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Getting started with French 3
Getting started with French 3

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1.1 Giving instructions using the imperative

To give instructions or commands in French, you can:

  • use the present tense:
    • Vous tournez à droite. You turn right.
    • Vous allez tout droit. You go straight on.
  • use the imperative:
    • Tournez à droite. Turn right!
    • Allez tout droit. Go straight on!

To form the imperative, simply use the present tense, without the subject pronoun vous:

Vous continuez tout droit. Continue straight on.Continuez tout droit. Continue straight on!

Vous prenez la première rue à gauche. Take the first street on the left.Prenez la première rue à gauche. Take the first street on the left!

Ne … pas is placed on either side of the verb, whether negating a statement or an instruction.

Vous ne tournez pas à droite. You don’t turn right. Ne tournez pas à droite. Don’t turn right!

Vous n’allez pas tout droit. You don’t go straight on. N’allez pas tout droit. Don’t go straight on!

Activity 3

Look at the map in Figure 1 again (repeated below) and give written directions to the following buildings:

  • le stade
  • le théâtre
  • la mairie.
Described image
Figure 1 (repeated) A French street map

le stade (use the present tense)

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Discussion

Vous prenez la première rue à droite.

le théâtre (use the imperative)

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Discussion

Continuez tout droit et prenez la deuxième rue à gauche.

la mairie (use either)

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Discussion

Vous continuez tout droit et vous tournez à gauche (present tense).

Continuez tout droit et tournez à gauche (imperative).

You now have another chance to practise answering questions for directions.

Activity 4

Listen to the recording. You will hear a question and a prompt. Answer the question (you can pause the recording if necessary). Then listen to the model answer.

Exemple :

(You hear) Pour aller à la mairie, s’il vous plaît?

(You hear) (continue straight on – turn left)

(You say) Continuez tout droit, puis tournez à gauche.

Download this audio clip.Audio player: lxf003_wk2_act_aud002.mp3
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Discussion

Listen again to the recording to check your answers.