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Goals
What you'll be able to do- 💕 Talk about Valentine's Day and love
- 📅 Place events in time: il y a, en, le, à
- ⏱️ Express duration: pendant, dans, depuis
- 🎯 Express purpose: pour + noun, pour + infinitive
- 🧠 Tell your memories
- 🎵 Tell apart [i] · [y] · [u]
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Discover
Vox popRadio report · "Je me souviens…"
For Valentine's Day, a journalist stops people on the street. The question: "What was your first love story?" Four short answers.
Witness 1 (man, 35) — Ma première histoire d'amour ? Oh là là… J'avais quinze ans et nous étions en vacances chez ma grand-mère, en Irlande, pour apprendre l'anglais. Il s'appelait Tom, il était grand, il était blond… Il était très beau !
My first love story? Oh wow… I was fifteen and we were on holiday at my grandmother's, in Ireland, to learn English. His name was Tom, he was tall, he was blond… He was so handsome!
My first love story? Oh wow… I was fifteen and we were on holiday at my grandmother's, in Ireland, to learn English. His name was Tom, he was tall, he was blond… He was so handsome!
Witness 2 (woman, 50) — Ah ! oui, je m'en souviens très bien. Aujourd'hui, c'est ma femme. Nous nous sommes rencontrés dans le train Paris-Bordeaux. C'était en 2000, j'avais vingt ans. Elle, elle en avait vingt-deux. Et notre premier bébé est né cinq ans plus tard.
Oh yes, I remember it very well. Today she's my wife. We met on the Paris-Bordeaux train. It was in 2000, I was twenty. She was twenty-two. Our first baby was born five years later.
Oh yes, I remember it very well. Today she's my wife. We met on the Paris-Bordeaux train. It was in 2000, I was twenty. She was twenty-two. Our first baby was born five years later.
Witness 3 (man, 60) — J'avais huit ans. Il s'appelait Mathieu, et dans la classe, c'était mon voisin. J'ai eu très peur de lui en classe de quatrième. Bon, en fait, jusqu'à 16 ans deux ans après, il est allé dans une autre école…
I was eight. His name was Mathieu, and in class he was my neighbour. I was very afraid of him in 8th grade. Then, at 16, two years later, he went to another school…
I was eight. His name was Mathieu, and in class he was my neighbour. I was very afraid of him in 8th grade. Then, at 16, two years later, he went to another school…
Witness 4 (woman, 70) — Mon premier amour ? Ah ! bien sûr ! J'allais tous les ans chez ma grand-mère pour passer les vacances. Mais, à partir de seize ans, je suis partie avec des copains. Il s'appelait Lou… C'était en BS.
My first love? Oh, of course! Every year I'd go to my grandmother's for the holidays. From age sixteen, I started going with friends instead. His name was Lou… It was during high school.
My first love? Oh, of course! Every year I'd go to my grandmother's for the holidays. From age sixteen, I started going with friends instead. His name was Lou… It was during high school.
💡 Notes
- « Aujourd'hui, c'est le 14 février, la Saint-Valentin. » "Today is February 14th, Valentine's Day." It's a celebration in France too — but not a public holiday. Mostly couples send a card or have dinner.
- Se souvenir de qch = "to remember sth" (a reflexive verb). Je me souviens de ma première rencontre. "I remember our first meeting."
- « Mon premier amour » "my first love" — amour is masculine.
- Être amoureux / amoureuse de qn = "to be in love with sb". Il est tombé amoureux de Marguerite. "He fell in love with Marguerite."
- Date format reminder: French writes day before month — le 14 février 2026 = "February 14th, 2026". Use le 1er for the 1st (an ordinal); all other dates take cardinals: le 2 mai, le 14 juillet.
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Vocabulary
Words to remember| French | Type | English |
|---|---|---|
| l'amour | n.m. | love |
| amoureux / amoureuse | adj. | in love |
| amoureux / amoureuse de | phrase | in love with |
| à partir de | prep. phrase | from … on, starting from |
| apprendre | v. | to learn |
| un casting | n.m. | casting, audition |
| l'été | n.m. | summer |
| une histoire | n.f. | story |
| irlandais / irlandaise | adj. | Irish |
| l'Irlande | proper n. | Ireland |
| une jupe | n.f. | skirt |
| rencontrer | v. | to meet |
| se rencontrer | refl. v. | to meet (each other) |
| se souvenir (de) | refl. v. | to remember |
| un souvenir | n.m. | memory; souvenir |
| soixante | num. | sixty |
| la Saint-Valentin | n.f. | Valentine's Day |
| un bébé | n.m. | baby |
| un voisin / une voisine | n. | neighbour; classmate seated nearby |
| tomber amoureux / amoureuse | verb phrase | to fall in love |
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Grammar
How French works① Placing events in time When? How long?
