After this lesson you can follow the logic of a French article: you will spot cause, consequence, contrast and purpose at a glance, and use the same connectors to structure your own arguments.
52 core words · 14 bonus cognates · 14 phrases
Pronunciation
Sentence melody in long written sentences
French speaks in groups, not in words
French has no word stress like German or English. Instead, a sentence is cut into sense groups (groupes rythmiques), and only the last syllable of each group is a little longer and stronger. Think of it as a series of small waves, not a series of hammer blows.
Les touristes / arrivent en masse / chaque été.
/le.tu.ʁist | a.ʁiv.ɑ̃.mas | ʃak.e.te/
In German you would stress TOUristen, ANkommen, SOMmer. In French the weight sits at the end: tou-ristes, en masse, é-té.
Up, up, up, down
In a long declarative sentence, the melody rises at the end of each group (signalling: more is coming) and falls only at the very end (signalling: full stop).
Malgré la pluie ↗ / les visiteurs sont venus ↗ / en grand nombre. ↘
English does something similar in lists (apples ↗, pears ↗ and plums ↘), French simply does it in every long sentence.
Connectors get their own little group
When you read aloud, connectors at the start of a sentence are often followed by a short pause and a slight rise, just like the comma in writing:
Cependant ↗, le problème reste entier. /sə.pɑ̃.dɑ̃/
En effet ↗, les prix ont explosé. /ɑ̃.n‿e.fɛ/ (liaison: en‿effet sounds like an-né-fè)
Toutefois ↗, il faut rester prudent. /tut.fwa/ (the middle e disappears)
Par contre ↗, le train est moins cher. /paʁ.kɔ̃tʁ/
Small sound traps
Word
IPA
Tip
donc
/dɔ̃k/ or /dɔ̃/
the c is usually pronounced at the start of a clause or for emphasis
puisque
/pɥis.kə/
ui like a quick ü-i; before a vowel: puisqu'il /pɥis.kil/
tandis que
/tɑ̃.di.kə/
the s is traditionally silent (some speakers say it)
malgré
/mal.ɡʁe/
two clear syllables, stress on -gré
grâce à
/ɡʁɑ.s‿a/
the s sound links to à
afin de
/a.fɛ̃.də/
nasal in like in vin
Tip: when you read a news article aloud, mark the groups with a pencil first. Reading in groups makes you sound natural and helps you understand long sentences faster, because the groups are the units of meaning.
Grammar
Logical connectors: the road signs of a text
Connectors tell you where an argument is going. If you recognise them, you can skim (parcourir) a French article and still follow the logic. Group them by function.
1. Consequence: donc, alors
Connector
Meaning
Register
donc
so, therefore
neutral, very frequent
alors
so, then
spoken, narrative
Il pleuvait, donc nous sommes restés à l'hôtel. It was raining, so we stayed at the hotel.
Le train était annulé. Alors, on a loué une voiture. The train was cancelled. So we rented a car.
Trap for Germans: German also (= therefore) is French donc, while French aussi means auch / too. Il est malade, donc il reste chez lui = Er ist krank, also bleibt er zu Hause.
2. Contrast: pourtant, cependant, toutefois, par contre
Connector
Meaning
German
Register
pourtant
yet, and still
trotzdem, dabei
neutral
cependant
however
jedoch
written
toutefois
however, nevertheless
dennoch, allerdings
formal
par contre
on the other hand
dagegen
spoken, informal writing
Le paysage est magnifique. Pourtant, personne ne vient ici. The landscape is magnificent. And yet nobody comes here.
L'hôtel est cher. Par contre, le petit-déjeuner est compris. The hotel is expensive. On the other hand, breakfast is included.
Le projet est intéressant ; il reste, cependant, très coûteux. The project is interesting; it remains, however, very expensive.
Cependant and toutefois can also sit in the middle of a sentence between commas, like English however. In formal writing, en revanche replaces par contre.
