essay about my house in french

Describe my house in French

Hello Readers here you will read Describe my house in French . A good house is built with a lot of thought. In a good home, the needs of every member of the family are met. Next we will read a few lines about my house in English and French.

Table of Contents

Describe my house in French :

1) Il y a cinq pièces dans ma maison.

2) La maison a une belle cuisine.

3) La couleur de ma maison est jaune pâle.

4) Toutes les pièces de la maison sont ventilées.

5) La maison dispose également d’un parc.

6) Il y a des fleurs colorées dans le parc.

7) Des arbres sont également plantés autour de la maison.

8) Ma maison est à deux étages.

9) La maison dispose également d’une chambre d’amis.

10) Toute la maison est très belle.

In English :-

1) There are five rooms in my house.

2) The house has a beautiful kitchen.

3) The color of my house is pale yellow.

4) All rooms in the house are ventilated.

5) The house also has a park.

6) There are colorful flowers in the park.

7) Trees are also planted around the house.

8) My house is two storied.

9) The house also has a guest room.

10) The whole house is very beautiful.

Home is a place where a person spends a lot of time. Many of his memories are associated with the house. Even if the house is not very big, but a person loves his house.

Owning a home is a dream for many people. There will be happiness in the house only when the whole family is living happily. The greatest thing is contentment, the human mind is never filled with things. A person’s desires increase.

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#Vocabulary to describe one's accommodation in French :

The house :

Le toit (the roof) Le mur (the wall) La porte d'entrée (the entrance door) Le jardin (the garden) La fenêtre (the window) La cheminée (the fireplace)

The kitchen :

La chaise (the chair) Les couverts (the cutlery) Le four (the oven) L'évier (The sink) Le frigo (The fridge) Le micro-onde (the microwave) La machine à café (The coffee machine) La table (the table)

The living room :

La télévision (the TV) La lampe (the lamp) Le canapé (the couch) La plante (the plant) La peinture / le tableau (The painting / the picture) Le tapis (The carpet) La commode (The dresser) La table basse (The coffee table)

The bedroom :

Le bureau (the desk) Le lit (the bed) La table de chevet (the bedside table) L'armoire (the wardrobe) L'oreiller(The pillow)

The bathroom :

La baignoire (the bath) La douche (the shower) Le lavabo (the bathroom sink) Le miroir (the miror) Les toilettes (The cabinets) La machine à laver (The washing machine)

#Verbs to describe one's dwelling in French :

habiter (to live) :

j'habite tu habites il / elle / on habite nous habitons vous habitez ils / elles habitent

For example : Il habite dans un très bel appartement. (He lives in a very nice apartment.)

Nettoyer (to clean) :

je nettoie tu nettoies il / elle / on nettoie nous nettoyons vous nettoyez ils / elles nettoient

For example : Elle nettoie sa maison tous les mardis.   (She cleans her house every Tuesday.)

Déménager (to move out) :

je déménage tu déménages il / elle / on déménage nous déménageons vous déménagez ils / elles déménagent

For example : Nous déménageons le mois prochain.  (We are moving next month.)

Emménager (to move in) :

j'emménage tu emménages il / elle / on emménage nous emménageons vous emménagez ils / elles emménagent

For example : Il emménage dans une maison près du parc.  (He moves into a house near the park.)

#Reflexived pronouns :

•   Formation :

To form the relative pronouns, we add "même" after the following pronouns : moi, toi, lui, elle, nous, vous, eux, elles

• Utilisation :

Adding "même" reinforces the subject's action :

For example : Je fais le ménage moi-même. (I do the housework myself) Il a déménagé lui-même. (He moved himself) Nous organisions notre déménagement nous-mêmes. (We organize our moving ourselves.) Elles fabriquent leurs meubles elles-mêmes. (They make their furniture themselves.)

#Expressions to describe one's dwelling :

The formal expressions :

Ça vous plaît ? (Do you like it ?) Qu'est-ce que c'est joli ! (How pretty !) Quel bel intérieur (Here is the living room) Voici la salle de séjour (Here is the living room) J'en ai assez de cette peinture (I'm tired of this painting) Comme elle est jolie cette lampe (How pretty this lamp is)

The informal expressions :

Tu aimes ? (Do you like it ?) C'est trop beau ! (It's very beautiful) Waouh ! Ça déchire ! (Wow ! It rocks !) C'est le salon. (Here is the living room) J'en ai marre de cette peinture. (I'm tired of this painting) Très jolie cette lampe. (Very pretty this lamp)

#Practice :

Complete the following vocabulary words :

✅ Correction of the exercice : ✅

#Bonus : Quote

What do you think of this quote ? Share your opinion with us as a comment.

