a short essay about myself in french

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How to Describe Yourself in French

Last Updated: September 9, 2022 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Language Academia . Language Academia is a private, online language school founded by Kordilia Foxstone. Kordilia and her team specialize in teaching foreign languages and accent reduction. Language Academia offers courses in several languages, including English, Spanish, and Mandarin. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 438,842 times.

Describing yourself is an important skill personally and professionally. You may wish to meet or date someone, get to know a friend better, or present yourself in a professional context. The rules for describing yourself in French are similar to how you would do it in English, but there are a few distinctions to be aware of. Using these guidelines you will have a basic structure that you can expand on to provide a more personalized description of yourself.

Describing your Personality

• The French word for first name is “prenom” (prey–nom). You could say “Mon prénom est...” (mon prey-nom ey) which means “my first name is...”
• The French word for surname is “nom de famille” (nohm dhe fah-mee). In a professional or commercial transaction if someone asks for your "nom" be sure to provide your last name rather than your first.

• Consult a dictionary to find pronunciations of specific numbers.
• You can also describe your age group more generally using the phrase “je suis” (zhe swee) followed by an adjective. “Jeune” (zhuhn) means young. “Vieux” (vee-euh) indicates an elderly man, while “vieille” (vee-ay) indicates an elderly woman. “Je suis jeune” means “I am young.”

• You can also say “my hair is...” followed by a color. The phrase for this is “Mes cheveux sont...” (meh chuh-vuh son). Consult a dictionary for the appropriate color.
• The same construction works to describe your eye color. You would say “Mes yeux sont ...” (mehz-yuh son) which means "my eyes are..." Note that in this case you pronounce the s at the end of “mes” because the next word begins with a vowel.

• “Fort” (for) means strong, while “faible” (febl) means weak.
• “Petit” (petee) for men or “petite” (peteet) for women means small or short.
• “Grand” (grahn) for men or “grande” (grahnd) for women means large or tall.

• Content (cohn-tahn) means happy, while triste (treest) means sad. You would say "je suis triste" to convey "I am sad."
• Fatigué (fah-tee-gay) means tired. You would say “je suis fatigué” to convey "I am tired."

Describing Your Activities

• Male occupations that end with “eur” (euhr) often change to “euse” (euhz) for women. For example, a massage therapist would be either a masseur or a masseuse.
• Male occupations that end in “ier” (ee-ay) often add an extra e to become ière (ee-ehr) for women. A farmer would be either a fermier or a fermière.
• Male occupations that end in a consonant may add an extra e to become feminine. For example, a male student is an “étudiant” (ay-tood-eeon) while a female student is an "étudiante" (ay-tood-eeont). Note that the final consonant is pronounced only in the female form.
• Many occupations have only one form, regardless of gender, such as "professeur" which means teacher.

• “I like” is “j’aime” (zhehm). "I love" is “j’adore” (zha-dor). “J’aime lire” (zhehm leer) means “I like to read.”
• The words “ne” and “pas” on either side of the verb negate the phrase, indicating dislike. "I do not like" is “je n’aime pas” (zhe nem pah). “Je n’aime pas chanter” (zhe nem pas chan-tay) means “I do not like to sing.”

• Mon (mohn) or ma (mah) are used as possessives, when you wish to indicate that you like something that belongs to you. Mes (meh) indicates a possessive plural. [5] X Research source
• Mon is used when the noun is masculine, indicated in the dictionary by the letter m. “J’aime mon chat” means "I like my cat." Note that it does not matter if you are male, it matters that cat (chat) is a masculine noun.
• Ma is used when the noun is feminine, indicated in the dictionary by the letter f. “J’aime ma tante” means "I like my aunt." Again, it matters that aunt is a feminine noun, not that you are a man or a woman.
• Mes indicates a possessive plural noun, such as “my aunts” or “my cats.” You would say “j’aime mes tantes” or “j’aime mes chats.” [6] X Research source

• If this is too challenging it may be easier to use the above recommendations for sharing hobbies, simply saying “I like sports” or “j’aime les sports.”
• This construction also works to describe personality traits. For example gentil/gentille (zhantee/zhanteel) means nice. You would say “je suis gentil” if you are a man or "je suis gentille" for a woman.

Printable Phrase Guides

Community Q&A

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• ↑ https://omniglot.com/language/phrases/french.php
• ↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zjx947h/articles/z7ftwty
• ↑ https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/frenchcopy/chapter/2-4-the-verb-etre/
• ↑ http://www.languageguide.org/french/grammar/gender/
• ↑ http://www.thefrenchexperiment.com/learn-french/possessive-adjectives.php
• ↑ https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/possessive-adjectives/
• ↑ http://www.languageguide.org/french/grammar/adjectives/

About This Article

To describe yourself in French, start by learning some of the basic French phrases for introducing yourself, like “Je m’appelle” and “Je suis” to tell people your name and something about yourself. For example, “Je suis blonde” tells people that you’re a blonde, while “Je suis fatigué” means “I’m tired!” To talk about your interests, use the word “J’aime” to say that you love or like something! Scroll down to learn how to use the appropriate adjectives for your gender! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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LinguaJunkie.com

A very cranky language blogger dishing out brutal language tips.

How to Introduce Yourself in French in 10+ Lines + Audio

Want to speak French? Yes? Good – keep reading.

This is for those that truly want to learn the language. Here’s how you introduce yourself in French in 10 easy lines… and this might take you 2 to 3 minutes or less. You can also listen to audio by pressing the play button.

There’s also a PDF for these phrases at the end!

But if you’re JUST looking for the ONE French phrase, it’s this:

• My name is ______.
• Je m’appelle ______.

1) Bonjour, enchanté(e) de faire votre connaissance.

“Hello” and “Nice to meet you” are must-know phrases. Any introduction will probably will start with these words.

• Hello, it’s nice to meet you.
• Bonjour, enchanté(e) de faire votre connaissance.

You should also listen and hear real French – Press play below. Try this Free Lesson from FrenchPod101.com (click here to visit) for the complete explanation about introducing yourself!

Press play to listen below.

Now, let’s say someone asks for your name in French.

They would say….

2) Comment t’appelles-tu?

• What’s your name?
• Comment t’appelles-tu?

3) Je m’appelle ______.

This is simple. To say “my name is” in French, you just need the phrase “Je m’appelle.” Then say your name. For example, if the name is Linguajunkie, it would be like this…

• Je m’appelle Linguajunkie.

Here’s another example:

• Je m’appelle Robert. Comment t’appelles tu ?
• My name is Robert. What’s your name?

4) Je viens de ____.

So, where are you from? America? Europe? Africa? Asia? Just stick the name of your country inside this phrase. We’ll use France as an example.

• Je viens de France .
• I’m from France .

5) J’habite à ______.

What about now – where do you live? Just fill in the blank with the country or city (if famous) into this phrase. I’ll use Paris as an example.

• J’habite à Paris .
• I live in Paris .

6) J’apprends le français depuis _____.

How long have you been learning French for? A month? A year?

• J’apprends le français depuis un an .
• I’ve been learning French for a year .

7) J’apprends le français sur _____.

Where are you learning French? At school? At home? This would be a great line to know and use when you’re introducing yourself. Here’s my example:

• J’apprends le français sur FrenchPod101.com .
• I’m learning French at FrenchPod101.com .

8) J’ai  ___  ans.

Here’s how to say how old you are in French. Just add the number in. You will want to know French numbers from 1 to 100 , so click the link to review and find out how to say your age in French.

• J’ai      ans.
• J’ai 27 ans.
• I’m 27 years old .

9) Je suis ______.

What about your position? Are you a student? Yoga teacher? Lawyer for the potato industry? Potato salesman? Super important question that people like to ask (and judge you about – Hey, I’m just a blogger! ). Just use “ani” meaning “I” and add your position.

• Je suis enseignant (e).
• I’m a teacher .

Here are some examples of other jobs:

• ingénieur – engineer
• programmeur – programmar
• infirmière – nurse
• professeur – professor
• employé de bureau – office worker/clerk
• ouvrier de société – company worker
• gérant – manager
• secrétaire – secretary
• docteur – doctor
• agent comptable – accountant
• officier de police – police officer
• pompier – firefighter
• avocat – lawyer
• cuisinier – cook

10) Un de mes passe-temps est la lecture. _____.

Now, let’s move onto personal interests – hobbies! My hobbies are languages, linguajunkieing and such. How about you? You’ll definitely need this line when introducing yourself in French.

Here’s an example to use:

• Un de mes passe-temps est la lecture.
• One of my hobbies is reading.

11) J’aime écouter de la musique.

Now, this is just another example line about your hobbies . You can use something else where.

• J’aime écouter de la musique.
• I enjoy listening to music.

So now you know how to introduce yourself in French.

Remember, if there’s only ONE phrase you’ll remember me, Lingajunkie, let it be:

If you want a French PDF lesson for this Introductions lesson, check out the link below. You can download it for free.

Let’s recap the French phrases for self-introduction:

I’m sure there’s a ton more you can say – but this is an easy, simple start that any beginner can put to use. It’s all about starting easy. Here are the French lines for your self-introduction.

See if you can introduce yourself below. Leave me a comment.

I read all comments!

Hope you enjoyed this!

– The Main Junkie

P.S. I highly recommend this for French learners. If you REALLY want to learn French with effective lessons by real teachers – Sign up for free at FrenchPod101 (click here) and start learning!

Merci,this helps alot

Wow I love this it help a lot

Merci beaucoup

merci becoup

I found this very useful as I prepare myself for the oral test thanx for this

how to say daddy in french

THANKS FOR THIS!!

merci madam

how do you say ” I am taking 6 classes this semester” ?

merci bonjour je m’appelle Malveer J’habite a mosh

um…could you write an introduction for students?????

[…] learn bonus lines for introducing yourself in French in part […]

Bonjour , enchante de faire votre connaissance. je m’appelle Gloria Ewoigbe . Je viens de Nigeria. J’ai 17 ans. J’habite ‘a England . J’apprends Francais depuis trois mois. j’apprends Francais ‘a mon Ecole, ma maison et sur French pod 101 .com un de mes passe -temps est la lecture. J’aime ecouter la Chritienne musique . J’aime Paris repas il est de’licious. Je suis une etudiante . Aussi J’aime Dieu. Et Toi? qui es -tu?

[…] This next section of French phrases contains basics you’d need for conversations. Like, how to say “yes,” “thank you,” “how are you,” or even introduce yourself in French. […]

whats up yo

Thank you for helping

It was not easy and unable to understand for a 7 class child

Very nice! I love it! It helped me a lot!!

Wow I can’t read?

agréable de vous rencontrer copains

Mille merci

Merci, C’est tres simple et utile 😉

Talking about yourself in French 🇫🇷

Talking about yourself in French is one of the first you’ll have to do. 

