{"id":94,"date":"2026-09-30T17:09:07","date_gmt":"2026-09-30T16:09:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leweb2ks.dev\/vitrine-vocadial\/en\/resources\/classroom-instructions-in-french\/"},"modified":"2026-09-30T17:09:07","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T16:09:07","slug":"classroom-instructions-in-french","status":"publish","type":"vd_ressource","link":"https:\/\/vocadial.com\/en\/resources\/classroom-instructions-in-french\/","title":{"rendered":"Classroom instructions in French: teacher commands and pupil phrases"},"content":{"rendered":"

Vous or tu?<\/h2>\n\n
  1. The whole class: vous<\/span>.<\/strong> \u00c9coutez.<\/span> Ouvrez vos livres.<\/span> Asseyez-vous.<\/span><\/li>
  2. One pupil: tu<\/span>.<\/strong> \u00c9coute.<\/span> Ouvre ton livre.<\/span> Assieds-toi.<\/span><\/li>
  3. Pupils to the teacher: vous<\/span>.<\/strong> Vous pouvez r\u00e9p\u00e9ter, s’il vous pla\u00eet ?<\/span><\/li><\/ol>\n\n

    In France, teachers generally say tu<\/span> to an individual pupil and vous<\/span> to the class; some upper-secondary teachers say vous<\/span> even to individuals. Pupils always say vous<\/span> to teachers and call them Madame<\/span> or Monsieur<\/span>, without the surname. In primary school, children say ma\u00eetresse<\/span> or ma\u00eetre<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n

    Note that the possessive changes with the pronoun: vos cahiers<\/span> with vous<\/span>, ton cahier<\/span> with tu<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n

    Teacher instructions<\/h2>\n\n
    To the class (vous)<\/th>To one pupil (tu)<\/th>English<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
    \u00c9coutez.<\/td>\u00c9coute.<\/td>Listen.<\/td><\/tr>
    Regardez le tableau.<\/td>Regarde le tableau.<\/td>Look at the board.<\/td><\/tr>
    R\u00e9p\u00e9tez.<\/td>R\u00e9p\u00e8te.<\/td>Repeat.<\/td><\/tr>
    Ouvrez vos livres.<\/td>Ouvre ton livre.<\/td>Open your books.<\/td><\/tr>
    Fermez vos livres.<\/td>Ferme ton livre.<\/td>Close your books.<\/td><\/tr>
    Sortez vos cahiers.<\/td>Sors ton cahier.<\/td>Get your exercise books out.<\/td><\/tr>
    Rangez vos affaires.<\/td>Range tes affaires.<\/td>Put your things away.<\/td><\/tr>
    Lisez.<\/td>Lis.<\/td>Read.<\/td><\/tr>
    \u00c9crivez la date.<\/td>\u00c9cris la date.<\/td>Write the date.<\/td><\/tr>
    Levez la main.<\/td>L\u00e8ve la main.<\/td>Put your hand up.<\/td><\/tr>
    Asseyez-vous.<\/td>Assieds-toi.<\/td>Sit down.<\/td><\/tr>
    Levez-vous.<\/td>L\u00e8ve-toi.<\/td>Stand up.<\/td><\/tr>
    Travaillez \u00e0 deux.<\/td>Travaille avec ton voisin.<\/td>Work in pairs.<\/td><\/tr>
    Venez au tableau.<\/td>Viens au tableau.<\/td>Come to the board.<\/td><\/tr>
    Faites attention.<\/td>Fais attention.<\/td>Pay attention.<\/td><\/tr>
    Silence, s’il vous pla\u00eet.<\/td>Chut !<\/td>Quiet, please.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

    Exercise instructions, usually written with vous<\/span>: compl\u00e9tez<\/span> (fill in), reliez<\/span> (match), soulignez<\/span> (underline), entourez<\/span> (circle), cochez<\/span> (tick), recopiez<\/span> (copy out), r\u00e9pondez aux questions<\/span> (answer the questions), traduisez<\/span> (translate).<\/p>\n\n

    For feedback: Tr\u00e8s bien !<\/span>, Excellent !<\/span>, Bravo !<\/span>, Presque !<\/span> (nearly), Encore une fois<\/span> (again), Plus fort<\/span> (louder). Taisez-vous !<\/span> (be quiet) exists but sounds sharp: Silence, s’il vous pla\u00eet<\/span> is kinder.<\/p>\n\n

