Simple sentences let you talk about everyday things quickly. This guide covers basic sentence patterns and useful vocabulary.
Basic Sentence Structure
The most common order in French is Subject - Verb - Object. Keep sentences short to stay clear.
Key Verbs
Learn the verbs être, avoir, aller, and faire first since they appear in many sentences. Each one is followed by typical types of phrases.
Être (to be)
Use être to describe people, places, and things with adjectives or nouns. It also forms sentences with à and locations.
| French Sentence | English Sentence | |
|---|---|---|
| Je suis étudiant. | I am a student. | |
| Tu es à la maison. | You are at home. | |
| Il est grand. | He is tall. | |
| Elle est médecin. | She is a doctor. |
I am happy.
Avoir (to have)
Use avoir to show possession, age, and to form expressions like avoir faim. It often appears with nouns.
| French Sentence | English Sentence | |
|---|---|---|
| J’ai un chien. | I have a dog. | |
| Tu as une voiture. | You have a car. | |
| Il a 10 ans. | He is 10 years old. | |
| Elle a un livre. | She has a book. |
Aller (to go)
Use aller to talk about movement and to form the near future with aller + infinitive. It’s useful for plans.
| French Sentence | English Sentence | |
|---|---|---|
| Je vais au marché. | I go to the market. | |
| Tu vas à l’école. | You go to school. | |
| Il va partir. | He is going to leave. | |
| Elle va manger. | She is going to eat. |
Faire (to do, to make)
Use faire for activities, weather expressions, and many common phrases. It appears with nouns and sometimes infinitives.
| French Sentence | English Sentence | |
|---|---|---|
| Je fais du sport. | I do sports. | |
| Tu fais la cuisine. | You do the cooking. | |
| Il fait beau. | The weather is nice. | |
| Elle fait un gâteau. | She is making a cake. |
Useful Vocabulary
Learn everyday nouns, adjectives, and expressions for things like time, places, and common activities. Vocabulary makes sentences more vivid.
Everyday Nouns
| French Word | English Word | |
|---|---|---|
| une maison | a house | |
| un chien | a dog | |
| une voiture | a car | |
| une école | a school |
Common Adjectives
| French Word | English Word | |
|---|---|---|
| grand(e) | big / tall | |
| petit(e) | small | |
| beau / belle | beautiful / nice | |
| nouveau / nouvelle | new |
Time Expressions
| French Word | English Word | |
|---|---|---|
| aujourd’hui | today | |
| demain | tomorrow | |
| ce matin | this morning | |
| ce soir | tonight |
Summary
Start with simple Subject-Verb-Object sentences using key verbs like être, avoir, aller, and faire. Add everyday nouns and adjectives to describe things clearly. Practice short sentences about familiar topics.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025