Learn French: A1 Beginner Practice

What trips up English speakers first

French and English share a great deal of vocabulary, which makes the first weeks feel easy and the fourth week feel sudden. Three patterns cause most early errors.

• Gender on every noun. There is no reliable shortcut. Learn "la voiture", never "voiture", from the very first word.
• Avoir where English uses to be. Age, hunger, thirst and fear all take avoir: j'ai 30 ans, j'ai faim.
• False friends. "Actuellement" means currently, not actually. "Assister" means to attend, not to assist.

Why French, in the UAE

French is a working language across parts of North and West Africa, in international organisations, and in luxury retail and hospitality, all of which have a real presence in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. For many learners here the goal is a DELF certificate for study or residency elsewhere, which starts at A1.

Recognising "la voiture" and producing it in front of a DELF examiner are not the same skill, and the second one is most of what A1 is. It is spoken work, so it belongs in a French class rather than a quiz. Children take a different route to the same place, more listening and much less grammar, on the French for kids page.

All questions, answers and explanations

8 questions · every answer explained

The full set is below, so you can read it without taking the quiz.

• How do you say 'I am learning French'?

  • AJe apprends le français
  • BJ'apprends le français correct
  • CJe apprend français
  • DJ'apprend le français

  Why: 'Je' contracts to 'j'' before a vowel, and apprendre takes 's' in the first person: j'apprends. The article 'le' stays before the language.

• Which article goes with 'voiture' (car)?

  • Ale
  • Bla correct
  • Cles
  • Dl'

  Why: Voiture is feminine, so 'la voiture'. French gender rarely maps to meaning, so learn each noun with its article from the first day.

• 'Bonjour' is appropriate until roughly:

  • AMidday
  • BLate afternoon or early evening correct
  • CMidnight
  • DOnly sunrise

  Why: Bonjour works through the day until early evening, when it becomes bonsoir. There is no separate 'good afternoon' greeting in everyday use.

• How do you ask 'How much does it cost?'

  • ACombien ça coûte ? correct
  • BComment ça coûte ?
  • CQuel ça coûte ?
  • DOù ça coûte ?

  Why: 'Combien' means how much. 'Comment' means how in the sense of manner, which is the mix-up English speakers make most often.

• Which is correct?

  • AJe suis 30 ans
  • BJ'ai 30 ans correct
  • CJe fais 30 ans
  • DJe suis âge 30

  Why: French uses avoir for age: j'ai 30 ans, literally 'I have 30 years'. English speakers reach for 'je suis' because English uses 'to be'.

• 'Merci beaucoup' means:

  • APlease
  • BThank you very much correct
  • CExcuse me
  • DSee you later

  Why: Merci beaucoup is thank you very much. 'S'il vous plaît' is please, and it is the polite form you want with anyone you do not know.

• Which sentence orders a coffee politely?

  • ACafé.
  • BJe veux café.
  • CUn café, s'il vous plaît. correct
  • DDonne café.

  Why: An article plus s'il vous plaît. 'Je veux' is grammatically fine but blunt, roughly 'I want', where French expects 'je voudrais' or a simple polite request.

• At CEFR A1 in French, you can expect to:

  • ADebate current affairs
  • BHandle simple everyday exchanges correct
  • CRead a novel comfortably
  • DWork entirely in French

  Why: A1 covers introductions, shopping, directions and simple everyday exchanges. It is the level most UAE learners need for travel and for a first step toward A2 or a DELF entry.

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