3. Contrast between two clauses: alors que, tandis que
Both mean whereas / while and are followed by a full clause (subject + verb, indicative):
Paris attire des millions de touristes, alors que la campagne se vide. Paris attracts millions of tourists, whereas the countryside is emptying.
Elle travaille, tandis que son frère regarde une série. She works while her brother watches a series.
Alors que can also mean just when: Il est arrivé alors que je partais.
4. Cause: puisque, en effet, grâce à, à cause de
puisque = since (the reason is already known or obvious): Puisque tu es là, tu peux m'aider. Since you're here, you can help me. Like German da ja.
en effet = indeed, in fact; it explains or confirms what was just said: Il faut agir vite. En effet, la situation est urgente. We must act fast. Indeed, the situation is urgent. False friend: it does not mean in effect.
grâce à + noun = thanks to (positive result): Grâce à cette application, j'ai trouvé un hôtel.
à cause de + noun = because of (negative result): À cause de la grève, le vol est annulé.
Remember the contractions: à cause du bruit, grâce aux habitants.
5. Purpose: afin de
afin de + infinitive = in order to (German um ... zu), a more formal pour:
Nous prenons le train afin de réduire nos émissions. We take the train in order to reduce our emissions.
6. Concession: malgré
malgré + noun = despite, in spite of (German trotz):
Malgré la pluie, la fête a eu lieu. Despite the rain, the party took place.
Il est venu malgré sa fièvre. He came despite his fever.
Malgré takes a noun, never a verb. Despite being tired becomes bien qu'il soit fatigué or malgré sa fatigue.
Quick map
Function
Connectors
consequence
donc, alors
contrast
pourtant, cependant, toutefois, par contre, alors que, tandis que
cause
puisque, en effet, grâce à, à cause de
purpose
afin de
concession
malgré
Cognate pattern
-ateur / -atrice = -ator
The rule
French nouns in -ateur (masculine) and -atrice (feminine) usually match English -ator and German -ator / -er. They name a person (or a machine) that does the action of a verb in -er: organiser → organisateur (the one who organises).
French
English
German
organisateur / organisatrice
organiser
Organisator(in), Veranstalter
consommateur / consommatrice
consumer
Verbraucher(in), Konsument
spectateur / spectatrice
spectator
Zuschauer(in)
créateur / créatrice
creator, designer
Schöpfer(in), Gründer
administrateur / administratrice
administrator
Administrator(in), Verwalter
collaborateur / collaboratrice
colleague, employee
Mitarbeiter(in)
observateur / observatrice
observer
Beobachter(in)
explorateur / exploratrice
explorer
Entdecker(in)
éducateur / éducatrice
(social) educator
Erzieher(in)
présentateur / présentatrice
(TV) presenter
Moderator(in)
dictateur
dictator
Diktator
sénateur / sénatrice
senator
Senator(in)
opérateur / opératrice
operator
Betreiber, Operator
utilisateur / utilisatrice
user
Benutzer(in)
conservateur / conservatrice
conservative, curator
konservativ, Kurator
indicateur
indicator, informer
Indikator, Spitzel
Traps
ordinateur = computer (not ordinator)
navigateur = web browser as well as navigator: Ouvrez votre navigateur.
animateur = host, entertainer, youth leader, not only animator
réalisateur = film director (German Regisseur), not realiser
calculatrice = calculator: for machines the feminine form is often the one used
consommateur = consumer, never consummator
collaborateur in a company is just a neutral word for employee; historically it can also mean collaborator with an occupying power
Tip: the feminine is almost always -atrice, not -ateuse. Une organisatrice, une spectatrice, une créatrice.
Learn this lesson's vocabulary
Study cards in batches of 8, each followed by a quick check.
Phrases (14)
Tout d'abord, il faut rappeler le contexte.
Zunächst muss man an den Kontext erinnern.· First of all, we need to recall the context.
D'une part..., d'autre part...
