Vocabulaire 2.1 Français I
les maths
l’algèbre (f.) algebra
la géométrie geometry
les langues (f.) (étrangères) (foreign) languages The names of languages are masculine in French.
le français French
l’espagnol (m.) Spanish The ‘‘gn’’ is pronounced ‘‘ny.’’
l’allemand (m.) German
le latin Latin
les sciences (f.) naturelles natural science astronomy biology chemistry earth science physics cross-disciplines (like biochemistry)
les sciences naturelles sometimes referred to as la biologie-géologie or les sciences de la vie et de la terre (SVT) This area of study includes both lectures and a lab.
la biologie biology
la chimie chemistry
les travaux (m.) pratiques (de chimie) (chemistry) lab
la physique physics
les arts (m.) plastiques art class
la musique music
la chorale choir
la fanfare band
la danse dance
l’éducation (f.) physique et sportive (EPS) physical education in conversation, say le sport
gym
le cours de développement personnel et social (DPS) health
la géographie geography
l’éducation (f.) civique government
l’histoire (f.) history We can’t have history without you (toi)!
l’informatique (f.) computer science
le cours course la cour = courtyard Don’t say the –s.
les cours facultatifs electives
les cours obligatoires required courses
Extra school subjects See p. R12 in the back of your book. (The edge of the page is blue and says “Additional Vocabulary.”) On the right-hand side of the page, you’ll see “School Subjects.”
les devoirs (m.) homework devoir = to have to homework = “have to’s”
l’élève (m. or f.) student
le professeur teacher always masculine (Use le.)
le / la prof teacher informal
Oui, beaucoup. Yes, very much.
Moi aussi. Me too.
Moi, non. I don’t.
Non, pas trop. No, not too much.
Moi non plus. Neither do I.
Moi, si. I do.
Pas moi. Not me.
Note culturelle (p. 53) Unlike the American educational system, the grade levels in the French system are numbered in descending order:
Educational Systems AMERICAN Middle School –6th grade –7th grade –8th grade High School –9th grade –10th grade –11th grade –12th grade FRENCH Le collège (10-11 yrs. old) –sixième (6 e ) –cinquième (5 e ) –quatrième (4 e ) Le lycée –troisième (3 e ) –seconde (2 e ) –première (1 ère ) –terminale
le baccalauréat Nicknamed le bac National exam taken at the end of study at a lycée Not all students take le bac. If a French student plans to go on to a university, (s)he must take and pass le bac.
le baccalauréat An extremely difficult oral and written test that covers all major subjects Students spend the final year of le lycée, la terminale, preparing for this exam.
le baccalauréat Three major categories of this exam: – le bac général – le bac technologique – le bac professionnel
le baccalauréat Each category is divided into a more specialized series of exams, depending on a student’s chosen field of study. For example, a student specializing in literature would take le bac général littéraire, or simply le bac L.
le baccalauréat If a student is majoring in literature, (s)he needs to score higher in literature, philosophy, and languages than in math in order to pass. Students who don’t score high enough must try to get a better grade by taking oral exams.
le baccalauréat If students fail, they must repeat their last year at the lycée ( terminale ) before retaking le bac. Students who don’t have their bac need to pass a college entrance exam called l’ESEU ( Examen spécial d’entrée à l’université ) in order to be admitted to college.
le baccalauréat vs. ACT / SAT How do you think le bac compares with our ACT or SAT?
FYI passer un examen = to take a test To say, “I passed the bac.” you would say, “ J’ai réussi au bac. ”