French Language and Literacy

French: Greetings, Grammar, Vocabulary, and Francophone History

Grades K-12 | Aurora Curriculum Pack

Documented context: French is spoken by approximately 320 million people across 5 continents. It is the official or co-official language of 29 countries. Haiti's 1804 Declaration of Independence — written in French — is the only documented successful revolution led by enslaved people in history. The Negritude movement (1930s), led by Francophone African and Caribbean writers including Aime Cesaire and Leopold Senghor, used French as the language of resistance against French colonialism. To learn French is to access a global language of law, diplomacy, literature, and documented liberation.

Section 1 — Greetings and Essential Phrases

All Grades

Formal vs. informal in French: French has two forms of "you" — tu (informal, for friends and family) and vous (formal, for adults, strangers, groups). Using the wrong form is a significant social error. When in doubt, use vous.

Core Greetings — Study, Then Practice Writing Each Three Times

Bonjour

bohn-ZHOOR

Good morning / Good day (formal — used until about 6pm)

Bonsoir

bohn-SWAHR

Good evening (use after about 6pm)

Salut

sah-LUE

Hi / Bye (informal only — do not use with adults or strangers)

Comment vous appelez-vous?

koh-MAHN voo zah-puh-LAY voo

What is your name? (formal)

Comment tu t'appelles?

koh-MAHN tu tah-PEL

What is your name? (informal)

Je m'appelle ___________

zhuh mah-PEL

My name is ___________

Comment allez-vous? / Comment vas-tu?

koh-MAHN ah-lay VOO / koh-MAHN vah TU

How are you? (formal / informal)

Responses: Tres bien, merci (Very well, thank you) | Ca va bien (I'm fine) | Comme ci comme ca (So-so)

D'ou venez-vous? / Tu viens d'ou?

doo vuh-nay VOO / tu vyahn DOO

Where do you come from? (formal / informal)

Response: Je viens de ___________ (I come from ___________)

Merci beaucoup / De rien / Je vous en prie

Thank you very much / You're welcome (informal) / You're welcome (formal)

Au revoir / A bientot

Goodbye / See you soon

Write a Full Self-Introduction in French

Using the phrases above, write a 4-5 sentence introduction: your name, where you are from, how you are, and one thing about yourself. Use complete French sentences:

Section 2 — Numbers 0-20 and Days of the Week

Numbers 0-20

#	French	Practice
0	zero
1	un / une
2	deux
3	trois
4	quatre
5	cinq
6	six
7	sept
8	huit
9	neuf
10	dix
11	onze
12	douze
15	quinze
20	vingt

Days of the Week

French	English
lundi	Monday
mardi	Tuesday
mercredi	Wednesday
jeudi	Thursday
vendredi	Friday
samedi	Saturday
dimanche	Sunday

Today is _______________ in French.

Write a sentence: "Today is [day]. I study French." _______________________________________________

Section 3 — Core Vocabulary: Family, School, and Description

French (m.)	French (f.)	English
le pere	la mere	father / mother
le frere	la soeur	brother / sister
le livre	la bibliotheque	book / library
l'etudiant	l'etudiante	student
grand / grande		big / great
beau / belle		beautiful
fort / forte		strong
libre		free / freedom

Note: In French, "libre" means free as in freedom, liberty, free time. The word "liberte" (liberty/freedom) is derived from the same root.

Section 4 — Grammar Foundations: Verbs, Gender, Articles

Grades 4-12

Key Grammar Rule 1 — Gendered Nouns and Articles

Every French noun is either masculine (le / un) or feminine (la / une). There is no neutral. Adjectives must agree with the noun's gender.
le livre = the book (m.) | la liberte = freedom (f.)
un etudiant = a student (m.) | une etudiante = a student (f.)
Before words starting with a vowel or silent h: le/la becomes l' — e.g., l'ami (the friend)

Classify each noun as masculine (m.) or feminine (f.) using context or pattern recognition:

le president: _______ la revolution: _______ l'ecole: _______ le combat: _______

Apply the rule: write "le" or "la" before each noun:

_____ guerre (war) _____ liberte _____ roi (king) _____ reine (queen)

Key Grammar Rule 2 — The Verb "Etre" (To Be)

Subject pronoun	Conjugation	Translation	Example sentence
je (I)	suis	I am	Je suis etudiant(e).
tu (you, informal)	es	you are	Tu es libre.
il / elle (he / she)	est	he/she is	Elle est forte.
nous (we)	sommes	we are	Nous sommes libres.
vous (you, formal/plural)	etes	you are	Vous etes professeur?
ils / elles (they)	sont	they are	Ils sont courageux.

Fill in the correct form of "etre":

Je _______ Haitien(ne). Nous _______ libres. Toussaint Louverture _______ un hero. Vous _______ professeur?

Key Grammar Rule 3 — Verb "Avoir" (To Have)

Subject	Avoir	Example
je	ai	J'ai un livre. (I have a book.)
tu	as	Tu as des questions? (Do you have questions?)
il/elle	a	Elle a de la force. (She has strength.)
nous	avons	Nous avons la liberte. (We have freedom.)
vous	avez
ils/elles	ont

Write three sentences using "avoir" about yourself or your family:

Section 5 — Francophone History: Haiti, Negritude, and Language as Power

Documented historical context: Haiti's 1804 Declaration of Independence was written in French — the language of the colonial power that had enslaved the Haitian people. The leaders of the Haitian Revolution chose to write their founding document in the colonizer's language as a direct assertion that Black people were equal participants in the Enlightenment ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity that France claimed to represent. The United States refused to recognize Haitian independence for 58 years. France required Haiti to pay reparations to French slaveholders of 150 million francs — a debt Haiti did not finish paying until 1947.

Primary Source Analysis — Haiti's 1804 Declaration

The Haitian Declaration of Independence (January 1, 1804) is available at the Library of Congress (loc.gov) and through the University of Michigan's Haitian archive. Access the document (in French or translation) and answer:

Who signed the declaration? Name at least one leader: _______________________________________________

What is the name Haiti's founders chose for the new nation, and what does it mean? _______________________________________________

Quote one phrase from the declaration that asserts Haiti's freedom (in French or English): _______________________________________________

What language is the document written in, and what is the documented significance of that choice? _______________________________________________

Negritude Movement — For Grades 7-12

The Negritude movement (1930s-1960s) was a literary and intellectual movement of French-speaking Black writers who used French to assert Black pride, African identity, and resistance to French colonial assimilation policies. Key figures include:
Aime Cesaire (Martinique, 1913-2008): poet and politician, wrote "Notebook of a Return to the Native Land" in French
Leopold Sedar Senghor (Senegal, 1906-2001): poet and the first president of Senegal; wrote poetry celebrating African identity in French
Frantz Fanon (Martinique, 1925-1961): psychiatrist and revolutionary, wrote "The Wretched of the Earth" (French: "Les Damnes de la Terre") — a documented analysis of colonialism's psychological impact

Frantz Fanon wrote: "The colonized man who writes for his people ought to use the past with the intention of opening the future." In 2-3 sentences, explain what Fanon means and how learning French connects to this idea for a scholar of African descent:

Francophone Africa Today

Name three African countries where French is an official or widely spoken language, and name one documented reason why French became influential in each (colonization, trade, education, etc.):

Country 1: _________________ Reason: _______________________________________________

Country 2: _________________ Reason: _______________________________________________

Country 3: _________________ Reason: _______________________________________________

Aurora Pause — All Grades

France was the colonial power in Haiti. The Haitian Revolution was fought against France. The Declaration of Independence was written in French. Aime Cesaire used French to challenge French colonialism. French is spoken across 29 countries because of European colonization of Africa, the Caribbean, and the Americas. What does this documented history tell you about the relationship between language, power, and resistance? When a colonized people uses the colonizer's language, are they surrendering, resisting, or both? Make a specific claim and support it with at least one documented example from what you learned today: