Hello and goodbye are the first and most important words you learn in a language, including when studying Italian. Phrases like excuse me and how are you in Italian are also key to understanding Italian greetings. It may sound simple, but there are many different Italian greetings based on how formal you need to be or what time of the day it is. This article takes you through how to say hello and goodbye in Italian in different situations.
But first...

Formality in Italian

Before looking at Italian greetings, we need to discuss how formality affects what words to use in Italian. When speaking Italian, you need to make sure you use the correct words, phrases and grammar for the formality of the situation. In Italian, you use:

• informal versions: for speaking to your friends, family and people your own age.
• formal versions: for speaking to your bosses, teachers, elders and people you don't know in general.

Italian Formal Pronouns

Italian has formal pronouns for second-person singular ("you"), which are similar to the old-fashioned usage in English of "Would madam like her tea now?" (La signora vorrebbe ora il suo tè?). You do not need to worry about formal plural pronouns unless you're writing a letter in Italian.

Instead of using the normal tu for second-person singular pronouns, in formal situations, you should use the third-person singular feminine pronoun Lei/La and the third-person singular verb to agree with it. When using lei as a formal pronoun, the L is capitalized in writing. For example: Buongiorno, Signora, piacere di cononscerLa. ("Good morning, Ma'am, pleased to meet you.")

If you are having a formal conversation with someone in a position of authority, you need to use these pronouns.

How to Say Hello in Italian

As we've just covered, linguistic formality is important in Italian. So let's go through our Italian greetings from informal to formal.

Informal Greetings

Here are some informal greetings you need to know:

• Ciao, "hello", is the most basic greeting you learn in Italian. It's perfect for greeting friends and family in informal contexts. However, it's not appropriate for more formal situations.
• Ehi, "hey", is a cool greeting if you bump into a friend on the street. It's more colloquial than ciao, so it's just a greeting for friends.
• Da quanto tempo!, "It's been so long!", is the perfect informal way to greet a friend you haven't seen in a while.

Neutral Greetings

If you don't quite know how formal the situation is or it's semi-formal, you have two options:

• Salve, "hello", is a greeting which comes from the Latin word for hello, salve (which literally meant "be well"). You can also use this word when writing emails.
• Piacere di conoscerti, "pleased to meet you", is not that formal. However, it can be made more formal by using the formal pronoun (piacere di conoscerLa) or less formal by shortening it to one word – piacere.

Formal Greetings

Italian language has quite a few formal and semi-formal greetings. Here, we'll look at the formal Italian greetings and how to use them.

Buongiorno, Buondì and Buonasera

Buongiorno and other "buon-" greetings are very important greetings for Italian language learners to know, as they can be used in every situation from semi-formal to extremely formal.
Which greeting you should use depends on what time of the day it is:

• Buongiorno,"good day", "good morning", is used to greet people during the day, until 6pm at the latest. (Italians can't agree if you should stop using it at 4pm, 5pm or 6pm!) Buongiorno used to be only for the morning, with buon pomeriggio replacing it in the evening, but buon pomeriggio is basically extinct.
• Buondì,"good day", "good morning", can be used instead of buongiorno. However, it is less formal in the north of Italy than the south.
• Buonasera ("good evening") is used after 6pm (as early as 4pm) and throughout the night. (Buonanotte, "good night", is only used for saying goodnight).
  Note that all of these are combinations of buono ("good") and some kind of word for day or time of day. They can all be written as two words, e.g. buon giorno, buona sera, but usually aren't.
  Because these greetings are formal, you may also need to use formal pronouns, Signore ("sir") or Signora ("ma'am") or people's job titles or honorifics.

Greetings in Specific Situations

Italian has special greetings that are used in specific situations. Some of the important ones are:

• Pronto, "hello", when answering the phone.
• Buonvenuto, "welcome", used for guests or in shops.
• Egregio, "dear", and other greetings for writing letters in Italian.

How to Say "How Are You?" in Italian

Greetings in Italian, as in English, are often followed by "How are you?" There are several ways of saying this according to formality.

Informal "How Are You's"

There are two main informal ways to say how are you:

• Come stai?, "How are you?", is the standard informal way to say "How are you?" in Italian.
• Come va?, "How's it going?" is like Come stai? but more informal, for using with friends. A slightly more formal variation on this is Come va la tua giornata? ("How's you're day going?").

Formal Ways to Say How Are You

Italian also has more formal expressions for "How are you?":

• Come sta?, "How are you?", is the formal version of Come stai?, using the formal second person.
• Ha passato una bella giornata?, "Are you having a nice day?", is a more formal version of Come va la tua giornata?

Excuse Me

Excuse me isn't a really greeting but is often used along with greetings. You can say excuse me formally or informally:

• Mi scusi or just scusi, is the formal version.
• Scusami, or just scusa, is the informal version.

How to Say Goodbye in Italian

The Italians also have a few ways to say goodbye, based on how formal you want to be. Let's go through a few of them.

Informal Ways to Say Goodbye

There are several informal ways to say goodbye in Italian.
Ciao is the general informal way to say "bye". Note that ciao means both "hi" and "bye" in Italian.
Others depend on when you're seeing the person next:

• A fra poco, "see you in a bit".
• A dopo, "see you later".
• A presto, "see you soon", can be used in both formal and informal situations.
• Ci vediamo, "see you soon" (literally, "let's see each other").
• A domani, "see you tomorrow".

Formal Ways to Say Goodbye

There are several formal ways to say goodbye based on the time of the day:

• Buon giornata, "good day", goodbye during the day.
• Buon serata, "good evening". goodbye after 6pm.
• Buonanotte, "good night", goodbye last thing at night or before going to bed.

Arrivederci and ArrivederLa

If you want to say goodbye more formally, Arrivederci is the best option.
For very formal situations, usually professional ones, ArrividerLa also exists. This greeting is the same as Arrividerci but uses the formal Lei (La as an object).

Your Italian Greeting Essentials

In conclusion, while Italian has many different greetings for different situations, you should be fine as long as you know a few options for formality and times of day. If you'd like to improve your Italian vocab including Italian greetings, Speechling's Italian Vocabulary Flashcards are a great place to start.

Key Takeaway:

Italian greetings change based on formality and time of day. Learn when to use informal phrases like ciao, neutral options like salve, and formal greetings like buongiorno or arrivederci to communicate naturally in any situation.

As you’ve likely realized by now in your French learning journey, there are a lot of things that make up French and France that are different from your home country. No matter how many languages you learn or places you live, this will always be true. Every country is unique, and part of learning a language is learning the history of the countries that speak it.

Now, not everyone enjoys history, even those who are learning a language. However, part of learning French is immersing yourself in French culture and that includes history. That said, the Francophone world is huge and there are a lot of countries that make up the Francophone identity. It’s impossible to cover every major historical event in these countries, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t learn a little bit about them.

Key Take-Aways & Summary

Learning a language requires learning a history and when it comes to learning French, that means looking at the history of many countries. From Charlemagne in France to the Four Communes in Senegal, French history is global. Knowing the history of the Francophone world will not only help with your understanding of the language, but also make you feel more familiar with the culture.

While learning French will involve grammar and vocab lists, it should also involve a deep dive into the culture, including its history.

Why Should You Learn French History as a French Learner?

Knowing a foreign language isn’t just about knowing words. It includes knowing the language’s past and that usually involves the history of one or more countries. Some of this history can be uncovered through regional and local art. Some of it is better learned through stories or studying.

When you learn Francophone history, you learn more about what makes Francophone people Francophone. Learning history will also expose you to the many different parts of the French-speaking world. Not all French and Francophone history takes place in the country of France itself, and it’s important to remember this as you dive deeper into your French learning journey.

The Francophone world is vast and there are so many different French-speaking regions that you should keep in mind. From Africa to Quebec to South America, French is spoken all over the world and French history follows it.

4 Historical Events & Figures in France You Should Know

When you think of French history, you most likely think of France. While France isn’t the only player in French history, it is one of the most thought of, so we’ll start with it.

If you want a more detailed and complete list of history in France, check out Wikipedia’s timeline of French history where you’ll see more events and a brief description of them. If one catches your attention, click on it to learn more! There’s no limit to how much history you should learn when it comes to learning French.

#1. Charlemagne

Charlemagne ruled from 800 to 814 and called himself the King of the Franks and the Lombards. He ruled over much of what is now the country of France and beyond. During his reign, he acquired many new territories, including what is now the region of Alsace in France, but he did not require his new subjects to learn French. He allowed each region to keep its own local laws as well, and encouraged learning across his empire. While he ruled, he invited scholars to his court and set up an education system that would later be used in what is now the country of England to expand education and learning.

#2. The Norman Conquest of 1066

After the English King Edward the Confessor died childless, there was a question surrounding who the rightful heir was. This led Duke William of Normandy (also known as William the Conqueror) to declare that he had a right to the throne on his mother’s side. He launched the Norman Conquest and was crowned king on Christmas Day in 1066.

#3. The Hundred Years’ Year

The Hundred Years’ War is similar to how William the Conqueror claimed a right to the throne from his mother’s side. This time, however, the English King Edward III laid claim to the French throne. When the French Assembly did not choose him as their new king, it led to a series of battles and attacks that would later be summed up by historians as the Hundred Years’ War.

During this time, the English lost the region of Normandy – which had been English since the Norman Conquest of 1066 – to France. It was also during this time that Joan of Arc (or Jeanne d’Arc in French) would rally the French population and lead them to battle against the English.

#4. French Revolution

The French Revolution changed France from a monarchy to a Republic. It occurred from 1789 to 1802 and was triggered by a financial crisis after helping the Americans win the fight against England. Napoleon Bonaparte rose to fame during the Revolution and after its victory, he was crowned Emperor of France. The French Revolution impacted the entire continent of Europe and led other countries to revolt.

5 Global French History Events You Should Know

As mentioned earlier, French history didn’t only happen in France. The French-speaking world is much larger than a single country, and it’s important to keep in mind that there are many other countries that have history as French nations as well.

Again, not every historical event will be listed, but these are a few that you should know as a French language learner.

#1. New France

In the 1600s, during the colonization of North America, French settlers landed in “New France”. The region is now known as Quebec, but at the time of arrival and colonization, it was known as New France.

#2. Seven Years’ War

Also known as the French and Indian War, the Seven Years’ War was the first war involving both Europe and North America. It was fought between the French and the British, and ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1763. The French gave up Quebec to the British and although France retreated from the region, many French speakers remained. This led to the beginning of Quebec’s bicultural identity as both French and English.

#3. The Four Communes of Senegal

France colonized much of Africa and did not start granting independence until the 1960s, but the Four Communes of Senegal are an important exception. In 1848, France granted Africans born in one of four Senegalese cities the right to acquire French citizenship. Social and legal barriers made it extremely difficult for people to prove they had been born in one of these cities, but those who could were allowed to vote and elect representatives into the French Parliament. These four cities were known as the Four Communes and were the first steps towards African independence.

