Broadcast on the BBC Today Programme, 24th January 2013:
“Music and singing should be central to education and children’s lives” …
We all want our little guys to fly …!
Music and singing are excellent for introducing sounds in other languages.
A Green Mouse is creating and sharing free French and Spanish listening practice for any child:
Songs for young children, and many video resources to link sound to words in accessible visual contexts for early listening and speaking practice.
Winter Weather in French verbs, vocabulary + practice for children – Videos, worksheet + online quiz.
Subtitled Video clips illustrate and describe winter scenes and activities in French in the Present Tense.
C’est l’hiver! It’s winter!
Il fait froid! It’s cold!
Il gèle It’s freezing!
J’ai froid = I am cold.
Tu aimes la neige? = Do you like snow?
Oui, J’aime la neige. = Yes, I like snow
Non, Je n’aime pas la neige. = No, I don’t like snow.
Il y a beaucoup de neige = There is lots of snow.
un bonhomme de neige = a snowman
un manteau = a coat
s’attacher = to stick to
s’amuser = to have fun
rentrer = to go home
faire = to do
il veut = he wants
Il veut faire du ski = He wants to ski.
il faut = one/you/we must/should
Il faut rentrer à la maison.
= One/you/we must go home.
Tu as un problème = You have a problem.
Ce petit chien a un manteau.
= This little dog has a coat.
Les oiseaux ont faim. = The birds are hungry.
Il y a beaucoup de neige! There is a lot of snow!
C’est = it is
Billy est fier = Billy is proud. (What of?)
Ils sont très contents. = They are very happy.
French + English subtitles
Only French subtitles:
Audio in French AND English
Translate the answers into English:
1. Quel temps fait-il?
What is the weather like?
Il fait froid. Il gèle.
2. Est-ce qu’il y a de la neige?
Is there any snow?
Il y a beaucoup de neige.
3. Billy est fier de quoi?
What is Billy proud of?
Billy est fier de son bonhomme de neige.
4. Où s’amusent les chiens?
Where do the dogs have fun?
Les chiens s’amusent dans les bois.
5. Maggie aime la neige?
Does Maggie like snow?
Maggie adore la neige.
6. Qu’est-ce que le petit garçon veut faire?
What does the little boy want to do?
Il veut faire du ski.
…
This quiz is also available on its own separate page here:
Winter in French Quiz
Monter and Descendre belong to the group of irregular French Verbs which are conjugated with Être in the Passé Composé (Perfect Tense).
However, when there is a DIRECT OBJECT in the sentence, they must be conjugated with Avoir instead of Être.
A Direct Object is what or who the verb does something to.
Eg:
J’ai monté l’escalier – I went up the stairs
(l’escalier is the direct object)
Look at this sentence:
“Je suis monté pour voir le match.”
(I went up to see the match)
Is there a direct object?
NO – There is nothing in the sentence that the verb does something to. Therefore monter is used with être.
Sortir, Rentrer, Entrer and Passer also belong to the irregular group of ‘Être’ verbs that change to using Avoir if they have a direct object:
E.g.
Je suis sorti = I went out.
J’ai sorti la poubelle = I took out the bin.
(La poubelle is the direct object)
Le Match
J’ai monté l’escalier roulant.
Je suis monté pour voir le match.
Le Jambon:
J’ai sorti le jambon.
Le chien est entré.
Il a vu le jambon. Il a vu l’escabeau.
Il est monté.
Il a monté l’escabeau.
Le Renard:
Le voilà.
Le chien a vu son renard.
Il est monté.
Il a monté l’escalier.
Il a pris son jouet. Il est descendu.
Il a descendu l’escalier.
Il a descendu son renard!
Pauvre Maggie:
J’ai monté Maggie sur le comptoir.
Elle est descendue tout de suite!
Les Marches:
Maggie est montée.
Les deux chiens sont montés.
Ils ont monté les marches.
Ils sont arrivés en haut.
Ils sont descendus.
Ils ont descendu les marches.
Le Pot:
J’ai sorti un pot.
