Photo: Valentin Antonini valentinant, CC0
French for Beginners: Your First Hour
A friendly, live first hour of French for complete beginners. You will practise the sounds that trip English speakers up, then greet people, introduce yourself, count to ten and order at a café, and try it all out in a short role-play with other students. No experience needed, and your camera is optional.
After this hour you can
- Say hello and goodbye politely, at any time of day
- Introduce yourself and ask someone their name
- Say where you are from and where you live
- Count from 1 to 10 and understand simple prices
- Order a coffee, ask how much it is and ask for the bill
- Ask people to slow down or repeat when you get lost
- 0′–5′
Welcome
Know how the class works and what French sounds like.
- 5′–12′
Four French sounds
Make the French R, the "u" sound and the nasal vowels, and know that many final letters are silent.
merci
say mehr-SEE
thank you
bonjour
say bohn-ZHOOR
hello / good day
+ 6 more on your phrase sheet
- 12′–19′
Greetings and goodbyes
Greet someone politely, ask how they are and say goodbye.
Bonjour !
say bohn-ZHOOR
Hello / Good morning / Good afternoon
Bonsoir !
say bohn-SWAHR
Good evening
+ 8 more on your phrase sheet
- 19′–27′
Introducing yourself
Say your name, where you are from and where you live, and ask the other person.
Je m'appelle …
say zhuh mah-PEL …
My name is …
Comment vous appelez-vous ?
say koh-mahn voo zah-play-VOO
What is your name? (polite)
+ 6 more on your phrase sheet
- 27′–33′
Numbers 1 to 10
Count from 1 to 10 and understand a simple price.
un / une
say uhn (nasal) / ün
one
deux
say duh (lips rounded)
two
+ 8 more on your phrase sheet
- 33′–41′
At the café
Order a drink and something to eat, ask the price and ask for the bill.
Un café, s'il vous plaît.
say uhn kah-FAY, seel voo PLEH
A coffee, please.
Je voudrais …
say zhuh voo-DREH …
I would like …
+ 7 more on your phrase sheet
- 41′–47′
Survival phrases
Say sorry, say you do not understand and ask people to slow down or repeat.
Pardon.
say par-DOHN
Sorry / Excuse me
Excusez-moi.
say ex-kü-zay-MWAH
Excuse me
+ 7 more on your phrase sheet
- 47′–57′
Practice: at the café
Meet someone new and order at a café, using only French.
- 57′–60′
Recap and this week
Remember the key phrases and know what to practise this week.
French uses the same alphabet as English and shares thousands of words with it, so a lot of it will look familiar. The hard part is the sound: many final letters are silent, some vowels are said through the nose, and the R comes from the back of the throat. Words also run together in speech, so listening takes practice, and that is normal.
- Zoom on a computer, tablet or phone
- A microphone; headphones with a mic are best
- Somewhere you are happy to speak out loud
- Pen and paper, if you like. No French needed.
Do I need to know any of the language already?
No. Every class is for complete beginners. We start from hello, and everything is explained in English. If you already know a little, it will be a good warm-up, but it will feel easy.
What happens in the hour?
A short welcome, then the sounds (or, for Japanese and Korean, a first look at the writing), greetings, introducing yourself, numbers to ten, ordering at a café and the phrases that get you out of trouble. Then you practise in small breakout rooms and we finish with a recap. Each class page shows the hour minute by minute.
Will I have to speak?
Yes, that is the point, but gently. Most of the time the whole class repeats together with microphones on, so nobody is singled out. Near the end you practise in breakout rooms of 2 or 3. Your camera is up to you.
How big are the classes?
At most 12 people, so everyone gets to speak and ask questions.
How much is a class?
One class is one payment, and you see the price before you pay. Nothing renews and there is no subscription.
Can I cancel or move my class?
Yes. Write to support@bunevents.com at least 24 hours before the start and we will refund you in full or move you to another time, whichever you prefer.
