SUMMARY

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For information on how to conjugate pronominal verbs ("se / s' _____" verbs), check the Conjugations page.

• la routine = the daily tasks/activities

• se lever = to get up

• se réveiller = to wake up

• manger = to eat

• se laver = to wash oneself

• se brosser les dent = to brush one's teeth

• se laver les cheveux = to wash one's hair

• s'habiller = to dress oneself

• se déshabiller = to undress oneself

• se maquiller = to put make up on oneself

• se raser = to shave oneself

• se brosser les cheveux = to brush one's hair

• partir à... = to leave for ...

• étudier = to study

• travailler = to work

• marcher = to walk

• rentrer à la maison = to go back home

• se préparer = to prepare oneself

• se coucher = to lie down / to go to bed

• s'endormir = to fall asleep

• dormir = to sleep

• s'amuser = to have fun

• s'ennuyer = to be bored

• se doucher = to shower oneself

• prendre un bain = to take a bath 

• un pantalon = trousers

• une jupe = a skirt

• une robe = a dress

• un tee-shirt = a tee-shirt

• une chemise = a buttoned up shirt

• un chemisier = a blouse

• un pull = a pullover

• des collants = tights

• un legging = a legging

• un jean = jeans

• un short = shorts

• une chaussette = a sock

• une chaussure = a shoe

• une basket / une tennis = a training shoe

• des chaussures plates = flat shoes

• des chaussures à talons = shoes with (high) heels

• un pyjama = a PJ

• des lunettes = glasses

• un costume = a suit

• une cravate = a tie

• un nœud papillon = a bow tie

• une botte = a boot

• un manteau = a jacket (heavy, winter)

• une veste = a jacket (light)

• un imperméable = a waterproof jacket

• un maillot de bain = a bathing suite 

To describe with more details...

• à manches longues / courtes = with long/ short sleeves

• à capuche = with a hood

• à pois = with dots

• à fleurs = with flowers

• à carreaux = checked, plaid (pattern)

• à rayures = with lines

• uni = uni-color

• multicolore = multi-colored 

NOTE: some clothing items are plural in English but singular in French because for us, it's ONE piece of clothing so it's singular: 

• shorts -> UN short;

• trousers -> UN pantalon. 

Weather expressions

• il fait froid = it's cold

• il fait chaud = it's hot

• il fait frais = it's coldish (fresh)

• il fait bon = it's nice out

• il fait humide = it's humid

• il fait sec = it's dry

• il fait beau = it's beautiful out

• il fait moche = it's ugly out

• il fait mauvais = it's bad out

• il y a du brouillard = there is fog / it's foggy

• il y a du verglas = there is black ice / it's icy

• il y a du soleil = there is some sun/ it's sunny

• il y a du vent = there is wind / it's windy

• il y a des nuages = there are clouds / it's cloudy

• il pleut = it rains

• il neige = it snows

• il grêle = it hails

• au printemps = in the spring

• en été = in the summer

• en automne = in the fall

• en hiver = in the winter

• quel temps fait-il ? = what's the weather like?

• le temps = the weather

• une tempête = a storm, tempest (wind, mainly)

• un orage = a storm (thunder, lightning)

• une tornade = a tornado

• un ouragan = a hurricane

• des éclairs = lightning

• du tonnerre = thunder 

ATTENTION! All the seasons are masculin: un été, un printemps, un hiver, un automne.

 When you say "in (the) + season", you have to use AU for the printemps, but EN for the all the others, as they start by a vowel (h don't count!): au printemps, en été, en automne, en hiver. 

Asking about the weather

"météo" means weathercast. However, when we talk about the weather itself, we say "le temps"... which also means "the time". Confusing, yes.

Therefore, to ask about the weather you can ask:

• Comment est la météo/le temps ?
  --> asks for a general appreciation, like "good" or "not bad"

• Quel temps est-ce qu'il fait ?
  --> more common, asks for more specific: sunny, windy, cloudy...

It's the same for temperature:

• Comment est la température ?
  --> asks for a general appreciation, like "good" or "not bad"

• Quelle température est-ce qu'il fait ?
  --> more common, asks for an exact temperature

NOTE: in Europe, we use Celcius degrees. 0°C = freezing (water turns into ice) and 100°C = dying (water evaporates). Therefore, when you talk about the weather, temperature are extremely rarely above 45°C (113°F) in Europe. 

Summary of weather structures

Weather expressions use the impersonal "il" - this "il" does not refer to anything or anyone, it is like the "it" in "it rains". It takes three forms:

• il + verb : il pleut (it's raining), il neige (it's snowing), il grêle (it's hailing)...

• il y a  + noun: il y a du soleil (there is some sun/it's sunny), il y a des nuages (there are some clouds...)

• il fait + adjective: il fait beau (it's "pretty"), il fait chaud (it's hot), il fait froid (it's cold)...

Inviting someone

Several expressions are available for you here.

One classic is to ask if one is free:  être libre

• Tu es libre demain ?
                  You're free tomorrow ?

• Est-ce que vous êtes libre ce soir ?
                   Are you free tonight ? 

Then you have several expressions to do the actual invitation, all of which you kinda know already. Pay attention to the direct object pronoun!

je t'invite à  + verb/place // je vous invite à + verb /place

• Je t'invite au restaurant!
              I invite you at the restaurant!

• Je vous invite à venir manger chez moi.
           I invite you to come eat at my place.

              NOTE: careful, this expression means you're paying for it all.

Tu voudrais + verb  + (avec...)

• Tu voudrais aller au cinéma ?
          Would you like to go to the movies ?

• Est-ce que vous voudriez jouer aux échecs avec moi ?
          Would you like to play chess with me ?

Est-ce que tu veux / vous voulez + verb + (avec ...)

• Est-ce que tu veux aller à Kroger ?
           Do you want to go to Kroger ?

• Est-ce que vous voulez partir en vacances avec nous ?
            Do you want to go on vacation with us ?

Je vais ... Est-ce que tu veux m'accompagner / venir avec moi ?

• Je vais au supermarché. Est-ce que tu veux venir avec moi ?
            I am going to the supermarket. Do you want to come with me? 

• Marie et moi allons faire du shopping. Est-ce que vous voulez nous accompagner ?
             Marie and I are going shopping. Do you want to join us? 

Defining the meeting time & place

It's also important to give a time and date with an invitation.  Remember that the time and date part is at the end of the sentence.

• if it's a coming day, just say the name of the day without anything in front of it
            Tu veux aller à Kroger mardi soir ?

• if it's a specific future date, say "le + day + date + month"
           Tu es libre le (samedi) 3 juin ?

• to give a specific time, say "à + time" (click here to review time)
          Vous voulez venir chez nous ce soir à 19h ?

• to give a time bracket, say "de + time beginning; à + time ending"
           Vous êtes libre de 15h à 17h ? Je voudrais aller au parc.

You can use the expressions "on se retrouve [time / place].." or "rendez-vous [time/place]"

Accepting an invitation

You can use any of the following response to accept an invitation, and even make your own combo:

• D'accord !
        Agreed. / I agree.

• Je veux bien!
        I would like that.

• Bien sûr!
        Of course !

• Avec plaisir!
        With pleasure.

Refusing an invitation

Again, we have seen many expressions since 1010 that can be used in that context. It's for you to make the combo you want!

1) apologizing

• je suis désolé.e
        I am sorry

• pardon
        apologies

2) turning it down

• je regrette mais...
        I regret, but

• je ne peux pas / ce n'est pas possible
        I can't / it's not possible

• je ne suis pas libre
        Im not free/available

• Non, je dois + verbe
        No, I must / I have to 

• Non, j'ai besoin de + verb / noun
        No, I need + noun / I need to + verb

• Non, j'ai + scheduled obligation (like a class)
        No, I have + Obligation

3) best French fake excuse

• Je ne suis pas libre, je dois me laver les cheveux
            Sorry, but I must wash my hair

• Je ne peux pas, j'ai "poney"!
            I can't, I have poney (class).

• Désolé.e, j'ai "licorne" !
            Sorry, I have a unicorn class

• Désolé.e, mon hamster est malade.
            Sorry, my hamster is sick.

3) negociating another time or another activity

• je préfère + verbe
        I prefer + verbing

• je peux + date/time
        I can + on date / at time