Einerseits..., andererseits...· On the one hand..., on the other hand...
En effet, les chiffres le montrent.
Tatsächlich zeigen es die Zahlen.· Indeed, the figures show it.
C'est pourquoi nous proposons une autre solution.
Deshalb schlagen wir eine andere Lösung vor.· That's why we are proposing another solution.
Par conséquent, le projet est reporté.
Folglich wird das Projekt verschoben.· Consequently, the project is postponed.
formal, very common in reports
En revanche, les coûts ont baissé.
Dagegen sind die Kosten gesunken.· On the other hand, costs have fallen.
the written version of par contre
Cela dit, je comprends votre point de vue.
Allerdings verstehe ich Ihren Standpunkt.· That said, I understand your point of view.
Prenons l'exemple de la France.
Nehmen wir das Beispiel Frankreich.· Let's take the example of France.
Le problème, c'est que personne ne veut payer.
Das Problem ist, dass niemand zahlen will.· The problem is that nobody wants to pay.
Autrement dit, il faut changer de modèle.
Mit anderen Worten: Man muss das Modell ändern.· In other words, we need to change the model.
Il ne faut pas oublier que...
Man darf nicht vergessen, dass...· We must not forget that...
Quant aux prix, ils restent stables.
Was die Preise betrifft, bleiben sie stabil.· As for prices, they remain stable.
Pour résumer, la situation s'améliore.
Zusammengefasst: Die Lage verbessert sich.· To sum up, the situation is improving.
En conclusion, je suis plutôt d'accord.
Abschließend: Ich bin eher einverstanden.· In conclusion, I rather agree.
Words (66)
habituer/abitɥe/
gewöhnen; sich gewöhnen an· to accustom; s'habituer à = to get used to
mostly reflexive: s'habituer à
marre/maʁ/
die Nase voll haben (en avoir marre)· fed up (en avoir marre)
only in en avoir marre (de) = to be fed up (with); familiar
l'explication/ɛksplikasjɔ̃/
die Erklärung· explanation
≈ explanation
la marque/maʁk/
die Marke, das Zeichen· brand, make, mark
≈ mark · Marke
le pot/po/
der Topf, das Glas; der Drink· pot, jar; drink (familiar)
≈ potprendre un pot = to have a drink; pot de départ = leaving do
résoudre/ʁezudʁ/
lösen, beheben· to solve, to resolve
≈ resolvepast participle: résolu
l'assiette/asjɛt/
der Teller· plate
ne pas être dans son assiette = to feel off-colour
exploser/ɛksploze/
explodieren· to explode, to blow up
≈ explode · explodieren
rattraper/ʁatʁape/
einholen, auffangen, nachholen· to catch up with, to catch, to make up for
la tendresse/tɑ̃dʁɛs/
die Zärtlichkeit· tenderness, affection
≈ tenderness
louer/lwe/
mieten, vermieten, loben· to rent, to hire, to praise
both rent and rent out: à louer = for rent
énerver/enɛʁve/
nerven, aufregen; sich aufregen· to annoy, to irritate; s'énerver = to get worked up
ne t'énerve pas = calm down
la silhouette/silwɛt/
die Silhouette, die Gestalt· silhouette, figure, outline
≈ silhouette · Silhouette
le modèle/modɛl/
das Modell, das Vorbild, das Muster· model, example, design
≈ model · Modell
le paysage/peizaʒ/
die Landschaft· landscape, scenery
le territoire/tɛʁitwaʁ/
das Gebiet, das Territorium· territory, area
≈ territory · Territorium
la vision/vizjɔ̃/
die Vision, die Sicht, die Vorstellung· vision, view, sight
≈ vision · Vision
parcourir/paʁkuʁiʁ/
durchqueren, zurücklegen, überfliegen· to travel through, to cover (a distance), to skim (a text)
conjugated like courir: parcouru
le sou/su/
der Groschen, der Pfennig· penny, cent (old coin)
pas un sou = not a penny; sous (familiar) = money
le banc/bɑ̃/
die Bank (Sitzbank)· bench
≈ Bank≠ bank (that is la banque)
civil/sivil/
zivil, bürgerlich· civil, civilian
≈ civil · zivilun civil = a civilian; en civil = in plain clothes
Jeden Sommer durchreisen Millionen von Besuchern die schönsten Landschaften Europas. Dank billiger Flüge und Vermietungs-Apps war Reisen noch nie so einfach. Trotzdem hat dieser Erfolg seinen Preis. In manchen Tälern der Alpen müssen Lebensmittel und Wasser per Lastwagen kommen, während die Dörfer im Winter kaum ein paar hundert Einwohner zählen.