Especially if you’re looking for a penpal, want to go a bit deeper with natives in France, or just simply journal about yourself in French.

Bref, you need to be able to introduce yourself, express who you are, your opinions, where you come from,…

And that’s exactly what we are going to learn right now with 5 ready to use sentences.

Don’t worry, I’m not asking you for an essay about yourself… The key word here is PRACTICAL.

5 sentences to talk about yourself in French

Ok so we are going to learn how to describe yourself (your tastes, your goals,…). 

Keep in mind, the sentences below are made to be easily customisable.

In the video, I go in more details about how to customise them (what verb to use, what forms, in what order,..). AND, I gave you examples.

Ok, c’est parti.

• Je suis passionné(e – for girls ) de… (+ noun ) – I am passionate about…
• J’adore… (+ verb ) – I like to…
• Je veux… (+ verb ) – I want to…
• Mon ( film ) préféré(e – if feminine ), c’est… – My favourite ( movie ) is…
• Je suis fan de… – I am a fan of…

Now, it’s your time to use it. Leave me a comment with a sentence about you! 

Please use the video to learn how to pronounce the sentences correctly. 

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Cyrano de Bergerac is an eloquent, brave, virtuous man. Especially when he insults haters…. This is La Tirade du Nez.

How rude can you be in French?

Being French, I love to hear about how rude we are! KIDDING. We’re not that rude. Sure, we do have a few swear words, but

5 important French events 🇫🇷 you should know about if you are learning French

If you want to speak French, you need to be able to understand historical references. And for that, you need to know about these 5 important French events.

3 thoughts on “Talking about yourself in French 🇫🇷”

What about age ,state,nationalism,etc?

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Simple-French

Simple French Lessons Online and Other Things Too

Lesson 4: Talk about Yourself

Learn how to briefly  talk about yourself in French. Learn how say what your name and age are, where you live (city and country), what you do for a living , what you like doing , where you work and what languages you speak . Audio text with interactive exercises to improve your learning.

Read the text below and listen to the audio for pronunciation. Next, do the reading comprehension exercise and answer the questions at the end. For any problems with comprehension, take a look into the Notes section.

1. Text: Talk About Yourself in French

[wp-svg-icons icon=”volume-medium” wrap=”i”]

Bonjour. Je m’appelle  Marie. J ’ ai 27 ans et j ’ habite à  Nantes, en France. J ’ ai toujours vécu dans cette ville. Je suis professeur de français et je  travaille à l’Université. J’ aime apprendre les langues étrangères . Je parle anglais et espagnol. J’aime également  sortir avec des amis et voyager. Je suis déjà allée* en Allemagne, en Pologne, en Espagne,  en Angleterre et en Irlande. Et toi, quels pays as -tu visités ?

[su_spoiler title=”Vocabulary”]

habiter à Nantes / à Paris / à Rome travailler à l ‘hôpital / à la radio / au centre commercial J ‘ ai vécu : I have lived / I lived … aimer apprendre / manger / voyager / rencontrer

[/su_spoiler]

[su_spoiler title=”Grammar”]

Le présent et le passé (Le passé composé )

A. simple present tense:.

 – Le présent : current actions and situations, habits, general truths

• Je m’appelle Marie.
• J’habite à Nantes.
• Je parle espagnol.
• Je suis professeur.

Conjugation example:

The most common French verb group is the the “-er” group, that all the verb that end on “er”. Examples: parler, habiter, aimer, s’appeler.

All of them conjugate the same way, by adding the appropriate suffixes to the stem (its base)  of the verb.  -e, -es,-e, -ons, -ez, -ent

B. Past Tense

 –  le passé composé : completed actions in the past..

être / avoir + verb (past participle).

Whether you need to use être or avoir depends on the verb.

Eg. avoir + vivre

• Je vis à Nantes. I live in Nantes .
• J’ ai vécu à Nantes. I lived / have lived in Nantes .

Eg. être + aller

• Je vais à Berlin. I go to Berlin.
• Je suis allé à Berlin. I have been to Berlin.
• Je vais à l’école. I go to school.
• Je suis allé à l’école. I went to school / I have been to school.

! I have been to Spain = Je suis allé en Espagne = J’ai visité Espagne. 

! Je suis allé e  = you add the “e” at the end of the “allé” when you “Je” refers to a girl. It exists and is visible only in writing.

Le passé composé conjugation

The “s” in this sentence should appear if “Vous” refers to more than one person. If it is “vous” as in the polite and formal way of addressing someone, the “s” is dropped.  

[su_spoiler title=”Phonetics”]

3. Exercises

Reading Comprehension: 

[su_spoiler title=”Explanation of the exercise”]

[content id=”439″]

[xyz-ihs snippet=”talk-about-yourself-3-with-check”]

4. Homework

• what your name is and how old you are
• where you live (city, country)
• what kind of work you do and where you work
• what you like doing
• what foreign languages you speak
• what countries you have visited
• Quel est ton prénom ?
• Quel âge as-tu ?
• Que fais-tu dans la vie ? (Où travailles-tu ?)
• Qu’est-ce que tu aimes faire ?
• Quelles langues étrangères parles-tu ?
• Quels pays étrangers as-tu visités ?
• Learn by heart the answers you have created.

One Reply to “Lesson 4: Talk about Yourself”

1. Je m’appelle Juan. 2. J’ai 23 ans. 3. Je suis étudiant. 4. J’aime voyager aussi. 5. Je peux parler espagnol, italien, anglais et français. 6. J’ai visité 3 pays étrangers: France, Italie, Grande Bretagne.

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Bla Bla Français

Spoken French for The Real Life

How to talk about yourself in French

Talking about yourself in French can be fun if you're hanging out with French speaking friends, students or co-workers.

The situations of life in which you need to present yourself are countless : school, job interviews, professional meetings, administrative stuff, social encounters, dating ...

Introducing yourself in French, that is, saying out your name, age, home country, occupation etc, is not so different than in your native language.

Where things start to differ from culture to culture, is what you actually choose to say about yourself as a French speaker.  And of course the way you choose to say it.

For example, French people often find it unpleasant when a person is talking about him/herself in a self-confident way, which they often consider as bragging.  E.g, talking openly about your qualities or achievements.

In this article, we hear Fred, a French guy, talking about himself, perhaps recording a quick presentation video for a social website.  After hearing the presentation, we comment the spoken French phrases and expressions he's using.

Here's Fred's presentation :

Salut, moi c'est Fred, j'ai 36 ans, je suis de Toulouse, diplômé d'une école de commerce. Je suis commercial chez un concessionnaire auto. Je suis du genre extraverti, sociable, j'adore les contacts. Mon trip à moi, c'est de sortir, m'amuser, mater le foot avec les potes, délirer avec les filles... Je suis quelqu'un de cool, je n'aime pas me prendre la tête.  Je laisse couler ! Je suis célibataire. j'ai été avec quelqu'un pendant deux ans, mais ça n'a pas marché. Je ne supportais plus ses reproches, pourquoi tu fais ci, pourquoi tu fais pas ça ... Sur mon lieu de travail, je vois souvent passer de jolis petits lots... Et sur Facebook aussi. Mon job, c'est pas ma vie.  Je fais mon boulot, je ne cherche pas midi à 14h. Mon chef est du genre chicaneur, alors que moi je suis plutôt zen. Je n'aime pas trop les objectifs, les évaluations, et les patrons prise de tête. Je ne suis pas non plus très fan des clients qui posent des tonnes de questions !

Listen to the audio :

And here's the English version :

Hey, Fred here, 36, from Toulouse, business school graduate. I work as a salesman at a car dealership. I'm the extraverted type, social guy, I love contacts. I get kicks from going out, having fun, watching soccer with my boys, hanging out with the girls... I'm  a mellow person,  don't like to complicate things.  I just let things roll. I'm single.  I was involved with someone for two years, but it didn't work out. Could no longer stand her complaints, why are you doing this, why don't you do that ... In my workplace I see some hot little numbers go by ... And on Facebook as well. My job is not my life.  I do my work, I try not to complicate things too much. My boss is kind of a nitpicker, whereas I'm more of an easy-going person. I'm not crazy about sales quotas, evaluations, and picky managers. Nor am I a big fan of customers who ask tons of questions !

Talking about yourself in French : identity and basic information

Fred starts his talk by introducing himself : his name, his age, his home town, his education.

For his name, he uses the phrase :

"Salut, moi c'est Fred"

This is a colloquial way in French to introduce oneself, a bit like saying "Hey, Fred here !"  When talking about yourself, you would only use " Moi c'est ... " in very informal and relaxed situations, e.g. a friend circle.  Otherwise, you would use a more classic :

"Je m'appelle Fred"  or "Mon nom est Fred"

For his age, he could have gone on using an informal style by omitting "j'ai" :

"Salut, moi c'est Fred, 36 ans ..."  (I'm Fred, 36.)

He says "je suis de Toulouse", I'm from Toulouse.  Other ways he could have said it include :

"Je viens de Toulouse" (I come from Toulouse) or "Je suis toulousain"  (I'm a "Toulousan") https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/3-j-viens-de-toulouse-toulousain.mp3

He then adds :

"diplômé d'une école de commerce"  (I have a degree from a business school)

Note he omits "je suis" this time.  It's worth noting that the French are highly averse to repeating words - word repetition is considered a very bad thing in French.   French speakers always look for alternative words or phrases to avoid repetition, even if that affects the clarity of the sentence.

For example, in a news report in French about the president of the United States, the journalist will say "the President of the United States" once, but will then refer to him as "the tenant of the White House", or other similar contrived phrases .

Here, the offending phrase would be "je suis", which was already used in "je suis de Toulouse".

There are lots of "ecoles de commerce" (business / management schools) all over France, from small, less competitive ones, to top prestigious schools such as H.E.C. and INSEAD.   Business and Engineering are two of the most common degrees college graduates earn.

Fred goes on saying :

"Je suis commercial chez un concessionnaire auto".

When talking about yourself and your occupation in French, you typically use the construct " être + occupation " :

"Je suis entrepreneur" (I'm an entrepreneur) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/5-j-s-entrepreneur.mp3 "Elle est boulangère"  (she's a baker) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/6-elle-est-boulang.mp3 "Il est jardinier"  (he's a gardener) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/7-il-est-jardinier.mp3

Click here for more examples on discussing your occupation at a cocktail party.

Note he uses the phrase "concessionnaire auto" ( car dealership).  Native French speakers love to shorten words in everyday spoken French, here "concessionnaire auto" is short for "concessionnaire automobile".

Click here for more word shortening examples in spoken French.

Talking about yourself in French : your personality and tastes

Referring to himself, he says :

"Je suis du genre extraverti"  (I'm the extraverted kind)

"Etre du genre" is frequently used in spoken French when talking about yourself or someone else, to mean being of a certain type  :

"Je suis du genre poli"  : I'm the polite type https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/8-j-s-du-genre-poli.mp3 "Elle est du genre timide"  : she's a shy kind of girl https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/9-elle-est-du-genre-timide.mp3 "Ils sont du genre stressé"  : they are the stressed out kind https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/10-ils-sont-du-genre-stresse.mp3

We also use " je suis plutôt + adjective "  for a similar meaning :

"Je suis plutôt calme (comme garçon)"  :  I'm more of a quiet boy https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/11-chui-pluto-calme-garcon.mp3 Or, combining the two constructs, you can say : "Il est plutôt du genre nerveux !"  (he's more of the nervous type) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/12-il-est-pluto-genre-nerveux.mp3

The phrase  "j'adore les contacts" is commonly used in French to mean "I love social interactions" - an important aspect of a person's personality, both in the personal or professional realm.

Fred then starts a sentence with :

" mon trip, c'est  ... "

This is a colloquial French phrase to say : the things that I like, the things that make me tick, my thing is.  A phrase you may often employ when talking about yourself :

"Son trip c'est le sport !"  (sports are what makes her tick) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/13-son-trip-c-le-sport.mp3 "C'est quoi ton trip dans la vie ?"   (what's your thing in life ? What do you like ?) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/14-c-koi-ton-trip-vie.mp3 "Moi,  mon trip, c'est la danse"  (danse is my thing) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/15-moi-mon-trip-danse.mp3

Fred is a party guy, likes to go out and have fun :

"Sortir, m'amuser"  (go out, have fun)

Another way to say "sortir" is "faire la fête" (to party) :

"J'adore faire la fête !"

He could have used "s'éclater" instead of "s'amuser" :

"J'aime m'éclater"  (I like to have fun, have a ball)

As he talks about himself and the things he likes to do, he says :

"Mon trip, c'est de mater le foot avec les potes"

The verb " mater " is a very colloquial, even slanguy French word for "to watch".   It's often used in slang to mean "check out", often in the context of checking out girls / guys :

"Il n'arrête pas de mater les filles"  (he keeps checking out the girls)

"Arrête de mater !"  (stop staring !)

In our dialogue, there's no sexual connotation, but using the verb "mater" sounds cooler and more relaxed, a reference to the population that most frequently uses these words, i.e. the "cool and tough" youth population in rough city areas.

French speakers frequently say :

"On va mater un film ?"  (shall we watch a movie ?) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/21-on-va-mater-un-film.mp3 or "on va se mater un film ?" https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/22-on-va-mater-se-mater-film.mp3 "On mate un petit match de tennis" (we're watching a tennis game for a little while) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/23-on-mate-petit-match-tennis.mp3

Fred likes to watch soccer games with his friends :

"avec les potes"

The word " pote " is another colloquial French term for friends, buddies, pals :

"Je vais au restau avec un pote"  (I'm going to the restaurant with a buddy) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/24-j-vais-restau-avec-un-pote.mp3 "Avec des potes on part en Grèce"  (with my buddies we're going to Greece) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/25-ac-des-potes-Grece.mp3

Saying " avec les potes " (vs. "avec mes potes") is like saying "with the boys", or if it's a woman speaking, "with the girls", suggesting your everyday friends.

He also says "délirer avec les filles", which in French literally means talking crazy with the girls, talk nonsense, babble, rave.  The expression " délirer " normally refers to being delirious, but is often used in spoken French to mean hanging out and talking about fun stuff.

So here, "délirer avec les filles" really means "hanging out with the girls".

Other examples :

"On s'est posé et on a déliré pendant deux heures"  (we hung our and talked about fun stuff for 2 hours) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/26-pose-delire-2h.mp3 "On a bien déliré à propos de musique"  (we talked away about music) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/27-on-a-delire-musique.mp3 "On s'est fait un délire toute la soirée"  (we talked about fun stuff all evening) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/28-on-s-fait-delire-soiree.mp3 The phrase "se faire un délire" is often used instead of just "délirer".

Fred then says :

"Je suis quelqu'un de cool"

French speakers often use " je suis quelqu'un (de, qui) " when talking about themselves, referring to themselves in the third person.  For example, you may talk about yourself saying :

"Je suis quelqu'un de très patient"  (I'm a very patient person)

"C'est quelqu'un de très ponctuel"  (she's a very puntual person)

"je suis quelqu'un qui n'aime pas les disputes  (I don't like arguments)

French people are often keen on being modest, and quite averse to what they see as bragging.  So, when talking about yourself, using "je suis quelqu'un de (+ adjective)" will often be perceived as more pleasant than "je suis (+ adjective)", because it's a more indirect way of referring to your own self  : you're NOT the center of the universe !

Click here for more about why you need to be modest in French.

Fred also adds :

"Je n'aime pas me prendre la tête."

In colloquial spoken French, the phrase " se prendre la tête ", possibly a reference to the gesture of holding your head when dealing with a complex issue, is a very colloquial expression for saying : to make simple things more complicated than they are, or to worry about things too much.

So Fred is saying he doesn't like to complicate his life by worrying about things unuyly. In other words, he lets things slide.

" je laisse couler "  (I let things slide, flow, I don't get hung up about anything)

Note that "se prendre la tête avec quelqu'un" means to have an argument, a quarrel, with someone.

Talking about yourself in French : your love life

He then goes on to talk about his love life.  He's currently single, but hasn't always been :

"j'ai été avec quelqu'un pendant deux ans"  (I was with someone for 2 years)

When talking about yourself and your relationship status in French, you typically use " être avec " for being in a relationship :

"Je suis avec une française en ce moment"  (I'm dating / going out with a French woman these days) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/36-j-suis-ac-une-frs-en-ce-momt.mp3 "Je suis avec quelqu'un depuis longtemps"  (I've been in a relationship for a long time) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/37-chui-ac-qq-depuis-lgtps.mp3

Note how "être avec" translates literally to "to be with" in English, which has a similar meaning.  To clearly express the notion of a relationship, you typically add an element of time in the sentence ("depuis longtemps").

Fred doesn't say "depuis deux ans" but " pendant deux ans", because his relationship has already ended - another cue is his use of "j'ai été" (passé composé).

He then adds "mais ça n'a pas marché"  (it didn't work out)

The phrase "ça marche" (and "ça marche pas") is extremely common in everydat colloquial French.  You use " ça marche /   ça a marché " (or negative) to express that something succeeded or failed :

"Ça a marché tes exams ?"  (did your exams work out well ?)  Note the shortened word "exam", normally "examen". https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/38-ca-a-marche-exams.mp3 "Ça marche le boulot ?"  (is your work going well ?) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/39-ca-marche-boulot.mp3 "J'ai posé ma candidature mais ça n'a pas marché"  (I applied but it didn't work out) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/40-candidature-pas-marche.mp3

Note that it's particularly common in French to use "ça n'a pas marché" when referring to a relationship.

In everyday spoken French, you'll also hear the phrase "ça marche" used for "OK", "sure", "deal", or "see ya" :

"On se voit demain ?"  "Ça marche !"  (shall we meet tomorrow ? Sure) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/41-on-se-voit-demain-ca-marche.mp3 "Bon à plus tard !"  "Ça marche !"  (see you later !  See you)

Fred then explains why his relationship ended :

"Je ne supportais plus ses reproches"

The verb " supporter " in French typically means to stand, to bear, to put up with :

"Je dois te supporter toute la journée"  (I have to put up with you all day) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/42-j-dois-te-supporter-tt-journee.mp3 "J'ai du mal à supporter cette situation"  (I have trouble putting up with this situation) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/43-g-du-mal-supporter-situation.mp3 "Je ne la supporte pas !"  (I can't stand her) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/44-je-ne-la-supporte-pas.mp3

Click here to watch a video dialogue and lesson in French about people who can't stand either either (uses the word "supporter")

Fred can't stand his girlfriend's constant complains, accusations : " reproches "

"Tu me fais beaucoup de reproches"  (you blame me for  / blame me for too many things) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/45-tu-me-fais-bcp-reproches.mp3 "Il te reproche de ne pas l'écouter" (he blames you for not listening to him) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/46-il-te-reproche-pas-ecouter.mp3

He gives an illustration of his girlfriend's nagging :

"pourquoi tu fais ci, pourquoi tu fais pas ça ..."  (why do you do this, why don't you do that)

Fred goes on to explains how he meets women as a single guy, including at work :

"Sur mon lieu de travail"

This French phrase is commonly used to refer to the place where you work.  It's typically an office space or a public place such as a restaurant, but it can be something else, for example if you work outdoors.

In Fred's case, he's referring to the car showroom where he works as a sales person.

"Je vois souvent passer de jolis petits lots"

The French phrase " joli petit lot " refers to a pretty girl, an expression that brings up images of a petite, neat-looking and well-dressed woman seeking to purchase a new vehicle.

Stronger French expressions to designate a hot looking girl include :

"une pin-up" (old fashion) "un canon" "une bombe" "une beauté" (a beauty) "un bonnasse" (a hottie, vulgar) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/49-pinup-canon-bombe-beaute-bonnasse.mp3

He uses the phrase " je vois passer ", meaning"I see them walk by".  So while Fred is standing in the showroom waiting for customers to walk in, he watches pretty girls as they look around and check out the cars for sale.

He also checks out pretty girls on social networks.  Judging from his talk,  one may believe Fred is a real lady-killer, seducing women all day both offline and online...

Talking about yourself in French : work life

Fred goes back to his self-description, saying his job is not the center of his life :

"Mon job, c'est pas ma vie."

He could have said alternatively "ma vie c'est, pas mon job".  That is, he has a life outside of work, work is actually not that important.

The French phrase :

"je fais mon boulot" (I do my job)

is often used by public-sector employees (fonctionnaires) or people with low motivation at work.  It's a bit like saying "I do what I have to do, what they pay me for".

This idea is further confirmed by the phrase that follows :

"je ne cherche pas midi à 14 heures"

This French expression literally means "I don't look for noon at 2 oclock", possibly referring to the position of the hands of a clock.  Common English translations of this expression include :

"I don't overthink things" "I don't make a mountain out of a mole hill"

French speakers commonly say, in everyday life :

"Il ne faut pas chercher midi à quatorze heures"

that is, there's no need to look for complicated things, this matter is simpler than it looks.

For example, someone you know is looking upset, and you're wondering if you've said or done something wrong.  You talk to a common friend about it, and he says :

"Elle est juste fatiguée, il ne faut pas chercher midi à 14 heures"   (she's just tired, don't work your brain too much trying to figure out what's wrong)

Talking about his boss, Fred says ".