#4. Free France

During World War II, the French Resistance ran a lot of its operations out of northern Africa. This led to many African colonies experiencing a form of independence as France was under nazi occupation. The Army of Africa supported the Free France resistance and formed the French Liberation Army. With this joint army, Free France succeeded in securing the liberation of France.

After World War II ended, many African colonies – particularly those who had supported and allowed Free France to operate within their borders – fought for independence. These nations declared that France’s liberation would not have been possible without them and France should therefore grant them independence in thanks. This led to a series of fights for independence throughout the 1960s when France would eventually grant the majority of its colonies independence.

#5. The Algerian War

The Algerian War was fought from 1954 to 1962. It consisted of guerilla warfare and was marked with many war crimes. France refused to grant Algeria independence until the United Nations stepped in and confirmed Algeria’s right to independence. Algeria’s granted independence only further inspired other African colonies to fight for their independence as well. The brutality of the war is still felt today as tensions remain between France and Algeria.

The Importance of Francophone History as a French Learner

Part of learning a language means staying curious. It’s important to be interested in what you study or you run the risk of losing motivation. Whether you’re a history buff or you’re only learning it so that you know the basics, reading or watching French history is a great way to improve your French and work towards fluency!

The best way to learn German quickly is mastering each of the cases. The German language uses the accusative case nearly as often as it uses the nominative case. You will almost certainly use the accusative case if you are writing or speaking a more complex sentence. It’s not quite as easy to learn as the nominative case, but it isn’t too much harder either.

Let’s take a look at when you need the accusative case. From there, we’ll go over the different ways German changes the adjectives and descriptions for nouns that should be in the accusative case.

Understanding the Accusative Case

To learn to speak German, you need to understand the basics - just like in English. That means understing the different parts of speech and how the operate in a sentence.

Nouns that act as the direct object to the subject (nominative case) are in the accusative case. It’s easier to see when you have an example:

The dog chased the cat.

While feeling bad for the cat, you should also note that the cat is the direct object in the sentence. The dog is the subject that is doing the action. The cat probably is running – the fact that the verb is chase indicates that the cat isn’t standing still and just being pestered by the dog. Still, the dog is doing the chasing. What the dog is chasing is the cat.

Here’s another example.

My car has a flat tire.

The tire is the direct object. Neither the car nor the tire is actually doing anything, but the car is the subject of the sentence. The flat tire describes something about the car, and in this case, that something is that you can’t drive the car because one of the tires is flat.

As a bonus, if you are still a student and have to learn about cases for English class, the definition is the same between English and German. Learning German will help you better diagram sentences and need to identify the accusative case. Since you’ll make a lot of changes for German, it will be so much easier to understand how it’s treated in English.

Accusative Case for Prepositions

Besides acting as the direct object, you will actually use the accusative case with prepositions. In other words, you will need to apply the same accusative rules when you use an accusative preposition. No matter what else is going on in the sentence, these words always mean that you use the accusative case for any accompanying article or adjectives.

There are eight prepositions that indicate the rest of the prepositional phrase should be in accusative case.

Since English doesn’t make the distinctions clear, let’s take a look at how German indicates that a phrase or word is in the accusative case.

Indicating the Accusative Case

Having learned the nominative case, you’ll find that the accusative case is fairly easy to learn. The only difference for the article is the masculine case – instead of der, you will use den.

This will make practicing the nominative and accusative cases pretty easy, which is a relief. Most small talk and basic conversations employ simpler sentences, so as long as you remember to use den for masculine nouns, you can quickly build your confidence.

That is something you’ll want to practice a lot because you will want to build confidence before moving on to the next cases – the dative and genitive cases.

You’ll also need to update the adjective to reflect that the noun is accusative. Again, they are pretty much the same, except for the masculine accusative adjectives.

An easy way to remember it is that you change -er to -en, and the adjective gets the same -n or -en.

Remember, take time to practice sentences with nominative and accusative cases to get comfortable. Make sure to add adjectives so that you get the feel for how the different gendered articles change the way you think about the sentence. The more you try different gendered nouns, the more confident you’ll feel when you move into the much harder cases.

Let’s look at some of the examples that we had in the nominative blog.

Der Hunde jagte die Katze aus dem Haus. The dog chased the cat out of the house.

The poor cat is the direct object and is the focus of the dog’s attention. You can make a substitute in the sentence, using the pronoun instead of the article and noun.

Der Hunde jagte sie aus dem Haus. The dog chased her out of the house.

Maybe you have several cats in your house and you are in a hurry to go bring one of them back inside. Instead of using a pronoun, you’ll shout as you rush out of the house.

Der Hunde jagte eine Katze aus dem Haus. The dog chased a cat out of the house.

Now the rest of your household is alerted and can come help you find the escaped cat – or perhaps manage the over-eager dog.

Let’s look at another example, this time with adjectives.

Die müde Mutter las ihrem Sohn eine kurze Gutenachtgeschichte vor. The tired mom read her son a short bedtime story.

This one is a bit trickier because there is a direct object and an indirect object. You can determine which one is the direct object by considering what action is being done. She’s reading a story. That means that the short bedtime story is the direct object – not her son.

Once you know which noun is the direct object, you can adjust the article and adjectives to be in the accusative case. Since the base word is story, a feminine noun, you don’t have to change a thing from the nominative case.

Here’s another example sentence.

Das neue Auto ist für meinen ältesten Neffen. The new car is for my oldest nephew.

In this case, the accusative case is needed because of the preposition, für. It is not the direct object of the sentence (there is no direct object in this sentence). Für is one of the eight accusative prepositions, so you don’t have to think too long about it to know how to adjust the article and adjective – you know to just use the accusative case.

In this example, the noun is in the masculine case, so you need to add -n to the article and use -en at the end of adjective.

Let’s look at one more example.

Die Reise durch den dunklen Tunnel ist unheimlich. Traveling through the dark tunnel is scary.

Although at the beginning of the sentence, durch is an accusative preposition. That means that you should automatically adjust the article and adjective to indicate the accusative case. Since tunnel is a masculine noun, you will need to adjust both the article and the adjective to reflect that.

Quick Tips - Keeping up the Practice

Now you know how to work with both the nominative and accusative cases. That means you have what you need to make much more complicated sentences with more details. Writing and speaking using these cases as often as you can will help you build confidence. This is going to be absolutely essential before you progress to the next two cases.

Continue writing or speaking at least 10 sentences a day using both cases. Mix it up with direct objects and accusative prepositions.

Combine your new vocabulary with both nominative and accusative cases. This gives you a way to practice your new words while reinforcing your use of both cases. This will give you more interesting options and can keep you engaged in building your skills. It’s always a great way to practice new vocabulary with interesting scenarios.

As a French language learner, there are a lot of things to learn and memorize. Even if your native language is similar to French, there will be certain words or grammar aspects that are new to you and require studying. Some of these things will be easier to understand while some will be harder. For many people, one of the harder things to learn while studying French is homophones.

Every language has homophones but that doesn’t mean they’re easy to learn. In many cases, you may not even realize you’re using a homophone in your native language. When you’re learning French, however, these similar words can be challenging to keep straight and remember. The good news is that while they may be challenging, they aren’t impossible. This article will help you tackle the most common ones, so let’s dive in!

What is a Homophone?

Homophones are words that sound alike but are spelled differently and have different meanings. An example in English is “knew” (as in “I knew that”) and “new” (as in “that’s a new toy”). They are different from false friends – words that sound like a word in another language you speak but that do not have the same meaning. Just like with false friends, homophones can cause a lot of confusion if you aren’t aware that they exist or what they are.

A Homophone's Best Friend: Homonyms

Another type of word that causes confusion is a homonym. Homonyms are similar to homophones in that they are words that sound alike and have different meanings, but unlike homophones, they are spelled the same. An English example of homonyms is the word “bat” (as in “Dracula can turn into a bat”) and “bat” (as in, “The baseball player swung the bat”). As French is a gendered language, some homonyms may be different genders. This is part of the reason why it’s so important to know the gender of a vocab word; it may be the key to determining what someone is actually saying. In some cases, however, knowing the gender of each homonym may not help as they are either the same gender or not a noun at all.

One thing to remember when learning French is that a lot of words will be homonyms. It’s impossible to list them all, but the most common type of homonym in French actually comes from verbs. Verbs that end in -er will almost always sound identical in their infinitive form and their past participle form. Some verb conjugations often sound the same as well, but they are spelled differently depending on the subject and the verb tense. This happens a lot in the French past tense l’imparfait.

How to Learn Homophones and Homonyms in French

As mentioned above, there are a lot of homophones in French. This can make studying stressful, especially if you decide to learn them all. Regardless of how determined you are to learn homophones in French, it’s important that you approach learning and studying them wisely. Here are some tips to help make it easier.

#1. Practice Smart Memorization

Whenever you learn new vocab in French, this should be at the front of your mind. Running through flashcards and repetitively reading new words isn’t the best way to study. By practicing smart memorization tactics, you’ll make the most out of your studying and be more likely to remember the new vocab that you just went over.

That said, flashcards are a great method! Just make sure you use them properly and don’t make them your only resource. When it comes to using flashcards with homophones, one smart tactic is to write the homophones on one side of the card and the definitions for each corresponding word on the other side.

#2. Don’t Rely on a Translator

On the topic of flashcards, one of the most important things to keep in mind is that you shouldn’t rely on a dictionary or translation device. Instead, read the definitions of each word or look them up in a French dictionary such as Larousse. This will not only help you with reading comprehension, but it will also get you out of the mindset that you should translate new words as you learn a language. If you always translate in your head, you’ll learn French at a much slower rate and may have difficulties making the language sound fluid when you speak.

#3. Use Context Clues

Homophones and homonyms won’t only come up on flashcards. They’ll occur in conversations and in reading materials. When this is the case, the best language learning tool you can use is context clues. Most of the time, you can figure out what someone is saying without knowing the definition of a word. If you do know the word but aren’t sure which one it is, you can always use context clues to figure it out. Knowing your French articles will also help with this.

24 Most Common French Homophones

Now that you know what homophones are and have some tips on how to best learn them, here are the most common French homophones you’ll encounter.

1. l’air (appearance) / une aire (zone, area) / une ère (era)
2. une amande (almond) / une amende (fine)
3. au (à + the article le) / aux (à + the article les) / une eau (water)
4. la boue (mud) / le bout (end, tip)
5. censé (supposed to) / sensé (sensible)
6. cent (hundred) sent (il/elle conjugation of the verb sentir)
   It is not uncommon for French learners to also make the words sans and sens sound the same, but they do have slightly different pronunciations. To avoid this mistake, work on your French pronunciation.
7. c’est (it/is) / ces (these) / sais (je conjugation of savoir) / sait (il/elle conjugation of savoir) / ses (his/her/it plural possessive for objects)
8. un compte (account) / un conte (story, tale)
9. le cou (neck) / le coût (cost)
10. le cygne (swan) / le signe (sign)
11. la foi (faith) / le foie (liver) / une fois (time)
12. la mer (sea) / le/la maire (mayor) / la mère (mother)
13. un mûr (wall) / une mûre (blackberry)
14. un parti (political party) / une partie (a portion/part)
15. la peau (skin) / le pot (jar, pot, can)
16. plus tôt (earlier) / plutôt (instead)
17. près (close) / prêt (ready)
18. la reine (queen) / le renne (reindeer)
19. sain (healthy) / saint (holy) ++ un saint (saint) une sein (breast)
20. le thon (tuna) / le ton (tone)
21. le vent (wind) / vend(s) (singular present conjugation of vendre)
22. une verre (glass) / un ver (worm) / vert (green) / vers (toward)
23. la voie (route, way, tracks) / la voix (voice)
24. la vue (view) / vu (given/considering)
    When you’re first learning French, vue and vu may sound the same as the formal French you vous , but they are pronounced differently. This is something you’ll learn to hear and pronounce as you continue your French learning journey, so don’t be frustrated if you can’t detect the difference just yet.

