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French Oral

  • 13-04-2013 5:37pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 893 ✭✭✭


    Just a thread for people doing their French orals !
    What are ye all studying? What day do ye have your oral?
    Mine is on Monday, and I feel prepared for it, I think..
    Ye nervous? :p
    Tagged:


«1

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 623 ✭✭✭David086


    Anyone have any idea what it's actually going to be like? I'm doing ordinary level and it seems that if you know the basics you'll be ok, is that true?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 141 ✭✭HPMS


    Mine is tuesday, and I don't know how I'm feeling. I'm feeling fine for the normal easy topics and my document but I haven't done much work on the abstract topics so I'll try and do them over the weekend. :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 428 ✭✭Acciaccatura


    Mine is on Monday, and I might possibly have a music practical that day too, to be honest I'm far more nervous for that! I did a mock oral and it went grand, but they didn't seem to be in the habit of asking if you had a document, you had to kind of bring it into the conversation. She asked me about my daily routine, which I had forgotten about, and made up stuff and ended up telling her I looked like a gypsy :pac: Don't stress about it, or you'll blank on everything! And the key to a good French accent and sounding natural is actually taking the piss out of the language and using lots of "Euuh...benn..donc...alors", and idioms!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 835 ✭✭✭kingcobra


    I'm one of the first one's on Monday so at least I'm not waiting for it nervously all week :pac: I'm ready for it but the Masters is on the night before so I'll be a wretch :pac:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 893 ✭✭✭ray2012


    David086 wrote: »
    Anyone have any idea what it's actually going to be like? I'm doing ordinary level and it seems that if you know the basics you'll be ok, is that true?

    That would be true to a certain extent, yes. If you know about your family/what you did last summer/what you will do next summer/your daily day/about your school/your town and your past times, you should fair well for an OL student! But the examiner doesn't know what level you are before you go in (as far as I know), so if your French is good and accurate, you may get asked a question on social problems in your town, or something. Also, if you don't give long enough answers and the examine runs out of 'easy' questions to ask, he/she may resort to that. You should maybe learn 2 or 3 lines that you could say for if you were asked about the problem of drugs/alcohol. Maybe "Oui, c'est un probleme croissant de nos jours! Les jeunes commencent a boire pour échapper au train train de la vie quotidienne. C'est un vrai cauchemar. Il faut lutter contre ce probleme. = Yes, it's a growing probleme now-a-days! Young people start drinking to escape from the hum-drum of daily life. It's a real shame. It's vital to fight against this problem."


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 893 ✭✭✭ray2012


    I have mine Monday too, I think I'll be one of the first if it goes in alphabetical order.. What order does yers go in?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 835 ✭✭✭kingcobra


    ray2012 wrote: »
    I have mine Monday too, I think I'll be one of the first if it goes in alphabetical order.. What order does yers go in?

    Well ours is categorised by classes and within those it's alphabetical order. Say for example, former ty's all go first and I'm one of the first in the class on the role so I'm one of the first to do the oral :D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 662 ✭✭✭aimzLc2


    Hi guys, mine is on wednesday i'm quite nervous but could be worse. I am repeating the leaving this year so i did the french oral last year , i know what it is like if anyone has any questions :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 662 ✭✭✭aimzLc2


    David086 wrote: »
    Anyone have any idea what it's actually going to be like? I'm doing ordinary level and it seems that if you know the basics you'll be ok, is that true?

    yes.. my examiner actually told us beforehand that she wont be asking abstract topics , that she will ask basic questions. It is pretty much up to you to take it to harder topics , so talk about what you have prepared and you will be fine! :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,049 ✭✭✭CookieMonster.x


    Mine is on Monday and it's for by exam number. Quite nervous for it to be honest! I am quite good at French so I'm just hoping I don't get nervous and mess it up. Does anyone know any other filler phrases? Or little thing to sound more French?


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 893 ✭✭✭ray2012


    kingcobra wrote: »
    Well ours is categorised by classes and within those it's alphabetical order. Say for example, former ty's all go first and I'm one of the first in the class on the role so I'm one of the first to do the oral :D

    Ah that won't be the case for me anyways, there is only 1 French class and only 15 of us in the class! :p Only around 40 people in my whole year, one of the smallest years ever in the school! I think we'll go in alphabetical order.. well I hope, cause then I'll be like 3rd, I'd love to get it over with early in the day!
    Mine is on Monday and it's for by exam number. Quite nervous for it to be honest! I am quite good at French so I'm just hoping I don't get nervous and mess it up. Does anyone know any other filler phrases? Or little thing to sound more French?

    Make sure you use like "donc...alors" those kind of things. For example : "Le sport m'intéresse beaucoup, donc je joue au foot avec ma bande de copain" .. If you're looking to get a high grade like an A, make sure and try to get the subjunctive tense as much as possible. The subjunctive can be gotten into many questions, but the best question to use the subjunctive tense in would be "What do you want to do next year" as in, in college. A few example sentences with the subjunctive :

    "Il faut que j'aie quatre cents points"
    "Il est nécessaire que je fasse beaucoup de travail"

    For a question on the problems of alcohol for example, you could say :

    "Il faut que les gens soient plus conscient (more aware) des dangers"


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,849 ✭✭✭bluejay14


    This probably isn't a good sign that I haven't got the foggiest what the subjunctive is.....


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 88 ✭✭dcam


    Don't worry about the subjunctive! It really isn't that important. I got an A1 in French last year and I didn't use the subjunctive tense at all. It's much more important to know your basic tenses, present, imperfent, perfect, future, very well. French people rarely if ever use the subjunctive tense when speaking and it's a myth that you need to use the subjunctive to get an A1, so don't worry about it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,572 ✭✭✭Canard


    This probably isn't a good sign that I haven't got the foggiest what the subjunctive is.....
    Few people do really. :P In English it's quite obsolete, but it's when you say things like "It's important that I be (rather than "am") on time tomorrow", which in French would be "il faut que je sois à l'heure demain". I guess a better way of looking at it is the difference between "It's crucially important that he know" and "It's crucially important that he knows" - in the first instance, the person doesn't yet know, and the idea is that he has to find out. In the second, he knows already, and that is an important fact.

    That probably makes no sense, don't worry, it didn't click with me til fairly recently. :D The main thing is just to sprinkle it into phrases as ray said above - some more common ones where it stands out would be "pourvu que j'obtienne (normally obtiens) les points dont j'ai besoin..." which means "Provided I get the points I need", or "Il faut que l'on fasse (normally fait) quelque chose avant qu'il ne soit (normally est) trop tard" - that ne is another thing, but yeah, I just told myself to remember it was there rather than going into the nitty gritty details of it. :P

    Hopefully now you will all do a little better in your French orals. :cool: Bonne chance à tous! :)

    edit: While you don't need the subjunctive for an A1, it's not too hard to drop it in and it can be impressive. French people do use it quite often, I've heard them do it regularly, because it's just how the language works - certain phrases / conditions require its use.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    Just a tip guys, try and use each tense by yourself and don't wait for the examiner to ask a question in that tense.
    Par example, in my mock I was asked if I liked my uniform and then after my little spiel, I said however "if I was principal I would give..."
    I got the imparfait and conditional in a present tense question.
    As a result she only asked me one other conditional question whereas everyone else was asked 3.
    Also, I didn't use the subjunctive and got an A2. I understand it but never revised how to create it.

    Edit: Also, in regards to abstract topics, they are (as far as I know) not allowed to be asked unless they directly relate to what you have said. You can't talk about daily life and then bam, a q on Margaret Thatcher. But if you say you're area has social problems, you can expect to follow up on that.
    Overall tip: if you don't wanna talk about it more, don't mention it in the first place.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,049 ✭✭✭CookieMonster.x


    ray2012 wrote: »
    Ah that won't be the case for me anyways, there is only 1 French class and only 15 of us in the class! :p Only around 40 people in my whole year, one of the smallest years ever in the school! I think we'll go in alphabetical order.. well I hope, cause then I'll be like 3rd, I'd love to get it over with early in the day!

