Vocabulary

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Lesson Transcript

Let’s take a closer look at the conversation.
Do you remember how Ms. Collin asks,
"Are you French?"
Êtes-vous française ?
First is êtes, "are" as in "you are" when using formal French. Êtes (enunciated). Êtes.
Êtes is from the verb être, meaning "to be." Être.
Next is vous, the formal word for "you." Vous (enunciated). Vous.
Note: in French when you ask a question, you often invert the standard subject-verb order. Here, the subject, vous, comes after the verb, êtes. When this happens, a hyphen is placed between the verb and the pronoun in written French.
After this is française, "French" as in a French person. Française (enunciated). Française.
Note: Française is feminine.
Ms. Collin uses a feminine adjective, française, to refer to Ms. Dumont.
If Ms. Collin was referring to a male, she would use the masculine adjective, français, to refer to him. As in Êtes-vous français ? "Are you French?" Êtes-vous français ?
All together, Êtes-vous française ? "Are you French ?"
Êtes-vous française ?
Let’s take a closer look at the response.
Do you remember how Denise Dumont (@alta-boss) says,
"Yes, I'm French."
Oui, je suis française.
This starts with the expression, oui, meaning "yes." Oui (enunciated). Oui.
It answers Ms. Collin's yes-or-no question, "Are you French?"
Êtes-vous française ?
Next is je. "I." Je (enunciated). Je.
After this is suis. "Am." Suis (enunciated). Suis.
Suis is from the verb être, meaning "to be." Être.
After this is française, "French" as in a French person. Française.
All together, Oui, je suis française. "Yes, I'm French."
Denise Dumont (@alta-boss): Oui, je suis française.
The pattern is
Je suis NATIONALITY.
I'm NATIONALITY.
Je suis NATIONALITY.
Simply replace the NATIONALITY placeholder with your nationality.
Note: the placeholder is an adjective, and its gender will depend on the speaker -- in this case you.
Imagine you’re Ms. Collin, and you're American. The word for an "American" woman is américaine. Américaine (enunciated). Américaine.
Say
"I'm American."
Ready?
Je suis américaine.
"I'm American."
Je suis américaine.
In the conversation, the response to the yes-no question was "yes."
In case the answer was "no," the corresponding French response would be non, meaning, "no." Non (enunciated). Non.
For example, if Ms. Dumont was asked,
Êtes-vous américaine ?
"Are you American?"
She could have answered,
Non, je suis française.
"No, I am French."
Remember this pattern. You’ll need it for the practice section.

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