Simple Sentences
Simple sentences give you quick ways to express everyday ideas in French. This guide focuses on basic structures and common vocabulary so you can start speaking and understanding short sentences right away.
Basic Sentence Structure
French sentences typically follow Subject - Verb - Object order, which makes them straightforward to form for beginners. Keep sentences short and choose familiar verbs to practice this pattern in real contexts.
Examples
Forming Questions
Questions can be made simply by adding est-ce que at the start, using rising intonation, or inverting the subject and verb for more formal asks. Beginners should start with est-ce que questions since they keep the word order easy.
Examples
Negation
Negation in French normally wraps the verb with ne...pas, turning sentences into their opposite meaning. In casual speech ne is often dropped, but learners should include it when writing or learning the rule.
Examples
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| đ« Je ne mange pas de viande. | I do not eat meat. |
| đ§ïž Il ne pleut pas aujourdâhui. | It is not raining today. |
| đ Elle ne veut pas de chien. | She does not want a dog. |
| đ Nous ne partons pas maintenant. | We are not leaving now. |
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Common Verbs
Focusing on a handful of high-frequency verbs lets you describe daily actions like eating, going, and speaking. Learn the present tense endings for regular verbs and memorize key irregulars to build useful sentences.
-er Verbs
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-ir Verbs
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-re Verbs
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Irregular Verbs
Time
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Places
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Quantity
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Useful Vocabulary
Common nouns, adjectives, and adverbs fill out sentences and make your speech more specific. Learn vocabulary around food, time, places, and expressions for quantity to talk about everyday situations clearly.
Food and Drink
| French Word(s) | English Word(s) |
|---|---|
| pain | bread |
| fromage | cheese |
| eau | water |
| vin | wine |
| café | coffee |
Time
| French Word(s) | English Word(s) |
|---|---|
| matin | morning |
| soir | evening |
| heure | hour/time |
| minute | minute |
| jour | day |
Places
| French Word(s) | English Word(s) |
|---|---|
| restaurant | restaurant |
| café | café |
| magasin | shop/store |
| marché | market |
| rue | street |
Quantity
| French Word(s) | English Word(s) |
|---|---|
| beaucoup | a lot/much |
| un peu | a little |
| plus | more |
| moins | less |
| quelques | some |
Short Expressions
Set phrases and short expressions speed up communication and sound natural when ordering or asking for something. Learn polite formulas and common requests that waiters and shopkeepers expect.
Ordering
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Asking for Help
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Paying
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Practice
The best way to internalize simple sentences is through speaking and writing short dialogues about familiar topics like meals, time, and places. Use market or café scenarios to practice questions, negation, and useful vocabulary in real time.
Summary
Simple sentences rely on basic Subject-Verb-Object structure, common verbs in the present tense, and everyday vocabulary for food, time, and places. Practice forming short affirmative, negative, and interrogative sentences to build your fluency step by step.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025