    Make sure you use like "donc...alors" those kind of things. For example : "Le sport m'intéresse beaucoup, donc je joue au foot avec ma bande de copain" .. If you're looking to get a high grade like an A, make sure and try to get the subjunctive tense as much as possible. The subjunctive can be gotten into many questions, but the best question to use the subjunctive tense in would be "What do you want to do next year" as in, in college. A few example sentences with the subjunctive :

    "Il faut que j'aie quatre cents points"
    "Il est nécessaire que je fasse beaucoup de travail"

    For a question on the problems of alcohol for example, you could say :

    "Il faut que les gens soient plus conscient (more aware) des dangers"

    Thanks! Hoping it will go alright, thinking of all the things they could ask now and getting worried!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 893 ✭✭✭ray2012


    Thanks! Hoping it will go alright, thinking of all the things they could ask now and getting worried!

    Just remember that it's just a conversation. The examiner isn't there to ask you tough questions and to try and catch you out, he/she is there to see how good you are at French and to just have a conversation with you. :P

    It doesn't feel like the real oral at all. I'm just trying to think of it as another 'mock oral' so I won't get too panicky! :pac:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 346 ✭✭weirdspider


    ray2012 wrote: »
    Just remember that it's just a conversation. The examiner isn't there to ask you tough questions and to try and catch you out, he/she is there to see how good you are at French and to just have a conversation with you. :P

    It doesn't feel like the real oral at all. I'm just trying to think of it as another 'mock oral' so I won't get too panicky! :pac:

    They definitely aren't trying to catch you out but they may throw in tricky questions to differentiate the A1s from the rest. Like for example, in my French oral last year I said "non, je n'ai pas un petit boulot" and then later on she said "vous n'avez pas un petit boulot?" or something along those lines and I was thinking to myself why did she ask this twice? It was probably because I should have answered "si" instead of "non" to the second question. Needless to say I didn't get an A1, my oral was a disaster last year!
    So I would say have all the tenses prepared to perfection. Its one thing knowing them outside the exam room but if you haven't spent much time preparing for them you may blank like I did last year! And don't get nervous, no matter what. I know its hard not to but I did and I couldn't even look the examiner in the eye! :S bad marks for communication there, and unlike most people my oral brought me down a grade, from a B1 to a B2.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,572 ✭✭✭Canard


    in my French oral last year I said "non, je n'ai pas un petit boulot" and then later on she said "vous n'avez pas un petit boulot?" or something along those lines and I was thinking to myself why did she ask this twice? It was probably because I should have answered "si" instead of "non" to the second question.
    Are you sure? Is "si" not a response to a question that's about to be corrected? Like if you'd said "I do have a job", then she said "so you don't have one?", and you'd say "Si, je travaille..."?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 346 ✭✭weirdspider


    Canard wrote: »
    Are you sure? Is "si" not a response to a question that's about to be corrected? Like if you'd said "I do have a job", then she said "so you don't have one?", and you'd say "Si, je travaille..."?

    I'm not exactly sure, I can't remember now how she phrased it. I asked the exact question to my French teacher afterwards and she told me that I should have said si instead of non.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,049 ✭✭✭CookieMonster.x


    Do we have to know our exam numbers in French does anyone know? Merci! :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 893 ✭✭✭ray2012


    Do we have to know our exam numbers in French does anyone know? Merci! :)

    Yes, you'll be asked it at the very beginning of the oral exam, I'm almost sure! :p


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,049 ✭✭✭CookieMonster.x


    ray2012 wrote: »
    Yes, you'll be asked it at the very beginning of the oral exam, I'm almost sure! :p

    Damn, is the French for exam number chiffre d'examen or nom te d'examen? And do you have to say it in double digits do you know like 14,16 etc? Thank you! :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 662 ✭✭✭aimzLc2


    Damn, is the French for exam number chiffre d'examen or nom te d'examen? And do you have to say it in double digits do you know like 14,16 etc? Thank you! :)

    I think it was just numéro de l'examen or something? i haven't heard of chiffre d'examen , it doesn't matter how you say it! just once you get the numbers right , she has your exam number written in front of her its just that you need to say it on the tape :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,049 ✭✭✭CookieMonster.x


    aimzLc2 wrote: »
    I think it was just numéro de l'examen or something? i haven't heard of chiffre d'examen , it doesn't matter how you say it! just once you get the numbers right , she has your exam number written in front of her its just that you need to say it on the tape :)

