verb in the infinitive or a noun:

- Il faut + infinitive = to need to [do something] OR must / to have to [do something]

- Il faut + noun = to need [something]
1 x

LanguageLearner0007
Orange Belt
Posts: 131
Joined: Fri Apr 22, 2022 5:52 pm
Languages: English (N), Russian (N), French (intermediate), German (beginner)
x 212

Re: Learning French log (Road to DELF B1)

Postby LanguageLearner0007 » Wed Jun 01, 2022 4:05 pm

Notes to self

15.

Elle ________ ses grands-parents.
She visits her grand-parents.

I answered "visite" whereas the correct response was "rend visite à".

This is a very specific point in French, you can "visite" a place but "rend visite à" when talking about a person.

Something to remember.

Rule:

Note that the verb visiter is used with places.

When visiting people (friends, family...), we use the expression rendre visite à [quelqu'un] and never visiter alone.
0 x

LanguageLearner0007
Orange Belt
Posts: 131
Joined: Fri Apr 22, 2022 5:52 pm
Languages: English (N), Russian (N), French (intermediate), German (beginner)
x 212

Re: Learning French log (Road to DELF B1)

Postby LanguageLearner0007 » Wed Jun 01, 2022 4:18 pm

As an update, I keep learning at leisurely pace, often switching to the path of least resistance.

Recently, this was the Netflix series "Plan cœur" with gorgeous Sabrina Ouazani (reason enough to learn French :D ).

You can say it's a modern reiteration of "Hélène et les Garçons" or "Friends", an easy-to-watch funny sitcom, taking place in Paris.

I finished the 1st season now and will continue watching.

Can't say I understand everything but I usually get the general idea.

They have the French [CC] as subtitles for this title which is a big, big plus.


I am doing Kwiziq time to time and slowly progressing with the A2 curriculum. Also, doing Kwiziq listening exercises.

For now, it is:

A1: 70.02%
A2: 12.53%
1 x

LanguageLearner0007
Orange Belt
Posts: 131
Joined: Fri Apr 22, 2022 5:52 pm
Languages: English (N), Russian (N), French (intermediate), German (beginner)
x 212

Re: Learning French log (Road to DELF B1)

Postby LanguageLearner0007 » Wed Jun 01, 2022 4:24 pm

Notes to self

16.

What is the correct way to say: ''We want to buy them today.''?

I answered "Nous les voulons acheter aujourd'hui." whereas the correct answer was "Nous voulons les acheter aujourd'hui.".

I kind of remembered that in French you move "les" in front, compared to English, so I moved it all the way to the front but it should have been just before the infinitive.

Rule:

Generally, when object pronouns are used in sentences with infinitives, they are placed right before the infinitive.
1 x

LanguageLearner0007
Orange Belt
Posts: 131
Joined: Fri Apr 22, 2022 5:52 pm
Languages: English (N), Russian (N), French (intermediate), German (beginner)
x 212

Re: Learning French log (Road to DELF B1)

Postby LanguageLearner0007 » Wed Jun 01, 2022 5:00 pm

Notes to self

17.

Le vert ________.
Green suits Louise.

I answered "Louise va" and the correct answer was "va à Louise".

Here I used the same form as "me va" that I saw before.



Rule:

In French, the verb aller à + person can be used in the context of looking good, for example when trying on clothes, to say to suit [someone] / to fit [someone].

In order to say it suits me/you/him/her/us/them...
you cannot use à + stress pronoun, but rather need to use indirect object pronouns as such:

[the thing(s)] + me/te/lui/nous/vous/leur + [va/vont]
1 x

LanguageLearner0007
Orange Belt
Posts: 131
Joined: Fri Apr 22, 2022 5:52 pm
Languages: English (N), Russian (N), French (intermediate), German (beginner)
x 212

Re: Learning French log (Road to DELF B1)

Postby LanguageLearner0007 » Thu Jun 02, 2022 1:15 am

Notes to self

18.

''Fais-tu la vaisselle'' means:

I answered "Do the dishes!", the correct answer was "Are you doing the dishes?".

This is quite a simple question. I think I interpreted the first verb as something direct, direct instruction. In fact, it is the same sentence structure as in "Parles-tu anglais?"

Rule:

To form inverted questions in French, you simply place the subject pronoun (je, tu, nous, vous, ils, elles) after the verb, and insert an hyphen in-between.
0 x

LanguageLearner0007
Orange Belt
Posts: 131
Joined: Fri Apr 22, 2022 5:52 pm
Languages: English (N), Russian (N), French (intermediate), German (beginner)
x 212

Re: Learning French log (Road to DELF B1)

Postby LanguageLearner0007 » Thu Jun 02, 2022 9:16 pm

Notes to self

19.

________ trois œufs.
I need three eggs.
(HINT: Use "falloir")

I answered "Il faut" and the correct answer is "Il me faut".

I mean... I just remembered that it is always "il faut" without remembering any nuances.

I think I saw something similar before and if it was like "We need three eggs", "Il faut trois œufs" could be correct.

So, I think this one is a bit confusing but basically if it's not "we", a pronoun should be added...

Rule:

Note that to use il faut for specific people, you need to use an indirect object pronoun (me, te, lui, nous, vous, leur), as such.
0 x

LanguageLearner0007
Orange Belt
Posts: 131
Joined: Fri Apr 22, 2022 5:52 pm
Languages: English (N), Russian (N), French (intermediate), German (beginner)
x 212

Re: Learning French log (Road to DELF B1)

Postby LanguageLearner0007 » Thu Jun 02, 2022 11:10 pm

Notes to self


20.

________ attends-tu ?
What are you waiting for ?

I answered "Qu'est-ce qu' " and the correct answer was "Qu' ".

I must say I was completely lost on this one, even considering the answer "Quoi"...

So it appears that there are two alternative forms and they can both be used but then the positioning of the verbs changes. For example:

Que penses-tu?
Qu'est-ce que tu penses ?

Both questions mean "what do you think?" but in the first case it is verb first, in the second case - pronoun first.

The second alternative seems a bit redundant to me, but it is what it is.

Rule:

To ask a question starting with what, the more formal way is to use que followed by the inverted form of the statement (verb first).

Note that que becomes qu' when followed by a vowel.

The main difference with qu'est-ce que is that this alternative form is never followed by the inverted form when using subject pronouns.
0 x


Return to “Language logs”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests