Equality and helping others (AQA GCSE French): Revision Notes
Equality and helping others
This topic focuses on discussing fairness, equality, and social issues in French. You'll learn essential vocabulary for expressing opinions about equality, discrimination, and helping others in society.
Useful vocabulary
The following vocabulary is essential for discussing equality and social issues in French conversations and exams.
Gender Learning Tip: Pay special attention to the gender column - knowing whether a noun is masculine (m) or feminine (f) is crucial for correct French grammar, especially when using articles and adjectives.
| French | English | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| l'égalité | equality | (f) |
| aider | to help, aid | - |
| améliorer | to improve | - |
| la carrière | career | (f) |
| comprendre | to understand | - |
| la difficulté | difficulty | (f) |
| égal(e) | equal | adj |
| la femme | woman | (f) |
| handicapé(e) | disabled | adj |
| l'homme | man | (m) |
| l'inquiétude | worry | (f) |
| juste | fair | adj |
| la manifestation | demonstration | (f) |
| la société | society | (f) |
| le soin | care | (m) |
| adapter | to adapt | - |
| la lutte | fight | (f) |
| s'occuper de | to look after | - |
| respecter | to respect | - |
| le sexe | sex | (m) |
| le soutien | support | (m) |
| unir | to unite | - |
Example sentences
These example sentences demonstrate how to use the vocabulary in context across different tenses, which is essential for exam success.
Present tense
The present tense is used to discuss current equality issues and ongoing situations:
- Je crois que notre société n'est pas égale. - I believe that our society is not equal.
- Les femmes luttent pour l'égalité des salaires. - Women are fighting for pay equality.
- Il faut respecter les personnes handicapées. - We must respect disabled people.
- Nous aidons les personnes en difficulté. - We help people in difficulty.
Notice how "Il faut" (we must/it is necessary) is a key phrase for expressing obligation and social responsibility - very useful in equality discussions.
Past tense
Use past tenses to discuss historical progress and completed actions related to equality movements:
- Elle manifestait pour l'égalité des femmes. - She was protesting for women's equality.
- Il y a eu une lutte contre l'injustice. - There was a fight against injustice.
- Ils ont amélioré les conditions de travail. - They improved working conditions.
- J'ai respecté son opinion sur cette question. - I respected his/her opinion on this issue.
Grammar and pronunciation tips
Understanding pronunciation differences and grammar patterns will significantly improve your speaking confidence and accuracy.
Pronunciation Warning: Many French and English words look similar but are pronounced very differently. This is crucial for your speaking exam success!
Pronunciation of similar words
- manifestation - In English, the '-tion' sounds like 'shun', but in French, it sounds more like 'see-on'
- juste, unir - The 'u' makes an 'oo' sound in French
- société - The 'i' is pronounced a bit like 'ee'
- carrière - Be careful to sound the 'r' in the right place - a bit like 'carry-air'
Gender Pattern Recognition: Notice that many abstract concepts are feminine: l'égalité (f), la difficulté (f), la société (f), la manifestation (f), la lutte (f). This pattern can help you remember genders more easily.
Expressing opinions
These phrases are essential for exam discussions about equality issues:
Opinion Phrases for Exams:
- Je crois que... (I believe that...)
- À mon avis... (In my opinion...)
- Il me semble que... (It seems to me that...)
- Ce n'est pas juste (It's not fair)
These structures allow you to express personal views while demonstrating advanced French grammar.
Translation exercise
Practice translating between French and English to reinforce your understanding of key vocabulary and structures.
Worked Example: French to English Translation
Question 1: Je crois que les hommes et les femmes ne sont pas égaux quand on parle des salaires.
Step 1: Identify key vocabulary
- Je crois que = I believe that
- les hommes et les femmes = men and women
- ne sont pas égaux = are not equal
- quand on parle de = when we talk about
- les salaires = salaries
Answer: I believe that men and women are not equal when we talk about salaries.
Worked Example: English to French Translation
Question 3: We must help disabled people in our society.
Step 1: Identify key structures
- We must = Il faut (+ infinitive)
- help = aider
- disabled people = les personnes handicapées
- in our society = dans notre société
Answer: Il faut aider les personnes handicapées dans notre société.
Complete Translation Set
French to English:
- Je crois que les hommes et les femmes ne sont pas égaux quand on parle des salaires.
- Il y a une lutte contre l'injustice dans notre société.
English to French: 3. We must help disabled people in our society. 4. She was fighting for women's equality.
Answers:
- I believe that men and women are not equal when we talk about salaries.
- There is a fight against injustice in our society.
- Il faut aider les personnes handicapées dans notre société.
- Elle luttait pour l'égalité des femmes.
Key Points to Remember:
- Learn the gender of key nouns - many equality-related words are feminine (l'égalité, la société, la manifestation)
- Practice pronunciation of similar-looking French/English words - they often sound quite different
- Use opinion phrases like "Je crois que..." and "À mon avis..." to express your views on equality issues
- In speaking exams, don't panic if you find a question difficult - tell your teacher and give your opinion with reasons
- Master both present and past tense forms to discuss current equality issues and historical progress