Français Intensif - Intensive French Intermediate Level

In the introductory lecture I’ll tell you something about this course. I will tell you what you will learn in the course and who this course is best suited for.

In this lecture I will tell you how to use this course most effectively. We’ll talk about all the different types of activities this course offers.

In this section we´ll talk about the Passé Composé Tense. 

In this lecture we´ll have an overview of all the French moods, tenses and other verb forms. This is just for reference, there´s no point learning all the forms now because we´ll be discussing them one by one later in the course.

In this lecture we´ll see what the Passé Composé Tense looks like and how it is formed. We´ll talk about both regular and irregular verbs. Actually they work the same way, all you have to know is the irregular past participles. First of all we’ll talk about the tense itself: when is it used?

Most verbs use the auxiliary verb avoir in the Passé Composé Tense. So, instead of listing all the cases when we use avoir, we’ll see just to some special cases and then, in the next lecture, we’ll discuss in detail when we use the auxiliary verb être. Then you will know when to use être, so in any other case you will most probably need avoir.

In this lecture we’ll discuss the cases when Passé Composé is used with the auxiliary verb être.

In this lecture we’ll have a look at some common adverbs and other time expressions used with the past tenses.

In this lecture we’ll talk about direct and indirect object pronouns used in Passé Composé. We’ll see how the participles agree with the object pronouns.

There´s hardly been any new vocabulary in this section so this lecture is really short. Just go ahead and have a look.

In this lecture we’ll summarize what we’ve learned in this section.

In this section we´ll be talking about numbers and time. We´ll learn some simple arithmetic, then we´ll talk about various types of numerals, like ordinal numbers or fractions. We´ll also learn to tell the time and date.

At the beginning of the course we learned the cardinal numbers. In this lecture will be using them to perform simple arithmetic.

In this lecture we´ll talk about ordinal numbers. We´ll see what they look like and how they are used.

In this lecture we´ll learn how to tell the time. We´ll learn some basic vocabulary related to time as well.

In this lecture we´ll learn how to tell the date. We´ll also learn the names of the days of the week, the months and the seasons of the year and lots of time expressions relating to the present, past and future.

In this lecture we´ll talk about fractions. Just in case you’ve forgotten: In order to make fractions we need two parts: the upper part is called the numerator and the lower part (under the fraction line) is called the denominator.

There are just a few more types of numerals. In this lecture we´ll be talking about the two most important groups, the multiple and collective numerals. We´ll also see how to say both in French.

In this lecture we will recap on the vocabulary that we´ve covered in this section but we will not revise all the numerals because they have been the main subject of this section and we would have to repeat almost everything here.

In this lecture we’ll summarize what we’ve learned in this section.

This section is all about adjectives and adverbs. We´ll see how adverbs are formed from adjectives and which position they occupy in a sentence. We´ll see how to compare adjectives and adverbs. 

In English there´s a group of adverbs that are formed from adjectives by means of the ending –ly. There is a similar group in French too, but the ending is naturally different. These adverbs are the subject of this lecture.

Adverbs may occupy a whole range of positions in a sentence. They may be at the beginning of a sentence or at the end of the sentence. They may be inside the sentence, before or after the word they modify. As we know, adverbs are used to modify verbs, adjectives and participles, other adverbs and also whole sentences. In this lecture we´ll see where the adverbs in each of the above cases.

In this lecture we’ll be talking about pairs of positive and negative adverbs, like always and never. We’ll pay special attention to the negative ones because we usually get rid of the pas part of the negation.

In French adjectives may either follow or precede the nouns they modify. Most descriptive adjectives follow the noun. On the other hand, some adjectives are used before the noun they modify. In this lecture we’ll talk about the position of adjectives.

Normally adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. But what if there are more nouns and, even worse, some are masculine and others feminine? Should the adjective then be masculine or feminine? Well, let´s find out.

In this lecture we´ll see how to compare adjectives. We´ll see how to make comparative and superlative forms. First, we´ll focus on regular ones, we´ll discuss the irregular ones in the next lecture.

In this lecture we´ll see how to compare adverbs. We´ll see how to make comparative and superlative forms. In this lecture we´ll focus on regular ones, we´ll discuss the irregular ones in the next lecture.

