B1Unit 2 of the B1 course · « Donner son avis »
Giving an opinion is a core B1 skill and a DELF classic. Here are the phrases that introduce it, how to agree or disagree without offending, and the connectors that justify what you think.
By the end of this unit you can: give and justify opinions.
Je pense, je trouve, je crois and il me semble are all followed by que and a full sentence. In English you can drop « that »; in French, que has to stay. It becomes qu' before a vowel.
À mon avis, selon moi and pour moi are set phrases that sit in front of your sentence, followed by a comma. Don't add que after them, and avoid the English-style « dans mon opinion ».
Two classic traps for English speakers. You are in agreement: être d'accord. But you « have » right and wrong: avoir raison, avoir tort. « I am right » is never je suis raison.
A flat « tu as tort » can sound aggressive. To disagree politely, first grant a point (c'est vrai, mais…) or say ça dépend. Keep au contraire for when you think the exact opposite is true.
Parce que is the everyday « because » and answers pourquoi ?. Car means the same but sounds more formal and always comes mid-sentence. Comme gives the reason first, at the start of the sentence. Puisque is for a reason everyone already knows.
Both are followed by a noun, not a full sentence. Grâce à is for a cause you're grateful for; à cause de is for a cause you blame. Watch the contractions: à + le = au, de + le = du, de + les = des. To give a result rather than a cause, use donc or c'est pour ça que.
Put plus (more), moins (less) or aussi (as) in front of the adjective, then que. The adjective still agrees with what you're describing, and que becomes qu' before a vowel.
Bon describes a noun, and becomes meilleur, which agrees: meilleur, meilleure, meilleurs, meilleures. Bien describes a verb, and becomes mieux, which never changes. « Plus bon » is always wrong. For worse, pire is the usual word.
For « the most » or « the …est », use le, la or les + plus (or moins) + adjective. « In » after a superlative is de, not dans. Meilleur simply becomes le meilleur.
At a party in Brussels, Lucas (from Toulouse) and Emma (from Paris) are arguing about the right name for the famous chocolate pastry: chocolatine or pain au chocolat. Their Belgian friend Margaux tries to keep the peace. Listen and answer.
Tap 🔊 to hear each one, recorded by a native-sounding French voice.
| Listen | French | English |
|---|---|---|
| je pense que…Je pense que c'est une bonne idée. (I think it's a good idea.) | I think that…Que is never dropped, unlike « that » in English: je pense que c'est cher. | |
| je trouve que… | I find that… / I think…For a personal impression or judgement: je trouve que ce film est trop long. | |
| je crois que… | I believe that… / I think…Often a little less certain than je pense que. | |
| il me semble que… | it seems to me that…A softer, more tactful way to give your opinion. | |
| à mon avisÀ mon avis, le train est plus pratique. (In my opinion, the train is more practical.) | in my opinionNot « dans mon opinion ». It's followed by a comma, never by que. | |
| selon moi | in my viewSelon also gives other people's views: selon Aïcha, selon les experts. | |
| qu'est-ce que tu en penses ? | what do you think (of it)?En stands for « of it ». More formal: Qu'en pensez-vous ? |
| Listen | French | English |
|---|---|---|
| je suis d'accord (avec toi) | I agree (with you)Être d'accord, never avoir. With vous: je suis d'accord avec vous. | |
| je ne suis pas d'accord | I disagree / I don't agree | |
| tu as raison | you're rightAvoir raison: in French you « have reason ». Formal: vous avez raison. | |
| tu as tort | you're wrongAvoir tort. Blunt to someone's face, so soften it: je crois que tu as tort. | |
| tout à fait | absolutely / exactlyA strong yes. Tout à fait d'accord = completely agree. | |
| pas du tout | not at all | |
| ça dépend | it dependsÇa dépend de… = it depends on…: ça dépend du prix. | |
| c'est vrai, mais… | that's true, but…The polite way to disagree: grant part of the point, then add yours. | |
| au contraire | on the contrary |
| Listen | French | English |
|---|---|---|
| parce que | becauseAnswers pourquoi ?. Becomes parce qu' before a vowel: parce qu'il pleut. | |
| car | because / forMore formal, and mostly written. It never starts a sentence. | |
| comme…Comme il pleuvait, on est restés à la maison. (As it was raining, we stayed at home.) | as… / since…With this meaning, comme goes at the very start of the sentence. | |
| puisquePuisque tu es là, aide-moi un peu ! (Since you're here, give me a hand!) | since (as we both know)For a reason the listener already knows or can't argue with. | |
| donc | so / therefore | |
| c'est pour ça que… | that's why…Written French often prefers c'est pourquoi… | |
| grâce à | thanks toFor a cause you're grateful for. À + le = au: grâce au soleil. | |
| à cause de | because ofUsually for a cause you blame: à cause de la pluie. It's followed by a noun; before a full sentence, use parce que. |
| Listen | French | English |
|---|---|---|
| plus… queLe train est plus rapide que le bus. (The train is faster than the bus.) | more… than / …er than | |
| moins… que | less… than | |
| aussi… que | as… as | |
| meilleur / meilleureCe gratin est meilleur que l'autre. (This gratin is better than the other one.) | betterThe comparative of bon. Never « plus bon ». | |
| mieux | better (with a verb)The comparative of bien. It never changes: elle chante mieux que moi. | |
| pire | worseLe pire = the worst. Plus mauvais also exists, but pire is the everyday choice. | |
| le plus… / la plus… | the most… / the …estThe article agrees with the noun. « In » after a superlative is de: la plus grande ville du pays. | |
| le meilleur / la meilleure | the best |
This unit is part of French Ultimate's B1 course: 5 short lessons with an animated video each, speaking and listening practice, a reading and an end-of-unit test.
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