an essay in french about myself

• PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
• EDIT Edit this Article
• EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Happiness Hub Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
• Browse Articles
• Learn Something New
• Quizzes Hot
• Happiness Hub
• This Or That Game
• Train Your Brain
• Explore More
• Support wikiHow
• About wikiHow
• Log in / Sign up
• Education and Communications
• World Languages

How to Describe Yourself in French

Last Updated: September 9, 2022 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Language Academia . Language Academia is a private, online language school founded by Kordilia Foxstone. Kordilia and her team specialize in teaching foreign languages and accent reduction. Language Academia offers courses in several languages, including English, Spanish, and Mandarin. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 448,979 times.

Describing yourself is an important skill personally and professionally. You may wish to meet or date someone, get to know a friend better, or present yourself in a professional context. The rules for describing yourself in French are similar to how you would do it in English, but there are a few distinctions to be aware of. Using these guidelines you will have a basic structure that you can expand on to provide a more personalized description of yourself.

Describing your Personality

• The French word for first name is “prenom” (prey–nom). You could say “Mon prénom est...” (mon prey-nom ey) which means “my first name is...”
• The French word for surname is “nom de famille” (nohm dhe fah-mee). In a professional or commercial transaction if someone asks for your "nom" be sure to provide your last name rather than your first.

• Consult a dictionary to find pronunciations of specific numbers.
• You can also describe your age group more generally using the phrase “je suis” (zhe swee) followed by an adjective. “Jeune” (zhuhn) means young. “Vieux” (vee-euh) indicates an elderly man, while “vieille” (vee-ay) indicates an elderly woman. “Je suis jeune” means “I am young.”

• You can also say “my hair is...” followed by a color. The phrase for this is “Mes cheveux sont...” (meh chuh-vuh son). Consult a dictionary for the appropriate color.
• The same construction works to describe your eye color. You would say “Mes yeux sont ...” (mehz-yuh son) which means "my eyes are..." Note that in this case you pronounce the s at the end of “mes” because the next word begins with a vowel.

• “Fort” (for) means strong, while “faible” (febl) means weak.
• “Petit” (petee) for men or “petite” (peteet) for women means small or short.
• “Grand” (grahn) for men or “grande” (grahnd) for women means large or tall.

• Content (cohn-tahn) means happy, while triste (treest) means sad. You would say "je suis triste" to convey "I am sad."
• Fatigué (fah-tee-gay) means tired. You would say “je suis fatigué” to convey "I am tired."

Describing Your Activities

• Male occupations that end with “eur” (euhr) often change to “euse” (euhz) for women. For example, a massage therapist would be either a masseur or a masseuse.
• Male occupations that end in “ier” (ee-ay) often add an extra e to become ière (ee-ehr) for women. A farmer would be either a fermier or a fermière.
• Male occupations that end in a consonant may add an extra e to become feminine. For example, a male student is an “étudiant” (ay-tood-eeon) while a female student is an "étudiante" (ay-tood-eeont). Note that the final consonant is pronounced only in the female form.
• Many occupations have only one form, regardless of gender, such as "professeur" which means teacher.

• “I like” is “j’aime” (zhehm). "I love" is “j’adore” (zha-dor). “J’aime lire” (zhehm leer) means “I like to read.”
• The words “ne” and “pas” on either side of the verb negate the phrase, indicating dislike. "I do not like" is “je n’aime pas” (zhe nem pah). “Je n’aime pas chanter” (zhe nem pas chan-tay) means “I do not like to sing.”

• Mon (mohn) or ma (mah) are used as possessives, when you wish to indicate that you like something that belongs to you. Mes (meh) indicates a possessive plural. [5] X Research source
• Mon is used when the noun is masculine, indicated in the dictionary by the letter m. “J’aime mon chat” means "I like my cat." Note that it does not matter if you are male, it matters that cat (chat) is a masculine noun.
• Ma is used when the noun is feminine, indicated in the dictionary by the letter f. “J’aime ma tante” means "I like my aunt." Again, it matters that aunt is a feminine noun, not that you are a man or a woman.
• Mes indicates a possessive plural noun, such as “my aunts” or “my cats.” You would say “j’aime mes tantes” or “j’aime mes chats.” [6] X Research source

• If this is too challenging it may be easier to use the above recommendations for sharing hobbies, simply saying “I like sports” or “j’aime les sports.”
• This construction also works to describe personality traits. For example gentil/gentille (zhantee/zhanteel) means nice. You would say “je suis gentil” if you are a man or "je suis gentille" for a woman.

Printable Phrase Guides

Community Q&A

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://omniglot.com/language/phrases/french.php
• ↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zjx947h/articles/z7ftwty
• ↑ https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/frenchcopy/chapter/2-4-the-verb-etre/
• ↑ http://www.languageguide.org/french/grammar/gender/
• ↑ http://www.thefrenchexperiment.com/learn-french/possessive-adjectives.php
• ↑ https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/possessive-adjectives/
• ↑ http://www.languageguide.org/french/grammar/adjectives/

About This Article

To describe yourself in French, start by learning some of the basic French phrases for introducing yourself, like “Je m’appelle” and “Je suis” to tell people your name and something about yourself. For example, “Je suis blonde” tells people that you’re a blonde, while “Je suis fatigué” means “I’m tired!” To talk about your interests, use the word “J’aime” to say that you love or like something! Scroll down to learn how to use the appropriate adjectives for your gender! Did this summary help you? Yes No

• Send fan mail to authors

Reader Success Stories

Mar 21, 2016

Did this article help you?

Samuel Adama

Sep 22, 2018

Nov 23, 2023

Chern Eunice

Jun 8, 2017

Noyonika Chatterjee

Jul 13, 2016

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Watch Articles

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info

Don’t miss out! Sign up for

wikiHow’s newsletter

Talking about yourself in French 🇫🇷

Talking about yourself in French is one of the first you’ll have to do. 

Especially if you’re looking for a penpal, want to go a bit deeper with natives in France, or just simply journal about yourself in French.

Bref, you need to be able to introduce yourself, express who you are, your opinions, where you come from,…

And that’s exactly what we are going to learn right now with 5 ready to use sentences.

Don’t worry, I’m not asking you for an essay about yourself… The key word here is PRACTICAL.

5 sentences to talk about yourself in French

Ok so we are going to learn how to describe yourself (your tastes, your goals,…). 

Keep in mind, the sentences below are made to be easily customisable.

In the video, I go in more details about how to customise them (what verb to use, what forms, in what order,..). AND, I gave you examples.

Ok, c’est parti.

• Je suis passionné(e – for girls ) de… (+ noun ) – I am passionate about…
• J’adore… (+ verb ) – I like to…
• Je veux… (+ verb ) – I want to…
• Mon ( film ) préféré(e – if feminine ), c’est… – My favourite ( movie ) is…
• Je suis fan de… – I am a fan of…

Now, it’s your time to use it. Leave me a comment with a sentence about you! 

Please use the video to learn how to pronounce the sentences correctly. 

BECOME A CONFIDENT FRENCH LEARNER

In the 6-day course, you'll : - discover how to truly commit to learning french, - learn why immersion might not work as you expect, - access hand-picked resources for accelerated learning, - and master strategies to tackle and overcome common hurdles, famous french singers – the classics.

MUSIC! Fancy listening to a bit of French music? Do you know the classic famous French singers? We are going to talk about: The classic French

8 French beauty YouTubers 💄 to improve your looks and your French

Want to improve your French and yours looks? Here are 8 of the best French Beauty YouTubers.

How to learn French by podcast 🎙 the complete guide to using podcasts to learn French

Learn French by podcast. Great idea. If you do it right, it can really make you learn fast or make you progress a lot. But you need to do it right…

3 thoughts on “Talking about yourself in French 🇫🇷”

What about age ,state,nationalism,etc?

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Like puzzles? Check out this daily anagram game: Raganam !

• Your Favourite Cheat Sheets
• Your Messages
• Your Badges
• Your Friends
• Your Comments
• View Profile
• Edit Profile
• Change Password
• New Cheat Sheet
• Live Cheat Sheets
• Draft Cheat Sheets
• Collaborations
• Cheat Sheet Downloads
• Download This Cheat Sheet (PDF)
• Rating: ( )
• Education >
• French Cheat Sheets

Writing essays in French Cheat Sheet by JAM

Useful expressions to help structure your A level French essay.

Introd­ucing the first argument

Adding and listing arguments

Listing arguments - start.

Listing arguments - middle

Listing arguments - end

Indicating the reason for something

Expressing contrast / concession

Introd­ucing one's own point of view.

In conclusion

How's Your Readability?

Cheatography is sponsored by Readable.com . Check out Readable to make your content and copy more engaging and support Cheatography!

