Sporting events (AQA GCSE French): Revision Notes
Sporting events
When discussing sporting events in French, you'll need to master key vocabulary, understand how to express opinions, and learn specific grammar patterns. This topic allows you to share your experiences and views about different sports and competitions.
Mastering sporting vocabulary is essential for French conversation, as sports are a popular topic in French culture. This vocabulary will help you participate in discussions about everything from local matches to international competitions like the Tour de France.
Essential vocabulary
| French | English | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| le billet | ticket | masculine |
| le but | goal | masculine |
| le concours | competition | masculine |
| durer | to last | - |
| l'événement | event | masculine |
| gagner | to win | - |
| le résultat | result | masculine |
| le Tour de France | Tour de France | masculine |
| la passion | passion | feminine |
| professionnel(le) | professional | varies |
| la victoire | victory | feminine |
Notice that most sporting terms are masculine in French. Pay special attention to l'événement (masculine despite starting with a vowel) and la passion and la victoire which are feminine exceptions.
Grammar focus: translating -ing words
A common challenge when discussing sporting events is translating English words ending in -ing. French typically uses infinitive verbs instead of -ing forms when expressing likes, dislikes, and preferences about activities.
Key Pattern: Subject + verb of opinion + infinitive
This is a fundamental difference between English and French grammar that many students struggle with. Never translate "-ing" words directly!
Present tense examples:
Worked Examples: Present Tense Opinion + Infinitive
- J'aime regarder le football. = I like watching football.
- Je déteste aller au stade en train. = I hate going to the stadium by train.
- Je préfère gagner le match! = I prefer to win the match!
- Il adore participer aux compétitions. = He loves taking part in competitions.
Notice how each English "-ing" word becomes a French infinitive: watching → regarder, going → aller, winning → gagner, taking part → participer.
Past tense examples:
Worked Examples: Past Tense Opinion + Infinitive
- J'ai aimé regarder le match hier. = I enjoyed watching the match yesterday.
- Elle a détesté perdre la finale. = She hated losing the final.
- Nous avons préféré rester à la maison. = We preferred staying at home.
Even in past tense, the second verb remains in the infinitive form, not past tense.
Useful expressions for giving opinions
When discussing sporting events, these flexible phrases will help you express your views more sophisticatedly:
- En ce qui me concerne... = As far as I'm concerned...
- Je suis d'accord. = I agree.
- À mon avis... = In my opinion...
- Je pense que... = I think that...
These expressions make your French sound more natural and sophisticated. En ce qui me concerne is particularly impressive and shows advanced language skills.
Example: En ce qui me concerne, le Tour de France est l'événement le plus passionnant. = As far as I'm concerned, the Tour de France is the most exciting event.
Describing past sporting experiences
When writing about sporting events you've attended, use the perfect tense and include specific details to make your account more engaging:
Worked Example: Describing a Past Sporting Experience
Structure:
- When: La semaine dernière... (Last week...)
- What: je suis allé(e) voir un match de football (I went to see a football match)
- Where: au stade de Liverpool (at Liverpool stadium)
- Opinion: puisque j'adore cette équipe (because I love this team)
Complete sentence: La semaine dernière, je suis allé voir un match de football au stade de Liverpool puisque j'adore cette équipe.
Translation exercises
Translation Practice
French to English:
- Je préfère regarder les matchs à la télévision.
- L'événement sportif était vraiment passionnant hier soir.
English to French: 3. I hate losing competitions. 4. The result was disappointing for our team.
Answers:
- I prefer watching matches on television.
- The sporting event was really exciting last night.
- Je déteste perdre les concours/compétitions.
- Le résultat était décevant pour notre équipe.
Pronunciation tips
Master these key pronunciation patterns:
- événement: [ay-ven-mahn] - silent 't' at the end
- professionnel: [pro-feh-see-oh-nell] - double 'n' sound
- victoire: [veek-twahr] - 'oi' makes 'wah' sound
- concours: [kon-koor] - silent 's' at the end
French pronunciation often involves silent final consonants. Practice these words regularly, as they're commonly used when discussing sports and will improve your overall French accent.
Writing about sporting events
When writing about sporting events, demonstrate language variety by incorporating different techniques and structures. This shows examiner that you can use French flexibly and naturally.
Essential Writing Strategies:
- Using different time frames (past, present, future)
- Including personal opinions with reasons
- Adding specific details about locations, teams, or results
- Incorporating sophisticated vocabulary and expressions
- Using infinitives after opinion verbs rather than -ing forms
Recommended Structure for Sporting Event Essays:
- Introduce the sporting event - Set the context
- Describe your experience (past tense) - Use specific details
- Give your opinion with justification - Use sophisticated expressions
- Mention future plans or hopes - Show time variety
This structure ensures you demonstrate range in tenses, vocabulary, and personal engagement with the topic.
Key Points to Remember:
- English -ing words often become infinitives in French after opinion verbs
- Use "En ce qui me concerne" to give sophisticated opinions about sports
- Include specific details like dates, locations, and results when describing sporting events
- Mix different tenses (past, present, future) to show language variety
- Always check gender agreements with sporting vocabulary
- Master pronunciation patterns for common sporting terms