You have no pencil. You need one right now. How would you ask a classmate in French?
Today you will learn eight classroom words, then the polite way to ask for something and the polite way to say no.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Ask to borrow a classroom item in French
- Give and understand a polite refusal
Here are today's eight classroom words. Listen to each word, then say it back together. Watch which take le and which take la.
- le: stylo, crayon, cahier, livre
- la: règle, gomme, trousse, colle
On prépare la trousse! Listen carefully. When you hear a classroom word, mark it. First full line calls out Bingo!
Open your copy. Two lines are on the board for you, and they are the two you need today:
- The ask: Est-ce que je peux emprunter un stylo, s'il te plaît ? — May I borrow a pen, please?
- The polite no: Non, désolé(e), j'en ai besoin. — No, sorry, I need it.
Copy both lines, then write the ask a second time swapping in one item of your own: a masculine item after un… or a feminine item after une…. Take care with the accents.
You will hear a short exchange at the start of a cours — classmates sorting kit and borrowing what they need.
Before the first play, read these questions:
- Which classroom item is asked for?
- Does the person say yes or no?
- Which polite phrase do you catch (s'il te plaît, désolé(e), or j'en ai besoin)?
Listen twice, then answer together.
Unlock the full learning experience
You're previewing this lesson. Get full access to this lesson and hundreds more — each one ready to teach, with interactive activities, printable resources and pupil progress tracking built in.
This lesson is copyright of Coding Ireland 2017 - 2025. Unauthorised use, copying or distribution is not allowed.