Lesson 1 – Bonjour ! (Greetings & Basic Introduction)
What will you learn?
In this lesson, you will learn how to:
- Greet people in French
- Say your name
- Ask someone’s name
- Ask and answer “How are you?”
- Use basic polite expressions
1. Greetings in French
A. Basic Greetings
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Bonjour | Hello (formal) |
| Salut | Hi (informal) |
When to use:
- Bonjour → teachers, adults, formal situations
- Salut → friends
Examples:
- Bonjour Madame
- Salut Paul
2. Saying your Name
Structure:
Je m’appelle + name
Explanation:
- Je = I
- m’appelle = call myself
Meaning: My name is…
Conjugation: s’appeler
| Subject | Verb |
|---|---|
| Je | m’appelle |
| Tu | t’appelles |
| Il/Elle | s’appelle |
| Nous | nous appelons |
| Vous | vous appelez |
| Ils/Elles | s’appellent |
Examples:
- Je m’appelle Rahul
- Je m’appelle Anna
3. Asking Someone’s Name
Structure:
Comment tu t’appelles ?
Explanation:
- Comment = how
- tu = you
- t’appelles = call yourself
Meaning: What is your name?
Example:
A: Comment tu t’appelles ?
B: Je m’appelle Rahul
4. Asking “How are you?”
Question:
Ça va ?
Answers:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Ça va bien | I am fine |
| Ça va mal | I am not well |
| Comme ci, comme ça | So-so |
Example:
A: Ça va ?
B: Ça va bien
5. Polite expressions
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Merci | Thank you |
| S’il te plaît | Please (informal) |
| S’il vous plaît | Please (formal) |
| Pardon | Sorry / excuse me |
Examples:
- Merci beaucoup
- S’il vous plaît
6. Basic sentence structure
Rule:
Subject + verb + information
Examples:
- Je m’appelle Rahul
- Ça va bien
7. Mini dialogue
A: Bonjour !
B: Bonjour !
A: Comment tu t’appelles ?
B: Je m’appelle Sara
A: Ça va ?
B: Ça va bien
8. Common mistakes
1. Using “Salut” with teacher
Incorrect: Salut Madame
Correct: Bonjour Madame
2. Missing apostrophe
Incorrect: Je appelle
Correct: Je m’appelle
3. Forgetting politeness
Incorrect: Donne-moi
Correct: S’il vous plaît
9. Exercises
Exercise 1 – Match
- Bonjour → ___
- Merci → ___
- Ça va → ___
a. Thank you
b. Hello
c. How are you
Exercise 2 – Complete
- Je m’________ Alex
- ______ tu t’appelles ?
- Ça va ______
Exercise 3 – Write
Write 3 sentences:
- Your name
- How you feel
- One greeting
10. Speaking task
Speak for 20–30 seconds:
- Say hello
- Say your name
- Say how you feel
11. Writing task
Write 3–4 sentences:
“Je me présente”
Lesson summary
You can now:
- Greet someone
- Say your name
- Ask someone’s name
- Ask “How are you?”
- Use polite expressions
Speak clearly and slowly:
Bonjour, je m’appelle Rahul.