Describing your accommodation in French now holds no secrets for you. 😉

See you soon for new adventures, in French of course ! 🇫🇷

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French vocabulary related to house: la  maison

In this lesson, you are going to learn the French house vocabulary , all the essential words you need to know about the parts of the house.

The general French word for the house is la maison. The rooms of the house are called :

une chambre when referring to a bedroom 

une pièce when referring to any room of the house. 

When talking about your home, the right term is   ma maison or chez moi which can be translated as My house or my home in English. 

Je suis chez moi. => I am at home.

Ma maison est très spacieuse => My house is very spacious.

General things to know about the house in French

If you live in an apartment, the equivalent French word is  un appartement in French.

You should also know that what is the first floor in France is not the same in the US. In France there is a ground floor or rez-de-chaussée.  If you have seen Emily in Paris on Netflix you should already know about this difference. If not, read my post on Emily in Paris  TV series where I explain the difference between floor levels in France and the US.

When talking about your home, you generally say ma maison or chez moi which can be translated as My house or my home in English. 

Parts of the house in French : room names and more items ​

A house has different parts called chambre or pièce as seen previously. Here is a list of the common room names in French and other items. You also have the infographic that you can pin for later.

la chambre : bebroom

le salon : living room

Ia salle à manger : dining room

la cuisine : kitchen

la terasse : terrasse

le bureau : office, study room

le couloir : corridor

la salle de bain : bathroom

les toilettes : toilets

Le garage : car park

La cour : yard

Le jardin : garden

Le grenier : attic

Le toit : roof

Le balcon : balcony

l'étage : floor

l'escalier : stairs

l'ascenseur : lift

la porte : door

la fenêtre  : window

la cheminée : chimney

How to use the French house terms

You can use the following vocabulary with the verb  Être if you want to say where you are or talk about your house.

Example 

      Je suis dans la chambre. => I am in the bedroom.

      Ma chambre est grande. => My bedroom is big.

You can also use it with " Il y a" ( verb avoir ) which means there is/there are ,  to describe your house. 

Dans ma maison il y a deux chambres et un salon. => In my house there are two bedrooms and a living room.

Related lessons

French Fruits  and vegetable vocabulary

Transportation Vocabulary  in French

French Words Describing the Home ('la Maison')

• Pronunciation & Conversation
• Resources For Teachers

The home is the center of French family life, so words identifying the house, furniture, and areas of the home are a part of everyday language for French people. It's important, then, to learn some of the most common words for furniture, house, and home in French. Where provided, click the links to hear how the word is pronounced in French.

Starting with  maison  (house), as well as  chez moi  (my home), several words describe a house in French, from searching for a home to buying your abode and perhaps renovating it.

• la  maison  > house
• chez moi  > at my house, my home, at home
• rénover, remettre à neuf  > renovate, refurbish
• construire, bâtir une maison  > build a house
• un architecte  > architect
• un agent immobilier > a real estate agent, house agent
• acheter une maison > to buy a house
• une perquisition domiciliaire > a house search

Inside la Maison

Once you're inside a French home, many French words describe its interior, from la cuisine (the kitcchen) to le bureau (the office).

• à l'intérieur  > inside
• architecte d'intérieur  > interior designer
• décorateur d'intérieur  > home decorator
• la pièce , la salle  > room
• la cuisine  > kitchen
• la salle à manger  > dining room
• le bureau  > office, study
• la salle de séjour , le salon  > den, living room
• la chambre , la chambre à coucher > bedroom
• la salle de bain  > bathroom (does not include a toilet)
• la salle d'eau  > shower room
• les toilettes, les cabinets / le W-C (pronounced "vay say") > toilet / water closet (British)
• la salle de jeu  > playroom
• une domestique, une femme de chambre > housemaid
• le sous-sol   > basement
• le grenier  >   attic
• la porte  > door
• le couloir   >   hall
• un escalier  > stairway

Furniture, Appliances, Equipment, and Home Furnishings

A number of words can discribe les meubles  (the furniture) you might use to make your house a home.

