Salutations and Introductions — Free French 1-2 Review Games.

'Bonjour' is the standard French greeting used during the day; 'bonsoir' is used in the evening.

The formal 'vous' form is used with strangers and elders; informally: 'Comment tu t'appelles?'

French uses five accent marks: acute (é), grave (è), circumflex (ê), dieresis (ë), and cedilla (ç).

Literally 'I call myself Marie,' this reflexive construction is the standard way to state your name.

Literally 'if it pleases you,' this is the polite way to say please. Informal: 's'il te plaît.'

'Vous' serves double duty: formal singular (one person you respect) and all plural (any group).

This vigesimal (base-20) system is a legacy of Celtic counting, making 97 = quatre-vingt-dix-sept (4×20+10+7).

'Enchanté' (masculine) or 'enchantée' (feminine) means 'delighted/pleased to meet you.'

The French 'r' is distinctively produced in the throat (uvular fricative), unlike English or Spanish 'r' sounds.

'Les amis' sounds like 'lez-ami' because the normally silent 's' links to the vowel in 'amis.'

Founded by Cardinal Richelieu, the Académie publishes the official dictionary and guards against excessive anglicisms.

The decision to tutoyer someone (use tu) signals intimacy or equality; vouvoyer (use vous) shows respect or distance.

French is an official language in countries across five continents, with the most speakers in Africa.

Nasal vowels are a distinctive feature of French phonology, absent in English and many other languages.

La Francophonie encompasses 88 member states and observers where French is spoken, promoting cultural exchange.

'Salut' is an informal greeting used with friends, family, or peers, functioning like 'hi' in English. 'Bonsoir' is wrong because it specifically means 'good evening' and signals a formal or time-specific greeting rather than casual familiarity. Students should remember that French has distinct registers for greetings, and choosing the right one depends on both relationship and time of day.

'Au revoir' literally translates to 'until we see again' and is the standard way to say goodbye in French. 'Merci' is incorrect because that word means 'thank you,' a completely different social function. Learning these fixed expressions early builds the foundation for basic conversational exchanges in French.

'Bonsoir' combines 'bon' (good) and 'soir' (evening), making it the correct greeting once the day transitions into evening hours. 'Before noon' is wrong because morning greetings use 'bonjour,' not 'bonsoir,' since French time-based greetings are tied to the actual time of day. Recognizing this time-sensitivity helps avoid awkward or incorrect greetings in real conversations.

'Merci' is the standard French word for expressing gratitude, directly equivalent to 'thank you' in English. 'You're welcome' is incorrect because that response is expressed with 'de rien' or 'je vous en prie,' not 'merci' itself. Mastering polite expressions like 'merci' is essential for basic courteous interactions in French.

'De rien' literally means 'of nothing' and is the common polite response to thanks, equivalent to 'you're welcome.' 'Pardon' is incorrect because it is used to apologize or ask someone to repeat themselves, not to respond to gratitude. Knowing paired courtesy expressions like 'merci' and 'de rien' rounds out basic polite exchanges.

'Ça va?' literally means 'it goes?' and is used casually to ask someone how they are doing. 'Where are you from?' is wrong because that question is expressed as 'D'où viens-tu?' or 'D'où venez-vous?', a completely different phrase. Students should learn 'Ça va?' as a quick, everyday check-in used constantly among peers.

'Cinq' is the correct French word for the number five, following the standard counting sequence un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq. 'Quatre' is incorrect because it corresponds to the number four, one step earlier in the sequence. Memorizing numbers one through ten in order is a foundational skill for basic French communication.

'Madame' is the formal title used to politely address an adult woman, similar to 'Ma'am' or 'Mrs.' in English. 'A young child' is wrong because children are typically addressed by their first name or informally, not with the formal title 'Madame.' Learning titles of address like 'Madame' and 'Monsieur' is key to showing appropriate respect in French social interactions.

The letter 'H' in French is silent at the start of words, meaning words like 'heure' or 'homme' begin with a vowel sound despite the written 'h'. 'Pronounced like English H' is incorrect because French does not aspirate this letter the way English does. Recognizing silent letters like 'h' is essential for correct French pronunciation and liaison rules.

'À bientôt' translates literally to 'until soon' and is a common way to say goodbye when expecting to see someone again shortly. 'Nice to meet you' is incorrect because that sentiment is expressed with 'Enchanté(e)' upon first meeting, not as a farewell. French offers multiple farewell expressions depending on context, and 'à bientôt' specifically implies an upcoming reunion.

'Je vais bien' literally means 'I am going well' and is the standard response indicating one feels good when asked how they are. 'Are leaving now' is wrong because that idea would be expressed with 'Je pars' or 'Je m'en vais,' a different verb usage entirely. This response pattern of 'aller' plus an adverb is a core structure for describing one's state of being in French.

