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Greetings, Introductions and Family
Greetings, Introductions and Family
Being able to greet people, introduce yourself and talk about your family is the absolute foundation of GCSE French. These topics appear across every exam board — AQA, Edexcel and OCR — and are essential for the speaking, writing, reading and listening papers. This lesson provides an in-depth guide to greetings, self-introductions, family vocabulary (including modern and blended families), physical and personality descriptions with full adjective agreement, possessive adjectives, reflexive verbs for daily routine, and key cultural notes about French social customs.
1. Greetings (Les salutations)
French greetings change depending on the time of day, the relationship between speakers, and the level of formality required. Mastering the difference between formal and informal register is critical for the speaking exam.
Formal and Informal Greetings
| French | English | Register | When to use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonjour | Hello / Good morning / Good afternoon | Formal & informal | Any time before evening; the default safe greeting |
| Bonsoir | Good evening | Formal & informal | From early evening onwards |
| Salut | Hi / Hey / Bye | Informal only | With friends, classmates, siblings |
| Coucou | Hey / Hi there | Very informal | Close friends, children |
| Au revoir | Goodbye | Formal & informal | Standard farewell in all situations |
| À bientôt | See you soon | Informal | When you expect to see someone again soon |
| À demain | See you tomorrow | Informal | At the end of a school day, for example |
| À plus tard / À plus | See you later | Informal | Common among young people |
| À tout à l'heure | See you in a little while | Informal | When you will see the person again the same day |
| Bonne nuit | Good night | Formal & informal | Only when someone is going to bed |
| Bonne journée | Have a good day | Formal & informal | Said when parting during the daytime |
| Bonne soirée | Have a good evening | Formal & informal | Said when parting in the evening |
| Enchanté(e) | Pleased to meet you | Formal | When meeting someone for the first time |
| Comment allez-vous ? | How are you? | Formal | With adults, strangers, teachers |
| Comment vas-tu ? / Ça va ? | How are you? | Informal | With friends and family |
| Très bien, merci. Et vous / toi ? | Very well, thank you. And you? | Formal / Informal | Standard response |
| Pas mal | Not bad | Informal | Casual response |
| Comme ci, comme ça | So-so | Informal | When things are just OK |
Tu vs Vous — The Register Rule
One of the most important things in French is knowing when to use tu (informal "you", singular) and vous (formal "you", or plural "you").
| Use tu when speaking to… | Use vous when speaking to… |
|---|---|
| A friend | An adult you do not know |
| A family member | A teacher or employer |
| A classmate | A shopkeeper or waiter |
| A child | Any stranger |
| A pet | A group of people (even friends) |
Exam tip: In the speaking exam, the examiner plays a role (e.g. a French adult). Always use vous with them unless the task card explicitly tells you to speak to a friend. Using the wrong register can cost you marks on communication and range of language.
Exam tip: When greeting someone in writing, match the register to the context. A letter to a pen friend uses tu; a letter to a hotel manager uses vous. Open with Cher/Chère (informal) or Monsieur/Madame (formal).
2. Self-Introduction Patterns (Se présenter)
Being able to introduce yourself fluently is essential for the speaking exam role-play and conversation sections.
Key Phrases for Self-Introduction
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Je m'appelle Sophie. | My name is Sophie. |
| Mon nom de famille, c'est Dupont. | My surname is Dupont. |
| J'ai quinze ans. | I am fifteen years old. |
| Mon anniversaire, c'est le dix mars. | My birthday is on the 10th of March. |
| Je suis née le vingt-cinq décembre. | I was born on the 25th of December. (female) |
| Je suis né le trois juillet. | I was born on the 3rd of July. (male) |
| J'habite à Londres, dans le sud-est de l'Angleterre. | I live in London, in the south-east of England. |
| J'habite dans une grande ville. | I live in a big city. |
| J'habite dans un petit village à la campagne. | I live in a small village in the countryside. |
| Je suis anglais(e). | I am English. |
| Je suis britannique. | I am British. |
| Je suis gallois(e). | I am Welsh. |
| Je suis écossais(e). | I am Scottish. |
| Je suis irlandais(e). | I am Irish. |
Nationalities — Adjective Agreement
Nationalities are adjectives in French and must agree with the gender of the speaker:
| Masculine | Feminine | English |
|---|---|---|
| anglais | anglaise | English |
| français | française | French |
| gallois | galloise | Welsh |
| écossais | écossaise | Scottish |
| irlandais | irlandaise | Irish |
| espagnol | espagnole | Spanish |
| allemand | allemande | German |
| américain | américaine | American |
| italien | italienne | Italian |
| polonais | polonaise | Polish |
| pakistanais | pakistanaise | Pakistani |
| indien | indienne | Indian |
Exam tip: Remember that in French you say "J'ai quinze ans" (literally "I have fifteen years"), not je suis quinze ans. Using avoir for age is a fundamental rule — getting this wrong is a common error that examiners notice immediately.