11 Most Common French Homonyms to Know

Similarly to homophones, there are a number of French homonyms that you will encounter. As these words are spelled the same, the most useful tools you can use when trying to determine what a person means to say are context clues and knowing the gender of each word.

1. aussi tôt (too early) / aussitôt (immediately)
2. un avocat (advocado) / un avocat (lawyer)
3. une chouette (owl) / chouette (cool > mostly in Belgium, but increasingly common in France)
4. entre (between) / entre(s) (single present conjugations of the verb entrer)
5. pair (even (number)) / le pair (peer)
6. la pâte (dough, pastry, paste) / les pâtes (pasta)
7. le pub (bar, pub) / la pub (short for la publicité = ad)
8. quelquefois (sometimes = adverb) / quelques fois (a few times)
9. la rose (rose flower) / rose (color pink)
10. la somme (sum, amount) / le somme (snooze, short nap > usually rather une sieste for a nap)
11. la tour (tower) / le tour (turn)

Keep Up the Hard Work Learning French!

Learning French is not simple and it can be easy to lose motivation or feel as if you’ll never master the language, but don’t stop! You’ve come this far and even if you only study your target language for a little while each day, you’ll be surprised how much you retain as time goes on. So don’t lose motivation, keep studying, and know that any French knowledge, however scattered or useless it may feel, is better than none at all!

Whether you want to learn German to the point of fluency, or you just want to be able to ask basic travel questions and use simple phrases, this article will help you learn the basic words and phrases you need to travel.

Germany may be the most populous German-speaking country, but it is far from being the only country where it is spoken, or even the only one where German is the official language. An estimated 90 million people are native German speakers. It shouldn’t be surprising that roughly 80 million native speakers are German.

German Speaking Countries

Besides Germany, five other countries have German as an official language. It’s an important language in the European Union, with an estimated 16% of people in the EU speaking it. The following are the countries where German is the official language (some do have more than one official language):

• Austria
• Belgium
• Germany
• Liechtenstein
• Luxembourg
• Switzerland

There are many other countries in the EU where a large percentage of the population speaks German. As a result, German is considered a minority language in the following countries:

• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• France
• Hungary
• Italy
• Poland
• Russia
• Romania
• Slovakia
• Vatican City

Outside of Europe, there are several countries where a larger percentage of the population speak German:

• Australia
• Brazil
• Chile
• Kazakhstan
• Mexico
• Namibia
• Norway
• Paraguay
• Uruguay
• United States
• South Africa
• Venezuela

That means that you have a chance to use the language when you go abroad, even if you don’t go to Germany. It’s great to be able to practice the language whenever you get a chance, especially in personal exchanges.

The problem is that you need the right vocabulary to make the most out of the opportunity. Let’s take a look at 101 of the words you’ll probably use when traveling in countries where you’re likely to find German speakers.

The Basics

All of the stuff you learn in the first few German classes are absolutely essential when you are traveling. Here's what you should master before arriving in a German speaking country.

How to say 'Hello' and 'Goodbye' (and other greetings) in German

The best place to start is with the basics. Like most other languages, there are many ways to greet people in German. There are fewer ways of saying goodbye, but still, there are about a half dozen ways. These are words and phrases you’ll definitely be using. Remember, you’ll also need to be more formal when you are conversing in German,

While many German-speaking countries know English, you’ll probably encounter some people who don’t. It’s best to be able to at least greet people in their native tongue. Since it’s an easy thing to do, greetings are a great way to get comfortable speaking to people in a language that isn’t your first.

If you are going to Germany, there are even more potential greetings. Here are a few other ways to greet people based on region and dialect.

Good Manners – Words You Need to Know

Odds are you are going to need to talk to people without actually wanting to engage in conversation. “Please” and “Thank you” are phrases you will almost certainly need to use when traveling.

Here are the phrases you should know to make sure you can show you have good manners, even if you aren’t fluent in German.

Making Your Introductions

While they aren’t known for being particularly warm, and they really aren’t big on small talk, Germans often enjoy getting to know new people. As an English speaker, they will probably be more than happy to have a language exchange with you, especially since far fewer people learn German compared to the number of people who learn Spanish and French.

To start a conversation, you need to be able to introduce yourself.

Asking Questions

It’s also very likely you will need to be able to ask basic questions. This is a bit trickier because the responses will be much more varied and hard to predict. However, knowing the question words can help to clue in the other person that you need a few more details, and the person will more than likely realize they need to slow down and work with you.

Phrases for Starting Basic Conversations

The following are basic conversation starter phrases.

How to Count Numbers in German

You almost certainly aren’t going to need to be able to count aloud while you are in a German-speaking country. However, you will definitely need to use numbers, such as for street numbers, payment details, and times. Numbers are used all the time, so it’s a good idea to make sure you know the basics so you won’t miss important information. Numbers are probably the easiest thing to memorize and to catch when people are talking to you.

Things That Will Likely Come in Handy

This section covers phrases and vocabulary that you may not use, but most people do when traveling to German speaking countries.

Shopping Phrases In German

You may not need to do any shopping when you are abroad, so there's a chance that you won't need these phrases. However, most people do end up stopping by a shop or two for trinkets and souveniers. The following terms are probably ones you’ll use at least a couple of times while traveling around German-speaking countries.

Dining with German Phrases

German cuisine is unique, and it is often a pleasant surprise just how good it can be to people who are less familiar with German foods.

There’s a lot to know about dining in Germany, so it’s worth your time to study etiquette and some of the more difficult phrases. After all, you will certainly be dining out often while you are there.

Accommodations, Transportation, and Asking for Directions in German

Wherever you go, you know that you are going to need to discuss your accommodations and the available transportation to get there. That means knowing how to ask for and receive directions.

The following are basic terms and phrases to help you get started. Do take time to go over the other blogs to learn more.

Asking for Help in German

The problem with emergencies is that they are always unexpected. Being able to communicate and ask for help is important at all times. When going to a place where there is a different primary language, you need to learn the basics so that you can ask for help.

All of the European countries that have German as a primary language are a part of the European Union. That means that you can call the emergency number 112 in any of those countries to reach an emergency dispatch.
Take the time to learn some of the basic medical terms and phrases so that you can communicate a little more easily.

Continuing to Learn German

This will help you to get started so that you can handle basic communications, but there’s still a lot more for you to learn. Hopefully, you feel inspired to delve into more that the German language has to offer so you can have a more authentic experience when you travel. There’s so much to learn, and the more you know before you reach your destination, the more you can enjoy your time abroad.

No matter how motivated, most language learners don’t look forward to grammar lessons. Grammar can often be confusing or frustrating, and if you’re learning French on your own, it can be hard to know where to turn when you have questions. Unfortunately, grammar is a necessary evil when it comes to mastering a foreign language, and some aspects come up early on.

The topic of partitive articles is usually one topic that appears relatively early on, but if you’ve been studying French for a while and haven’t heard of them, don’t worry. Today, we’ll cover partitive articles in a way that’s accessible for French learners at all stages.

What Are Partitive Articles?

Partitive articles are common in most languages, but every language has a different way of forming them. Depending on your native language or what other languages you already know, learning and understanding French partitive articles may be similar or it may be completely different.

In English, partitive articles are “some” and “any”. Another one is known as article zero which simply means that there isn’t an article at all. Here is an example for each case:

• I ate some bread.
• Do you have any bread?
• She ate bread.

Notice how number three doesn’t have an article between the verb (ate) and the object (bread)? That’s an example of article zero in English. It is also a partitive article.

In French, there is no such thing as article zero. Partitive articles will have a presence in the sentence if they are used. As in English, their use is to say “some” or “any”. Partitive articles are also used for uncountable nouns (such as “chocolate” or “money”) or if there is an unknown amount of something.

Since French is a gendered language, the partitive articles must agree in gender with the noun they are attached to. They must also agree in number; that is, singular or plural. This is just one of many reasons why you should always learn the gender of nouns in French. Gender forms the base for every grammar rule in French and is a vital part of learning the language.

Why Should You Know How to Use French Partitive Articles?

Okay, so partitive articles exist in French. What now? Why bother learning how to use and form them?

Partitive articles are extremely common. You may not notice them in your native language, but you would notice if they were wrong or missing. The same thing is true in French. If you don’t know how to use partitive articles, sentences may sound weird or be incorrect. In some cases, the lack of partitive articles can change the meaning of a sentence. Here’s an example in English:

• I ate some bread.
• I ate the bread.

In the second sentence, the speaker is talking about something specific. Maybe there was a loaf of bread that was supposed to be a gift, but the speaker ate it. While the change in meaning isn’t astronomical, it does have an effect on what the listener understands.

Another reason partitive articles are important is because some verbs will require them frequently. Verbs like manger, boire, jouer (+ an instrument), avoir, and prendre will often use partitive articles. When it comes to eating, drinking, or ordering something, you will almost always use partitive articles. Since this is an especially common occurrence, here are some food flashcards with the corresponding partitive article that you can study.

Finally, partitive articles will appear in every conversation you have in French. Even if it’s just a short exchange, the odds of encountering a partitive article at least once are very high. Since you likely want to be able to understand what someone is saying, knowing what these little words mean will help alleviate some stress. When it comes time for you to speak, using partitive articles naturally will also help you sound more fluent in French.

How to Make and Use French Partitive Articles

As mentioned above, French partitive articles must correspond in gender and number. This means that they will vary depending on the noun they are associated with, so you can’t simply memorize one word and use it every time. Luckily, the formula isn’t very hard and if you’ve memorized the gender of French nouns, it will be easy to think of on the fly.

The main characteristic of partitive articles in French is that they use de. No matter which noun you use, de will always be present in partitive articles. From there, you simply need to remember which definite article belongs with the noun according to its gender and combine it with de like so:

• feminine: de + la = de la
• masculine: de + le = du
• contracted: de + l’ = de l’
• plural: de + les = des

The contracted form is for nouns that begin with a vowel or a mute “h”. The plural form is the same regardless of gender. If a noun is neither plural nor begins with a vowel or a mute “h”, you will either use de la or du depending on the noun’s gender. Here are some examples:

• la serviette > de la serviette
• le pain > du pain
• l’air > de l’air
• les fleurs > des fleurs

And that’s it! That’s all you need to know in order to form French partitive articles. It’s really as simple as that.