• les  meubles  > furniture
• un  meuble  > a piece of furniture
• le living  > living room  
• mobilier design  > designer furniture
• des meubles en kit  > self-assembly furniture
• un  bureau   >   desk
• une  imprimante   > printer
• un  ordinateur   >   computer
• ordinateur portable, PC (pronounced "pay say") portable > laptop computer
• une  étagère   >   bookshelf, shelving unit
• une  chaîne stéréo   >   stereo
• une  affiche   > poster
• une peinture  > a painting
• un  canapé   >   couch
• une  chaise   >   chair
• un  rideau   >   curtain
• une  télévision , un télé,   un TV (pronounced "tay vay") >  television
• une  armoire , un  placard  >  closet
• un  lit   > bed
• un  oreiller   > pillow
• une  commode   >   dresser
• un  réveil   > alarm clock
• un  bain , une  baignoire   >   bathtub
• une  douche   >   shower
• un  lavabo   >   bathroom sink
• une  toilette   >   toilet
• une  cuisinière   >   stove
• un  four   > oven
• un  four à micro-ondes > microwave
• un  réfrigérateur   > refrigerator
• un  évie   >   kitchen sink
• une  fenêtre   >   window
• une  lampe   >   lamp
• une  moquette   >   carpet
• un  tapis   >   rug
• un  miroir , une  glace  >  mirror
• un  mur   >   wall
• le  parquet , le  sol   > floor
• le  plafond   >   ceiling
• une  porte   >   door
• une  table   >   table
• un  téléphone   >   telephone

Outside a Maison

Once you're comfortable with your home's interior, you might proceed  à l'extérieur  (outside), where you can use many words to describe the home in French.

• à l'extérieur > outside
• une garage > garage
• la remise à calèches > carriage house/coach house
• la maison d'invités > guest house
• le porche , la véranda  > porch, veranda
• le balcon  > balcony
• le patio  > patio
• un auvent > an awning
• une clôture  > a fence
• le pergola > a pergola (area covered with wooden timbers and climbing plants)
• le jardin  > yard, garden
• un potager > a vegetable garden
• un jardin de fleurs > a flower garden
• un parterre > a flower bed
• une jardinière  > a flower box
• une fontaine > a fountain
• bain d'oiseau > a birdbath
• jardinier > gardener
• une allée  > a driveway
• une piscine en plein air / découverte > an outdoor swimming pool   
• le barbecue, le gril > an outdoor grill 
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Unlock the Doors to La Maison: “House” in French and Related Terms

Step into la maison with our insightful guide, learn house-related vocabulary in French, and bring some French chic and comfort to your home.

• La Maison: The French Word for “House”

Room Names in French

House parts, furniture vocabulary list, how to master new vocabulary, the bottom line.

In the cozy comfort of a home, every room tells a story, and every piece of furniture adds to its character. As we walk you through the corridors of la maison , translating to “the house” in French, you'll learn French house vocabulary for each of its elements, creating the vivid image of a home in your linguistic repertoire.

As we navigate through the intricate architecture of the French language, we’ll share the names of different rooms, house parts, and furniture items, helping you to converse more confidently and comprehensively in French.

Whether you are learning French for personal interest, for travel purposes, or as an academic endeavor, these terms will be a valuable addition to your vocabulary. Stay tuned, and let's open the doors to la maison together!

Discover how to learn words 3x faster

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La Maison : The French Word for “House”

The most common way to refer to a house in French is by maison . This word is feminine, so it is accompanied by the definite article la , which means "the" in English.

La maison de mes parents est grande.

My parents' house is big.

Nous avons acheté une belle maison à la champagne.

We bought a beautiful house in the countryside.

Je vais nettoyer toute la maison .

I’m going to clean the whole house .

Il y a deux maisons au bout de notre rue qui ont les plus beaux jardins.

There are two houses at the end of our street that have the most beautiful gardens.

When talking about your home, you can use either of these terms:

La maison can also refer to a building or structure in general, not just a house. For example:

la maison d'opéra

opera house

la maison blanche

the White House

In turn, the term maisonnée is the equivalent of the English word “household.”

Il organise la maisonnée .

He organizes the household .