"mon chef est du genre chicaneur"  (my boss is the nitpicking kind)

In French, the verb "chicaner" means to nibble / quibble :

"On ne va pas chicaner pour quelques centimes !"  (we're not going to quibble over a few cents) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/53-on-va-pas-chicaner-centimes.mp3 Note that in Canadian French (Québec), "chicaner" is used in a different way and means arguing, quarreling.

In contrast to his boss, Fred says he's a mellow kind of guy :

"Je suis plutôt zen"

French speakers use the word "zen" a lot when referring to a relaxed, serene person or situation :

"Elle est très zen"  (she's very calm, serene, collected) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/54-elle-est-tres-zen.mp3 "c'est plutôt zen ici !"  (this place is quite calm, relaxed) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/55-c-pluto-zen-ici.mp3

Fred adds "... alors que moi je suis zen". When talking about yourself in French, you can use the the phrase "alors que moi"  (whereas I ...) to highlight a contrast with someone else :

"Il a les yeux bleus, alors que moi j'ai les yeux marrons"  (he has blue eyes whereas I have brown eyes)

"Je n'aime pas trop les objectifs, les évaluations, ni les patrons prise de tête."

The phrase " je n'aime pas trop " is very frequently used in colloquial French conversation.  We typically mean "I don't like", but in French saying "je n'aime pas" is considered a strong statement which can be unpleasant to the listener.

In general, French speakers use "pas trop" a lot to mitigate their negative statements :

"Je n'aime pas trop les fruits"  (I don't like fruits) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/57-jaime-pas-trop-les-fruits.mp3 "Elle n'a pas trop la forme"  (she's not in good shape) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/58-elle-a-pas-trop-la-forme.mp3 "On ne regarde pas trop la télé" (we don't watch TV) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/59-on-regarde-pas-trop-la-tele.mp3

Of course, there are cases where " pas trop " actually means "not too much", but if you've been around French people for long enough, you probably noticed it's often used as a way to damper negative statements.

In Fred's case, he's clearly saying he does NOT like sales objectives, evals and picky managers.  We can even safely say he actually HATES those things.

Notice the phrase "les patrons prise de tête".  It's a very colloquial French phrase related to the phrase "se prendre la tête", which as we saw earlier, means to make things complicated, to worry a lot about small things.

So " prise de tête " is used as an adjective to refer to someone who "prend la tête", that is someone who is a pain, who creates complication and stress to others (as opposed to self for " se prendre la tête").

"Ce type est vraiment prise de tête !"  (this guy is really a pain) = "il me prend la tête"  (he stresses me out, makes me anxious)

Fred says :

"Je ne suis pas non plus très fan des clients qui posent des tonnes de questions !"

The French phrase " je ne suis pas fan de " (I'm not a fan of) is another way of saying "je n'aime pas trop", which in turn typically means "je n'aime pas" :

"Je ne suis pas fan de la nourriture asiatique"  (I'm not a fan of Asian food) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/61-suis-pas-fan-nourriture-asiat.mp3 "Je ne suis pas très fan de la musique classique"  (I'm not crazy about classical music) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/62-j-suis-pas-tres-fan-musique-classique.mp3

Fred is not a big fan of clients who ask tons of questions.  The colloquial French phrase "des tonnes de" is similar to the English "tons of" :

"Il n'a pas des tonnes de fric"  (he doesn't have tons of money - "fric" is slang) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/63-il-a-pas-des-tonnes-fric.mp3 "Il y a des tonnes de rochers"  (there are tons of rocks) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/64-ya-des-tonnes-de-rochers.mp3 "On n'a pas des tonnes de possibilités"  (we don't have tons of options) https://www.blablafrancais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/65-tonnes-possibilites.mp3

An alternative phrase you can use for "des tonnes de" is "des tas de" :

"Il y a des tas de gens qui font pareil" (there are tons of people who do the same)

Wrapping up

I hope what you've learned through Fred's self-presentation will be helpful to you the next time you need to talk about yourself in French.

I also hope you are more a professional worker than Fred is ...  But even if you are, ne vous prenez pas trop la tête ! Ne cherchez pas toujours midi à quatorze heures.

If you liked this article, leave me a comment below !  And please share it with your friends using the buttons below the comments.

Until next time !

Click to download the MP3 files for this article (zip)

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One Comment on “How to talk about yourself in French”

Great Article!

Again, there are so many informal, colloquial phrases in it that are just not taught in schools and institutions. For example, “c’est mon trip” was something I’ve heard when among French friends but did not really know what it meant!

Also found it interesting just how much French speakers hate repetition with such a passion!

Comments are closed.

• , April 10, 2023

Introduce Yourself In French In 7 Best Ways

Are you wondering what the best way to introduce yourself in French is? Introducing yourself to others can be complicated because a proper introduction should include your name, where you live, your job, how old you are, and often even your hobbies. And if this is your first time speaking French, you will have to take note of certain words and phrases.

In general, it is not part of French etiquette to start with an introduction without greeting the other person. After the initial greetings, you are asked basic information about yourself, and you should know the very basic phrases and words to answer appropriately. Here is a complete guide to introducing yourself in French. Keep reading!

Simple French Greetings

In French culture, you always greet other people when meeting them. Here are standard French greetings:

• Bonjour – Hello (or good morning)
• Salut – Hello (informal context, similar to “hi”)
• Bonsoir – Good evening
• Bonne nuit – Good night (typically used when leaving)
• C’est un plaisir de vous rencontrer – It’s a pleasure to meet you (formal version)
• Enchanté de faire votre connaissance – Delighted to make your acquaintance
• C’est un plaisir de faire votre connaissance – it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance

When you complete the conversation and are about to leave, you can say:

• Au revoir – Goodbye
• À bientôt – See you later

À bientôt is an informal option used only when you know a French person, or you can use the formal version au revoir, with strangers.

Remember that in French, in informal situations, you can use the word “ Tu .” However, if you are meeting others in formal situations, you should use “ Vous .” Learn more about the French basic greetings as you study along with Ling.

Best Ways To Introduce Yourself In French

In introducing yourself in French, you have to use a few words to say who you are. Typically, the first thing that others want to know is your name.

During a French introduction, you can say your name in different ways. Here are the most common:

• Je m’appelle… – I am … ( literally translates in “I am calling myself…)
• Je suis… – I am…
• Mon nom est… – My name is…
• Moi c’est… – I am… (used when the other person’s name is said first)
• Mon prénom est… – My first name is…
• Je m’appelle (name), mais je me fais appeler (name) – My name is (name), but I prefer to be called (name)
• Je me présente – I’d like to introduce myself

Note : Sometimes, you are the one who will say your name first saying your name, but there may also be times wherein you will suddenly be asked about your name and where you live and work. For example, your French friends can ask you:

• Comment vous appelez vous? – What is your name? (formal way used with strangers)
• Comment t’appelles tu? – What’s your name? (informal version)
• Quel est ton travail? – What is your job? (informal version)
• D’où venez vous? – Where are you from? (formal)
• Qu’est-ce que tu aimes faire? – What do you like to do? (used with a french friend)
• Qu’est-ce que vous aimez faire? – What do you like to do (used when you just met someone)

You could also be asked où habitez-vous? (Where do you live). This is used with a new french friend or people you don’t know. The informal version is où habites-tu?

Answering Questions During The Introductions

Learning French introductions includes answering common questions when you are asked. Typically, other people want to know basic information to relate with you and have something to talk about.

Where Do You Live – Où Habites-Tu (Vous)?

• J’habite à Paris – I live in Paris
• Je viens de Paris – I come from Paris
• Je viens de France – I come from France

What Is Your Job – Quel Est Votre (Ton) Travail?

• Je suis… – I am… (tell your profession)

You should just say your profession after Je suis without any other word. For example:

• Je suis enseignant – I am a teacher
• Je suis un pilote – I am a pilot
• Je travaille comme (or je suis) réceptionniste – I work as a receptionist

What You Like To Do – Qu’est-ce Que Vous (Tu) Aimez Faire?

• J’aime… – I like …
• Je m’intéresse à… – I am interested in…

For example, you can say:

• J’aime voyager – I like to travel
• J’aime étudier les langues étrangères – I like to study foreign languages

What Languages Do You Speak? – Quelle Langue Parles-tu (Vous)?

When you are making French friends, they may also be curious about your abilities to learn new languages and how many languages you know. So it can be part of the introduction.

• Je parle French et (other languages) – I speak French and …
• J’étudie…  – I am studying…
• J’apprends le Français depuis… – I learn French since…

How Old Are You (Quel Âge As-tu?)

It is perfectly fine to answer the following:

• J’ai (numbers of years) ans – I am (number of years)

Examples Of Introduction In French

Here are some French phrases of how you put together all the above information with a conversation partner.

• Introduce yourself in French when speaking first:
• Bonjour (or salut)! Je m’appelle (name). Comment vous appelez-vous? – Hello! My name is (name). What’s your name?
• Introduce yourself in French when you are asked your name:
• Bonjour je m’appelle (name). Et toi? – Hello! My name is Renée. And you?

You can respond:

• Bonjour! Moi c’est (name). Enchanté(e). – Hello! I’m (name). Nice to meet you.
• Introducing yourself in French in formal contexts
• Pardonnez-moi. Je me présente, (name). Enchanté(e). – Excuse me. My name is (name). I’m pleased to meet you.

Do you want to master the French language? Then, you can continue your progress by reading 50 French Adjectives and 10 Basic French Pronouns .

Learn French With Ling App

Speaking of basics, there are many French words that you will learn as you develop your skills in reading, writing, listening, or speaking. But, don’t exclude yourself from exploring Arabic, Spanish, or Japanese too. Do you want to learn more languages? Or simply know more about French? Then, you can use Ling App . It is a learning app that can help you improve your French and offers the possibility of learning 60+ languages from a mobile device or desktop.

What are you waiting for? Download Ling from App Store and Play Store for free!

6 Responses

Merci buocoup

Salute Madame

Merci beaucoup

This all makes french language more interesting actually. After going through this reading.

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Introduce yourself in French

• July 4, 2019

Table of contents

The French language can be a headache, especially for beginners. So, here you are, you have launched yourself into your French learning journey. Although, one question comes in mind…Where should you start?

The answer is actually quite simple… the basics! Learning how to speak French and being able to converse with French people requires you to master the basics of dialogues. What would be the first thing that comes to your mind when you meet someone new? You greet them and you introduce yourself.

So let us now take a look at those basics.

“How do I introduce myself to French speakers?”