A. A specific point in time
| Preposition | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| en + year / month / season | year, month, season | En 2012. En juillet. En été. |
| au + month | "in the month of…" | Au mois de septembre. |
| le + date | a specific date | Le 14 juillet. · Le 14 février. |
| à + clock time / one specific season | À sept heures. · Au printemps. | |
| il y a + duration | "… ago" | J'ai rencontré Alice il y a 5 ans. "I met Alice 5 years ago." |
B. Duration
| Preposition | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| pendant + duration | how long an action lasted | J'ai vécu en France pendant 10 ans. "I lived in France for 10 years." |
| dans + duration | action coming up | Je rentre dans 3 jours. "I'm coming back in 3 days." |
| depuis + date / duration | up until now | J'habite ici depuis 2020. "I've lived here since 2020." |
⚠️ « il y a » ≠ « depuis »:
- J'ai rencontré Marc il y a 3 ans. "I met Marc 3 years ago." (one bounded event in the past)
- Je connais Marc depuis 3 ans. "I've known Marc for 3 years." (still going on now)
💬 For English speakers: several traps cluster here.
- il y a = "ago", but the order is reversed. English: "two years ago" (number first). French: "il y a deux ans" (marker first). Literally: "there is two years (since…)".
- dans + time means "in [time] from now", NOT "in/within" as a place. Dans 3 jours = "3 days from now". For "within 3 days" use en 3 jours ("in the span of 3 days").
- pendant vs depuis: "for 5 years" → pendant 5 ans if the action is finished; depuis 5 ans if it started 5 years ago and is still going. J'ai habité à Paris pendant 5 ans (I don't live there now). J'habite à Paris depuis 5 ans (still there).
- Tense match for depuis: French uses the present tense with depuis, where English uses the present perfect. Je l'attends depuis une heure. = "I have been waiting for him for an hour." Don't say "j'ai attendu depuis…" — that's wrong.
② Expressing purpose Why you do it
To say why you're doing something, French uses pour.
| Structure | Example |
|---|---|
| pour + noun | Il travaille beaucoup pour sa famille. "He works hard for his family." |
| pour + infinitive | Je vais à Paris pour apprendre le français. "I'm going to Paris to learn French." |
| pour + negative infinitive | Il téléphone pour ne pas venir. "He's calling to say he won't come." |
📌 Pour + infinitive is the workhorse at A1.
• Je viens pour te voir. "I'm coming to see you."
• On part en vacances pour se reposer. "We're going on holiday to relax."
• Elle apprend le français pour travailler en France. "She's learning French to work in France."
💬 For English speakers: pour + infinitive = English "to + verb" or "in order to + verb". Direct match.
- 🇫🇷 Je viens pour apprendre. 🇬🇧 "I'm coming to learn." / "I'm coming in order to learn."
- ⚠️ Trap: never say « pour à apprendre » or « pour de apprendre ». After pour the verb is in the bare infinitive (pour apprendre), no extra preposition.
- ⚠️ Don't confuse pour with parce que: pour = "(in order) to" (forward-looking purpose). parce que = "because" (backward-looking cause). Je travaille pour gagner de l'argent. ≠ Je travaille parce que j'ai besoin d'argent.
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How to say it
Useful chunks📅 Placing events in time
- C'était le 14 février. "It was on February 14th."
- C'était en 2000.
- Notre premier bébé est né 5 ans plus tard. "… 5 years later."
- Je l'ai rencontrée il y a 10 ans. "I met her 10 years ago."
- À partir de 16 ans, j'ai commencé à sortir. "From age 16 on, I started going out."
🧠 Talking about memories
- Je me souviens de cette époque. "I remember that time."
- Quand j'étais petit, je jouais au foot.
- C'était il y a longtemps. "It was a long time ago."
- J'ai oublié son nom. "I've forgotten his/her name."
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Practice
Try it outExercise 1 · Rodin's love life
Using the table below, summarise the love life of the sculptor Auguste Rodin. Use en, à partir de, pendant, il y a, jusqu'à…
→ Auguste Rodin est né en 1840.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 12 November 1840 | Born in Paris. |
| 1864 | Meets Rose Beuret. |
| 1864–1917 | They live together. |
| 1866 | They have a son. |
| 1883 | Meets Camille Claudel. |
| 1883–1898 | It's a love affair. |
- Rodin à Paris en 1840. (naître)
- Il a rencontré Rose Beuret .
- Ils ont vécu ensemble ans. (duration)
- Rodin a rencontré Camille Claudel .
- Leur histoire d'amour a duré (1883-1898).
Exercise 2 · Obviously!
Imagine the question with "Pourquoi… ?" and answer with pour + infinitive.
Model: Je vais en France pour apprendre le français.
- Pourquoi est-ce qu'elle prend ce train ? — .
- Pourquoi est-ce qu'on va en Afrique ? — .
- Pourquoi est-ce qu'il vient à Lyon ? — .
- Pourquoi est-ce qu'il a téléphoné ? — .
- Pourquoi est-ce qu'on va au supermarché ? — .
Exercise 3 · Place it in time
Fill in with en, à, le, il y a, depuis, pendant, dans.
- Je suis né 1995.
- La fête nationale française, c'est 14 juillet.
- J'apprends le français 6 mois.
- Je suis arrivée en France 3 ans.
- Le cours commence 14 h.
- Je vais voir mes parents deux semaines.
- J'ai habité à Boston 5 ans.
Exercise 4 · The casting
A young actress introduces herself for a casting. Listen and write down all the dates.
- Date of birth:
- First school:
- First train trip:
- First boyfriend:
💡 Open answers — check by ear with your teacher.
Exercise 5 · February 14 — memories
Listen again to the four short answers in the dialogue.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What year was it? | ||||
| Where did they meet? | ||||
| How old were they? |
💡 Open listening table — compare answers with a classmate.
Exercise 6 · The first time!
Tell your partner about the first time you did one of these. Use il y a, en, à, pendant…
- your first holiday
- your first train or plane trip
- your first mobile phone
- your first meeting with an important friend
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Communicate
Real-world tasks🎭 Valentine's Day in France and at home
With your partner, compare Valentine's Day (February 14th) in France and in your country:
- Is it celebrated where you live? Are there any equivalent holidays? (Sweetest Day, Sadie Hawkins, Galentine's Day…)
- What do couples do? (gifts, dinner, flowers…)
- What about with friends or family? Do you like the celebration or find it overrated?
✍️ A meeting — your turn
Write about the most important meeting in your life (a friend, a partner, a teacher, a family member…). Use the imparfait (backdrop) and the passé composé (events). Add time markers (en…, il y a…, pendant…). 60-80 words.
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Pronunciation
Three close vowelsTelling apart [i], [y] and [u] vie / vu / vous
Three close vowels that English speakers tend to merge:
[i] — as in vie
Lips spread (smile). Same as English "ee" in see, but shorter and tenser.
- vie, dire, ami
- mille, lit, six
[y] — as in tu
Doesn't exist in English. Lips tightly rounded (whistle shape) AND tongue position of [i]. Closest English approximation: the German ü in "über".
- tu, du, sur
- une, jupe, lune
[u] — as in vous
Lips rounded and pushed forward. Like English "oo" in boot, but shorter.
- vous, où, jour
- cou, sous, beaucoup
👂 Listen and contrast:
- vie / vu / vous [vi] / [vy] / [vu]
- dit / dû / doux [di] / [dy] / [du]
- il est venu chez vous ?
- elle a mis une jupe rouge.
- vous avez lu le livre ?
- elle est partie sur la route.
- il a mis un blouson neuf.
💬 For English speakers: [y] is the single hardest vowel in French. The good news: there's a foolproof recipe.
- Say "ee" as in see. Hold it.
- Without changing your tongue, slowly round your lips as if you were going to say "oo".
- The sound that comes out is [y] — French tu.
Common mix-up trap:
- tu [ty] "you" vs tout [tu] "all" — completely different words. Practice "Tu as tout vu ?" [ty a tu vy] "Have you seen everything?" until it's clean.
- dessus [də-sy] "on top" vs dessous [də-su] "underneath" — opposite meanings, one vowel apart.
- rue [ʁy] "street" vs roue [ʁu] "wheel".