French Grammar

By taking the time to understand how the French language works, you'll be able to speak French naturally, and read and write in French. We know this can be one of the more challenging parts of your course, and we’re here to help! You can browse the topics, do a search in the top right corner of this page, or start a new conversation. Don’t be shy!

MegaVerbs question

I'm going through the MegaVerbs, and am playing with just the present tense. I came to être with "elle" so I answered "est". It keeps telling me I'm wrong. It seems simple, but what should I have answered? Elle est.... isn't that ri...

1 reply - Last post by Nicole - January 31, 2009

Liaison

Hello everybody and happy new year! (Let's hope so) I'm new in this forum and in Rocket French. I'm from Barcelona, Spain, and although English is not my first language I've decided to brush up my French "in English" instead of Spanish. This wa...

2 replies - Last post by cocoliso - January 5, 2009

Lesson 4.3 Booking a Table (réserver une table)

Hi everyone, this is my first time on the forum and I would be really grateful if someone could answer my question :) . I'd like to know why _*l'* _is put before _*on peut*_ in this sentence "Avez-vous un numéro de téléphone où l’on peut vous joindr...

3 replies - Last post by davidmb - November 14, 2008

Le or La?

I went to a little shop in Paris and the lady behind the counter was trying to tell me that the cheese is very cheap (I think?!) but I couldn't quite figure out whether she said le or la fromage...

3 replies - Last post by (deleted) - March 22, 2007

Conjugated Verbs....

Ok I am new, got sold by the sale and I may find the answer to my own question. But so far I have not seen where the program devotes time to verbs for example. parler, to speak. How does the program teach you je parle nous parlons tu p...

1 reply - Last post by Technician - September 5, 2008

lesson plan 2 question

In lesson plan 2, it's mentioned that "d' or de l' " are used with any noun starting with a vowel but I'd like to know the difference between d' and de l'. I mean what are the situations for using d' and those for using de l' ?

3 replies - Last post by (deleted) - March 7, 2008

Lesson RF4.3 question

I can't get what does "l" mean in the following phrase: Avez-vous un numéro de téléphone où *l*’on peut vous joindre? Can anyone help me with it?

3 replies - Last post by keksus - July 26, 2008

me voilà

Picked up this phrase, me voilà, in the theme song of an animated children's movie, Spirit, Stallion of the Cimarron. Can anyone explain it's meaning? Is it grammatically correct or have the song writers taken licence to fit their jingle?

1 reply - Last post by (deleted) - March 19, 2008

Grammar & Spelling

What's the best way to learn the grammar and spelling? is it after you had heard the 1st. audio lesson (4 conversations)? Please let me know what approche you used?

1 reply - Last post by IsabelVander - August 1, 2008

Question about audio lession RF7.2

Hi all, I would like to get help with two sentences below (from audio lesson RF7.2): J’espère que je suis encore capable de skier! Ça fait longtemps que je n’ai pas skié. I would like to know why we don't use subjunctive in these sentences (i.e...

2 replies - Last post by alpaslansavas - May 30, 2008

Lesson Plan 31 Question

Quetion 5 on page 7: It looks to me like the last part of the sentence, "...quand je l'aie vue" is in the subjunctive. Shouldn't it be in the perfect, "...quand je l'ai vue"? Also, since "vue" is refering to "him,&quo...

4 replies - Last post by Joseph - May 7, 2008

Lesson Plan 30 Question

There seem to be some things wrong with Lesson Plan 30. First, the pages skip from 8 to 10 (no page 9). Second, the instructions for Questions 26 - 30 on page 10 don't make sense. They ask me to write out the answers in the "perfect tense" us...

2 replies - Last post by Joseph - May 7, 2008

dans ou a

dear rocket languages, i am really confused on when to use "dans" and "a".

1 reply - Last post by (deleted) - March 27, 2008

Grammar guide

Is there a grammar guide where I can look up things on the fly - for example, right now I'd like to know how to conjugate verbs so that with each new verb I learn I can use it in many different ways.

1 reply - Last post by merlin - March 26, 2008

Lesson plan 13 question: la lui or lui la

On page 5 of lesson plan 13, the French for "She is treating her to it" is given and spoken as "_Elle la lui offre._" But for "I give it to you," the French is "_Je vous la donne._" and for "We are going to tr...

1 reply - Last post by Richard-C - February 25, 2008

Lesson Plan 32

The answer key on page 11 to question 3 indicates that "2. Ils m'ont dit des mensonges" is the correct answer, but on page 8, the phrase itself is #3. In the answer key, which is correct, the phrase or the number?

1 reply - Last post by voort - December 29, 2007

Car ou parce que?

When do I use "car" instead of "parce que"?

1 reply - Last post by sunblossom - February 29, 2008

Lesson plan 5 question

In lesson plan 5 in the extra audio section it says that everyday is touts les jours. I thought it would be tous les jours - or are both correct?

2 replies - Last post by myredem - October 25, 2007

Difference between 'en' and 'dans'

I wanted to know if someone could clarify the difference between 'en' and 'dans'. Both words translate as 'in' From my understanding the word 'dans' is used when talking about something physically being in something. Ex. C'est dans le tiroir. (It's ...

1 reply - Last post by (deleted) - February 21, 2008

"y" and "a-t'il"

I've search through some of the early Rocket French Lessons (1-7) and have not found much explanation for the word _y_ and the form _y a t-'il_. :? I think _y_ is a pronoun used for things, _n'est ce pas_? Is this fully explained somewhere? And _Il y ...

5 replies - Last post by Ladyfalkn - February 16, 2008

Lesson Plan 33

In 33.1 for the verb "aimer," the text shows "J'aimes." Shouldn't it be "J'aime?" In question Q1-10 in the quiz at the end, you ask me to identify the French phrase with the picture and then translate the phrase. I could...

1 reply - Last post by voort - January 3, 2008

Lesson Plan 34 Questions

1) In 34.89, the text is written "Vous prendez," but the pronounciation sounds like it's "Vous prendrez." Which is it? 2) In answer A.5, it's written in the text "Elle l'as mis...." Shouldn't it be "Elle l'a mis.....

1 reply - Last post by voort - January 13, 2008

interactive lesson 1.3 (mp3)

In this chapter I am unclear on what is the correct pronunciation of "J'ai besoin" (I need) It is pronounced " bess-one" and "buzz-one" depending on who is saying it. Which is correct or are they both o.k ?

2 replies - Last post by rodders - January 25, 2008

Confusion about des and 'some' or 'several'

In lesson plan 2 it mentions des when used for 'some' or 'several' and a plural noun. It is then mentioned a little later for 'of' or 'of the' and any plural noun. An example for the first usage is 'Some flowers' which is 'Des fleurs'. However it then ...

2 replies - Last post by keithrob91 - January 9, 2008

Lesson Plan 3 question

In the spoken text for 3.30 it sounds like the 't' in est is being pronounced. Il es t-heureux is what I hear. But for 3.38 (Robert est heaueux) the 't' is silent. Is this because 3.38 is about a specific person?

1 reply - Last post by AugustH - September 13, 2007

Pronunciation Principles for final consonants

It's said in Learning Companion that all consonants are silent at the end of a French word (only when each word is spoken individually). However, isn't it true that some French words, e.g., avec, tour and chef, the final consonants are pronounced even whe...

1 reply - Last post by mapyli - June 4, 2007

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