Definite article in French - le, la, les
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The definite article in French is used in more or less the same way as we use the in English. However, one of the main differences is that in French, there is more than one definite article to choose from. Moreover, all French nouns are either masculine or feminine and, just as in English, they can be either singular or plural.
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masculine | feminine | Examples | |
---|---|---|---|
Singular | le | la | le père (the father) la mère (the mother) l'hirondelle (the swallow) |
Plural | les | les | les pères (the fathers) les dames (the ladies) |
Le and la change to l' when they are used in front of a word starting with a vowel and most words starting with h.
If à or de are placed in front of a definite article they'll be contracted:
à/de + article | Contracted article | Example |
---|---|---|
á + le | → au | la mousse au chocolate (chocolate mousse) |
à + les | → aux | mentir aux collègues (lie to the colleagues) |
de + le | → du | parler du livre (speak about the book) |
de + les | → des | à l'ombre des arbres (in the shadow of the trees) |
You should be aware that there are some exceptional cases when it comes to using definite articles in French.
Different from the English language definite articles in French are used with words that describe qualities, ideas or experiences (= abstract nouns) and things you can touch with your hands (= concret nouns).
ln French you always have to use the definite article in front of the names of countries, continents and regions.
If you use an article in combination with madame or monsieur you have to put the article inbetween.
The definite article in French is used before:
You use the definite article with dates, and also with the names of the days of the week and the seasons when you are talking about something that you do regularly or that is a habit
Note that you do NOT use the definite article after en.
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Hi there, thank you for stopping by! My name is Cristina, I'm a CELTA qualified English teacher and I have a Master’s Degree in Foreign Languages; I speak English fluently and I can communicate in Italian, Portuguese, French and Spanish. Being a language learner myself and thanks to my educational background I have a deep understanding of language structure and I can easily put myself in my students’ shoes and understand the areas they might struggle with.
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Cristina is a professional and motivated teacher who recently passed her Cambridge Certificate of English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) and has already gained experience in teaching English. During her classes, she provides slides with exercises gathered from different books and uses a variety of teaching methods such as controlled practices or free speaking exercises. Throughout the whole lesson, she encourages her students to actively speak English.
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Hello,
My name is Tiska. I am a French Teacher with experiences with adults and teenagers in Public Education (USA) and Language Schools. I am holding a Master Degree in FLE (Teaching French as a Foreign Language).
Join a small group of learners of 2 or 3 for conversation lessons with me. An article or video to watch before the lesson and a conversation with personalized corrections during the lesson. This option saves you at least 10 euros per lesson on Colanguage.
Group opening:
Monday and/or Wednesday from 17:30 to 18:30 (French time).
Level: intermediate (B1)
Also, standard French lessons
- level A2 (low intermediate)
- 2 hours a week
- ask for schedule
Don’t know your level? Ask for a free level test.
I give Skype lessons to people who need or want to improve their French language. I like to use material from the internet (videos, article etc.) to introduce a theme which leads to a lesson and a conversation.
I like to create engaging learning with my students. I will give as homework a document to watch or to read with comprehension exercises so the time we have on skype is only speaking practice and explanation if needed.
I can help you prepare DELF-DALF Exams or work on specific needs (as professional French).
Really like to speak about all the subjects with the student especially those the student like so it gives the motivation to speak in the foreign language.
The free first lesson is organize to know your tastes, your level and your needs so we can plan the next lessons about the objectives you fixed.
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Tiska is a very good teacher: her lessons are well structured and she follows your French level perfectly. The method she uses is modern and leaves room for conversation. Homework is a real party with the videos, listening to music videos and grammar which is well explained in the book. I can highly recommend Tiska for your French lesson.
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Virginie is the best French teacher I ever came across. She has been a great help in preparing for DELF B1. Her clear method of explaining helps me understand and retain the grammar rules. She is very patient and her calm personality removes my anxiety and puts my mind at ease. I highly recommend her and thank her for the wonderful learning experience.
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1 - If you are looking for a well-structured French program to take you from a beginner level to advanced level to be able to travel to France, i have developed with success my own program which includes 70 worksheets from basic to advance level.
2 - If you are thinking taking any DELF exam, I can help you as I have experience in this field (3 years with Ensemble en Francais - online school).
3 - If you are a VCE French student, I definitively will be able to boost your skills to do well at the exam due to my experience as VCE French teacher and also as a VCE assessor.
4 - Finally I have also an extensive experience in teaching French at the primary and middle school level
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Francois is very patient with my learning, especially as I am an absolute beginner. The lessons contain of a check of the homework, a review of the last lessons, and lastly new vocabulary. Francois tries to stay in French as much as possible and helps me out when I cannot find the meaning of a word or sentence on my own. This helps me learn quicker. In my opinion the homework helps a lot aswell. It helps me focus on what I have learned in the lessons so far, and also to memorize more rapidly.
