SOLT French Module 1 Lesson 2

Instructor Manual

Greetings and Introductions

Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Objectives Module 1 Lesson 2

At the end of this lesson you will be able to greet others, make small talk and exchange
social courtesies.

Greet Others

• Use appropriate greetings for the different times of the day

• Use formal greetings
• Use informal greetings
• Greet your superiors and guests

Introduce Yourself

• Ask the name of the other person

• Pronounce common first and last names
• State your birthplace

Introduce Others

• Ask and answer simple questions about other people’s names and birthplaces
• Ask and answer simple questions about your birthplace
• Ask and answer simple questions about first and last names
• Introduce two separate parties in French

Exchange Social Courtesies

• Ask another person where he/she is from

• Talk about courtesy visits to French-speaking Africa
• Ask and answer simple questions about others’ well-being

Extend Invitations

• Extend an invitation
• Accept an invitation
• Pay compliments to your friend

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Introduction Module 1 Lesson 2

Scenario:

In the restaurant of the Novotel Hotel in Abidjan (la Cote d'Ivoire) you overhear two men
having a conversation. There appears to be a buffet system for meals with self-seating.
The main desk is near the restaurant.

Laye Niang: Bonjour, Monsieur! Vous permettez ?

Il touche la chaise libre. He touches the empty chair.
Abdou Diop: Bonjour! Certainement. Asseyez-vous !
Laye Niang: Vous êtes tunisien ?
Abdou Diop: Non, je suis sénégalais. Permettez-moi de me présenter. Je m’appelle
Abdou Diop.
Laye Niang: Niang. Laye Niang.
Á ce moment, la réceptionniste arrive. At the time, the receptionnist arrives.
La réceptionniste: Le téléphone, Monsieur Niang. C’est pour vous. Votre
communication de Californie.
Laye Niang: Excusez-moi, s’il vous plaît, Monsieur.
Abdou Diop: Certainement. Au revoir, Monsieur.
Ils se serrent la main. They shake hands.
Laye Niang: Bonne journée, Monsieur.
Abdou Diop: Merci, vous aussi.

Exercise 1 (follow-up):
Role-play the conversation with a partner. Use your own identities after you read the one
above.

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Introduction Module 1 Lesson 2

Tip of the day: Formal or informal?

Follow the other’s cue. If someone addresses you informally, you can answer back
informally except when it is someone higher up hierarchically (your boss, your
professor).

Greeting Others

To be able to communicate effectively in the target region, it is essential to learn the local
customs. This includes being able to greet the indigenous people in their native language
and to introduce yourself and others. This goes a long way when it comes to rapport
building and conducting liaison missions.

Forms of address for different times of the day

There are two forms of address: informal (tu form), to be used with family, friends,
children and sometimes peers/colleagues; and formal (vous form), with everybody else. If
you are ever in doubt as to which form to use, it is always safer to use the formal.

Formal (your superiors and guests)

Bonjour Monsieur (M.) good morning Sir / Mr. Smith
Bonjour Madame (Mme.) good afternoon Ma’am / Mrs. Smith
Bonsoir Mademoiselle (Mlle.) good evening Miss / Ms. Smith
Au revoir goodbye

Notice that last names are not used with greetings. Bonjour, bonsoir, and au revoir are
also commonly used with family and friends. Some expressions are appropriate for both
formal and informal situations.
Informal
Salut! Hi / bye
Salut Jean! Hi / bye Jean!
Ciao! Bye!
À demain! See you tomorrow!
Allez, au revoir So long!
À la prochaine! See you soon (next time)!

These expressions are quite informal and would not be appropriate to use with older
people whom you do not know very well.

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Introduction Module 1 Lesson 2

Exercise 2

For the student:

Write a list in English of the different expressions you might use to greet someone. Think
of phrases you would use to greet a family member, a close friend, a professor, or another
adult. Think about the many different ways there are to greet someone (the same exists in
French). Discuss your ideas with the class and compare cultural differences between
francophone and English speakers or speakers of your native language.

For the instructor:

Conduct this activity by first brainstorming with the students on the different French
expressions.

Exercise 3

Imagine yourself in the following situations in a francophone country. What would you
say? (There is more than one possible answer for most situations.)

1. It is 8 p.m. and you meet Mrs. Kourouma, your longtime neighbor. Bonsoir (Madame)
2. It is 7 p.m. and you see your instructor. Bonsoir (Madame, Mademoiselle, Monsieur)
3. It is noon and you meet John in the mess hall. Salut / bonjour (John)
4. It is almost midnight and you are leaving your friends Robert and Hélène’s house.
Bonsoir (Robert) / au revoir (Hélène)
5. You enter a bakery in the afternoon. A young female employee greets you. Bonjour
(Mademoiselle)
6. After purchasing a loaf of bread, you take leave. Au revoir (Mademoiselle)
7. You enter a café in the morning and are greeted by a waiter. Bonjour (Monsieur)

Exercise 4

You will hear some French greetings. Mark the correct English equivalent.

a. Hello, Marie. Bonjour Marie

b. Good evening, Marie.
c. Hello, Ma’am.

a. Good bye, Ma’am. Au revoir Madame

b. Good bye, Sir.
c. Good evening, Ma’am.

a. Hello, Marie.
b. Good bye, Ma’am.
c. Good evening, Ma’am. Bonsoir Madame

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Introduction Module 1 Lesson 2

Tip of the day: Importance of Names

Names are more than what goes into an Identity card. Names are given to strengthen
family, friendship and community. Naming practices also reflect the sense in which each
person is understood, at a fundamental level, to be a living manifestation of the
cumulative force of his paternal descent. Men's and women's names consist of their given
names followed by their father's last name. This is usually the extent to which a name is
given for social or legal purposes. But a person's full name is understood to go on and on,
from father to father ad infinitum.
In West-Africa communities, such as the Fulani, people often ask foreigners to choose a
local name by which they will be called. It is very important to people that they be able to
remember and use your name.
This helps strengthen the friendship between the foreigner and the local population.

Introduce yourself

Read this brief text where one of the main characters in our book introduces himself.

Bonjour! Je m’appelle John Ryan. Je suis de Phœnix. Je suis sergent. Je suis

en mission à Dakar. Et vous? Comment vous appelez-vous? D’où êtes-vous?
Vrai ou Faux?
Based on the introduction you just read, say whether the following statements are true or
false. Correct when necessary.

1. The soldier’s name is John Ryan. V

2. He is a lieutenant. He is a sergeant
3. He is in Phœnix. He is from Phœnix. He is in Dakar
4. He is stationed in Senegal. V

Ask the name of the other person:

Et vous? And you?(formal)

Et toi? “ (informal)
Comment vous∪appelez-vous? What’s your name (formal)
Comment t’appelles-tu? “ (informal)

To introduce yourself:

Je m’appelle My name is
Je suis de + city I’m from
Je viens de I’m from (literally, I come from. . .)
Note that the verb venir is an irregular verb but can be used like être for introductions.

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Introduction Module 1 Lesson 2

Tip of the day: Introductions

When introducing two people to each other, it is customary to first introduce the younger
person (or the one of lower social rank) to the older or higher social ranking person.
When meeting someone for the first time, use enchanté (pleased to meet you) if you are a
male, enchantée if you are a female (there is no difference in pronunciation, but the extra
e marks gender).

Introduce others

Julie is starting a new job. The human resources person, Mme Martin, introduces her to
her new boss.

Mme. Martin: M. le directeur, je vous présente I introduce to you / I

Julie Ryan, votre nouvelle secrétaire. Julie, present to you new here’s
voici M. Dupont, notre directeur. / our

Julie: Enchantée.

M. Dupont: Enchanté.

Vrai ou Faux?

1. M. Dupont est le directeur. V

2. Mme. Martin est la nouvelle secrétaire de M. Dupont. F Julie est la nouvelle
secrétaire

Exercise 5

Here is a conversation between John and a lieutenant he meets for the first time. Fill in
the blanks with the words from the list.

Bienvenue merci sergent enchanté Alassane Ba Je lieutenant

John: Bonjour. Je suis sergent. Je m’appelle John Ryan.