If you live in the apartment, the French equivalent of it would be un appartement . Here’s how to use it in a sentence:

J'ai vendu mon apartment .

I sold my apartment .

L'appartement de Luc est près de la gare.

Luc's apartment is near the train station.

When it comes to different floors of a building, the French have a unique way of designating them.

What you know as the first floor in English would be the ground floor in French , known as le rez-de-chaussée .

La librairie est au rez-de-chaussée .

The bookstore is on the ground floor .

The first level above it. What would be referred to as the "second floor" in American English is called le premier étage, or the first floor, in French.

Mon appartement est au premier étage .

My apartment is on the first floor .

Just like in English, there are various rooms in a house that serve different purposes. French vocabulary for the various rooms in a house is incredibly descriptive and often poetic.

Let's take a look at some of the most common French house terms you might find in la maison :

Apart from rooms, there are also different parts of a house that play an important role in its structure and functionality.

Here are some common house parts and their corresponding French words:

la cheminée

the chimney

le tapis de porte

the doormat

la sonnette

the doorbell

une pièce, une salle

le porche, la véranda

la boîte aux lettres

the letter box

staircase, stairs

le sous-sol

the basement

Furniture is an important part of any house, adding functionality and style to different rooms. Here are some common furniture items and their corresponding French words:

piece of furniture

des meubles

une étagère

(book)shelf

des étagères

une armoire, un placard

une commode

un miroir, une glace

The placement of furniture in a room is often referred to using prepositions the following French prepositions :

Learning new vocabulary may seem daunting, but some tips can help you remember them more easily. Here are a few quick techniques you can incorporate into your learning process:

• Use flashcards to practice and quiz yourself regularly.
• Associate new words with images or objects to create visual connections.
• Create sentences using the new words to understand their usage better.
• Practice speaking out loud to improve pronunciation.
• Download our Langster app to pick up proper phrasing and learn French house terms in context.
• Take breaks in between studying to give your brain time to process the new information.

Lastly, don't be afraid to make mistakes as you learn new words — it's all part of the learning process!

As we come to the end of our journey through la maison, we hope you have found this guide useful in expanding your French vocabulary.

Whether you're considering living in France full-time or just curious about how French households work from within, with these room names and other house-related terms at your disposal, you can now open the doors to la maison and easily navigate conversations about houses — and even describe your own living space in French. À bientôt!

Ellis is a seasoned polyglot and one of the creative minds behind Langster Blog, where she shares effective language learning strategies and insights from her own journey mastering the four languages. Ellis strives to empower learners globally to embrace new languages with confidence and curiosity. Off the blog, she immerses herself in exploring diverse cultures through cinema and contemporary fiction, further fueling her passion for language and connection.

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How to Write an Essay in French Without Giving Yourself Away as a Foreigner

Have something to say?

When it comes to expressing your thoughts in French , there’s nothing better than the essay.

It is, after all, the favorite form of such famed French thinkers as Montaigne, Chateaubriand, Houellebecq and Simone de Beauvoir.

In this post, I’ve outlined the four most common types of essays in French, ranked from easiest to most difficult, to help you get to know this concept better. 

Why Are French Essays Different?

Must-have french phrases for writing essays, 4 types of french essays and how to write them, 1. text summary (synthèse de texte).

• 2. Text Commentary (Commentaire de texte)

3. Dialectic Dissertation (Thèse, Antithèse, Synthèse)

• 4. Progressive Dissertation (Plan progressif)

And one more thing...

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Writing an essay in French is not the same as those typical 5-paragraph essays you’ve probably written in English.

In fact, there’s a whole other logic that has to be used to ensure that your essay meets French format standards and structure. It’s not merely writing your ideas in another language .

And that’s because the French use Cartesian logic (also known as Cartesian doubt) , developed by René Descartes , which requires a writer to begin with what is known and then lead the reader through to the logical conclusion: a paragraph that contains the thesis. Through the essay, the writer will reject all that is not certain or all that is subjective in his or her quest to find the objective truth.

Sound intriguing? Read on for more!

Before we get to the four main types of essays, here are a few French phrases that will be especially helpful as you delve into essay-writing in French:

Introductory phrases , which help you present new ideas.

Connecting phrases , which help you connect ideas and sections.

Contrasting phrases , which help you juxtapose two ideas.