J’ai descendu le pot.
Learn how to make a simple piñata and listen to instructions in Spanish using Hay que …. The instructions in English are also printed below.
Hay que = it is necessary / one, you, he, she must
Video Clip + Worksheet.
Esto es una piñata.
Adentro hay caramelos.
Aquí hay otra.
Hay que pegar la piñata para sacar los caramelos.
¿Quieren hacer una?
Primero hay que inflar un globo.
Hay que preparar la cola.
Hay que mezclar agua con harina.
Tiene que ser bastante líquido.
Hay que cortar pedazos largos de papel.
Hay que cubrir el globo con el papel.
Hay que pegar cada pedazo de papel con la cola.
Poquito a poquito hay que cubrir todo el globo y poner más cola.
Hay que dejar el globo en un lugar seco durante tres días.
Mientras tanto hay que comprar caramelos.
Ya está. El modelo está seco.
Hay que cortar el globo y sacarlo.
Ahora hay que cubrir el modelo con cosas lindas y meter los caramelos.
Una piñata para un niño …
No Central American birthday party would be complete without a piñata. Sometimes they are a work of art, like this wonderful Winnie the Pooh from Tegucigalpa, Honduras, almost too beautiful to destroy!
Before:
Just before total destruction:
Blow up a balloon.
Mix flour and water to make a glue with a runny consistency. (This is quick and easy, and more can be made if you run out)
Tear long strips of newspaper.
Use a brush to paste the glue onto the strips, putting them onto the balloon, one at time, and pasting them again each time you add another strip.
Cover the balloon with about three layers of newspaper. Then do a final pasting with the glue.
Leave to dry – Takes about three days.
Pop the balloon and pull it out.
Fill the piñata with sweets
Decorate the piñata by painting it and covering it with streamers and pictures of choice.
Tie it with string and hang it in a safe place.
Make sure that the children stand well away from harm as each child in turn is blindfolded and handed the stick to have a go at bashing the piñata until the sweets fall out.
Click here for more practice using Hay que + infinitive go to: Hay que …
A Galette des Rois is a traditional French Three Kings’ Day cake prepared for 6th January, Epiphany.
This is an easy recipe + video clips for a Galette des Rois using bought pastry.
This cake is fun, delicious, and the video clips provide instructions + listening practice for anyone learning French.
There is a worksheet with instructions in French and English below the video clips.
French/English Christmas traditions:
A coin is often hidden in the Christmas pudding … In France a tiny figure called a ‘fève‘ or an almond is hidden in the galette des rois – Watch the video and see the fève nestled in the almond mixture.
1 packet de pâte feuilletée
1 packet of puff pastry
50g de pâte d’amande
50g of marzipan
50g de sucre glace
50g of icing sugar
1 oeuf battu
1 beaten egg
un peu de farine
a little flour
extrait d’amande
almond extract
extrait de vanille
vanilla extract
une fève ou une amande
a figurine or an almond
FOUR: 15mns à 210C
Oven
For more cultural resources go to: French Activities
Vocabulary, Video Clips, Worksheet + Online Quiz to learn the names of Parts of the Body in Spanish.
Practice in short phrases and sentences.
El cuerpo (m) = the body
Un, Una = a
Unos, Unas = some
1. Feminine Body parts:
La cara the face
La boca the mouth
La nariz the nose
La lengua the tongue
La cabeza the head
La espalda the head
La oreja the ear
Las orejas(fpl) the ears
La mano the hand
Las manos(fpl) the hands
La rodilla the knee
Las rodillas(fpl) the knees
La pierna the leg
Las piernas(fpl the legs
La pestaña the eyelash
Las pestañas(fpl) the eyelashes
La ceja the eyebrow
Las cejas(fpl) the eyebrows
2. Masculine Body parts:
El vientre the stomach
El estómago the stomach
El pelo the hair
El ojo the eye
Los ojos(mpl) the eyes
El diente the tooth
Los dientes(mpl) the teeth
El brazo the arm
Los brazos(mpl) the arms
El codo the elbow
Los codos(mpl) the elbows
El dedo the finger
Los dedos(mpl) the fingers
El pie the foot
Los pies(mpl) the feet
Repeat with audio in Spanish AND English:
This quiz is also available on its own separate page:
Online Quiz
¡Hola! Soy Billy. Esta es mi cara.
La cara.
Tengo dos ojos. Tengo dos orejas.
Tengo una nariz negra.
¡Hola! Soy una gansa.
Esta es mi cara. La cara.
Tengo una nariz naranja muy grande.
Llevo gafas. Las gafas.
Soy una muñeca. Esta es mi cara.
Tengo el pelo rojo.
Esta es mi boca.
Una boca – La boca.
Los dientes son horribles.
Los dientes.
¡Uy! ¡Mira los dientes de Billy!
¡Mira su nariz!
¡Hola! Soy Maggie. ¡Esta es mi lengua!
La lengua.
¡Hola! Soy un oso.
Tengo un vientre grande y peludo.
El vientre o … el estómago.
Un brazo –
El brazo tiene un codo y una mano.
El codo.
La mano.
La mano tiene dedos –
El dedo – Los dedos.
El hombre tiene dos brazos.
El brazo.
Esto es una rodilla – La rodilla.
El hombre tiene dos rodillas.
Tiene dos pies también –
El pie
Y una espalda muy fuerte –
Una espalda – La espalda
¡Hola! Soy un mono.
Esta es mi cara.
Mira mi oreja.
La oreja. Las orejas.
Tengo dos orejas.
Tengo dos brazos.
Y tengo dos piernas también.
Las piernas.
– – – –
For more about the body go to: At the Doctor’s in Spanish
A puppy = un chiot (m)
A new puppy = un nouveau chiot
Meet Maggie, a seven week old puppy, and follow her as she settles in with her new family.
Story, video clips, online quiz + worksheets for practice using French verbs in the 3rd person present tense, including aimer, être and avoir.
to like
Elle aime she likes
Elle n’aime pas
She does not like
to be
Elle est She is
Elle est belle
She is beautiful
Elle est dans le linge!
She is in the washing!
to have
Elle a She has
Elle a peur
She has fear = She is frightened.
Elle a peur du jardin
She is frightened of the garden.
Subtitles in French AND English:
Audio + Subtitles in French and English:
Subtitles in French:
Worksheets:
My Dog in French Translation Worksheet
My Dog in French Story + Questions
This quiz is also available on its own separate page here:
Online Quiz
For practice learning to use AVOIR go to:
J’ai – Avoir Practice
Colours are adjectives. In French they go after the word they describe. Eg:
‘The white dog’ becomes ‘the dog white’:
Le chien blanc.
Most simple colours in French change their endings to agree with the word (noun) they describe.
E.g:
Le crayon vert = the green pencil
Les crayons verts = the green pencils
La voiture verte = the green car
Les voitures vertes = the green cars
Some colours DO NOT change their endings in French.
They are called ‘invariable’.
Orange + Marron (brown) + ALL Colour Combinations are invariable.
E.g.
La voiture bleu marine
= the navy blue car
Les camions bleu marine
= the navy blue trucks
La voiture vert foncé
= the dark green car
Le camion vert foncé
= the dark green truck
Le camion orange
= the orange truck
‘de couleur‘ is often added to invariable colours.
E.g:
Les voitures(f) de couleur marron
= the brown cars
Study this table for more information on gender and singular and plural endings.
Follow and join in with the the video. Then do the Online Quiz + Worksheet.
This quiz is also available on its own separate page here:
online quiz
Practice using COLOURS + ANIMALS:
Animals in French + Colours
More practice re position of colours AFTER the noun in French:
Learn the present tense of the verb AVOIR.
AVOIR = TO HAVE
It also means TO BE in certain situations.
– Use AVOIR with AGE and feelings of hunger, thirst, fear and need or desire to do things.
Video clip, Online Quiz, + Worksheet.
J’ai I have
tu as you have
il/elle a he/she has
nous avons we have
vous avez you (plural) have
Ils/elles ont they have
AVOIR = to have:
J’ai un chat I have a cat
Ils ont une voiture They have a car
E.g. Having hunger …
Avoir faim to have hunger = to be hungry
J’ai faim I am hungry (I have hunger!)
– – – –
Avoir soif to be thirsty
J’ai soif I am thirsty (I have thirst!)
– – – –
Avoir peur to be scared
J’ai peur I am scared/frightened (I have fear!)
– – – –
Avoir froid to be cold
J’ai froid I am cold
– – – –
Avoir chaud to be hot
J’ai chaud I am hot
– – – –
Avoir mal to be ill
J’ai mal I am ill
– – – –
Avoir raison to be right
J’ai raison I am right
– – – –
Avoir tort to be wrong
J’ai tort I am wrong
– – – –
Quel âge as-tu?
How old are you?
J’ai douze ans
I am twelve (I have been around for 12 years ..?!)
– – – –
Avoir besoin de – to need …
J’ai besoin de quelque chose!
I NEED something!
Avoir envie de to want …
J’ai envie de jouer!
I want to play!
– – –
Avoir de la chance To be lucky
Tu as de la chance!
You are lucky!
– – – –
E.g:
Oh! Il y a un crapaud!
Oh! There is a toad!
Il y a de bonnes choses en France.
There are good things in France!
More AVOIR resources on A Green Mouse:
Avoir Practice: J’ai
Avoir in the Perfect Tense.
This quiz is also available on its own separate page here:
Online Quiz
(The phrases correspond to images on the video clip – Watch, listen and join in)
Bonjour Billy! Bonjour Maggie!
Tu as … As-tu?
Quel âge as-tu?
J’ai sept ans.
Quel âge as-tu Billy?
J’ai deux ans.
– – –
J’ai onze ans.
J’ai dix ans.
J’ai douze ans.
…
J’ai froid!
J’ai envie de jouer.
J’ai envie de rester ici!
Tu as de la chance Maggie!
Billy a des poils noirs et blancs.
Il a un visage gentil.
Oh! Il y a un crapaud! Regardez!
Nous avons besoin de quelque chose.
Nous avons soif!
Oui! J’ai soif!
Vous avez peur de nous. Nous sommes méchants!
Vous avez peur de nous!
Vous n’avez pas peur de moi. Je suis gentil.
Vous n’avez pas peur de moi.
Ils ont faim!
Mm… Il y a de bonnes choses en France ..!
Billy and the Stick Insects
Learn French prepositions in a short grammar story + subtitled video clip in French/English + Worksheet.
under sous
behind derrière
in front of devant
next to à côté de
on sur
under sous
in front of devant
against contre
through, on par
in dans
at the bottom au fond
at (home) chez (nous)
with avec
while pendant
according to selon
between entre
More on French Prepositions:
French Preposition practice
Voici des phasmes. Ils sont SUR le grillage.
Regardez: Il y a un petit SOUS la feuille.
Un grand est DERRIÈRE et un autre est À CÔTÉ.
Ce phasme a ses pieds CONTRE la glace.
Les phasmes sont faciles à garder.
Tout ce qu’il faut c’est de l’eau et des feuilles.
Billy regarde PAR le grillage.
Aujourd’hui il faut nettoyer la cage.
Billy aime aider.
Les chiens vont DANS le jardin pour chercher des feuilles.
Nous avons de la chance…
CHEZ NOUS il y a les feuilles nécessaires DANS le jardin.
Billy trouve les feuilles AU FOND du jardin.
Je montre les feuilles À Maggie.
Nous mettons des feuilles DANS la cage AVEC de l’eau aussi.
Je garde ce petit DANS ma main PENDANT que je nettoie la cage.
Billy est DEVANT la glace. Il regarde!
SELON lui il y a ENTRE six et sept phasmes DANS la cage.
MAIS ils sont difficiles À voir!
Downloadable Gap Fill Worksheet:
Maggie and the Squirrel
Friendly nature story in Spanish using verbs in the 3rd person present tense about a squirrel trying to steal from a bird feeder that is guarded by a little dog. The story emphasises the value of listening and encourages an interest in nature.