'Dix' is the correct French word for ten, completing the basic sequence from one to ten used constantly in everyday counting. 'Onze' is incorrect because it means eleven, the number that follows ten in French counting. Solid recall of numbers one through ten is essential before moving on to more complex number formations like twenty and beyond.

'Monsieur' is the formal French title for addressing a man, functioning like 'Sir' or 'Mr.' in English. 'Multiple women' is incorrect because a group of women would be addressed with 'Mesdames,' the plural form of 'Madame,' not 'Monsieur.' Understanding gendered and formal titles helps students navigate polite address in French social and professional settings.

'Tu' is reserved for people you know well, peers, children, or family, so using it with an authority figure like a teacher would ignore the social hierarchy that calls for 'vous' instead. The option '"Tu" is a plural pronoun' is wrong because 'tu' is actually singular, while 'vous' serves as both the formal singular and the standard plural. Students should internalize that pronoun choice in French encodes social distance and respect, not just grammatical number.

Numbers 20-69 follow a straightforward decimal pattern with distinct words for each ten (vingt, trente, quarante, cinquante, soixante) plus units added on, such as 'vingt et un' for 21. 'By combining sixty and twenty repeatedly' is incorrect because that irregular combination only appears starting at 70, not throughout the 20-69 range. Recognizing this regularity helps students see why the 70-99 range, which breaks from this pattern, is comparatively more difficult.

'Quel âge as-tu?' literally asks 'what age have you?' using the verb 'avoir' (to have), which is how French expresses age rather than using 'être' (to be) as English does. 'What is your name?' is incorrect because that question uses 'Comment t'appelles-tu?', a completely different verb and structure. Students should remember that French idiomatically pairs age with 'avoir,' a key grammatical difference from English.

The final 's' of 'vous,' normally silent, is pronounced as a 'z' sound when followed by the vowel-initial word 'avez,' which is the defining feature of liaison in French. 'A nasal vowel' is wrong because nasal vowels involve air passing through the nose during vowel sounds, not a consonant-linking phenomenon between words. Recognizing liaison patterns is critical for both accurate pronunciation and listening comprehension in spoken French.

'Comment ça s'écrit?' translates to 'how is that written/spelled?' and is commonly used when clarifying the spelling of a name using the French alphabet. 'State their age' is incorrect because that request would use 'Quel âge as-tu?', an entirely different question about numbers, not letters. This phrase becomes essential once students learn the French alphabet and need to confirm the correct spelling of unfamiliar words or names.

French phone numbers are conventionally read aloud in pairs (for example, 'zéro six, quarante-deux, dix-sept'), which requires comfort with two-digit numbers up to ninety-nine. 'One digit at a time' is incorrect because that approach is more typical of English-language number recitation, not standard French practice. This convention explains why fluency with numbers up to 99, including the irregular 70-99 range, is emphasized early in French instruction.

'Bonjour' remains the standard greeting from morning through the afternoon and is only replaced by 'bonsoir' once evening arrives, reflecting French time-sensitive greeting conventions. 'Noon exactly and never after' is wrong because 'bonjour' continues to be used well past noon, into the late afternoon. Understanding this flexible but time-bound usage prevents students from switching greetings prematurely or too late.

In everyday spoken French, 'on' is commonly substituted for 'nous' to mean 'we,' even though grammatically 'on' takes a third-person singular verb form. 'Tu (you singular)' is incorrect because 'tu' addresses one specific listener directly, a different grammatical person than the collective 'we' meaning of casual 'on.' Recognizing this informal substitution helps students understand authentic spoken French that differs from strictly formal written grammar.

The 's' at the end of 'vous' stays silent before a consonant-initial word but becomes an audible 'z' sound through liaison when followed by a word beginning with a vowel. 'Always pronounced clearly as s' is incorrect because that would ignore the core rule that final consonants are typically silent in standalone French words. This silent-final-consonant pattern is one of the most important pronunciation rules beginning French students must master.

The accent aigu on 'é' produces a closed 'ay' sound while the accent grave on 'è' produces an open 'eh' sound, meaning these marks change vowel pronunciation rather than serving decorative purposes. 'Show which syllable to stress' is incorrect because French stress patterns are fairly even across syllables and are not indicated through these accent marks. Learning to read accent marks correctly is essential for pronouncing French words accurately from the very start.

'Quatre-vingts' literally means 'four twenties,' reflecting a base-twenty counting influence that survives in modern French for numbers from 80-99. 'Eight times ten' is incorrect because although mathematically equivalent, the actual word construction multiplies four by twenty, not eight by ten. This vigesimal (base-20) remnant is a key reason why French numbers above 70 often confuse beginning learners.