Well… first of all, let’s take a look at this short dialog:

«Bonjour! – Bonjour, comment allez-vous? – Je vais bien, merci, et vous? – Je vais bien, merci! »

Have you noticed anything in particular? Which words do you already know? “ Bonjour ” (hello) and “ merci ” (thank you) ? Probably. If not, there you go! Could you guess what this short dialogue was about?

Greetings, yes. Even though you don’t speak French yet, you probably have guessed the meaning of this dialogue. One of the  most important  tips that I can give you during your French learning journey, is that you should  NOT translate every word one by one , in a sentence. Why is that? 

Because French and English (or your native language) are  different languages . Of course, some words are similar or even identical (restaurant, office, important…), but they may not mean the same thing. And if they do mean the same thing, well, there’s almost no chance for you to get the exact sentence correctly if you ever happen to translate it word per word. Languages, even similar languages, have different structures that you need learn first.

How do you do it, then? Just take a step back. Look at the sentence or the paragraph. Try to find the words that you already know or recognize and take a guess. If you still don’t have a clue about what you’re reading, THEN, you can take a look into your dictionary.

But let’s go back to our greetings. “Bonjour” means “hello”. Here are other ways to say “hello” in French:

Salut = hi (informal) Coucou = hey (informal) Bonsoir = good evening

How are you?

Secondly, you may consider asking the person how they’re doing. There are several ways of asking someone how they’re doing, in French.

“Comment allez-vous?”

Lit.  How are you going?  But would mean  How are you doing? In a formal question.

“Comment vas-tu?”

Also means  How are you going?  (How are you doing?) “Allez-vous” and “vas-tu” are both coming from the verb “aller” which means  to go . Here’s how you should conjugate it:

Je vais (I go) Tu vas (You go) Il / Elle va (He / She goes) Nous allons (We go) Vous allez (You go, plural) Ils / Elles vont (They (masculine) / They (feminine) go)

“Allez-vous” is basically “vous allez”, but inverted. Same thing for “vas-tu”. The inversion is  how you ask a formal question in French . The difference between “comment allez-vous” and “comment vas-tu” lies on the pronoun used.  “Vous”  means “you”, in plural. 

However, this particular pronoun is also used during  formal situations , such as addressing someone you’ve just met, someone you don’t really know yet or simply someone  higher  in your hierarchy. This is called “le vouvoiement”, or the verb “vouvoyer”, which you can check out here in this article.

“Comment ça va?”

Lit.  How is it going? Less formal, you can hear and use this in everyday French.

Lit.  Is it going? Informal situations, everyday French.

Say your name

Thirdly, let’s take a look at how to  really  introduce yourself.

«Bonjour! – Bonjour, comment allez-vous? – Je vais bien, merci, et vous? – Je vais bien, merci!  Comment vous appelez-vous? – Je m’appelle Louis, et vous? – Enchanté, Louis! Je m’appelle Marc. – Enchanté, Marc!  »

To say your name in French, you will use :

Je m’appelle …

This literally means :  I call myself. In French, to say your name, you will have to say “ I call myself ” + your name. Unlike in English, it’s not very common to hear “mon nom est” (my name is) during introductions in French, which brings me to my first point: never translate word per word. Furthermore, here’s how you should conjugate the verb “s’appeler” (to call oneself) at the present tense :

Je m’appelle (I call myself) Tu t’appelles (You call yourself) Il / Elle s’appelle (He / She calls himself / herself) Nous nous appelons (We call ourselves) Vous vous appelez (You call yourselves  OR formal  You call yourself) Ils / Elles s’appellent (They call themselves)

Have you noticed the extra pronoun between the subject and the verb? 

Je  m’ appelle Tu  t’ appelles…

Those are called  reflexive pronouns  and they apply to  reflexive verbs  in French, but we will go further into that matter in another lesson. In addition, you’ve guessed it, “ s’appeler ” is called a  reflexive verb .

To ask for somebody’s name, you have different possibilities:

“Comment vous appelez-vous?” (How do you call yourself? – formal) “Comment t’appelles-tu?” (Same, but informal situations) “Comment tu t’appelles?” (How do you call yourself? – very informal) “Quel est votre nom?” (What is your name?) “Quel est ton nom?” (What is your name?- informal)

Some extra vocabulary :  enchanté  = nice to meet you. Lit. “thrilled” (to meet you).

Saying goodbye

Finally, the last element that you need to master is saying goodbye. There is always a  goodbye .

« Je suis enchanté de faire votre connaissance, Marc. – Moi aussi ! – Passez une bonne journée, au revoir! – Au revoir et bonne journée!  »

Translation (by context, not literal translation):

” It’s a pleasure to meet you, Marc.” ” The same goes for me! ” ” Have a nice day, goodbye! “ “Goodbye, have a nice day! “

Would you care to take a look at the vocabulary?

Passez une bonne journée / bonne journée = Have a nice day Au revoir = goodbye

Of course, here are other ways of parting ways with somebody:

Bon après-midi = Have a nice afternoon Bonne soirée = Have a nice evening Bonne nuit = Good night Ciao = bye (informal)

Bravo! You should now be able to say hello, introduce yourself and say goodbye in French. If you ever feel like sharing your thoughts, feel free to leave a comment down below and join the discussion! Until then,  au revoir et passez une bonne journée!

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Learn To French

How to Talk About Yourself in French

Learning how to properly talk about yourself in another language is key to making the best first impression possible when meeting new people. There are a variety of ways to introduce yourself and your personality in each culture, with its particular customs and formulations.

Introducing yourself in French

These are some of the first things you will learn in any French language class, they are key phrases to learn to use when introducing yourself.

Your name, age, and nationality may be some of the first things someone asks of you if you are meeting them for the first time, and knowing these phrases will allow you to make a good first impression.

“ Bonjour, je m’appelle __.” - “Hello, my name is ____.” This is the same formulation regardless of the gender of the speaker. Of course, you can also switch up the salutation itself to better fit the context, such as using “Salut” for a casual one, or “Bonsoir” if it is the evening.

“ Je m’appelle ____, et je viens des Etats-Unis.” - “My name is ___, and I come from the United States.” Of course, you would replace ‘Etats-Unis’ with any place you are coming from, such as ‘Bresil’ for Brazil, ‘Le Royaume-Unis’ for the United Kingdom, and so forth.

“ Je m’appelle ___, j’ai vingt-quatre ans et je viens du Royaume-Unis.” - “My name is ___, I am twenty-four and I come from the United Kingdom.” This phrase, when substituted with the correct name, age, and nationality which applies to you, covers all the basic information needed when meeting someone for the first time.

“ J’ai vingt-neuf ans, et je vais bientôt avoir trente ans.” - “I will soon be thirty.” In French, when saying how old you are, you use the verb “avoir” (to have), meaning it literally translates to “I have twenty-nine years.” If you are close to twenty, thirty, or forty years old, it may be more natural to say you are nearing that decade.

“ Je suis Américaine, mais je vis au Canada.” - “I am American, but I live in Canada.” If you have been living in another country than your natal one for a long time, you may feel that it is a significant part of your identity. By telling someone where you live in addition to where you are from, they may get a better sense of who you are and where you are coming from.

Talking About Your Profession and Studies in French

Work and studies are an important part of most people’s lives. Knowing how to describe where you work or study, and what in what field, can give a person important insight into who you are and what you do in life.

Below, we will show you some basic examples of how to introduce your profession or field of study in French.

“ Je suis étudiante en médecine dans une université Américaine.” - “I am a medical student in an American university.” If you want to say what year of study you are in, you can add “Je suis en troisième année” (I am in third year), “Je suis en masters” (I am doing my masters), and so forth.

“ J’ai fini mes études pour devenir vétérinaire, et pour le moment je fais un stage en Californie.” - “I finished my degree to become a veterinarian, and at the moment I am doing an internship in California.” As with the others, you can always replace ‘ vétérinaire’ with other professions such as ‘banquier’ (banker), ‘ambassadeur’ (ambassador), ‘danseuse’ (dancer), and so forth.

“ Je suis institutrice dans une école primaire.” - “I am a teacher in a primary school.” In French, “école primaire” refers to school from ages six to around ten. Kindergarten is “la maternelle,” middle school is “le college, ” and highschool is “le lycée.”

“ Je vais commencer des études en business à l'automne." - “I will begin business studies in the Fall.” You would use this phrase if you are a soon-to-be university student. In French, the word “business” is borrowed from English, but pronounced with a French accent. You may not be understood if you use an American or British accent when pronouncing the word.

“ Je viens de finir mes études, et je vais commencer un stage à New York.” - “I have just finished my studies, and I am going to start an internship in New York.” In France, internships are often required for students and are much more common than in North America. Students will sometimes do two or three internships over the course of their degree and may have the choice to go abroad for them.

“ Je travaille dans le secteur de la culture.” - “I work in the cultural sector.” In French, it is common to refer to the field you work in by its sector, especially if the profession you are doing covers a wide variety of tasks. It also puts emphasis on the environment and subject of your profession rather than on your job itself.

Talking About Your Interests in French

Interests are an important part of anyone’s personality, and knowing how to describe your interests, passions, and hobbies, is crucial when learning a new language. Knowing these basic formulations will help you deepen conversations in French. They will also be useful when making French friends .

“ Je suis passionné par le sport.” - “I am passionate about sports.” This is the basic French formulation to say you are passionate about something, and you can always swap out “le sport” for something such as “les voitures” (cars), “l’histoire” (history), “les langues” (languages), for example.

“ Ma passion dans la vie est le voyage.” - “My passion in life is travel.” Unlike the previous phrase, this French phrase is used to express the ultimate passion you may have in life. By using this phrase, you are communicating that above all else, this is the thing which gives you life. As with the last phrase, you can switch “le voyage” to any passion you may have.

“ J’adore apprendre de nouvelles langues.” - “I love to learn new languages.” For a less intense version, you can also say “J’aime…” instead of “J’adore,” which translates to “I like.” However, “J’adore” is less intense than the English “I love,” meaning that you can use “J’adore” without sounding extreme.

“ Je suis une fan des documentaires sur la nature.” - “I am a fan of documentaries on nature.” This is the feminine version of the phrase, and in the masculine form, you would use “un fan.” This phrase is more casual, and would refer to a general interest or hobby of yours rather than something you are very passionate about. You would also use this in casual, rather than formal, settings.

“ La politique ne m'intéresse pas, je préfère la littérature." - “Politics do not interest me, I prefer literature.” Although we generally speak more about our positive interests, it is good to know how to talk about what you do not like. In this case, by talking about the lack of interest in politics, even more emphasis is placed on literature.

“ J’aime la cuisine, les livres, et les randonnées." - “I like cooking, books, and hiking.” This is a simple and effective way to cover some of your most important interests. After learning more French vocabulary, you will be able to easily substitute any of these terms to fit your personality and the context you are in.