Lieutenant: Enchanté, sergent Ryan. Je m’appelle Alassane Ba. Je suis lieutenant.
Bienvenue à Dakar.
John: Merci, mon Lieutenant.

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Introduction Module 1 Lesson 2

Introducing others

Introduce two separate parties in French / Les présentations

It is important to mark formality versus informality when making presentations. With a

partner, read the following situations where Eric introduces his cousin Isabelle to his
friend Marc and then to his older neighbor, Monsieur Vidal.

Informal

Eric: Isabelle, je te présente mon copain, Marc.

Isabelle: Enchantée.
Marc: Enchanté.

Formal
Eric: Monsieur Vidal, je voudrais vous présenter ma cousine Isabelle.
Monsieur Vidal: Enchanté.
Isabelle: Enchantée.

Exercise 6 (follow-up)
A. Choose two people in the class and introduce them to one another.
B. Choose one classmate and introduce him or her to your instructor.

Exercise 7 (Pair Work)

You need to review spelling of some last names for introductions. Look over the
pronunciation section of the alphabet and ask each other the following:

1. Comment s’appelle votre prof de français? Comment s’écrit son nom?

2. Regardez votre voisin (e) de gauche (on your left). Comment s’appelle-t-il / elle ?
Comment s’écrit son nom?
3. Regardez votre voisin (e) de droite (on your right). Comment s’appelle-t-il / elle ?
Comment s’écrit son nom?

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Introduction Module 1 Lesson 2

Scenario:

John eats his first meal at the mess hall. He meets a Senegalese soldier seated next to
him.
John: Bonjour.
Amadou: Bonjour.
John: Je m’appelle John Ryan.
Amadou: Je m’appelle Amadou Niane.
John: Comment ça va?
Amadou: Bien merci. Et toi? thank you.
John: Pas mal. Tu habites à Dakar? Not bad. You live in Dakar
Amadou: Oui. Et toi, tu es d’où? Yes
John: Je suis de Phœnix.
Amadou: Alors, tu parles anglais, n’est-ce pas? So you speak English,
don’t you?
John: Oui. Et toi?
Amadou: Moi, je parle français, pulaar et wolof. I speak French, Pulaar and
Wolof
[a man enters the mess, shouting]
John: Qui est-ce? Who is it?
Amadou: C’est le colonel Diop. it’s colonel
John: Comment s’appelle-t-il? What’s his name?
Amadou: Il s’appelle Anta Diop. D I O P. Il est de His name is
Saint Louis. Il est désagréable. Unpleasant

Vrai ou Faux?

Say whether the following statements are true or false, and correct when necessary.
1. Amadou est de Saint Louis. Amadou est de Dakar
2. Amadou parle anglais. Amadou parle français, pulaar et wolof
3. Le colonel s’appelle Anta Saint Louis. Le colonel s’appelle Anta Diop
4. Le colonel est agréable. Il est désagréable

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Introduction Module 1 Lesson 2

Exercise 8 (follow-up)

Role-play the following dialogue with a partner. Fill in the blanks with the following
words and then write subject / verb / object in the correct order.
*Note to the instructor: use this exercise as a review of French sentence structure. This
can serve as a prep of the verb forms to follow.
Est appelle qui il de

Doudou: Bonjour Ciré! Qui est-ce?

Ciré: C’est Monsieur Wane.
Doudou: Wane qui?
Ciré: Yéro Wane
Doudou: Il s’appelle Yéro Wane?
Cire: Oui, et il est de Boumba.
Doudou: Comment?
Ciré: Il est de Boumba.

To ask about someone (+ reply):

Qui est-ce? Who is this/is it?

C’est… It’s/(that)this is…
Comment s’appelle-t-il/elle? What’s his/her name?
Il/elle s’appelle… His/her name is…
Note that the pronoun ce combines with être (est) to become c’est. The est-ce on a
question word like qui est-ce is merely the inverted form of c’est.

Exercise 9

Say hello to the person sitting to your right. Introduce yourself. Find out that person’s
name. Ask how he or she is feeling today (see next section if needed). Introduce the
person sitting on your right to the person sitting on your left.

Exercise 10

Ask the person sitting on your right if he or she can remember the name of the person
sitting on your left and where he or she is from: “Qui est-ce” / “Comment s’appelle-t-il?”.
If he or she cannot remember, “J’ai oublié. (I’ve forgotten)”, you may be able to supply
the information: C’est / Il / Elle s’appelle, etc. If neither of you can remember, apologize
to your classmate and inquire again: “Comment vous appelez-vous?”

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Introduction Module 1 Lesson 2

Tip of the day: Compliments

As in many cultures of the world, compliments are welcomed in African societies as long
as they are not vulgar and meant to embarrass. While many people love to be
complimented, in many cultures of West Africa, complimenting profusely might not be
appreciated very much. There is a tacit belief among these cultures that talking constantly
about a person’s beauty or intellectual abilities might erode them. Unlike in the Western
world where it is perfectly appropriate to comment on a person’s smartness or beautiful
features, in Africa people prefer to appreciate and keep silent. Even if people make
comments about one thing or another, it is usually in the absence of the person being
commented upon.
In the Pulaar and Wolof ethnic groups of Mauritania and Senegal, for instance, making a
comment that a child (especially a newborn) is beautiful might not be viewed as a
compliment. If comments like that are repeated often, the mother might hide her baby
from the public sphere for fear that the evil spirits might negatively affect him or her.

Exchange Social Courtesies

To ask about someone’s well being:

The verb aller (literally to go) is used with many idiomatic expressions which indicate
state of being. Just as English speakers would use the verb to be to ask how someone is
doing (How are you? I am fine, I’m well, etc.), French speakers use aller:

Informal: Comment ça va? / Ça va? / Comment vas-tu?

Formal : Comment allez-vous ?
Possible Replies: Ça va. / Ça va bien (très bien).

(Je vais) +
très bien / bien / pas mal comme ci comme ça mal très mal
I’m doing very well / well / not bad / so, so (all right) poorly very badly

Note that a response with one of the above does not require a subject and verb (je vais)
but is a way to respond—as in English when you hear many different responses (Fine,
Great, I am well, etc.)

Ask another person where he/she is from:

D’où êtes-vous? Where are you from (formal)
D’où es-tu? “ (informal)

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Introduction Module 1 Lesson 2

Exercise 11

You meet a Francophone speaker and want to make sure you are courteous and culturally
aware. With a partner, think of how to act out the following when exchanging social
courtesies.

• Give two ways to say hello in French.

• Give two ways to find out someone’s name.
• Give two ways to find out where someone lives.
• Give two ways to find out someone’s nationality.

Exercise 12
Switch roles with your partner for the people listed below. Ask each other how you are
doing based on the given information. Your partner will provide the other person’s
answer.

Example: Marie (a little sick)

ƒ Comment ça va Marie?
ƒ Assez mal. (Pas trop bien). Je suis un peu malade.

1. Madame Dupont (tired)

2. Paul (poorly)

3. Monsieur Dupont (sick)

4. Anne (so-so)

5. votre professeur (...)

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Introduction Module 1 Lesson 2

Tip of the day: Courtesy Visits

Whether preplanned or spontaneous, visiting with family or friends is very much
appreciated in Africa. An individual can build a good or bad reputation for himself or
herself depending on how often he or she is engaged in social niceties. Reciprocation is a
feature of African social life and an individual who does not pay visit to others will see
his social circle shrink slowly.
All occasions are good occasions for visiting in Africa. However, funerals and weddings
take on a particular meaning in Senegal. Because of the collective nature of African
societies, individuals want to surround themselves with people who can share in their
pleasures as well as mourn with them. A person’s friendship to another is measured by
how soon he can be by his friend’s side in his moments of joy as well as his moments of
sadness. In Senegal, delaying or failing to visit a friend in any of these circumstances is
likely to put a dent on your friendship or to terminate it altogether.

Extend, accept, and refuse invitations

Both John and Amadou are off duty tomorrow and they are planning what to do.