French expresses age idiomatically with 'avoir' (to have), so 'Elle a douze ans' literally translates to 'she has twelve years,' unlike English which uses 'to be.' 'Using the verb aller (to go)' is incorrect because 'aller' is reserved for expressing movement or states like feeling well, not age. This 'avoir plus number plus ans' structure is a fundamental pattern students must memorize distinctly from English grammar.

'Vous' serves double duty in French as both the formal singular and the standard plural pronoun, making it the correct choice for addressing any group, formal or informal. 'Tu, since groups imply familiarity' is incorrect because 'tu' is strictly singular and cannot grammatically refer to more than one person. Understanding that 'vous' covers both formality and plurality prevents common pronoun confusion for beginning students.

Pairing a title like 'Monsieur' with a surname is a formal convention used in professional, academic, or unfamiliar social contexts to show respect. 'Informal friendship' is incorrect because close friends typically drop titles and use first names or nicknames instead. This title-plus-surname pattern parallels formal English address like 'Mr. Smith' and reinforces the broader French emphasis on social register.

Both phrases ask how someone is doing, but 'Comment allez-vous?' uses the formal 'vous' form appropriate for strangers or superiors, while 'Ça va?' is casual and used among friends or peers. 'Tense (past versus present)' is incorrect because both expressions are in the present tense and simply differ in register, not time reference. Choosing between these variants based on context is a core skill for demonstrating appropriate social awareness in French.

Compound French numbers under 100, such as 'vingt-deux' or 'trente-cinq,' are joined with hyphens, a spelling convention distinct from how English typically writes numbers between 21 and 99. 'A comma separating the words' is incorrect because commas in French numbers are actually used as decimal points in mathematical notation, not to join number words. Recognizing hyphenation rules helps students write numbers correctly in written French assignments.

French pronoun selection depends on a combination of factors including age difference, authority, and social distance, so a peer merits 'tu' while an unfamiliar adult, even one connected socially, typically merits the respectful 'vous.' 'The choice is random and has no social meaning' is wrong because pronoun selection is in fact governed by well-understood social conventions that native speakers navigate deliberately. Mastering this nuanced calculation of relationship and status is more advanced than simply memorizing 'tu' for friends and 'vous' for strangers.

Linguists trace the base-20 counting remnants in French, seen in constructions like 'quatre-vingts' (four twenties) for 80, to the influence of older Celtic languages spoken in Gaul before Latin's dominance. 'Germanic languages' is incorrect because Germanic number systems, including English, are consistently base-ten and do not exhibit this vigesimal pattern. This historical layering explains why French numbers above 70 diverge from the otherwise regular base-ten logic used elsewhere in the language.

In Belgium and Switzerland, 'septante' (70) and 'nonante' (90) are used instead of the more convoluted 'soixante-dix' and 'quatre-vingt-dix' found in standard French, reflecting a simpler base-ten logic. 'Dix-sept and dix-neuf' is incorrect because those actually mean seventeen and nineteen, unrelated numbers entirely. This regional variation illustrates that Francophone countries do not always share identical number systems, an important nuance for understanding the diversity within the French-speaking world.

While 'bonsoir' would be the more precise time-appropriate greeting for 6 PM, using 'bonjour' with the respectful title 'Madame' still maintains correct formality and politeness, making this a stylistic rather than a grammatical or social failure. 'It shows disrespect toward the teacher regardless of context' is incorrect because the error lies purely in time-specificity, not in the level of formality or respect conveyed by pairing 'bonjour' with 'Madame.' This distinction teaches students to separate formality errors, which are more serious, from minor time-of-day mismatches, which are common even among native speakers.

The reflexive construction 'je m'appelle' literally translates to 'I call myself,' using the reflexive pronoun 'me' to show that the subject performs the action of naming upon themselves, a grammatical structure absent from the simpler English 'my name is.' 'Because all French verbs are reflexive by default' is incorrect because reflexive verbs form only a subset of French verbs, used specifically when the subject and object of an action are the same. Understanding this reflexive logic helps students correctly conjugate 'appeler' across different subjects, such as 'tu t'appelles' or 'il s'appelle.'

'Un' contains a nasal vowel sound produced by allowing air to pass through the nose, a phonetic feature that does not exist in standard English and is therefore difficult for English speakers to distinguish from the non-nasal 'une.' 'The words are actually pronounced identically in all contexts' is incorrect because 'un' and 'une' carry genuinely distinct sounds tied to grammatical gender, even though the difference is subtle to untrained ears. Recognizing nasal vowels as a uniquely French phonetic category helps explain many pronunciation challenges beginning students face beyond just gender agreement.

