A2 · Elemental Capítulo 7

Everyday Expressions and Opinions

4 Reglas totales
40 ejemplos
6 min
Reglas en este capítulo Práctica rápida

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Sound like a local by mastering everyday idioms and expressing your unique point of view.

  • Use 'avoir' to describe physical sensations like hunger and fear.
  • Talk about the weather and your favorite activities using 'faire'.
  • Construct clear sentences to share your thoughts and beliefs with others.
Speak your mind and live the French way!

Lo que aprenderás

Hey there, language explorer! You’ve already nailed the basics of French, haven’t you? Awesome! Now, let’s take your conversational skills up a notch with 'Everyday Expressions and Opinions.' This chapter is all about making your French sound more natural and confident. You’ll dive into some super useful idiomatic expressions that native speakers use all the time. First, we’ll tackle how to express basic needs and feelings with 'avoir' (to have). Forget I am hungry – in French, you have hunger (avoir faim)! We’ll master saying you’re hungry, thirsty, or even scared, just like a true Francophone. Next up, you’ll learn the versatile 'faire' (to do/make). Ever wanted to describe the weather, like saying 'it’s beautiful' (il fait beau) or 'it’s cold' (il fait froid)? Or perhaps chat about your hobbies, like 'doing sports' (faire du sport) or 'swimming' (faire de la natation)? 'Faire' is your go-to verb for all that! Don't worry, we'll also have a solid review of the French present tense (Le Présent). It’s the backbone of everything we're learning here, handling current actions, habits, and even near-future plans. This ensures all your new expressions are used flawlessly. And finally, the exciting part: expressing your own thoughts! You’ll learn how to confidently share your opinions using penser que (to think that), croire que (to believe that), and trouver que (to find/think that), always followed by que and a full sentence. This means you won’t just be listening; you’ll be an active participant in any conversation! By the end of this chapter, you won't just know French words; you'll be able to naturally describe your daily life, chat about the weather and your hobbies, and most importantly, voice your own opinions. Ready for real French conversations? Let's go!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: describe physical needs and feelings using 'avoir' expressions.
  2. 2
    By the end you will be able to: discuss weather conditions and leisure activities using 'faire'.
  3. 3
    By the end you will be able to: conjugate regular and common irregular verbs in the present tense accurately.
  4. 4
    By the end you will be able to: introduce personal opinions using 'que' clauses.

Guía del capítulo

Overview

Welcome, language explorers, to your next exciting step in mastering French grammar A2! You've already built a fantastic foundation, and now it’s time to unlock the secrets to sounding more like a native speaker. This chapter,
Everyday Expressions and Opinions,
is your gateway to engaging in more natural and confident conversations.
We’re moving beyond basic sentences and diving into the idiomatic heart of the language, equipping you with essential tools for daily interactions.
At the CEFR A2 level, the goal is to communicate simply and directly about routine tasks and common topics. This guide will help you do just that, focusing on practical phrases that pop up constantly in French daily life. By the end of this chapter, you won't just understand words; you'll understand *how* French speakers express themselves, making your journey towards fluency much smoother and more enjoyable.
Get ready to enhance your everyday French expressions and learn how to confidently voice your opinions in French!
We'll cover core verbs like avoir (to have) and faire (to do/make) in their most common idiomatic uses, review the all-important French present tense, and empower you to share your thoughts using verbs like penser, croire, and trouver. This isn't just about memorizing phrases; it's about understanding the logic behind them and integrating them seamlessly into your speech. Let's make your French truly shine!