Talking About Your Personality in French

As much as interests, work, and studies are key features of a person, certain personality traits are fundamental to each person, and make us unique as individuals. Knowing phrases on how to talk about certain parts of your personality can help deepen another person’s understanding of who you truly are.

“ Je suis une personne plutôt timide.” - “I am a rather shy person.” No matter the gender of the speaker, when you use the French noun « une personne » to refer to yourself, it is always feminine. (see this article for more on determining the gender of French nouns ). If you are a shy person, letting the person that you are speaking with know can help them understand how you are around people better.

“ Je suis une personne très extravertie.” - “I am a very extroverted person.” If you are traveling alone in a French-speaking country, for example, and tell someone you have just met that you are extraverted, they may be more inclined to have you meet their friends.

“ Je me considère ouvert d’esprit.” - “I consider myself to be open-minded.” Using the phrasing “Je me considère” may be a more humble and appropriate way to say you are open-minded, otherwise it can sound a bit assertive. “Je me considère” is a very eloquent French phrase to know in general when you are describing yourself.

“ On me dit souvent que je suis une personne drôle." - “I am often told that I am a funny person.” Be careful not to switch up the wording by saying “une drôle de personne,” which would translate closely to “a weird person.” Although used less commonly, this phrasing can be used to switch up from the usual “Je suis…” formulation.

“ Je n’ai pas beaucoup de confiance en moi.” - “I do not have much confidence in myself.” A lot of people struggle with insecurity and lack of confidence, and confiding it in someone can help make the relationship stronger. We all have more or less positive personality traits, and knowing how to communicate them all is a good skill to have.

“ Je suis très sensible et j’aime beaucoup aider les autres.” - “I am very sensitive and like to help others.” The French word « sensible » is used more regularly than its English equivalent « sensitive » is used in English, and has less negative connotations. By saying you are sensitive in French, you are saying that you are sympathetic and probably feel a lot of emotions.

“ J’ai tendance à être attiré par les gens calmes.” - “I have a tendency to be attracted to calm people.” The kind of person are attracted to, whether romantic or otherwise, can say a lot about the kind person you are. If you are more on the eccentric side of the spectrum, you may find yourself closer to people who are calm, to create a balance.

Talking About Your Physical Features in French

Physical features are also an important part of what makes individuals unique. Although they may not be as important to what makes up a person, there will always exist situations in which you will need to know how to describe your most basic features. These phrases will help you learn to talk about your physical features in French.

“ Je suis grand, mince, et j’ai les yeux bruns.” - “I am tall, skinny, and have brown eyes.” You could also say “marron, ” which also means brown. That said, while the word “marron” can be used to describe eye color, it is not used in French to describe hair color.

“ J’ai les cheveux courts et noirs.” - “I have short and black hair.” Of course, you can swap this with whatever color or length your hair may be: “bruns” (brown), “chatains” (light-brown), “blonds” (blond), “roux” (dark red) for the color, or “longs” (long), or “mi-longs” (mid-length).

“ J’ai une longue barbe avec la tête rasée." - “I have a long beard and a shaved head.” This style is growing in popularity, so knowing how to say this can help not only to describe yourself, but also help you achieve this specific look if you are looking to change up your style.

“ Je suis petite avec les cheveux frisés." - “I am short with curly hair.” In French, the word “petite” (“small”) refers specifically to height, while in English it tends to be used when referring to someone short and skinny. In French, a “petite” person does not necessarily mean they have a small waist.

“ J’ai une carrure athlétique avec des tatouages sur mes bras.” - “I have an athletic build with tattoos on my arms.” As with the English term “build,” the French word “carrure” refers to someone’s overall body type. It is used more often to refer to an athletic build than anything else.

These phrases are only a starting point into your journey to learn how to talk about yourself in French. But as you acquire more extensive and complex vocabulary, you will be able to better formulate these phrases according to your personal features, whether they are physical, mental, or in terms of lifestyle.

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How to Introduce Yourself in French: Essential Greetings, Questions and Phrases

What’s the most important first step when learning French ?

Is it mastering essential daily French phrases ? Is it getting down  travel vocabulary ?

But think about it: for the first conversations you’ll have in French, you’ll need to know how to say hello and introduce yourself.

These easy to use greeting words, phrases and questions will boost your French-speaking skills and give you confidence in your early French conversations.

Simple French Introductions

Basic information about you in french, french pleasantries and goodbyes, how to practice french introductions in the real world, and one more thing....

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

French is a language that really embraces its greetings, so learning how to greet someone and introduce yourself is especially important in the language.

When you enter a boulangerie    (bakery), épicerie   (grocery store) or bistro     (small restaurant), it’s generally expected that you greet the employees there even if you don’t necessarily require service at that time. 

You can use the informal version with people younger than you or if you find that your conversation partner is referring to you as tu   (you — informal), but it’s often best to start with the formal vous   (you — formal).

Once you’re feeling confident, check out a French greetings quiz from Quizizz  or a more open-ended one from ProProfs to practice your French greetings.

Now that your conversation partner knows your name, they may want to know some more information about you! Sharing basic information is the first step to making French friends and acquaintances.

It’s always good to meet people, but French-speaking friends are especially valuable if you’re trying to learn the language. They can help you with tricky aspects of language-learning as well as introduce you to the culture of France and the Francophone world .

Q : D’où venez-vous ?     (Where are you from? [formal]) Q : D’où viens-tu  ?     (Where are you from? [informal])

This question is generally asking for a country or region of origin, but you’re welcome to name your city or town if it’s a major or well-known one like New York City or London.

A: Je viens de…   (I am from…) 

Or you may be asked:

Q: Où habitez-vous  ?   (Where do you live? [formal]) Q : Où habites-tu ? (Where do you live? [informal])

A: J’habite à…   (I live in…) and the name of the city where you live.

In return, to keep the conversation going, reply:

Q : Et vous ?   (and you? [formal]) Q : Et tu ?   (and you? [informal])

Are you interested in learning how to say country names in French? Practice with this quiz from Sporcle !

As in many parts of the world, it’s sometimes perceived as impolite to ask about age in France, especially if you’re a man asking a woman her age. But if it does come up:

Q: Quel âge as-tu  ?   (How old are you? [informal]) Q: Quel âge avez-vous ?   (How old are you? [formal])

To respond, you can say:

A : J’ai … ans. (I am … years old.)

You’ll notice that in French, you use  avoir (to have) when talking about how old you are, not  être (to be). So, it’s kind of like saying: “How many years do you have?” “I have … years.”

Another common question that people will ask during introductory conversations is “what do you do for work?” In French, you ask:

Q : Quel est ton travail ?   (What is your job? [informal]) Q: Quel est votre travail ?   (What is your job [formal])

To answer, simple say:

A: J e suis …   (I am) and state the job or profession .

Keep in mind that you don’t add the article “a” (un  or  une) before the job in French like in English. For example, you would simply say:

A: Je suis professeur.   (I am a teacher.)

And in order to understand your conversation partner’s response, you’ll want to have a solid vocabulary base of French professions. To practice popular profession names in French, try this quiz from Lawless French .

Learning languages is fun, and since you’re learning French, you’ll probably get asked about what languages you speak. People may ask: 

Q: Quelle langue parles-tu ?   (What language do you speak? [informal]) Q : Quelle langue parlez-vous ? (What language do you speak [formal])

To answer, you say:

A : Je parle…   (I speak…) and then name the language.

You can add multiple languages by linking them with  et  (and).

You can also say what languages you’re studying by saying

A: J ‘ étudie…     (I am studying).

For example, as a learner, you might say:

A: J e parle anglais et j’étudie français     (I speak English and I’m learning French).

Okay, your conversation is going well: you’re past the basics and now you need something interesting to talk about. This is a great time to discuss interests and hobbies. Someone may ask:

Q: Qu’est-ce que tu aimes faire ?   (What do you like to do? [informal]) Q : Qu’est-ce que vous aimez faire ?   (What do you like to do? [formal])

To answer, you can say:

A: J’aime…   (I like) and then list a noun or a verb.

For example, I would say something like:

A : J’aime voyager, lire et étudier les langues étrangères.   (I like to travel, read and study foreign languages).

You could also say:

A: Je m’intéresse à…   (I am interested in) and then name a noun or two, such as: like,

A: Je m’intéresse à la culture française.   (I am interested in French culture).

I would recommend looking up your hobbies and interests in French so you’re prepared, and then taking a look at this Sporcle quiz of common hobbies .

All good things come to an end, don’t they?

When the conversation is over, you could simply say:

Enchanté   (charmed) to indicate you’re happy to meet someone.

In formal contexts, you could say:

C’est un plaisir de faire votre connaissance . (It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.) C’est un plaisir de vous rencontrer . (It is a pleasure to meet you).

Note the difference in pronoun use here. In the first sentence, you are using the possessive pronoun votre (your), whereas in the second, you have to use the object pronoun vous (you).

To say goodbye, say:

au revoir   (goodbye) à bientôt   (see you later)

À bientôt  is less formal than au revoir , but I’d say it’s an appropriate way to say goodbye to your nouvel ami français     (new French friend).

At this point, you may be thinking: sure, reading and typing these greetings is one thing. But what about when I actually want to say them?

We don’t all have the opportunity to step out the front door and introduce ourselves to a native French speaker. But that’s no excuse not to practice your French listening and speaking skills!

There are hundreds of online resources where you can learn and practice your French greetings: check out the language exchange apps HelloTalk and Tandem for meeting and greeting native French speakers through voice messages and calls.

And with that, my friend, I say  adieu   (goodbye)! You’re off to your first French conversations. Remember—every bonjour or bonsoir could be the first step in a friendship that lasts a lifetime.

FluentU has a wide variety of great content, like interviews, documentary excerpts and web series, as you can see here:

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Practice and reinforce all the vocabulary you've learned in a given video with learn mode. Swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you’re learning, and play the mini-games found in our dynamic flashcards, like "fill in the blank."

All throughout, FluentU tracks the vocabulary that you’re learning and uses this information to give you a totally personalized experience. It gives you extra practice with difficult words—and reminds you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned.

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How to Write an Excellent French Essay (Resources Included)

Tips to write an excellent french essay.

Writing essays is challenging enough, but when you are asked to write a French essay, you are not only being asked to write in a foreign language, but to follow the conventions of another linguistic and literary tradition. Like essay-writing in any language, the essential part of writing a French essay is to convey your thoughts and observations on a certain topic in a clear and concise manner. French essays do come out of a certain tradition that is part of the training of all students who attend school in France – or at least secondary school – and when you are a French essay, it is important to be aware of this tradition.