Measure Your Readability Now!

Help Us Go Positive!

We offset our carbon usage with Ecologi. Click the link below to help us!

• Languages: English français (French)
• Published: 21st September, 2013
• Last Updated: 26th February, 2020
• Rated: 5 out of 5 stars based on 9 ratings

Favourited By

these are very helpful thank you

Simple et utile, j'aime.

Add a Comment

Please enter your name.

Please enter your email address

Please enter your Comment.

Related Cheat Sheets

Latest Cheat Sheet

Random Cheat Sheet

About Cheatography

Behind the scenes.

Recent Cheat Sheet Activity

Write an essay in French

Beyond the fact that writing an essay in French can be a good practice to improve your writing, you may also be asked to write one during your schooling. So, it is important to study the topic of French essay writing and get some useful tips..

» Tips and tricks for your French essay » The structure of a French essay » Sample French Essay

Tips and tricks for your French essay

When writing a French essay for school, you should always use a structured approach and good French skills to present your arguments in a focused way. Beyond French skills, there are also important formal requirements for a successful French essay. We will come back to this in detail later. First, you will find some useful tips and tricks that will help you write more compelling and better French essays in the future.

• Have a clear thesis and structure
• Do sufficient research and use reliable sources
• Use examples and arguments to support your thesis
• Avoid plagiarism and cite correctly
• Always check structure, grammar and spelling

When you write your essay at school or university, you need to make sure that the general structure of your essay, the presentation of the arguments and, above all, your French language skills play a role in the mark you will get. This is why you should definitely take a closer look at the structure of an essay as well as the most important grammar rules and formulations for French essays.

The structure of a French essay

In an essay, you deal at length and in detail with a usually given topic. When you write an essay in French, you must follow a certain structure. Below we show you what this structure looks like and give you some tips for writing the most important parts of your essay.

The Introduction

The introduction prepares the main body of your essay. You think of a meaningful title for your essay, you describe your thesis or your question, you give general information on the subject and you prepare your argument by giving an overview of your most important arguments.

Below are examples and phrases that you can use to write the introduction to your essay in French.

The title should be meaningful, concise and reflect the content of the essay.

Introductory paragraph

The first paragraph of your French essay should briefly introduce the topic and engage the reader. Here are some examples to help you write your essay:

Proposal or question

The central proposition or question of your French essay should be a clear and concise definition of the purpose of the essay. Use these examples to get a clearer idea of ​​how to write theses in French:

Overview of Arguments and Structure

At the end of your introduction, describe the structure of the main part of your essay (your outline) and outline your argument. Here are some French expressions that will certainly help you write your essay:

The body of your essay

The main part of your French essay deals with the given topic in detail. The subject is studied from all angles. The main body of your essay follows a thread of argument and discusses in detail the main arguments of your thesis previously made in the introduction.

In the body of the text, you should discuss the subject of your essay in clear and concise language. To achieve this, we give you some wording aids as well as vocabulary and phrases that you can use to write your essay in French.

Formulation tools:

French vocabulary for essays.

In the conclusion of your French essay, you address the thesis of your essay, summarize the main points of your discussion in the main body, and draw a conclusion. On the basis of the arguments and the resulting conclusions, you formulate in the conclusion of your dissertation final thoughts and suggestions for the future. It is important that you do not add new information or new arguments. This should only be done in the body of your text.

Here are some wording guides to help you write your essay in French:

Sample French Essay

Les avantages des voyages linguistiques

Malgré les difficultés potentielles, les voyages linguistiques offrent aux apprenants une occasion unique d'améliorer leurs compétences linguistiques et de découvrir de nouvelles cultures, ce qui en fait un investissement précieux pour leur développement personnel et académique.

Les séjours linguistiques sont des voyages organisés dans le but d'améliorer les compétences linguistiques des participants. Ces voyages peuvent se dérouler dans le pays ou à l'étranger et durer d'un week-end à plusieurs semaines. L'un des principaux avantages des séjours linguistiques est l'immersion. Entourés de locuteurs natifs, les apprenants sont contraints de pratiquer et d'améliorer leurs compétences linguistiques dans des situations réelles.Il s'agit d'une méthode d'apprentissage beaucoup plus efficace que le simple fait d'étudier une langue dans une salle de classe.

Un autre avantage des séjours linguistiques est l'expérience culturelle. Voyager dans un nouveau pays permet aux apprenants de découvrir de nouvelles coutumes, traditions et modes de vie, et de se familiariser avec l'histoire et la culture du pays. Cela enrichit non seulement l'expérience d'apprentissage de la langue, mais contribue également à élargir les horizons et à accroître la sensibilisation culturelle.

Cependant, les séjours linguistiques peuvent également présenter des inconvénients. Par exemple, le coût du voyage et de l'hébergement peut être élevé, en particulier pour les séjours de longue durée. En outre, les apprenants peuvent être confrontés à la barrière de la langue ou à un choc culturel, ce qui peut être difficile à surmonter. Le coût et les difficultés potentielles des séjours linguistiques peuvent sembler décourageants, mais ils offrent des avantages précieux en termes d'épanouissement personnel et scolaire.

Les compétences linguistiques et les connaissances culturelles acquises peuvent déboucher sur de nouvelles opportunités d'emploi et améliorer la communication dans un cadre professionnel. Les bourses et les aides financières rendent les séjours linguistiques plus accessibles. Le fait d'être confronté à une barrière linguistique ou à un choc culturel peut également être l'occasion d'un développement personnel. Ces avantages l'emportent largement sur les inconvénients et font des séjours linguistiques un investissement qui en vaut la peine.

En conclusion, malgré les difficultés potentielles, les séjours linguistiques offrent aux apprenants une occasion unique d'améliorer leurs compétences linguistiques et de découvrir de nouvelles cultures, ce qui en fait un investissement précieux pour le développement personnel et académique. Qu'il s'agisse d'un débutant ou d'un apprenant avancé, un voyage linguistique est une expérience à ne pas manquer.

Improve your writing style in French

Learn French with us. We will help you improve your writing skills.

Improve your French with Sprachcaffe

A Year abroad for high school students

Spend a unique school year abroad

Online French courses

Learn French from the comfort of your own home with an online course

Learn French on a language trip

Learn French in a French-speaking country

How to Describe Yourself in French

Valerie is an experienced writer and editor with an extensive backgrounds in health, education, parenting, and nonprofit operations.

Learn about our Editorial Policy .

If you're just starting out learning French, one of the first things you'll be asked to do is to describe yourself. Whether you're learning to say your name, express your state of being or use adjectives to describe yourself, this is the most basic of tasks when speaking French.

Describing How You Look

Start off with "je suis..." ( zuh swee ), which means "I am." This is similar to English and the French sentence would be constructed the same way. However, in French, if you are a female, you must use the feminine ending of the adjective. In the adjective charts below, the feminine form of the word is listed second.

• Examples of How to Introduce Yourself on Online Dating Sites & Apps

Physical Appearance

Consider some of these adjectives to express your physical attributes.

• Male: Je suis petit.
• Female: Je suis jolie.
• Male or Female: Je suis jeune. (Not all adjectives have differentiated male and female endings.)

To describe your eye color in French, you start with the phrase "j'ai les yeux..." (zhay layz yuh...) and follow by a color in the chart below. French word order is different; the color goes after the noun.

• J'ai les yeux bleus.
• J'ai les yeux noisette.

Note: In this case, some of the adjectives are plural and must have an 's' on the end while others do not. The general rule of thumb is that names of flowers, fruits or jewels used to define a color are the same whether they are describing a masculine, feminine or plural noun. In the example above, marron as a noun is a chestnut, and noisette is a hazelnut.

Describing Your Personality

You can use the same structure to describe your personality as you did your physical appearance. To start, use "je suis..." If you are female, make sure you use the feminine form of the adjective.

• Male: Je suis fou.
• Female: Je suis contente.
• Male or female: Je suis sympathique.

Expressing How You Feel

Similar to describing your personality, you will start off using "je suis..." As noted below, not all adjectives have a different feminine form, but if they do, it is listed second.

• Males: Je suis heureux.
• Females: Je suis nerveuse.
• Male or female: Je suis triste.

State of Being and Avoir

Sometimes, you might want to describe a need or how you're feeling in a given situation. In French, a lot of these phrases take the verb "avoir," which means "to have." In other words, in French, rather than saying "I am afraid" like you would in English, you say "I have fear." To say "I have," use "j'ai..." (zhay). These do not need to be changed if you are female.

Basic Introductions

While introducing yourself isn't exactly describing yourself, these are phrases that would come up if someone ever asked you to talk about yourself.

