CEFR B1
What you will learn
- Recognise common colloquial French features without treating them as universal errors or standard spelling.
- Reformulate the same message for informal speech, personal messaging or formal writing according to audience and purpose.
Before you start
- Have studied “Two-part negation: ne… pas wraps around the verb”.
The idea
There are not two disconnected grammars but a continuum of registers. Judge a form by who is speaking, to whom, for what purpose and in which genre.
In spontaneous informal speech, “ne” is very often omitted: “je sais pas”. It is retained more in careful speech and normally in formal writing: “je ne sais pas”. A personal message may sit between those poles.
“On” commonly replaces “nous” in speech: “on arrive à huit heures”. “Nous” remains alive and natural when speakers foreground the group and in many written genres. There is no boundary banning on from all writing.
Questions form a scale: intonation —“tu viens ?”— is common informally; “est-ce que tu viens ?” is neutral; “viens-tu ?” is more formal or genre-specific. All three are grammatical in context.
Reductions such as “t’as”, “y a”, or a spelling such as “j’suis” represent common pronunciations. They can appear in dialogue, very informal messaging or stylised writing; an administrative letter restores “tu as”, “il y a”, “je suis”. Standard spelling, agreement and politeness remain when the genre requires them.
Working paradigm
| Function | Informal speech | Neutral | Formal writing |
|---|---|---|---|
| negación | je sais pas | je ne sais pas | je ne dispose pas de cette information |
| grupo | on arrive à huit heures | nous arrivons à huit heures | nous vous confirmons notre arrivée |
| pregunta | tu viens ? | est-ce que vous venez ? | pourriez-vous confirmer votre venue ? |
| reducción | t’as reçu ? | tu as reçu ? | avez-vous reçu le document ? |
The formal column is not word-for-word translation; it also adapts relationship and purpose.
How it sounds
- Nous n’avons pas reçu le document. Pourriez-vous nous le renvoyer ?The institutional audience calls for “vous”. The negation restores “ne”. “On” becomes the explicit “nous”. The request uses a polite conditional.
Check objective 1Another case
A proposed answer is “Pourriez-vous me confirmer votre heure d’arrivée ?” for this case: “Dans un chat entre amis, choisis la question cohérente : Pourriez-vous me confirmer votre heure d’arrivée ?”. Choose the form that fits the stated register.
A proposed answer is “Quand arrivez-vous, Monsieur ?” for this case: “Dans un chat entre amis, choisis la question cohérente : Quand arrivez-vous, Monsieur ?”. Choose the form that fits the stated register.
Answer available without interaction
Answer: T’arrives quand ? — The colloquial elision of “tu” and an intonation question fit a chat between friends.
The colloquial elision of “tu” and an intonation question fit a chat between friends.
Answer: T’arrives quand ? — The colloquial elision of “tu” and an intonation question fit a chat between friends.
The colloquial elision of “tu” and an intonation question fit a chat between friends.
Check objective 2Another case
A proposed answer is “On a pas compris la consigne.” for this case: “Courriel formel : “On a pas compris la consigne.” → On a pas compris la consigne.”. Choose the form that fits the stated register.
A proposed answer is “Nous avons pas compris la consigne.” for this case: “Courriel formel : “On a pas compris la consigne.” → Nous avons pas compris la consigne.”. Choose the form that fits the stated register.
Answer available without interaction
Answer: Nous n’avons pas compris la consigne. — The formal version makes “nous” explicit, retains “ne” and avoids the colloquial ending.
The formal version makes “nous” explicit, retains “ne” and avoids the colloquial ending.
Answer: Nous n’avons pas compris la consigne. — The formal version makes “nous” explicit, retains “ne” and avoids the colloquial ending.
The formal version makes “nous” explicit, retains “ne” and avoids the colloquial ending.
When it doesn't hold
What breaks the rule, said out loud. Hiding it is what makes you feel cheated in the exam.
- Informal exchange between friendsT’arrives quand ?
- Neutral questionQuand est-ce que vous arrivez ?
- Formal requestPourriez-vous me confirmer votre heure d’arrivée ?
What your own language pushes you to say
Wrong Madame, j’ai pas reçu votre réponse. Tu peux répondre ?
Right Madame, je n’ai pas reçu votre réponse. Pourriez-vous me répondre ?
The issue is not only “ne”: “Madame”, informal tu and a direct request mix incompatible relationships. Register must be repaired as a system.
Challenge: apply both rules
Solve both cases and justify each choice: 1) Una propuesta responde «Pourriez-vous me confirmer votre heure d’arrivée ?» a este caso: «Dans un chat entre amis, choisis la question cohérente : Pourriez-vous me confirmer votre heure d’arrivée ?». Elige la única forma válida. 2) Una propuesta responde «On a pas compris la consigne.» a este caso: «Courriel formel : “On a pas compris la consigne.” → On a pas compris la consigne.». Elige la única forma válida.
Answer available without interaction
- Recognise common colloquial French features without treating them as universal errors or standard spelling.
- Reformulate the same message for informal speech, personal messaging or formal writing according to audience and purpose.
Answer: T’arrives quand ? · Nous n’avons pas compris la consigne.
The colloquial elision of “tu” and an intonation question fit a chat between friends. The formal version makes “nous” explicit, retains “ne” and avoids the colloquial ending.
Curriculum alignment and sources
- CEFR B1 · understand the main points of clear messages on familiar matters, handle common situations and produce simple connected text. · Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Companion Volume
- French-specific reference descriptions used to cross-check B1 forms; they are not a universal school curriculum. · Reference Level Descriptions · French
- El MCER sirve de referencia, pero la norma estatal no asigna B1.1/B1.2 a cursos. La secuencia del catálogo es editorial. · Real Decreto 217/2022, currículo básico de ESO
- Las fuentes oficiales distinguen recorridos. Este paquete no publica una equivalencia universal B1→ano. · Organização curricular · Francês · iniciação e continuação
- La fuente reutilizada fija A1 al final del primer ciclo para esta materia y no acredita B1 en un curso italiano concreto. · Decreto 9 dicembre 2025, n. 221 · nuove Indicazioni nazionali
Continue along this corridor
Practise this: Spoken French and written FrenchFrench subjunctive: forms, triggers and contrast with the indicativePast participle agreement: auxiliary, object and positionReported speech: person, tense and viewpointSi clauses: real, imagined and past conditionsOn and the passive: choosing sentence focus