1. Lesson Overview

Today, you will learn how to describe your physical appearance in French.

You already know how to use:

Je suis…

to describe your personality.

Today, you will use Je suis… and J’ai… to describe what you look like.

You will learn how to talk about:

your height;
whether you are tall or short;
your hair;
the colour of your hair;
the length of your hair;
your eyes;
the colour of your eyes.

You will learn useful structures such as:

Je suis grand/grande.

Je suis petit/petite.

J’ai les cheveux…

J’ai les yeux…

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to give a simple physical description of yourself.

2. Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, I can:

Knowledge

☐ Understand what physical appearance means.

☐ Recognize common French vocabulary for physical description.

☐ Identify words for hair and eyes.

Understanding

☐ Understand simple descriptions of someone’s appearance.

☐ Understand the difference between Je suis… and J’ai… when describing myself.

Application

☐ Describe my height using Je suis…

☐ Describe my hair using J’ai les cheveux…

☐ Describe my eyes using J’ai les yeux…

Communication

☐ Write a short physical description of myself.

3. Let’s Connect With What You Already Know

In Lesson 5, you learned how to describe your personality.

For example:

Je suis sympathique.

Je suis drôle.

Je suis sportif/sportive.

Today, you will use French to describe your physical appearance.

For example:

Je suis grand/grande.

J’ai les cheveux noirs.

J’ai les yeux marron.

So you are learning another way to express your identity.

4. What Is Physical Appearance?

Definition

Physical appearance describes what someone looks like.

For example:

height;
hair;
eyes;
body characteristics.

In English, you might say:

I am tall.

I have black hair.

I have blue eyes.

In French, we can say:

Je suis grand/grande.

J’ai les cheveux noirs.

J’ai les yeux bleus.

5. Talking About Height

To describe your height, use:

Je suis + adjective.

You already know that:

Je suis = I am

So:

Je suis grand.

= I am tall.

Je suis grande.

= I am tall.

6. Grand / Grande

Grand / Grande

Meaning: tall / big

Masculine:

grand

Feminine:

grande

Examples:

Je suis grand.

Je suis grande.

Il est grand.

Elle est grande.

7. Petit / Petite

Petit / Petite

Meaning: short / small

Masculine:

petit

Feminine:

petite

Examples:

Je suis petit.

Je suis petite.

Il est petit.

Elle est petite.

8. Important Reminder

You already learned about adjective agreement.

Remember:

Masculine

Il est grand.

Feminine

Elle est grande.

And:

Masculine

Il est petit.

Feminine

Elle est petite.

The adjective changes to agree with the person.

9. Talking About Hair

Now let’s describe your hair.

In French:

les cheveux = hair

To say:

I have…

we use:

J’ai

So:

J’ai les cheveux…

This means:

I have … hair.

10. Hair Colours

Here are some useful hair colours:

French	English
noirs	black
bruns	brown
blonds	blonde
roux	red/auburn

Examples:

J’ai les cheveux noirs.

J’ai les cheveux bruns.

J’ai les cheveux blonds.

J’ai les cheveux roux.

11. Why Do We Say “Les Cheveux”?

In French, we normally talk about hair using:

les cheveux

So don’t translate the English structure word-for-word.

English:

I have black hair.

French:

J’ai les cheveux noirs.

Learn this as a complete useful structure:

J’ai les cheveux + colour.

12. Hair Length

You can also describe the length of your hair.

French	English
longs	long
courts	short

Examples:

J’ai les cheveux longs.

J’ai les cheveux courts.

You can combine length and colour.

For example:

J’ai les cheveux longs et noirs.

Or:

J’ai les cheveux courts et bruns.

13. Hair Description

Use:

J’ai les cheveux + description.

Examples:

J’ai les cheveux noirs.

J’ai les cheveux blonds.

J’ai les cheveux longs.

J’ai les cheveux courts.

You can combine two descriptions:

J’ai les cheveux longs et blonds.

14. Talking About Eyes

Now let’s talk about your eyes.

In French:

les yeux = eyes

To say:

I have…

we use:

J’ai

So:

J’ai les yeux…

15. Eye Colours

Here are some useful colours:

French	English
bleus	blue
verts	green
marron	brown

Examples:

J’ai les yeux bleus.

J’ai les yeux verts.

J’ai les yeux marron.

16. Important Difference

Look carefully:

Hair:

J’ai les cheveux noirs.

Eyes:

J’ai les yeux bleus.

Both use:

J’ai

because you are saying:

I have…

17. Être vs Avoir

This is very important.

Use ÊTRE for:

height;
personality;
nationality.

Examples:

Je suis grand/grande.

Je suis sympathique.

Je suis français/française.

Use AVOIR for:

hair;
eyes;
age.

Examples:

J’ai les cheveux noirs.

J’ai les yeux bleus.

J’ai onze ans.

18. Remember This Rule

ÊTRE → what I am

Je suis grand.

Je suis sympathique.

Je suis français.

AVOIR → what I have

J’ai onze ans.

J’ai les cheveux noirs.

J’ai les yeux bleus.

This distinction will help you avoid many beginner mistakes.

19. Let’s Build a Full Physical Description

Start with your height:

Je suis grand/grande.

Add your hair:

J’ai les cheveux noirs.

Add your eyes:

J’ai les yeux marron.

Now you have three sentences:

Je suis grand/grande.

J’ai les cheveux noirs.

J’ai les yeux marron.

20. Activity 1 – Appearance Detective

Read each sentence and identify what is being described.

1.

Je suis grande.

What is being described?

Height

2.

J’ai les cheveux noirs.

What is being described?

Hair

3.

J’ai les yeux bleus.

What is being described?

Eyes

21. Activity 2 – Match the Vocabulary

Match the French with the English.

French	English
grand/grande	blue
petit/petite	hair
les cheveux	tall
les yeux	eyes
noirs	black
bleus	blue

Answers:

grand/grande → tall

petit/petite → short

les cheveux → hair

les yeux → eyes

noirs → black

bleus → blue

22. Activity 3 – Hair Detective

Read the sentence.

J’ai les cheveux blonds.

What colour is the hair?

Blonde

Another:

J’ai les cheveux noirs.

What colour?

Black

Another:

J’ai les cheveux bruns.

What colour?

Brown

23. Activity 4 – Eye Detective

Read the sentence.

J’ai les yeux verts.

What colour are the eyes?

Green

Another:

J’ai les yeux bleus.

What colour?

Blue

Another:

J’ai les yeux marron.

What colour?

Brown

24. Activity 5 – Build Your Appearance

Complete these sentences about yourself.

Height

Je suis __________________.

Hair colour

J’ai les cheveux __________________.

Hair length

J’ai les cheveux __________________.

Eye colour

J’ai les yeux __________________.

25. Activity 6 – My Mirror 🪞

Imagine that you are looking into a mirror.

Draw yourself.

Then label your picture in French.

For example:

les cheveux

les yeux

grand/grande

petit/petite

Then write:

Je suis __________________.

J’ai les cheveux __________________.

J’ai les yeux __________________.

26. Activity 7 – Guess Who?

One student describes themselves without saying their name.

For example:

Je suis grand.

J’ai les cheveux noirs.

J’ai les yeux marron.

The class tries to guess who the person is.

If we are working online, you can type your description in the chat and we can guess.

27. Activity 8 – Describe a Character

Create an imaginary character.

Draw the character.

Then describe them.

If it is a boy:

Il est grand.

Il a les cheveux noirs.

Il a les yeux bleus.

If it is a girl:

Elle est grande.

Elle a les cheveux longs.

Elle a les yeux verts.

28. Mini Writing Task

Write a short physical description of yourself.

Je suis __________________.

J’ai les cheveux __________________.

J’ai les yeux __________________.

Try to add one more detail:

J’ai les cheveux __________________ et __________________.

29. Challenge – My Complete Identity

Now combine what you have learned from Lessons 1–6.

Write:

Bonjour !

Je m’appelle __________________.

J’ai ______ ans.

Je suis __________________.

J’habite à __________________.

Je parle __________________.

Je suis __________________.

J’ai les cheveux __________________.

J’ai les yeux __________________.

J’aime __________________.

Au revoir !

You have now created a detailed beginner-level self-introduction.

30. Common Beginner Mistakes

Mistake 1

❌ Je suis les cheveux noirs.

✅ J’ai les cheveux noirs.

Remember:

Hair → avoir

Mistake 2

❌ Je suis les yeux bleus.

✅ J’ai les yeux bleus.

Remember:

Eyes → avoir

Mistake 3

❌ J’ai grand.

✅ Je suis grand/grande.

Remember:

Height → être

Mistake 4

❌ J’ai sympathique.

✅ Je suis sympathique.

Remember:

Personality → être

Mistake 5

❌ J’ai onze.

