Visit the countryside
Visitez la campagne
- Talk about the village and the countryside.
- Learn the names of the farm animals.
- Learn about the most known rural regions of your host country.
Explore vocabulary and expressions to describe a countryside visit, focusing on animals like la vache (cow), le coq (rooster), and les moutons (sheep), plus rural sights and activities.
Vocabulary (17) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercice 1: Conversation exercise
Instruction:
- Where did you grow up? On the countryside or in the city? (Where did you grow up? On the countryside or in the city?)
- Did you have to care for animals? Farm animals or pets? (Did you have to care for animals? Farm animals or pets?)
- What do you think of the bull fighting in Spain? (What do you think of the bull fighting in Spain?)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
J'ai grandi à la campagne. I grew up on the countryside. |
|
Ma famille a une ferme, donc j'ai beaucoup aidé à prendre soin des porcs, des vaches et des poules. My family has a farm so I helped a lot to care for the pigs, cows and chicken. |
|
J'ai grandi dans une petite ville. Ma famille avait un chien. J'ai aidé à m'en occuper. I grew up in a small city. My family had a dog. I helped to care for him. |
|
J'ai grandi à Berlin, la capitale de l'Allemagne. Nous n'avions qu'un petit appartement donc nous n'avons jamais eu d'animal de compagnie. I grew up in Berlin, the capital of Germany. We only had a small apartment so we never had a pet. |
|
Je pense que la corrida est une tradition importante en Espagne et je veux voir un combat. I think the bull fighting is an important tradition in Spain and I want to see a fight. |
|
La corrida en Espagne est cruelle. Cette tradition doit bientôt prendre fin pour protéger les taureaux. The bull fighting in Spain is cruel. That tradition has to end soon to protect the bulls. |
| ... |
Exercise 2: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 3: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Le week-end dernier, j'___ attendu le bus pour aller à la ferme.
(Last weekend, I ___ waited for the bus to go to the farm.)2. Ensuite, nous ___ visité le champ où il y avait des moutons.
(Then, we ___ visited the field where there were sheep.)3. Après, j'___ attendu patiemment pour caresser la vache.
(Afterwards, I ___ waited patiently to pet the cow.)4. Enfin, nous ___ attendu le retour du fermier pour lui poser des questions.
(Finally, we ___ waited for the farmer’s return to ask him questions.)Exercise 4: Visit to the mountain farm
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Décider - Decide
Passé composé
- j'ai décidé
- tu as décidé
- il/elle/on a décidé
- nous avons décidé
- vous avez décidé
- ils/elles ont décidé
Voir - See
Passé composé
- j'ai vu
- tu as vu
- il/elle/on a vu
- nous avons vu
- vous avez vu
- ils/elles ont vu
Expliquer - Explain
Passé composé
- j'ai expliqué
- tu as expliqué
- il/elle/on a expliqué
- nous avons expliqué
- vous avez expliqué
- ils/elles ont expliqué
Élever - Raise
Imparfait
- j'élevais
- tu élevais
- il/elle/on élevait
- nous élevions
- vous éleviez
- ils/elles élevaient
Attendre - Wait
Passé composé
- j'ai attendu
- tu as attendu
- il/elle/on a attendu
- nous avons attendu
- vous avez attendu
- ils/elles ont attendu
Goûter - Taste
Passé composé
- j'ai goûté
- tu as goûté
- il/elle/on a goûté
- nous avons goûté
- vous avez goûté
- ils/elles ont goûté
Grammar Share Copied!
It's not the most exciting thing, we admit, but it’s absolutely essential (and we promise it'll pay off)!
Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Attendre to wait Share Copied!
passe_compose
| French | English |
|---|---|
| (je/j') ai attendu | I waited |
| (tu) as attendu | You waited |
| (il/elle/on) a attendu | he/she/one waited |
| (nous) avons attendu | we waited |
| (vous) avez attendu | You waited |
| (ils/elles) ont attendu | They waited |
Don't see progress when learning on your own? Study this material with a certified teacher!
Do you want to practice French today? That is possible! Just contact one of our teachers today.
Lesson Overview: Visit the Countryside
This lesson is designed for A2 (elementary) French learners who want to improve their vocabulary and conversational skills related to rural life and countryside visits. You will explore common words and expressions to describe farm animals, rural attractions, and countryside experiences through various dialogues and contextual exercises.
Key Themes and Vocabulary
- Farm Animals: vaches (cows), poules (hens), moutons (sheep), coq (rooster), canards (ducks), chevaux (horses), chèvres (goats), cochons (pigs), brebis (ewes), ânes (donkeys), lapins (rabbits).
- Rural Environment: ferme (farm), village (village), champs (fields), vergers (orchards), pâturages (pastures), étang (pond), vignobles (vineyards), nature (nature), campagne (countryside).
- Local Specialties and Attractions: gastronomie (gastronomy), foie gras, pommes (apples), cidre (cider), marchés locaux (local markets), fêtes du village (village festivals), châteaux (castles).
Communicative Situations
The lesson includes practical dialogues for talking about:
- Describing a visit to a traditional farm and naming animals found there.
- Discussing the characteristics of a rural village and local attractions in regions such as Périgord and Normandy.
- Sharing experiences of a countryside stay, emphasizing nature, activities, and animals encountered.
Grammar Focus: Past Tenses
This lesson also focuses on the passé composé and the imparfait, used to talk about past events and ongoing or repeated past actions. Verb examples include:
- Passé composé: j'ai décidé (I decided), j'ai vu (I saw), il a expliqué (he explained), nous avons attendu (we waited), ils ont goûté (they tasted).
- Imparfait: il élevait (he was raising).
Comparison with English
Unlike English, French verbs in past narratives often combine passé composé for completed actions and imparfait for descriptions or ongoing past actions. For example, "I saw" translates to "j'ai vu" (passé composé), while "he was raising" is "il élevait" (imparfait). Also, French uses definite articles before nouns more often than English, such as "les poules" (the hens) rather than just "hens." Common useful phrases taught include greetings and questions related to countryside visits, such as "Tu aimerais visiter la ferme un jour ?" (Would you like to visit the farm one day?) and "Comment s'est passée ta visite à la campagne ?" (How was your visit to the countryside?).
Summary
By studying this lesson, you will enrich your rural-related vocabulary, practice daily conversational phrases, and develop a better understanding of using past tenses in French. This lesson prepares you to talk confidently about visits to farms, describe animals and surroundings, and share experiences related to the French countryside.
These lessons would not be possible without our amazing partners🙏
