Shapes and forms
Formes et motifs
- Describe forms and shapes.
- Describe basic objects.
- Express preferences.
- Simple negation
Learn French vocabulary for geometric shapes like le carré (square), le cercle (circle), and le triangle (triangle), alongside adjectives about texture such as épais (thick) and fin (thin), while mastering simple negation in everyday descriptions.
Listening & reading materials
Practice vocabulary in context with real materials.
Vocabulary (14) 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 words according to whether they designate a geometric shape or a quality of texture or thickness.
Formes géométriques
Qualités de texture ou d'épaisseur
Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
Arrondi
Rounded
2
Étroit
Narrow
3
Dur
Hard
4
Le losange
The diamond
5
Épais
Thick
Exercice 5: Conversation exercise
Instruction:
- Describe the pictures and compare them. (Describe the pictures and compare them. )
- Ask the others what they prefer. Smaller or bigger cars, .... ? (Ask the others what they prefer. Smaller or bigger cars, .... ?)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
Cette voiture est petite et vieille. This car is small and old. |
|
Cette voiture est plus grande et plus récente. That car is bigger and newer. |
|
Les garçons portent des pantalons plus amples. The boys are wearing wider trousers. |
|
Quelle voiture préférez-vous ? What car do you prefer? |
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Je préfère une voiture plus petite mais plus moderne. I prefer a smaller but more modern car. |
|
Je préfère les vieilles voitures. I prefer old cars. |
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La rue est très étroite. The street is very narrow. |
| ... |
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 ___ la forme arrondie du vase sur la table.
(I ___ the rounded shape of the vase on the table.)2. Tu ne ___ pas le losange sur le mur.
(You do not ___ at the diamond on the wall.)3. Il ne ___ pas la large ligne, il cherche le triangle pointu.
(He does not ___ at the wide line, he is looking for the sharp triangle.)4. Nous ne ___ pas seulement les formes du carré et du rectangle.
(We do not ___ only look at the shapes of the square and the rectangle.)Exercise 8: A visit to the modern art museum
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Regarder - Watch
Présent
- je regarde
- tu regardes
- il/elle/on regarde
- nous regardons
- vous regardez
- ils/elles regardent
Porter - Wear
Présent
- je porte
- tu portes
- il/elle/on porte
- nous portons
- vous portez
- ils/elles portent
Être - To be
Présent
- je suis
- tu es
- il/elle/on est
- nous sommes
- vous êtes
- ils/elles sont
Appeler - Call
Présent
- j'appelle
- tu appelles
- il/elle/on appelle
- nous appelons
- vous appelez
- ils/elles appellent
Vouloir - Want
Présent
- je veux
- tu veux
- il/elle/on veut
- nous voulons
- vous voulez
- ils/elles veulent
Exercise 9: La négation simple
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: Simple negation
Show translation Show answersne sommes, ne manges, ne portes, n'ai, ne sortent, ne voit, ne voulons, ne buvez
Grammar Share Copied!
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Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Regarder to watch Share Copied!
present
| French | English |
|---|---|
| (je/j') regarde | I watch |
| (tu) regardes | You watch |
| (il/elle/on) regarde | he/she/one watches |
| (nous) regardons | we watch |
| (vous) regardez | You watch |
| (ils/elles) regardent | they watch |
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Lesson Overview: Shapes and Forms in French
This lesson introduces you to common geometric shapes and descriptive qualities related to texture and thickness in French. It also covers the use of simple negation in sentences. The content is ideal for A1 learners building foundational vocabulary and sentence structure in everyday contexts.
Key Vocabulary: Geometric Shapes and Textural Qualities
- Geometric shapes: le carré (square), le cercle (circle), le triangle (triangle), le rectangle (rectangle)
- Texture and thickness qualities: dur (hard), mou (soft), épais (thick), fin (thin)
Simple Negation in French
French uses a two-part negation structure, commonly ne ... pas, to express "not" or "do not." For example, Je ne mange pas de sucre means "I do not eat sugar." Negation commonly wraps around the verb.
Practical Everyday Dialogues
Practice describing shapes and preferences in common situations such as:
- At the market, choosing and describing vegetables by their shapes and colors.
- At the office, describing objects on the desk using shape adjectives and expressing likes and dislikes.
- At a café, talking about the forms of cups and expressing your preferences in a natural way.
Examples of Useful Sentences
- Le triangle est pointu et facile à reconnaître. (The triangle is pointed and easy to recognize.)
- Je ne porte pas de vêtements étroits. (I don’t wear tight clothes.)
- Nous ne voyons pas de losanges dans cette collection, seulement des cercles. (We don’t see any diamonds in this collection, only circles.)
- Elle ne veut pas de lignes épaisses sur son dessin, elle préfère les formes douces. (She doesn’t want thick lines on her drawing; she prefers soft shapes.)
Conjugation Practice
Pay special attention to present tense conjugation of verbs like regarder (to look) and how negation changes sentence structure: Je regarde vs. Je ne regarde pas.
Comparison with English
Unlike English, French negative sentences usually require two parts: ne before the verb and pas after it, even in simple present tense. For example, "I do not eat" becomes Je ne mange pas. Also, adjectives describing shape and texture often come after the noun, such as une forme arrondie (a rounded shape).
Useful Phrases to Remember
- Quelle forme a cet objet ? (What shape does this object have?)
- Je préfère les formes douces. (I prefer soft shapes.)
- Tu ne portes pas de vêtements avec des formes pointues aujourd’hui. (You are not wearing clothes with sharp shapes today.)
- Les lignes épaisses ne me plaisent pas. (I don’t like thick lines.)
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