Concluding phrases , which help you to introduce your conclusion.

The text summary or synthèse de texte  is one of the easiest French writing exercises to get a handle on. It essentially involves reading a text and then summarizing it in an established number of words, while repeating no phrases that are in the original text. No analysis is called for.

A  synthèse de texte  should follow the same format as the text that is being synthesized. The arguments should be presented in the same way, and no major element of the original text should be left out of the  synthèse.

Here is an informative post about writing a synthèse de texte , written for French speakers. 

The text summary is a great exercise for exploring the following French language elements:

• Synonyms , as you will need to find other words to describe what is said in the original text.
• Nominalization , which involves turning verbs into nouns and generally cuts down on word count.
• Vocabulary , as the knowledge of more exact terms will allow you to avoid periphrases and cut down on word count.

While beginners may wish to work with only one text, advanced learners can synthesize as many as three texts in one text summary. 

Since a text summary is simple in its essence, it’s a great writing exercise that can accompany you through your entire learning process.

2. Text Commentary  (Commentaire de texte)

A text commentary or commentaire de texte   is the first writing exercise where the student is asked to present an analysis of the materials at hand, not just a summary.

That said, a  commentaire  de texte  is not a reaction piece. It involves a very delicate balance of summary and opinion, the latter of which must be presented as impersonally as possible. This can be done either by using the third person (on) or the general first person plural (nous) . The singular first person (je) should never be used in a  commentaire de texte.

A commentaire de texte  should be written in three parts:

• An introduction , where the text is presented.
• An argument , where the text is analyzed.
• A conclusion , where the analysis is summarized and elevated.

Here is a handy in-depth guide to writing a successful commentaire de texte,  written for French speakers.

Unlike with the synthesis, you will not be able to address all elements of a text in a commentary. You should not summarize the text in a commentary, at least not for the sake of summarizing. Every element of the text that you speak about in your commentary must be analyzed.

To successfully analyze a text, you will need to brush up on your figurative language. Here are some great resources to get you started:

• Here’s an introduction to figurative language in French.
• This guide to figurative language  presents the different elements in useful categories.
• This guide , intended for high school students preparing for the BAC—the exam all French high school students take, which they’re required to pass to go to university—is great for seeing examples of how to integrate figurative language into your commentaries.
• Speaking of which, here’s an example of a corrected commentary from the BAC, which will help you not only include figurative language but get a head start on writing your own commentaries.

The French answer to the 5-paragraph essay is known as the  dissertation .  Like the American 5-paragraph essay, it has an introduction, body paragraphs and a conclusion. The stream of logic, however, is distinct.

There are actually two kinds of  dissertation,  each of which has its own rules.

The first form of  dissertation  is the dialectic dissertation , better known as  thèse, antithèse, synthèse . In this form, there are actually only two body paragraphs. After the introduction, a thesis is posited. Following the thesis, its opposite, the antithesis, is explored (and hopefully, debunked). The final paragraph, what we know as the conclusion, is the  synthesis , which addresses the strengths of the thesis, the strengths and weaknesses of the antithesis, and concludes with the reasons why the original thesis is correct.

For example, imagine that the question was, “Are computers useful to the development of the human brain?” You could begin with a section showing the ways in which computers are useful for the progression of our common intelligence—doing long calculations, creating in-depth models, etc.

Then you would delve into the problems that computers pose to human intelligence, citing examples of the ways in which spelling proficiency has decreased since the invention of spell check, for example. Finally, you would synthesize this information and conclude that the “pro” outweighs the “con.”

The key to success with this format is developing an outline before writing. The thesis must be established, with examples, and the antithesis must be supported as well. When all of the information has been organized in the outline, the writing can begin, supported by the tools you have learned from your mastery of the synthesis and commentary.

Here are a few tools to help you get writing:

• Here’s a great guide to writing a dialectic dissertation .
• Here’s an example of a plan for a dialectic dissertation , showing you the three parts of the essay as well as things to consider when writing a dialectic dissertation.

4. Progressive Dissertation ( Plan progressif)

The progressive dissertation is slightly less common, but no less useful, than the first form.

The progressive form basically consists of examining an idea via multiple points of view—a sort of deepening of the understanding of the notion, starting with a superficial perspective and ending with a deep and profound analysis.