A Note on Negation

As you may know, French negation always uses de. When it comes to a negative sentence, however, you do not use partitive articles. Simply keep the de as it is and add the noun afterward. Turning a negative de into a partitive article is incorrect.

Test Your New Knowledge

Now that you’ve learned a new French grammar point, it’s time to test your skills. If you want a refresher or you do better with video explanations, check out this video on partitive articles to further solidify your understanding. If you feel like you have a good understanding already, then take a look at the sentences below.

Here, you’ll find eight questions with a missing article. Fill in the blank with the correct article and then check your answers at the end.

1. J’ai mangé _____ pain
2. Elle n’as pas _____ argent
3. Nous avons _____ poulets
4. Ils mangent _____ gâteau
5. Tu bois _____ eau
6. Je prends _____ photos
7. Il joue _____ piano
8. Vous mangez _____ soupe

Answers:

1. J’ai mangé du pain
2. Elle n’as pas d’ argent
3. Nous avons des poulets
4. Ils mangent du gâteau
5. *Tu bois **de l’*eau
6. Je prends des photos
7. Il joue du piano
8. Vous mangez de la soupe

Dive In Confidently

Studying grammar is often the hardest part of learning a language, but not all grammar aspects are complicated. While partitive articles may not be a piece of cake, it won’t take long before you’re using them with confidence. Even now, you will probably find that you understand written or spoken French a little more after learning what those odd words are used for.

While they may be an easier aspect of French grammar, it will take time before you don’t have to think about forming or using partitive articles. Continuing to practice them along with your regular French studying and making an effort to expose yourself to written and spoken French will help them soon feel natural. So get out there, keep on studying, and know that you’re one step closer to mastering French!

Most French language learners dream of one day visiting France. Whether it's to attend a French immersion program or simply for vacation, most people who learn French have a plan for visiting the country at least once. Maybe you do too! You're certainly in good company if so, but have you planned for what to do in case of an emergency?

No one wants to plan for an emergency. You want to plan for fun! When traveling to a foreign country or somewhere that you want to learn the language, however, it can be very useful to have a few emergency phrases in your back pocket. Vacations and immersion programs are fun, but if an emergency happens, you need to know how to communicate. You may have a simple cold or you may seriously hurt yourself. No matter the case, it's important to know that you can ask for help when you need it, even in a foreign language.

58 Medical Terms to Know in French

No one expects to end up with a medical emergency when they travel, but it's always better to be prepared. Today, we'll talk about important medicine terminology in French that you should know and what to do in an emergency. While we'll cover a lot, not every situation will be addressed.

As a French language learner, it's okay to not know everything even if you otherwise have a high level of fluency. If you know the basics, you can be sure someone will understand and you can get the help you need. If you're seriously worried about it, however, then you can always buy an English-French medical dictionary to have on hand. Here are some additional resources for talking about medicine in French.

Without further ado, let's dive in to medical terms in French you need to know!

7 French Vocab Words for Emergencies

Whether you are the person having an emergency or someone else is, here are some phrases you should know. If nothing else, memorize this short list so that you can get assistance right away.

1. Au secours! - Help!
2. J'ai eu un accident - I've had an accident
3. Où est-ce qu'on peut trouver un cabinet médical? - Where can we find a doctor's office?
4. J'ai besoin d'un médecin - I need a doctor
5. J'ai besoin d'une ambulance - I need an ambulance
6. J'ai mal - I'm in pain
7. Je ne vais pas bien - I don't feel good

18 Body Part Vocab Words in French

If you have a medical emergency, then you will likely need to be able to explain where it hurts. To do so, review this quick body part vocab in French.

Body part vocab isn't just useful for emergencies. A lot of French idioms use body parts. Once you know them, then you can better understand colloquial French! Knowing the parts of the body is also useful for everyday conversations and in general.

1. la bouche - mouth
2. le bras - arm
3. la cheville - ankle
4. le cou - neck
5. le coude - elbow
6. les dents - teeth
7. l'oreille (f) - ear
8. l'oeil (m) - eye
9. le dos - back
10. le doigt - finger
11. l'épaule (f) - shoulder
12. l'éstomac (m) - stomach
13. le genou - knee
14. la gorge - throat
15. la jambe - leg
16. le nez - nose
17. la poitrine - chest
18. la tête - head

19 General Medicine Vocab Words in French

Whether you're in an emergency or you have general medical questions, here are some standard medical terms you may hear and need when talking about medicine in French.

1. l'ambulance (f) - ambulance
2. l'assurance (f) - insurance
3. la blessure - injury
4. le cabinet médical - doctor's office
5. le diagnostique - diagnosis
6. le médecin - doctor
7. la douleur - pain
8. la fièvre - fever
9. le gonflement - swelling
10. l'hôpital (m) - hospital
11. l'infirmier/l'infirmière - nurse
12. la maladie - illness
13. la pharmacie - pharmacy
14. la radiographie - x-ray
15. le sang - blood
16. la santé - health
17. le symptôme - symptom
18. l'urgence (f) - emergency
19. le vomi - vomit

9 Treatment Vocab Words

When talking with a doctor, you will want to know what they are saying or recommending. Now, in most cases, you can find an interpreter to help you understand if you truly don't. However, as a French learner, it's important to expand your vocabulary.

Learning treatment and medicine terminology in French is a good way to do this. Not only will you improve your language skills, but you'll also feel more confident and prepared in case a problem occurs. If you have French-speaking friends, these terms may also be part of a normal conversation. You'll be glad to have prepared in advance!

1. l'anti-douleur (m) - painkiller
2. le comprimé - pill
3. le fauteuil roulant - wheelchair
4. le médicament - medication
5. l'ordonnance (f) - prescription
6. le pansement - bandage/band-aid
7. le plâtre - cast
8. la pommade - ointment
9. le vaccin - shot/vaccine

5 Medical Appointment Vocab Phrases

Finally, if you're in France or a French-speaking country, you may want or need to make a medical appointment. If you're living abroad, then you most certainly will. Luckily, all of the vocab you've learned so far is useful during appointments too. Here are a few additional phrases that you may want to know when at your appointment and when talking about medicine in French.

1. Qu'est-ce qui ne va pas? - What's wrong?
2. Qui dois-je contacter en cas d'urgence? - Who is your emergency contact?
3. Montrez-moi où vous avez mal - Show me where it hurts
4. C'est la première fois que ceci vous est arrivé? - Is this the first time this has happened to you?
5. Prenez un comprimé par jour - Take one pill per day

What is the French Medical System Like?

Just like every other country, the medical system in France will likely be very different from your home country's. If you live in Europe, then it may not be too dissimilar. However, if you're from a different continent, then navigating medical appointments and emergencies in France will be a whole new experience.

While every appointment and emergency will be different, there are a few things that anyone can expect. For example, when making a standard doctor's appointment in France, you'll use Doctolib. The website is pretty straightforward so you should be able to navigate it well enough on your own, even with a basic level of medical terminology French.

To pay for doctor's appointments, you can use cash or a card. If you're living in France, you'll need to show your assurance maladie card. This is the insurance that every resident of France has access to and is required to have. If you're from elsewhere in Europe, you can show a European health card. If you're just visiting or this was an unplanned appointment, you can talk to the receptionist. You may not need to show an insurance card, but you will need to pay upfront for any services you received.

Practicing Your Medical French Vocab

Learning medical terminology in a foreign is always a good idea. If you're learning other languages such as German or Chinese, check out these other articles on Speechling with similar, must-know medical vocab.

While you may not expect to have a medical emergency while traveling, it's always a good idea to plan ahead. Practice this medical vocab so that if something happens, you have the confidence to ask for help and get the care you need. Even if there isn't an emergency while you travel, some of this vocab may come up in normal, everyday conversation with friends. Many French idioms use body parts too, so knowing those will help you better understand what someone is saying, even if the meaning of the idiom escapes you at the time.

No matter where you are on your French learning journey, medicine and emergency vocab is easy enough to add into your everyday studying. Find a practice partner online or in town and put yourself to the test!

The concept of "saving face" (保全面子, bǎoquán miànzi) has deep historical roots in Chinese culture, tracing back over two millennia to Confucian ideals which emphasise harmony (和谐 héxié), respect (尊重 zūnzhòng), and social hierarchy (社会等级 shèhuì děngjí). In traditional Chinese society, the importance of reputation and social standing influenced interpersonal relationships and community interactions. The term originally emerged from the practices surrounding honour within family units and social settings, where maintaining one's dignity was paramount.

As China underwent societal transformations through dynastic changes, colonial encounters, and modernisation, the concept of saving face evolved, adapting to contemporary values while still holding significant sway in social exchanges. Today, understanding this cultural nuance is essential for fostering effective communication and developing respectful relationships both within China and between Chinese individuals and the global community.

6 Key Vocabualary in Chinese

1. 丢面子 (diū miànzi) – To lose face; to be embarrassed or humiliated.
   Example: 他丢了面子 (Tā diū le miànzi.) – He lost face.

2. 给面子 (gěi miànzi) – To give face; to show respect or avoid embarrassing someone.
   Example: 我给你面子，不会当面批评你 (Wǒ gěi nǐ miànzi, bù huì dāngmiàn pīpíng nǐ.) – I’ll give you face and won’t criticise you in front of others.

3. 面子问题 (miànzi wèntí) – A matter of face; a situation where one’s dignity is at stake.
   Example: 这是一个面子问题 (Zhè shì yīgè miànzi wèntí.) – This is a matter of face.

4. 保面子 (bǎo miànzi) – To protect one’s face/reputation.
   Example: 他总是想保面子，不愿意承认错误 (Tā zǒng shì xiǎng bǎo miànzi, bù yuàn yì chéngrèn cuòwù.) – He always wants to save face and is unwilling to admit mistakes.

5. 面子大 (miànzi dà) – To have a lot of face; to have a high social standing or respect in society.
   Example: 你面子真大，连老板都亲自来参加你的聚会！(Nǐ miànzi zhēn dà, lián lǎobǎn dōu qīnzì lái cānjiā nǐ de jùhuì!) - You’ve really got clout—even the boss came to your party in person!

6. 失面子 (shī miànzi) – To lose face; to suffer a loss of dignity.
   Example: 他的行为让我们都失了面子 (Tā de xíngwéi ràng wǒmen dōu shīle miànzi.) – His behavior made all of us lose face.

How to Avoid Losing Face (a.k.a. Stay Cool, Calm, and Culturally Aware) in Speaking Mandarin

Losing face means damaging your reputation or embarrassing someone else (which, by extension, can reflect badly on you). Here’s how to stay in the safe zone:

• Don’t point out mistakes publicly: Correcting someone in front of others—especially superiors—is a big no-no. Save the feedback for private chats or strongly worded Post-it notes.

• Respect personal space: A friendly touch on the arm may be fine in some cultures, but in others, it’s a bit much. Mirror their comfort level before going in for a handshake, high-five, or hug.

• Gift with no strings attached: Giving is appreciated, but demanding reciprocity or making a fuss about your gift ruins the vibe. It’s a present, not a power play.

• Be flexible with prices: Negotiating is often expected, but keep it polite and playful. Aggressive haggling could make things awkward.

