Personalities

• Understanding of key descriptive vocabulary is crucial. Be sure to learn words that can describe a range of personalities like ‘timide’ (shy), ‘paresseux’ (lazy), ‘ambitieux’ (ambitious), ‘gentil’ (kind), etc.
• Try to show a range of vocabulary in your descriptions to impress. For example, use both ‘sérieux’ (serious) and ‘studieux’ (studious). They essentially mean the same thing but showing a variety of vocabulary will score you extra points.
• Familiarise yourself with different adjectives and their opposites, like ‘heureux’ (happy) and ‘triste’ (sad). You may be asked about how you feel at different times or about different things.
• Remember that French adjectives often change based on the gender of the person you’re describing. For instance, a happy woman is ‘heureuse’, while a happy man is ‘heureux’. Always keep the rules of gender agreement in mind whilst writing.
• Understand how to use negative expressions to express dislike or disagree. Phrases such as ‘ne…pas du tout’ (not at all), ‘ne…plus’ (no longer/no more) can help to add depth to your descriptions.
• Practice pronunciation of these words and phrases, as correct pronunciation enhances your spoken language skills. Audio resources, such as those available online, can be incredibly beneficial for this.
• Learn phrases that describe personality traits in the context of relationships. Phrases like ‘Je m’entends bien avec…’ (I get on well with…) or ‘Je me dispute souvent avec…’ (I often argue with…) can come in handy.
• Be ready to explain your opinion on others people’s personality using expressions like ‘À mon avis…’ (In my opinion…) or ‘Je pense que…’ (I think that…). It could be an important part of the conversation.
• Don’t forget that as well as being able to describe yourself and other people, you should also be able to talk about things that people like or dislike, to give a rounded description of personality. ‘Il/Elle aime/Il/Elle n’aime pas..’ is a good phrase to use.
• Make use of online resources to revise. There are plenty of websites and apps that can help you to refine your vocabulary and phrase use.
• Finally, practise using these descriptors in complete sentences and in an appropriate context. This will help you in both writing and conversation.