    Ah ok, thanks! We weren't told about it, I just remember we had to do it for Irish! Thanks!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 68 ✭✭Maidhfinden


    I'm doing a french film for my document, I've prepared a basic run down of what happens in the film, the main actors, where I saw it, and why I like it, and how it's considered revolutionary etc etc, is there anything else I could be asked on it, anything else I should prepare?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 571 ✭✭✭Parawhore.xD


    I'm doing a french film for my document, I've prepared a basic run down of what happens in the film, the main actors, where I saw it, and why I like it, and how it's considered revolutionary etc etc, is there anything else I could be asked on it, anything else I should prepare?

    If it's got anything like alcohol/drug abuse, juvinial delinquency etc in it I'd have a bit on those, like any sort of society problems I suppose..


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 893 ✭✭✭ray2012


    Damn, is the French for exam number chiffre d'examen or nom te d'examen? And do you have to say it in double digits do you know like 14,16 etc? Thank you! :)

    Mon numéro d'examen c'est ....

    I don't think it would matter if you said it in double digits or whatever, but I'd say it'd be a little less confusing if you just did them singularly as in "un, deux, trois" !


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 68 ✭✭Maidhfinden


    If it's got anything like alcohol/drug abuse, juvinial delinquency etc in it I'd have a bit on those, like any sort of society problems I suppose..

    Thanks! It's A bout de souffle by Jean-Luc Godard, the main character is a car robber and there is a bit of violence I suppose!


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 287 ✭✭YoursSincerely


    Try to use structures like peut-etre + inversion ( perhaps) or pourquoi ne pas (why not) stuff like de plus (furthermore) en plus ( as well as) pourtant (however) getting those little sentence connectors in makes your french sound more natura.l
    According to my french teacher if you really do want the top, top marks you should have a subjunctif,if your standard of french is really good you could probably get away with not having it but they will be impressed if you can slot one in, if your doing a document it's really easy to just throw one in there.

    good and not too hard subjunctifs if talking about the leaving cert, or parents " mes parents ne veulent que je fasse de mon mieux " my parents only want me to do my best, or talking about college " il faut que j'obtienne cinq cent points" i must get 500 points, and if talking about problemes " il est temps que le gouvernment tienne tete en ce qui concerne le probleme de insert any probleme"- it's time the government took charge about the problem of whatever

    My french oral isn't until next tuesday (2nd week) i'm just procrastinating studying straith pictiurs for my irish on thursaday right now:P

    Good luck to everyone doing french in the next few days :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 893 ✭✭✭ray2012


    Quick question! How would you say "I didn't go" ? Is it Je ne suis pas allé? And then would "I never went" be Je ne suis jamais allé? :P


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 248 ✭✭borrch


    ray2012 wrote: »
    Quick question! How would you say "I didn't go" ? Is it Je ne suis pas allé? And then would "I never went" be Je ne suis jamais allé? :P

    yep thats right


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 893 ✭✭✭ray2012


    borrch wrote: »
    yep thats right

    Thanks :D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 68 ✭✭Maidhfinden


    Did my oral today, we had a lovely examiner!
    She asked me (and a few others Ive heard from in my class) right away about my family, then what there was in the area for young people to do, jobs in the area, then my document. Then she asked me about what I did with the money I earn and I told her I was a driver so I spend a lot on petrol and she asked me about accidents on the road, then we talked about what I wanted to do next year and that's about it! Bonne chance tout le monde!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 428 ✭✭Acciaccatura


    I did mine today too, the examiner seemed nice enough, but he kept cutting across me and asking a different question after 2 sentences, even the stuff I was making up on the spot. He kept his poker face throughout most of the exam except laughing a bit once or twice. I can't say I'm delighted with it, but I did my best, and I couldn't have done much better to be honest, I just hope it's enough.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 893 ✭✭✭ray2012


    My examiner was quite the opposite. She was really nice and allowed us to speak without interrupting. I was fairly pleased with mine, I knew I could have done better but it was the best I could do with my nerves so what more can I ask for. If anyone is yet to do their French oral, I'd just say to know your basic topics (Family/School/Past-Times/Summer Holidays) well. You know you will get asked at least, I'd say, 3 out of 4. Shockingly, I wasn't asked anything about my past times, or even if I was interested in sport or music. But yeah, Bonne chance, the time flies :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,071 ✭✭✭TheStook


    My orals next Tuesday and I'm only really working on my document now after doing pretty poor in the mocks without one, I just need a bit of advice as my teacher has barely mentioned the document, I'm in honours btw.