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Lidia is an experienced and professional teacher for Italian. With her nicely self-designed teaching material, she covers all the linguistic competencies such as reading, writing, listening and speaking. Also, she includes modern teaching techniques such as games and proposes interesting movies to watch.
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Hello,
My name is Tiska. I am a French Teacher with experiences with adults and teenagers in Public Education (USA) and Language Schools. I am holding a Master Degree in FLE (Teaching French as a Foreign Language).
Join a small group of learners of 2 or 3 for conversation lessons with me. An article or video to watch before the lesson and a conversation with personalized corrections during the lesson. This option saves you at least 10 euros per lesson on Colanguage.
Group opening:
Monday and/or Wednesday from 17:30 to 18:30 (French time).
Level: intermediate (B1)
Also, standard French lessons
- level A2 (low intermediate)
- 2 hours a week
- ask for schedule
Don’t know your level? Ask for a free level test.
I give Skype lessons to people who need or want to improve their French language. I like to use material from the internet (videos, article etc.) to introduce a theme which leads to a lesson and a conversation.
I like to create engaging learning with my students. I will give as homework a document to watch or to read with comprehension exercises so the time we have on skype is only speaking practice and explanation if needed.
I can help you prepare DELF-DALF Exams or work on specific needs (as professional French).
Really like to speak about all the subjects with the student especially those the student like so it gives the motivation to speak in the foreign language.
The free first lesson is organize to know your tastes, your level and your needs so we can plan the next lessons about the objectives you fixed.
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I am very happy with Tiska's lessons, they are well-structured and interesting. She gives some homework, so I can continue my practice after the lesson. I strongly recommend her as a teacher.
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Hi and welcome !
Preparation for exams, desire or need to learn and improve your level.
Real lessons or discussion experiences, for all levels and all ages.
Total customization according to your needs, your desires, and of course your level. We will talk about this in our first lesson together.
So let's prepare together your exams, your job interview, your next vacation, or maybe to speak the language of the chosen one of your heart...
We will work on short texts, videos, or just sounds to improve your comprehension, then it will be your turn to produce orally and in writing, and of course by both speaking.
Together, we will therefore do written and oral exercises, to improve your vocabulary, your grammar and your conjugation, and your accent.
I invite you to watch my subtitled presentation video, in English, then in French. (2 min in total)
Don't wait any longer to book your trial lesson !
Who am I ?
I am a former parliamentary assistant to French deputies, and communication teacher.
But I wanted to change my life, I am now a scuba diving instructor, currently in Bali, Indonesia.
Pedagogue, patient and organized for a deserved result considering your efforts.
I am used to teach and a lover of the French language.
See you soon for your first lesson together, that's your job !
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Cédric has been an excellent teacher for our first couple of lessons. He is thoroughly trying to assess my level to make sure that we get the most out of our lessons. I am excited to continue my learning with him!
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Training is my passion. I like interacting with people. I am passionate about reading, watching movies, and music. I love to explore new places and have keen interest in arts and literature.I love meeting new people because every person is a whole new world you can learn from. I am also a keen reader and an enthusiastic traveller.
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She is kind. She listen to me and tries to adapt the course to my expectations. She has all the books to prepare The DELF and DALF Exam which she offers for free to the student.
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I am French living in Lisbon in Portugal. I have lived in different countries such as England, the United States and India. It gave me some experience of learning a foreign language and teaching it.
I am passionate about different cultures and try to share my love for French culture with you in a lively way.
I adapt to the needs of the students, whether to improve their oral, written, prepare for an exam or a job interview. I prioritize the conversation to allow the student to "unblock" and have fun speaking the language. I write down the vocabulary and grammar that the student lacks to express himself.
Learning a foreign language is, in my view, above all through cultural curiosity. We want to learn a language because we want to live in the country, travel there or get to know it better. We feel attracted. It is its Culture that motivates us in our learning: music, film, text, literature, way of being and cultural differences forming "another world". This means that learning is not just about learning a list of words and grammar lessons, as is taught too often in school. Practice again and again through conversation, books, music, movies and above all the pleasure of speaking and listening.
I adapt the student's personal work according to their available time and their objective (conversation, deadline for an exam, scheduled trip, etc.).
I am at your disposal for any further information.
See you soon,
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Florence is such a joy to work with! A true expert and professional at teaching French, regardless of your level. Florence takes tremendous care in planning your personalized lesson, incredibly thoughtful and patient with her students. She also has such a warm, supportive and encouraging manner with a great sense of humor. She will have you speaking, reading and writing in perfect French much sooner than you think with her approach and highly efficient techniques; methods only a highly experienced instructor can provide. I am lucky to have found her to help me sit for academic French exams and you will feel the same way when working with her. Thank you Florence!!!
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I’m French, currently living in the Netherlands.
I lived in Paris for almost twenty years, and I know very well my country (and of course my language, French, my mother tongue). I taught French for two years in Spain, conversation class about culture essentially.