Amadou: Nous sommes en congé demain. Off-duty/ on holiday tomorrow

Tu aimes les films? Tu veux aller au cinéma? You want to go to the movie theater
John: Non, je n’aime pas les films. No, I don’t like movies
Amadou: Tu veux aller au restaurant?
John: Malheureusement, je suis fauché. Unfortunately / broke
Amadou: Je t’invite. I’m inviting you
John: Alors c’est d’accord! All right then
Amadou: A demain. See you tomorrow
John: Salut.

Vrai ou Faux?

1. John et Amadou vont (will go) au cinéma demain. Ils vont au restaurant
2. John est fauché. V
3. Amadou n’aime pas les films. F John n’aime pas les films
4. Amadou invite John. V

To extend an invitation Places to go

Informal: Tu veux aller… au cinéma, au concert, au restaurant, au bar,
Formal: Vous voulez aller au parc, au musée
au centre commercial mall
à la bibliothèque library
à la discothèque night club
dîner chez moi have dinner at
my place

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Introduction Module 1 Lesson 2

To accept To refuse

D’accord all right/okay Non merci

Avec plaisir with pleasure Je suis fatigué(e) tired
Bien sûr. occupé(e) busy
Volontiers! fauché(e) broke
Oui, je veux bien

How to refuse an invitation politely and give an excuse / Comment refuser poliment
l’invitation et donner une excuse:
Je regrette mais...
Je suis désolé(e) mais...
Je voudrais bien mais... je ne peux pas, j’ai d’autres projets, je n’ai
J’aimerais bien mais... pas le temps, je dois travailler, j’ai
Je m’excuse mais... d’autres choses à faire, je ne suis pas libre.
Je te remercie mais...

*un projet = plan

le temps = time (an amount of time; vous avez le temps? do you have the time to do
something?)

To express a request politely use je voudrais:

Je voudrais déjeuner. I would like to have lunch.

To accept an offer, use je veux bien:

Tu veux déjeuner avec moi?
Oui, je veux bien (yes, I would love to).

How to invite someone / Comment inviter quelqu’un:

Dis, Paul, est-ce que tu es libre samedi?
→Oui, je suis libre.
→Non, je ne suis pas libre (je suis occupé).

How to set up a meeting, an outing / Comment se donner rendez-vous:

Qu’est-ce que tu fais samedi?
→Je suis libre.
Est-ce que tu veux aller au ciné, voir une exposition, prendre un pot (to have a drink in a
café), faire un tour en ville?
Où est-ce qu’on va se donner rendez-vous?
→chez moi →devant le ciné
→au café →à côté de la poste
→en face de la librairie
*A quelle heure est-ce qu’on va se retrouver, se rencontrer (meet each other)?
→A deux heures et demie (at 2 :30 p.m.).
Alors, d’accord.

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Introduction Module 1 Lesson 2

Entendu (agreed).
→A samedi, deux heures et demie devant le ciné.

Pay compliments to your friend / host

Simple thank you:
Merci Merci mille fois, Mille fois merci
Thank you Thanks a million
Merci bien Merci beaucoup
Thanks a lot Thank you very much
Je te (vous) remercie pour le dîner
Thank you for the dinner

*You will see more information about these expressions and grammar usage in later
Lessons. Your instructor will review basic meanings and pronunciation for the
above as needed for Lesson 2 exercises.

Exercise 13

Practice the following situation with as many members of the class as possible.

1. Pay your partner a compliment.

2. Your partner will give a culturally appropriate response to the compliment and
then pay you a compliment in return.
3. Give an appropriate response.

Exercise 14

Pay compliments to the following friends. Use tu for each individual; use vous for more
than one person.

Note to the instructor: Go over pronunciation and meaning before students work in
pairs. Students should only have examples for these forms of the verb.

1. Elle est très jolie.

Tu es très jolie!
2. Il parle bien l’espagnol.
Tu parles bien l’espagnol!
3. Elles chantent bien aussi.
Vous chantez bien aussi!
4. Ils travaillent beaucoup.
Vous travaillez beaucoup!

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Introduction Module 1 Lesson 2

5. Elles sont bonnes en maths.

Vous êtes bonnes en maths!

Exercise 15

Practice the following situation with as many members of the class as possible. You are
in the mess at one o’clock in the afternoon.

1. Greet your partner in a culturally appropriate manner.

2. Inquire about how s/he is doing.
3. Offer him/her something to drink.
4. What else can you say?

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Grammar Notes Module 1 Lesson 2

Subject Pronouns

You have already encountered three subject pronouns (je, tu, vous). Here is the complete
list:
je I nous we
tu you (informal, singular) vous you (formal, plural)
il he ils they
elle she elles they (feminine only)
on one/you/we

Remember that tu is always used when referring to small children and animals; tu is also
frequently used among classmates and colleagues.

On is often used in daily conversations to mean we. In written form, it takes the meaning
of people in general: on mange bien en France we/they/one eats well in France

Elles is used to refer to a feminine group only; when referring to a group composed of
both masculine and feminine nouns, use ils: David et Marie parlent français = Ils parlent
français.

Note that the subject pronouns, il, elle, ils, elles are used not only for people/groups of
people but also for a thing/groups (it/they). When they refer only to things, they are
impersonal. The pronoun corresponds to the gender of the object(s): La famille = Elle;
Le livre = Il; Les voitures (f.p.) = Elles; Les soldats (m.p.) = Ils.

Exercise 1

Which subject pronouns will you choose in the following situations?

1. Talking to your best friend. tu

2. Talking about your female friend. elle
3. Talking to your parents. vous
4. Talking about your classmates and yourself. On/nous
5. Talking to your instructor. vous
6. Talking about the members of the US women’s soccer team. elles
7. Talking about your father. il
8. Talking about yourself. je
9. Talking about your male and female superiors. ils

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Grammar Notes Module 1 Lesson 2

The verb être (to be)

You have already encountered three forms of the verb être. Here is its complete
conjugation in the present tense.
je suis I am nous sommes we are
tu es you are vous êtes you are
il / elle / on est s/he/one is ils / elles sont they are

Remember that linking causes ils / elles + sont (double s) to form s sound: ils∪sont. This
rule is important because one s creates the z sound and changes the verb meaning:
ils∪ont (avoir = they have).

Exercise 2

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate forms of the verb être.
1. D’où êtes-vous, Monsieur?
2. Claire est française.
3. Nous sommes américains.
4. M. et Mme. Dupont sont sympathiques.
5. Tu es optimiste?
6. Je suis intelligent.

être + nationalities

With the exception of c’est, nationalities do not need an article after the verb être:
Example: Je suis américain. I am (an) American
Adjectives of nationality begin with a small letter in French. When used as nouns, the
first letter is capitalized: Marie est française. Oui, c’est une Française.

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Grammar Notes Module 1 Lesson 2

Nationalities

Adjectives of nationalities follow the rules you learned about other types of adjectives.
Below are a few adjectives of nationalities, with the feminine form indicated between
parentheses when applicable?
Some have identical masculine and feminine forms: belge, russe, suisse
Many have a feminine form that consists of the masculine form + e: anglais/anglaise,
japonais/japonaise
Some adjectives have a feminine form that consists of the masculine form + ne:
italien/enne, canadien/canadienne
To form the plural of these adjectives, add s to the masculine or feminine singular form.
If the singular form already ends in s, the singular and plural are the same: Il est français
= Ils sont français.

américain (e) chinois (e)

russe français (e)
japonais (e) canadien (ne)
anglais (e) mexicain (e)
italien (ne) suisse
sénégalais (e) allemand (e)

espagnol (e) égyptien (ne)

africain (e) égyptien (ne)

Exercise 3

Give the nationality for the male/female not listed below.

1. Charles est suisse. Et Sabine? Elle est suisse aussi.

2. Kondoura est sénégalais. Et Aïsha? Elle est sénégalaise aussi.
3. Gregory est anglais. Et Sandra ? Elle est anglaise aussi.
4. Janet est américaine. Et Tom? Il est américain aussi.
5. Olga est russe. Et Boris ? Il est russe aussi.
6. Juanita est mexicaine. Et Artemio ? Il est mexicain aussi.
7. Sophia est italienne. Et Vittorio ? Il est italien aussi.
8. Thierry est africain. Et Claudine ? Elle est africaine aussi.
9. Kurt est allemand. Et Karen ? Elle est allemande aussi.
10. Fatima est égyptienne. Et Ahmed? Il est égyptien aussi.

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Grammar Notes Module 1 Lesson 2

Yes/no questions

You have already encountered several ways to phrase questions in French. We will
explain here how to phrase a question that can be answered by yes or no.
Here is an affirmative sentence: Il est sergent. He is a sergeant.
The easiest ways to transform this statement into a question are to:

• Raise the intonation: il est sergent?

• Precede the sentence with est-ce que: Est-ce qu’il est sergent? Est-ce que by itself
does not mean anything; it only signals that this sentence is a question. Note the
elision of the e when que is followed by a vowel.
• Add the question tag n’est-ce pas: il est sergent, n’est-ce pas? The phrase n’est-ce pas
is the equivalent of don’t you? aren’t you? isn’t that right? He is a sergeant, isn’t he?
The speaker is asking for confirmation; the use of a question tag supposes that the
answer to the question asked is affirmative.
These are the easiest because there is no change in the order of the words as given by the
affirmative sentence.
A question can also be formed by:
• Inverting the verb and the subject, like in English: Est-il sergent? Is he a sergeant?
Note that you need to add a hyphen between the verb and the subject pronoun. Inversion
is seldom used with the subject pronoun je. Intonation, est-ce que and n’est-ce pas are
usually preferred: est-ce que je peux te demander ton opinion? Can I ask you your
opinion?
If the third person singular verb ends with a vowel, you need to hyphen a t between the
verb and subject pronoun: Parle-t-il anglais? Does he speak English?
If the subject is a noun, the question with inversion follows this structure:
noun+verb+hyphen+(t)+subject pronoun: Marc parle-t-il anglais? Does Marc speak
English?
Marc et Sophie parlent-ils français? Do Marc and Sophie speak English?
* The t used with inversion separates the two vowels and also provides linking discussed
in Module 1 Lesson 1.

Exercise 4

Write the questions for each of the following situations. Most have more than one
possibility. Write them all.

a. You think the student seated next to you is called Robert. Ask him for confirmation. Tu
t’appelles Robert, n’est-ce pas?
b. You are looking for your new French instructor, Mme Lagrange. You spot a woman.
Think of three ways to ask her if she is your instructor. Vous êtes Mme Lagrange? Est-ce
que vous êtes Mme Lagrange? Etes-vous Mme Lagrange?
c. While pointing at another soldier, ask your friend in three different ways if that soldier
is a colonel. Il est colonel? Est-ce qu’il est colonel? Est-il colonel?

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Grammar Notes Module 1 Lesson 2

d. You’re having sudden doubts about your personality. Ask a friend if you are
unpleasant. Je suis désagréable? Est-ce que je suis désagréable?
e. You fell asleep in the train. When you wake up, you’re not sure where you are. Ask the
people in your compartment in three different ways if you are in Dakar. Nous sommes à
Dakar? Est-ce que nous sommes à Dakar? Sommes-nous à Dakar?

Exercise 5

Transform the following sentences into questions using an inversion.

a. Marie parle anglais. Marie parle-t-elle anglais?

b. Jean et Michelle habitent à Paris. Jean et Michelle habitent-ils à Paris?
c. Patricia habite à Montréal. Patricia habite-t-elle à Montréal?
d. Paul et Pierre parlent espagnol. Paul et Pierre parlent-ils espagnol?

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Grammar Notes Module 1 Lesson 2

er verbs

Regular verbs in French are divided into 3 groups, each following a certain pattern. We
will now go over the pattern of the verbs whose infinitives end in er. Take the infinitive
(or neutral form) of the verb, and omit the er. You are left with the stem. Add the proper
endings according to the example below to conjugate the verb in the present tense:

Parler (to speak/talk)

Je parle nous parlons
Tu parles vous parlez
Il/elle/on parle ils/elles parlent

The present tense conjugation of an er verb has different possible meanings in English.
For example, je parle = I speak (talk), I do speak/talk, I am speaking (talking).
Note that some er verbs like acheter and voyager are regular in the present tense except
for some spelling changes in their stems: voyage, voyages, voyage, voyageons, voyagez,
voyagent (the –g in the stem changes to –ge before the ending –ons).
Remember to make a liaison between the –s of ils or elles and a verb beginning with a
vowel or silent –h: ils∪habitent, elles∪aiment.

Exercise 6

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate forms of the verbs parler (to speak) and habiter (to
live).

a. Mariama habite à Dakar.

b. Mariama et Aminata parlent français.
c. Je parle anglais.
d. Nous habitons à Montréal.
e. Tu habites à Paris.
f. On parle anglais en Australie.
g. Vous habitez à New York.

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Grammar Notes Module 1 Lesson 2

The definite article

As you saw in the dialogue, the definite article le (the) is used before a title when
addressing someone (M. le directeur). Unlike in English, where gender corresponds to
sex (male is masculine, female is feminine, and all inanimate things are neutral), in
French all nouns have a grammatical gender (either masculine or feminine). While the
gender of some nouns follows the gender of the person or animal it denotes, there is no
logic behind the gender of inanimate objects. Thus table is feminine (la table), while
restaurant is masculine (le restaurant). You need to learn the gender as you acquire new
vocabulary, as you will see that this information will be needed for other purposes such
as adjective agreement. Gender will be indicated in your glossary by (m) for masculine
and (f) for feminine.

Masculine singular Feminine singular Plural

le restaurant la femme the woman les Etats-Unis the United States

l’homme the man l’armée the army les enfants the children

Note that le and la become l’ before a noun that begins with a vowel and some nouns that
start with h.
*The indefinite article (un/une, des) will be discussed in Lesson 3.

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Grammar Notes Module 1 Lesson 2

Gender pattern

You need to know the gender of a word to know which article to use. The gender of
certain words can be predicted according to their endings.

Feminine: words ending in Masculine: words ending in

-tion nation -age courage
-té beauté -ain train
-ade salade -al animal
-aine douzaine -at chocolat
-aison comparaison -eau tableau
-ance tendance -eil conseil
-ande commande -ent client
-ée entrée -et bracelet
-eille merveille -er danger
-ence différence -in cousin
-esse richesse -isme pessimisme
-ette cigarette -ment gouvernement
-ie géographie -oir bonsoir
-ine cuisine
-ique musique
-ise surprise
-oire histoire
-onne personne
-sion profession
-tude attitude
-ure culture

Exercise 7

Look up the chart for the gender of the following nouns and put the proper form of the
definite article next to them.

l’appartement la mémoire le socialisme la commission

le miroir la cueillette le cadeau l’optimisme

être and omission of the indefinite article

When speaking about someone’s profession, rank, political situation, religion, family
situation or nationality, no article (un/une) is used after the verb être:
Je suis colonel I am a colonel
Il est professeur He is a professor
Elle est américaine She’s an American
You will see more information about the indefinite article in Lesson 3.

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Grammar Notes Module 1 Lesson 2

à + definite article
The verb aller (see Module 1 Lesson 6) followed by the preposition à means to go to.
The preposition à contracts with certain forms of the definite article. In the following
chart, the infinitive aller is used with a conjugated form of vouloir (to want).

masculine singular feminine singular plural (masc. / fem.)

à + le = au à la à + les = aux
Je veux aller à le cinéma Je veux aller à la cafétéria Je veux aller à les Etats-Unis
Je veux aller au cinéma Je veux aller aux Etats-Unis

A masculine or feminine noun that begins with a vowel or mute h uses the contraction à
l’: Je vais à l’école. The noun école happens to be feminine but there is no way of
knowing with the contraction alone.
Note that pronunciation for the singular form au and plural form aux is identical unless a
vowel or mute h follows the plural contraction and linking occurs (z sound):
aux∪universités BUT Je vais au (aux) parc (parcs).

Exercise 8

Which of the following sentences are incorrect? Correct them.

a. Tu veux aller à le parc. au

b. Je veux aller à la discothèque.
c. Elle veut aller à les Champs Elysées. aux
d. Il est à les Caraïbes. aux
e. Nous sommes à la Nouvelle Orléans
f. Ils vont à le Sénégal. au

Negation
Unlike English, you need two words in French to negate a sentence: ne…pas. They
surround the conjugated verb.

Affirmative: je suis sergent j’aime les films

Negative: je ne suis pas sergent je n’aime pas les films
Note that the unaccented e of ne elides (disappears) in front of a vowel or mute h.

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Grammar Notes Module 1 Lesson 2

Exercise 9

Negate the following sentences.

a. J’aime le cinéma. Je n’aime pas le cinéma

b. Julie parle français. Julie ne parle pas français
c. Tu habites à Dakar. Tu n’habites pas à Dakar
d. Nous sommes de Paris. Nous ne sommes pas de Paris
e. Pierre et Paul sont au restaurant. Pierre et Paul ne sont pas au restaurant

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Vocabulary Module 1 Lesson 2

Abbreviation key: n.m: noun masculine

n.f: noun feminine
pl.: plural
adj.: adjective
adv.: adverb

À la prochaine! See you soon (next time)!

Aimer (verb) To like/Love
Aller (verb) To go
Allez, au revoir So long!
Au revoir Goodbye
Aujourd’hui (adv.) Today
Avec plaisir With Pleasure
Bibliothèque (n.f) Library
Bien Good/Well
Bienvenue (n.f.) Welcome
Bonjour Good Morning/hello
Bonsoir Good afternoon/good evening
C’est vraiment bon! It’s really good!
C’était délicieux! It (That) was delicious!
Ce n’est pas grand-chose It’s no big deal.
Chez moi My place
Ciao! Bye!
Comme ci comme ça So so
Comment How
D’accord All right/Agreed
(À) Demain (See you) Tomorrow
Désagréable (adj) Unpleasant
Dîner (verb) To have dinner
Directeur (n.m.) Director
Discothèque (n.f.) Nightclub
Enchanté (e) adj. Pleased
Etre (verb) + de/d’ To be (+ de = from)
Fatigué (e) adj. Tired
Fauché (e) adj. Broke
Habiter (verb) To live
Inviter (verb) To invite
Je m’appelle / S’appeler (verb) To be called/My name is/I call myself
Madame (Mme.) Ma’am/Mrs.
Mademoiselle (Mlle.) Ms
Mal Bad
Malheureusement (adv.) Unfortunately
Merci (c’est gentil) Thank you (that’s nice)
Monsieur (M.) Mr.
Musée (n.m.) Museum

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Vocabulary Module 1 Lesson 2

Non No
Nouveau (Nouvelle) New
Occupé (e) adj. Busy
Où Where
Oui Yes
Parler (verb) To talk, to speak
(Ne) Pas Not
Pas superbe! Not super!
Pas terrible! Not terrible!
Présenter (verb) To introduce
Qui Who
Salut! Hi / bye
Secrétaire (n. m. or f.) Secretary
Soir (n.m) Evening
Très Very

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Culture Notes Module 1 Lesson 2

Greetings

French and Senegalese officers shake hands

In Africa, greetings constitute an important part of the social interaction. How
often you greet people and how you go about it may determine your reputation in the
society. Even though specific rules and rituals are observed depending on cultures (in
certain cultures, you bow your head and let on older person grab you by the shoulders to
show respect), a handshake is generally the most appropriate way to greet people in
Africa. Greetings are not only meant for mutual recognition, but also to create a bond
between the members of the community. In this regard, a handshake is viewed as the
most intimate way of sealing that bond. People shake hands every time they meet to say
hello and goodbye. Moreover, not engaging in the ritual of handshaking is often
construed as the individual’s unwillingness to participate in the social niceties and his
desire to distance himself from the rest of the people. Since African societies stress
collectivism over individualism, being viewed through that prism can jeopardize one’s
position and social status within the community.

In addition, a foreigner (that is a Westerner, including people of African descent)

who does not shun away from handshaking is likely to earn a very good reputation in
Africa. This is due partly to the fact that foreigners are not expected to fully participate in
the social interaction. They can live among Africans peacefully as long as they respect
their customs and beliefs. To join in on certain social niceties such as handshaking is
viewed as that foreigner’s deep respect for the local customs and his or her readiness to
adapt to that culture. Because of their colonial experience with Europeans who looked at
them as sub-humans and who showed total disrespect for their beliefs, most Africans
appreciate seeing foreigners (Whites) who behave differently. Consequently, interacting
socially with the local people earns one a good reputation and gives access to the local
dignitaries.

Handshakes are usually accompanied with small talk—a battery of questions

pertaining to one’s health, family, work, pets, acquaintances and so on. These questions
might be repeated several times in the course of one greeting session. However, one
should not feel that his or her private life is being invaded. In fact, one does not have to
answer these questions literally. A formulaic Ils vont bien (they are doing fine) or ça va
bien (it’s going well) is quite appropriate. The most important thing is to be patient

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Culture Notes Module 1 Lesson 2

enough to give the greeter the time to finish his or her greetings, especially when you are
dealing with older people.

Even though handshakes constitute a well-appreciated and widely spread practice

in Africa, one should, however, be careful when dealing with the opposite sex. In Islamic
societies such as Senegal, Mauritania, or Mali, chances are that you might encounter
women who do not shake hands with the opposite sex (except their husbands, brothers,
sons, and very young children). This is not meant to offend nor does it reflect a sexist
attitude. It is simply a religious practice. The best and easiest way to avoid a potentially
embarrassing situation is to wait until a hand is extended to you by the opposite sex. In
case one forgets and initiates the handshaking, do not feel offended if they do not grab
your hand. They will always politely explain to you the reason they are not reciprocating
your gesture. This will not make them think less of you, and do not feel as if you have
violated a cardinal rule of their society. In-members run into the same problems all the
time and this does not affect the social interaction.

Arabic phrases

Muslims all over the world commonly use some phrases in Arabic, the language in which
the Koran was revealed. Here are some very common phrases used by Muslims in Africa:

Assalamou Alaïkoum Peace be upon you Greeting formula to which one should
answer wa alaïkoumou salam (and
peace upon you).
Allah God
Insha’allah God willing
Yalla Oh my god!
Alhamdou Lilah Praise be to Allah Used as answer to a question inquiring
about someone’s well being (such as
how are you?
Bismilla literally, in the Depending on the context, it can be an
name of Allah invitation to enter a house (Welcome,
Come in) or to join people who are
already eating (Come and eat). In
certain cases, it can also be used as a
formula to ward off evil eye or mouth.
Masha’allah God’s will This expression is used to counter the
potential negative effect of a comment,
as in the case of compliments

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Culture Notes Module 1 Lesson 2

African names

The following are names commonly used in West Africa:

Female names Male names Last names

Sokhna Doudou Dieng
N’Deye Samba Sané
Awa Demba Diatta
Penda Yéro Diop
Coumba Hamadi Traoré
Fatou Ciré Bâ
Mariama Oumar Ly
Rama Ousmane Niane
Astou Tapha Bocoum
Rose Maktar Diallo
Khady Laye Kane
Aminata Abdou Sy
Mame Alassane Wane
Adia Moussa Diouf
Dieynaba Pape Barry
Houleye Ibou Ouattara
Cheikh Coulibaly
Camara
Thiam
N’Diaye
N’Doye
Niang
Fall

In Africa, names are given according to pre-established structures that might vary
from culture to culture. In many communities of West Africa, a full name includes 3
components: 1) a first name, 2) a middle name, and 3) a last name. The first names are
often drawn from a pool of familiar names and there is almost never any attempt at
combining part of them or reshuffling them in order to come up with original names.
People do, however, use diminutives and surnames and these are well known and often
more widely used than the original names. For example, among the Wolofs, a person
named Ibrahima is often referred to as Ibou; Moustapha as Tapha and so on. The
pronunciation of other names changes, not because they are diminutives or surnames but,
because they are of foreign origin and the local language has to adapt them to its
phonologic repertoire. For instance, the Arabic name Ahmadou is pronounced among the
Fulbe in West Africa as Amadou because Pulaar (Fulbe language) does not allow an "h"
in a middle position. This is why the "h" in Ahmadou is often deleted in our dialogues to
account for the way the name is pronounced in real life situations.