The French philosopher Michel de Montaigne is credited with popularizing the essay form as a literary genre. His work, Essais, first published in 1580, and undergoing several subsequent publications before his death in 1592, covers a wide breadth of topics, ranging from “amitié” to “philosopher c’est apprendre à mourir”, and includes many literary references, as well as personal anecdotes. The name for this genre, essai, is the nominal form of the verb essayer, “to attempt”. We have an archaic English verb essay, meaning the same thing. The limerick that includes the phrase, “... when she essayed to drink lemonade ...” indicates an attempt to drink a beverage and has nothing to do with writing about it. But the writing form does illustrate an attempt to describe a topic in depth with the purpose of developing new insights on a particular text or corpus.

French instructors are very specific about what they would like when they ask for an essay, meaning that they will probably specify whether they would like an explication de texte, commentaire composé, or dissertation. That last essay form should not be confused with the document completed for a doctorate in anglophone countries – this is called a thèse in French, by the way. There are different formats for each of these types of essay, and different objectives for each written form.

Types of Essay

1. l’explication de texte.

An explication de texte is a type of essay for which you complete a close reading. It is usually written about a poem or a short passage within a larger work. This close reading will elucidate different themes and stylistic devices within the text. When you are completing an explication de texte, make sure to follow the structure of the text as you complete a close examination of its form and content. The format for an explication de texte consists of:

i. An introduction, in which you situate the text within its genre and historical context. This is where you can point out to your readers the general themes of the text, its form, the trajectory of your reading, and your approach to the text.

ii. The body, in which you develop your ideas, following the structure of the text. Make sure you know all of the meanings of the words used, especially the key terms that point to the themes addressed by the author. It is a good idea to look words up in the dictionary to find out any second, third, and fourth meanings that could add to the themes and forms you describe. Like a student taking an oral examination based on this type of essay writing, you will be expected to have solid knowledge of the vocabulary and grammatical structures that appear in the text. Often the significance of the language used unfolds as you explain the different components of theme, style, and composition.

iii. A conclusion, in which you sum up the general meaning of the text and the significance of the figures and forms being used. You should also give the implications of what is being addressed, and the relevance of these within a larger literary, historical, or philosophical context.

NB: If you are writing about a poem, include observations on the verse, rhyme schemes, and meter. It is a good idea to refer to a reference work on versification. If you are writing about a philosophical work, be familiar with philosophical references and definitions of concepts.

Caveat: Refrain from paraphrasing. Instead show through careful analysis of theme, style, and composition the way in which the main ideas of the text are conveyed.

2. Le commentaire composé

A commentaire composé is a methodologically codified commentary that focuses on themes in a particular text. This type of essay develops different areas of reflection through analytical argument. Such argumentation should clarify the reading that you are approaching by presenting components of the text from different perspectives. In contrast to the explication de texte, it is organized thematically rather than following the structure of the text to which it refers. The format for a commentaire composé consists of:

i. An introduction, in which you present the question you have come up with, often in relation to a prompt commenting on a thematic or stylistic aspect of the text, such as “Montrez en quoi ce texte évoque l’amour courtois” or “Qu’apporte l’absence de la ponctuation dans ce texte ?” In this section, you will be expected to delineate your approach to the text and illustrate the trajectory of your ideas so that your readers will have a clear idea of the direction these ideas will take.

ii. A tripartite body, in which you explore the question you have come up with, citing specific examples in the text that are especially pertinent to the areas of reflection you wish to explore. These citations should be explained and connected to the broad themes of your commentary, all the while providing details that draw the readers’ attention to your areas of inquiry. These different areas of inquiry may initially seem disparate or even contradictory, but eventually come together to form a harmonious reading that addresses different aspects of the text. The more obvious characteristics of the text should illuminate its subtler aspects, which allows for acute insight into the question that you are in the process of exploring.

iii. A conclusion, in which you evaluate your reading and synthesize its different areas of inquiry. This is where you may include your own opinions, but make sure that the preceding sections of your commentaire remain analytical and supported by evidence that you find in the text.

NB: Looking at verb tenses, figures of speech, and other aspects that contribute to the form of the text will help situate your reader, as will commenting on the register of language, whether this language is ornate, plain, reflects a style soutenu, or less formal patterns of speech.

Caveat: Quotations do not replace observations or comments on the text. Explain your quotations and situate them well within your own text.

3. La dissertation

The dissertation is a personal, organized, and methodical reflection on a precise question that refers to a corpus of writing. Referring to this corpus, you may be asked questions along the lines of “Que pensez-vous de l’équivalence entre l’amour et la chanson exprimée dans ces textes ?” or “Est-ce que la sagesse et la folie ont les mêmes sources?” This type of essay allows for an exploration of a question through knowledge of a corpus as well as through an individual’s cultural knowledge. The format for a dissertation consists of:

i. An introduction, in which you present the topic addressed, the significance of your argument, and the trajectory of your ideas.

ii. The body which, like a commentaire composé, consists of a tripartite development of your argument. This can follow any one of the following structures: a dialectical schema, organized into thèse, antithèse, and synthèse – an argument, its counter-argument, and its rebuttal; an analytical schema, consisting of the description of a situation, an analysis of its causes, and commentary on its consequences; a thematic schema, which consists of a reflection on a topic which you proceed to examine from different angles in an orderly fashion.

iii. A conclusion, in which you address the different ways in which you have approached the question at hand and how this deepens your insights, while placing the question within a broader context that shows room for expansion. The conclusion can open up the topic addressed to show its placement within a literary movement, or in opposition to another literary movement that follows it, for example.

NB: Approach the question at hand with as few preconceptions as possible. If you are writing on a quotation, gather all of your knowledge about its author, the work in which it appears, and the body of literature with which it is associated.

Caveat: Even for a personal reflection, such as a dissertation, avoid using the first person pronoun je. Nous or on are preferable. It is advisable not to switch from one to the other, though.

For each of these essay forms, it is a good idea to make an outline to which you can refer as you write. As your writing progresses, things may shift a bit, but having a structure on which you can rely as you gather your various ideas and information into a coherent argument provides solid foundation for a clear and well-developed essay. This also facilitates smooth transitions from one section of your essay to the next.

During your reading, you may encounter a problem, a contradiction, or a surprising turn of phrase that is difficult to figure out. Such moments in a text give you the opportunity to delve into the unique characteristics of the text or corpus to which you are referring, to propose different solutions to the problems you encounter, and to describe their significance within a larger literary, philosophical, and historical context. Essay writing allows you to become more familiar with French works, with their cultural significance, and with the French language. You can refer to the following resources to guide you in this endeavor:

Auffret, Serge et Hélène. Le commentaire composé. Paris: Hachette, 1991. Dufau, Micheline et Ellen D'Alelio. Découverte du poème: Introduction à l'explication de textes. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1967. Grammont, Maurice. Petit traité de versification française. Paris: A. Colin, 2015. Huisman, Denis et L. R. Plazolles. L’art de la dissertation littéraire : du baccalauréat au C.A.P.E.S. Paris : Société d’édition d’enseignement supérieur, 1965.

The French newspaper Le Monde also has good articles on these essay forms that prepare French students for the baccalauréat exam: CLICK HERE

This is also a website with thorough information on essay writing techniques that prepare students for the baccalauréat exam: CLICK HERE

In addition, the University of Adelaide has tips for general essay writing in French: CLICK HERE

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Write an essay in French

Beyond the fact that writing an essay in French can be a good practice to improve your writing, you may also be asked to write one during your schooling. So, it is important to study the topic of French essay writing and get some useful tips..

» Tips and tricks for your French essay » The structure of a French essay » Sample French Essay

Tips and tricks for your French essay

When writing a French essay for school, you should always use a structured approach and good French skills to present your arguments in a focused way. Beyond French skills, there are also important formal requirements for a successful French essay. We will come back to this in detail later. First, you will find some useful tips and tricks that will help you write more compelling and better French essays in the future.

• Have a clear thesis and structure
• Do sufficient research and use reliable sources
• Use examples and arguments to support your thesis
• Avoid plagiarism and cite correctly
• Always check structure, grammar and spelling

When you write your essay at school or university, you need to make sure that the general structure of your essay, the presentation of the arguments and, above all, your French language skills play a role in the mark you will get. This is why you should definitely take a closer look at the structure of an essay as well as the most important grammar rules and formulations for French essays.

The structure of a French essay

In an essay, you deal at length and in detail with a usually given topic. When you write an essay in French, you must follow a certain structure. Below we show you what this structure looks like and give you some tips for writing the most important parts of your essay.

The Introduction

The introduction prepares the main body of your essay. You think of a meaningful title for your essay, you describe your thesis or your question, you give general information on the subject and you prepare your argument by giving an overview of your most important arguments.

Below are examples and phrases that you can use to write the introduction to your essay in French.

The title should be meaningful, concise and reflect the content of the essay.

Introductory paragraph

The first paragraph of your French essay should briefly introduce the topic and engage the reader. Here are some examples to help you write your essay:

Proposal or question

The central proposition or question of your French essay should be a clear and concise definition of the purpose of the essay. Use these examples to get a clearer idea of ​​how to write theses in French:

Overview of Arguments and Structure

At the end of your introduction, describe the structure of the main part of your essay (your outline) and outline your argument. Here are some French expressions that will certainly help you write your essay:

The body of your essay

The main part of your French essay deals with the given topic in detail. The subject is studied from all angles. The main body of your essay follows a thread of argument and discusses in detail the main arguments of your thesis previously made in the introduction.

In the body of the text, you should discuss the subject of your essay in clear and concise language. To achieve this, we give you some wording aids as well as vocabulary and phrases that you can use to write your essay in French.

Formulation tools:

French vocabulary for essays.

In the conclusion of your French essay, you address the thesis of your essay, summarize the main points of your discussion in the main body, and draw a conclusion. On the basis of the arguments and the resulting conclusions, you formulate in the conclusion of your dissertation final thoughts and suggestions for the future. It is important that you do not add new information or new arguments. This should only be done in the body of your text.

Here are some wording guides to help you write your essay in French:

Sample French Essay

Les avantages des voyages linguistiques

Malgré les difficultés potentielles, les voyages linguistiques offrent aux apprenants une occasion unique d'améliorer leurs compétences linguistiques et de découvrir de nouvelles cultures, ce qui en fait un investissement précieux pour leur développement personnel et académique.

Les séjours linguistiques sont des voyages organisés dans le but d'améliorer les compétences linguistiques des participants. Ces voyages peuvent se dérouler dans le pays ou à l'étranger et durer d'un week-end à plusieurs semaines. L'un des principaux avantages des séjours linguistiques est l'immersion. Entourés de locuteurs natifs, les apprenants sont contraints de pratiquer et d'améliorer leurs compétences linguistiques dans des situations réelles.Il s'agit d'une méthode d'apprentissage beaucoup plus efficace que le simple fait d'étudier une langue dans une salle de classe.