In Paris, I was Spanish teacher, I have the Agregation degree which is the highest degree for teaching in France, I'm bilingual. I've participated too in several editorial projects about Spanish teaching and DELE preparation.
I have a Spanish Studies Master and I'm currently doing a research about the Spanish and Sefardi Judaism.
I have a French as foreign language and a Religious Studies Masters too.
I enjoy sharing what I know. I’m a very eclectic person and curious about everything. To give you an idea, my interest (and sometimes hobbies) are: philosophy, spirituality and religions in general, meditation, psychology and psychoanalysis, history, geography, literature, writing (in particular creative writing, and I’m used to write everyday), art (painting, photography), sciences (vulgarisation level) and cultural matters in general. I travel a lot (as a backpacker), sometimes by foot, and the places I know well are France, the Netherlands, Italy and Serbia.
One of my qualities is my capacity of adaptation, I enjoy preparing documents to help the student to acquire autonomy, but I love speaking too, and it’s the best way to learn a language.
I'm waiting for your message, please when contact me, explain quickly who you are, why you want to study French and what you are looking for exactly.
See you soon.
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Rosa's lessons are extraordinary. The texts and videos are well chosen to show the different approaches to a subject. I have learned a lot in recent months. I especially had the possibility of opening and widening my horizon. Thank you!
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Bonjour! Veux-tu apprendre français? ou l'améliorer?
My classes are structured according to my students' needs, I use different teaching methods and I rely on listening each of my students' expectations and goals. Dynamism and constant learning are my purposes in my classes.
I have worked as a French teacher for more than ten years.
I have academic studies in English and French from Montréal, Canada, where I lived for several years. I have a Bachelor in Teaching French as a foreign language from the Université de Bourgogne.
I learned French at an early age in immersion in a French-speaking region and I studied French formally for 11 years, obtaining a native level.
À bientôt!
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I’ve worked on my French with Natalia for several weeks now, and I’m enjoying it a lot. I speak a lot during the lessons, which is exactly what I need at the moment. There is always a good balance of working on grammar and practising conversation. I’m looking forward to continue my lessons over the next few months :)
Natalia L.Eline already speaks and writes very good and we are working towards achieving an advanced level of French. We always have many topics of conversations and I see how she always improves fer French.
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**Other time slots can be made available upon request. Don't hesitate to get in touch**
Native speaker from Paris with about 15 years of teaching experience. I’m well-travelled, and I’ve lived and worked in different parts of the world (Europe, Latin America, North America, Africa, Australia and a little bit in Asia).
I have a postgraduate degree (France) in Languages, Literature and Cultural Studies and I’m currently a freelance translator. I’ve previously worked at universities in France and abroad (South Africa/Australia) and have a solid experience in teaching (French Language, Literature, Philosophy, Cultural Studies, Creative Writing, etc.), designing courses, evaluating and guiding students, preparing students for exams/job interviews/professional presentations, managing a Language and Literature department at the university, presenting papers at academic conferences worldwide, publishing, translating and journalism. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to teach people with different profiles and from various backgrounds: international professionals, university students, beginner translators and teachers, high school students, retirees, travellers, francophiles, children (help with homework), etc.
Being an open-minded, flexible and patient teacher, I enjoy helping others to discover their potential and to explore it. Adapting myself to my students' needs, pace and objectives is essential for me, and designing the best way to work with each student is very stimulating and rewarding.
After the initial introductory lesson, I will design customised lesson plans that will evolve as you progress. We can also, at any time during the programme, change our working method if you wish to do so. I remain very flexible in that regard.
The learning materials will be varied, and we will choose together the themes and aspects of French language to be covered, in line with your objectives. In any case, I am very attentive in general, so please don't hesitate to make any suggestions.
Regardless of your level and objectives, I'm sure that we can find the best way possible to share and enjoy this French language adventure together.
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It is a great experience to be a student of Priscilla. She is a very caring teacher, her lessons are engaging and she is a good communicator, very patient and encouraging.
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Hello everyone!
My name is Wanda, I'm 27 and I'm French.
I have a Master's Degree in Teaching French as a Foreign Language from the University of Sorbonne Nouvelle, Paris, as well as 3 years of teaching experience (face-to-face, remote courses, or group classes).
I can teach you everything from grammar to culture, but I am particularly able to help you get a better pronunciation! Indeed, I also have a Master's Degree in Linguistics, for which I wrote a thesis about the pronunciation of people learning French as a foreign language =)
Regarding pronunciation, I'll help you without any judgment and only if you express the need to improve!
I studied one year in Japan (Osaka) where I gave French classes at the University of Kansai. During this time, I met a lot of people from various background and I became very open-minded and comfortable with different cultures.
What I like the most in teaching French is getting to meet and know people from different cultures =)
So, I'll be waiting for you! =)
See you soon,
Wanda
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Wanda is a fantastic teacher, she's always up to solve problems and doubts. She teaches from grammar to speaking, with a good emphasis on pronunciation and phonetics which are essential in French!
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