How This Grammar Works

This chapter focuses on essential building blocks for natural French conversation, starting with idiomatic expressions and then moving to opinion-sharing. First, we tackle expressions using the verb avoir (to have). Unlike English, where we are hungry or thirsty, French speakers have these states.
For example, instead of saying I am hungry, you'll say J'ai faim (I have hunger / I am hungry). Similarly, Tu as soif ? (Do you have thirst? / Are you thirsty?) and Il a peur des araignées. (He has fear of spiders.
/ He is afraid of spiders.) are common. Remember to conjugate avoir correctly in the present tense: j'ai, tu as, il/elle/on a, nous avons, vous avez, ils/elles ont.
Next, we explore the incredibly versatile verb faire (to do/make). This verb is a workhorse in French, especially for describing weather and hobbies. For weather, you'll often hear Il fait beau. (It makes beautiful.
/ The weather is nice.) or Il fait froid. (It makes cold. / It's cold.). For hobbies and activities, faire is your go-to: Je fais du sport. (I do sport.
/ I play sports.), Nous faisons de la natation. (We do swimming. / We swim.), or Elle fait du vélo. (She does bike. / She cycles.).
Pay attention to the use of du/de la/de l' after faire for activities.
A solid understanding of the French present tense (Le Présent) is crucial for all these expressions. It's used for actions happening now, habitual actions, and even near-future plans. For example, Je parle français. (I speak French.), Nous mangeons tous les jours. (We eat every day.), and Ils partent demain. (They leave tomorrow.).
This tense underpins your ability to use avoir and faire expressions fluidly.
Finally, to express your thoughts, you'll master verbs like penser (to think), croire (to believe), and trouver (to find/think). These are always followed by que (that) and a complete sentence. For instance, Je pense que c'est une bonne idée. (I think that it's a good idea.).
Tu crois qu'il va pleuvoir ? (Do you believe that it's going to rain?). And Nous trouvons que ce film est excellent. (We find that this movie is excellent.). These phrases allow you to actively participate and share your viewpoint in any conversation.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1✗ Wrong: Je suis faim.
✓ Correct: "J'ai faim." (I am hungry.)
*Explanation:* In French, you don't be hungry or thirsty; you have hunger (avoir faim) or thirst (avoir soif). Always use the verb avoir for these states.
  1. 1✗ Wrong: "Il est froid aujourd'hui."
✓ Correct: "Il fait froid aujourd'hui." (It's cold today.)
*Explanation:* When describing the weather, French typically uses the impersonal expression il fait (it makes) with adjectives like froid (cold), chaud (hot), beau (beautiful), etc.
  1. 1✗ Wrong:
    Je pense il est intelligent.
✓ Correct: "Je pense qu'il est intelligent." (I think that he is intelligent.)
*Explanation:* Verbs of opinion like penser, croire, and trouver must always be followed by que (that) before introducing a new clause or opinion.

Real Conversations

A

A

Bonjour ! Tu as faim ? On va déjeuner ? (Hello! Are you hungry? Shall we have lunch?)
B

B

Oui, j'ai faim et j'ai aussi un peu soif. Il fait chaud aujourd'hui ! (Yes, I'm hungry and I'm also a little thirsty. It's hot today!)
A

A

Qu'est-ce que tu fais ce week-end ? Tu fais du sport ? (What are you doing this weekend? Are you playing sports?)
B

B

Non, je ne fais pas de sport. Je pense que je vais lire un livre et me reposer. (No, I'm not playing sports. I think that I'm going to read a book and rest.)
A

A

Tu crois que ce restaurant est bon ? (Do you believe that this restaurant is good?)
B

B

Oui, je trouve que la cuisine est excellente ici. Et le service est super aussi ! (Yes, I find that the food is excellent here. And the service is great too!)

Quick FAQ

Q

What's the main difference between penser que and trouver que?

Penser que means to think that and expresses a general opinion or belief. Trouver que means to find that and implies an opinion based on personal experience or perception.

Q

Why do French speakers say "J'ai faim instead of Je suis faim"?

French uses avoir (to have) for many physical or emotional states that English uses to be for. It's an idiomatic difference you simply need to learn!

Q

Can I use faire for all weather descriptions?

Faire is used for general weather conditions (e.g., il fait beau, il fait froid). For precipitation, other verbs like il pleut (it's raining) or il neige (it's snowing) are used.

Q

Is que always required after penser, croire, and trouver when expressing an opinion?

Yes, when these verbs introduce a full clause expressing an opinion, que is essential to link the main verb to the subordinate clause.