Un autre avantage des séjours linguistiques est l'expérience culturelle. Voyager dans un nouveau pays permet aux apprenants de découvrir de nouvelles coutumes, traditions et modes de vie, et de se familiariser avec l'histoire et la culture du pays. Cela enrichit non seulement l'expérience d'apprentissage de la langue, mais contribue également à élargir les horizons et à accroître la sensibilisation culturelle.

Cependant, les séjours linguistiques peuvent également présenter des inconvénients. Par exemple, le coût du voyage et de l'hébergement peut être élevé, en particulier pour les séjours de longue durée. En outre, les apprenants peuvent être confrontés à la barrière de la langue ou à un choc culturel, ce qui peut être difficile à surmonter. Le coût et les difficultés potentielles des séjours linguistiques peuvent sembler décourageants, mais ils offrent des avantages précieux en termes d'épanouissement personnel et scolaire.

Les compétences linguistiques et les connaissances culturelles acquises peuvent déboucher sur de nouvelles opportunités d'emploi et améliorer la communication dans un cadre professionnel. Les bourses et les aides financières rendent les séjours linguistiques plus accessibles. Le fait d'être confronté à une barrière linguistique ou à un choc culturel peut également être l'occasion d'un développement personnel. Ces avantages l'emportent largement sur les inconvénients et font des séjours linguistiques un investissement qui en vaut la peine.

En conclusion, malgré les difficultés potentielles, les séjours linguistiques offrent aux apprenants une occasion unique d'améliorer leurs compétences linguistiques et de découvrir de nouvelles cultures, ce qui en fait un investissement précieux pour le développement personnel et académique. Qu'il s'agisse d'un débutant ou d'un apprenant avancé, un voyage linguistique est une expérience à ne pas manquer.

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Common French phrases: talking about yourself

If you’re learning French, being able to talk about yourself is a great way to start practicing the language.

In this lesson, we’ll go over some common French phrases for talking about yourself.

Je m’appelle ____ . (My name is ____.) This phrase is used to introduce yourself.

J’ai ____ ans. (I am ____ years old.) This phrase is used to express your age.

Je viens de ____ . (I am from ____.) This phrase is used to indicate where you come from.

Je suis étudiant(e). (I am a student.) This phrase is used to indicate your occupation or current status.

J’aime _____. (I like _____.) This phrase is used to express your interests or hobbies.

Je parle _____. (I speak _____.) This phrase is used to indicate the languages you speak.

J’ai ____ frères et sœurs. (I have ____ brothers and sisters.) This phrase is used to indicate the number of siblings you have.

Je suis célibataire. (I am single.) This phrase is used to express your relationship status.

Mon anniversaire est le ____. (My birthday is on ____.) This phrase is used to express your birthday.

Je suis né(e) en ____. (I was born in ____.) This phrase is used to indicate your birthplace.

Learning these common French phrases can help you introduce yourself and communicate with others.

Additionally, it’s helpful to learn some basic French vocabulary related to personal information, such as family members, occupations, and hobbies.

With practice and persistence, you’ll soon be able to speak confidently about yourself in French.

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• College essay

How to Write About Yourself in a College Essay | Examples

Published on September 21, 2021 by Kirsten Courault . Revised on May 31, 2023.

An insightful college admissions essay requires deep self-reflection, authenticity, and a balance between confidence and vulnerability. Your essay shouldn’t just be a resume of your experiences; colleges are looking for a story that demonstrates your most important values and qualities.

To write about your achievements and qualities without sounding arrogant, use specific stories to illustrate them. You can also write about challenges you’ve faced or mistakes you’ve made to show vulnerability and personal growth.

Table of contents

Start with self-reflection, how to write about challenges and mistakes, how to write about your achievements and qualities, how to write about a cliché experience, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about college application essays.

Before you start writing, spend some time reflecting to identify your values and qualities. You should do a comprehensive brainstorming session, but here are a few questions to get you started:

• What are three words your friends or family would use to describe you, and why would they choose them?
• Whom do you admire most and why?
• What are the top five things you are thankful for?
• What has inspired your hobbies or future goals?
• What are you most proud of? Ashamed of?

As you self-reflect, consider how your values and goals reflect your prospective university’s program and culture, and brainstorm stories that demonstrate the fit between the two.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

Writing about difficult experiences can be an effective way to show authenticity and create an emotional connection to the reader, but choose carefully which details to share, and aim to demonstrate how the experience helped you learn and grow.

Be vulnerable

It’s not necessary to have a tragic story or a huge confession. But you should openly share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences to evoke an emotional response from the reader. Even a cliché or mundane topic can be made interesting with honest reflection. This honesty is a preface to self-reflection and insight in the essay’s conclusion.

Don’t overshare

With difficult topics, you shouldn’t focus too much on negative aspects. Instead, use your challenging circumstances as a brief introduction to how you responded positively.

Share what you have learned

It’s okay to include your failure or mistakes in your essay if you include a lesson learned. After telling a descriptive, honest story, you should explain what you learned and how you applied it to your life.

While it’s good to sell your strengths, you also don’t want to come across as arrogant. Instead of just stating your extracurricular activities, achievements, or personal qualities, aim to discreetly incorporate them into your story.

Brag indirectly

Mention your extracurricular activities or awards in passing, not outright, to avoid sounding like you’re bragging from a resume.

Use stories to prove your qualities

Even if you don’t have any impressive academic achievements or extracurriculars, you can still demonstrate your academic or personal character. But you should use personal examples to provide proof. In other words, show evidence of your character instead of just telling.

Many high school students write about common topics such as sports, volunteer work, or their family. Your essay topic doesn’t have to be groundbreaking, but do try to include unexpected personal details and your authentic voice to make your essay stand out .

To find an original angle, try these techniques:

• Focus on a specific moment, and describe the scene using your five senses.
• Mention objects that have special significance to you.
• Instead of following a common story arc, include a surprising twist or insight.

Your unique voice can shed new perspective on a common human experience while also revealing your personality. When read out loud, the essay should sound like you are talking.

If you want to know more about academic writing , effective communication , or parts of speech , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Academic writing

• Writing process
• Transition words
• Passive voice
• Paraphrasing

 Communication

• How to end an email
• Ms, mrs, miss
• How to start an email
• I hope this email finds you well
• Hope you are doing well

 Parts of speech

• Personal pronouns
• Conjunctions

First, spend time reflecting on your core values and character . You can start with these questions:

However, you should do a comprehensive brainstorming session to fully understand your values. Also consider how your values and goals match your prospective university’s program and culture. Then, brainstorm stories that illustrate the fit between the two.

When writing about yourself , including difficult experiences or failures can be a great way to show vulnerability and authenticity, but be careful not to overshare, and focus on showing how you matured from the experience.

Through specific stories, you can weave your achievements and qualities into your essay so that it doesn’t seem like you’re bragging from a resume.

Include specific, personal details and use your authentic voice to shed a new perspective on a common human experience.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Courault, K. (2023, May 31). How to Write About Yourself in a College Essay | Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved April 2, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/college-essay/write-about-yourself/

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HOW TO DESCRIBE YOUR FAMILY IN FRENCH

More often than not, we asked to talk about our family in French in an examination or when we visit our neighbouring French-speaking countries. This lesson focuses on the guidelines to clearly and simply describe your family in French with little or no difficulty. This lesson will focus on three main objectives:

1. Knowing how to call the members of your family in French. 2. Knowing how to describe the structure of your family in French. 3. Write an essay on the topic “ma famille” (my family).

I./ Knowing how to call the members of your family in French Les membres de la famille (members of the family)

II./ Knowing how to describe the structure of your family in French To describe the structure of your family in French, you need to follow the guidelines below: 1. Ton nom (your name). Here, you need to mention your name in any of the following formats: . Je m’appelle Elvis Fiati. Mon est Fiati, mon prénom est Elvis. (My name is Elvis Fiati. My surname is Fiati, my First name is Elvis) . Je me nomme Elvis Fiati. (I am by name Elvis Fiati) . On m’appelle Elvis Fiati. (I am called Elvis Fiati)

1. Ton village natale (your hometown) Here, you need to talk about where you come from as shown in the example below: . Nous sommes de Hohoe dans la région de la Volta du Ghana. . Nous venons de Krobo Adumase dans la région orientale du Ghana.

2. Combien de membres comprend ta famille (how many members is your family made up of?) In this case, you need to mention the number of members in your family depending on the type of family (nuclear or extended) you want to describe as shown in the examples below: . Ma famille comprend neuf (9) membres. (my family is made up of 9 members) . Il y a neuf membres dans ma famille. (there are 9 members in my family)

3. Nomme les membres de ta famille (name the members of your family) Here, you need not to mention their real names but who they are to you (your relationship with them). See the example below: . J’ai un frère, deux sœurs, mes parents, ma grand-mère, mon oncle, ma tante et moi-même (I have a brother, two sisters, my parents, my grandmother, my uncle, my aunt and myself)

4. Tu aimes ta famille? Pourquoi? (do you like your family? Why?) Here, you need to say whether you like your family or not and state why you do or do not like your family. See the examples below. . J’aime ma famille parce que nous sommes courageux et gentils. (I like my family because we are courageous and kind) . Ma famille est riche et honorée dans ma localité. J’aime bien ma famille. (My family is rich and honoured in my locality. I really like my family) III./ Write an essay on the topic “ma famille” (my family) Ma famille Je m’appelle John Mahama. Je suis de la famille Mahama. Nous sommes de Bole Banboi dans la région du nord au Ghana. Il y a cinq (5) personnes dans ma famille: Mr et Mme Mahama, mes parents, mon frère ainée Ibrahim Mahama, ma sœur Alima Mahama et moi-même. Nous habitons à Accra. Mon père et ma mère ont soixante-dix (70) et soixante-cinq (65) ans respectivement. Ibrahim a trente-huit (38) ans, Alima a vingt-cinq (25) ans et moi j’ai trente-cinq (35). Mon père est docteur, ma mère est comptable, mon frère est ingénieur, ma sœur est commerçante et moi-même je suis cultivateur et politicien. Notre plat favori est la Banku avec la sauce de gombo. Nous sommes chrétiens donc nous allons à l’église chaque dimanche. Mes parents dont riches et bien honorés dans la société et nous les enfants sommes très respectueux. J’aime beaucoup ma famille.

Try Yourself With This Exercise In not more than 180 words, describe your family to a friend in French. Thank you for reading. Kindly share the lesson for others to also benefit from it. Do you have a suggestion or contribution to make? Kindly drop it in the comment box. Merci.

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