Past Tense

French Lesson 14 (Past Tense & Colors)

Duration: 30 mins

Lessons French Lessons
Linguistic French Vocabulary
Culture French Phrases
Structure French Grammar

This 14th lesson deals with the past tense in French. In addition I included a vocabulary list about colors, as well as some basic phrases. I will try to give examples using both vocabulary and grammar. That way it will be easy for you to see the words when they are separate and when they are in a sentence. Going through the whole page should take about 30 min. Make sure to read the pronunciation and hear the audio as well. If you have any question about this course, please email me directly at French Classes.

Past

The past is one of the 3 tenses (present, past, and future) we will be discussing in the next 3 lessons. So it is recommended not to skip any of them because they are all related.

Below is a list of 15 sentences conjugated into the past tense. I focused on the examples you might come across or use very often. The table contains 3 columns (English, French, and Audio). Make sure you repeat each word after hearing it by either clicking on the audio button or by reading the pronunciation. That should help with memorization as well as improving your pronunciation.

Past Tense in French

Past French Audio
I saw youJe t'ai vu
I wrote with a penJ'ai écrit avec un stylo
You loved applesVous avez adoré les pommes
You gave moneyVous avez donné de l'argent
You played tennisVous avez joué au tennis
He read (past tense) a bookIl a lu un livre
He understood meIl m'a compris
She had a catElle avait un chat
She knew my friendElle connaissait mon ami(e)
We wanted to learnNous avons voulu apprendre
We thought Spanish is easyNous avons pensé que l'espagnol était facile
You (plural) worked hereVous avez travaillé ici
You (plural) spoke FrenchVous avez parlé français
They drove a carIls ont conduit une voiture
They smiledIls ont souri

Questions?

If you have any questions, please contact me If you simply want to ask a question, please French contact form on the header above.

List of Colors in French

Below is a list of 18 words and expressions related to colors.

Colors in French

Colors French Audio
Blacknoir
Bluebleu
Brownbrun
ColorsLes couleurs
Dark colorUne couleur fonçée
Graygris
Greenvert
Light colorUne couleur claire
Orangeorange
Redrouge
Whiteblanc
Yellowjaune

Daily Conversation in French

Finally, here are some common sentences to strengthen your conversation skills. For a complete list of commonly used sentences, please visit our French Phrases page. Enjoy!

Common Expressions in French

English French Audio
Black is his favorite colorLe noir est sa couleur préférée
I have black hairJ'ai les cheveux noirs
Red is not his favorite colorLe rouge n'est pas sa couleur préférée
She drives a yellow carElle conduìt une voiture jaune
The sky is blueLe ciel est bleu
Your cat is whiteVotre chat est blanc
I enjoyed myself very muchJe me suis amusé(e) beaucoup
I agree with youJe suis d'accord avec vous
Are you sure?Vous êtes sûr(e)?
Be careful!Faîtes attention!
Cheers!Santé!
Would you like to go for a walk?Vous voulez faire une promenade?

Fun Facts

Language Quote: ❝To have another language is to possess a second soul.❞ ‒Charlemagne

Congratulations! You finished your 14th lesson in French about the past tense, and a vocabulary list about colors. Are you ready for the next lesson? We recommend French Lesson 15. You can also simply click on one of the links below or go back to our Learn French homepage.

Lessons French Lessons
Linguistic French Vocabulary
Culture French Phrases
Structure French Grammar