Cultural Context

These everyday expressions are woven into the fabric of daily French conversation. Using avoir faim/soif or il fait beau/froid will instantly make you sound more natural and less like you're translating directly from English. Expressing opinions with penser que, croire que, and trouver que is fundamental to engaging in discussions.
French speakers value clear and well-articulated viewpoints, so mastering these phrases allows you to participate more fully and authentically in social interactions.

Ejemplos clave (8)

1

J'ai trop faim, on commande une pizza ?

Tengo demasiada hambre, ¿pedimos una pizza?

Expresiones con Avoir: Hambre, sed y miedo (Avoir faim, soif, peur)
2

Tu as soif ? Je peux t'apporter un verre d'eau.

¿Tienes sed? Te puedo traer un vaso de agua.

Expresiones con Avoir: Hambre, sed y miedo (Avoir faim, soif, peur)
3

Il fait très chaud aujourd'hui, je vais à la plage.

Hace mucho calor hoy, voy a la playa.

Expresiones francesas con Faire: Clima y pasatiempos
4

Je fais du vélo tous les matins avant le travail.

Hago ciclismo todas las mañanas antes del trabajo.

Expresiones francesas con Faire: Clima y pasatiempos
5

Je regarde un film sur Netflix.

Estoy viendo una película en Netflix.

Presente en francés: Dominando los verbos (Le Présent)
6

Tu finis ton travail à quelle heure ?

¿A qué hora terminas tu trabajo?

Presente en francés: Dominando los verbos (Le Présent)
7

Je pense que nous allons gagner ce match.

Creo que vamos a ganar este partido.

Expresar opiniones (Penser, Croire, Trouver)
8

Je trouve que ce restaurant est un peu surcoté.

Me parece que este restaurante está un poco sobrevalorado.

Expresar opiniones (Penser, Croire, Trouver)

Consejos y trucos (4)

⚠️

¡Cuidado con 'Être'!

Nunca digas Je suis faim. Suena como si tu nombre fuera Hambre. Siempre usa 'avoir', como cuando dices 'tengo un libro': "J'ai faim."
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Expresiones con Avoir: Hambre, sed y miedo (Avoir faim, soif, peur)
⚠️

La trampa de 'Faites'

Nunca digas vous faisez. Aunque muchos verbos terminados en -re usan -ez, faire es irregular. La forma correcta es vous faites.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Expresiones francesas con Faire: Clima y pasatiempos
⚠️

El silencio de la "ENT"

¡Ojo! Cuando veas verbos que terminan en ent (como ils parlent o elles mangent), esa ent es muda. Es solo para escribir, ¡no la pronuncies! Imagina que estás escuchando a alguien hablar francés y dice:
Ils parlent très bien.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Presente en francés: Dominando los verbos (Le Présent)
⚠️

El 'Que' Obligatorio

¡Nunca olvides el que! En español decimos 'creo que viene', pero en francés DEBES decir "Je pense QU'il vient".
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Expresar opiniones (Penser, Croire, Trouver)

Vocabulario clave (7)

la faim hunger la peur fear le temps weather / time penser to think croire to believe trouver to find / to think chaud hot

Real-World Preview

tree-pine

A Day at the Park

Review Summary

  • Sujet + Avoir (conjugated) + [faim/soif/peur/chaud/froid]
  • Il fait + [weather] / Sujet + Faire + [activity]
  • Verbe d'opinion + que + [Full Sentence]

Errores comunes

In French, hunger is something you 'have', not something you 'are'. Using 'être' is a literal translation from English that sounds wrong in French.

Wrong: Je suis faim.
Correcto: J'ai faim.

You cannot omit 'que' (that) in French like you can in English. It is the essential bridge between the verb and the opinion.

Wrong: Je pense c'est bon.
Correcto: Je pense que c'est bon.

When talking about the weather, always use 'il fait'. 'Il est chaud' would refer to an object or a person being physically hot to the touch.

Wrong: Il est chaud.
Correcto: Il fait chaud.

Next Steps

You're doing fantastic! Mastering these everyday expressions is a huge step toward fluency. Keep practicing, and soon you'll be debating your favorite topics in French!

Write 3 sentences about the weather today and how it makes you feel.

Listen to a French weather forecast on YouTube and identify 'il fait' expressions.

