Media and technology (AQA GCSE French): Revision Notes
Media and technology - French vocabulary
Understanding technology and media vocabulary is essential for modern French conversations. This topic covers everything from basic devices to social media activities, helping you discuss your digital life in French.
Essential vocabulary
The world of technology offers many opportunities to practise French vocabulary. These terms will help you talk about your daily interactions with devices, the internet, and digital media.
| French | English | French | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| l'appareil (m) | device, apparatus | allumer | to turn on |
| l'application/l'appli (f) | application/app | appel (m) | call |
| le blog (m) | blog | cliquer | to click |
| chatter/tchatter | to chat | le commentaire (m) | comment, remark |
| la communication (f) | communication | la communauté (f) | community |
| l'émission (f) | TV programme | le débat (m) | debate |
| enregistrer | to record, save | diffuser | to diffuse, broadcast |
| envoyer | to send | direct | direct |
| le film (m) | film | directement | directly |
| l'Internet (m) | internet | harceler | to bully, harass |
| le mail/e-mail (m) | l'image (f) | picture, image | |
| marcher | to walk, work | inscrire | to write down |
| les médias (mpl) | media | s'inscrire à + noun | to join + noun, enrol in + noun |
| le message (m) | message | numérique | digital |
| l'ordinateur (m) | computer | la protection (f) | protection |
| l'outil (m) | tool | la publicité/pub (f) | advert |
| le portable (m) | mobile phone/laptop | la puissance (f) | power |
| poster | to post/posting | puissant | powerful |
| protéger | to protect/protecting | réagir | to react |
| le réseau (m) | network | recharger | to charge (an appliance) |
| la sécurité (f) | security, safety | la série (f) | series |
| le selfie (m) | selfie | technique | technical |
| le SMS (m) | SMS | l'utilisation (f) | use |
| social (m) | social | la victime (f) | victim |
| le streaming (m) | streaming | la technologie (f) | technology |
| suivre | to follow/following | télécharger | to download |
| la télévision/télé (f) | television/TV | le texte (m) | text |
| la vidéo (f) | video |
Notice how many technology terms are borrowed from English, making them easier to recognise. However, pay attention to their French gender - most internet-related terms like le blog, le streaming, and le SMS are masculine.
Understanding technology actions
Many technology-related verbs follow regular patterns, but some require special attention. When talking about using technology, you'll often need these action words combined with appropriate prepositions.
Key constructions to master:
- s'inscrire à (to sign up for/join) - requires the preposition "à"
- recharger (to charge) - used for electronic devices
- télécharger (to download) - a compound verb meaning "to load from a distance"
These verb patterns are essential for discussing your digital activities and will appear frequently in conversations about technology use.
Example sentences
Here are practical examples showing how to use this vocabulary in context. Studies show that seeing vocabulary in complete sentences helps with retention and natural usage.
Worked Example: Present Tense Usage
- J'aime jouer aux jeux vidéo avec mes copains. (I like playing video games with my friends.)
- Elle envoie des messages sur les réseaux sociaux. (She sends messages on social networks.)
- Nous regardons une série sur Netflix. (We watch a series on Netflix.)
- Tu télécharges souvent des applications ? (Do you often download applications?)
Worked Example: Past Tense (Passé Composé)
- J'ai posté une photo sur Instagram hier. (I posted a photo on Instagram yesterday.)
- Il a rechargé son portable ce matin. (He charged his mobile phone this morning.)
- Nous avons regardé un film ensemble. (We watched a film together.)
- Elles ont chattéé toute la soirée. (They chatted all evening.)
Grammar and pronunciation tips
Understanding the grammatical patterns and pronunciation will help you use this vocabulary more confidently in conversation.
Masculine vs Feminine Nouns - Critical Pattern:
- Technology devices are often masculine: le portable, l'ordinateur, l'appareil
- Abstract concepts can be feminine: la technologie, la communication, la sécurité
Pronunciation Notes:
- chatter/tchatter - pronounced like "shatter" but with a French 'r'
- streaming - pronounced as in English but with French vowel sounds
- e-mail - can be pronounced in English style or adapted to French phonetics
Verb Patterns to Remember:
- s'inscrire follows the same pattern as écrire (to write)
- télécharger is regular despite its compound appearance
- protéger changes 'é' to 'è' before silent endings (je protège)
Translation practice
Practice translating between French and English to test your understanding of this vocabulary in context.
Translation Exercise
French to English:
- Je dois recharger mon appareil avant de sortir.
- Les médias sociaux sont très populaires chez les jeunes.
English to French: 3. She downloads music every day. 4. We are going to watch a series tonight.
Answers:
- I must charge my device before going out.
- Social media is very popular with young people.
- Elle télécharge de la musique tous les jours.
- Nous allons regarder une série ce soir.
Key Points to Remember:
- Technology vocabulary often borrows from English, making it easier to recognise
- Many internet-related terms are masculine: le blog, le streaming, le SMS
- Use s'inscrire à when talking about joining online platforms or communities
- Portable can mean both mobile phone and laptop - context will make it clear
- Practice using past and present tenses with technology vocabulary to discuss your digital habits confidently