Model Self-Introduction Paragraph
Bonjour, je m'appelle Thomas et j'ai seize ans. Mon anniversaire, c'est le quatorze février. J'habite à Birmingham, dans le centre de l'Angleterre. C'est une grande ville industrielle mais il y a aussi beaucoup de parcs. Je suis britannique mais mon père est français, donc je parle un peu français à la maison. J'habite avec ma mère, mon père et ma petite sœur dans une maison assez grande en banlieue.
Hello, my name is Thomas and I am sixteen years old. My birthday is on the 14th of February. I live in Birmingham, in the centre of England. It is a large industrial city but there are also lots of parks. I am British but my father is French, so I speak a little French at home. I live with my mother, my father and my little sister in a quite big house in the suburbs.
3. Family Vocabulary (La famille)
Immediate Family (La famille proche)
| French | English |
|---|---|
| le père | father |
| la mère | mother |
| le frère | brother |
| la sœur | sister |
| le fils | son |
| la fille | daughter |
| les parents (m.pl.) | parents |
| les enfants (m.pl.) | children |
| le bébé | baby |
| le frère aîné / le grand frère | older brother |
| la sœur aînée / la grande sœur | older sister |
| le petit frère / le frère cadet | younger brother |
| la petite sœur / la sœur cadette | younger sister |
| le jumeau / la jumelle | twin (m./f.) |
Extended Family (La famille élargie)
| French | English |
|---|---|
| le grand-père | grandfather |
| la grand-mère | grandmother |
| les grands-parents (m.pl.) | grandparents |
| l'oncle (m.) | uncle |
| la tante | aunt |
| le cousin / la cousine | cousin (m./f.) |
| le neveu | nephew |
| la nièce | niece |
| le petit-fils | grandson |
| la petite-fille | granddaughter |
| l'arrière-grand-père (m.) | great-grandfather |
| l'arrière-grand-mère (f.) | great-grandmother |
Step-family and Blended Families (La famille recomposée)
Modern exam papers frequently include texts about blended families. This vocabulary is essential:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| le beau-père | step-father / father-in-law |
| la belle-mère | step-mother / mother-in-law |
| le beau-frère | step-brother / brother-in-law |
| la belle-sœur | step-sister / sister-in-law |
| le demi-frère | half-brother |
| la demi-sœur | half-sister |
| le fils unique / la fille unique | only child (m./f.) |
| une famille monoparentale | a single-parent family |
| une famille recomposée | a blended / reconstituted family |
| une famille nombreuse | a large family |
| les beaux-parents (m.pl.) | step-parents / in-laws |
| un(e) enfant adopté(e) | an adopted child |
| un animal de compagnie | a pet |
Example Sentences About Family
- Il y a cinq personnes dans ma famille. — There are five people in my family.
- J'ai un frère aîné et une petite sœur. — I have an older brother and a younger sister.
- Je suis fille unique, donc je n'ai ni frères ni sœurs. — I am an only child, so I have neither brothers nor sisters.
- Ma mère s'appelle Claire et elle a quarante-deux ans. — My mother is called Claire and she is forty-two years old.
- Mon père travaille comme professeur dans un collège. — My father works as a teacher in a secondary school.
- Mes parents sont divorcés. J'habite avec ma mère et mon beau-père. — My parents are divorced. I live with my mother and my step-father.
- J'ai deux demi-sœurs qui habitent chez mon père. — I have two half-sisters who live at my father's house.
- Je m'entends bien avec ma sœur parce qu'elle est très gentille. — I get on well with my sister because she is very kind.
- Je me dispute souvent avec mon frère parce qu'il est agaçant. — I often argue with my brother because he is annoying.
- Mon grand-père a soixante-dix ans et il habite en Bretagne. — My grandfather is seventy years old and he lives in Brittany.
- Ma tante a deux enfants — mon cousin Luc et ma cousine Marie. — My aunt has two children — my cousin Luc and my cousin Marie.
Exam tip: In writing and speaking, use a range of family vocabulary beyond just mon père and ma mère. Mentioning step-family, extended family, or pets demonstrates breadth of vocabulary, which is rewarded at higher grades.
4. Possessive Adjectives (Les adjectifs possessifs)
Possessive adjectives in French agree with the noun they describe (the thing possessed), not the owner. This is very different from English and is a frequent source of errors.