If the dialectic dissertation is like a scale, weighing pros and cons of an idea, the progressive dissertation is like peeling an onion, uncovering more and more layers as you get to the deeper crux of the idea.

Concretely, this means that you will generally follow this layout:

• A first, elementary exploration of the idea.
• A second, more philosophical exploration of the idea.
• A third, more transcendent exploration of the idea.

This format for the dissertation is more commonly used for essays that are written in response to a philosophical question, for example, “What is a person?” or “What is justice?”

Let’s say the question was, “What is war?” In the first part, you would explore dictionary definitions—a basic idea of war, i.e. an armed conflict between two parties, usually nations. You could give examples that back up this definition, and you could narrow down the definition of the subject as much as needed. For example, you might want to make mention that not all conflicts are wars, or you might want to explore whether the “War on Terror” is a war.

In the second part, you would explore a more philosophical look at the topic, using a definition that you provide. You first explain how you plan to analyze the subject, and then you do so. In French, this is known as  poser une problématique  (establishing a thesis question), and it usually is done by first writing out a question and then exploring it using examples: “Is war a reflection of the base predilection of humans for violence?”

In the third part, you will take a step back and explore this question from a distance, taking the time to construct a natural conclusion and answer for the question.

This form may not be as useful in as many cases as the first type of essay, but it’s a good form to learn, particularly for those interested in philosophy. Here’s an in-depth guide  to writing a progressive dissertation.

As you progress in French and become more and more comfortable with writing, try your hand at each of these types of writing exercises, and even with other forms of the dissertation . You’ll soon be a pro at everything from a synthèse de texte to a dissertation!

FluentU has a wide variety of great content, like interviews, documentary excerpts and web series, as you can see here:

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French › Level one lessons › The house · La maison

• People and things
• Description

Lessons · Vocabulary · Grammar · Appendices · Texts

• 2 Vocabulary · Streets and houses
• 3 Usage notes · To reside · Habiter
• 4.1 Formation
• 4.2 Examples
• 4.3 Supplementary grammar · Le faire causatif
• 4.4 Supplementary vocabulary · Derived words
• 4.5 Supplementary vocabulary · Related expressions
• 4.6 Supplementary vocabulary · Related idioms
• 5 Vocabulary · Housework · Le ménage
• 6 Dialogue · Doing the housework
• 7.1 Summary
• 7.2 Examples
• 8.1 Examples
• 9 Supplementary vocabulary · Rooms and furniture
• 10 Supplementary vocabulary · Outside a house
• 11.1 Vocabulary
• 12 Exercises

Dialogue [ edit | edit source ]

Vocabulary · streets and houses [ edit | edit source ].

Note that quitter must be followed by a direct object, usually a room or building.

Usage notes · To reside · Habiter [ edit | edit source ]

Habiter is also used more specifically:

Habiter rue … is used to state on what street a person lives:

Habiter refers to occupying a location, and does not mean to live more generally. (The irregular vivre is used instead.)

Grammar · To do · Faire [ edit | edit source ]

The verb faire is translated to to do or to make . It is irregularly conjugated (it does not count as a regular -re verb).

Formation [ edit | edit source ]

Examples [ edit | edit source ], supplementary grammar · le faire causatif [ edit | edit source ].

Faire conjugated, followed by an infinitive, means to have something done for oneself :

Supplementary vocabulary · Derived words [ edit | edit source ]

Supplementary vocabulary · related expressions [ edit | edit source ], supplementary vocabulary · related idioms [ edit | edit source ], vocabulary · housework · le ménage [ edit | edit source ], dialogue · doing the housework [ edit | edit source ], grammar · object pronouns me , te , nous , and vous [ edit | edit source ].

The direct object pronouns me , te , nous , and vous mean me , you , and us :

Me , te , nous , and vous are also indirect object pronouns, and mean to me , to you , and to us :

These pronouns come before the verb they modify:

Me becomes m' and te becomes t' before a vowel:

Summary [ edit | edit source ]

Supplementary usage notes · in · dans [ edit | edit source ].

Dans also means in in the sense of within a period of time :

As in English, dans describes abstract situations and state:

Dans can also mean out of or from :

The preposition en is used instead to indicate in in other senses.

Supplementary vocabulary · Rooms and furniture [ edit | edit source ]

Supplementary vocabulary · outside a house [ edit | edit source ], text · chez moi [ edit | edit source ], vocabulary [ edit | edit source ], exercises [ edit | edit source ].