• Try a little of everything: At formal meals, declining food outright can come off as rude. Even if it's something... unusual, a polite nibble goes a long way.

• Avoid public drama: If someone is clearly fibbing or being difficult, keep your cool. Calling them out in public puts everyone on edge.

• Skip the tip: In many cultures (like China or Japan), tipping isn’t customary and can even be seen as insulting. When in doubt, check local norms—or just don’t tip.

How to Gain Face in Chinese (a.k.a. Impress Without Stress)

Gaining "face" is all about earning respect, admiration, and social points—without looking like you're trying too hard. Here's how to do it right:

• Compliment generously (but sincerely): Praise your hosts, chefs, colleagues—anyone who’s made an effort. A well-placed 这道菜太好吃了！zhè dào cài tài hǎochī le! - "This dish is amazing!” can earn you major points. Just don’t overdo itthough, or it will sound phoney.

• Host with style: Inviting others to dinners, banquets, or events (especially the fancy kind) shows generosity and status.

• Be a face-saver, not a face-taker: If someone makes a mistake, help cover it up or distract from it. Think of yourself as the friendly magician who makes awkwardness disappear.

• Keep it classy, not flashy: Drawing attention to yourself (like boasting or over-sharing your accomplishments) can backfire. Humility is the best high-status move.

• Show cultural curiosity: Ask questions, show interest in local traditions, and learn a few respectful phrases.

• Use the two-hand rule: Accept business cards, gifts, or money with both hands. It shows respect and signals that you value what’s being given.

Saving face in Business: The relationship between 面子 miànzi and 关系 ɡuānxì

The two concepts are interconnected as 关系 ɡuānxì (relationships/connections) often plays a role in helping individuals maintain miànzi (face) by leveraging their relationships to navigate social hierarchies, gain favors, and avoid potential loss of face. Here are a few useful phrases to know:

面子工程 - miànzi gōngchéng (“Face-Saving project”)
Example “That new expensive airport is just another face-saving project".

往脸上抹黑 - wǎng liǎn shàng mǒhēi (“Blacken one’s face/character”)
Example:“He blackened your character to get you back”.

看在某人的面子上，给个关系的方便 - kàn zài mǒurén de miànzi shàng, gěi gè guānxì de fāngbiàn ("For their sake, do them a favor through the relationship")
Example:"Pull some strings for their own sake".

讲关系，给面子 - jiǎng guānxì, gěi miànzi ("Honor the relationship, give them face.")
Example: "Avoid the embarrassment with the concession and honour our relationship".

给他点面子，毕竟是有关系的人 gěi tā diǎn miànzi, bìjìng shì yǒu guānxì de rén ("Give him some face— he’s someone we're connected with.")
Example: "We have to justify a favor, even if they aren't deserving by other standards.

有关系就有面子 yǒu guānxì jiù yǒu miànzi ("With the right connections, you have face.")
Example: "People will respect us more because of who we know"

Why Does This Concept Persist

It has been argued that China's recent history feeds into the narrative of hierarchy and being "shamed". The "100 Years of Humiliation" (bǎinián guóchǐ 百年国耻), which spanned from the First Opium War (第一次鸦片战争, dìyī cì yāpiàn zhànzhēng) until the end of World War II, only served to enrich this concept and provide more weight to it. China's recent history of conflict with Japan, as well as perceived international slights over Taiwan and other geopoltical issues, have bolstered this, and the issue of miànzi (面子) has become more internationally important in diplomatic relations as the economic and military strength of 中国 has rapidly grown.

Learn to Respect Each Other During Talking in Chinese

In Chinese culture, saving face is a vital part of maintaining dignity, respect, and social harmony. It influences how people communicate, resolve conflict, and build relationships. Preserving one’s own face—and helping others save theirs—is often more important than being “right.” Open criticism or confrontation is typically avoided, especially in public. Instead, indirect communication and subtle gestures are preferred. As the Chinese idiom “留有余地” (liú yǒu yúdì) suggests—“leave some room”—it's wise to be tactful and considerate, allowing others a graceful way out. Saving face isn’t just politeness—it’s a key to long-term trust and mutual respect.

One of the best ways to improve your conversation skills in Spanish is by committing a few set phrases to memory, so you’re not having to translate everything word-for-word. If you can begin the sentence with a starter, it can give you just enough extra time to translate the rest of your idea more smoothly into Spanish. You’ll find it useful to not only include single words in your vocabulary study, but common phrases too. Be careful though, as many phrases you may be comfortable with in English do not translate word for word into Spanish.

So, let’s get into it! Here are 13 widely used Spanish sentence starters you can make use of during conversation.

Introducing Ideas or Steering Conversation in Spanish

1. En cuanto a - as for, regarding

En cuanto a is a valuable sentence starter that roughly translates in English to “as for,” “regarding,” or “about.” You can use this phrase when you are having a conversation with someone, and you’d like to change the subject or bring up a topic.

• En cuanto a la boda, le dije que podría asistir.
• About the wedding, I told her that I would be able to attend.

In this case, en cuanto a brings up the topic of the wedding. If you put “regarding” into a translator, you might get five different ways to say it, but don’t overcomplicate things—you really only need one or two ways, especially as a learner. Let’s take a look at another example.

• En cuanto a nuestra conversación, creo que deberíamos conseguir un perro.
• Regarding our conversation, I think we should get a dog.

2. Por lo general - in general/generally

Por lo general is an easy to remember phrase that you should make room for on your vocabulary list!

• Por lo general, creo que lo más importante es dormir bien por la noche.
• In general, I think that the most important thing is to get a good night’s sleep.

You may also hear "general" switched out for other words, changing the meaning.

• Por lo visto, va a nevar esta noche.
• By the looks of it, it’s going to snow tonight.

3. Lo importante es que - the important thing is that

This is one of the most useful ways to make use of lo in Spanish. It shows us again why relying on direct translations can be problematic. Notice that we sometimes use the subjunctive mood because we are expressing what should happen.

• Lo importante es que recojas a mi papá del médico.
• The important thing is that you pick up my dad from the doctor.

You can substitute many adjectives into this phrase to change the meaning. In the following example, the indicative form is used (hace) because we are stating a fact.

• Lo curioso es que no hace ejercicio pero se mantiene en forma.
• The funny thing is that he doesn’t work out but stays in shape.

4. Ya que - since

Ya que is a super useful phrase that can be used both at the beginning or middle of a sentence. It translates to “since” or “because.”

• Ya que no fuiste a la fiesta de John, tampoco fui.
• Since you didn’t go to John’s party, I didn’t go either.

Here is ya que being used in the middle of a sentence:

• Compré un nuevo abrigo de invierno ya que ahora vivo en Canadá.
• I bought a new winter coat since I now live in Canada.

Sharing Opinions in a Spanish Conversation

5. Me parece que - it seems to me that

Although the way this phrase is written in English may seem uncommon, me parece que is a natural and common way to express your opinion on something.

• Me parece que los estados del sur tienen el mejor clima de América del Norte.
• It seems to me that the southern states have the best climate in North America.

It can also be used without an object pronoun, as parece que, meaning “it seems that.”

• Parece que Argentina va a ganar la Copa del Mundo este año.
• It seems like Argentina is going to win the World Cup this year.

6. Qué opinas de - what do you think about / what is your opinion of

Knowing phrases to ask someone’s opinion are essential for those who want to learn conversational Spanish. Qué opinas de is a common way to ask what someone thinks about something. Below are examples of this phrase in use.

• ¿Qué opinas de nuestro nuevo gobernador?
• What do you think about our new governor?

• ¿Qué opinas de vivir en Irlanda por un año?
• What do you think of living in Ireland for a year?

7. Desde mi punto de vista - From my point of view

This is another easy-to-remember phrase as it mirrors English.

• Desde mi punto de vista, Anna tiene la culpa.
• From my point of view, Anna is the one to blame.

Sequencing and Timing in Conversation

8. Estoy a punto de - I am about to

Use this phrase in place of the common “about to do something” construction in English. If you know your estar conjugations, it is easy to modify this phrase to speak about others.

• Estoy a punto de preparar la cena.
• I’m about to make some dinner.

• Está a punto de perder la cabeza.
• He’s about to lose his mind.

9. Al - upon

Although short, al is a very useful way to begin a sentence. Despite not hearing “upon” too much in English, the Spanish counterpart is common. When using it to begin a sentence, it is generally followed by a verb in its infinitive form.

• Al llegar a casa, me fui directamente a la cama.
• Upon getting home, I went straight to bed.

• Al verla, recordé que fuimos juntos a la escuela.
• Upon seeing her, I remembered that we went to school together.

10. Para remate - to top it off / to boot

Primarily used in Central America, para remate can be used to emphasize something happening in addition to other things.

• Para remate, empezó a llover justo cuando se fue de la casa.
• To top it off, it started to rain right when she left her house.

Making Requests or Suggestions in Spanish

11. Qué tal si - what about, how about

While you might already know that qué tal as a common way to say “how’s it going” or “what’s up,” it is also useful as its own sentence starter. It can be used to suggest doing something. To make a suggestion, use it followed by si and the conjugated verb.

• ¿Qué tal si vamos al parque?
• How about we go to the park?

• ¿Qué tal si nos mudamos a Perú?
• How about we move to Peru?

12. Sería posible - would it be possible

For native English speakers, the Spanish constructions that mirror English tend to be the easiest to remember, that’s why this is a great sentence starter! Just plug in the verb after the phrase in its infinitive form.

• ¿Sería posible elegir un restaurante un poco más barato?
• Would it be possible to choose a slightly cheaper restaurant?

• ¿Sería posible arreglar mi coche?
• Would it be possible to fix my car?

13. Te importaría - would you mind

Similar to the previous one, te importaría serves as a great way to request something without demanding. The verb that follows should be in the infinitive form.

• ¿Te importaría quitar los pies del sofá?
• Would you mind taking your feet off the sofa?

You’re on the road to fluent conversation in Spanish!

Well, there you have it, 13 commonly used sentence starters in Spanish. Find a few that might be useful for your own needs, add them to your word list, and use them in conversation! Getting comfortable conversing with others in Spanish is challenging, but hopefully you now are prepared to use and understand some of these phrases. Stay consistent, be patient with yourself, and before you know it, you'll be speaking like a pro.

While most western European nations have similar sentence structures, few of them are as regimental and complicated as German. Each grammatical case has its own conjugations. As someone starting from the English language, this is much harder than learning almost any other western European language.

It can certainly feel overwhelming, but the rigidity also means it is much easier to learn. The German language does not have a plethora of exceptions and variables like English. When there is a rule, it virtually always applies.

Let’s take a look at the four cases, then start delving into them. For now, we’ll focus on the Nominative case because it is the easiest of the cases to learn.

The Four German Cases

Most European countries work with the same case system, although the way cases are recognized is very different based on the language. For German, a case affects the sentence's articles, nouns, and pronouns. You can generally tell what a word’s role is based on the case.

For example, you can tell based on the article and the ending of a noun if a word is the subject or object of a sentence.

German has four cases:

1. Nominativ (Nominative) case – when something is in the nominativ case in German, it is the subject of the sentence – it is always the subject.
   Der Hunde jagte die Katze aus dem Haus. The dog chased the cat out of the house.
2. Akkusativ (Accusative) case – when a word is in the akkusativ case in German, it means the noun is the direct object of the verb or it is the object of an akkusativ preposition.
   Der Hunde jagte die Katze aus dem Haus. The dog chased the cat out of the house.
3. Dativ (Dative) case – when something is in the dativ case, that means it is an indirect object or it is the object of a dativ preposition.
   *Der Hunde jagte die Katze aus dem Haus. * The dog chased the cat out of the house.
4. Genitiv (Genitive) case – the genitive case indicates that something is a possession.
   Der Hunde jagte meine Katze aus dem Haus. The dog chased my cat out of the house.

Nearly everything associated with a noun changes based on its case. For pronouns, they change based on the case too, but usually it’s just the pronoun, not all of the articles and adjectives that are attached to the word.

A Quick Table of German Articles Based on Case

Articles tend to be the best indicator of what the case is. The following is a quick table that shows the correct version of each article based on the case.

Go ahead and bookmark this page – it can be invaluable for remembering what articles to use for a specific case.

Working with the Nominative Case

The nominative case is the easiest because you don’t have to change much. Both the article and the noun remain the same, so the only thing you may need to change are the adjectives Those will need to be changed to show the appropriate gender for the noun.

The nominative case almost always appears at the beginning of a sentence because it is the subject of the sentence.

Let’s take a look at the example sentence:

Der Hunde jagte die Katze aus dem Haus. The dog chased the cat out of the house.

Der Hunde is the subject because he is doing the action. He was chasing. If you strip down the sentence to its core, it is about a dog. The dog is doing the action – chasing. This is what makes it the nominative case.

You could make this substitute in the sentence, using the pronoun instead of the article and noun.

Er jagte die Katze aus dem Haus. He chased the cat out of the house.

Similarly, you can use the a article instead of the.

Ein Hunde jagte die Katze aus dem Haus. A dog chased the cat out of the house.

The biggest change occurs when you have an adjective. You can’t use just the adjective, just like you can just use a verb as you’ve memorized it for your vocabulary. The verb jagen has to be conjugated, you can’t use the infinitive version used in learning vocabulary words. Adjectives are similar – you have to change them based on the gender of the noun and the case.

For example, we can use the adjective jung to describe the dog.
Der junge Hunde jagte die Katze aus dem Haus. The young dog chased the cat out of the house.

When it is used as a vocabulary term or without a noun, you would use the word jung. When you use it to describe something – the young girl, the young tree, a young bird- you need to add the correct ending to the adjective jung.

For the nominative case, the ending to adjectives is the same for all but the plural nouns.

As the table shows, you just need to add -e to the end of the adjective to indicate the noun is the subject of the sentence. The only exception is for plural nouns, then you need to add -en to the adjective.

Making Time to Practice

The Nominativ case is the easiest case to learn because you don’t have to change much from what you’ve memorized. It’s also a critical part of every type of sentence except commands. Working with this case can help you get a level of comfort that you won’t get with the other three.

Make a habit of practicing writing or speaking 10 to 20 sentences a day, focusing on the nominiativ case. The practice sentences can be really short, just the subject and the verb. It’s a great way of practicing new vocabulary and grammar without feeling overwhelmed. You can gain confidence in the vocabulary without having to spend much time worrying about getting most of the grammar correct.

When Spanish learners prepare to see a doctor in a Spanish-speaking country, it’s essential to know the right vocabulary. Understanding Spanish medical words not only helps you explain your symptoms but also builds your confidence in the language. In this guide, you’ll find common Spanish medical terms, useful medical Spanish phrases, and even tips on reflexive verbs — all designed to help you feel ready before your next appointment.

Parts of the Body

Whether you’re seeing a doctor for a routine checkup or feeling unwell, knowing the parts of the body in Spanish is a must. It will help you indicate exactly where pain or any sort of problem is! Here are essential Spanish words for parts of the body that you should know:

—La cabeza: Head
—El brazo: Arm
—La pierna: Leg
—El estómago: Stomach
—La espalda: Back
—El pecho: Chest
—La garganta: throat
—El cuello: Neck
—La mano: Head
—Las uñas: Nails
—El pie: Foot
—El tobillo: Ankle
—El Corazón: Heart
—Los pulmones: Lungs
—Los dientes: Teeth
—Las encías: Gums

These common Spanish medical terms will make it easier to describe where you feel pain or discomfort during your visit with the doctor.

Tools of the Trade

Next, let’s look at the medical tools and objects that you might encounter at the doctor’s office!

—El estetoscopio: Stethoscope
—El termómetro: Thermometer
—La jeringa: Syringe
—La receta: Prescription
—El tensiómetro: Blood pressure cuff
—La camilla: Examination table
—La bata: Medical gown
—La medicina: Medicine
—El medicamento: Medication
—El antibiótico: Antibiotic
—La vacuna: Vaccine
—El tratamiento: Treatment
—El bisturí: Scalpel
—El algodón: Cotton ball
—La venda: Bandage
—El yeso: Cast (for broken bones)
—La mascarilla: Face mask
—El otoscopio: Otoscope (used to look in ears)
—El desfibrilador: Defibrillator
—La inyección: Injection/shot
—El suero: IV drip
—La silla de ruedas: Wheelchair
—Las muletas: Crutches
—La pastilla: Pill/tablet
—La radiografía: X-ray
—El guante médico: Medical glove

By learning these Spanish medical terms, you’ll be able to recognize common items that your doctor might refer to or use during your appointment.

Reflexive Verbs

In Spanish, reflexive verbs are extremely important when talking about symptoms because they show that something is happening to you as opposed to someone else. For example:

—Me duele la cabeza. (My head hurts.)
—Me duele la garganta. (My throat hurts.)

Notice the addition of the word “me”. This means that the speaker is receiving the action. You can change this to make others receive the action. For example, “nos duele” would mean “it hurts us,” nos meaning us.
At the doctor’s office, you might want to use the following verbs with “me” to express your symptoms:

—Me duele: It hurts me
—Me pica: It itches me
—Me siento mareado/a: I feel dizzy
—Me desmayo: I faint/I pass out
—Me corto: I cut myself
—Me lastimo: I hurt myself
—Me caigo: I fall down
—Me enfermo: I get sick
—Me rasguño: I scratch myself
—Me golpeo: I bump/hit myself
—Me torcí: I twisted (such as an ankle or a wrist)
—Me fracturé: I fractured (such as a bone)
—Me quemé: I burned myself
—Me sangra: I’m bleeding

Note that when you add a body part, you don’t say “my” like in English. It is not correct to say Me pica mi garganta (My throat itches), for example. We know that it’s my throat we’re talking about because of the me at the beginning of the sentence which is part of the reflexive verb. Because the me in the beginning tips us off that the speaker is talking about themselves, they don’t need to say “my throat”, rather “the throat”. The correct way to say that sentence would be “Me pica la garganta.” This literally translates to “The throat itches me.”

Mastering reflexive verbs is a key part of learning Spanish and especially Spanish medical terms. When you need to explain your symptoms clearly, reflexive verbs are a must!

Expressing Yourself in the Doctor’s Office

Now let’s put your skills to the test! Try translating these sentences into Spanish:

1. My stomach hurts.
2. I have a fever.
3. My throat is itchy. (Think about it as my throat itches me.)
4. I feel dizzy.
5. I need a prescription.

Practicing common medical Spanish phrases like these will make your doctor’s visit much smoother.

How did you do?

Here are the translations:

1. Me duele el estómago.
2. Tengo fiebre.
3. Me pica la garganta.
4. Me siento mareado/a.
5. Necesito una receta.

If you got most of them right, congratulations! ¡Felicidades! You’re well on your way to mastering Spanish medical words and terminology.

Tips For Practicing Medical Spanish

You don’t have to sit in a waiting room to improve your medical Spanish skills. In fact, there really plenty of creative and fun ways to practice on your own. Here are a few ideas to help you build your vocabulary and confidence before your next real-life medical encounter!

1. Watch Medical Dramas in Spanish - One of th easiest (and most entertaining) ways to hear medical Spanish in action is by watching TV shows. Look for Spanish-language medical dramas, such as Hospital Central (Spain) or Enfermeras (Colombia). Even popular American shows like Grey’s Anatomy often have Spanish dubbed versions available. Pay attention to how the doctors and nurses speak about symptoms, diagnoses, and treatments. Turn on Spanish subtitles to reinforce what you hear.

2. Listen to Spanish Medical Podcasts - There are several podcasts designed for Spanish learners interested in healthcare. Podcasts focus on real-world conversations you might have in a clinical setting. They’re perfect for practicing during your commute or workout.

3. Create Flashcards with Common Medical Terms - Building your vocabulary is key. Try making flashcards for parts of the body, symptoms, tools, and reflexive verbs commonly used in medical situations. You can use apps like Anki or Quizlet to create digital decks and quiz yourself on the go!

4. Role-Play Scenarios at Home - Even if you’re studying alone, you can role-play common doctor-patient converstations. Practice describing your symptoms, asking for a diagnosis, or responding to basic questions a doctor might ask. You could even write out small dialogues and read both parts aloud.

5. Read Patient Instructions or Medical Pamphlets in Spanish - Look for Spanish-language pamphlets on health topics, which you can often find online from hospitals or public health organizations. Reading real patient materials exposes you to practical vocabulary and common phrases used in everyday healthcare.

6. Use Spanish Medical Terminology Apps - Several apps are designed to teach Spanish medical phrases and vocabulary quickly. Apps like Canopy Learn and MediBabble offer structured lessons that target what you actually need to communicate in a medical setting.

By combining a few of these methods, you can immerse yourself in medical Spanish naturally without ever stepping foot in a clinic. The key is consistency: a little bit of exposure each day can dramatically improve your ability to communicate clearly and confidently when it matters most. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced student, building your vocabulary around common Spanish medical terms makes a huge difference when you need to see a doctor. Keep practicing, stay confident, and soon, navigating a medical visit in Spanish will feel like second nature!

Spanish verb conjugation can seem daunting to new language learners, but it’s an absolutely essential part of mastering the language. Just like English speakers instinctively conjugate verbs, Spanish follows a systematic approach that can be understood with a bit of practice. We don’t think of ourselves as conjugating verbs in English, but think of the difference between “I run” and “he runs”. Notice the difference at the end of the verb. In Spanish, there will be more endings, but the concept is the same. Whether you’re just starting your journey in Spanish or looking to brush up on forgotten skills, understanding verb conjugation will greatly enhance your fluency and confidence in communicating.

What is Verb Conjugation in Spanish?

We may remember from school that a verb is a word that describes an action, occurrence, or state of being. In Spanish, verbs typically end in one of three ways: -ar, -er, or -ir. An infinitive is a base form of a verb. I like to tell my students it’s the OG verb, the base model, or however you want to think about it. In English, these words will start with “to”. For example, “to speak” is not an action that is being acted upon by a subject, so we can say it’s an infinitive. In Spanish, infinitives will have the three endings I just mentioned. Here are some examples: “hablar” (to speak), “comer” (to eat), and “vivir” (to live). These are the most common ones you’ll see when learning about verb conjugation because they’re regular. They don’t have any strange exceptions to the rule.