Full Agreement Table
| English | Masculine singular | Feminine singular | Before fem. noun starting with vowel/silent h | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| my | mon | ma | mon | mes |
| your (tu) | ton | ta | ton | tes |
| his / her / its | son | sa | son | ses |
| our | notre | notre | notre | nos |
| your (vous) | votre | votre | votre | vos |
| their | leur | leur | leur | leurs |
The Vowel Rule
Before a feminine noun beginning with a vowel or silent h, use mon / ton / son instead of ma / ta / sa. This is to avoid two vowel sounds clashing:
- mon amie (my female friend) — NOT ma amie
- son école (his/her school) — NOT sa école
- ton histoire (your story) — NOT ta histoire
Key Point — His/Her Confusion
In French, son/sa/ses can mean "his" OR "her". The choice depends on the gender of the noun that follows, not on the gender of the owner:
- son père = his father OR her father (père is masculine)
- sa mère = his mother OR her mother (mère is feminine)
- ses parents = his parents OR her parents (parents is plural)
Practice Examples
- Mon frère est amusant. — My brother is funny.
- Ma sœur a les yeux bleus. — My sister has blue eyes.
- Mes parents sont très gentils. — My parents are very kind.
- Sa mère travaille dans un hôpital. — His/Her mother works in a hospital.
- Notre maison est assez grande. — Our house is quite big.
- Leur chien s'appelle Max. — Their dog is called Max.
- Vos enfants sont adorables. — Your children are adorable.
- Ton anniversaire, c'est quand ? — When is your birthday?
Exam tip: A classic exam trap is "mon amie" — because amie is feminine but starts with a vowel, you must use mon, not ma. Always check whether the following noun starts with a vowel.
5. Physical and Personality Descriptions (Les descriptions)
When describing people, you need both physical descriptions (l'apparence physique) and personality traits (les traits de caractère). Adjective agreement — making adjectives match the gender and number of the noun — is a key grammar skill tested in the exam.
Adjective Agreement Rules
| Rule | Masculine | Feminine | Masc. plural | Fem. plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular: add -e for fem., -s for plural | petit | petite | petits | petites |
| Already ends in -e: no change for fem. | timide | timide | timides | timides |
| Ends in -eux → -euse | généreux | généreuse | généreux | généreuses |
| Ends in -if → -ive | sportif | sportive | sportifs | sportives |
| Ends in -er → -ère | premier | première | premiers | premières |
| Ends in -el → -elle | intellectuel | intellectuelle | intellectuels | intellectuelles |
| Ends in -en → -enne | italien | italienne | italiens | italiennes |
| Irregular | beau | belle | beaux | belles |
| Irregular | nouveau | nouvelle | nouveaux | nouvelles |
| Irregular | vieux | vieille | vieux | vieilles |
| Irregular | blanc | blanche | blancs | blanches |
| Irregular | gros | grosse | gros | grosses |
| Irregular | long | longue | longs | longues |
Physical Descriptions (Les descriptions physiques)
| French | English |
|---|---|
| grand(e) | tall |
| petit(e) | short |
| de taille moyenne | of medium height |
| mince | slim |
| gros(se) | fat / large |
| fort(e) | strong / well-built |
| musclé(e) | muscular |
| beau / belle | handsome / beautiful |
| joli(e) | pretty |
| laid(e) | ugly |
| jeune | young |
| vieux / vieille | old |
| les cheveux blonds | blond hair |
| les cheveux bruns | brown hair |
| les cheveux noirs | black hair |
| les cheveux roux | red / ginger hair |
| les cheveux châtains | chestnut hair |
| les cheveux gris / blancs | grey / white hair |
| les cheveux longs | long hair |
| les cheveux courts | short hair |
| les cheveux mi-longs | medium-length hair |
| les cheveux frisés | curly hair |
| les cheveux raides | straight hair |
| les cheveux ondulés | wavy hair |
| chauve | bald |
| les yeux bleus | blue eyes |
| les yeux verts | green eyes |
| les yeux marron | brown eyes (marron is invariable) |
| les yeux noisette | hazel eyes |
| les yeux gris | grey eyes |
| il/elle porte des lunettes | he/she wears glasses |
| il/elle a une barbe | he has a beard |
| il/elle a une moustache | he has a moustache |
| il/elle a des taches de rousseur | he/she has freckles |
Personality Traits (Les traits de caractère)
| French | English |
|---|---|
| gentil(le) | kind |
| amusant(e) | funny |
| drôle | funny / amusing |
| bavard(e) | talkative |
| timide | shy |
| réservé(e) | reserved |
| paresseux / paresseuse | lazy |
| travailleur / travailleuse | hard-working |
| ennuyeux / ennuyeuse | boring |
| égoïste | selfish |
| généreux / généreuse | generous |
| têtu(e) | stubborn |
| méchant(e) | mean / nasty |
| sympathique / sympa | nice / friendly |
| poli(e) | polite |
| impoli(e) | rude |
| patient(e) | patient |
| impatient(e) | impatient |
| sportif / sportive | sporty |
| intelligent(e) | clever / intelligent |
| créatif / créative | creative |
| sérieux / sérieuse | serious |
| rigolo(te) | funny / silly (colloquial) |
| fidèle | loyal / faithful |
| honnête | honest |
| courageux / courageuse | brave |
| sensible | sensitive (false friend: NOT sensible) |
| raisonnable | sensible |
| agaçant(e) | annoying |
| compréhensif / compréhensive | understanding |
Exam tip: The word sensible in French means "sensitive", NOT "sensible". The French for "sensible" is raisonnable. This is a classic false friend that examiners test.
