French conversation course for beginning learners

Practical information

CEF

A1	At the end of the course, you can understand and use familiar, everyday expressions and basic phrases in areas of immediate need. You can also read and write short, simple texts. You can interact in a simple way provided the other person speaks slowly and clearly and is willing to help. You can for example introduce yourself and you can ask and answer questions on very familiar topics.
A2	At the end of the course you can understand phrases related to areas of most immediate personal relevance (e.g. personal and family information, shopping, employment, ...). You can read and write short, simple notes and messages and find information in everyday material such as advertisements and timetables. You can communicate in simple and routine situations on familiar, everyday topics. You can describe in simple phrases some aspects of your background, your close surroundings and your immediate needs.
B1	At the end of the course you can understand the main points of standard communication on familiar matters regularly encountered. You can enter unprepared into conversation on topics that are familiar and you can connect phrases in a simple way. You can write simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest and you can briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.
B2	At the end of the course you can understand most TV news and current affairs programmes. You can even follow complex lines of argument provided the topic is reasonably familiar. You can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible. You can understand the main points of complex texts on concrete and abstract topics and you can understand technical discussions related to your field. You can write clear, detailed texts on a wide range of subjects and you can explain a viewpoint on a topical issue expressing the advantages and disadvantages of various options.
C1	At the end of this course you can better understand native speakers, even when they talk very fast. You learn how to express yourself fluently and spontaneously without any preparation and without much obvious searching for expressions. You can understand more difficult and longer texts, like those you will encounter during your studies. You can also recognize implicit meaning. You can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. You can write clear, well-structured, detailed texts about complex subjects, logically structured, coherent and well connected.
C2	At the end of the course you have no difficulty in understanding any kind of spoken or written language. You can summarize spoken or written language and reconstruct arguments and presentations coherently. You can express yourself fluently and spontaneously and convey finer shades of meaning precisely, even in more complex situations.

Course hours

Prices		Evening
Commercial student This is the standard price for this language course. If you are not entitled to a discount, this is the price you will need to pay.		€300
Student UGent You are registered as a UGent student and you take a course this academic year (or the summer before). Not registered yet? Check out the FAQ discount for future UGent students. PhD students benefit from the staff rate.		€175
Scholarship student UGent You are registered as a UGent student and you have a scholarship from the Flemish Community this academic year. Send us a proof of your scholarship via this form, together with your registration.		€135
Incoming exchange student UGent You are registered as an incoming exchange student of UGent. You will receive an extra discount for a Dutch course. For more info, see the FAQ discount for incoming exchange students.		€175
Outgoing exchange student UGent As an outgoing exchange student of UGent you receive an extra discount. You pay the student fee first and after your departure (after you upload the confirmation of arrival) your discount will be settled automatically.		€65
Outgoing exchange scholarship student UGent		€50
Staff member UGent As a staff member of UGent, you receive a discount, independent of the paying method used for the course. PhD students fall under this category as well.		€235

Hours per week

1x2

Books by

UCT

Previously known as Apprendre à parler français

Objectives and content

Listening skills: At the end of this course, you will be able to understand sentences that are directly related to you (e.g. family, work, etc.).
Speaking skills: At the end of this course, you will be able to communicate about easy and everyday topics. You practice your pronunciation in French further and you feel more comfortable to speak. You can also form sentences more easily.
Reading skills: At the end of this course, you will be able to read short, simple texts. You can also find information in simple, everyday texts such as advertisements, letters and short articles. This skills is practiced less because the focus lies on speaking in this course.
Writing skills: This skills is practiced less because the focus lies on speaking in this course.

In the course Apprendre à parler français, different topics from everyday life will be discussed: travel, health and wellbeing, food, professions, etc. You will familiarise yourself with a broad range of vocabulary and the basic grammar will also be revised. This way, you will have all the necessary tools to use the language in practical contexts. The focus mainly lies on speaking and listening skills.

Required prior knowledge

You have studied French before. You have learnt to use the present tense (indicatif présent) and you can introduce yourself in French and talk about your hobbies; yet you continually use the same words and you are unsure whether your pronunciation is correct. When you want to describe a person or picture, you feel that you know the words that are needed but have difficulty using them in a correct sentence. You know how to use past tenses to talk about past events, but you tend to use present tenses instead because you need too much time to form a passé composé. You have learnt to write in French and can understand simple sentences, but now you wish to practise speaking most of all. You want to cover as many ‘daily’ activities as possible: travelling in France, talking about professions, shopping, eating out, etc. You do not mind that French grammar is not taught systematically in this course. This course bridges “français pratique 2” and “français pratique 3”, especially for participants who did not learn French at school and who acquired a basic knowledge of French over a brief period of a couple of months.

Tests

There is a placement test and a final test.
Before registering, you take the online orientation test. This test refers you to the course that matches your level best. To have a full and accurate idea of your level, you will take an oral orientation test during the first session as well. Based on the outcome of this orientation test, you may be referred to another course because it is more suitable for you.

Course materials

UCT course book. You will receive this book from your language teacher in class.

Recommended books:

Bescherelle (2019): La conjugaison pour tous, Paris: Hatier
Van Dale Pocketwoordenboek Frans-Nederlands – Utrecht: Van Dale
Van Dale Pocketwoordenboek Nederlands-Frans – Utrecht: Van Dale

If you buy one of these books at Standaard Boekhandel Shopping Zuid, Woodrow Wilsonplein 4, 9000 Gent (in the campus shop next to the shop), you will receive a discount of 10% on the official price. Make sure to mention that you take a language course at the UCT.

Are you already registered for this course? Check out our FAQ ‘What to do after my registration?’.

Schedule and subscribe

23/09/2024 - 09/12/2024 Full

Time	20:00 - 22:00
Days	Mon
Location	Tech 3.10 Technicum T2 - Leslokaal 3.10 Technicum - Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 41, 9000 Gent - 3rd floor in photographs (pdf-file)

11/02/2025 - 06/05/2025

Time	17:30 - 19:30
Days	Tue
Location	Veyrac 2 UCT Building - Veyrac 2 Veyrac 2 (ground floor), Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 136, 9000 Gent

University Language Centre