← Recreation ·  Level one lessons  · Weather →

People and things · To be · Description · Family · Recreation · The house · Weather · Travel · Art · Science

Lessons  :

Introductory · Level one · Level two · Level three · Level four

French  : Lessons · Vocabulary · Grammar · Appendices · Texts

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How to Write an Excellent French Essay (Resources Included)

Tips to write an excellent french essay.

Writing essays is challenging enough, but when you are asked to write a French essay, you are not only being asked to write in a foreign language, but to follow the conventions of another linguistic and literary tradition. Like essay-writing in any language, the essential part of writing a French essay is to convey your thoughts and observations on a certain topic in a clear and concise manner. French essays do come out of a certain tradition that is part of the training of all students who attend school in France – or at least secondary school – and when you are a French essay, it is important to be aware of this tradition.

The French philosopher Michel de Montaigne is credited with popularizing the essay form as a literary genre. His work, Essais, first published in 1580, and undergoing several subsequent publications before his death in 1592, covers a wide breadth of topics, ranging from “amitié” to “philosopher c’est apprendre à mourir”, and includes many literary references, as well as personal anecdotes. The name for this genre, essai, is the nominal form of the verb essayer, “to attempt”. We have an archaic English verb essay, meaning the same thing. The limerick that includes the phrase, “... when she essayed to drink lemonade ...” indicates an attempt to drink a beverage and has nothing to do with writing about it. But the writing form does illustrate an attempt to describe a topic in depth with the purpose of developing new insights on a particular text or corpus.

French instructors are very specific about what they would like when they ask for an essay, meaning that they will probably specify whether they would like an explication de texte, commentaire composé, or dissertation. That last essay form should not be confused with the document completed for a doctorate in anglophone countries – this is called a thèse in French, by the way. There are different formats for each of these types of essay, and different objectives for each written form.

Types of Essay

1. l’explication de texte.

An explication de texte is a type of essay for which you complete a close reading. It is usually written about a poem or a short passage within a larger work. This close reading will elucidate different themes and stylistic devices within the text. When you are completing an explication de texte, make sure to follow the structure of the text as you complete a close examination of its form and content. The format for an explication de texte consists of:

i. An introduction, in which you situate the text within its genre and historical context. This is where you can point out to your readers the general themes of the text, its form, the trajectory of your reading, and your approach to the text.

ii. The body, in which you develop your ideas, following the structure of the text. Make sure you know all of the meanings of the words used, especially the key terms that point to the themes addressed by the author. It is a good idea to look words up in the dictionary to find out any second, third, and fourth meanings that could add to the themes and forms you describe. Like a student taking an oral examination based on this type of essay writing, you will be expected to have solid knowledge of the vocabulary and grammatical structures that appear in the text. Often the significance of the language used unfolds as you explain the different components of theme, style, and composition.

iii. A conclusion, in which you sum up the general meaning of the text and the significance of the figures and forms being used. You should also give the implications of what is being addressed, and the relevance of these within a larger literary, historical, or philosophical context.

NB: If you are writing about a poem, include observations on the verse, rhyme schemes, and meter. It is a good idea to refer to a reference work on versification. If you are writing about a philosophical work, be familiar with philosophical references and definitions of concepts.

Caveat: Refrain from paraphrasing. Instead show through careful analysis of theme, style, and composition the way in which the main ideas of the text are conveyed.

2. Le commentaire composé

A commentaire composé is a methodologically codified commentary that focuses on themes in a particular text. This type of essay develops different areas of reflection through analytical argument. Such argumentation should clarify the reading that you are approaching by presenting components of the text from different perspectives. In contrast to the explication de texte, it is organized thematically rather than following the structure of the text to which it refers. The format for a commentaire composé consists of:

i. An introduction, in which you present the question you have come up with, often in relation to a prompt commenting on a thematic or stylistic aspect of the text, such as “Montrez en quoi ce texte évoque l’amour courtois” or “Qu’apporte l’absence de la ponctuation dans ce texte ?” In this section, you will be expected to delineate your approach to the text and illustrate the trajectory of your ideas so that your readers will have a clear idea of the direction these ideas will take.

ii. A tripartite body, in which you explore the question you have come up with, citing specific examples in the text that are especially pertinent to the areas of reflection you wish to explore. These citations should be explained and connected to the broad themes of your commentary, all the while providing details that draw the readers’ attention to your areas of inquiry. These different areas of inquiry may initially seem disparate or even contradictory, but eventually come together to form a harmonious reading that addresses different aspects of the text. The more obvious characteristics of the text should illuminate its subtler aspects, which allows for acute insight into the question that you are in the process of exploring.

iii. A conclusion, in which you evaluate your reading and synthesize its different areas of inquiry. This is where you may include your own opinions, but make sure that the preceding sections of your commentaire remain analytical and supported by evidence that you find in the text.

NB: Looking at verb tenses, figures of speech, and other aspects that contribute to the form of the text will help situate your reader, as will commenting on the register of language, whether this language is ornate, plain, reflects a style soutenu, or less formal patterns of speech.

Caveat: Quotations do not replace observations or comments on the text. Explain your quotations and situate them well within your own text.

3. La dissertation

The dissertation is a personal, organized, and methodical reflection on a precise question that refers to a corpus of writing. Referring to this corpus, you may be asked questions along the lines of “Que pensez-vous de l’équivalence entre l’amour et la chanson exprimée dans ces textes ?” or “Est-ce que la sagesse et la folie ont les mêmes sources?” This type of essay allows for an exploration of a question through knowledge of a corpus as well as through an individual’s cultural knowledge. The format for a dissertation consists of:

i. An introduction, in which you present the topic addressed, the significance of your argument, and the trajectory of your ideas.

ii. The body which, like a commentaire composé, consists of a tripartite development of your argument. This can follow any one of the following structures: a dialectical schema, organized into thèse, antithèse, and synthèse – an argument, its counter-argument, and its rebuttal; an analytical schema, consisting of the description of a situation, an analysis of its causes, and commentary on its consequences; a thematic schema, which consists of a reflection on a topic which you proceed to examine from different angles in an orderly fashion.

iii. A conclusion, in which you address the different ways in which you have approached the question at hand and how this deepens your insights, while placing the question within a broader context that shows room for expansion. The conclusion can open up the topic addressed to show its placement within a literary movement, or in opposition to another literary movement that follows it, for example.

NB: Approach the question at hand with as few preconceptions as possible. If you are writing on a quotation, gather all of your knowledge about its author, the work in which it appears, and the body of literature with which it is associated.

Caveat: Even for a personal reflection, such as a dissertation, avoid using the first person pronoun je. Nous or on are preferable. It is advisable not to switch from one to the other, though.

For each of these essay forms, it is a good idea to make an outline to which you can refer as you write. As your writing progresses, things may shift a bit, but having a structure on which you can rely as you gather your various ideas and information into a coherent argument provides solid foundation for a clear and well-developed essay. This also facilitates smooth transitions from one section of your essay to the next.

During your reading, you may encounter a problem, a contradiction, or a surprising turn of phrase that is difficult to figure out. Such moments in a text give you the opportunity to delve into the unique characteristics of the text or corpus to which you are referring, to propose different solutions to the problems you encounter, and to describe their significance within a larger literary, philosophical, and historical context. Essay writing allows you to become more familiar with French works, with their cultural significance, and with the French language. You can refer to the following resources to guide you in this endeavor:

Auffret, Serge et Hélène. Le commentaire composé. Paris: Hachette, 1991. Dufau, Micheline et Ellen D'Alelio. Découverte du poème: Introduction à l'explication de textes. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1967. Grammont, Maurice. Petit traité de versification française. Paris: A. Colin, 2015. Huisman, Denis et L. R. Plazolles. L’art de la dissertation littéraire : du baccalauréat au C.A.P.E.S. Paris : Société d’édition d’enseignement supérieur, 1965.

The French newspaper Le Monde also has good articles on these essay forms that prepare French students for the baccalauréat exam: CLICK HERE

This is also a website with thorough information on essay writing techniques that prepare students for the baccalauréat exam: CLICK HERE

In addition, the University of Adelaide has tips for general essay writing in French: CLICK HERE

🇫🇷 Looking for More French Resources?

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French Ressource Describe your house / Je decris ma maison en francais

Subject: French

Age range: 5 - 17

Resource type: Other

Last updated

22 February 2018

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