Some adjectives and adverbs have irregular comparative and superlative forms. In this lecture we´ll learn how to use them.

In this lecture we´ll recap on the new vocabulary that has been introduced in this section.

In this lecture we’ll summarize what we’ve learned in this section.

We already know a tense which can be used to talk about the past, the Passé Composé Tense. In this section we´ll learn another, the Imperfect Tense (Imparfait).

The Imperfect Tense is used to talk about continuous, habitual or repeated actions in the past. It’s often used to describe the background actions of other actions expressed in Passé Composé. It’s also used to talk about lasting states in the past. In this lecture we’ll talk about the Imperfect forms of the verb être (to be), which is the only irregular verb in this tense. In the next lectures we’ll cover all the other verbs.

Imperfect Tense forms are easy to make. They are based on the first person plural and are made by means of personal endings. In this lecture we’ll see how.

In this lecture we´ll have a closer look at the most typical situations when the Imperfect Tense is used. We´ll also see how it relates to the Passé Composé Tense.

In this lecture we’ll be talking about the main differences between the two past tenses we know. We’ll see when to use the Imperfect Tense and when to use Passé Composé.

In this section there has been hardly any new vocabulary. Let´s recap.

In this lecture we’ll summarize what we’ve learned in this section.

In this section we´ll concentrate on nouns. We´ll talk about the main categories associated with nouns like gender and number. We´ll also see how to use compound nouns and how to use other parts of speech as nouns.

Although sometimes it’s impossible to say what gender a noun is judging by its form, on other occasions it’s possible to guess, at least with a pretty high degree of probability. In this lecture we´ll have a look at some endings that are typically masculine or feminine.

Some nouns are used in male-female pairs, like for instance man-woman, brother-sister or waiter-waitress. In this lecture we´ll see how to make feminine forms from the masculine ones. We´ll also see some irregular examples.

In French we can combine two words belonging to practically any part of speech into compound nouns. In this lecture we´ll see how to do it, we´ll talk about the characteristics of compound nouns and we´ll learn some examples. One thing that is a bit complicated is making plurals. There are a couple of ways to make the plural forms depending on what parts of speech make the compound noun. So, let’s have a look at the most important combinations.

Nouns constitute the major part of French vocabulary. But not only real nouns can function as nouns. In this lecture we´ll see how verbs, adjectives, numerals and other parts of speech can function as nouns. In this lecture we’ll concentrate on adjectives and verbs functioning as nouns.

In this lecture we´ll recapitulate on the new vocabulary that we´ve mastered in this section. This time these are just nouns.

In this lecture we’ll summarize what we’ve learned in this section.

There are a couple more tenses in French we haven’t covered so far. We’ll do it right in this section. First we’ll introduce the Future Simple Tense and then we’ll talk about some slightly more complicated tenses.

In this lecture we´ll talk about the Future Tense. Essentially it´s used like the English Future Simple Tense, although there are some differences that we´ll address in one of the next lectures. Anyway, here we´ll talk about regular verbs and in the next lecture about irregular ones.

Most verbs are regular in the future tense. There are also quite a few that are slightly different. They do not differ in their endings. They just have different stems. This group includes some of the most frequently used verbs. In this lecture we´ll have a look at the most important ones one by one.

In this lecture we’ll be talking about another future tense, the Futur Antérieur Tense, which more or less corresponds to the Future Perfect Tense in English. So, it is used to describe an action which will be completed before a given time in the future. It may be also used to express probability.

In this lecture we´ll move from the future all the way down to the deepest past. The topic of this lecture is the Pluperfect Tense or Plus-que-Parfait in French, which is used in much the same way as the Past Perfect Tense in English.

This has been one of the sections with least new vocabulary. Let´s go through it again.

In this lecture we’ll summarize what we’ve learned in this section.

In this section we’re going to dive into the world of indefinite pronouns and adjectives. We’ve been using some of them on a regular basis so far, others may be new to you. 

In this lecture we´ll talk about two common indefinite pronouns, quelque chose and rien. They mean something and nothing respectively, they may also mean anything. We´ll see how they are used in affirmative, interrogative and negative sentences.