    How the imperative works<\/h2>\n\n
    1. Take the present tense and drop the pronoun.<\/strong> vous \u00e9coutez<\/span> \u2192 \u00c9coutez !<\/span>, tu lis<\/span> \u2192 Lis !<\/span>, tu prends<\/span> \u2192 Prends !<\/span><\/li>
    2. -er verbs lose the s with tu.<\/strong> tu \u00e9coutes<\/span> \u2192 \u00c9coute !<\/span>, tu regardes<\/span> \u2192 Regarde !<\/span>, and also tu ouvres<\/span> \u2192 Ouvre !<\/span> The s comes back only before y<\/span> or en<\/span>: Vas-y !<\/span><\/li>
    3. Four irregular verbs.<\/strong> \u00eatre<\/span>: sois<\/span>, soyez<\/span>; avoir<\/span>: aie<\/span>, ayez<\/span>; savoir<\/span>: sache<\/span>, sachez<\/span>; vouloir<\/span>: veuillez<\/span> (as in veuillez vous asseoir<\/span>, very formal).<\/li>
    4. Reflexive verbs: pronoun after, with a hyphen.<\/strong> Asseyez-vous<\/span>, Levez-vous<\/span>; with tu, te<\/span> becomes toi<\/span>: L\u00e8ve-toi<\/span>, Assieds-toi<\/span> (Assois-toi<\/span> is also correct).<\/li>
    5. Negative commands frame the verb.<\/strong> Ne parlez pas.<\/span> Ne touche pas.<\/span> With reflexives, the pronoun goes back in front: Ne vous levez pas.<\/span><\/li><\/ol>\n\n

      At KS2 and early KS3, pupils can learn the commands as fixed phrases; the rules make sense later, when the imperative comes up in the course.<\/p>\n\n

      Pupil phrases<\/h2>\n\n
      French<\/th>English<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
      Je peux aller aux toilettes, s’il vous pla\u00eet ?<\/td>Can I go to the toilet, please?<\/td><\/tr>
      Comment dit-on \u00ab ruler \u00bb en fran\u00e7ais ?<\/td>How do you say “ruler” in French?<\/td><\/tr>
      Qu’est-ce que \u00e7a veut dire ?<\/td>What does that mean?<\/td><\/tr>
      Que veut dire \u00ab cahier \u00bb ?<\/td>What does “cahier” mean?<\/td><\/tr>
      Je ne comprends pas.<\/td>I don’t understand.<\/td><\/tr>
      Vous pouvez r\u00e9p\u00e9ter, s’il vous pla\u00eet ?<\/td>Can you repeat, please?<\/td><\/tr>
      Plus lentement, s’il vous pla\u00eet.<\/td>More slowly, please.<\/td><\/tr>
      Comment \u00e7a s’\u00e9crit ?<\/td>How do you spell it?<\/td><\/tr>
      C’est \u00e0 quelle page ?<\/td>What page is it?<\/td><\/tr>
      J’ai une question.<\/td>I have a question.<\/td><\/tr>
      J’ai fini.<\/td>I’ve finished.<\/td><\/tr>
      J’ai oubli\u00e9 mon cahier.<\/td>I’ve forgotten my exercise book.<\/td><\/tr>
      Je n’ai pas de stylo.<\/td>I haven’t got a pen.<\/td><\/tr>
      Tu peux me pr\u00eater une r\u00e8gle ?<\/td>Can you lend me a ruler? (to a classmate)<\/td><\/tr>
      Pardon, je suis en retard.<\/td>Sorry I’m late.<\/td><\/tr>
      C’est mon tour ?<\/td>Is it my turn?<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

      Three levels of politeness for the same request: Je peux aller aux toilettes ?<\/span> (everyday), Est-ce que je peux aller aux toilettes ?<\/span> (neutral), Puis-je aller aux toilettes ?<\/span> (formal and rather literary). All three are correct; the second is a safe target for KS3.<\/p>\n\n

      Pronunciation: the -ez<\/span> ending sounds like “ay”: \u00e9coutez<\/span> is “ay-koo-TAY”. S’il vous pla\u00eet<\/span> is “seel-voo-PLEH”. Toilettes<\/span> is always plural: aux toilettes<\/span>, “oh-twa-LET”. In written French, put a space before ? and !<\/p>\n\n

      Typical mistakes of English-speaking learners<\/h2>\n\n
      • “\u00c9coutes !”:<\/strong> no s on the tu form of -er verbs.<\/li>
      • “Asseyez-toi” or “Assieds-vous”:<\/strong> keep the pronoun consistent.<\/li>
      • “Je peux aller \u00e0 la toilette ?”:<\/strong> in France it is plural, aux toilettes<\/span>. (La toilette<\/span> means washing yourself; in Belgium, though, la toilette<\/span> can mean the loo.)<\/li>
      • “Je ne comprends” without pas:<\/strong> Je ne comprends pas.<\/span><\/li>
      • “Je suis fini”:<\/strong> that means “I’m done for”. Say J’ai fini.<\/span><\/li>
      • “Madame Smith”:<\/strong> in France, Madame<\/span> alone is the polite form; a surname-based UK convention is fine in your classroom, as long as pupils say vous<\/span>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n

        In class: building a target-language classroom<\/h2>\n\n

        Classroom language is the French pupils hear most often, so install it deliberately rather than hoping it sticks.<\/p>\n\n

        1. Start with ten to twelve core phrases: five instructions, five pupil requests. Display them on the wall with a picture for each.<\/li>
        2. Give each instruction a gesture: a hand behind the ear for \u00e9coutez<\/span>, opening hands for ouvrez vos livres<\/span>.<\/li>
        3. Add one phrase a week and make it the phrase of the week.<\/li>
        4. Expect requests in French: Je peux aller aux toilettes ?<\/span> is the most motivating sentence in any language.<\/li>
        5. Hand over the role: a pupil gives the instructions at the start of the lesson, or leads a round of Jacques a dit<\/span>, the French Simon Says.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n

          Keep English for safeguarding, for anything that must be understood with certainty, and for brief explanations. The aim is not an English-free lesson but a room where French is the natural language of routine.<\/p>\n\n

          Adapting to your class<\/h3>\n\n
          • A1<\/b>Understand and follow ten instructions; ask to go to the toilet in French.<\/li>
          • A2<\/b>Use all the pupil phrases unprompted, with s’il vous pla\u00eet<\/span> and merci<\/span>.<\/li>
          • B1<\/b>Give instructions to the class with vous<\/span>: a pupil runs the starter.<\/li>
          • B2<\/b>Negotiate politely: Est-ce qu’on pourrait travailler en groupes ?<\/span> Vous pourriez nous donner plus de temps ?<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\n\n

            At KS2, the commands are best learnt through songs and games. At KS3, make pupil requests in French a class expectation. At GCSE, classroom French becomes the vehicle for discussing tasks, opinions and school life.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

            \u00c9coutez, ouvrez vos cahiers, je peux aller aux toilettes ?: the core French classroom instructions, with vous and tu forms and pupil phrases.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"menu_order":25,"template":"","meta":{"_seopress_titles_title":"Classroom Instructions in French: Key Phrases | VocaDial","_seopress_titles_desc":"French classroom language: teacher instructions with vous and tu, the imperative, pupil phrases like Je peux aller aux toilettes ?, and teaching in French.","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","_seopress_news_disabled":"","_seopress_video_disabled":"","_seopress_video":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas_manual":[],"_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable_all":"","_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas":[],"_vd_topic":"consignes","_vd_target":"fr","_vd_module":"","_vd_level":"A1","_vd_minutes":"7","_vd_card_word":"\u00c9coutez !","_vd_answer":"Classroom instructions in French use the imperative. To the whole class, with vous<\/span>: \u00c9coutez !<\/span>, Regardez le tableau !<\/span>, Ouvrez vos cahiers !<\/span>, Asseyez-vous !<\/span> To one pupil, with tu<\/span>: \u00c9coute !<\/span>, Regarde !<\/span>, Ouvre ton cahier !<\/span>, Assieds-toi !<\/span> Pupils ask Je peux aller aux toilettes, s'il vous pla\u00eet ?<\/span>, Comment dit-on\u2026 ?<\/span> and say Je ne comprends pas.<\/span>","_vd_faq":"[{\"q\":\"How do you say \\\"Can I go to the toilet?\\\" in French?\",\"a\":\"Je peux aller aux toilettes, s'il vous pla\u00eet ?<\\\/span> More formally: Est-ce que je peux aller aux toilettes ?<\\\/span> or Puis-je aller aux toilettes ?<\\\/span>\"},{\"q\":\"What is the difference between \u00e9coute and \u00e9coutez?\",\"a\":\"\u00c9coute<\\\/span> is to one person you call tu<\\\/span>; \u00e9coutez<\\\/span> is to several people, or to one person you call vous<\\\/span>.\"},{\"q\":\"How do you say \\\"sit down\\\" in French?\",\"a\":\"Asseyez-vous<\\\/span> to the class or formally, Assieds-toi<\\\/span> (or Assois-toi<\\\/span>) to one pupil.\"},{\"q\":\"How do you say \\\"I don't understand\\\" in French?\",\"a\":\"Je ne comprends pas.<\\\/span> In quick speech the ne often disappears: \\\"J'comprends pas\\\".\"},{\"q\":\"How do French pupils address their teachers?\",\"a\":\"With vous<\\\/span> and Madame<\\\/span> or Monsieur<\\\/span>, without the surname. In primary school, ma\u00eetresse<\\\/span> or ma\u00eetre<\\\/span>.\"}]","_vd_key":"consignes-fr","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-94","vd_ressource","type-vd_ressource","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vocadial.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/vd_ressource\/94","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vocadial.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/vd_ressource"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vocadial.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/vd_ressource"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vocadial.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/vd_ressource\/94\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vocadial.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=94"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}