Speaking With Confidence

Once you master some basics, do your best to introduce yourself with confidence. You'll find, for the most part, that French people are very gracious in helping you learn their language. The old adage rings true - practice makes perfect. So practice as often as you can, and soon you'll find you can introduce and describe yourself with ease. Bonne chance!

LinguaJunkie.com

A very cranky language blogger dishing out brutal language tips.

How to Introduce Yourself in French in 10+ Lines + Audio

Want to speak French? Yes? Good – keep reading.

This is for those that truly want to learn the language. Here’s how you introduce yourself in French in 10 easy lines… and this might take you 2 to 3 minutes or less. You can also listen to audio by pressing the play button.

There’s also a PDF for these phrases at the end!

But if you’re JUST looking for the ONE French phrase, it’s this:

• My name is ______.
• Je m’appelle ______.

1) Bonjour, enchanté(e) de faire votre connaissance.

“Hello” and “Nice to meet you” are must-know phrases. Any introduction will probably will start with these words.

• Hello, it’s nice to meet you.
• Bonjour, enchanté(e) de faire votre connaissance.

You should also listen and hear real French – Press play below. Try this Free Lesson from FrenchPod101.com (click here to visit) for the complete explanation about introducing yourself!

Press play to listen below.

Now, let’s say someone asks for your name in French.

They would say….

2) Comment t’appelles-tu?

• What’s your name?
• Comment t’appelles-tu?

3) Je m’appelle ______.

This is simple. To say “my name is” in French, you just need the phrase “Je m’appelle.” Then say your name. For example, if the name is Linguajunkie, it would be like this…

• Je m’appelle Linguajunkie.

Here’s another example:

• Je m’appelle Robert. Comment t’appelles tu ?
• My name is Robert. What’s your name?

4) Je viens de ____.

So, where are you from? America? Europe? Africa? Asia? Just stick the name of your country inside this phrase. We’ll use France as an example.

• Je viens de France .
• I’m from France .

5) J’habite à ______.

What about now – where do you live? Just fill in the blank with the country or city (if famous) into this phrase. I’ll use Paris as an example.

• J’habite à Paris .
• I live in Paris .

6) J’apprends le français depuis _____.

How long have you been learning French for? A month? A year?

• J’apprends le français depuis un an .
• I’ve been learning French for a year .

7) J’apprends le français sur _____.

Where are you learning French? At school? At home? This would be a great line to know and use when you’re introducing yourself. Here’s my example:

• J’apprends le français sur FrenchPod101.com .
• I’m learning French at FrenchPod101.com .

8) J’ai  ___  ans.

Here’s how to say how old you are in French. Just add the number in. You will want to know French numbers from 1 to 100 , so click the link to review and find out how to say your age in French.

• J’ai      ans.
• J’ai 27 ans.
• I’m 27 years old .

9) Je suis ______.

What about your position? Are you a student? Yoga teacher? Lawyer for the potato industry? Potato salesman? Super important question that people like to ask (and judge you about – Hey, I’m just a blogger! ). Just use “ani” meaning “I” and add your position.

• Je suis enseignant (e).
• I’m a teacher .

Here are some examples of other jobs:

• ingénieur – engineer
• programmeur – programmar
• infirmière – nurse
• professeur – professor
• employé de bureau – office worker/clerk
• ouvrier de société – company worker
• gérant – manager
• secrétaire – secretary
• docteur – doctor
• agent comptable – accountant
• officier de police – police officer
• pompier – firefighter
• avocat – lawyer
• cuisinier – cook

10) Un de mes passe-temps est la lecture. _____.

Now, let’s move onto personal interests – hobbies! My hobbies are languages, linguajunkieing and such. How about you? You’ll definitely need this line when introducing yourself in French.

Here’s an example to use:

• Un de mes passe-temps est la lecture.
• One of my hobbies is reading.

11) J’aime écouter de la musique.

Now, this is just another example line about your hobbies . You can use something else where.

• J’aime écouter de la musique.
• I enjoy listening to music.

So now you know how to introduce yourself in French.

Remember, if there’s only ONE phrase you’ll remember me, Lingajunkie, let it be:

If you want a French PDF lesson for this Introductions lesson, check out the link below. You can download it for free.

Let’s recap the French phrases for self-introduction:

I’m sure there’s a ton more you can say – but this is an easy, simple start that any beginner can put to use. It’s all about starting easy. Here are the French lines for your self-introduction.

See if you can introduce yourself below. Leave me a comment.

I read all comments!

Hope you enjoyed this!

– The Main Junkie

P.S. I highly recommend this for French learners. If you REALLY want to learn French with effective lessons by real teachers – Sign up for free at FrenchPod101 (click here) and start learning!

tomorrow is my french exam and this helped me a lot

Merci,this helps alot

Wow I love this it help a lot

Merci beaucoup

merci becoup

I found this very useful as I prepare myself for the oral test thanx for this

how to say daddy in french

THANKS FOR THIS!!

merci madam

how do you say ” I am taking 6 classes this semester” ?

merci bonjour je m’appelle Malveer J’habite a mosh

um…could you write an introduction for students?????

[…] learn bonus lines for introducing yourself in French in part […]

Bonjour , enchante de faire votre connaissance. je m’appelle Gloria Ewoigbe . Je viens de Nigeria. J’ai 17 ans. J’habite ‘a England . J’apprends Francais depuis trois mois. j’apprends Francais ‘a mon Ecole, ma maison et sur French pod 101 .com un de mes passe -temps est la lecture. J’aime ecouter la Chritienne musique . J’aime Paris repas il est de’licious. Je suis une etudiante . Aussi J’aime Dieu. Et Toi? qui es -tu?

[…] This next section of French phrases contains basics you’d need for conversations. Like, how to say “yes,” “thank you,” “how are you,” or even introduce yourself in French. […]

whats up yo

Thank you for helping

It was not easy and unable to understand for a 7 class child

Very nice! I love it! It helped me a lot!!

Wow I can’t read?

agréable de vous rencontrer copains

Mille merci

Merci, C’est tres simple et utile 😉

You cannot copy content of this page

How to Write an Excellent French Essay (Resources Included)

Tips to write an excellent french essay.

Writing essays is challenging enough, but when you are asked to write a French essay, you are not only being asked to write in a foreign language, but to follow the conventions of another linguistic and literary tradition. Like essay-writing in any language, the essential part of writing a French essay is to convey your thoughts and observations on a certain topic in a clear and concise manner. French essays do come out of a certain tradition that is part of the training of all students who attend school in France – or at least secondary school – and when you are a French essay, it is important to be aware of this tradition.

The French philosopher Michel de Montaigne is credited with popularizing the essay form as a literary genre. His work, Essais, first published in 1580, and undergoing several subsequent publications before his death in 1592, covers a wide breadth of topics, ranging from “amitié” to “philosopher c’est apprendre à mourir”, and includes many literary references, as well as personal anecdotes. The name for this genre, essai, is the nominal form of the verb essayer, “to attempt”. We have an archaic English verb essay, meaning the same thing. The limerick that includes the phrase, “... when she essayed to drink lemonade ...” indicates an attempt to drink a beverage and has nothing to do with writing about it. But the writing form does illustrate an attempt to describe a topic in depth with the purpose of developing new insights on a particular text or corpus.

French instructors are very specific about what they would like when they ask for an essay, meaning that they will probably specify whether they would like an explication de texte, commentaire composé, or dissertation. That last essay form should not be confused with the document completed for a doctorate in anglophone countries – this is called a thèse in French, by the way. There are different formats for each of these types of essay, and different objectives for each written form.

Types of Essay

1. l’explication de texte.

An explication de texte is a type of essay for which you complete a close reading. It is usually written about a poem or a short passage within a larger work. This close reading will elucidate different themes and stylistic devices within the text. When you are completing an explication de texte, make sure to follow the structure of the text as you complete a close examination of its form and content. The format for an explication de texte consists of:

i. An introduction, in which you situate the text within its genre and historical context. This is where you can point out to your readers the general themes of the text, its form, the trajectory of your reading, and your approach to the text.

ii. The body, in which you develop your ideas, following the structure of the text. Make sure you know all of the meanings of the words used, especially the key terms that point to the themes addressed by the author. It is a good idea to look words up in the dictionary to find out any second, third, and fourth meanings that could add to the themes and forms you describe. Like a student taking an oral examination based on this type of essay writing, you will be expected to have solid knowledge of the vocabulary and grammatical structures that appear in the text. Often the significance of the language used unfolds as you explain the different components of theme, style, and composition.

iii. A conclusion, in which you sum up the general meaning of the text and the significance of the figures and forms being used. You should also give the implications of what is being addressed, and the relevance of these within a larger literary, historical, or philosophical context.

NB: If you are writing about a poem, include observations on the verse, rhyme schemes, and meter. It is a good idea to refer to a reference work on versification. If you are writing about a philosophical work, be familiar with philosophical references and definitions of concepts.

Caveat: Refrain from paraphrasing. Instead show through careful analysis of theme, style, and composition the way in which the main ideas of the text are conveyed.

2. Le commentaire composé

A commentaire composé is a methodologically codified commentary that focuses on themes in a particular text. This type of essay develops different areas of reflection through analytical argument. Such argumentation should clarify the reading that you are approaching by presenting components of the text from different perspectives. In contrast to the explication de texte, it is organized thematically rather than following the structure of the text to which it refers. The format for a commentaire composé consists of:

i. An introduction, in which you present the question you have come up with, often in relation to a prompt commenting on a thematic or stylistic aspect of the text, such as “Montrez en quoi ce texte évoque l’amour courtois” or “Qu’apporte l’absence de la ponctuation dans ce texte ?” In this section, you will be expected to delineate your approach to the text and illustrate the trajectory of your ideas so that your readers will have a clear idea of the direction these ideas will take.

ii. A tripartite body, in which you explore the question you have come up with, citing specific examples in the text that are especially pertinent to the areas of reflection you wish to explore. These citations should be explained and connected to the broad themes of your commentary, all the while providing details that draw the readers’ attention to your areas of inquiry. These different areas of inquiry may initially seem disparate or even contradictory, but eventually come together to form a harmonious reading that addresses different aspects of the text. The more obvious characteristics of the text should illuminate its subtler aspects, which allows for acute insight into the question that you are in the process of exploring.

iii. A conclusion, in which you evaluate your reading and synthesize its different areas of inquiry. This is where you may include your own opinions, but make sure that the preceding sections of your commentaire remain analytical and supported by evidence that you find in the text.

NB: Looking at verb tenses, figures of speech, and other aspects that contribute to the form of the text will help situate your reader, as will commenting on the register of language, whether this language is ornate, plain, reflects a style soutenu, or less formal patterns of speech.

Caveat: Quotations do not replace observations or comments on the text. Explain your quotations and situate them well within your own text.

3. La dissertation

The dissertation is a personal, organized, and methodical reflection on a precise question that refers to a corpus of writing. Referring to this corpus, you may be asked questions along the lines of “Que pensez-vous de l’équivalence entre l’amour et la chanson exprimée dans ces textes ?” or “Est-ce que la sagesse et la folie ont les mêmes sources?” This type of essay allows for an exploration of a question through knowledge of a corpus as well as through an individual’s cultural knowledge. The format for a dissertation consists of:

i. An introduction, in which you present the topic addressed, the significance of your argument, and the trajectory of your ideas.

ii. The body which, like a commentaire composé, consists of a tripartite development of your argument. This can follow any one of the following structures: a dialectical schema, organized into thèse, antithèse, and synthèse – an argument, its counter-argument, and its rebuttal; an analytical schema, consisting of the description of a situation, an analysis of its causes, and commentary on its consequences; a thematic schema, which consists of a reflection on a topic which you proceed to examine from different angles in an orderly fashion.

iii. A conclusion, in which you address the different ways in which you have approached the question at hand and how this deepens your insights, while placing the question within a broader context that shows room for expansion. The conclusion can open up the topic addressed to show its placement within a literary movement, or in opposition to another literary movement that follows it, for example.

NB: Approach the question at hand with as few preconceptions as possible. If you are writing on a quotation, gather all of your knowledge about its author, the work in which it appears, and the body of literature with which it is associated.

Caveat: Even for a personal reflection, such as a dissertation, avoid using the first person pronoun je. Nous or on are preferable. It is advisable not to switch from one to the other, though.

For each of these essay forms, it is a good idea to make an outline to which you can refer as you write. As your writing progresses, things may shift a bit, but having a structure on which you can rely as you gather your various ideas and information into a coherent argument provides solid foundation for a clear and well-developed essay. This also facilitates smooth transitions from one section of your essay to the next.

During your reading, you may encounter a problem, a contradiction, or a surprising turn of phrase that is difficult to figure out. Such moments in a text give you the opportunity to delve into the unique characteristics of the text or corpus to which you are referring, to propose different solutions to the problems you encounter, and to describe their significance within a larger literary, philosophical, and historical context. Essay writing allows you to become more familiar with French works, with their cultural significance, and with the French language. You can refer to the following resources to guide you in this endeavor:

Auffret, Serge et Hélène. Le commentaire composé. Paris: Hachette, 1991. Dufau, Micheline et Ellen D'Alelio. Découverte du poème: Introduction à l'explication de textes. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1967. Grammont, Maurice. Petit traité de versification française. Paris: A. Colin, 2015. Huisman, Denis et L. R. Plazolles. L’art de la dissertation littéraire : du baccalauréat au C.A.P.E.S. Paris : Société d’édition d’enseignement supérieur, 1965.

The French newspaper Le Monde also has good articles on these essay forms that prepare French students for the baccalauréat exam: CLICK HERE

This is also a website with thorough information on essay writing techniques that prepare students for the baccalauréat exam: CLICK HERE

In addition, the University of Adelaide has tips for general essay writing in French: CLICK HERE

🇫🇷 Looking for More French Resources?

Train with Glossika and get comfortable talking in French. The more you listen and speak, the better and more fluent you will be.

Glossika uses syntax to help you internalize grammatical structures and you can build up your French vocabulary along with way. You'll also learn to communicate in real-life situations, and achieve fluency by training your speaking and listening!

Sign up on Glossika and try Glossika for free:

You May Also Like:

• 10 Great Tips to Prepare to Study in France
• How to Maintain French and Continue Learning by Yourself
• Differences Between Spoken French and Written French

Subscribe to The Glossika Blog

Get the latest posts delivered right to your inbox

Stay up to date! Get all the latest & greatest posts delivered straight to your inbox

French Your Way

Learn French Online | Learn French Melbourne | French Voices Podcast

How to Write The Perfect French Essay For Your Exam

November 16, 2014 by Jessica 3 Comments

Here are tips to help you write a great French essay with exam requirements in mind. Once you’re done, I strongly suggest you proofread your text using my checklis t.

Note: if you’re preparing for the French VCE, there is an updated version of these exam tips in my guide  “How to Prepare for the French VCE & Reach your Maximum Score” .

While supervising exams or tutoring for exam preparation, I’ve seen too many students writing straight away on their exam copies. Stop! Resist the urge to jump on your pen and take a step back to make sure that you will be addressing all the exam requirements or you may be shooting yourself in the foot and lose precious points.

I recommend that you train with exam sample questions so that you set up good working habits and respect the required length of the essay, as well as the timing (allow at least 10 minutes for proofreading).

Crafting your French Essay

1. identify the situation: preparation work.

•   Read the topic carefully, slowly and at least twice to absorb every information/detail.
• Underline/highlight/jot down any piece of information that you are expected to reuse:
• What type of text do you need to write? (a journal entry? A formal letter? A speech? Etc). Note to VCE French exam students : refer to page 13 of the VCE French Study Design for more information about the different types of texts.
• Who are you in the situation? (yourself? A journalist? etc)
• Who are you addressing? (a friend? A large audience? Etc) à adjust the degree of formality to the situation (for example by using the “tu”/”vous” form, a casual or formal tone/register, etc)
• What are the characteristic features of the type of text you need to write? (eg a journal entry will have the date, a formal letter will start and end with a formal greeting, etc)
• What is your goal ? What are you expected to talk about / present / defend / convey?
• What are the length requirements for your French essay ? Respect the word count (there’s usually a 5% or so tolerance. Check the requirements specific to your exam)

Tip : when you practice at home, count how many words in average you fit on a line. This will give you a good indication of how many lines your text should be.

Ex: You write an average of 15 words per line. If you are required to write a 300-word French essay, you should aim for:

300 words / 15 words per line = 20 lines total.

2. Draft the outline of your essay

•  An essay typically has an introduction, a body with 2 or 3 distinct parts and a conclusion . (See if that outline is relevant to the type of text you are expected to write and adjust accordingly.)
• Use bullet points to organize your ideas.
• Don’t remain too general. A good rule is to use one main idea for each part and to back it up/reinforce in/illustrate it with one concrete example (eg. data).
• Brainstorming about things to say will also help you use a wider range of vocabulary , which will get noticed by the examiner. Are there some interesting/specific words or expressions that you can think of using in your text (example: if you are writing about global warming, brainstorm the vocab related to this topic. Brainstorm expressions to convince or disagree with something, etc)?
• Make sure you have reused every point identified in part 1 .

 3. Write your essay

•  It’s better if you have time to write or at least draft a few sentences on your draft paper rather than writing directly because:
• You want to meet the word count requirements
• You don’t want multiple words to be barred cross crossed-out and your page looking messy and great anything but neat!
• you don’t want to have to rush so much that your handwriting is really unpleasant to read (or worse, impossible to read…)
• So… monitor your time carefully!

  Structuring your text

• Visually, the eye should instantly be able to see the structure of your French essay: make paragraph and skip lines so that it doesn’t look like an unappealing large block of text.
• Use connectors/link words to structure your text and make good transitions.

4. Proofread, proofread, proofread!

•   It’s important that you allow at least 10 minutes for proofreading because there most likely are a few mistakes that you can fix very easily. It would therefore be a shame not to give yourself your best chances of success! Check out my Proofreading Checklist.

Bonne chance!

If you need any help with your essay, you can submit it to me there.

• Articles & Tutorials
• French Voices Podcast
• French Your Way Podcast
• News & Updates

info (at) frenchyourway.com.au

PO Box 166, Balaclava, Vic 3183, Australia

Introducing and describing yourself in French

In this lesson, we will learn how to say our name and use some simple vocabulary to describe ourselves.

Lesson details

Key learning points.

• saying your name
• describing yourself
• être (je suis)
• simple adjectival agreement (adding e when feminine)

This content is made available by Oak National Academy Limited and its partners and licensed under Oak’s terms & conditions (Collection 1), except where otherwise stated.

Some of our videos, including non-English language videos, do not have captions.

Starter quiz

3 questions, 2 questions, lesson appears in, unit french / c’est moi.

• French in France
• DALF C1 & C2
• TCF for Quebec
• Online Exercises
• DELF Scolaire/Junior

DELF A1- A2 Production Orale: How to introduce yourself in french

How do you present yourself in french? What are the key french verbs and vocabulary you will need to effectively present yourself? What should you talk about? These and other questions will be covered in the following tutorial.  In addition we will listen to a sample dialogue introducing themselves.

In the Production orale section of your DELF A1 you are expected to do a guided interview or “ Entretien dirigé ” which will last about 1 minute. It entails replying to questions from the examiner about you ( se presenter) , your family, your tastes or activities, in other words personal information and relationships.

Key french verbs to use for presenting yourself

The key french verbs you need to know for this section of your exam are:

• etre  – to be  –
• habiter – to live –
• parler – to speak –
• s’appeler – to be called –
• avoir – to have –

Tips on answering questions about yourself:

Answer in full sentences and include some details where possible. Make sure to show how well you can use the past tenses, the future as well as give your opinion. Here is a break down of what you could speak about:

What is your full name : Bonjour, je m’appelle…………………………………. Where do you live : J’habite ………………………………………………….……………………………………… What is your telephone number : Mon numéro de téléphone est le …………………… When and where were you born : Je suis né le…………………………….à……………………………… How old are you : J’ai …………ans. What is your nationality: Je suis …………………………………………………… What is your civil status ( are you married, single etc) : Je suis …………………………………………… Do you have any children : J’ai ………enfants. What is your profession: Je suis …………………………………………………. What do you like to do in your free time : J’aime ………………………………………………….. J’aime ………………………………………………….. J’aime …………………………………………………..

expressions to introduce yourself

Bonjour, je m’appelle…………………………………. J’habite ………………………………………………….……………………………………… Mon numéro de téléphone est le …………………… Je suis né le…………………………….à……………………………… J’ai …………ans. Je suis …………………………………………………… Je suis …………………………………………… J’ai ………enfants.Je suis …………………………………………………. J’aime ………………………………………………….. J’aime …………………………………………………..J’aime …………………………………………………..

Sample speaking topic and questions will include:

Talk about yourself :.

• how to ask for someone’s name in french : Comment vous vous appelez?
• Quelle est votre nationalité ?
• Vous avez quel âge?
• Quelle est la date de votre anniversaire?
• Qu’est-ce que vous as fait pour fêter votre anniversaire l’année dernière?

(1) Listen to the following two audios files where two people introduce themselves

Here is a example of someone presenting themselves.

Je m’appelle Sandra, je suis americaine et je suis célibataire. J’ai 31 ans et je travaille pour une banque. Je n’ai pas d’animal. J’aimerais avoir un chien,mais mon appartement est trop petit. Mon pays préféré, c’est l’Irlande, mais pour les vacances, je préfère l’Italie. Je ne suis pas sportive mais j’aime le foot à la télé. Mon objet préféré : mon téléphone ! Il est tout le temps avec moi. J’aime lire les auteurs français, (en anglais) et japonais. J’écoute surtoutde la musique du monde et mon fi lm préféré c’est Avatar ! Je n’aime pas les grenouilles, mais j’adore la tartifl ette !  

LEAVE A REPLY Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Learn French: talk about yourself

Speaking about yourself is a crucial skill for making connections and sharing experiences.

In this lesson, we will explore different ways to express your tastes, your cultural and sporting activities, your habits, as well as your sensations.

Indicate tastes

I really like… /, i do not like….

Express your preferences using these expressions.

For example:

I really like watching adventure films .

Use this expression to indicate passionate love.

I love spending time cooking exotic dishes .

I appreciate… /

I don t appreciate….

Express your feelings in a more moderate way.

I don't really like long car journeys .

I prefer the…

Use this phrase to indicate your specific preferences.

I prefer green tea to coffee .

Use this expression to express strong dislike.

I hate being late .

Indicate cultural and sporting activities

I play the (+ game)..

Use this structure to talk about your fun activities.

I play tennis with my friends on the weekend .

I play the (+ musical instrument).

Use this phrase to share your musical talent.

I have played the piano since my childhood .

I do some (+ sporting or cultural activity).

Use this expression to talk about your physical or cultural activities.

I hike every summer .

Describe habits

I (+ action verb) / every (+ day / month…)..

Use this structure to talk about your regular actions.

I read every night before bed.

I'm used to (+ action verb).

Use this expression to talk about your established habits.

I usually do yoga in the morning .

I (+ action verb) usually…

Use this phrase to talk about your habits in general.

I usually eat fruit for breakfast .

Once a week / a month / on (+ day of the week), I (+ action verb).

Use this structure to detail planned actions.

Once a week, on Sunday, I visit my grandmother .

Describing sensations

I'm hungry/thirsty/cold/hot/scared..

Use these expressions to describe your physical and emotional feelings.

After exercise I'm always thirsty .

Learn these expressions to be able to talk about yourself in a varied and detailed way. Practice regularly to strengthen your French communication skills. Good practice !

Learn French

Beginner French course

Intermediate French course

Advanced French course

French exercises

If you register above, we use this information to send content and other special offers tailored to your profile.

How To Talk About Yourself in French (many audio examples)

Talking about yourself in French can be fun if you're hanging out with French speaking friends, students or co-workers.

The situations of life in which you need to present yourself are countless : school, job interviews, professional meetings, administrative stuff, social encounters, dating ...

Love French & France

Introducing yourself in French, that is, saying out your name, age, home country, occupation etc, is not so different than in your native language.

Where things start to differ from culture to culture, is what you actually choose to say about yourself as a French speaker.  And of course the way you choose to say it.

For example, French people often find it unpleasant when a person is talking about him/herself in a self-confident way, which they often consider as bragging.  E.g, talking openly about your qualities or achievements.

In this article, we hear Fred, a French guy, talking about himself, perhaps recording a quick presentation video for a social website.  After hearing the presentation, we comment the spoken French phrases and expressions he's using.

Here's Fred's presentation :

Salut, moi c'est Fred, j'ai 36 ans, je suis de Toulouse, diplômé d'une école de commerce. Je suis commercial chez un concessionnaire auto. Je suis du genre extraverti, sociable, j'adore les contacts. Mon trip à moi, c'est de sortir, m'amuser, mater le foot avec les potes, délirer avec les filles... Je suis quelqu'un de cool, je n'aime pas me prendre la tête.  Je laisse couler ! Je suis célibataire. j'ai été avec quelqu'un pendant deux ans, mais ça n'a pas marché. Je ne supportais plus ses reproches, pourquoi tu fais ci, pourquoi tu fais pas ça ... Sur mon lieu de travail, je vois souvent passer de jolis petits lots... Et sur Facebook aussi. Mon job, c'est pas ma vie.  Je fais mon boulot, je ne cherche pas midi à 14h. Mon chef est du genre chicaneur, alors que moi je suis plutôt zen. Je n'aime pas trop les objectifs, les évaluations, et les patrons prise de tête. Je ne suis pas non plus très fan des clients qui posent des tonnes de questions !

