2.1Core vocabulary
Free time covers what you do, how often, and what you used to do. Frequency expressions carry a surprising number of marks because they let you extend a simple statement without reaching for difficult vocabulary.
- les loisirs
- leisure activities
- une fois par semaine
- once a week
- faire partie d'une equipe
- to be part of a team
- la lecture
- reading
- emission
- programme
- s'entrainer
- to train
- passionnant
- exciting
- un jeu de societe
- a board game
- bricoler
- to do DIY
- se detendre
- to relax
2.1Jouer a and jouer de
This is the single most tested distinction in the theme. Jouer a is used with games and sports; jouer de is used with musical instruments. Both contract with the definite article.
Worked example
Answer:
Common mistake
Writing 'je joue le football'. A sport needs jouer a and the contraction au, so it is je joue au football.
2.1Depuis and the present tense
To say how long you have been doing something, French uses depuis with the present tense, where English uses a perfect. Je joue de la guitare depuis quatre ans means I have been playing the guitar for four years.
Common mistake
Writing 'j'ai joue de la guitare depuis quatre ans'. Because you still play, French uses the present with depuis.
2.1Answering on this theme
The near future, aller plus an infinitive, is the easiest way to add a future time frame here: le week-end prochain, je vais faire du velo. It is simpler than the future tense and is credited as a future reference.
- Jouer a for sports and games, jouer de for instruments
- Depuis takes the present tense for something still happening
- Use aller plus infinitive for an easy future reference
- Frequency expressions extend an answer cheaply