The nature of french words part 1
To give the nature of a word is to say if it is a noun, a pronoun, an adjective, etc. It is to say to which grammatical category or class it belongs. From the point of view of meaning, there are two main sets of words: lexical words and grammatical words or tool words.
French lexical words: nouns, verbs, adjectives…
Lexical words designate beings, objects, actions, states, qualities, etc., for which we can form a definition.
French nouns
A word that names, designates a being or a thing and has a grammatical gender (masculine or feminine).
chaise, chat, femme, terre, politique, religion chair.
French adjectives
A word that qualifies the noun and agrees with it in gender and number
Un grand homme. La voiture présidentielle. Des enfants sages.
French verbs
A word that qualifies the noun and agrees with it in gender and number
Une voiture roule. Un oiseau vole. Le ciel est bleu.
French adverbs
A word that specifies the meaning of another word or sentence
Il marche vite. Répondre gentiment.
Source
This lesson is based on The Besherelle Orthographe
Presented by Teacher Ilca
French grammar is a free service for French learners provided by Teacher Ilca. New lessons are added every day, covering a range of topics and levels. Although the lessons can be used for self study, they are intended for use with a teacher. To book a lesson with one of our professional teachers, please visit Teacher Ilca