French Grammatical Classes Overview

The French language organizes its vocabulary into nine distinct grammatical classes, each serving specific functions in sentence construction and communication. These classifications help understand how words relate to each other and form meaningful expressions.

Definition: Grammatical classes (parts of speech) are categories into which words are placed based on their function in a sentence.

The main grammatical classes include:

Vocabulary:

• NOM (Noun): Identifies who or what
• ADJECTIF (Adjective): Describes how
• VERBE (Verb): Expresses being or action
• PRONOM (Pronoun): Replaces nouns
• DETERMINANT (Determiner): Indicates noun gender
• CONJONCTION (Conjunction): Includes coordination and subordination
• PREPOSITION: Words like 'de', 'à', 'chez'
• ADVERBE (Adverb): Modifies place, time, and manner
• ONOMATOPÉE/INTERJECTION: Expressive sounds and exclamations

Example:

• Coordination conjunctions: mais, ou, et, donc, or, ni, car
• Onomatopoeia examples: "plouf!", "bzzz"
• Interjections: "oh!", "ah!", "aïe!"

Highlight: The determiner always precedes the noun and provides essential information about its gender, making it crucial for proper French grammar usage.