Ask where: 'vas', intonation questions with 'où', 'comment', 'quand' | French

Starter quiz

Which words contain the sound-symbol correspondence [ou]?
- salut !
- bonjour ! ✓
- aujourd'hui ✓
- oui ✓
- amusant
Match the French to the English.
- je vais
  
  ⇔
  
  I go, I am going ✓
- il va
  
  ⇔
  
  he goes, he is going ✓
- elle va
  
  ⇔
  
  she goes, she is going ✓
Match the French question words with the English.
- où ?
  
  ⇔
  
  where? ✓
- quand ?
  
  ⇔
  
  when? ✓
- quoi ?
  
  ⇔
  
  what? ✓
- comment ?
  
  ⇔
  
  how? ✓
- qui ?
  
  ⇔
  
  who? ✓
- combien ?
  
  ⇔
  
  how much? how many? ✓
Read the following in English. Match the correct halves of the French translation. You (polite) are very tall. We are quite young. I am a bit small. You (singular) are well-behaved. He is so strict
- Vous êtes
  
  ⇔
  
  très grand. ✓
- Nous sommes
  
  ⇔
  
  assez jeunes ✓
- Je suis
  
  ⇔
  
  un peu petit. ✓
- Tu es
  
  ⇔
  
  sage. ✓
- Il est
  
  ⇔
  
  si strict. ✓
Which of the following nouns for places are feminine?
- poste ✓
- magasin
- salle ✓
- parc
- collège
Choose the 4 words that you need to correctly translate the following sentence into French. There is only one word you won't need. I am going to the shop.
- je ✓
- vais ✓
- au ✓
- le
- magasin ✓

Exit quiz

Match the English questions words to the French.
- Où ?
  
  ⇔
  
  Where? ✓
- Quand ?
  
  ⇔
  
  When? ✓
- Comment ?
  
  ⇔
  
  How? ✓
Match the singular forms of 'aller' to the English.
- je vais
  
  ⇔
  
  I go, I am going ✓
- tu vas
  
  ⇔
  
  you (singular) go, you are going ✓
- il va
  
  ⇔
  
  he goes, he is going ✓
- elle va
  
  ⇔
  
  she goes, she is going ✓
How many times do you hear [ou] or [u] in the following sentences: Bonjour ! Aujourd'hui tu vas où ? Nous allons au supermarché en bus.
- 4 times
- 5 times
- 6 times
- 7 times ✓
- 8 times
In which of the following sentences would the 's' in 'vas' be pronounced like 'z' in English?
- Tu vas demain.
- Tu vas à Rouen. ✓
- Tu vas au parc. ✓
- Tu vas à la poste. ✓
- Tu vas aujourd'hui ? ✓
Read the following sentences in English, then match together the correct sentence halves of the French translation below. I go by plane. You go by boat. He goes by car. She goes by bus.
- Je vais
  
  ⇔
  
  en avion. ✓
- Tu vas
  
  ⇔
  
  en bateau. ✓
- Il va
  
  ⇔
  
  en voiture. ✓
- Elle va
  
  ⇔
  
  en bus. ✓
Match the following intonation questions with their English translation.
- Tu as une raison ?
  
  ⇔
  
  Do you have a reason? ✓
- Il pense que tu vas à Paris ?
  
  ⇔
  
  Does he think that you are going to Paris? ✓
- Il va au parc avec elle ?
  
  ⇔
  
  Is he going to the park with her? ✓
- Je demande quand ?
  
  ⇔
  
  When do I ask? ✓
- Elle va en voiture ?
  
  ⇔
  
  Is she going by car? ✓
- Tu écoutes le professeur ?
  
  ⇔
  
  Are you listening to the teacher? ✓

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Lesson Details

Key learning points

The sound symbol correspondences [ou] and [u] sound similar but they are different so it is important to practise them.
The singular forms of 'aller' (to go, going) are je vais (I go) tu vas (you go) and il, elle va (he, she goes).
We can use question words like 'où ?' to form intonation questions. In French the question word goes after the verb.
To say 'to go by' + transport in French we use 'aller' with 'en' + noun, for example 'je vais en train' (I go by train).

Common misconception

'Ou' means 'or' and 'where' in French.

'Ou' without an accent means 'or' and 'où' with an accent means 'where'.

Keywords

[ou] - Sounds like the [ou] in 'nous', meaning 'we' in French.
[u] - Sounds like the [u] in 'tu', meaning you (singular) in French.
Tu vas - French verb meaing 'you go, you are going'.
En - Preposition meaning 'by' when placed between the verb 'aller' and a mode of transport e.g. je vais en train (I go by train).