From post office to email
De la poste au courrier électronique
- Send and receive messages.
- Email and internet.
Master practical French expressions like "envoyer un colis" (to send a package), "tarif" (price), and "pièce jointe" (attachment) through everyday dialogues at the post office, by email, and online messaging.
Vocabulary (15) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercice 1: Conversation exercise
Instruction:
- Do you still send letters or only emails? (Do you still send letters or only emails?)
- What is necessary when you want to send a letter? Use the subjunctive. (What is necessary when you want to send a letter? Use the subjunctive. )
- How many emails do you usually receive in a day? (How many emails do you usually receive in a day?)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
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J'envoie uniquement des e-mails maintenant. C'est plus rapide et plus facile. I only send emails now. It’s faster and easier. |
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Parfois, j'envoie des lettres pour des occasions spéciales, comme des anniversaires ou des fêtes. Sometimes I send letters for special things. Like birthdays or holidays. |
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Il est important que vous signiez la lettre. It is important that you sign the letter. |
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Il est nécessaire que vous envoyiez la lettre en la portant par exemple à la poste. It is necessary that you send the letter by taking it to the post office for example. |
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Je reçois généralement 10 ou 15 emails. La plupart sont pour le travail. I usually get 10 or 15 emails. Most are for work. |
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Je reçois 5 e-mails par jour. Certains viennent d'amis, d'autres de journaux. I receive 5 emails a day. Some are from friends, some from newspapers. |
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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. Il faut que je ____ ce colis avant midi pour qu'il arrive demain.
(It is necessary that I ____ this package before noon so that it arrives tomorrow.)2. Je doute que tu ____ le message sans vérifier l'adresse électronique.
(I doubt that you ____ the message without verifying the email address.)3. Il est important que nous ____ la lettre avec un timbre avant demain.
(It is important that we ____ the letter with a stamp before tomorrow.)4. Il faut que vous ____ l’e-mail avec la pièce jointe avant la fin de la journée.
(You must ____ the email with the attachment before the end of the day.)Exercise 4: Send a message at work
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Poster - Poster
Subjonctif présent
- que je poste
- que tu postes
- qu'il/elle poste
- que nous postions
- que vous postiez
- qu'ils/elles postent
Poster - Poster
Futur simple
- je posterai
- tu posteras
- il/elle postera
- nous posterons
- vous posterez
- ils/elles posteront
Poster - Poster
Passé composé
- j'ai posté
- tu as posté
- il/elle a posté
- nous avons posté
- vous avez posté
- ils/elles ont posté
Espérer - Espérer
Présent
- j'espère
- tu espères
- il/elle espère
- nous espérons
- vous espérez
- ils/elles espèrent
Recevoir - Recevoir
Présent
- je reçois
- tu reçois
- il/elle reçoit
- nous recevons
- vous recevez
- ils/elles reçoivent
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!
Poster to post Share Copied!
Subjonctif présent
| French | English |
|---|---|
| (je/j') poste | I post |
| (tu) postes | You post |
| (il/elle/on) poste | he/she/one posts |
| (nous) postions | we post |
| (vous) postiez | you post |
| (ils/elles) postent | they post |
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Lesson Overview: From Post Office to Email
This lesson helps you navigate common situations related to sending messages and parcels, both physically and electronically, in French at an A2 level. It covers practical dialogues for sending parcels at the post office, organizing professional emails, and using the Internet to send electronic messages with attachments.
Key Themes and Content
- Sending Parcels at the Post Office: Learn how to ask about postage methods and pricing, e.g., sending a registered parcel (un colis en recommandé) and delivery times.
- Professional Email Communication: Practice organizing meetings via email using polite and clear expressions typical in French email etiquette.
- Using the Internet to Send Messages: Understand the vocabulary and instructions for sending emails with attachments and troubleshooting common issues.
Important Vocabulary and Expressions
- Envoyer – to send (used both for parcels and emails)
- Colis – parcel
- Lettre urgente – urgent letter
- Tarif – rate or price
- Numéro de suivi – tracking number
- Pièce jointe – attachment
- Visioconférence – video conference
Verb Focus: The Subjunctive and Other Moods of "Poster" (to mail/post)
The lesson includes targeted practice on the verb "poster," especially in the subjunctive mood (subjonctif présent), reflecting necessity, doubt, or wishes, e.g., "Il faut que je poste ce colis" (I need to post this parcel). Understanding the subjunctive is crucial in French for expressing obligation or doubt, which is common in everyday and formal communication.
Other verb tenses featured include the future simple (e.g., "je posterai" – I will post) and passé composé (e.g., "j'ai posté" – I posted), giving you the ability to describe actions in different timeframes.
Useful Notes on Differences Between English and French in This Context
English often uses simpler verb structures for sending mail or emails, such as "I send" or "I am sending," without a subjunctive mood. French, however, frequently uses the subjunctive in expressions of necessity or desire, particularly after phrases like "Il faut que" (It is necessary that) or "Je doute que" (I doubt that), which do not have direct equivalents in English grammar.
Useful phrases to remember include:
- Il faut que + subjunctive – It is necessary that
- Je doute que + subjunctive – I doubt that
- Envoyer un colis – To send a parcel
- Confirmer la réunion – To confirm the meeting
- Joindre un fichier – To attach a file (in an email)
Keep in mind that the verb poster is used for sending both physical mail and sometimes emails in French, which may differ from English where "post" usually refers to mail only.
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