Subject: French Language | Level: JHS (Basic 7 – 9) | Topic: Greetings, Introductions, and Basic Conversation | Difficulty: Beginner
Introduction
The first step in learning any language is being able to greet people and introduce yourself. In French, greetings are an important part of social culture. French speakers pay close attention to formality, using different words depending on whether you are speaking to a friend, a stranger, or an older person. This lesson teaches you the essential French greetings, how to introduce yourself, and how to have a simple conversation about yourself and your daily life.
1. Greetings (Les Salutations)
Basic Greetings
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Bonjour | Good morning / Good day / Hello | Daytime greeting, formal and informal |
| Bonsoir | Good evening | Evening greeting |
| Bonne nuit | Good night | When going to bed or leaving at night |
| Salut | Hi / Hey | Informal, with friends and peers only |
| Allô | Hello (on the phone) | Only used when answering the phone |
Asking How Someone is
| French | English | Register |
|---|---|---|
| Comment allez-vous? | How are you? | Formal (to adults, strangers, teachers) |
| Comment vas-tu? | How are you? | Informal (to friends, peers) |
| Ça va? | How are you? / Are you OK? | Very informal |
Responding
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Je vais bien, merci. | I am well, thank you. |
| Ça va bien, merci. | It’s going well, thank you. |
| Pas mal, merci. | Not bad, thank you. |
| Comme ci, comme ça. | So-so. |
| Je suis fatigué(e). | I am tired. |
| Et vous? / Et toi? | And you? (formal/informal) |
Farewells
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Au revoir | Goodbye |
| À bientôt | See you soon |
| À demain | See you tomorrow |
| À plus tard | See you later |
| Bonne journée | Have a good day |
2. Introducing Yourself (Se Présenter)
Giving Your Name
Je m’appelle… = My name is… / I am called…
Example: Je m’appelle Kofi. (My name is Kofi.)
Je suis… = I am…
Example: Je suis Ama. (I am Ama.)
Asking Someone’s Name
Comment vous appelez-vous? (formal) = What is your name?
Comment t’appelles-tu? (informal) = What is your name?
Tu t’appelles comment? (informal, very common) = What’s your name?
Age
Quel âge avez-vous? (formal) = How old are you?
Tu as quel âge? (informal) = How old are you?
J’ai quinze ans. = I am fifteen years old. (Note: In French, you “have” years, not “are” years old)
Nationality
Je suis ghanéen(ne). = I am Ghanaian. (ghanéen for male, ghanéenne for female)
Je suis Africain(e). = I am African.
Where You Live
J’habite à Accra. = I live in Accra.
J’habite au Ghana. = I live in Ghana.
Où habitez-vous? (formal) / Où habites-tu? (informal) = Where do you live?
3. Numbers 1 to 20 (Les Nombres)
You need numbers to give your age and answer many everyday questions.
| Number | French | Number | French |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | un / une | 11 | onze |
| 2 | deux | 12 | douze |
| 3 | trois | 13 | treize |
| 4 | quatre | 14 | quatorze |
| 5 | cinq | 15 | quinze |
| 6 | six | 16 | seize |
| 7 | sept | 17 | dix-sept |
| 8 | huit | 18 | dix-huit |
| 9 | neuf | 19 | dix-neuf |
| 10 | dix | 20 | vingt |
4. Days of the Week (Les Jours de la Semaine)
| French | English |
|---|---|
| lundi | Monday |
| mardi | Tuesday |
| mercredi | Wednesday |
| jeudi | Thursday |
| vendredi | Friday |
| samedi | Saturday |
| dimanche | Sunday |
Note: Days of the week are NOT capitalized in French.
5. Sample Dialogue
Read and practise this conversation:
Adjoa: Bonjour!
Kweku: Bonjour! Ça va?
Adjoa: Ça va bien, merci. Et toi?
Kweku: Je vais bien. Comment t’appelles-tu?
Adjoa: Je m’appelle Adjoa. Et toi?
Kweku: Je m’appelle Kweku. Tu as quel âge?
Adjoa: J’ai treize ans. Et toi?
Kweku: J’ai quatorze ans. Tu habites où?
Adjoa: J’habite à Kumasi. Et toi?
Kweku: J’habite à Accra. Au revoir, Adjoa!
Adjoa: Au revoir, Kweku! À bientôt!
Summary
- Use “Bonjour” for daytime, “Bonsoir” for evening. “Salut” is informal (friends only).
- Use formal forms (-vous) with teachers, elders, and strangers; informal (-tu) with friends.
- Say “J’ai ___ ans” (not “Je suis ___ ans”) for your age in French.
- Days of the week are lowercase in French.
- Practice the sample dialogue out loud until it feels natural.
Practice Exercises
- Translate into French: “Good evening! How are you?” (formal)
- Write a sentence saying your name and age in French.
- Write: “I live in Accra. I am Ghanaian. I am fourteen years old.”
- What is the French for: Monday, Wednesday, Friday?
- Your teacher asks “Comment vous appelez-vous?” What does this mean, and how do you respond?
Answers: (1) Bonsoir! Comment allez-vous? (2) Je m’appelle [name]. J’ai [age] ans. (3) J’habite à Accra. Je suis ghanéen(ne). J’ai quatorze ans. (4) lundi, mercredi, vendredi (5) It means “What is your name?” You respond: “Je m’appelle [your name].”
Next Lesson: JHS French – The Verb Être (To Be) and Avoir (To Have)