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Culture Notes Module 1 Lesson 2

Usually, a child is named after a grand parent, an uncle or an aunt. There are also
many instances where a child takes his or her first name from a family friend or a
marabout (religious guide). A child can be given one, two, or any number of first names:
the father can give him a first name; the mother another first name; the uncle yet another
first name and so on. Depending of how often he hears them, he might be answering to
all of them. The process of how an outsider (other than the father or the mother) gives a
first name to a child is a simple one. There is usually a festive naming ceremony (a week
after the birth) during which the attendees are informed of the first name that was given
by the parents. Then someone might just say publicly that he or she is naming the child
with a first name of his or her choice. It is through this dynamic that the child gets
multiple first names. However, only 2 or 3 first names stick usually; the rest of the first
names get forgotten very soon. Those who want the first names they chose to be used
often "bribe" (promising gifts or favors to whoever uses the first name they have given
the child) outsiders so that these outsiders will use the first names they have chosen when
addressing the child. That way, the given first name will not be forgotten. There are cases
when a first name given through this process supplants that given by the parents, and the
child gets known only by it.

In addition to being given an arbitrarily chosen first name, in some societies,

every child has culturally assigned first names by virtue of his or her birth position. Thus,
among the Fulbe/Pulaar of Senegal and Mauritania, the first son always gets the first
name of Hamadi; the second son that of Samba, and the third son that of Demba and so
on. Therefore, depending on what name he receives, one can tell his birth position. For
females, the first one is usually Coumba; the second one is Penda; the third one is Cira,
etc.

The middle name is almost invariably the mother's or the father's first name.
Every person has potentially 2 middle names, and which one gets used depends largely
on context. In general, relatives from the mother's side will make use of the mother's first
name as a middle name, and relatives from the father's side do likewise. However, both
middle names cannot be used at the same time. In official records, only one middle name
is registered, but in real life, people switch to one or the other depending on the situation.
As in the case of first names, the parents or their relatives might "bribe" outsiders to use
one middle name or the other.

The last name is invariable in the cultures under consideration, and most of these
cultures are patriarchal. Children carry their father's family name and it never changes for
the rest of their lives. A woman never changes her last name even if she is married to
someone with a different last name. Last names are usually ethnic-specific. In other
words, one should be able to tell a person's ethnic appurtenance from the last name he or
she carries. Nowadays, however, one should be very careful not to base his or her
judgment solely on that. With recent developments toward social integration, especially
in Senegal, family names are no longer reliable sources for ethnic identification. Many
last names overlap between the Wolofs, on one hand, and the Pulaars and other ethnic
groups of Senegal, on the other. The Wolof society being very open, many members of
the other ethnic groups are assimilating to it quickly, while keeping their family names.

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Culture Notes Module 1 Lesson 2

It is frequent, among the Wolofs of Senegal, to meet someone with two last
names. This has a simple explanation. The individual is usually named after someone
with a different last name. There is a certain practice among the Wolofs not only to name
a child after someone using his or her first name but also his or her last name as well.
Therefore, when the child's father's last name is added, he or she ends up with 2 last
names and one first name. Thus, the name Samba Dieng Fall shows that this person is
named after someone called Samba (first name) Dieng (last name), and that the person's
last name is Fall.

Finally, there is a widespread practice, in former French colonies, to refer to

people by their last names instead of their first names, even in casual settings. In such
cases, neither Mr. nor Ms are used before the family name. This is a French legacy that
made school students use last names when addressing each other. The practice reached
the general population when students came home and did the same.

Introductions

Introductions play an important role in African societies. Africans love to

welcome foreigners into their homes and they go to great lengths to make these
foreigners comfortable during their stay. They pride themselves in being acquainted with
and getting to know outsiders and the way they go about it can sometimes be interpreted
as a bit overzealous. This is so because Africans feel that it is their responsibility to make
sure that the foreign person is at ease among them, and they believe that this can only be
achieved if they are the ones who make the first step in helping him or her adjust to the
new surrounding culture. Consequently, they look at making acquaintances as a social
duty, and to the reluctant or unprepared newcomer, the eagerness Africans display in
knowing others might seem suspicious and forceful.

Africans have a strong emotional attachment to their cultures and homes and what
people say about these two things matters a great deal to them. Therefore, they have a
vested interest in welcoming outsiders and showing them good times. The expectation
that it is the host culture’s responsibility to draw the newcomer into the various social
webs is one of the reasons why many Africans have problems adjusting when they first
move to Western countries. They anticipate being taken out of their shyness or reserve
aggressively by the local people. When this expectation is not met, they experience
sadness and become homesick.

Introductions can be either formal (being introduced to someone) or informal

(talking to someone without necessarily any introduction). It is perfectly normal for the
newcomer to introduce himself or herself to the local people. However, whether these
introductions are initiated by him or her or by the residents, the newcomer should expect
a lot of questions regarding his family, country of origin and acquaintances. If he or she
feels that some of these questions are very personal, the newcomer can politely decline to
answer them. You may be asked about another country mate who has lived among them
previously, without you having any obvious link to him. Do not be frustrated. It is
through these kinds of inquiries that Africans find out that they are related to others from

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Culture Notes Module 1 Lesson 2

far away distances. Furthermore, if you happen to know that country mate, his good
reputation might assure you immediate acceptance in the community.

Greeting superiors

When one greets superiors with titles such as directeur, président, one should use these
titles when addressing persons holding executive offices: M. le Directeur, Madame la
Directrice, M. le Président, Mme. la Présidente.

Invitations

Consistent with the social decorum that dictates making foreigners feel at ease among
them, Africans love to invite guests to their homes, and if their finances permit them, they
love to make any one of these occasions a feast. Africans take pleasure in receiving
people whether they are new in the community or whether they are long-standing
members. Despite a difficult economic conjuncture and a rapidly changing social and
cultural environment, Africans are still somehow fully committed to the social institution
of guest receiving, even in big cities and towns where many aspects of traditional life are
slowly disappearing.

Invitations can be preplanned (i.e. announced days or weeks ahead of time) or they can
be spontaneous (on the spot). If the invitation is extended on the spot (for instance after
running accidentally into someone), it does not necessarily mean that the inviter thinks
less of you or was reluctant to invite you in the first place. Therefore, this should not
affect your decision to accept or decline the invitation. Actually, a person who accepts to
eat or drink with someone on the spur of the moment is viewed in a much better light.
This behavior reveals that he considers himself as ordinary as his hosts, a character trait
that is very much appreciated in African cultures.

Africans expect visitors to come eat and drink with them at their places even if there is
apparently not enough for everybody. To decline an invitation under such an excuse is
offensive. They think that generosity is measured in terms of how much a person is ready
to share with others in times of difficulty and need.

One is not obliged to accept the first invitation one receives, especially if the individual’s
schedule is unremitting. It is, however, offensive to decline someone’s repeated
invitations to his or her place, even if you have valid time constraints. Such an attitude
might raise a host of interpretations on the part of the inviter. If he or she is poor or
handicapped, for instance, they might think that your declining their invitations is due to
their conditions. Therefore, efforts should be made to accommodate the request.

When Africans invite you to their places, it is with the understanding that, as hosts, they
will provide for everything. While some families might not mind a guest bringing
something along with him (the best thing to bring in this situation is something not
readily available in the local market), others, however, would prefer that he bring

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Culture Notes Module 1 Lesson 2

nothing. Africans do not want their guests to start declining their invitations because they
cannot afford to bring something with them.

The same principle applies when people invite you to a restaurant. In general, they do so
with the understanding that they will be footing the bill entirely. Therefore, even as a
foreigner, if you invite friends or dates to a restaurant, you should expect to be paying for
you and your guest(s).

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Application Activities Module 1 Lesson 2

Activity 1

Class activity. Go around the classroom and greet your classmates and your instructor.
Use Madame, Mademoiselle, and Monsieur as appropriate, and shake hands.