Listen to the audio :

And here's the English version :

Hey, Fred here, 36, from Toulouse, business school graduate. I work as a salesman at a car dealership. I'm the extraverted type, social guy, I love contacts. I get kicks from going out, having fun, watching soccer with my boys, hanging out with the girls... I'm  a mellow person,  don't like to complicate things.  I just let things roll. I'm single.  I was involved with someone for two years, but it didn't work out. Could no longer stand her complaints, why are you doing this, why don't you do that ... In my workplace I see some hot little numbers go by ... And on Facebook as well. My job is not my life.  I do my work, I try not to complicate things too much. My boss is kind of a nitpicker, whereas I'm more of an easy-going person. I'm not crazy about sales quotas, evaluations, and picky managers. Nor am I a big fan of customers who ask tons of questions !

Talking about yourself in French : who you are, basic information

Fred starts his talk by introducing himself : his name, his age, his home town, his education.

For his name, he uses the phrase :

"Salut, moi c'est Fred"

This is a colloquial way in French to introduce oneself, a bit like saying "Hey, Fred here !"  When talking about yourself, you would only use " Moi c'est ... " in very informal and relaxed situations, e.g. a friend circle.  Otherwise, you would use a more classic :

"Je m'appelle Fred"  or "Mon nom est Fred"

For his age, he could have gone on using an informal style by omitting "j'ai" :

"Salut, moi c'est Fred, 36 ans ..."  (I'm Fred, 36.)

He says "je suis de Toulouse", I'm from Toulouse.  Other ways he could have said it include :

"Je viens de Toulouse" (I come from Toulouse) or "Je suis toulousain"  (I'm a "Toulousan")

He then adds :

"diplômé d'une école de commerce"  (I have a degree from a business school)

Note he omits "je suis" this time.  It's worth noting that the French are highly averse to repeating words - word repetition is considered a very bad thing in French.   French speakers always look for alternative words or phrases to avoid repetition, even if that affects the clarity of the sentence.

For example, in a news report in French about the president of the United States, the journalist will say "the President of the United States" once, but will then refer to him as "the tenant of the White House", or other similar contrived phrases .

Here, the offending phrase would be "je suis", which was already used in "je suis de Toulouse".

There are lots of "ecoles de commerce" (business / management schools) all over France, from small, less competitive ones, to top prestigious schools such as H.E.C. and INSEAD.   Business and Engineering are two of the most common degrees college graduates earn.

Fred goes on saying :

"Je suis commercial chez un concessionnaire auto".

When talking about yourself and your occupation in French, you typically use the construct " être + occupation " :

"Je suis entrepreneur" (I'm an entrepreneur)

"Elle est boulangère"  (she's a baker)

"Il est jardinier"  (he's a gardener)

Click here for more examples on discussing your occupation at a cocktail party.

Note he uses the phrase "concessionnaire auto" ( car dealership).  Native French speakers love to shorten words in everyday spoken French, here "concessionnaire auto" is short for "concessionnaire automobile".

Click here for more word shortening examples in spoken French.

Talking about yourself in French : your personality and tastes

Referring to himself, he says :

"Je suis du genre extraverti"  (I'm the extraverted kind)

"Etre du genre" is frequently used in spoken French when talking about yourself or someone else, to mean being of a certain type  :

"Je suis du genre poli"  : I'm the polite type

"Elle est du genre timide"  : she's a shy kind of girl

"Ils sont du genre stressé"  : they are the stressed out kind

We also use " je suis plutôt + adjective "  for a similar meaning :

"Je suis plutôt calme (comme garçon)"  :  I'm more of a quiet boy

Or, combining the two constructs, you can say :

"Il est plutôt du genre nerveux !"  (he's more of the nervous type)

The phrase  "j'adore les contacts" is commonly used in French to mean "I love social interactions" - an important aspect of a person's personality, both in the personal or professional realm.

Fred then starts a sentence with :

" mon trip, c'est  ... "

This is a colloquial French phrase to say : the things that I like, the things that make me tick, my thing is.  A phrase you may often employ when talking about yourself :

"Son trip c'est le sport !"  (sports are what makes her tick)

"C'est quoi ton trip dans la vie ?"   (what's your thing in life ? What do you like ?)

"Moi,  mon trip, c'est la danse"  (danse is my thing)

Fred is a party guy, likes to go out and have fun :

"Sortir, m'amuser"  (go out, have fun)

Another way to say "sortir" is "faire la fête" (to party) :

"J'adore faire la fête !"

He could have used "s'éclater" instead of "s'amuser" :

"J'aime m'éclater"  (I like to have fun, have a ball)

As he talks about himself and the things he likes to do, he says :

"Mon trip, c'est de mater le foot avec les potes"

The verb " mater " is a very colloquial, even slanguy French word for "to watch".   It's often used in slang to mean "check out", often in the context of checking out girls / guys :

"Il n'arrête pas de mater les filles"  (he keeps checking out the girls)

"Arrête de mater !"  (stop staring !)

In our dialogue, there's no sexual connotation, but using the verb "mater" sounds cooler and more relaxed, a reference to the population that most frequently uses these words, i.e. the "cool and tough" youth population in rough city areas.

French speakers frequently say :

"On va mater un film ?"  (shall we watch a movie ?)

or "on va se mater un film ?"

"On mate un petit match de tennis" (we're watching a tennis game for a little while)

Fred likes to watch soccer games with his friends :

"avec les potes"

The word " pote " is another colloquial French term for friends, buddies, pals :

"Je vais au restau avec un pote"  (I'm going to the restaurant with a buddy)

"Avec des potes on part en Grèce"  (with my buddies we're going to Greece)

Saying " avec les potes " (vs. "avec mes potes") is like saying "with the boys", or if it's a woman speaking, "with the girls", suggesting your everyday friends.

He also says "délirer avec les filles", which in French literally means talking crazy with the girls, talk nonsense, babble, rave.  The expression " délirer " normally refers to being delirious, but is often used in spoken French to mean hanging out and talking about fun stuff.

So here, "délirer avec les filles" really means "hanging out with the girls".

Other examples :

"On s'est posé et on a déliré pendant deux heures"  (we hung our and talked about fun stuff for 2 hours)

"On a bien déliré à propos de musique"  (we talked away about music)

"On s'est fait un délire toute la soirée"  (we talked about fun stuff all evening)

The phrase "se faire un délire" is often used instead of just "délirer".

Fred then says :

"Je suis quelqu'un de cool"

French speakers often use " je suis quelqu'un (de, qui) " when talking about themselves, referring to themselves in the third person.  For example, you may talk about yourself saying :

"Je suis quelqu'un de très patient"  (I'm a very patient person)

"C'est quelqu'un de très ponctuel"  (she's a very puntual person)

"je suis quelqu'un qui n'aime pas les disputes  (I don't like arguments)

French people are often keen on being modest, and quite averse to what they see as bragging.  So, when talking about yourself, using "je suis quelqu'un de (+ adjective)" will often be perceived as more pleasant than "je suis (+ adjective)", because it's a more indirect way of referring to your own self  : you're NOT the center of the universe !

Click here for more about why you need to be modest in French.

Fred also adds :

"Je n'aime pas me prendre la tête."

In colloquial spoken French, the phrase " se prendre la tête ", possibly a reference to the gesture of holding your head when dealing with a complex issue, is a very colloquial expression for saying : to make simple things more complicated than they are, or to worry about things too much.

So Fred is saying he doesn't like to complicate his life by worrying about things unuyly. In other words, he lets things slide.

" je laisse couler "  (I let things slide, flow, I don't get hung up about anything)

Note that "se prendre la tête avec quelqu'un" means to have an argument, a quarrel, with someone.

Talking about yourself in French : your love life

He then goes on to talk about his love life.  He's currently single, but hasn't always been :

"j'ai été avec quelqu'un pendant deux ans"  (I was with someone for 2 years)

When talking about yourself and your relationship status in French, you typically use " être avec " for being in a relationship :

"Je suis avec une française en ce moment"  (I'm dating / going out with a French woman these days)

"Je suis avec quelqu'un depuis longtemps"  (I've been in a relationship for a long time)

Note how "être avec" translates literally to "to be with" in English, which has a similar meaning.  To clearly express the notion of a relationship, you typically add an element of time in the sentence ("depuis longtemps").

Fred doesn't say "depuis deux ans" but " pendant deux ans", because his relationship has already ended - another cue is his use of "j'ai été" (passé composé).

He then adds "mais ça n'a pas marché"  (it didn't work out)

The phrase "ça marche" (and "ça marche pas") is extremely common in everydat colloquial French.  You use " ça marche /   ça a marché " (or negative) to express that something succeeded or failed :

"Ça a marché tes exams ?"  (did your exams work out well ?)  Note the shortened word "exam", normally "examen".

"Ça marche le boulot ?"  (is your work going well ?)

"J'ai posé ma candidature mais ça n'a pas marché"  (I applied but it didn't work out)

Note that it's particularly common in French to use "ça n'a pas marché" when referring to a relationship.

