Punjab PSEB Matric French flashcards

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

Vrai ou faux

A reading-comprehension item asking whether a statement matches the text. Mark it false if any detail (number, tense, gender, negation) differs, even when the rest of the statement is correct.

Mots interrogatifs

Question words used in comprehension tasks: qui (who), que/quoi (what), où (where), quand (when), pourquoi (why), comment (how), combien (how much/many). Match the answer type to the word.

Scanning a text

Reading strategy: locate the key word of the question (name, date, place) in the passage, then read only the sentence around it. Faster and more accurate than translating the whole text.

Ne… que

Means only or nothing but, and is not a true negative: « Je n'ai que dix roupies » = I have only ten rupees. Do not treat it as ne… pas when answering true/false items.

Connecteurs chronologiques

Time markers that order a narrative: d'abord, puis, ensuite, enfin, le lendemain, la veille, autrefois, de nos jours. They usually carry the answer to sequencing questions.

Pronoms le, la, les

Direct-object pronouns replacing a previously mentioned noun: le (masculine), la (feminine), les (plural). To understand the sentence, identify the noun they refer back to.

Y and en

y replaces à + a place or thing (J'y vais = I go there); en replaces de + a noun or a quantity (J'en mange = I eat some). Both stand before the verb.

Lettre formelle

Formal letter: place and date at the top right, « Monsieur, Madame, » or « Cher Monsieur », body in vous-form, and a closing formula such as « Veuillez agréer, Monsieur, mes salutations distinguées. »

Lettre amicale

Letter to a friend: greeting « Salut » or « Mon cher ami », tu-form throughout, short paragraphs on news and plans, closing « Amicalement » or « À bientôt ».

Passé composé vs imparfait

In a narrative, passé composé marks completed actions on the timeline; imparfait describes background, weather, habits and states. Mixing them at random is a common loss of marks.

Accord du passé composé

With être, the past participle agrees with the subject (elle est allée, ils sont partis). With avoir, it agrees only with a direct object placed before it (les lettres que j'ai écrites).

Connecteurs logiques

Linking words that improve written expression: d'abord, ensuite, de plus, cependant, donc, enfin, par exemple, c'est pourquoi. They join ideas and show the examiner a clear structure.

Description avec il y a

Presentation structure for describing a place or picture: il y a + noun (there is/are), c'est/ce sont + noun, followed by adjectives that agree in gender and number (une grande maison).

Carte postale

Short postcard message: greeting, two or three sentences about the place, weather and activities, then a closing line with the sender's name. Keep the register informal and the length as required.

Nombre de mots exigé

Many writing tasks set a word limit (for example 30–50 or 50–80 words). Answer every bullet of the prompt, stay within the limit, and count words before finishing.

Registre tu / vous

Use tu with friends, family and classmates; use vous with strangers, teachers, shopkeepers and in formal letters. Choosing the wrong form costs marks in dialogue and letter tasks.

Articles définis et indéfinis

Definite le, la, les, l' points to a specific noun; indefinite un, une, des introduces one. Partitives du, de la, des express an unspecified quantity of a mass noun.

Contractions au, aux, du, des

à + le = au, à + les = aux, de + le = du, de + les = des. Contraction is obligatory; no article is used before a person's name (chez Marie, pas chez la Marie).

Présent des verbes en -er

Endings: -e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent. The stem comes from the infinitive minus -er (parler → je parle, nous parlons). Silent endings mean the written subject pronoun is essential.

Verbes en -ir type finir

Endings: -is, -is, -it, -issons, -issez, -issent. The plural forms insert -iss- (nous finissons, ils finissent), unlike verbs such as partir, which follow another pattern.

Auxiliaire être au passé composé

Verbs of movement and change of state take être: aller, venir, arriver, partir, entrer, sortir, monter, descendre, naître, mourir, rester, tomber, retourner. The participle then agrees with the subject.

Futur proche

aller in the present + infinitive: je vais partir, nous allons manger. Expresses an action about to happen or a near-future plan, and is common in spoken-style dialogues.

Futur simple

Infinitive (or irregular stem) + -ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont. Irregular stems include ser- (être), aur- (avoir), ir- (aller), fer- (faire), pourr- (pouvoir), viendr- (venir).

Accord des adjectifs

Add -e for feminine and -s for plural (petit, petite, petits, petites). Beau, nouveau and vieux become bel, nouvel and vieil before a vowel or mute h.

Place de l'adjectif

Most adjectives follow the noun (une robe rouge). Short common adjectives precede it: grand, petit, jeune, joli, bon, mauvais, beau, nouveau, vieux.

Trois formes de question

Intonation (Tu viens ?), est-ce que (Est-ce que tu viens ?), inversion (Viens-tu ?). In inversion, add -t- before il, elle, on: Vient-il ? Parle-t-elle ?

Comparatif et superlatif

plus … que, moins … que, aussi … que compare; le/la/les plus … and le/la/les moins … rank. Irregulars: meilleur (better), mieux (better as adverb), pire (worse).

Pronoms lui et leur

Indirect-object pronouns replacing à + a person: lui (singular), leur (plural). They stand before the verb: Je lui parle, Je leur téléphone. Do not confuse leur with the possessive leur.

Devise et drapeau français

France uses the euro (€). The flag is blue, white and red, and the national motto is « Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité ». The national day is 14 July.

Monuments de Paris

La tour Eiffel, built for the 1889 Exposition; le Louvre, home of La Joconde (Mona Lisa); Notre-Dame on the Île de la Cité; l'Arc de Triomphe; le Sacré-Cœur in Montmartre.

Système scolaire français

école primaire (about 6–11), collège (11–15) ending in the brevet, lycée (15–18) ending in the baccalauréat. Marks are out of 20, and 10/20 is the pass mark.

Repas français

le petit déjeuner (morning: croissant, tartine, café au lait), le déjeuner (midday), le goûter (afternoon snack), le dîner (evening). Typical foods: baguette, fromage, crêpes, quiche.