School subjects (Edexcel GCSE French): Revision Notes
School subjects
Essential vocabulary
Learning the names of school subjects is fundamental for discussing your education and timetable. These terms appear frequently in both speaking and writing tasks.
Pay close attention to the gender of each subject (shown in brackets) as this affects the articles and adjectives you use with them.
Core subjects
| French | English | French | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| anglais (m) | English | maths (fpl) | maths |
| français (m) | French | sciences (fpl) | science |
| histoire (f) | history | géographie (f) | geography |
| éducation physique (f) | physical education | arts (m) | art |
Additional subjects
| French | English | French | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| musique (f) | music | technologie (f) | technology |
| cuisine (f) | cooking | danse (f) | dance |
| théâtre (m) | drama | physique (f) | physics |
School-related terms
| French | English | French | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| école (f) | school | collège (m) | secondary school |
| lycée (m) | sixth form college | classe (f) | classroom, class |
| cours (m) | lesson, course | professeur (m/f) | teacher |
| note (f) | mark | emploi du temps (m) | timetable |
Example sentences:
- J'étudie le français depuis cinq ans. (I have been studying French for five years.)
- J'aime bien les maths. (I really like maths.)
- Je n'étudie pas le théâtre. (I don't study drama.)
Using "depuis" with the present tense
This is a key grammar point that often catches students out. In English, when we talk about something we started in the past and are still doing, we use the present perfect continuous: "I have been studying French for five years."
Critical Grammar Rule: In French, you use depuis + present tense because you are still doing the activity:
- J'étudie le français depuis cinq ans. (I have been studying French for five years.)
- Je suis dans cette école depuis deux ans. (I have been at this school for two years.)
The logic is simple: since you're still doing it, French uses the present tense rather than a past form.
Forming negatives
French negatives use two-part constructions that wrap around the verb. Here are the most important ones:
Basic negatives
- ne...pas (not): *Je **n'*étudie pas le théâtre. (I don't study drama.)
- ne...jamais (never): *Je **n'*ai jamais étudié l'art. (I've never studied art.)
- ne...plus (not anymore): *Je **n'*aime plus l'histoire. (I don't like history anymore.)
Advanced negatives
- ne...personne (nobody): *Je **n'*ai vu personne. (I didn't see anyone.)
- ne...rien (nothing): *Nous **n'*avons rien à faire. (We have nothing to do.)
Remember: In spoken French, the "ne" is often dropped, but you must include it in written work.
Practice exercises
Exercise 1: Translate into English
- J'étudie beaucoup de matières au collège.
- Je n'aime plus l'histoire.
Exercise 2: Translate into French
- I have been learning English for three years.
- I never study drama.
Answers:
- I study lots of subjects at secondary school. / I don't like history anymore.
- J'apprends l'anglais depuis trois ans. / Je n'étudie jamais le théâtre.
Exam tips
Speaking exam: You might be asked to discuss your school subjects, so practise saying which subjects you study, enjoy, or dislike.
Listening tasks: Pay attention to subject names in recordings, as they often appear in conversations about school life.
Writing tasks: Use a variety of subjects to make your work more interesting and show vocabulary range.
Key Points to Remember:
- School subjects are essential vocabulary - learn them with their correct genders
- Use depuis + present tense when talking about ongoing activities that started in the past
- French negatives wrap around the verb with two parts (ne...pas, ne...jamais, etc.)
- Practice using subject vocabulary in different contexts and tenses
- Remember that some subjects like "maths" and "sciences" are plural in French