Activity 2

Class activity. Your instructor will start a chain by greeting you, saying his/her name
while shaking your hand. S/he will then ask you the same information. Respond. Then
turn to the student next to you and do as your instructor did.

Activity 3

Class activity. Your instructor will start a chain by asking you where you are from.
Respond, then turn to the student next to you and do as your instructor did.

Activity 4

Class activity. Get up and go around the room. Greet and meet your instructor and as
many students as you can. Say your name, where you are from, and get the same
information about them. Remember to use the informal with your classmates, formal with
your instructor.

Activity 5

Class activity. Students take turns asking a question to a student while pointing at another
class member. Use qui est-ce? or comment s’appelle-t-il/elle?

Activity 6

Class activity. Your instructor will start a chain. Ask a student how s/he is, listen to the
answer, then instruct the student to ask another student, and so on until the question
comes back to you.

Activity 7
Class activity. Practice your Muslim greetings. Your instructor will start a chain by
greeting a student. Answer appropriately and greet the student next to you.

Activity 8

Class activity. Your instructor will invite you somewhere. Accept or refuse.

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Application Activities Module 1 Lesson 2

Activity 9

This is a list of people registered for a swimming class. Read through the names and
check the correct statement.

Leçon de natation
Lundi 10-12h30

Doudou N’Diaye
Sokhna Dieng
Maktar Diop
Samba Diallo
Penda Sy
Ciré Bocoum
Mariama Sané

a. Swimming is “ladies only”

b. Swimming is “men only”
c. Swimming is co-ed

Activity 10

Pair activity. Get to know a classmate. Using informal phrases, greet him/her, say your
name and where you are from, and elicit the same information from your partner. Switch
roles. If you don’t understand some information, say comment? (pardon me?) to prompt
your partner to spell his name and city of origin.

Activity 11

Pair activity. You meet your French instructor for the first time. Role-play the situation
with a partner. Using formal phrases, your instructor will greet you, and ask your name
and hometown. Then switch roles.

Activity 12

Pair activity. You run into your friend. Invite him/her to go to different places at different
times. Role-play the dialogue with your partner. Make sure you greet each other, inquire
about each other’s well being before extending the invitations. Use demain and ce week-
end (tu veux aller au parc ce week-end?). Take leave, and then switch roles.

Activity 13
Class activity. Your instructor will start a chain by making a guess about a student’s
nationality. Example: Tu es français? The student will answer (e.g.: Non, je suis

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Application Activities Module 1 Lesson 2

mexicain), then ask a similar question to another student, and on until the question comes
back to the instructor.

Activity 14

Pair activity. Find a new partner. Greet each other; get to know each other’s name and
hometown, and how you are feeling today.

Activity 15

Pair activity. Role-play the situations from the exercise on yes/no questions in the
grammar section. Be sure to alternate asking questions.

Activity 16

Fill in the blanks.

a. Il est de Saint-Louis.
b. Vous êtes pessimistes.
c. Je suis de Dakar.
d. Tu es de Paris.
e. Elles sont de New York.

Activity 17

Amadou is greeting a Muslim friend of his. Select the appropriate answer for each
statement or question.

1. Assalamou alaïkoum.
a. Bonjour.
b. Salut.
c. Wa alaïkoumou salam.

2. Comment ça va?
a. Pas mal, merci.
b. Très bien, et toi?
c. Bien, alhamdou lilah.

Activity 18

Read the dialogue, and then circle the correct statement.

A: Je m’appelle Ed. Je suis de New York. Je suis colonel à Fort Huachuca.

B: Enchantée. Je suis lieutenant.
a) A is in New York / Fort Huachuca
b) B is a male / a female

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Skill Enhancement Activities Module 1 Lesson 2

Activity 1

Class activity. Your instructor will give you a card where you will write down your new
identity. Choose an African name and an African city. Your instructor will collect the
cards, and then redistribute them randomly. You will ask questions to your classmates to
find out whose card you have (e.g: Tu t’appelles Amadou? Tu es de Dakar? etc.). Each
student will respond with expressions like, Non, je suis/je m’appelle. . . Je suis de. . .

Activity 2

Listen to your instructor read about where some of her friends are from and write down
which city they come from. Write a complete sentence. The names of the cities will be
spelled out.

a. Doudou Gueye est de Bamako.

b. Samba et Coumba sont de Nouakchott.
c. Sokhna et moi, nous sommes de Yamoussoukro.

Activity 3

Pair activity. Act out these dialogues in French. Be prepared to present them to the class.

1. A: Greet B and introduce yourself.

B: Introduce yourself.
A: Ask where B is from.
B: Answer and ask where A is from.

2. A: Say good evening and give your name.

B: Request repetition.
A: Repeat and spell your name.
B: Introduce yourself

3. A: Greet B.
B: Greet A.
A: Ask who a third person in the room is.
B: Answer.
A: Ask where s/he is from.
B: Answer, then take leave.
A: Respond.

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Skill Enhancement Activities Module 1 Lesson 2

Pair Activities, Student A

Activity 4

Ask your partner where the people whose names are not linked to a city are from and
draw the line. Then answer your partner’s questions.

Example: you: D’où est Rama Niane?

Your partner: Elle est deDakar

Rama Niane Amadou Niane

copyright: Organisation internationale de la Francophonie

Adia Dieng Abdou Lô Doudou N’Diaye

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Skill Enhancement Activities Module 1 Lesson 2

Pair Activities, Student A

Activity 5

You look only at chart A, while your partner looks only at chart B on the next page. Your
partner has the information you need to complete chart A. Ask him/her questions: D’où
est…? Qui est de…? And fill in the answers. You have the information s/he needs to
complete chart B. Answer his questions with: Il est de… Elle est de…

Nom Ville
Maktar Diouf (m)
Sokhna Dieng (f)
Laye Niang (m)
Astou N’Doye (f) Louga
Demba Kane (m)
Houleye Sy (f) Matam
Ziguinchor
Kanel
Abdou Diop (m) Dakar
Moussa N’Diaye (m) Saint Louis
Awa Diallo (f) Rosso
Tapha Camara (f) Bakel

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Skill Enhancement Activities Module 1 Lesson 2

Pair Activities, Student B

Activity 4

Ask your partner where the people whose names are not linked to a city are from and
draw the line. Then answer your partner’s questions.

Example: you: D’où est Rama Niane?

Your partner: Elle est deDakar

Rama Niane Amadou Niane

copyright: Organisation internationale de la Francophonie

Adia Dieng Abdou Lô Doudou N’Diaye

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Skill Enhancement Activities Module 1 Lesson 2

Pair Activities, Student B

Activity 5

You look only at chart B, while your partner looks only at chart A on the next page. Your
partner has the information you need to complete chart B. Ask him/her questions: D’où
est…? Qui est de…? And fill in the answers. You have the information s/he needs to
complete chart A. Answer his questions with: Il est de… Elle est de…

Nom Ville
Maktar Diouf (m) Kaolack
Sokhna Dieng (f) Thiès
Laye Niang (m)
Astou N’Doye (f)
Demba Kane (m) Podor
Houleye Sy (f)
Pape Sané (m) Ziguinchor
Khady Niane (f) Kanel
Abdou Diop (m)
Saint Louis
Rosso
Tapha Camara (f)

Activity 6

Create dialogues in pairs for the following situations. When you are finished, practice
each set of dialogues and prepare each to role-play in class.
Situation A:
-Paul veut sortir avec Juliette. Elle n’est pas libre samedi, mais elle est libre dimanche.
Paul invite Juliette dans un restaurant chinois. Elle accepte l’invitation.
Situation B:
-Tanguy propose à Sandrine d’aller au cinéma lundi et au bar jeudi. Elle n’aime pas
tellement Tanguy. Elle refuse les deux invitations en inventant des excuses différentes.
Situation C:
-Yvette téléphone à Charley. Elle propose d’aller à un concert de rock. Charley demande
quand. Elle répond samedi. Charley accepte.

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Homework Module 1 Lesson 2

Activity 1

Read the following dialogues, and circle the correct answers.