In everyday spoken French, you'll also hear the phrase "ça marche" used for "OK", "sure", "deal", or "see ya" :

"On se voit demain ?"  "Ça marche !"  (shall we meet tomorrow ? Sure)

"Bon à plus tard !"  "Ça marche !"  (see you later !  See you)

Fred then explains why his relationship ended :

"Je ne supportais plus ses reproches"

The verb " supporter " in French typically means to stand, to bear, to put up with :

"Je dois te supporter toute la journée"  (I have to put up with you all day)

"J'ai du mal à supporter cette situation"  (I have trouble putting up with this situation)

"Je ne la supporte pas !"  (I can't stand her)

Click here to watch a video dialogue and lesson in French about people who can't stand either either (uses the word "supporter")

Fred can't stand his girlfriend's constant complains, accusations : " reproches "

"Tu me fais beaucoup de reproches"  (you blame me for  / blame me for too many things)

"Il te reproche de ne pas l'écouter" (he blames you for not listening to him)

He gives an illustration of his girlfriend's nagging :

"pourquoi tu fais ci, pourquoi tu fais pas ça ..."  (why do you do this, why don't you do that)

Fred goes on to explains how he meets women as a single guy, including at work :

"Sur mon lieu de travail"

This French phrase is commonly used to refer to the place where you work.  It's typically an office space or a public place such as a restaurant, but it can be something else, for example if you work outdoors.

In Fred's case, he's referring to the car showroom where he works as a sales person.

"Je vois souvent passer de jolis petits lots"

The French phrase " joli petit lot " refers to a pretty girl, an expression that brings up images of a petite, neat-looking and well-dressed woman seeking to purchase a new vehicle.

Stronger French expressions to designate a hot looking girl include :

"une pin-up" (old fashion) "un canon" "une bombe" "une beauté" (a beauty) "un bonnasse" (a hottie, vulgar)

He uses the phrase " je vois passer ", meaning"I see them walk by".  So while Fred is standing in the showroom waiting for customers to walk in, he watches pretty girls as they look around and check out the cars for sale.

He also checks out pretty girls on social networks.  Judging from his talk,  one may believe Fred is a real lady-killer, seducing women all day both offline and online...

Talking about yourself in French : work life

Fred goes back to his self-description, saying his job is not the center of his life :

"Mon job, c'est pas ma vie."

He could have said alternatively "ma vie c'est, pas mon job".  That is, he has a life outside of work, work is actually not that important.

The French phrase :

"je fais mon boulot" (I do my job)

is often used by public-sector employees (fonctionnaires) or people with low motivation at work.  It's a bit like saying "I do what I have to do, what they pay me for".

This idea is further confirmed by the phrase that follows :

"je ne cherche pas midi à 14 heures"

This French expression literally means "I don't look for noon at 2 oclock", possibly referring to the position of the hands of a clock.  Common English translations of this expression include :

"I don't overthink things" "I don't make a mountain out of a mole hill"

French speakers commonly say, in everyday life :

"Il ne faut pas chercher midi à quatorze heures"

that is, there's no need to look for complicated things, this matter is simpler than it looks.

For example, someone you know is looking upset, and you're wondering if you've said or done something wrong.  You talk to a common friend about it, and he says :

"Elle est juste fatiguée, il ne faut pas chercher midi à 14 heures"   (she's just tired, don't work your brain too much trying to figure out what's wrong)

Talking about his boss, Fred says ".

"mon chef est du genre chicaneur"  (my boss is the nitpicking kind)

In French, the verb "chicaner" means to nibble / quibble :

"On ne va pas chicaner pour quelques centimes !"  (we're not going to quibble over a few cents)

Note that in Canadian French (Québec), "chicaner" is used in a different way and means arguing, quarreling.

In contrast to his boss, Fred says he's a mellow kind of guy :

"Je suis plutôt zen"

French speakers use the word "zen" a lot when referring to a relaxed, serene person or situation :

"Elle est très zen"  (she's very calm, serene, collected)

"c'est plutôt zen ici !"  (this place is quite calm, relaxed)

Fred adds "... alors que moi je suis zen". When talking about yourself in French, you can use the the phrase "alors que moi"  (whereas I ...) to highlight a contrast with someone else :

"Il a les yeux bleus, alors que moi j'ai les yeux marrons"  (he has blue eyes whereas I have brown eyes)

"Je n'aime pas trop les objectifs, les évaluations, ni les patrons prise de tête."

The phrase " je n'aime pas trop " is very frequently used in colloquial French conversation.  We typically mean "I don't like", but in French saying "je n'aime pas" is considered a strong statement which can be unpleasant to the listener.

In general, French speakers use "pas trop" a lot to mitigate their negative statements :

"Je n'aime pas trop les fruits"  (I don't like fruits)

"Elle n'a pas trop la forme"  (she's not in good shape)

"On ne regarde pas trop la télé" (we don't watch TV)

Of course, there are cases where " pas trop " actually means "not too much", but if you've been around French people for long enough, you probably noticed it's often used as a way to damper negative statements.

In Fred's case, he's clearly saying he does NOT like sales objectives, evals and picky managers.  We can even safely say he actually HATES those things.

Notice the phrase "les patrons prise de tête".  It's a very colloquial French phrase related to the phrase "se prendre la tête", which as we saw earlier, means to make things complicated, to worry a lot about small things.

So " prise de tête " is used as an adjective to refer to someone who "prend la tête", that is someone who is a pain, who creates complication and stress to others (as opposed to self for " se prendre la tête").

"Ce type est vraiment prise de tête !"  (this guy is really a pain) = "il me prend la tête"  (he stresses me out, makes me anxious)

Fred says :

"Je ne suis pas non plus très fan des clients qui posent des tonnes de questions !"

The French phrase " je ne suis pas fan de " (I'm not a fan of) is another way of saying "je n'aime pas trop", which in turn typically means "je n'aime pas" :

"Je ne suis pas fan de la nourriture asiatique"  (I'm not a fan of Asian food)

"Je ne suis pas très fan de la musique classique"  (I'm not crazy about classical music)

Fred is not a big fan of clients who ask tons of questions.  The colloquial French phrase "des tonnes de" is similar to the English "tons of" :

"Il n'a pas des tonnes de fric"  (he doesn't have tons of money - "fric" is slang)

"Il y a des tonnes de rochers"  (there are tons of rocks)

"On n'a pas des tonnes de possibilités"  (we don't have tons of options)

An alternative phrase you can use for "des tonnes de" is "des tas de" :

"Il y a des tas de gens qui font pareil" (there are tons of people who do the same)

Wrapping up

I hope what you've learned through Fred's self-presentation will be helpful to you the next time you need to talk about yourself in French.

I also hope you are more a professional worker than Fred is ...  But even if you are, ne vous prenez pas trop la tête ! Ne cherchez pas toujours midi à quatorze heures.

If you liked this article, leave me a comment below !  And please share it with your friends using the buttons below the comments.

Until next time !

Click to download the MP3 files for this article (zip)

Similar Posts

14 Ways to Say “You’re Welcome” in French

There’s an impressive number of ways to say “you’re welcome” in French, depending on the context and the level of…

Street French: 5 Cool Phrases for Real-Life

In this issue of Street French, we look at 5 fun and handy expressions used in everyday French life: Below,…

8 Unique Tips to Make Your Accent in French Sound Less English

When you’re learning French and hanging out in France, that UK or North American (let’s call it anglophone) accent of…

French Video: La Caissière Accusée par sa Patronne de Voler des Yaourts Périmés

La directrice du supermarché confronte la caissière après avoir découvert qu’elle a mis des yaourts dans son placard sans les…

16 Surprising French Expressions Using “La Tête”

Discover cool French expressions featuring the word “tête”! They span a wide range of situations like staying calm, acting on…

How to Speak French Fluently : The Most Effective Approach To Learning

A recurring question among language learners, including French learners, is : how can I learn to actually speak the language….

One Comment

Great Article!

Again, there are so many informal, colloquial phrases in it that are just not taught in schools and institutions. For example, “c’est mon trip” was something I’ve heard when among French friends but did not really know what it meant!

Also found it interesting just how much French speakers hate repetition with such a passion!

Comments are closed.

• FLE motion Français Langue Émotion

French courses

• Communication
• Conjugation

Lesson 1 of French for beginners: introduce yourself in French

French lesson 1 of communication: introduce yourself in french.

