Beginner (A1) French Grammar
This page lists the grammar topics covered at beginner (A1) level in French, in the order most learners meet them. Each topic has its own page with explanations and examples. If you are starting from scratch, work through them in order; if you are revising, go straight to the topic you need.
Not sure whether you are at A1? Try the French level test first. For vocabulary at the same level, see A1 French vocabulary.
A1 grammar topics
Alphabet and pronunciation: the French alphabet, pronunciation rules and the sounds that differ from English.
Basic sentence structure: building simple sentences with a subject, a verb and an object.
Definite and indefinite articles: when to use le, la, les and un, une, des.
Gender: masculine and feminine nouns: how nouns are classed as masculine or feminine, and how this affects the article.
The present tense (présent de l'indicatif): regular -er, -ir and -re verbs and the most common irregular verbs.
Negation with ne… pas: how to make a sentence negative.
Asking questions: intonation, est-ce que and inversion.
Regular -er, -ir and -re verbs: full present-tense patterns with common verbs to learn.
Personal pronouns: je, tu, il, elle, on, nous, vous, ils, elles, and when to use tu or vous.
Numbers and counting: numbers from 1 to 100 and beyond.
Possessive adjectives: mon, ma, mes and the rest, with agreement.
Basic prepositions: à, de, dans, en, chez and how they combine with articles.
Learning with a teacher
These pages explain the rules; most beginners also need someone to correct their speaking and writing as they go. I teach beginners one to one online, at whatever pace suits. You can read more on the French tuition page or book a free 15-minute call to talk through where you are starting from.