Experten bezeichnen dieses Phänomen als „Übertourismus“. In Venedig, in Barcelona oder bei Marseille haben die Bewohner die Nase voll: Die Mieten explodieren, da viele Eigentümer ihre Wohnung lieber an Touristen vermieten. Die kleinen Läden verschwinden, während sich die Souvenirgeschäfte vermehren.
Die Behörden haben also begonnen zu reagieren. In einem Nationalpark bei Marseille ist der Zugang zu bestimmten Stränden nur noch mit Reservierung möglich. Wer die Regeln nicht einhält, riskiert eine Geldstrafe. Andere Städte begrenzen die Zahl der Boote, die auf dem Fluss oder im Hafen fahren.
Allerdings bleibt der Tourismus für die lokale Wirtschaft unverzichtbar. In vielen Regionen hängt nämlich jeder fünfte Arbeitsplatz von den Besuchern ab. Es geht also nicht darum, das Gebiet abzuriegeln, sondern das Modell zu ändern.
Mehrere Vorschläge kehren oft wieder: mit dem Zug reisen, um die Emissionen zu senken, außerhalb der Saison fahren oder weniger bekannte Regionen entdecken, die genauso viel Charme haben. Dagegen wird es Zeit brauchen, bis sich die Reisenden an diese neue Sichtweise gewöhnen. Trotz des Klimanotstands träumen viele von uns immer noch von demselben Foto, am selben Ort, zur selben Zeit.
Dennoch gibt es ermutigende Zeichen. Laut einer neuen Studie würde fast die Hälfte der jungen Europäer wegen der Auswirkungen auf das Klima ein näheres Reiseziel wählen. Das Problem ist noch nicht gelöst, aber eines ist klar: Ohne die Beteiligung aller, Touristen, Bewohner und Unternehmen, wird sich nichts ändern.
Every summer, millions of visitors travel through the most beautiful landscapes in Europe. Thanks to cheap flights and rental apps, travelling has never been so easy. And yet this success comes at a price. In some valleys of the Alps, food and water have to arrive by truck, whereas the villages have barely a few hundred inhabitants in winter.
Experts refer to this phenomenon as “overtourism”. In Venice, in Barcelona or near Marseille, residents are fed up: rents are exploding, since many owners prefer to rent their flat to tourists. Small shops are disappearing, while souvenir stores are multiplying.
So the authorities have started to react. In a national park near Marseille, access to certain beaches now requires a reservation. Anyone who does not respect the rules risks a fine. Other cities limit the number of boats sailing on the river or in the harbour.
However, tourism remains essential for the local economy. Indeed, in many regions, one job in five depends on visitors. So the point is not to close off the area, but to change the model.
Several suggestions come up again and again: travelling by train in order to reduce emissions, going off-season, or discovering less well-known regions that have just as much charm. On the other hand, it will take time for travellers to get used to this new vision. Despite the climate emergency, many of us still dream of the same photo, in the same place, at the same moment.
Nevertheless, there are encouraging signs. According to a recent study, almost half of young Europeans would choose a closer destination because of its impact on the climate. The problem is not solved yet, but one thing is clear: without everyone's participation, tourists, residents and businesses, nothing will change.