Ann Williams

Going to a market or restaurant is a culinary adventure. Here, you will put together several things you've learned and take a virtual trip to a restaurant. Professor Williams walks you through a typical dialogue with a waiter. You'll also begin to examine different verb "moods" - the conditional, the indicative, and the imperative.

You've already encountered the subjunctive tense Now take it to the next level to help you "read" a culture. Refine your ability to observe and analyze the world around you thanks to cultural artifacts. How do people dress? What do they eat? How do they greet each other? This crucial skillset will help you navigate almost any new place.

Continue your adventure by rounding out your skills to tell and follow a story. A new verb tense - the pluperfect - will help you tell personal stories, show the link between past and present events, and forge a connection with another person. Practice listening, reading and telling stories.

Find out how to discuss the weather, as well as what the weather is like in different parts of France. Then shift your attention to times of year - seasons, months, and dates. While you learn about the weather and time, Professor Williams also introduces you to a few new verb forms to help you talk about preferences and things to do.

Go on a journey around France to immerse yourself in the language of transportation to help you get from point A to point B. Professor Williams gives you a few common verbs and expressions to help you talk about where you came from, where you're going, and how to get there.

Visit the town of Lyon with Professor Williams to review what you've learned and see how well prepared you are to navigate an unfamiliar city. Continue studying how get around and ask for directions. Learn a few additional nuances to the vocabulary you've acquired.

Delve into the visual arts: sculpture, painting, and photography. As you build your vocabulary, you will also add new tools to your storytelling repertoire. With a particular focus on the verb "to be" - être - Professor Williams introduces the imperfect tense, which will better help you describe what is going on in a given situation.

This first look at traveling through a French country arms you with the language around the daily routines of a tourist. Step into a Parisian hotel and have a conversation with a clerk to make sure you have somewhere to stay for the night. Continue your study of grammar with a look at pronominal and reciprocal verbs.

Continue your study of time by examining the days of the week, times of day, and typical French routines throughout the day. More verb forms will help you express what you want to do, what you can do, and what you have to do. And of course, you'll also gain plenty of practice speaking and listening.

In addition to the arts, cultural heritage is important in French-speaking cultures. Your first stop is the museum, and your survey helps you put together much of what you learned in the previous unit. Review the major verb tenses - present, past, composé, and imperfect - and learn how to distinguish the different types of past tense.