Continue to: Talking About Completed Actions

Práctica rápida (10)

Rellena el espacio en blanco con el verbo correcto para un juicio subjetivo.

Je ___ que cette robe est magnifique sur toi !

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: trouve
Usamos 'trouver' para juicios subjetivos como los gustos personales de moda.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Expresar opiniones (Penser, Croire, Trouver)

Encuentra y corrige el error.

Find and fix the mistake:

Je suis travaille dans un bureau.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Je travaille dans un bureau.
En francés, no dices 'yo soy trabajo'. Simplemente dices 'yo trabajo' (Je travaille).

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Presente en francés: Dominando los verbos (Le Présent)

Encuentra y corrige el error en la expresión de creencia.

Find and fix the mistake:

Je croyons que tu as raison.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Je crois que tu as raison.
La forma de 'Je' para 'croire' es 'crois', no 'croyons' (que es la forma de 'nous').

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Expresar opiniones (Penser, Croire, Trouver)

¿Qué frase es gramaticalmente correcta?

Elige la forma correcta de decir 'Ellos terminan':

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ils finissent
Los verbos del Grupo 2 como 'finir' usan la terminación '-issent' para el plural 'ellos/ellas'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Presente en francés: Dominando los verbos (Le Présent)

Rellena el espacio en blanco con la expresión correcta del clima.

Regarde dehors ! Il ____ beau aujourd'hui.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: fait
En francés, usamos el verbo faire para las condiciones climáticas, no être o avoir.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Expresiones francesas con Faire: Clima y pasatiempos

¿Cuál frase es correcta para decir 'Tengo hambre'?

Elige la opción correcta:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: J'ai faim.
En francés, usamos el verbo 'avoir' (tener) para el hambre, no 'être' (ser/estar).

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Expresiones con Avoir: Hambre, sed y miedo (Avoir faim, soif, peur)

Completa el espacio en blanco con la forma correcta de 'manger'.

Nous ___ une salade au café.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: mangeons
Para 'nous', la terminación es '-ons'. Mantenemos la 'e' (mangeons) para que la 'g' suene suave.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Presente en francés: Dominando los verbos (Le Présent)

Rellena el espacio en blanco con la forma correcta de 'avoir'.

Nous ____ soif après la randonnée.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: avons
El sujeto es 'nous', así que la conjugación correcta de 'avoir' es 'avons'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Expresiones con Avoir: Hambre, sed y miedo (Avoir faim, soif, peur)

Encuentra y corrige el error en la frase negativa.

Find and fix the mistake:

Je ne fais pas du shopping ce mois-ci.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Je ne fais pas de shopping ce mois-ci.
En las frases negativas, los artículos partitivos (du, de la, des) cambian a de.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Expresiones francesas con Faire: Clima y pasatiempos

¿Qué frase es correcta para un hobby?

Elige la frase gramaticalmente correcta:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Je fais du yoga.
Yoga es un sustantivo masculino, así que usamos el artículo partitivo du (de + le).

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Expresiones francesas con Faire: Clima y pasatiempos

Score: /10

Preguntas frecuentes (6)

En francés, el hambre, la sed y el miedo se ven como cosas que 'posees' o 'tienes' temporalmente, no como parte de tu identidad. Es una diferencia de concepto, como decir 'tengo sueño' en español. Por ejemplo: "J'ai faim".
¡No! 'Fatigué' es un adjetivo, así que usas 'être', igual que en español. Dirías Je suis fatigué (Estoy cansado), no 'J'ai fatigué'.
¡Sí! Puedes decir
Je fais mes devoirs
. Es uno de los usos más comunes para los estudiantes.
Siempre es faire du sport. En francés, de + le se contrae obligatoriamente a du.
Si dijéramos mangons, la 'g' sonaría fuerte, como en gato. Añadimos la 'e' para que suene suave, como en orange. Así, cuando dices Nous mangeons, suena bien.
¡No! Je travaille significa tanto yo trabajo como yo estoy trabajando. Añadir suis es un error común de los hispanohablantes. Por ejemplo, Je travaille beaucoup ya lo dice todo.
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