Since pronoun choice in French communicates social closeness, persistently using 'vous' with someone who has become a genuine friend can unintentionally suggest coldness or a refusal to acknowledge growing familiarity. 'French speakers are legally required to switch to tu after meeting twice' is incorrect because there is no formal rule governing exactly when to switch pronouns, only social convention and mutual agreement. This illustrates that French formality is a dynamic, negotiated social signal rather than a fixed grammatical requirement tied to a specific number of interactions.

Standard French retained a historical numbering pattern, likely influenced by earlier Celtic vigesimal counting, that constructs 70-99 through addition and multiplication (60+10, 4x20, 4x20+10) rather than adopting single distinctive decade words as most other European languages did. 'All Romance languages use this exact same construction for 70' is incorrect because Spanish and Italian, for example, use straightforward single words like 'setenta' and 'settanta' for seventy. Understanding this irregularity as a linguistic relic, rather than an arbitrary difficulty, helps students appreciate why French numbers 70-99 differ so sharply from their otherwise regular base-ten system.

Numbers 1-69 follow a consistent base-ten pattern (trente, quarante, cinquante, soixante plus units), but at 70 the system shifts to combining base-twenty logic with addition, as in 'soixante-dix' (60+10) and 'quatre-vingts' (4x20), creating a genuine structural discontinuity. 'Numbers above 70 require different verb conjugations' is incorrect because numbers themselves are not verbs and do not conjugate at all in French. Recognizing this shift as a real structural change, not just increased vocabulary, helps students approach 70-99 with a targeted study strategy rather than simple rote memorization.

While the French language itself may share core vocabulary like 'bonjour' across regions, cultural practices surrounding greetings, such as lengthy family inquiries common in parts of francophone Africa, demonstrate that pragmatic and social customs differ significantly even among French speakers. 'All French speakers worldwide use identical greeting rituals with no variation' is incorrect because it ignores well-documented cultural diversity within the francophonie beyond shared language. This reinforces that mastering French vocabulary alone is not sufficient; cultural context shapes how greetings are actually practiced in different Francophone communities.

'Enchanté' conveys the specific sentiment of being pleased to meet someone for the first time, and although both people in an introduction may say it, its function centers on marking a singular first encounter rather than being a routine reciprocal greeting like 'bonjour' used daily. 'Enchanté can only be said by men' is incorrect because the word simply takes a feminine form 'enchantée' for women speakers, but both genders can use it. Understanding word function, not just literal translation, helps students use expressions like 'enchanté(e)' appropriately within the flow of an introduction.

'Un' and 'une' serve double duty as both the number 'one' and the indefinite article 'a/an,' and because French nouns carry grammatical gender, this particular number must agree with that gender, unlike most other French numbers which remain invariant. 'All French numbers change form based on gender' is incorrect because numbers like 'deux,' 'trois,' and 'quatre' do not change regardless of the noun's gender. This exception highlights that 'un/une' occupies a unique dual grammatical role that beginning students must learn separately from the rest of the numbering system.

True communicative competence requires integrating letter names and number pronunciation smoothly in connected speech, including liaisons and appropriate pacing, rather than simply being able to recite each list separately in isolation. 'French speakers never say their own phone numbers aloud' is incorrect because sharing phone numbers verbally is a routine real-world task requiring exactly this integrated skill. This distinction underscores that functional language use demands practicing combined, applied skills, not just isolated memorization of vocabulary lists.

'Coucou' sits even further along the informal spectrum than 'salut,' typically reserved for close friends, family, or children, showing that French greetings exist along a nuanced continuum rather than a simple formal/informal binary. 'Coucou is a formal business greeting used with clients' is incorrect because using it in a professional context would be considered inappropriately casual or even unprofessional. Recognizing this graded spectrum of familiarity, beyond just the tu/vous distinction, gives students a more sophisticated understanding of French social register.

Teaching the formal 'vous' construction first gives students a linguistically safe default that works in nearly any introduction scenario, whereas the informal 'tu' form requires the added social judgment of knowing when familiarity is appropriate. 'The informal form does not actually exist in standard French' is incorrect because 'tu t'appelles' is a completely valid and extremely common construction used daily among peers. This sequencing choice reflects a pedagogical strategy of building a safe formal foundation before layering in the more nuanced social calculations required for informal register.

Just as irregular verbs like 'être' or 'aller' break from predictable conjugation patterns and require dedicated memorization, the numbers 70-99 break from the regular base-ten pattern seen in 1-69, both demanding focused, isolated practice rather than reliance on general rules. 'Only verbs have irregularities; numbers are always perfectly regular' is incorrect because the vigesimal-influenced 70-99 range is a clear counterexample of numerical irregularity within French. Drawing this parallel helps students apply proven strategies, such as repetition and pattern isolation, across different types of linguistic exceptions they will encounter throughout their French studies.