Knowing how to introduce yourself is the first thing you need to learn in French. This will allow you to establish a simple first contact with a French speaker. This lesson will also be useful for the first part (guided conversation) of the DELF A1 speaking test. The video below will teach you how to simply introduce yourself in French. You will be able to greet and express your first name, your age, your nationality, the city where you live, your occupation (your profession):

Introduce yourself in French: example of a dialogue in video

Oral production and interaction activities to introduce yourself in French

Activity 1 : Using this presentation template as inspiration:

Bonjour, Je m’appelle Thomas. J’ai 26 ans. Je suis français. J’habite à Paris. Je suis professeur de français.

Introduce yourself by making a video and post your video in Flemotion's Vimeo group:  https://vimeo.com/groups/flemotion

We will select some videos to make a nice cut that we will post on our Youtube channel.

Activity 2 : With a friend, make a video using the model below and post your video in Flemotion's Vimeo group:  https://vimeo.com/groups/flemotion

Bonjour, Je m’appelle Thomas. Et toi ? Votre interlocuteur répondra : Je m’appelle (son prénom). J’ai 26 ans. Et toi ? Votre interlocuteur répondra : J’ai (son âge) ans. Je suis français. Et toi ? Votre interlocuteur répondra : Je suis (sa nationalité). J’habite à Paris. Et toi ? Votre interlocuteur répondra : J’habite à (sa ville).

Je suis professeur de français. Et toi ? Votre interlocuteur répondra : Je suis (son métier).

Written production activity to introduce yourself in French

Introduce yourself at delf a1.

During the first part (guided conversation) of the DELF A1 speaking test, the examiner will ask you questions to know your first name, your age, your nationality, the city where you live, your occupation. The video below is a very good example of the first part (guided conversation) of DELF A1 speaking test:

Once you have mastered this first French lesson for beginners “introduce yourself in French”, you can move on to the next French communication lesson:

Lesson 2 of French for beginners: introduce someone in French

You can find other communication lessons in French  by clicking here . You can also perfect your learning of the French language thanks to our:

French conjugation lessons

French grammar lessons

French vocabulary lessons

French culture lessons

DELF-DALF exams lessons

We regularly publish new content to learn French. To be kept informed of new publications, subscribe to the Youtube channel Flemotion : apprendre le français (video 100% in French but still useful for English speakers to learn French) and to the Youtube channel Learn French with Flemotion (videos with explanations in English) and to the Facebook page Flemotion : apprendre le français .

For its proper functioning, our site uses cookies. In particular, they make it possible to personalize ads.

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience.

How to Introduce Yourself in French

What’s the most important first step when learning French ?

Is it mastering essential daily French phrases ? Is it getting down  travel vocabulary ?

But think about it: for the first conversations you’ll have in French, you’ll need to know how to say hello and introduce yourself.

These easy to use greeting words, phrases and questions will boost your French-speaking skills and give you confidence in your early French conversations.

Simple French Introductions

Basic information about you in french, french pleasantries and goodbyes, how to practice french introductions in the real world, and one more thing....

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

French is a language that really embraces its greetings, so learning how to greet someone and introduce yourself is especially important in the language.

When you enter a boulangerie    (bakery), épicerie   (grocery store) or bistro     (small restaurant), it’s generally expected that you greet the employees there even if you don’t necessarily require service at that time. 

You can use the informal version with people younger than you or if you find that your conversation partner is referring to you as tu   (you — informal), but it’s often best to start with the formal vous   (you — formal).

Once you’re feeling confident, check out a French greetings quiz from Quizizz  or a more open-ended one from ProProfs to practice your French greetings.

Now that your conversation partner knows your name, they may want to know some more information about you! Sharing basic information is the first step to making French friends and acquaintances.

It’s always good to meet people, but French-speaking friends are especially valuable if you’re trying to learn the language. They can help you with tricky aspects of language-learning as well as introduce you to the culture of France and the Francophone world .

Q : D’où venez-vous ?     (Where are you from? [formal]) Q : D’où viens-tu  ?     (Where are you from? [informal])

This question is generally asking for a country or region of origin, but you’re welcome to name your city or town if it’s a major or well-known one like New York City or London.

A: Je viens de…   (I am from…) 

Or you may be asked:

Q: Où habitez-vous  ?   (Where do you live? [formal]) Q : Où habites-tu ? (Where do you live? [informal])

A: J’habite à…   (I live in…) and the name of the city where you live.

In return, to keep the conversation going, reply:

Q : Et vous ?   (and you? [formal]) Q : Et tu ?   (and you? [informal])

Are you interested in learning how to say country names in French? Practice with this quiz from Sporcle !

As in many parts of the world, it’s sometimes perceived as impolite to ask about age in France, especially if you’re a man asking a woman her age. But if it does come up:

Q: Quel âge as-tu  ?   (How old are you? [informal]) Q: Quel âge avez-vous ?   (How old are you? [formal])

To respond, you can say:

A : J’ai … ans. (I am … years old.)

You’ll notice that in French, you use  avoir (to have) when talking about how old you are, not  être (to be). So, it’s kind of like saying: “How many years do you have?” “I have … years.”

Another common question that people will ask during introductory conversations is “what do you do for work?” In French, you ask:

Q : Quel est ton travail ?   (What is your job? [informal]) Q: Quel est votre travail ?   (What is your job [formal])

To answer, simple say:

A: J e suis …   (I am) and state the job or profession .

Keep in mind that you don’t add the article “a” (un  or  une) before the job in French like in English. For example, you would simply say:

A: Je suis professeur.   (I am a teacher.)

And in order to understand your conversation partner’s response, you’ll want to have a solid vocabulary base of French professions. To practice popular profession names in French, try this quiz from Lawless French .

Learning languages is fun, and since you’re learning French, you’ll probably get asked about what languages you speak. People may ask: 

Q: Quelle langue parles-tu ?   (What language do you speak? [informal]) Q : Quelle langue parlez-vous ? (What language do you speak [formal])

To answer, you say:

A : Je parle…   (I speak…) and then name the language.

You can add multiple languages by linking them with  et  (and).

You can also say what languages you’re studying by saying

A: J ‘ étudie…     (I am studying).

For example, as a learner, you might say:

A: J e parle anglais et j’étudie français     (I speak English and I’m learning French).

Okay, your conversation is going well: you’re past the basics and now you need something interesting to talk about. This is a great time to discuss interests and hobbies. Someone may ask:

Q: Qu’est-ce que tu aimes faire ?   (What do you like to do? [informal]) Q : Qu’est-ce que vous aimez faire ?   (What do you like to do? [formal])

To answer, you can say:

A: J’aime…   (I like) and then list a noun or a verb.

For example, I would say something like:

A : J’aime voyager, lire et étudier les langues étrangères.   (I like to travel, read and study foreign languages).

You could also say:

A: Je m’intéresse à…   (I am interested in) and then name a noun or two, such as: like,

A: Je m’intéresse à la culture française.   (I am interested in French culture).

I would recommend looking up your hobbies and interests in French so you’re prepared, and then taking a look at this Sporcle quiz of common hobbies .

All good things come to an end, don’t they?

When the conversation is over, you could simply say:

Enchanté   (charmed) to indicate you’re happy to meet someone.

In formal contexts, you could say:

C’est un plaisir de faire votre connaissance . (It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.) C’est un plaisir de vous rencontrer . (It is a pleasure to meet you).

Note the difference in pronoun use here. In the first sentence, you are using the possessive pronoun votre (your), whereas in the second, you have to use the object pronoun vous (you).

To say goodbye, say:

au revoir   (goodbye) à bientôt   (see you later)

À bientôt  is less formal than au revoir , but I’d say it’s an appropriate way to say goodbye to your nouvel ami français     (new French friend).

At this point, you may be thinking: sure, reading and typing these greetings is one thing. But what about when I actually want to say them?

We don’t all have the opportunity to step out the front door and introduce ourselves to a native French speaker. But that’s no excuse not to practice your French listening and speaking skills!

There are hundreds of online resources where you can learn and practice your French greetings: check out the language exchange apps HelloTalk and Tandem for meeting and greeting native French speakers through voice messages and calls.

FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.

You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app.

P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

Try FluentU for FREE!

And with that, my friend, I say  adieu   (goodbye)! You’re off to your first French conversations. Remember—every bonjour or bonsoir could be the first step in a friendship that lasts a lifetime.

FluentU has a wide variety of great content, like interviews, documentary excerpts and web series, as you can see here:

FluentU brings native French videos with reach. With interactive captions, you can tap on any word to see an image, definition and useful examples.

For example, if you tap on the word "crois," you'll see this:

Practice and reinforce all the vocabulary you've learned in a given video with learn mode. Swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you’re learning, and play the mini-games found in our dynamic flashcards, like "fill in the blank."

All throughout, FluentU tracks the vocabulary that you’re learning and uses this information to give you a totally personalized experience. It gives you extra practice with difficult words—and reminds you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned.

Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

Related posts:

Enter your e-mail address to get your free pdf.

We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe