At the clothing shop
Au magasin de vêtements
- Describe everyday clothing.
- Ask for availability in a clothing shop.
- Ask for your size.
- Direct object pronouns
- Indirect object pronouns
Learn essential French vocabulary for shopping at a clothing store, including words like "la chemise" (shirt), "le pantalon" (pants), and useful verbs such as "essayer" (to try) and "porter" (to wear), plus direct and indirect object pronouns to make your requests clear and polite.
Listening & reading materials
Practice vocabulary in context with real materials.
Vocabulary (17) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Reorder sentences
Instruction: Make correct sentences and translate.
Exercise 2: Match a word
Instruction: Match the translations
Exercise 3: Cluster the words
Instruction: Sort the following words into two distinct categories: "Clothing" and "Actions in store".
Vêtements
Actions en magasin
Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
Porter
To wear
2
Le chapeau
The hat
3
Les gants
The gloves
4
Le manteau
The coat
5
Les lunettes
The glasses
Exercice 5: Conversation exercise
Instruction:
- Say who is wearing what. (Say who is wearing what. )
- What other clothing items do you know? (What other clothing items do you know?)
- Describe the clothes of the person next to you. (Describe the clothes of the person next to you.)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
Il porte des gants. He is wearing gloves. |
|
Elle porte une ceinture. She is wearing a belt. |
|
Comme un autre vêtement, je connais "robe". As another clothing item I know "dress". |
|
Petra porte un pantalon et un pull. Petra is wearing trousers and a jumper. |
|
Elle porte des bottes. She is wearing boots. |
|
Ma mère porte des lunettes. My mother is wearing glasses. |
|
Que portez-vous aujourd'hui ? What are you wearing today? |
| ... |
Exercise 6: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 7: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Je ______ une chemise pour demain.
(I ______ a shirt for tomorrow.)2. Tu ______ le jean bleu ou le noir ?
(You ______ the blue jeans or the black ones?)3. Nous ______ souvent les magasins au centre-ville.
(We ______ often go shopping downtown.)4. Ils ______ un manteau chaud pour l'hiver.
(They ______ a warm coat for winter.)Exercise 8: At the clothing store
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Aller - Aller
Présent
- Je vais
- Tu vas
- Il/Elle va
- Nous allons
- Vous allez
- Ils/Elles vont
Essayer - Essayer
Présent
- J'essaie
- Tu essaies
- Il/Elle essaie
- Nous essayons
- Vous essayez
- Ils/Elles essaient
Choisir - Choisir
Présent
- Je choisis
- Tu choisis
- Il/Elle choisit
- Nous choisissons
- Vous choisissez
- Ils/Elles choisissent
Porter - Porter
Présent
- Je porte
- Tu portes
- Il/Elle porte
- Nous portons
- Vous portez
- Ils/Elles portent
Demander - Demander
Présent
- Je demande
- Tu demandes
- Il/Elle demande
- Nous demandons
- Vous demandez
- Ils/Elles demandent
Répondre - Répondre
Présent
- Je réponds
- Tu réponds
- Il/Elle répond
- Nous répondons
- Vous répondez
- Ils/Elles répondent
Prendre - Prendre
Présent
- Je prends
- Tu prends
- Il/Elle prend
- Nous prenons
- Vous prenez
- Ils/Elles prennent
Exercise 9: Les pronoms compléments directs
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: Direct object pronouns
Show translation Show answersles, nous, me, te, vous, le, la
Exercise 10: Les pronoms compléments indirects
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: Indirect object pronouns
Show translation Show answerslui, te, leur, me
Grammar Share Copied!
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Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Essayer to try Share Copied!
Present
| French | English |
|---|---|
| (je/j') j'essaie/essaye | I try |
| (tu) essaies/essayes | you try |
| (il/elle/on) essaie/essaye | he/she/one tries |
| (nous) essayons | we try |
| (vous) essayez | You try |
| (ils/elles) essaient/essayent | they try |
Porter to wear Share Copied!
Present
| French | English |
|---|---|
| (je/j') porte | I wear |
| (tu) portes | you wear |
| (il/elle/on) porte | he/she/one wears |
| (nous) portons | we wear |
| (vous) portez | you wear |
| (ils/elles) portent | They wear |
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Lesson Overview: At the Clothing Shop
This lesson is designed for beginner language learners (A1 level) and focuses on everyday interactions in a clothing store. The content covers useful vocabulary related to clothes and common shopping actions, as well as essential grammar topics like direct and indirect object pronouns in French.
Key Vocabulary
You'll learn important clothing items such as le pantalon (trousers), la chemise (shirt), la jupe (skirt), le manteau (coat), and les chaussures (shoes). Additionally, action verbs relevant to shopping like essayer (to try on), porter (to wear), and faire les magasins (to go shopping) are introduced to help you describe your activities and requests clearly.
Grammar Focus
This lesson highlights the use of direct and indirect object pronouns in French, which replace nouns to avoid repetition and help conversations flow naturally. For example, in the sentence Je les prends, les chaussures sont très confortables., les replaces les chaussures as a direct object. Understanding when and how to use these pronouns is crucial for real-life communication.
Practice Dialogues
You will find model exchanges such as asking for the availability of clothing items by size, requesting to try on clothes, and seeking advice on choosing outfits. These dialogues help simulate real shopping conversations to build your confidence speaking French in a store setting.
Verb Conjugation Exercises
The lesson includes multiple-choice exercises focused on conjugating common verbs like essayer (to try) and porter (to wear) in the present tense. This practice strengthens your grasp of verb forms essential for everyday phrases.
Short Story for Context
A short narrative about shopping activities is provided, featuring verbs in context with their present tense conjugations. This story helps connect vocabulary and grammar in a meaningful scenario.
Linguistic Notes on French and English Differences
French often places adjectives like colors (bleue, noire) after the noun, whereas in English they come before ('blue shirt'). French pronouns also differ in form and placement from English. For example, direct object pronouns (le, la, les) must agree in gender and number and precede the verb (Je la prends = I take it (feminine)).
Useful phrases include:
- Est-ce que je peux essayer cette chemise ? – Can I try this shirt?
- Vous avez ce manteau en taille M ? – Do you have this coat in size M?
- Je les prends, les chaussures sont très confortables. – I'll take them; the shoes are very comfortable.
We recommend paying attention to verb conjugations and adjective placements as you practice these expressions.
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