Ahhh, enfin . . . indeed.

When beginning this journey back in September 2022, I never imagined I would feel comfortable speaking French without thinking too far ahead of myself nor caring if I spoke incorrectly (which is still quite often), but two and a half years later, it has happened!

Imperfect French is being spoken and the fundamentals are more confidently understood than ever before. Wahoo!

While having attempted to take a French language class here and there over the past two years beginning when I was 20 back in college, I never made it past the 103. It took me three attempts, but finally, I made it all the way to completing FR 204 with the instruction of Washington D.C.’s Alliance de Française.

Back in September 2022 I enrolled at the very beginning yet again, and told myself that B1 completion was my goal, so finishing FR 204. As I shared in episode #349, in part four of this series, “On ne comprend jamais tout à fait une langue avant d’en comprendre au moins deux.” And finally, the phrase rings more true than ever. To learn a second language, if one doesn’t know well their first, is to more fully know their primary language well. And appreciate their knowledge of it as well. Humility is a muscle strengthened while stumbling over the rules of a new language and not being able to speak near as well as a toddler in the language you wish to know.

So with my humility taken to the workout gym regularly twice a week, every week (minus the two week and annual four-week break between courses), attempting to speak French is no longer fearful, but absolutely not perfect. However, as my instructor for the past three courses reminded us repeatedly, practice, practice, practice. That is how we acquire into our long-term memory a language, by using, however, imperfectly from time to time.

And so on February 13th, just barely a month ago, I celebrating concluding FR 204.

As a way to further my learning and keep all of the ‘rules’ and grammar clear so I can easily review, I keep a Formal Notes journal (see above in blue). After each lesson, I would go back through my notes and the workbooks and solidify with as much clarity and neat penmanship as possible the key rules and vocabulary. It has helped immensely for reviewing what I learned in previous classes as we would build upon previous knowledge.

What I would like to share with you today are the key lessons learned during FR 203 and FR 204 as our last part of this series – part huit – covered up through my FR 202 class conclusion.

Let’s take a look at all that was covered.

1. Vocabulary for indicating a precise moment (un moment précis)

• à partir du moment où = from the moment when/where
• le jour où = the day when
• au début = at the beginning
• jusqu’au moment où = until the moment when/where
• à l’époque = at the time
• désormais = from now on
• jusqu’à présent = so far
• pendant = during

2. How to use the verb tense, le présent continu

What is it: In the process of doing right now, at this moment.

Formula: Sujet + être au present + “en train de” + infinitif.

• Example: Nous sommes en train d’étudier le français.

3. When to use ‘qui’ or ‘que’ (relative pronouns)

4. The difference between “où” and “dont”

5. Broadening my vocabulary of les pronoms indefinis, positif et négatif

6. Plus-que-Parfait

What tense is this?

The plus-que-parfait (past perfect tense) is used to describe an action that happened before another past event.

Rule: avoir/être au l’imparfait + participe passé de verb

EX: J’avais partiqué le français avant cette rencontre avec la rédactrice en chef.

Review: The base endings for Imparfait (was-ing)

• je = -ais
• tu = -ais
• il/elle = -ait
• nous = -ions
• vous = -iez
• ils/elles = -aient

Review: Passé Composé (past tense), always begins with an auxiliary verb (either present tense of avoir or être) followed by the participle passé of the main verb.

7. Pronom Possessifs

The words to indicate possession in all of the singular, possessive and female and male forms.

• je = le mien/la mienne (S); les miens/les miennes (P) [mine]
• tu = le tien/la tienne (S); les tiens/les tiennes (P) [yours]
• il/elle = le sien/la sienne (S); les siens/les siennes (P) [his/hers]
• nous = le nôtre/la nôtre (S); les nôtres/ nos (P) [ours]
• vous = le vôtre/la vôtre (S); les vôtres (P) [yours]
• ils/elles = le leur/la leur (S); les leurs (P) [theirs]

8. Helpful vocabulary to know

• disponible = available
• car = because
• plein de = full of
• l’actualité = the news
• les nouvelles = the news
• profond = deep
• ménage = household
• porter = to wear
• citoyens = citizens
• selon = according to
  
  
  

9. Using gerund/gérondif

What is a gérondif?

A verb that functions as a noun and ends with “-ing”. In French, it is a verb that functions as a noun and ends with “-ant”.

Rule: “en” = la base de la 1st personne plural + “-ant”

EX:

1. take the verb ‘prendre’ (to take)
2. 1st personne plural ‘nous’ base ‘prenons’, take the base ‘pren
3. take the base ‘pren’ and add -ant
4. en prenant = taking

Other examples:

• faire = en faisant [doing]
• changer = en changeant [changing]

• Irregular examples:
  • étre = en étant [being]
  • manger = en mangeant [eating]
  • avoir = en ayant [having]
  • savoir = en sachant [knowing]
  • boire = en buvant [drinking]

10. Le conditionnel

What is it?

The polite form (verb tense) to express a wish, a possibility, a desire or a hypothesis (would or could in English)

Rule: Add the imparfait endings to the stem of the futur simple form of the verb.

Endings:

• je = ais
• tu = ais
• il/elle = ait
• nous = ions
• vous – iez
• ils/elles = aient

11. The most common Subjuctif irregular verbs

Review: the subjunctif tense is used or referencing situations involving doubt, uncertain, wishes, fears, etc.

• To form a subjuctif phrase:
  • Take the base of nous/ils
  • Add the following endings:
    • je – e
    • tu – es
    • il/elle – e
    • nous –ions
    • vous –iez
    • ils/elles – ent
  • The subjuctif form and its subject always follow ‘que’ in the sentence (EX: Je voudrais qu’il fasse beau cet aprés-midi. [I would like it to be beautiful this afternoon.]

Irregular Verb forms:

• Être — que je sois, que tu sois, il/elle que sois, que nous soyons, que vous soyez, que ils/elles soient
• Faire — que je fasse, que tu fasses, que il/elle fasse, que nous fassions, que vous fassiez, que ils/elles fassent
• Avoir —que j’aie, que tu aies, que il ait, que nous ayons, que vous ayez, que ils/elles aient
• Pouvoir — que je puisse, que tu puisses, que il puisse, que nous puissions, que vous puissiez, que ils/elles puissent
• Vouloir — que je veuille, que tu veuilles, que il/elle veuille, que nous voulions, que vous vouliez, que ils/elles veuillent
• Connaitre —que je connaisse, que tu connaisses, que il/elle connaisse, que nous connaissions, que vous connaissiez, que ils/elles connaissent
• Boire— que je boive, que tu boives, que il/elle boive, que nous buvions, que vous buviez, que ils/elles boivent
• Venir— que je vienne, que tu viennes, que il/elle vienne, que nous venions, que vous veniez, que ils/elles viennent
• Savoir — que je sache, que tu saches, que il/elle sache, que nous sachions, que vous sachiez, que ils/elles sachent
• Aller — que je aille, que tu ailles, que il/elle aille, que nous allions, que vous alliez, que ils/elles allent

12. How to us the pronom ‘on’

With any intention we’ve set, upon reaching the desired outcome, having a reward to savor that will invite us to put into practice what we’ve gained is a great idea (and helpful motivator when the going gets frustrating and you consider stopping mid-way through ☺️). As I have shared with readers of TSLL earlier, my reward was to head to France and put my language skills to use. And I am excited to share with you (don’t use the verb excited in French🙃) that that is exactly what I am up to right now as you read this on this episode’s posting.

It has been nearly three years since I last visited France, and in between now and then, learning this beautiful language that prioritizes beautiful sound with its utterances has been my focus. Having told myself that I wouldn’t return until I met my goal, finally it has come to pass. And it wouldn’t have happened without the support of both Norman and Nelle who joined me in my office for each video session, Norman since the very, very first class until the end of 2024, and Nelle arriving on October 4th in 2022 and who still puts up with my speaking to her in French from time to time, along with my classmates, especially Nancy S., who has been in nearly all of the classes with me from FR 101 to FR 204 and is continuing forward into the 300 levels, and to all of the instructors who kept answering my questions and stayed positive even during times of frustration from myself and fellow students from time to time.

Oddly, it doesn’t feel as though that much time has passed since I began, and what helped this go-round was setting the clear goal of where I had to arrive before I stopped (or paused) my learning. Now, while I don’t miss 6:30 am classes twice a week as was the case since September, I miss being part of a conversation with others who are speaking and learning the language. That was wonderful exercise for the brain each time, and so, visiting France just makes sense to continue to learning, non ? 😉🇫🇷❤️

If you would like to see how my travels are going – the detailed itinerary while I am spending time in Paris, I am also venturing out into the countryside into Brittany as well, recommendations, and oodles of photos – be sure to explore becoming a TOP Tier Member as I will be sharing two detailed Travel Diaries posts – the first was shared on March 11th and the second will be shared on March 25th. You can find them all here.

Merci de me suivre dans ce voyage !

SIMILAR POSTS/EPISODES YOU MIGHT ENJOY

What I Have Learned So Far in French Class, Part Huit (8), episode #386

What I Have Learned in French Class, So Far – part Sept, episode #374

What I’ve Learned in French Class, So Far . . . : Part Six

~Explore all of the posts/episodes in this French Language Learning series here.

Petit Plaisir

~Adidas’s Japan sneakers (many colors)

Read my detailed review about why I am loving them while I am wandering about in Paris. 🙂

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