A: Bonsoir Monsieur A is a male / a female
B: Bonsoir Madame A is single / married
A: Salut Monique. Monique is Paul’s professor / friend
B: Salut Paul.
A: Bonsoir This conversation takes place in the morning / evening
B: Au revoir B just arrived / is leaving

Activity 2

Which of these French newspapers brings the latest news of the day?

a. b. c. d.

Activity 3 Track 6

CD. You will hear people introduce themselves. Put a number next to each name and city
in the order your hear them.

Cameroun 4 Tabu 3 Johnson 4 Mariama 1 Dakar 1

Diop 5 Saint Louis 2 Birago 2 Congo 3 Sénégal 5

1. Bonjour! Je m’appelle Mariama et je suis de Dakar.

2. Salut! Je m’appelle Birago et je suis de Saint Louis.
3. Bonsoir Madame. Je suis du Congo et je m’appelle Tabu.
4. Bonsoir. Je suis le sergent Johnson et je suis en mission au Cameroun.
5. Voici le colonel Diop. Il est du Sénégal.

Activity 4

Introduce yourself and your partner. Say your names, hometowns, and languages spoken.

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Homework Module 1 Lesson 2

Activity 5 Track 7

CD. Listen and connect the names and hometowns with lines.

Script : Je m’appelle Boubacar Hamidou et je suis de Yaoundé.

Voici Aminata Fall. Elle est de Dakar.
Je vous présente Cheikh Kane. Il est de Yamoussoukro.
Il s’appelle Mamadou Diallo. Il est de Nouakchott.

Aminata Kane Yamoussoukro

Mamadou Fall Nouakchott
Boubacar Hamidou Yaoundé
Cheikh Diallo Dakar

Activity 6 Track 8

You will hear various people greeting you. You are given several possible answers.
Choose the one that is not appropriate.

1.[female voice] Bonjour

a. Bonjour Madame
b. Bonjour Mademoiselle
c. Bonjour Monsieur
2. Salut! [male voice]
a. Salut Monsieur
b. Salut
c. Bonjour
3. Au revoir
a. Au revoir
b. Bonsoir
c. Bonjour

Activity 7

Write the questions that elicited the following answers. For each question, write three
different ways of phrasing them. Do not use the intonation form.

1. Est-ce que tu habites à Dakar?

Tu habites à Dakar, n’est-ce pas?
Habites-tu à Dakar?
Oui, j’habite à Dakar.
2. Est-ce que vous parlez français?
Vous parlez français, n’est-ce pas?
Parlez-vous français?
Oui, nous parlons français.

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Homework Module 1 Lesson 2

3. Est-ce qu’il est de Phœnix?

Il est de Phœnix, n’est-ce pas?
Est-il de Phœnix?
Oui, il est de Phoenix.

4. Est-ce qu’elles parlent anglais?

Elles parlent anglais, n’est-ce pas?
Parlent-elles anglais?
Oui, elles parlent anglais.

Activity 8

Amadou and Doudou used to be childhood friends. After graduating from Cheikh Anta
Diop University, Doudou took a government position in a small town called Thilogne,
not far from the Senegalese-Mauritanian border. Doudou is back in Dakar for a short
visit. On his way to the Ministry of Finance, he accidentally runs into his old friend,
Amadou. There are many words you do not know; the ones in gray have been translated
in the margin. Read their conversation and answer the following questions.

Doudou: Amadou, comment vas-tu? (Doudou lui tend la main). extends his hand
Amadou: Comment vas-tu, mon cher Doudou? (Amadou lui shakes his hand
serre la main vigoureusement).
Doudou: Je vais bien, et toi?
Amadou: Je vais bien. Alhamdou Lillah.
Doudou: Et ta famille?
Amadou: Tout le monde va bien. Alassane, mon aîné, est en my oldest child
train de grandir rapidement. Coumba, la plus jeune, a sept mois. the youngest child
Mon père a pris sa retraite. Il est rentré vivre au village avec ma
mère. Cependant, mes deux sœurs et trois frères vivent avec moi.
Est-ce que tu t’es finalement marié?
Doudou: Non. Pas encore. Je suis toujours célibataire. J’attends
de terminer la construction de ma maison.
Amadou: Ça c’est très bien. Et à part cela, est-ce que tu vas bien
quand même?
Doudou: Tout va bien. J’espère que ta famille se porte bien.
Amadou: Oui. Tout le monde va très, très bien. Tu devrais
passer nous rendre visite avant de repartir. Voici mon numéro de
téléphone.
Doudou: Oui. Je vais sûrement passer. Surtout que j’ai envie de
goûter encore au bon Tiebou Diene que ta femme prépare si bien. Fish and rice dish
Amadou: Ce sera avec plaisir.
Doudou: Au revoir.
Amadou: A bientôt.

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Homework Module 1 Lesson 2

1. What gesture accompanies the two friends’ greetings?

handshake
2. What are the genders of Amadou’s children?
A boy and a girl
3. What is Amadou’s religion? How can you tell?
Islam. He uses Alhamdou lillah
4. How many time(s) does each speaker say that he and/or his family are doing well?
Amadou: 3 times, Doudou: twice
5. What happened to Amadou’s father?
He went to live with Amadou’s mother in the village.
6. How many people live with Amadou?
8: his wife, 2 children, 2 sisters and 3 brothers
7. Why is Doudou still single?
He’s waiting to finish the construction of his house

Activity 9

You meet your partner downtown. Ask him or her to do something with you later. Your
partner will refuse and explain why. He/she will propose something else. Accept or
refuse. Continue until you both find something you both want to do. One person will be
A and the other will be B.

A:
Aller dans une pizzéria
Prendre un pot
Faire un tour dans le centre
Voir une exposition
Aller dans les magasins

B:
Aller dans un restaurant japonais
Aller au ciné
Se promener dans le parc
Jouer aux jeux vidéo
Téléphoner à des copains

Activity 10

Create dialogues where you invite someone on the given day of the week listed below.
Think of interesting and fun places to visit on these days. In class you can work with a
partner to practice your written work.
Modèle:
Qu’est-ce que tu fais samedi?
Tu veux voir un film avec moi?
Oui, avec plaisir. Quel film?

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Homework Module 1 Lesson 2

1. Saturday (samedi)
2. Sunday (dimanche)
3. Monday night (lundi soir)
4. Tuesday night (mardi soir)
5. Wednesday afternoon (mercredi après-midi)

Activity 11 Track 9

CD. Listen to the following wishes for each person and answer the last portion of the
statement. Write your answers in English and refer to the new vocabulary in your text.

Script:
David veut inviter Suzanne au ciné samedi soir. Qu’est-ce qu’il demande?
Franck veut savoir si Cécile a des projets pour le weekend. Qu’est-ce qu’il demande?
Karine invite Caroline à la discothèque. Caroline adore danser mais elle a trop de devoirs
ce soir. Comment est-ce qu’elle répond?
Sophie invite Marc au café mais il a rendez-vous avec une autre copine. Comment est-ce
qu’il répond?

1.

2.

3.

4.

Activity 12 Track 10

CD. Listen to the speaker and write an appropriate response to the question.

1. Ca va?

2. Comment vas-tu?

3. Comment t’appelles-tu?

4. Tu vas bien?

5. D’où es-tu?

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Greetings and Introductions French SOLT 1
Homework Module 1 Lesson 2

Activity 13 Track 11

CD. Fill in the rest of the speaker’s statements.

1. Je te présente mon copain Tapha.

2. Tapha est de Dakar.

3. Tu connais mon amie Astou ?

4. Je viens d’Abidjan.

Activity 10

Here are the birthplaces of several people. Write what their nationalities are in complete
sentences.

1. Sophia/Rome Sophia est italienne.

2. Jacques/Montréal Jacques est canadien.
3. Moon/Shanghaï Moon est chinoise.
4. Jen/Londres Jen est anglaise.
5. Kyoko/Tokyo Kyoko est japonaise.
6. Olga/Moscou Olga est russe.
7. François/Genève François est suisse.
8. Julia/New York Julia est américaine.
9. Jesus/Mexico Jesus est mexicain.
10.Nathalie/Paris Nathalie est française.

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