Study Hub

Study Guides

This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.

Back to Study HubBrowse Year 4 French Guides

Year 4 - French

How are you today? 'Avoir' meaning 'be'

Introductions: singular 'être', 'avoir', and regular adjectives

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils embed vowel and other sounds. They secure numbers 1-12 and essential verbs to be, to have and there are, describing themselves, friends and a monster. Pupils learn that 'avoir' also means 'be' for ages and states, enabling them to say with more precision how they feel.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to understand 'avoir' with nouns to mean how people are feeling.

Key Notes

  • The sound-symbol correspondences [j] and soft [g] sound the same, as in 'aujourd'hui' (today) and 'courageux' (brave).
  • 'Ça va' can be both a question: 'Is it going OK?' or 'how's it going'? and an answer: 'it's going OK' or 'I'm OK'.
  • 'Avoir' means 'to have'. It can be translated as 'to be, being' with certain expressions, e.g. 'j'ai chaud' (I am hot).

Vocabulary To Learn

  • [j/soft g]: sound-symbol-correspondence (SSC) pronounced as in 'jour'
  • avoir: French verb meaning 'to have, having' which can also be translated as 'to be, being' with certain set expressions, e.g. 'avoir froid' - to be cold

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Expressions such as 'I am cold' must use the verb 'être' (to be) when translated into French, as in English. The verb 'avoir' can only be translated as 'to have'.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain what you can now say or understand in this lesson.

The sound-symbol correspondences [j] and soft [g] sound the same, as in 'aujourd'hui' (today) and 'courageux' (brave). 'Ça va' can be both a question: 'Is it going OK?' or 'how's it going'? and an answer: 'it's going OK' or 'I'm OK'.

2. Define this key language word and use it in context. '[j/soft g]'

sound-symbol-correspondence (SSC) pronounced as in 'jour'. Say or write it in a short sentence so you use the word actively.

3. Correct this common language-learning mistake.

Mistake: Expressions such as 'I am cold' must use the verb 'être' (to be) when translated into French, as in English. The verb 'avoir' can only be translated as 'to have'. Correction: Set expressions that use 'to be' in English, such as 'I am cold', use the verb 'avoir' in French, e.g. 'j'ai froid'. 'Avoir' means 'to have' but it can also be translated as 'to be' with set expressions.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 4 French guide library.