How French works

Nouns - small / capital letters

1 Days of the week, months and seasons

In French, days of the week, months and seasons take a small letter, unlike in English:

Elle est arrivée lundi

She arrived on Monday

On est arrivés le 2 mars

We arrived on 2nd March

2 Names of streets

In French, names of streets take a small letter, unlike in English:

Il habite 14, rue de la Gare

He lives at 14 Station Road

3 Personal titles

In French, personal titles take a small letter, unlike in English:

La reine Elisabeth

Queen Elizabeth

le président Chirac

President Macron

le docteur Pomier

Doctor Plomier

le père Joyce

Father Joyce

4 Languages

4.1 Languages

Languages take a small letter in French, unlike in English:

Elle parle couramment le français

She speaks fluent French

On parle allemand dans cette région de la Suisse

They speak German in this part of Switzerland

4.2 Nationalities and countries

By contrast, in French nationalities and countries take a capital letter:

Les Français sont très fiers de leur cuisine

The French are very proud of their cuisine

La France est le plus grand pays d'Europe

France is the biggest country in Europe

But for adjectives relating to nationalities, a small letter is always used:

La grammaire française est difficile

French grammar is difficult

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How French Works was written and coded by Chris Dawson.