Conjugating means that we’re taking these infinitive verbs that have no subject and applying a subject. We’re also matching the ending of the verb to go along with the chosen subject. This process may seem more complex than in English because in English, we make fewer changes than in Spanish, and if you’re coming from English as a first language, you’ve likely been doing this without thinking this whole time! As I mentioned above, though, in English, we would change “to run” to “he runs”, which is exactly what conjugation is. In Spanish, we’ll have 6 different subjects each with it’s own ending for -ar, -er, and -ir verbs. This makes for a total of 18 possible endings for present tense verbs. Endings are different in other tenses and moods, but let’s start with the present tense for now!

Types of Verbs in the Spanish Language

In Spanish, verbs can be categorized into three main types based on their infinitive endings:

1. -AR verbs: Examples include hablar (to speak) and canter (to sing).
2. -ER verbs: Examples include comer (to eat) and beber (to drink).
3. -IR verbs: Examples include vivir (to live) and escribir (to write).

Additionally, learners will encounter various complexities within these categories. Those include:

-Irregular Verbs: These verbs do not follow standard conjugation patters. Examples include, but are not limited to, ser, ir, and tener.

-Stem-Changing Verbs: These verbs alter their stems in certain conjugations. Though it may be difficult to learn, it is not considered irregular because they do follow a pattern. Examples include poder, which becomes puedo in the first person singular.

-Irregular Yo Forms: Some verbs have unique forms in the first person singular only, such as hacer, which becomes yo hago.

Spanish also features different verb endings based on the tense being used (past, present, future, etc.) and mood (subjunctive), which adds another layer of complexity.

Mastering Spanish Verb Charts

A first step in navigating Spanish verb conjugation is learning the subject pronouns. These are:

-Yo (I)
-Tú (You, informal)
-Él (He)
-Ella (She)
-Usted (You, formal)
-Nosotros (We)
-Vosotros (You all, informal - used for groups of people and in Spain)
-Ellos (They - masculine and mixed groups)
-Ellas (They - groups of women and girls only)
-Ustedes (You all, formal - used for groups of people in Latin America)

Once you’re familiar with the subject pronouns, you can look at the verb endings that correspond with each. Here’s a brief overview of the present tense conjugation for the three verb types:

-AR Verbs

-ER Verbs

-IR Verbs

By using these charts effectively, learners can start to construct sentences with more confidence and clarity. Try writing down some verbs in all of their forms or making flash cards to quiz yourself on the verbs and their meanings.

How to Put it All Together While Learning Spanish

With a solid understanding of verb conjugation, learners can now begin to form simple sentences. This is where learning a language begins to get exciting and can actually be useful! See if you can spot the subject pronoun and conjugated verb in each of these sentences:

1. Yo como pizza.
2. Ella habla español.
3. Nosotros vivimos en España.
4. Usted canta bien.
5. Tú y yo hablamos.
6. Él estudia español.
7. Tú escribes una carta.
8. Vosotros vivís en Europa.
9. Yo bebo agua.
10. Ellos hablan inglés.

Here are the translations of those sentences. How did you do?

1. I eat pizza.
2. She speaks Spanish.
3. We live in Spain.
4. You sing well.
5. You and I speak.
6. He studies Spanish.
7. You write a letter.
8. You all live in Europe.
9. I drink water.
10. They speak English.

Note that with number 5, tú y yo (you and I) will use the nosotros conjugation form because “you and I” is the same as saying “we”. When we see “tú y…” paired with another person, we can use “vosotros” in Spain since it is an informal group of people. In Latin America, we would simply use ustedes.

Practice is key, as always! Engaging in Spanish conjugation practice through writing and speaking will solidify your understanding of Spanish and help you grasp the nuances of Spanish verb tenses. It will also enrich your experience as you make connections with people from different backgrounds and cultures.

In conclusion, mastering Spanish verb conjugation is an essential step in becoming fluent in the language. It will define your experience going forward, since other tenses use some sort of verb conjugation, as well. You can expect to see it again in past tense (both preterite and imperfect) and future tense, as well as moods like the subjunctive and more abstract tenses like the conditional. Luckily, with regular practice and application, you will fin that speaking and writing in Spanish becomes more natural and enjoyable as time goes on.

If you’re ready to dive deeper into Spanish verb conjugation, consider utilizing additional resources and tools for practice. Write down the conjugations in this article and consider turning them into flashcards or writing verbs in all of their conjugated forms. It might take some time and dedication, but you can do it! Don’t give up, and happy learning!

When it comes to learning a language, everyone has different favorite subjects and preferences. Some people love vocab lists and hate listening comprehension; some love studying new grammar aspects and hate speaking. There are so many different things that come into play when learning a language that it's hard not to have a favorite subject and a least favorite subject. Amongst French learners, however, there seems to be one subject that is hated by all: the subjunctive.

As you start your French learning journey, it's okay to not know every single verb tense. No one expects that of you! However, as you progress in your studies, you will need to learn more difficult concepts. This includes the subjunctive. After all, if you want to master French, you'll first need to master its most hated verb tense.

What is the Subjunctive in French?

The subjunctive is more of a case than a tense when it comes to the nitty-gritty, how-does-it-work technicalities. It isn't used to express a moment something occured like the present or the many French past tenses. Instead, it is used to express a level of uncertainty or a feeling such as desire, doubt, judgement, possibility, or necessity.

Now, what does this mean? Can't you just use vouloir, douter, or avoir besoin? You absolutely can, but the subjunctive is necessary for forming certain phrases such as "It's possible that..." (c'est possible que...) and "It's necessary to..." (c'est nécessaire que.../il faut que...). Some verbs are simply "trigger" verbs and require the subjunctive regardless of what "feeling" or certainty level that you're trying to express. LawlessFrench.com has a good list of verbs that usually trigger the subjunctive.

I know. It doesn't seem all that straightfoward. And really, if there's an easier way to say something, why would you bother learning the hard way? If you're just starting out on your language learning journey, feel free to ignore the subjunctive until later on in your studies. If you've been learning French for a while now, though, then it's time to get a little more advanced in your ability to form and understand sentences. I'll walk you through it.

How to Form the Subjunctive in French

While the subjunctive is more of a case than a tense, it will conjugate just like any other French verb tense. You'll have a stem and the conjugation endings that change according to the subject. The good news is that unless a verb is irregular, the endings will always be the same. Verbs that end in -ir will have the same endings as those that end in -er or -re. This is great news as it means you don't have to worry about what the ending will be depending on how the verb is spelled.

To form the subjunctive, take the regular present ils form of the verb and find the stem: ils finissent. Remove -ent: finiss-. Add the subjunctive endings using the table below.

Irregular verbs are pretty consistent across cases, so the odds are high that if a verb is irregular in the present tense, then it will be irregular in the subjunctive. Here is a list of the most commonly used irregular verbs and their subjunctive form:

• être > sois, sois, soit, soyons, soyiez, soient
• boire > boive, boives, boive, buvions, buviez, boivent
• faire > fasse, fasses, fasse, fassions, fassiez, fassent
• voir > voie, voies, voie, voyions, voyiez, voient
• savoir > sache, saches, sache, sachions, sachiez, sachent
• avoir > aie, aies, ait, ayons, ayez, aient
• aller > aille, ailles, aille, allions, alliez, aillent
• devoir > doive, doives, doive, devions, deviez, doivent

To find the conjugation of other irregular verbs or simply to check if you've conjugated a verb correctly in the subjunctive, use WordReference's conjugation tool to see complete conjugation tables for any verb.

Before you can worry about it, here's another quick note on conjugation: French reflexive verbs are only irregular in the subjunctive if they're irregular in other tenses. To conjugate them in the subjunctive, you simply follow the same steps as a regular verb and ensure that you keep the reflexive aspect the same (ie. me for the subject je). There is no special step for them.

The other important aspect of forming the subjunctive is this: There must always be two different subjects. You cannot use the subjunctive in a sentence with only one subject like "I want to go to school". In such a sentence, you simply keep the second verb in the infinitive: je veux aller à l'école. With impersonal phrases such as il faut, this isn't usually an issue.

One last thing to remember in forming the subjunctive is that there must always be que or qui. This will begin the subjunctive clause.

Important: Using que or qui does not automatically make a sentence subjunctive. In most situations, they will be followed by another indicative tense (present, past, or future). When used in these specific situations or with certain verbs, however, they will be followed by the subjunctive.

Putting the Subjunctive Into Practice

Okay, so now you know the basics of forming the subjunctive. Let's talk about using it.

It's unlikely that you'll use the subjunctive very often, but it may appear every now and then in conversation so it's important that you know how to listen for it and understand. If you're unsure whether a sentence will require the subjunctive, you can either rephrase your sentence so that you are sure it won't or you can try it anyway. When speaking with a Francophone person, they can tell you if the subjunctive is correct in that situation or not. Don't expect an explanation for why or why not, though; most native French speakers won't be able to give one.

When you're just getting used to using the subjunctive, pick a few phrases and use them regularly. Instead of saying "J'ai besoin d'aller au magasin, rephrase your sentence into "Il faut que j'aille au magasin". Both sentences will more or less mean the same thing — "I need to go to the store" — but you'll be able to practice the subjunctive in the second one.

Even if you're just talking to yourself outloud at home, practice using the subjunctive with the following phrases:

• Il faut que tu... (It is necessary for you to...)
• Je ne suis pas certain que... (I'm not sure that...)
• C'est possible que... (It's possible that...)
• Elle n'aime pas que vous... (She doesn't like that you...)

Try using different subjects and verbs so that you can really practice conjugating the subjunctive and use the conjugation tool above to double check your work afterward. It doesn't matter if the full sentence isn't perfect; take this time to focus primarily on the subjunctive and how it works.

So How Do You Know For Sure When to Use the Subjunctive?

All in all, knowing when the use the subjunctive is half studying and half developing an ear for it. You can study a textbook all you want, but if you don't expose yourself to it by practicing French listening comprehension, then you won't learn it nearly as fast or as well. The more you listen and learn, the easier it will be for you to use confidently.

As a French language learner, you've probably dreamed of living in France or a Francophone country at least once. Whether you've limited yourself to abstract, vague ideas of what you would do there, or you've dedicated an entire Pinterest board and checklist to your dream, you certainly aren't alone in wishing to visit a foreign country.

Visiting or living in a Francophone region is the best way to improve your language skills. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to truly master a foreign language. Even just a short trip can do wonders for advancing your language skills, especially if you dedicate the trip to practicing real-life French every day. Longer immersion trips are obviously more beneficial than a short, weeklong venture, but they require a lot more planning and financing than studying at home or in a classroom will. One thing that you'll have to meticulously plan, for instance, is the move.