Detailed Description Examples
- Mon père est assez grand et fort. Il a les cheveux courts et bruns et les yeux verts. Il porte des lunettes. Il est très travailleur mais parfois un peu têtu. — My father is quite tall and strong. He has short brown hair and green eyes. He wears glasses. He is very hard-working but sometimes a little stubborn.
- Ma meilleure amie s'appelle Léa. Elle est petite avec les cheveux longs, ondulés et blonds. Elle a les yeux bleus. Elle est très gentille, amusante et toujours de bonne humeur. — My best friend is called Léa. She is short with long, wavy blond hair. She has blue eyes. She is very kind, funny and always in a good mood.
- Ma grand-mère est une femme âgée qui a les cheveux blancs et courts. Elle est petite et mince. Elle est la personne la plus généreuse que je connaisse. — My grandmother is an elderly woman who has short white hair. She is small and slim. She is the most generous person I know.
Exam tip: Use connectives (mais, aussi, cependant, en plus, de plus, pourtant) and intensifiers (très, assez, un peu, vraiment, trop, extrêmement, plutôt) to make your descriptions richer. The examiner rewards complex and varied language.
6. Reflexive Verbs for Daily Routine (Les verbes pronominaux)
Reflexive verbs are verbs where the subject performs the action on themselves. They are essential for describing daily routines and appear frequently in GCSE exams.
Key Reflexive Verbs
| French | English |
|---|---|
| se réveiller | to wake up |
| se lever | to get up |
| se laver | to wash (oneself) |
| se doucher | to shower |
| se brosser les dents | to brush one's teeth |
| se brosser les cheveux | to brush one's hair |
| s'habiller | to get dressed |
| se déshabiller | to get undressed |
| se maquiller | to put on make-up |
| se coiffer | to do one's hair |
| se préparer | to get ready |
| se dépêcher | to hurry |
| se coucher | to go to bed |
| s'endormir | to fall asleep |
| se reposer | to rest |
| s'amuser | to have fun / enjoy oneself |
| se promener | to go for a walk |
| s'ennuyer | to get bored |
| se disputer (avec) | to argue (with) |
| s'entendre (bien/mal avec) | to get on (well/badly with) |
Conjugation Pattern — Present Tense of "se lever" (to get up)
| Subject | Reflexive pronoun | Verb | Full form |
|---|---|---|---|
| je | me | lève | je me lève |
| tu | te | lèves | tu te lèves |
| il/elle/on | se | lève | il se lève |
| nous | nous | levons | nous nous levons |
| vous | vous | levez | vous vous levez |
| ils/elles | se | lèvent | ils se lèvent |
In the negative: Je ne me lève pas à six heures. (The ne...pas wraps around the reflexive pronoun + verb.)
In the passé composé: Reflexive verbs always use être as the auxiliary, and the past participle agrees with the subject:
- Je me suis levé(e) — I got up
- Elle s'est couchée — She went to bed
- Nous nous sommes habillés — We got dressed
Daily Routine Example Sentences
- Je me réveille à sept heures. — I wake up at seven o'clock.
- Je me lève tout de suite et je me douche. — I get up straight away and I shower.
- Je me brosse les dents dans la salle de bains. — I brush my teeth in the bathroom.
- Je m'habille vite et je descends prendre le petit déjeuner. — I get dressed quickly and I go downstairs to have breakfast.
- Ma sœur se maquille pendant vingt minutes chaque matin. — My sister puts on make-up for twenty minutes every morning.
- Nous nous dépêchons parce que le bus arrive à huit heures. — We hurry because the bus arrives at eight o'clock.
