Saxony Abitur French flashcards

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

Hörverstehen: two plays

In the Saxony Abitur French listening task the recording is played twice, with reading time before the first play. Notes may be taken during both plays; only the answers on the sheet are scored.

ne…que

Restrictive negation meaning 'only'. It is not a full negation, so a paraphrase claiming 'not at all' is wrong. Listening and reading items often test this distinction.

en fait

Discourse marker meaning 'in fact, actually'. It frequently introduces a correction or clarification, so the statement after it usually overrides what the speaker said before.

quatre-vingts vs quatre-vingt-un

Quatre-vingts takes a plural -s when it ends the number; the -s disappears when another numeral follows, as in quatre-vingt-un or quatre-vingt-deux.

vrai/faux justification

A true/false judgement in the reading task only earns full credit with a supporting quotation and line reference. The quotation must contain the decisive word or phrase.

on ne sait pas

Third option in vrai/faux items. Choose it when the text neither states nor implies the claim. Implausibility alone is not a reason to reject a statement.

actuellement

French false friend meaning 'currently, at present', not 'actually'. German 'eigentlich' or English 'actually' would be en réalité or en fait.

en effet vs en revanche

En effet confirms and explains a preceding statement ('indeed, because'); en revanche marks a contrast ('on the other hand'). Confusing them reverses the argument's direction.

or (connector)

Logical connector meaning 'yet, now'. It introduces a fact that redirects the argument, often preparing a conclusion. It is not the conjunction 'or' (ou).

Sprachmittlung: not translation

Mediation transfers information and intention into German for a new addressee. Word-for-word rendering of French syntax is a style error; the content must stay faithful to the source.

Leitpunkte in mediation

The bullet points in the task specify which information must appear in the German text. Each unaddressed bullet loses content points even if the German is flawless.

mit freundlichen Grüßen

Standard formal German closing for letters and e-mails. It corresponds to French 'cordialement' or 'je vous prie d'agréer…' and pairs with 'Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren'.

baccalauréat explained

French school-leaving examination qualifying for university. In German mediation it is glossed briefly (französisches Abitur) rather than left unexplained for the addressee.

mediation word limit

Mediation tasks set a word range, often 80 to 150 German words. Exceeding or falling far short of the range is penalised, so plan content per bullet before writing.

analyse structure

Three-part layout: introduction naming source, genre and topic; body analysing ordered aspects with line-referenced evidence; conclusion synthesising without new arguments.

certes… mais

Concessive pair used in argumentative writing: 'admittedly … but'. It introduces a counter-argument and immediately limits it, showing balanced argumentation.

prise de position

Personal stance in the writing task. It requires a clear thesis plus at least two justified arguments, and is distinct from mere summary of the source text.

line reference citation

Quoting with a line number, e.g. 'l. 12', or reporting in indirect speech with que. Unattributed copying of full sentences is treated as a content and style error.

formule de politesse

Formal closing formula in a French letter, e.g. 'Je vous prie d'agréer, Madame, l'expression de mes salutations distinguées.' Register must match the opening.

compte rendu vs commentaire

Compte rendu reports content neutrally and in order; commentaire argues a position. Mixing them, e.g. opinion in a summary, costs points in text production.

accord du participe passé

With avoir the past participle agrees only with a preceding direct object (les lettres qu'il a écrites). With être it agrees with the subject (elle est partie).

si + imparfait

Unreal condition in the present: si + imparfait in the subordinate clause, conditionnel présent in the main clause (si j'avais le temps, je viendrais).

subjonctif after bien que

Conjunctions bien que, pour que, avant que, quoique and il faut que require the subjunctive. Espérer and croire in the affirmative take the indicative instead.

depuis + présent

Depuis with the present tense expresses an action still continuing (je travaille ici depuis 2020). Pendant expresses a completed duration in the past.

en vs y

En replaces de + noun, including quantities (j'en ai deux). Y replaces à + place or thing (j'y pense). Both stand before the conjugated verb.

ou vs où

Ou without accent means 'or'; où with grave accent means 'where' or is a relative pronoun of place. Accent errors count as spelling mistakes.

adjective before noun

Short frequent adjectives (grand, petit, beau, jeune, bon, nouveau) precede the noun. Some change meaning by position: ancien, propre, cher, pauvre.

discours indirect tense shift

Reported speech shifts présent to imparfait, passé composé to plus-que-parfait, futur to conditionnel. Time words change: aujourd'hui becomes ce jour-là.

monologue structure

Oral exam monologue: brief summary, then analysis of structure and key statements, then personal position with reasons. Each phase needs signposting phrases.

image description order

Name document type, source and date; describe foreground and background; then interpret symbols and connect them to the exam topic. Description precedes interpretation.

il me semble que

Hedging phrase introducing a personal opinion ('it seems to me that'). It takes the indicative and signals a considered stance rather than an assertion of fact.

liaison obligatoire

Linking of a silent final consonant to a following vowel: les_amis, ils_ont, vous_avez. Missing obligatory liaison is a pronunciation error in the oral exam.