Moving to a foreign country can be very stressful. Learning some of the basic French vocab and phrases associated with moving, however, can help you feel better prepared to tackle it. Even if you don't feel confident in your level of French and plan on doing a lot in English, knowing basic French moving vocab can do wonders to make the transition easier.

Why Should You Know Moving Vocab?

Moving isn't something that you'll do very often. At least, not as often as you go to the grocery store or use public transit. When do you move, though, it can be a pretty high-stress moment. You can eliminate some of that stress by learning basic French moving vocab before the actual move. That way, when someone asks if you're looking for un appartement ou une maison, or if you want your rent to be charges comprises, you know what they're asking.

In some cases, immersion programs will provide housing so you won't need to know this vocab. If you're moving on your own or your program doesn't provide housing, then knowing the following vocab will be vital.

Realistically, you can move to France or another Francophone country without knowing French. There are plenty of multilingual agencies that can help. However, as a French language learner, your primary goal for moving is to learn French. This means practicing new vocab and exposing yourself to the language. Now, you can certainly work with a multilingual company to ensure that nothing gets misunderstood, but you should definitely try using French vocab in your search for a new living place.

13 Words for Moving in French That You Should Know

One thing to keep in mind about French vocab is that it may differ between regions. France and Quebec, for example, have many linguistic differences that will impact your French. Fortunately, in most cases, basic French words for moving, renting, or buying a home will be the same. As you'll see below, there are some situations where a particular vocabulary word may be specific to one region or another.

General Moving Vocab in French

As can be expected, moving, renting, or buying may look a little different in a foreign, Francophone country than in your home country. Some of the vocab in French is very specific to certain situations and I'll go over that in a bit. For now, here is the vocab list that you should keep track of:

• démenager > to move (out)
• démenagement > move-out (noun)
• émmenager > to move (in)
• louer > to rent
• acheter > to buy
• une agence immobilière > real estate agency
• un propiétaire > landlord
• un studio > studio
• un T2 / T3 / T4 / T5 > (an apartement/house with) one bedroom/two bedroom/three bedroom/four bedroom
• la caution > the deposit
• chez nous / chez moi > our home/my home

French is very particular in how you can say that you moved. You can't use the same word in every situation; démenager is specific to moving out whereas émmenager is specific to moving in.

When it comes to what type of house or apartment you want, un T2 / T3 / T4 / T5 is unique and limited to France. It isn't used in other Francophone countries. Understanding it can be a little tricky at first, but it really isn't that complicated. There is no T1, as the living room is counted as a room. Therefore, a T2 would be a one bedroom apartment with a living room. A T3 has two bedrooms and a living room, and so on and so forth. It's a little hard to explain here, so here's a video that explains it more in-depth.

Vocab for Buying a House in French

Now, I know it's unlikely that you'll be buying a house for a quick immersion program, but if you plan on fully moving to a Francophone country, then maybe you will one day. It may not be as soon as you move, but if you're sure of your move, then maybe it is. In either case, here is some more basic French vocab that is specific to buying a house.

• faire un emprunt / un prêt immobilier / un crédit immobilier > take out a mortgage
• aller au notaire > go to the notary

As you can see, there are three different ways to say "mortgage". All are generally understood so you can use any of them; just be aware that they do have a bit of nuance to them and someone else may use a different term depending on the situation.

Additionally, le notaire in French is the person who concludes a sale between you and the seller of the house or apartment. They finalize all the paperwork and ensure everything is in order. You cannot buy a home without going to a notary.

What to Know When Moving to France

So now that you know some essential French words for moving, what else should you know before your big adventure?

First thing first: Not every French-speaker will know English, so don't expect to get by on it. The point of moving in the first place is to immerse yourself in French and you can't do this if you revert to English every chance you get. In some places, people may not even speak English, particularly southern France and rural areas. Plan on only using French even if you struggle to make a sentence or be understood. Over time, it will get easier.

Next, there are a few websites you should know about if you plan on moving. They range from news channels to the equivalent of Craisglist (which can be a great place to find an apartment). Familiarize yourself with them before your move.

Finally, if you plan on renting, there are a few things you should know in advance.

It's possible to rent from either an agency (une agence immobilière) or an individual (un particulier). With an agency, you'll have nonrefundable fees called honoraires in addition to the deposit. These fees can be quite high, so be sure to ask what they are before working with an agency. If you go through a private individual, you likely won't have fees, but there can be other issues. Some private landlords may try to trick or take advantage of foreigners.

Whether you choose a private landlord or an agency, you have the choice to rent an apartment with utilities included (charges comprises) or excluded (hors charges) in the monthly rent. I highly recommend renting an apartement charges comprises as you won't have to worry about finding companies for all of your utilities. The good news is that it isn't hard to find such an apartment.

Practice Makes Perfect

Again, you probably won't use this French moving vocab very often, but it's still worth practicing and memorizing. You may be surprised when it comes up and feeling confident in your vocab beforehand can alleviate a lot of stress.

If you plan on moving or simply want to test your listening comprehension, I recommend watching this moving vlog in French to learn more about moving in France and to practice your new vocab.

As a French language learner, there are a lot of topics that you'll cover as you study and memorize new vocabulary. At the beginning of your studies, you start simple: colors, animals, and family members. As you progress, however, you'll start to study different sets of vocabulary: sports, history, and government.

Learning new French vocabulary is an important part of your French learning journey. Not every topic will be your favorite and, unfortunately, many of the important topics are ones that people don't love going over. But election and government vocab doesn't have to be boring! In this post, we'll cover exactly why you should take the time to study it, even if politics isn't your favorite subject.

Why Learn French Election Vocab?

Almost every country in the world holds some form of an election. Elections happen at all different times of the year and never all at once, which means that knowing election vocab in French is important. You never know when it's going to come up. When it does, though, you want to be prepared.

As a French learner, you are most likely interested in French culture and living. This includes French elections. I won't dive deep into the French election system, but this website provides a great guide to the basics of French elections that uses some of the vocabulary we'll go over down below.

If you're passionate about politics, great! You'll find this subject particularly interesting, and when you study vocab that interests you, you stay motivated.

If you don't enjoy politics, I apologize in advance. It's best to just buckle up and trudge through it. Trust me: You won't regret having this French vocabulary in the future, even if you don't enjoy it now.

French Election and Government Vocab

Being able to talk about elections and the government is important for talking about your home country, France, and other countries. However, every country has a slightly different system so not all of the vocab listed below may be relevant for your home country. In any case, it's worth memorizing them as you never know when they might come up in conversation.

For the Americans learning French, here's a list of American election vocab in French that may be useful to learn as well.

Government Vocab in French

• le Parlement = Parliament
• l'Assemblée générale (fem.) = the National Assembly (the lower house of the French Parliament)
• la Chambre basse (du Parlement) = another term for the National Assembly
• la Chambre haute (du Parlement) = the Senate (the upper house of the French Parliament)
• le Sénat = another term for the Senate
• l'Élysée = Elysée Palace (where the President lives and works)
• le Château = another term for the Elysée Palace
• le Premier ministre/la Première ministre = the Prime Minister
• le président/la présidente = the President
• le député = National Assembley member (similar to a congressperson in the US or an MP in the UK)
• le candidat/la candidate = candidate
• un sénateur/la sénatrice = senator
• le partisan = supporter
• un conseiller/une conseillère = councillor
• le gagnant/la gagnante = winner

Government Party Vocab in French

France has multiple main government parties, but they all fall somewhere on the scale from the far left to the far right. Here is a list of the party positions in French as well as some of the most well-known parties in France and their position on this scale.

• le centre = center
• la droite = right/right-wing
• la guache = left/left-wing
• le centre-droite = center-right/moderate right
• le centre-gauche = center-left/moderate left
• l'extrême droite (fem.) = far right
• l'extrême-gauche (fem.) = far left
• le Parti socialiste = socialist party (center left)
• les Verts = the Greens/green party (center left)
• les Républicains = the Republicans (center right)
• le Rassemblement national (RN) = the National Rally party (far-right)
• le Nouveau front populaire (NFP) = the New Popular Front party (a coalition of left parties)

Election Vocab in French

• une investiture = nomination
• un électorat = constituency
• le débat = debate
• le droit de vote (note that droit doesn't end in an -e) = the right to vote
• le bulletin (de vote) = ballot
• l'urne (fem.) = ballot box
• le vote blanc = a deliberately blank ballot
• le vote barrage/le vote de rejet = voting against a certain candidate
• le vote d'adhésion/le vote de conviction = voting for a candidate you like
• la voix = vote (literally: voice)
• un isoloir = voting booth
• l'ouverture du scrutin (fem.) = start of polling/voting
• le dépouillement = counting of the votes
• les résultats (always plural) = results
• le sortant/la sortante = incumbant or outgoing (if not re-elected)

French Election Verbs

An election is something that you do. It's an action as much as a noun and as such, there are a variety of verbs that are used when talking about elections. Here is a list of the most common ones:

• se présenter aux élections = to run (in an election)
• aller aux urnes = to go vote (to head to the polls)
• voter = to vote (the act of casting a vote)
• appeler à voter = to call people to vote for X
• donner la consigne de vote = to recommend another candidate/to endorse
• arriver en tête = to become the top candidate
• être en tête = to be in the lead
• repasser = to retake the lead
• dépouiller un scrutin = to count the votes
• gagner = to win
• remporter les élections = to win the election
• perdre = to lose
• obtenir le même nombre de vote/voix = to tie (literally: to receive the same number of votes)
• élire = to elect

How to Talk About Elections in French

It isn't enough to just know French words in a list. If you really want to talk about elections in French, you have to be able to use the vocab that you've learned. This means that you'll need to be able to conjugate the relevant verbs as well.

In most cases, people talk about elections as a future event. This means that the most useful tenses to know in French are the future tenses: le futur proche and le future simple. Luckily, both are pretty easy to learn.

To conjugate for le future proche, all you need to do is conjugate the verb aller and then add the infinitve of the verb you want. Here's an example:

• Je vais aller aux urnes = I am going to go vote
• Elle va arriver en tête = She is going to become the top candidate
• Ils vont dépouiller un scrutin = They are going to count the votes

Le futur simple is a little bit more complex, but it isn't hard. All you need to do is take the conjugated form of avoir and add it directly to the end of the infinitive. There are some irregular verbs, but this tense is otherwise very simple. Here's a guide that explains it well.

In some cases, you may be talking about past elections. This will require the use of French past tenses. There are several French past tenses, some more difficult than others, but you don't need to master every single tense in order to talk about elections. You'll learn them over time and slowly become more comfortable using them.

Don’t Be Afraid to Talk Politics!

As a French learner, it's important that you practice the vocab that you study. Going over it once won't be enough for it to stick in your brain. The more frequently you use it, the more comfortable you'll feel. While the words may be difficult or sound clunky at first, your French pronunciation will get better with time so that, eventually, the words feel natural when you use them.

Unlike with other topics, election and government vocab can scare people. Politics can be a sensitive topic, but it doesn't have to be taboo. When you're working on your new French vocabulary, the focus should be on practicing and not on arguing about politics. Keep things simple and easy, and wait to hold those intense political debates until you're much further along in your language learning journey.