✅ J’ai onze ans.

Remember:

Age → J’ai + number + ans

31. Grammar Reminder

ÊTRE = TO BE

Use être for:

Je suis grand/grande.

Je suis petit/petite.

Je suis sympathique.

Je suis sportif/sportive.

AVOIR = TO HAVE

Use avoir for:

J’ai ______ ans.

J’ai les cheveux noirs.

J’ai les yeux bleus.

32. Appearance Vocabulary Reminder

Height

grand/grande = tall

petit/petite = short

Hair

les cheveux = hair

noirs = black

bruns = brown

blonds = blonde

roux = red/auburn

longs = long

courts = short

Eyes

les yeux = eyes

bleus = blue

verts = green

marron = brown

33. Board Plan

Keep the board visually simple.

🇫🇷 UNIT 1 – BONJOUR !

LESSON 6
MON APPARENCE PHYSIQUE

HEIGHT

Je suis grand/grande.
Je suis petit/petite.

HAIR

J'ai les cheveux noirs.
J'ai les cheveux bruns.
J'ai les cheveux blonds.
J'ai les cheveux longs.
J'ai les cheveux courts.

EYES

J'ai les yeux bleus.
J'ai les yeux verts.
J'ai les yeux marron.

REMEMBER:

ÊTRE → WHAT I AM

Je suis grand(e).
Je suis sympathique.

AVOIR → WHAT I HAVE

J'ai les cheveux noirs.
J'ai les yeux bleus.
J'ai 11 ans.

34. Learning Check

Complete the sentences.

1.

Je ______ grand/grande.

2.

J’______ les cheveux noirs.

3.

J’______ les yeux bleus.

4.

J’______ onze ans.

5.

Elle ______ grande.

6.

Il ______ les cheveux bruns.

7.

Je ______ sympathique.

8.

Elle ______ les yeux verts.

Answers

suis

ai

est

a

suis

a

35. Exit Ticket

Before leaving the lesson, write these three sentences:

1. Height

Je suis __________________.

2. Hair

J’ai les cheveux __________________.

3. Eyes

J’ai les yeux __________________.

If you are confident, add:

J’ai les cheveux __________________ et __________________.

36. Homework

Mon portrait – My Portrait 🇫🇷

Draw a self-portrait.

Label your picture in French.

Include:

your hair;
your eyes;
your height.

Then write at least five sentences.

For example:

Je m’appelle Emma.

J’ai onze ans.

Je suis grande.

J’ai les cheveux longs et bruns.

J’ai les yeux verts.

Add colour and details to your portrait.

37. Success Criteria

Today I can…

I can…
Explain what physical appearance means.	☐
Describe my height.	☐
Talk about my hair.	☐
Say the colour of my hair.	☐
Say whether my hair is long or short.	☐
Talk about my eyes.	☐
Say the colour of my eyes.	☐
Use être for height and description.	☐
Use avoir for age, hair and eyes.	☐
Write a short physical description of myself.	☐

38. Closing

“Excellent work today, everyone!”

“Today you learned how to describe what you look like in French.”

“You can now talk about your height, your hair and your eyes.”

“The most important thing to remember today is the difference between être and avoir.”

Je suis grand/grande.

J’ai les cheveux noirs.

J’ai les yeux bleus.

“You are now able to describe both your personality and your physical appearance.”

“Your French introduction is becoming much more detailed!”

Très bien ! Excellent travail ! 🇫🇷

Au revoir et à bientôt !

📌 Lesson 6 Takeaway

You should leave Lesson 6 confidently knowing:

Je suis grand/grande.
I am tall.

Je suis petit/petite.
I am short.

J’ai les cheveux noirs.
I have black hair.

J’ai les cheveux longs.
I have long hair.

J’ai les yeux bleus.
I have blue eyes.

J’ai les yeux verts.
I have green eyes.

Remember:

ÊTRE → what I am

Je suis grand/grande.

Je suis sympathique.

AVOIR → what I have

J’ai onze ans.

J’ai les cheveux noirs.

J’ai les yeux bleus.

You can now introduce yourself with:

Bonjour !

Je m’appelle ______.

J’ai ______ ans.

Je suis ______.

J’habite à ______.

Je parle ______.

Je suis ______ et ______.

J’ai les cheveux ______.

J’ai les yeux ______.

J’aime ______.

Au revoir !

This provides the foundation for Lesson 7, where you will bring your vocabulary together to talk about your family and the people around you.