In this lecture we´ll talk about some more indefinite pronouns. This time we´ll see to the pronouns someone and no one. We´ll see how to use them in affirmative, interrogative and negative sentences.

Quelque / quelques, quelques-uns / quelques-unes and aucun / aucune are very important indefinite adjectives and pronouns, which are used to say some, any or none. In this lecture we´ll see how it all works.

In this lecture we´ll talk about other indefinite pronouns like quiconque, n’importe quoi and n’importe qui. These are used to say that it doesn´t matter which person, animal or object you mean.

In this lecture we´ll be talking about tout and chacun. They are both used in a couple of forms and function as both adjectives and pronouns.

In this lecture we´ll be talking about the different flavors of the adjective and pronoun autre. We’ll also talk about the pronouns l’un, les uns, etc.

As usual, in this last but one lecture in the section we´ll have a look at all the new vocabulary. But no worries, there hasn´t been much.

In this lecture we’ll summarize what we’ve learned in this section.

You already know the indicative mood and the imperative mood. In this section we’ll talk about the subjunctive mood. This mood is widely used in French even in relatively simple constructions. 

In this lecture we´ll see how the subjunctive forms of regular verbs are made. We´ll also talk about the use of subjunctive mood in French. But in this lecture we’ll only discuss the very basic use of subjunctive mood. We’ll go into much more detail in the following lectures. Any-way, although subjunctive mood is also used in English, in French it’s used on a much larger scale and there are many situations when it must be used. In this lecture we’ll discuss regular verbs, or, to be more precise, verbs whose subjunctive forms are made in a regular way. There are some irregular verbs that make their subjunctives in a regular way and they will be covered here as well.

There are also some irregular verbs to learn. We can distinguish two groups here. In the first group we have verbs that have two stems in subjunctive mood. In the first and second person plural they take the stem from the nous form. In all other persons they follow the pattern we already know, so they take the stem from the third person plural. In the other group we have completely irregular subjunctive stems. The endings, however,  are in most cases the same.

In this lecture we´ll discuss some of the most typical cases in which the subjunctive mood is used. These are by far not all the possible situations because there are lots of verbs and expressions that are used with subjunctive mood, but you should get the general idea and feeling for subjunctive mood.

There are some verbs and expressions that are sometimes used with subjunctive mood and sometimes with infinitives. We will be talking about them in this lecture and we´ll see when to use the former and when the latter.

There are some verbs and expressions that are sometimes used with indicative mood and in other circumstances with subjunctive mood. We will be talking about them in this lecture and we´ll see when to use the former and when the latter.

In this lecture we´ll be talking about the Past Subjunctive. What we need is the Present Subjunctive form of the auxiliary verb avoir or être and the past participle.

Time to recapitulate. This section has not been extremely rich in new vocabulary. Let´s just revise all the new verbs and expressions.

In this lecture we’ll summarize what we’ve learned in this section.

We´ve been using compound sentences for a long time now but we haven´t discussed this subject in great detail. In this section we´ll see how we can join clauses into sentences by means of conjunctions. There are lots of different types of compound clauses, but we´ll try to keep things simple.

Coordinating conjunctions, which are the subject of this lecture, are used to join clauses or single words. The most typical ones are and, but, or, nor, because etc.

In this lecture we´ll be talking about the two most common subordinating conjunctions, that and if/whether. Naturally, there are lots more. We´ll be discussing them one by one in the following lectures.

In this lecture we´ll learn the most important temporal conjunctions and we´ll see when they should be used with indicative, when with subjunctive and when with infinitive forms.

In this lecture we´ll talk about a couple of conjunctions that all mean something like since, because or because of. French is really rich in such conjunctions, here we´ll stick just to the three most used ones.

In this lecture we´ll be talking about final clauses. These are clauses with conjunctions like in order to, so that. We´ll see how they work in French.

In this lecture we´ll talk about concessive clauses. These are clauses with conjunctions like although, even if, despite, etc.

The last group of conjunctions we´re going to discuss in this section includes so, therefore, so that, that´s why, etc. These conjunctions are used in consecutive clauses, which are the subject of this lecture.

In this lecture we´ll have another look at all the new words. These are largely conjunctions, but not only.

In this lecture we’ll summarize what we’ve learned in this section.