Hamburg Abitur French flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Écoute sélective

Listening strategy focused on specific information such as numbers, names or dates. In Abitur tasks, read the items before the first listening so you know which details to target.

Écoute globale

Listening for overall meaning, speaker intention and text type without stopping at unknown words. Use the first pass for this, then a second pass for detail questions.

Justification obligatoire

In vrai/faux tasks, the correct answer plus a quotation or close paraphrase from the audio or text. Without justification, most Hamburg grids award only partial credit.

Marqueurs d'opinion

Expressions such as «à mon avis», «je trouve que», «franchement», «en fait». They usually introduce the answer to attitude or intention questions in listening and reading tasks.

Connecteurs logiques

Words like «or», «donc», «pourtant», «en revanche», «par conséquent». They signal argument structure and are essential for inference and summary items in reading comprehension.

Référence pronominale

Use of «celui-ci», «dont», «en», «y» to point back to a noun. Misidentifying the referent is a frequent cause of wrong answers in detailed reading items.

Inférence textuelle

A conclusion drawn from the text's evidence rather than stated explicitly. The answer must be supported by a passage, not by real-world knowledge alone.

Titre vs idée principale

In matching tasks, a headline must capture the paragraph's main idea. A headline containing a keyword from the text can still be the wrong summary.

Médiation fonctionnelle

Rendering the relevant information of a source text for a specified recipient and purpose, not translating word for word. Irrelevant detail is omitted; register fits the addressee.

Faux amis DE-FR

Pairs that look similar but differ in meaning, e.g. «eventuell» ≠ «éventuellement», «aktuell» ≠ «actuel», «bekommen» ≠ «become». Check meaning, not resemblance, during mediation.

Explicitation culturelle

Briefly explaining culture-bound items (Schulformen, Vereine, Ausbildung) in the target language during mediation, instead of translating them literally.

Passif et «on»

German passive constructions often become French active sentences with «on». Example: «Hier wird viel gelesen» → «On lit beaucoup ici». Typical mediation transformation.

Nominalisation

Turning a verb clause into a noun phrase («après qu'il a démissionné» → «après sa démission»). French formal style uses it more than German, especially in press texts.

Problématique

The central question guiding a French commentaire or essay, stated in the introduction and answered in the conclusion. It organises the whole argument.

Commentaire composé

A structured text analysis with introduction, two or three thematic parts supported by quotations with line references, and a conclusion answering the problématique.

Formule de politesse

Conventional closing of a French letter, e.g. «Cordialement», «Je vous prie d'agréer mes salutations distinguées». Its register must match the addressee.

Discours engagé

A speech format using direct address («Mes amis»), rhetorical questions and repetition. In writing tasks it requires an oral rhythm and a clear call to action.

Accord du participe passé

With «être», the participle agrees with the subject; with «avoir», with a preceding direct object («les lettres que j'ai écrites»). A frequent error in written production.

Laïcité

French principle of state neutrality toward religions, anchored in the 1905 law separating church and state, and in the 2004 law on religious symbols in schools.

Traité de l'Élysée

1963 Franco-German friendship treaty signed by de Gaulle and Adenauer. It founded regular consultations and is the reference for Franco-German cooperation topics.

OFAJ / DFJW

Office franco-allemand pour la jeunesse, created in 1963. It funds youth exchanges and is a standard example in tasks on Franco-German relations.

Francophonie

The French-speaking world beyond France: Belgium, Switzerland, Québec, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Morocco, Haiti. Tasks may contrast these perspectives with the Hexagone.

Banlieues

Peri-urban areas around French cities, often discussed in debates on segregation, unemployment and discrimination. Avoid reducing them to stereotypes in intercultural tasks.

Paysage médiatique français

Public broadcasters France Télévisions, Radio France and Arte, plus newspapers Le Monde, Le Figaro, Libération, Les Échos, each with a distinct political orientation.

Passé composé vs imparfait

Passé composé marks completed actions; imparfait marks background, description or habit. The contrast is the most frequently tested tense distinction in written production.

Subjonctif déclencheurs

Subjonctif follows «il faut que», «bien que», «avant que», «pour que», «je doute que». Indicative follows «parce que», «puisque», «après que».

Ordre des pronoms

Object pronouns follow the order me/te/nous/vous – le/la/les – lui/leur – y – en. Example: «Il me le donne», «Je lui en parle».

Négation à l'infinitif

In infinitive constructions, both negation elements precede the verb: «ne pas fumer», «ne rien dire». Placing «pas» after the infinitive is a frequent error.

Article défini générique

French uses the definite article for general statements: «J'aime le cinéma», «Les Français aiment débattre». German-speaking learners often omit it.

Monologue structuré

Oral format with introduction (sujet, problématique), two or three developed points with examples, and a personal conclusion. The structure itself earns points.

Liaison obligatoire

Linking a mute final consonant to a following vowel: «les_amis», «nous_avons», «ils_ont». Missing liaisons reduces pronunciation scores in the oral component.

Reformulation orale

Restating the examiner's question before answering («Si je comprends bien, vous me demandez si…»). It gains thinking time and demonstrates comprehension.