Story, subtitled Videos, Downloadable Worksheets:
Gap-Fill Worksheet , Story Transcript in Spanish
+ online Quiz:
Look out for these adverbs in the story:
How does a squirrel arrive?
silenciosamente = silently!
How hard do the dogs work?
muy duro = very hard!
Ella va delante
– She goes in front.
Billy va detrás.
– Billy goes behind.
Listen to birdsong. Listen to the world around you. Have you ever heard a cuckoo, or a woodpecker tapping its head against the trunk of a tree? It is so loud!
Audio in Spanish AND English:
Es el jardín.
Hay un comedero de pájaros.
¡Mira! ¡Escucha!
Maggie es la guardiana del comedero.
Maggie vigila el jardín.
¡Las ardillas no tienen permiso!
¿Eso qué es?
Una ardilla llega silenciosamente.
Espera. Escucha.
¿Está Maggie en casa?
Empieza a comer las semillas.
¡Ay no! Puede oír algo.
Maggie y Billy han visto la ardilla.
Corren a toda velocidad.
Maggie sabe lo que hay que hacer.
Ella va delante.
Billy va detrás.
Persiguen la ardilla.
¡Muy bien Maggie! ¡Muy bien Billy!
¡Trabajan muy duro!
¡Gracias a Maggie y Billy el comedero de los pájaros está muy bien protegido!
¡Bien hecho Billy! ¡Bien hecho Maggie!
Downloadable PDF Translation Practice Worksheet
This quiz is also available on its own separate page here:
Online Quiz
Yes! Maggie was there ready and waiting when the squirrel tried his luck again today. Look at its face and mouth in the photo taken this morning – ha!
(Ref: ‘Maggie trabaja’ and ‘Maggie travaille’ Spanish and French language videos for children)
French practice for children which encourages them to appreciate nature and listen to wildlife.
écouter = to listen
entendre = to hear
il écoute = he listens
A naughty squirrel listens carefully to try to work out if it is safe to steal some nuts.
il entend = he hears
He hears something … What is it?!
Listen to the birdsong in the video.
Read the story, watch the video, listen and join in.
Worksheet + Online Quiz.
How does the squirrel arrive ..?
doucement – slowly, softly, quietly, silently
How does Maggie work?
dur – hard
How do the dogs run?
à toute vitesse – at full speed
– – – –
‘Écureuil’ – is a hard, useful word to learn to pronounce in French. Break it down to its 3 syllables: é – cu – reuil.
Repeat with Audio in French AND English:
Downloadable PDF Translation Worksheet
This quiz is also available on its own separate page here:
Online Quiz
Voici le jardin.
Il y a une mangeoire. Regardez! Écoutez!
Maggie est la gardienne de la mangeoire!
Toute la journée elle surveille le jardin.
Les écureuils sont interdits!
Qu’est-ce que c’est?
Un écureuil arrive doucement.
Il attend. Il écoute.
Est-ce que Maggie est là?
Il commence à manger les graines.
Oh non! Il entend quelque chose.
Maggie et Billy ont vu l’écureuil! (= have seen)
Ils courent à toute vitesse!
Maggie sait ce qu’il faut faire.
Elle va devant!
Billy suit Maggie. Il va derrière.
Ils courent après l’écureuil!
Bravo Maggie! Bravo Billy!
Vous travaillez dur.
Grâce à Maggie et Billy la mangeoire des oiseaux est protégée.
Bien fait Billy! Bien fait Maggie!
– – – – – – –
Translate the following into English:
1. Voici le jardin
2. Qu’est-ce que c’est?
3. Il arrive doucement.
4. Il entend quelque chose.
5. Ils courent à toute vitesse!
6. Elle va devant.
7. Il va derrière.
8. Vous travaillez dur.
Use the present continuous tense to say what you are doing.
To form the present continuous in Spanish use:
The Present Tense of the Verb ESTAR
+ The Present Participle (gerund) of a Verb
The video introduces the characters using the verb SER, and then they say what they are doing using Estar + the Present Continuous:
Use the stem of regular infinitive verbs and add the following to form the present continuous:
AR Verbs:
Trabaj-AR = Trabaj-ando
ER Verbs:
Hac-ER = Hac-iendo
IR Verbs:
Escrib-IR = Escrib-iendo
E.g.
the present participle of ‘trabajar’ (to work) is:
trabajando
Estoy trabajando = I am working
Estamos trabajando = We are working
¿Qué estás haciendo? What are you doing?
Estoy trabajando = I am working
Estoy haciendo mis deberes = I am doing my homework
Estoy escribiendo en Español = I am writing in Spanish
– – – –
Some irregular verbs are called ‘stem-changing verbs’.
Dormir (to sleep) is an example of a ‘stem-changing verb’:
Estoy durmiendo = I am sleeping.
– – – –
Estoy comiendo = I am eating
Estás nadando = you are swimming
Está durmiendo = he is sleeping
Estamos saltando = we are jumping
Estáis remando = you (plural) are rowing
Están descansando = they are resting
This quiz is also available on its own separate page here:
Online Quiz
¿Qué soy? Soy un perrito.
¿Dónde estoy? Estoy en el jardín.
¿Qué estoy haciendo?
Estoy jugando con las niñas.
Ahora estoy cansado.
Estoy durmiendo.
Eres Maggie. ¡Estás descansando en mi coche!
Es un muchacho.
Está saltando.
Somos niñas. Estamos en la tienda.
¿Qué estoy haciendo?
Estoy tocando la gaita.
¿Qué sois? Sois hermanos.
¿Qué estáis haciendo?
Estáis nadando.
¿Qué son? Son vacas.
¿Dónde están? Están en el campo.
¿Qué son? Son estudiantes.
¿Qué están haciendo?
Están remando.
¿Qué son? Son cachorros.
¿Qué están haciendo?
Están comiendo.
Click here for more about Ser and Estar:
Spanish Verb Practice
Un trabalenguas = a tongue twister
El Perro de San Roque is a very useful tongue twister for learning how to pronounce Spanish R sounds.
Listen and join in with the video and audio recording below
The Words:
“El Perro de San Roque no tiene rabo porque Ramón Ramírez se lo ha robabo.”
Translation:
“Saint Roque’s dog doesn’t have a tail because Ramón Ramírez has stolen it.”
To make an ‘R’ sound in Spanish, the tongue needs to be touching the roof of the mouth just behind the bone that holds the top front teeth .
The Spanish R sound should be longer for double Rs, and shorter for single Rs.
Spanish ‘Rs’ are different from English ‘Rs’.
(They are not like French ones either, which come from the throat as if you are gargling).
The words:
‘El perro de San Roque no tiene rabo porque Ramón Ramírez se lo ha robado’
Translation:
San Roque’s dog doesn’t have a tail because Ramón Ramírez has stolen it.
Sport in French Vocabulary + Questions.
Video clip, Online Quiz + Worksheet.
Tu aimes la natation?
Do you like swimming?
Oui, j’aime la natation.
Yes, I like swimming.
Non, je n’aime pas la natation.
No, I don’t like swimming.
Je préfère le rugby.
I prefer rugby.
Le golf(m) golf
La natation(f) swimming
Le tennis(m) tennis
Le rugby(m) rugby
Le cyclisme(m) cycling
Le football(m) football
Le canoe(m) canoeing
La voile(f) sailing
Le patinage sur glace(m) ice-skating
Le surf(m) surfing
Le ski(m) skiing
L’équitation(f) horse-riding
Monter à cheval horse-riding
Tu aimes le sport?
Do you like sport?
Oui, j’aime le sport
Non, je n’aime pas le sport.
Qu’est-ce que tu aimes?
What do you like?
J’aime le rugby.
Je n’aime pas le golf
Qu’est-ce que tu aimes faire?
What do you like doing?
J’aime faire de la natation.
Je n‘aime pas faire du golf
Qu’est-ce que tu préfères?
What do you prefer?
Je préfère le tennis.
Sport in French AND English Video clip:
This quiz is also available on its own separate page here:
Online Quiz
– – –
Le Sport:
Ce sont les jeux olympiques 2012.
Tout le monde attend les coureurs.
Les photographes arrivent les premiers.
Et voilà le champion qui arrive!
Le marathon est tellement dur!
Tu aimes le sport?
Qu’est-ce que tu aimes faire?
Qu’est-ce que tu préfères?
Tu aimes le golf?
Oui, j’aime le golf.
Non, je n’aime pas le golf.
Tu aimes le tennis?
Billy aime les balles de tennis!
Tu aimes la natation?
Oui, j’aime la natation.
Non, je n’aime pas la natation.
Tu aimes le rugby?
Billy aime la balle, bien sûr.
Tu aimes le cyclisme?
Oui, j’aime le cyclisme.
Non, je n’aime pas le cyclisme.
Oh, c’est presque toute une famille!
Et bien sûr on joue au football partout dans le monde.
Qu’est-ce que tu préfères?
Moi, je préfère le tennis, et toi?
Tu préfères le canoë?
Tu préfères la voile?
Ou le patinage sur glace?
Le surf?
Le ski?
Ou monter à cheval?
Le Sport:
Il y a quelque chose pour tout le monde!
– – – – –
More:
Il y a beaucoup de sports différents
There are lots of different sports
On joue au football partout dans le monde!
Football is played everywhere in the world
Il y a beaucoup de choses à faire!
There are lots of things to do!
Visit Sport in French – Jouer vs Faire for practice talking about playing ball sports versus doing things like swimming, cycling, rowing …
Go to Hobbies in French: Sport + Music to learn how to talk about playing a sport (e.g football) versus playing a musical instrument.
Introduction to Ser and Estar in the 1st person
Video clip, Vocabulary, Soy + Estoy Worksheet + Online Quiz.
Soy is the 1st person of SER.
Estoy is the 1st person of ESTAR.
SER + ESTAR both mean TO BE in Spanish, but they are not interchangeable:
Use the Verb SER to say who or what you are:
Soy = 1st person of SER
Soy – I am
Soy Billy – I am Billy
Soy un cachorro – I am a puppy
Use the verb ESTAR to say where you are:
Estoy = 1st person of ESTAR
Estoy I am
Estoy en una caja I am in a box
Think of WHAT nationality you are versus WHERE you are, e.g. which country you are in.
Soy inglés (inglesa)
– I am English
Soy español (española)
– I am Spanish
Soy argentino (argentina)
– I am Argentine, Argentinian
Soy americano (americana)
– I am American
Estoy en España – I am in Spain
Estoy en los Estados Unidos – I am in the US
Estoy en Inglaterra – I am in England
Estoy en Argentina – I am in Argentina
– – –
Listen and join in with the friendly characters in the video as they say who or what they are followed by where they are.
Eg:
Soy una niña = I am a girl
Estoy en la casa = I am in the house
This quiz is also available on its own separate page here:
Quiz Test
Click here for more A Green Mouse SER v ESTAR Resources:
Spanish Verb Practice
(E.g. For question and answer practice in the 3rd person present tense go to:
Ser and Estar: ¿Qué es? ¿Dónde está?
For practice using ‘ESTAR + doing’ go to:
Estar + Doing (Present Continuous))
French short Story, Grammar + Video clips about eating supper and wanting more:
Worksheet
C’est l’heure de manger
= It’s lunchtime, suppertime, time to eat, time for dinner …
Nous voulons un peu plus!
We want some more!
Ça y est = there, that’s it
ça suffit = that’s enough
d’accord = ok
Tout est terminé = it’s all gone
“Les chiens me suivent avec leurs yeux”
The dogs follow me with their eyes
Read the grammar below + do the exercise after watching the videos:
Repeat with Audio in French AND English:
Downloadable PDF Worksheet
Grammar Note:
“Les chiens me suivent avec leurs yeux.”
‘Me‘ is a direct object pronoun:
Notice how pronouns go in front of the verb in French, but they go after the verb in English.
‘Leurs‘ is a possessive adjective.
‘LeurS‘ describes the word ‘yeux’ (eyes) and is plural because ‘yeux’ is in the plural, and adjectives need to agree with what they describe.
– – – –
Do people ever follow you with their eyes?
a) Choose one of these:
une glace = an ice-cream
un packet de chips = a packet of crisps
une barre de chocolat = a bar of chocolat
b) Choose two friends.
c) Now say what you have and that those friends are following you with their eyes!
e.g:
J’ai une pizza. = I have a pizza
Paul et Marie-Alix me suivent avec leurs yeux!
(Paul and Marie-Alix follow me with their eyes!)
Suivre = to follow
Present tense:
(Note: ‘je suis’ also means ‘I am’!)
Learn the different names for harvest in French:
La Récolte – for harvesting fruit
La Moisson – for harvesting corn
La Vendange – for harvesting grapes
La Rentrée – the first day of the new school year
Short French sentences in the 3rd person present tense describe the weather and activities during early Autumn in French.
French Video Clip, Vocabulary + Worksheet for reading and translation practice and an Online Quiz.
:
les tournesols(m) sunflowers
les mûres(f) blackberries (fruit)
les champignons(m) mushrooms
les marrons(m) chestnuts / conkers
le maïs corn
le beurre butter
l’école(f) school
la rentrée the beginning of the school year
J’adore I love
C’est it is
Il fait chaud it is hot
il fait froid it is cold
il pleut it rains
il y a there is/there are
on voit one sees/ one can see
on dit one says
il s’agit de … it is about/ to do with
Quel temps fait-il? What is the weather like?
– It’s the start of the new school year. As it is time to get that pencil case ready, here is the vocabulary + practice:
LA RENTRÉE
This quiz is also available on its own separate page:
Online Quiz
(Translate it into English and check it against the video clip)
Le mois de septembre
C’est le mois de septembre.
Il y a des tournesols.
Regardez le maïs. J’aime bien avec du beurre et un petit peu de sel!
J’adore le maïs!
C’est la rentrée des classes.
Déjà les marronniers changent de couleur.
Les enfants aiment les marrons!
Quel temps fait-il?
Souvent il fait chaud.
Quelquefois il fait froid.
De temps en temps il pleut.
Ceci est un blackberry…
Ceci aussi, mais en français on dit ‘mûre’!
Il y a encore des mûres.
Dépêchez-vous! Elles sont bonnes.
On voit toujours des champignons au mois de septembre.
Attention! Sont-ils vénéneux?
On dit ‘la récolte’ quand il s’agit de fruit.
On dit ‘la moisson’ quand il s’agit de maïs.
On dit ‘la vendange’ quand il s’agit de raisins.
Oh là là! Les tomates ne sont pas mûres!
Alors, c’était bien l`école?
EXERCISE:
1. What do the following mean?
– Souvent
– Quelquefois
– De temps en temps
2. Translate the following into French:
It is often hot
It rains sometimes
Sometimes it’s cold
3. What are the three different names for Harvest in French?
Write them down in French. Then write what they mean in English:
a) …
b) …
c) …
August/September, the season for sunflowers!
Think of Mediterranean countryside with its fields and fields of sunflowers all appearing to turn their heads to the sun as it moves across the sky:
It is also the time for going back to school, and sunflower seeds have long been a healthy and very popular snack for children in Spanish playgrounds and beyond.
They are called Pipas.
Small bags of salted sunflower seeds (Pipas) are a traditional sight in school playgrounds, where they are allowed:
A very messy business because each ‘pipa’ has to be cracked open to reach the sunflower heart inside, usually done using the front teeth, and then there’s the problem of what to do with the discarded shells ….
Piles of slightly damp ‘pipa’ shells ..?!
A little too salty and messy, but otherwise a great idea …
And today ‘pipas’ are also sold without their shells!
Free listening practice in French and Spanish:
A Green Mouse