Lesson 3: Mon âge, ma nationalité et ma ville – My Age, Nationality and City

1. Lesson overview

Today, you will learn how to give more information about your identity in French.

You already know how to say:

Je m’appelle…
My name is…

and:

Je suis…
I am…

Today, you will learn how to talk about:

  • your age;
  • your nationality;
  • the country you are from;
  • the city where you live.

You will learn three important structures:

J’ai… ans.

Je suis…

J’habite à…

By the end of the lesson, you will be able to give a short introduction containing basic personal information.


2. Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, I can:

Knowledge

☐ Explain how to say my age in French.

☐ Recognize common nationalities in French.

☐ Recognize the difference between a country and a city.

Understanding

☐ Understand questions about someone’s age, nationality and city.

☐ Understand the difference between être and avoir when giving personal information.

Application

☐ Say my age using J’ai… ans.

☐ Say my nationality using Je suis…

☐ Say where I live using J’habite à…

Communication

☐ Give basic personal information about myself in French.


3. Let’s Connect With What You Already Know

In Lesson 1, you learned:

Bonjour !

Comment tu t’appelles ?

Je m’appelle…

Ça va ?

Ça va bien.

Au revoir !

In Lesson 2, you learned:

Je suis…

Tu es…

Il est…

Elle est…

Today, you will use these structures to give more information about who you are.


4. Talking About Your Age

In English, you say:

I am eleven years old.

But French uses the verb avoir, which means:

to have

So in French, you literally say:

J’ai onze ans.

This means:

I am eleven years old.

The important expression to remember is:

J’ai + number + ans.


5. What Is Avoir?

Definition

Avoir = to have

You will learn more about avoir later, but today you need one very important form:

J’ai = I have

When talking about your age:

J’ai onze ans.

Do not say:

❌ Je suis onze ans.

Instead:

J’ai onze ans.


6. Age Structure

Structure

J’ai + number + ans.

Examples:

J’ai dix ans.

J’ai onze ans.

J’ai douze ans.

J’ai treize ans.

J’ai quatorze ans.

J’ai quinze ans.


7. Numbers 0–20

You will need numbers to talk about your age.

FrenchNumber
zéro0
un1
deux2
trois3
quatre4
cinq5
six6
sept7
huit8
neuf9
dix10
onze11
douze12
treize13
quatorze14
quinze15
seize16
dix-sept17
dix-huit18
dix-neuf19
vingt20

For today’s lesson, focus especially on the numbers you are likely to use for your age.


8. Asking Someone’s Age

To ask someone’s age, use:

Quel âge as-tu ?

Definition

How old are you?

For now, learn this as one complete question.

Question:

Quel âge as-tu ?

Answer:

J’ai onze ans.


9. Let’s Practise

Question:

Quel âge as-tu ?

Your answer:

J’ai ______ ans.

For example:

Quel âge as-tu ?

J’ai douze ans.


10. Important Difference

Look carefully at these two sentences:

Je suis sympathique.

J’ai douze ans.

Why are they different?

Because we use different verbs.

ÊTRE = to be

Je suis sympathique.

AVOIR = to have

J’ai douze ans.

So remember:

Age → AVOIR

Description → ÊTRE


11. Talking About Nationality

Now let’s talk about nationality.

Nationality

A nationality tells us which country a person is connected to.

For example:

French

Canadian

Indian

Congolese

American

Japanese

In French, nationalities can change depending on whether we are describing a male or female person.


12. Nationalities

MasculineFeminineEnglish
françaisfrançaiseFrench
canadiencanadienneCanadian
indienindienneIndian
congolaiscongolaiseCongolese
américainaméricaineAmerican
japonaisjaponaiseJapanese

Remember what you learned in Lesson 2:

Il est…

Elle est…

So:

Il est français.

Elle est française.


13. Saying Your Nationality

Use:

Je suis + nationality.

Examples:

Je suis français.

Je suis française.

Je suis canadien.

Je suis canadienne.

Je suis indien.

Je suis indienne.


14. Nationality and Adjective Agreement

Remember:

Male speaker:

Je suis français.

Female speaker:

Je suis française.

Another example:

Male speaker:

Je suis canadien.

Female speaker:

Je suis canadienne.

The nationality agrees with the person.

You do not need to memorize every rule today. Focus on recognizing and using the correct form.


15. Talking About Countries

A country is the place a person is from or connected to.