    My document is on the Red Hot Chili Peppers, it'll include a picture of the band on stage, their logo and I'm going to put in my ticket to their gig in Croke park l'ete dernier. Do yee dudes reckon that's okay? I think it's pretty good because I can talk about why their my favourite band, the actual concert itself and I'm praying that when I bring up the fact that I read Anthony Kiedis (Lead singer) autobiography and I found him to be very interesting because of his many battles with drug addiction, that the examiner leads on to the topic of drugs, its possibe I hope!
    And I'm wondering how the document part of the oral works, does the examiner just ask if you have one and then you take it out and start talking about it or do you let the examiner ask the questions?

    Any help is much appreciated!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 192 ✭✭Galwaymother


    TheStook, it sounds like a great document! Make sure you can say what each musician does in the band, what kind of lyrics their songs have, a little bit of when/where about the band.
    About the concert, some examiners like to ask how much the tickets were and how you paid for them, how you went to the concert, practical matters like that.
    Personally I would jump at the chance of asking you about Drugs, it's the obvious finishing question for the document.
    The procedure differs: when you come in, leave your document on the table, they won't forget then. If you are talking about music at some stage, bring in the docuemt: "D'ailleurs, mon document présente mon groupe préféré..."/ "Comme vous pouvez le voir sur mon document, les RHCP sont mon groupe préféré".
    If it doesn't come up, they will ask you generally at the end: " Alors, je vois que vous avez un document?...."
    In terms of letting you talk or interrupting with questions, examiners differ, though they are supposed to let you present the document at least with an introductory sentence or two. Keep going naturally until they interrupt you, it's the key for every question really!
    Bonne chance! (or as we shockingly say in France, merde!)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29 bigt132


    Had my oral yesterday and the examiner didn't have a marking sheet or anything out in front of her, is that the way it always is? Do they listen to the tape afterward and mark it then or do they just try to remember what mistakes were made etc.? Sorry if this is a stupid question but I'm just wondering cos for all our mock orals they were marking throughout :P


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    TheStook wrote: »
    My orals next Tuesday and I'm only really working on my document now after doing pretty poor in the mocks without one, I just need a bit of advice as my teacher has barely mentioned the document, I'm in honours btw.

    My document is on the Red Hot Chili Peppers, it'll include a picture of the band on stage, their logo and I'm going to put in my ticket to their gig in Croke park l'ete dernier. Do yee dudes reckon that's okay? I think it's pretty good because I can talk about why their my favourite band, the actual concert itself and I'm praying that when I bring up the fact that I read Anthony Kiedis (Lead singer) autobiography and I found him to be very interesting because of his many battles with drug addiction, that the examiner leads on to the topic of drugs, its possibe I hope!
    And I'm wondering how the document part of the oral works, does the examiner just ask if you have one and then you take it out and start talking about it or do you let the examiner ask the questions?

    Any help is much appreciated!

    I would run the ticket idea past your teacher first. There is NO English allowed on your document anywhere and some examiners are quite strict about it.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17 felixfelicis


    Hey guys! A lot of you have probably already done your orals by now. For those of you who haven't yet - good luck! And don't worry too much about it. The way teachers, even some students, talk about it, it kind of makes it seem like you're gonna sit down, say bonjour, then get quizzed on the economic climate for no apparent reason. Of course, this depends on your examiner, but for the most part, it's just a normal conversation about general information.

    I did my LC last year, got an A1 in French, and I have been living in Paris for the past 7 months. I thought I'd give you some tips.

    I'm bored, okay?

    If you are actually presented with a horrific question that nobody could answer in English, let alone French, don't panic! The main point of the examiner asking you the question is to see if you can understand it - not necessarily respond to it.
    Like, say you're asked about the economy. Politics. Anything you do not have the vocabulary to discuss.

    "J'en sait rien!" - I don't know anything about it.
    "En fait, c'est dificile a dire." - In fact, it's hard to say.
    "Ca ne m'interesse pas beaucoup/du tout." - It doesn't interest me a lot/at all.
    "Je sais que c'est un vrai probleme." - I know it's a real problem.
    "Et il faut qu'on fasse quelquechose" - And we must do something
    "Mais, je dois admettre que j'ai aucune idee!" - But, I must admit, I have no idea!

    I saw a bit earlier on in this thread something about the "si" response thing... Well, this is how it goes, as far as I know. We all know "si" generally means "if". Like, "S'il fait beau, on va aller a la plage!!!" kinda thing. Well, it's also the "yes" response to a negative question. Confusing.

    Like, say you were asked, "Tu n'aime pas cet ecole?" - and you actually did like it, you would respond, "Si, j'aime bien!" - not "Oui, j'aime bien." I have no idea why. That's just how it is.

    Do try to drop in some nice subjunctives...

    "Il me faut 500 points, donc, Il faut que je fasse mes etudes!" - I need 500 points, so I must study!

    Don't forget about the Futur Proche! I still find the future really difficult - all the "je ferai, j'irai, j'aurai, je prendrai"s really do my head in. Futur proche is so much easier. Aller + infinitive.

    "Je vais aller a l'universite" - I'm going to go to university.
    "Je vais passer quelques semaines en France" - I'm gonna spend a few weeks in France.

    It's just easier. Plus, it's a much more "oral" tense than the futur simple.

    Making it feel like a real conversation is important. If you're asked something, don't just respond with a stonefaced "oui" ou "non" - shake things up a bit, maybe say "euhh, pas vraiment!" or "oui, bien sur!"

    And if they help you out a bit - giving you a word you can't remember, just be polite about it and smile, say something like "ah oui, c'est ca! merci - eh, qu'est-ce que j'ai voulu dire? ah oui,..." and then continue. (Ah yes, that's it! Thanks, oh - what did I want to say? Ah yes...)

    Just be yourself! If they ask you something like "Ca va?" at the start, just say "Oui, ca va! je suis un peu nerveux/nerveuse, mais j'espere que ca va aller!" - meaning, Yes, it's going well! I'm a little nervous, but I hope it will go okay. It will make them both feel a bit sorry for you - everyone knows how awful it is to feel nervous - and also be impressed, because you expressed that feeling adequately in French.

    As for the general stuff...

    Say "Bonjour madame/monsieur" upon entering. Your teacher should have told you this.
    Remember to say "vous" if you talk to them. Like, "Je suis desolee, mais j'ai pas bien compris. Pouvez-vous m'expliquer le question, s'il vous plait?" - I'm sorry, but I didn't really understand, could you explain the question to me, please?
    When presenting your document: "Voila, mon document!"
    When leaving: "Au revoir madame/monsier, merci beaucoup. Bonne journee!" - Goodbye, thanks so much, have a good day!

    Well, that's all I can think of off the top of my head, but if anyone has any questions, feel free to ask. I'll do my best to help out.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 802 ✭✭✭Jade.


    Does anyone have any fillers you can use in French? A link to a site or anything.

    They helped me a lot in my Irish would love some for French I have my oral next week :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 141 ✭✭HPMS


    Jade. wrote: »
    Does anyone have any fillers you can use in French? A link to a site or anything.

    They helped me a lot in my Irish would love some for French I have my oral next week :)

    "Eh bien..."
    "Alors..."
    "Donc..."
    "C'est-á-dire..."
    "Ben..." pronouned like bain
    "euh..." (french uhhh sound, sounds better than saying emmmmmm....)
    "Enfin..." (well...)
    "Vous savez..."

    They're all I used and that's all I can think of really! :) Could you give me some of your irish ones? I've my irish oral next week!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 571 ✭✭✭Parawhore.xD


    Hey guys just wondering does this sentence make sense;
    'on est gâté par le choix'- as in one is spoilt by the choice?

    Just prepping for Monday and I think that could be a good one to throw in about the facilities in my area. Thanks guys! :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,572 ✭✭✭Canard


    Hey guys just wondering does this sentence make sense;
    'on est gâté par le choix'- as in one is spoilt by the choice?

