Transcript of the video
Hello everyone.
Welcome to this new French lesson.
Today we're going to take a look at five very common mistakes in French, and maybe you make them too.
Before you start, don't forget to "Like" the video to support my channel and my work.
I've also prepared a worksheet for you to review this lesson.
You can download this sheet by clicking on the link in the video description. Today, I've taken out my chart to explain it better, so that it's very clear.
Please let me know if you like this format and I'll make more videos with the board.
The first mistake I often hear is putting a determiner in front of a trade name.
For example, as in the sentence "Maxime is a doctor." No, you need to remove the determiner before the occupation name.
In the same way, I will say "I am a dentist" and not "I am a dentist".
When you have a noun attribute that determines a profession, you shouldn't put a determiner. And the same goes for nationalities.
I am Spanish and not I am a Spanish.
There are, of course, some sentences that are exceptions. This is the case for sentences where you have a qualifying adjective next to the job.
As in this sentence "My son is a famous scientist."
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The adjective "famous" completes the scientific picture.
In this case, you can add a determinant.
If, in addition to the occupation, you want to add a complement, as for example in "Luke is the secretary of the medical office."
Here, you see, we also add a determinant, because there is a precision to the trade.
This is the secretary at the doctor's surgery, but in most cases you don't need to put a determinant.
The second mistake I hear very often is "asking a question" or "making a question."
These formulations are not correct in French. In French, we say "to ask a question".
I can ask you a question about this French lesson and not ask a question.
Third mistake. "I am late." "I am late" is not said in French.
I'm sure you mean "I'm late" when you say you won't make it to a place on time.
Another example of late payment is when you forget to pay something, or pay it after the due date, for example if you forget to pay your rent.
Tard is only used to refer to a time of day that's going to be later than expected.
For example, I might say, "Don't expect me for dinner, I'll be home late, I have a meeting."
Fourth very common mistake. I see Celia on Tuesday.
You should not put a determiner in front of the days of the week in most cases.
There are exceptions, I'll explain them to you right after.
You should say, "I'll see Celia on Tuesday," or if it's next week, "I'll see Celia next Tuesday," for example.
The only time you can put a determiner in front of a day of the week is if you do a regular activity.
For example, if every Tuesday you go to the gym, then you can say "I go to the gym on Tuesdays."
That means every week you do it.
The second case is if you're talking about a specific date.
For example, I might say, "I have an appointment with my doctor on Tuesday, May 25."
In both cases, "the" is allowed before the days of the week.
For the fifth common mistake, we'll start with English, to make things easier. I miss you.
The correct way to translate "I miss you" into French is "Tu me manques."
Very often, I hear or see written "I miss you" or "I miss you", which is correct, but doesn't mean the same thing.
I'll explain it later. In French, when you want to say that you miss someone, the subject of this sentence is not me.
No. The subject of this sentence is the other person, because it's the person doing the action. She's the one who's missing. She's the one who's not present.
So, you have to put it in the subject line. For example, "I miss you." or "I miss my son."
The subject is "my son." You are here. You miss me is "you miss me."
That means it's you who's not there, next to the other person.
The video is finished for today.
I hope you enjoyed it. Don't forget to subscribe if you haven't already, and above all, download the worksheet that will help you revise this lesson.
I'll see you soon.
Français 
English