Here are some countries in French:

FrenchEnglish
la FranceFrance
le CanadaCanada
l’IndeIndia
le CongoCongo
les États-UnisUnited States
le JaponJapan

Notice that French uses different articles with countries:

la France

le Canada

**l’**Inde

les États-Unis

You do not need to memorize all the article rules today. Just learn the country names as vocabulary.


16. Nationality vs Country

This is important.

Country:

la France

= France

Nationality:

français / française

= French

For example:

Je suis français.

This tells us your nationality.

You are not saying:

❌ Je suis la France.

You say:

✅ Je suis français/française.


17. Saying Where You Live

Now let’s talk about your city.

The French expression is:

J’habite à…

Definition

I live in…

Use it before the name of your city.

Examples:

J’habite à Paris.

J’habite à Mumbai.

J’habite à Hyderabad.

J’habite à Delhi.


18. Why Do We Say J’habite?

The verb is:

habiter = to live

For je, we use:

J’habite

Because je becomes j’ before a vowel sound.

So:

Je habite ❌

becomes:

J’habite

You don’t need to study the full grammar rule yet. Learn the useful expression:

J’habite à…


19. City Structure

Structure:

J’habite à + city.

Examples:

J’habite à Paris.

J’habite à Londres.

J’habite à Mumbai.

J’habite à Hyderabad.

J’habite à Tokyo.


20. Ask Someone Where They Live

The question is:

Où habites-tu ?

Definition

Where do you live?

Question:

Où habites-tu ?

Answer:

J’habite à Hyderabad.


21. Three Important Structures

Today, you are learning three structures.

1. Age

J’ai ______ ans.

2. Nationality

Je suis ______.

3. City

J’habite à ______.

These three structures allow you to give important information about yourself.


22. Let’s Put Everything Together

Look at this example:

Bonjour !

Je m’appelle Emma.

J’ai onze ans.

Je suis française.

J’habite à Paris.

Ça va bien.

Au revoir !

You can now give a much more complete introduction.


23. Activity 1 – Age Detective

I will give you a sentence.

Find the person’s age.

Example 1

J’ai onze ans.

How old is the person?

11 years old.

Example 2

J’ai douze ans.

How old is the person?

12 years old.

Example 3

J’ai quatorze ans.

How old is the person?

14 years old.


24. Activity 2 – Complete the Sentence

Complete each sentence with the correct number.

1.

J’ai ______ ans.

You are 11.

2.

J’ai ______ ans.

You are 12.

3.

J’ai ______ ans.

You are 13.

4.

J’ai ______ ans.

You are 14.


25. Activity 3 – Nationality Detective

Look at the sentence and identify the nationality.

1.

Je suis française.

Nationality?

French

2.

Je suis canadien.

Nationality?

Canadian

3.

Je suis indienne.

Nationality?

Indian

4.

Je suis japonais.

Nationality?

Japanese


26. Activity 4 – City Detective

Read the sentences.

1.

J’habite à Paris.

Where does the person live?

Paris

2.

J’habite à Mumbai.

Where does the person live?

Mumbai

3.

J’habite à Tokyo.

Where does the person live?

Tokyo


27. Activity 5 – My French Passport 🇫🇷

Now you are going to create your own:

MON PASSEPORT

Draw yourself in the passport.

Then complete:

Mon nom

Je m’appelle __________________.

Mon âge

J’ai ______ ans.

Ma nationalité

Je suis __________________.

Ma ville

J’habite à __________________.

Ma langue

Je parle __________________.

Mon passe-temps

J’aime __________________.

You can also draw:

  • yourself;
  • your country’s flag;
  • your city;
  • your home;
  • something you like.

28. Example – Mon Passeport

🇫🇷 MON PASSEPORT

Nom : Emma

Âge : 11 ans

Nationalité : française

Ville : Paris

Langue : français

Passe-temps : football

My French introduction:

Bonjour !

Je m’appelle Emma.

J’ai onze ans.

Je suis française.

J’habite à Paris.

Je parle français.

J’aime le football.

Au revoir !


29. Activity 6 – Build Your Identity

Now create your own introduction.

Use the sentence starters:

Bonjour !

Je m’appelle…

J’ai… ans.

Je suis…

J’habite à…

Je parle…

J’aime…

Au revoir !

Try to write at least five sentences.


30. Mini Writing Task

Complete:

Bonjour !

Je m’appelle __________________________.

J’ai __________________ ans.

Je suis ______________________________.

J’habite à ____________________________.

Je parle ______________________________.

J’aime ________________________________.

Au revoir !


31. Challenge

If you are ready, add one personality adjective from Lesson 2.

For example:

Je suis sympathique.

Je suis sportif/sportive.

Je suis intelligent(e).

Je suis créatif/créative.

Now your introduction contains both personal information and personality.


32. Common Beginner Mistakes

Mistake 1

Je suis onze ans.

J’ai onze ans.

Remember:

Age → avoir


Mistake 2

J’ai français.

Je suis français/française.

Remember:

Nationality → être


Mistake 3

Je suis Hyderabad.

J’habite à Hyderabad.

Remember:

City where you live → J’habite à…


Mistake 4

Je habite à Paris.

J’habite à Paris.


Mistake 5

Je suis la France.

Je suis français/française.

Remember:

France = country

français/française = nationality


33. Grammar Reminder

AGE

J’ai + number + ans.

Example:

J’ai douze ans.


NATIONALITY

Je suis + nationality.

Example:

Je suis canadien.

Je suis canadienne.


CITY

J’habite à + city.

Example:

J’habite à Mumbai.


34. Board Plan

Keep the board visually simple.

🇫🇷 UNIT 1 – BONJOUR !

LESSON 3
MON ÂGE, MA NATIONALITÉ, MA VILLE

1. AGE

Quel âge as-tu ?
= How old are you?

J'ai ______ ans.
= I am ______ years old.

2. NATIONALITY

Je suis français/française.
Je suis canadien/canadienne.
Je suis indien/indienne.

3. CITY

Où habites-tu ?
= Where do you live?

J'habite à ______.
= I live in ______.

REMEMBER:

AGE → AVOIR
J'ai 11 ans.

NATIONALITY → ÊTRE
Je suis français/française.

CITY → HABITER
J'habite à Paris.

35. Learning Check

Complete the sentences.

1.

Quel âge as-tu ?

J’______ onze ans.

2.

Je ______ française.

3.

J’______ à Hyderabad.

4.

J’ai ______ ans.

5.

Je suis ______.

6.

J’habite ______ Paris.


Answers

  1. ai
  1. suis
  1. habite
  1. your age
  1. your nationality
  1. à

36. Exit Ticket

Before leaving the lesson, write these four sentences:

Je m’appelle __________.

J’ai __________ ans.

Je suis __________.

J’habite à __________.

If you are confident, add:

Je parle __________.

and:

J’aime __________.


37. Homework

Mon Passeport – My French Passport

Complete your French passport at home.

Include:

Personal information

Je m’appelle __________.

J’ai __________ ans.

Je suis __________.

J’habite à __________.

Language

Je parle __________.

Personality

Je suis __________.

Hobby

J’aime __________.

Decorate your passport with:

  • your portrait;
  • your country’s flag;
  • your city;
  • something you like.

38. Success Criteria

Today I can…

I can…
Ask someone’s age.
Say my age in French.
Use J’ai… ans correctly.
Ask someone’s nationality.
Say my nationality.
Ask where someone lives.
Say where I live.
Give basic personal information in French.

39. Closing

“Excellent work today, everyone!”

“Today you learned how to give important information about your identity in French.”

“You can now tell someone your name, age, nationality and city.”

“Remember our three important structures:”

J’ai ______ ans.

Je suis ______.

J’habite à ______.

“Be especially careful with your age. In French, we use avoir, not être.”

J’ai onze ans.

“You are now able to introduce yourself with much more information than you could in Lesson 1.”

Très bien ! Excellent travail ! 🇫🇷

Au revoir et à bientôt !


📌 Lesson 3 Takeaway

You should leave Lesson 3 confidently knowing:

Quel âge as-tu ?
How old are you?

J’ai ______ ans.
I am ______ years old.

Quelle est ta nationalité ?
What is your nationality?

Je suis français/française.

Où habites-tu ?
Where do you live?

J’habite à ______.

You can now create a basic French identity:

Bonjour !

Je m’appelle ______.

J’ai ______ ans.

Je suis ______.

J’habite à ______.

Je parle ______.

J’aime ______.

Au revoir !

This provides the foundation for Lesson 4, where you will learn how to talk about the languages you speak and the things you like.

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