    Just prepping for Monday and I think that could be a good one to throw in about the facilities in my area. Thanks guys! :)
    On a l'embarras du choix would be what you're looking for :) (It's kinda like 'we have an embarrassing amount of choice')

    You guys who are doing orals (in any language, really) should use wordreference.com - it's basically a huge online dictionary with idioms and everything you could ever need. I only found out about it this year and I did my LC last year, but since I still do languages it's an absolute lifesaver. :D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 571 ✭✭✭Parawhore.xD


    Canard wrote: »
    On a l'embarras du choix would be what you're looking for :)

    Perfection thank you! :D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12 Trying000


    Just had my french oral and .. I was the one mostly talking.. Like the examiner asked me a q and I went off to ans it and just kept talking until he interrupts me..I took maybe 4 mins on my document... But there was a point when he asked me a q and it took me a while to answer him.. I forgot to say a subjontif too... I'm in higher... Will I get at least 20% out or the 25%???

    I know it's no use thinking about what's done but I am just curious..


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 662 ✭✭✭aimzLc2


    Trying000 wrote: »
    Just had my french oral and .. I was the one mostly talking.. Like the examiner asked me a q and I went off to ans it and just kept talking until he interrupts me..I took maybe 4 mins on my document... But there was a point when he asked me a q and it took me a while to answer him.. I forgot to say a subjontif too... I'm in higher... Will I get at least 20% out or the 25%???

    I know it's no use thinking about what's done but I am just curious..

    You are supposed to keep talking instead of waiting for another question! so that sounds good , I'm pretty sure that happens to everyone due to nerves.We don't know what you said so with that information we can't possibly tell you if you got at least 20%! Its done now so i mean its good to analyze it fully once and then don't dwell on it ,forget about it! :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 59 ✭✭Kingkumar


    right, so french orals on tuesday(so nervous right now) and i have tried to prepare the following topics

    Je me presente,famille,mes amis,mon quartier, ma maison/chamber, les taches menageres, l'argent poche
    l'ecole: la journee typique, la vie scolaire, les matieres et les profs, les installation, les regle, l'uniforme, et le soir apres l'ecole
    passe temps...all the common ones
    and then random things like your weekend(past and future), holidays, your future plans and some what if questions (lotto, principal). and finnaly some abstract ones like alchol,drugs and smoking. have a minimum of 2 sentence on any of the above topics.

    anything i missed? also if u keep using the conditional tense when your speaking about other things will the examiners still ask u a what if questions?
    finally as im a foreigner i prob will be asked a question about my country ..is there any nice way to say i don't want to talk about it(will they mind that?) don't want to come across too rude


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 893 ✭✭✭ray2012


    Kingkumar wrote: »
    right, so french orals on tuesday(so nervous right now) and i have tried to prepare the following topics

    Je me presente,famille,mes amis,mon quartier, ma maison/chamber, les taches menageres, l'argent poche
    l'ecole: la journee typique, la vie scolaire, les matieres et les profs, les installation, les regle, l'uniforme, et le soir apres l'ecole
    passe temps...all the common ones
    and then random things like your weekend(past and future), holidays, your future plans and some what if questions (lotto, principal). and finnaly some abstract ones like alchol,drugs and smoking. have a minimum of 2 sentence on any of the above topics.

    anything i missed? also if u keep using the conditional tense when your speaking about other things will the examiners still ask u a what if questions?
    finally as im a foreigner i prob will be asked a question about my country ..is there any nice way to say i don't want to talk about it(will they mind that?) don't want to come across too rude

    Sounds like you should be sorted! I doubt they would ask you again if they see you're able to use it, but they still may, so still have it prepared.
    Since as you were not born in Ireland, you may get asked if you study Irish at school/What you think of it, etc. Be expecting a question on if you like Ireland as a country too.
    A way you could get out of that question could be :
    For example if the examiner asks you which country you prefer you could say : "Je préfère habiter ici en Irlande car, par example, il y a beaucoup d'installations ici en Irlande et aussi dans ma ville pour les jeunes ......." (and then go off describing the facilities for young people in your town)
    That could work, but then again it may not!


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