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French school terms: Qu'est-ce que c'est?

This French lesson will introduce you to the various objects and people you will find in a classroom. You will also learn how to ask "What is this?" and "Is this a (insert object)?"

Simple questions and phrases will help you learn French. One of the first ways you'll use French is to ask for help identifying the environment around you!

We will use indefinite articles here (a, an, some) as opposed to definite (the). Indefinite articles in French are:

a* - un (male, singular) or une (female, singular)
*some
- des (plural)





"Qu'est-ce que c'est?"
means "What is it/that?"

Ce sont des livres. They are some books.
C'est un bureau. It is an office desk.
C'est un pupitre. It is a school desk.
C'est une chaise. It is a chair.
C'est une fenêtre. It is a window.
C'est une table. It is a table.
C'est un mur. It is a wall.
C'est une horloge. It is a clock.
C'est une porte. It is a door.

Note that some objects (such une horloge or une porte) are female (une), while some are male (un). You will have to memorize the gender of these objects if you want to conjugate them correctly!

C'est un étudiant. It is a (male) student.
C'est un étudiante. It is a (female) student.
C'est un professeur. It is a teacher.
(Note: "Professeure" as a female teacher exists, but to recognize women as equals in the workplace, "professeur" can also be used.)


Here are some more classroom objects you can identify:

Une feuille de papier. A piece of paper.
Un ordinateur. A computer.
Un cahier. A workbook.
Un dictionnaire. A dictionary.
Un classeur. A binder.
Une craie. A chalk-stick.
Un stylo. A pen.
Un crayon. A pencil.
Un feutre. A marker.
Un tableau. A blackboard.



"Make it plural!"
If you want to describe one or more objects - for example, some books as opposed to a book - use this table as a guide.

singular plural
un cahier des cahiers
un professeur des professeurs
une fenêtre des fenêtres
un tableau des tableaux


The indefinite article des is used before plural nouns, regardless of gender. Usually you just add an "-s" to make a noun plural. If the noun ends in "-eau", add an x to make its plural form.



Au revoir!
Farewell!

Photo Credits
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
The Moderate Voice


  1. ashish89 saidSat, 11 Oct 2008 11:07:23 -0000 ( Link )

    this is very interesting lesson

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  2. ananyadeepak saidTue, 18 Nov 2008 18:04:25 -0000 ( Link )

    Very interesting but can be made more useful for beginers if pronunciation of french words in english or audio form is included. merci beaucoup

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  3. swadhina saidThu, 26 Feb 2009 17:59:48 -0000 ( Link )

    This is really good lesson. Waiting for the pronounciations.

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  4. swadhina saidThu, 26 Feb 2009 17:59:48 -0000 ( Link )

    This is really good lesson. Waiting for the pronounciations.

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