Learning French is an exciting journey, but it’s one filled with unique challenges, especially for native English speakers. The grammar can seem like a minefield of new rules, exceptions, and concepts that don’t exist in English. The good news is that many of the hurdles you’ll face are common ones. By understanding these typical mistakes, you can learn to spot and correct them in your own speech and writing.
This guide is designed to act as your friendly roadmap, highlighting ten of the most frequent grammar mistakes English speakers make when learning French. We won’t just point them out; we’ll explain why they happen and give you the simple rules and examples you need to fix them for good. Let’s dive in and transform these common errors into moments of learning and mastery.
Mastering French: From Common Goofs to Grammatical Grace
1. Confusing Adjective Placement
In English, adjectives almost always come before the noun they describe (a blue car). In French, the general rule is the opposite: most adjectives come after the noun. Placing them before the noun is a classic English-speaker error.
The Fix: Place most adjectives after the noun. Remember the acronym BANGS (Beauty, Age, Number, Goodness, Size) for the common exceptions that do go before the noun (e.g., beau, jeune, premier, bon, grand).
- Incorrect: J’ai une rouge voiture.
- Correct: J’ai une voiture rouge. (I have a red car.)
- Correct (Exception): C’est un jeune garçon. (He is a young boy.)
2. Forgetting Noun and Adjective Agreement
English adjectives don’t change, whether you’re describing one thing or many, masculine or feminine. French is different. Adjectives must “agree” in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) with the noun they modify. This also applies to articles (le/la/les).
The Fix: Always check the gender and number of your noun. Add an -e to most adjectives for feminine nouns and an -s for plural nouns. Remember to use the correct article as well.
- Incorrect: La grand maison et les petit chiens.
- Correct: La grande maison et les petits chiens. (The big house and the small dogs.)
3. Mixing Up ‘C’est’ and ‘Il est’
Both c’est and il est can translate to “it is” or “he is,” which causes immense confusion. The rule is actually quite clear once you learn it.
The Fix: Use c’est before a modified noun (a noun with an article like un, la, mon). Use il est before an adjective that is describing a previously mentioned subject, or before a profession.
- Incorrect: Il est un professeur.
- Correct: C’est un professeur. (He is a professor.)
- Incorrect: J’aime ton chien. C’est très mignon.
- Correct: J’aime ton chien. Il est très mignon. (I like your dog. He is very cute.)
4. Choosing the Wrong Auxiliary Verb in Passé Composé
The passé composé (the most common past tense) uses an auxiliary (helping) verb: either avoir (to have) or être (to be). Most verbs use avoir, but a key group of verbs, primarily those of motion and all reflexive verbs, use être. Using avoir for an être verb is a dead giveaway of a beginner.
The Fix: Memorize the list of verbs that use être (often taught with the “Dr. & Mrs. Vandertramp” mnemonic). Remember that when you use être, the past participle must agree with the subject in gender and number.
- Incorrect: J’ai allé au magasin.
- Correct: Je suis allé(e) au magasin. (I went to the store.)
5. Confusing ‘Tu’ and ‘Vous’
English has one word for “you.” French has two: the informal tu and the formal/plural vous. Using tu with a stranger, an elder, or in a professional setting can be considered rude.
The Fix: When in doubt, use vous. It’s the safe and respectful option. Use tu only with friends, family, children, and people who have invited you to use it.
- Informal (to a friend): Tu vas bien ? (Are you doing well?)
- Formal (to a boss): Comment allez-vous ? (How are you?)
6. Incorrect Negation with ‘Ne…Pas’
The standard French negation is a two-part structure: ne…pas. English speakers often forget one of the parts or place them incorrectly around the verb.
The Fix: The ne comes directly before the conjugated verb, and the pas comes directly after it. In the passé composé, they wrap around the auxiliary verb (avoir or être).
- Incorrect: Je pas aime le chocolat.
- Correct: Je n’aime pas le chocolat. (I don’t like chocolate.)
- Correct (Passé Composé): Je n’ai pas mangé. (I did not eat.)
7. Misusing Prepositions for Places (à, en, au)
Saying “in” or “to” a place isn’t straightforward. The preposition changes based on whether the place is a city, a feminine country, or a masculine country.
The Fix: Use à for cities. Use en for feminine countries (most end in -e, like la France). Use au for masculine countries (like le Canada).
- Correct: Je vais à Paris, en France, et au Portugal. (I am going to Paris, to France, and to Portugal.)
8. Using ‘Je suis excité(e)’ for ‘I am excited’
This is a famous and potentially embarrassing false friend (faux ami). While it looks like “I am excited,” je suis excité(e) means “I am sexually aroused.”
The Fix: To express excitement or looking forward to something, use phrases like J’ai hâte de… (I can’t wait to…) or Je suis très content(e) de… (I am very happy to…).
- Incorrect: Je suis excité pour le concert !
- Correct: J’ai hâte d’aller au concert ! (I can’t wait to go to the concert!)
9. Getting Articles Wrong (Le, La, Un, Une)
The difference between definite (the) and indefinite (a/an) articles is key. English speakers often misuse them, especially when making general statements.
The Fix: Use definite articles (le, la, l’, les) when talking about something in general or expressing likes/dislikes. Use indefinite articles (un, une, des) for a non-specific single item.
- Incorrect: J’aime des chiens.
- Correct: J’aime les chiens. (I like dogs. – in general)
- Correct: Je vois un chien. (I see a dog. – a specific, single dog)
10. Overlooking the Subjunctive Mood
The subjunctive is a verb mood, not a tense, used to express doubt, desire, emotion, or uncertainty. It’s rare in English but essential in French. Ignoring it makes sentences sound unnatural.
The Fix: Learn to recognize phrases that trigger the subjunctive, such as Il faut que… (It is necessary that…), Je veux que… (I want that…), and Je doute que… (I doubt that…).
- Incorrect: Il faut que tu fais tes devoirs.
- Correct: Il faut que tu fasses tes devoirs. (It is necessary that you do your homework.)
Conclusion
Every language learner makes mistakes—it’s an unavoidable and essential part of the process. Instead of fearing them, see these ten common errors as stepping stones. By understanding them, you can practice with more awareness and build a stronger, more accurate foundation in French. Keep practicing, stay curious, and soon these rules will become second nature. Bonne chance !
