Translating into French
Translating into French means choosing the right word order and endings, not just swapping English words one by one.
Part of your national curriculum
- Writing: Translate short written text accurately into the foreign language
Lesson overview
What you'll learn in this lesson
Translate short written text accurately into the foreign language
Key learning points
- • Do not translate word for word
- • Check adjective agreement
- • Word order for negatives
This lesson at a glance
- 25 minutes
- 16 parts to scroll through
- 3 quick checks
- Marked quiz at the end
- Gentle pace: short sittings with pauses
Words to know
Scroll down — the lesson carries on below
Watch & discover
Part 1 of 16
Visual introductionPicture this
Translating into French
Translating into French means choosing the right word order and endings, not just swapping English words one by one.
In a nutshell
Translate short written text accurately into the foreign language
Learning cycle
Part 2 of 16
Learning cycle 1 of 2
Part 1 · Do not translate word for word
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Explore the idea
Part 3 of 16
Learn
Do not translate word for word
'I am 13 years old' becomes 'J'ai treize ans' — literally 'I have thirteen years'. French uses 'avoir' (to have) for age, not 'être' (to be), so a direct word-for-word translation would be wrong.
Reset break
Part 4 of 16
Pause
That's sitting 1 of 4 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Explore the idea
Part 5 of 16
Learn
Check adjective agreement
Translating 'a big house' needs 'une grande maison' — 'grande' agrees with the feminine noun 'maison', adding an -e. Always check gender and number before finalising a translation.
Quick check
Part 6 of 16
Quick check
Part 7 of 16
Reset break
Part 8 of 16
Pause
That's sitting 2 of 4 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Learning cycle
Part 9 of 16
Learning cycle 2 of 2
Part 2 · Word order for negatives
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Explore the idea
Part 10 of 16
Learn
Word order for negatives
'I don't like maths' becomes 'Je n'aime pas les maths', with 'ne...pas' wrapped around the verb — a structure with no direct English equivalent that must be learned and applied correctly.
Quick check
Part 11 of 16
Reset break
Part 12 of 16
Pause
That's sitting 3 of 4 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Challenge round
Part 13 of 16
Game · Sort it
Which of these are true?
Drag each card into the right column. Tap a card first if dragging is fiddly.
True
Not true
Challenge round
Part 14 of 16
Game · Recall cards
Translate into French: 'I never drink fizzy drinks.'
Card 1 of 4
Mastery quiz
Part 15 of 16
Marked quiz
End of lesson quiz: Translating into French
4 questions, marked with the reasoning shown. No timer.
1. Translate into French: 'I never drink fizzy drinks.'
2. How do you say 'I am 13 years old' in French?
3. 'A big house' translates as...
4. Where does 'pas' go in a negative sentence with 'aime'?
Lesson round-up
Part 16 of 16
Lesson round-up
Ready when you are
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Luna: 0 out of 3 on the practice checks. Only if you feel up to it — one more?
Ask LunaPart 1 of 16 · Watch & discover
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Translate short written text accurately into the foreign language