To talk about school and classes
To describe school and leisure activities
To express oneself about personal experience orally and in writing
To review the French-speaking world
To review information about the French school system
un collègemiddle schoolune école privéeprivate school un lycée(senior) high schoolune école publique
les études (f.) studies, les matières (f.) school subjects
un coursclass courseune classeclass l’histoire (f.) les langues (f.) languages la géographie (la géo) le français l’economie (f.) l’anglais (m.) la philosophie (la philo) l’espagnol (m.) les maths (f.) l’allemand (m.) German les sciences (f.) la physique la musique la chimie chemistry les arts (m.) plastiques la biologie (la bio) l’informatique (f.) computer science le sport la technologie (la techno) l’éducation (f.) physique
→ In casual speech, French people often shorten certain words. For example, they say:
la géo for la géographie la philo for la philosophie la techno for la technologie
Supplementary vocabulary
le latin l’italien (m.) l’algèbre (f.) la géometrie la technologie shop, technical education
Fort-de-France is the main city of Martinique, a French island in the Caribbean West Indies.
French schools are often named after famous people.
Victor Schoelcher (1804-1893) helped to abolish slavery in the French colonies (1848).
Émile Zola (1840-1902) was a writer and journalist known for his defense of civil liberties.
The baccalauréat (or bac) is awarded to students who pass a national examination at the end of their secondary school studies. This diploma allows students to enter the university.