- Le soir, je me couche à dix heures et demie. — In the evening, I go to bed at half past ten.
- Le week-end, je me lève plus tard, vers dix heures. — At the weekend, I get up later, around ten o'clock.
Model Daily Routine Paragraph
Le matin, je me réveille à six heures et demie et je me lève à sept heures moins le quart. D'abord, je me douche et je me brosse les dents. Ensuite, je m'habille — je mets mon uniforme scolaire — et je descends prendre le petit déjeuner. Normalement, je mange des céréales et je bois du jus d'orange. Je quitte la maison à huit heures et je prends le bus pour aller au collège. Le soir, après les cours, je fais mes devoirs et je me détends. Je me couche vers dix heures et je m'endors assez vite.
In the morning, I wake up at half past six and I get up at quarter to seven. First, I shower and I brush my teeth. Then, I get dressed — I put on my school uniform — and I go downstairs to have breakfast. Usually, I eat cereal and I drink orange juice. I leave the house at eight o'clock and I take the bus to go to school. In the evening, after lessons, I do my homework and I relax. I go to bed around ten o'clock and I fall asleep quite quickly.
Exam tip: When describing your daily routine, use time markers (d'abord, ensuite, puis, après, finalement) and specific times (à sept heures, vers dix heures) to structure your answer clearly. This shows the examiner you can organise your ideas logically.
7. Cultural Notes (Notes culturelles)
La bise
In France, greeting someone with a kiss on the cheek — la bise — is a very common social custom. The number of kisses varies by region: two in most of France, three in parts of southern France, and four in some areas. Generally, la bise is used between friends, family members, and even colleagues who know each other well. Men who are close friends or family also often give la bise, though a handshake is more common in formal settings.
For the exam, it is worth knowing that this custom is quite different from British culture. In French texts and listening passages, you may encounter references to "faire la bise" as part of greeting someone.
Name Days (La fête)
In France, each day of the year is associated with a saint's name. If your name corresponds to the saint of the day, it is your fête (name day). Some families celebrate name days alongside birthdays. For example, all people named Marie are celebrated on 15 August (the Assumption of Mary). You might hear Bonne fête ! (Happy name day!).
French Family Structures
French families have evolved significantly. The traditional nuclear family (la famille nucléaire) is still common, but many French children grow up in blended families (les familles recomposées), single-parent families (les familles monoparentales), or families with same-sex parents (les familles homoparentales). French law recognises several forms of partnership, including marriage (le mariage) and the civil partnership (le PACS — Pacte Civil de Solidarité). This vocabulary may appear in listening and reading comprehension texts.
Exam tip: Cultural awareness can boost your marks. If a reading passage mentions "faire la bise", knowing what it means shows comprehension. In the writing exam, including a cultural reference (e.g., comparing French and British family customs) demonstrates broader knowledge.
8. Role-Play Scenario: Introducing Yourself and Your Family
Below is a sample role-play scenario of the type you might encounter in the speaking exam.
Scenario: You are at a French exchange student's house. You meet their family for the first time.
| Prompt | Suggested response |
|---|---|
| Greet the family | Bonjour, je suis enchanté(e) de vous rencontrer. |
| Say your name and age | Je m'appelle Alex et j'ai seize ans. |
| Say where you live | J'habite à Manchester, dans le nord-ouest de l'Angleterre. |
| Describe your family | J'ai une famille assez grande. J'ai un frère aîné qui s'appelle James — il a dix-huit ans — et une petite sœur, Emma, qui a douze ans. Mon père est ingénieur et ma mère est infirmière. |
| Describe a family member | Mon frère est grand et sportif. Il a les cheveux courts et bruns. Il est assez amusant mais parfois un peu agaçant. |
| Ask a question about their family | Et vous, vous avez des frères et sœurs ? |
Exam tip: In role-play tasks, always listen carefully to the prompts. Answer in full sentences, include details, and try to ask a question if the task requires it. Using vous with the exchange family shows register awareness.
Summary Checklist
- Formal greetings: Bonjour, Bonsoir, Comment allez-vous ?, Enchanté(e)
- Informal greetings: Salut, Ça va ?, Coucou, À plus
- Tu/vous distinction: tu for friends/family, vous for adults/strangers/plural
- Self-introduction: name, age (avoir), birthday, nationality, where you live
- Family: immediate, extended, step-family and blended family vocabulary
- Possessive adjectives: agree with the noun, not the owner; vowel rule (mon amie)
- Descriptions: physical and personality adjectives with correct agreement
- Reflexive verbs: daily routine, present tense and passé composé with être
- Cultural notes: la bise, name days, French family structures