AQA · GCSE · 8658
French — Keywords & Key Terms — Definitions Glossary (2026)
AQA GCSE French (8658) — Specification (2026)
Topic-by-topic keywords, key terms and definitions for precise exam language—separate from our revision checklists (topic coverage) and formula sheets (equations).
Keywords & Key Terms — definitions
Examiner-style keywords and definitions organised by syllabus topic. Terms are tagged Essential (start here), Core (typical exam standard), and Advanced for harder distinctions — tick each row when you can recall it. Your progress is saved in this browser for this list.
AQA GCSE French (8658)
AQA GCSE French (8658)
AQA GCSE French (8658) — Specification (2026)
Topics map to AQA GCSE French grammar systems plus the three prescribed themes (Identity & culture; Local/national/international/global areas of interest; Current and future study and employment) and the four assessed papers.
Mark schemes: AQA mark schemes reward an accurate range of tenses, correct verb formation and agreement, and varied vocabulary. Use connectives and opinion phrases to access higher bands; in translation, prioritise full sentence accuracy over near-synonyms.
Active recall: 0 / 22 terms ticked
| Recalled | Topic | Level | Keyword | Definition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verb conjugations & tenses | Essential | Present tense (regular) | Used for current actions/states; -ER (parler → je parle), -IR (finir → je finis), -RE (vendre → je vends) follow standard patterns. | |
| Verb conjugations & tenses | Core | Perfect tense (passé composé) | Past completed action: avoir/être (present) + past participle; MRS VAN DER TRAMP verbs and all reflexives take être with agreement (elle est allée). | |
| Verb conjugations & tenses | Core | Imperfect tense (imparfait) | Past description, repeated action or background: nous-stem of present + -ais/-ais/-ait/-ions/-iez/-aient (je parlais, ils faisaient). | |
| Verb conjugations & tenses | Core | Near future (futur proche) | ALLER (present) + infinitive expresses ‘going to’ do something: je vais manger, nous allons partir. | |
| Verb conjugations & tenses | Advanced | Simple future & conditional | Future: infinitive + -ai/-as/-a/-ons/-ez/-ont (je parlerai); conditional uses the same stem with imperfect endings (je voudrais, j’aimerais). | |
| Verb conjugations & tenses | Advanced | Key irregular verbs | Memorise être, avoir, aller, faire, pouvoir, vouloir, devoir, savoir, prendre, venir — high-frequency and often examined in multiple tenses. | |
| Articles, nouns & adjectives | Essential | Definite & indefinite articles | Definite: le/la/l’/les (the); indefinite: un/une/des (a/some); choice depends on gender and whether the noun starts with a vowel. | |
| Articles, nouns & adjectives | Core | Partitive articles | du/de la/de l’/des express ‘some/any’ before uncountable nouns; become de/d’ after a negative (je ne mange pas de viande). | |
| Articles, nouns & adjectives | Core | Adjective agreement | Adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun: petit/petite/petits/petites; most adjectives follow the noun, BAGS adjectives (Beauty, Age, Good/bad, Size) precede it. | |
| Articles, nouns & adjectives | Core | Comparative | plus/moins/aussi + adjective + que: Marie est plus grande que Paul; irregular: meilleur (better), pire (worse). | |
| Articles, nouns & adjectives | Advanced | Superlative | le/la/les plus (or moins) + adjective: la plus belle ville; adjective agrees with the noun and matches its usual position. | |
| Pronouns, negatives & word order | Essential | Subject pronouns | je, tu, il, elle, on, nous, vous, ils, elles — ‘on’ is widely used for ‘we’ in spoken French (on va au cinéma). | |
| Pronouns, negatives & word order | Core | Direct & indirect object pronouns | Direct (me, te, le, la, nous, vous, les) replace the object; indirect (me, te, lui, nous, vous, leur) replace ‘to/for someone’; both go before the verb. | |
| Pronouns, negatives & word order | Core | Pronouns y and en | y replaces à + place/thing (j’y vais); en replaces de + noun or a quantity (j’en ai trois). | |
| Pronouns, negatives & word order | Core | Reflexive verbs | Action done to oneself: se laver, se lever; pronoun matches subject (je me lave, ils se lèvent) and takes être in the perfect. | |
| Pronouns, negatives & word order | Advanced | Negation patterns | ne…pas (not), ne…jamais (never), ne…rien (nothing), ne…personne (no one), ne…plus (no longer); the two parts surround the conjugated verb. | |
| Themes, connectives & the four papers | Essential | Theme 1 — Identity & culture | Covers me/family/friends, technology, free time, customs and festivals in French-speaking countries. | |
| Themes, connectives & the four papers | Essential | Theme 2 — Local, national, international & global areas of interest | Covers home/town/region, social issues, global issues (environment, poverty), travel and tourism. | |
| Themes, connectives & the four papers | Core | Theme 3 — Current & future study and employment | Covers my studies, life at school/college, education post-16, jobs/career choices and ambitions. | |
| Themes, connectives & the four papers | Core | High-value connectives | parce que, car, cependant, par contre, de plus, en revanche, donc — examiners credit varied linkers that extend sentences and signal opinion. | |
| Themes, connectives & the four papers | Core | Paper 1 (Listening) & Paper 2 (Speaking) | Listening: short and longer extracts; Speaking: role play, photo card discussion and general conversation on the themes. | |
| Themes, connectives & the four papers | Advanced | Paper 3 (Reading) & Paper 4 (Writing) | Reading includes a short FR→EN translation; Writing at Foundation has structured short tasks, at Higher a 90-word task, a 150-word task and an EN→FR translation. |
Pair this with our revision checklists, formula sheets hub and past paper finder.
French (8658) — Keywords & Key Terms FAQ
- What is on this AQA GCSE French keywords and key terms list?
- It is a topic-organised glossary of important french terms with short, exam-style definitions aligned to AQA GCSE French (8658) — Specification (2026) (8658). It is designed for “define”, “state”, “outline” and “explain” questions where precise vocabulary earns marks.
- How should I use this French glossary alongside past papers?
- Tick terms when you can recall them without reading the answer, then check your wording against mark schemes. Pair vocabulary practice with past papers for GCSE French (8658) so you apply terms in context.
- Is this the same as a revision checklist or a formula sheet?
- No. Revision checklists help you track which syllabus topics you have covered and your confidence—separate pages on Tutopiya. Formula sheets summarise equations and quantitative relationships. This page is only a definitions and key-terms glossary for French.
- Can I download this French keywords and key terms list for free?
- Yes. After a quick free sign-up you can download a UTF-8 CSV (opens in Excel or Google Sheets) or open a print-friendly page and save as PDF. Browsing the list on the page is free.
- Is this French list aligned to the 8658 specification?
- Topic groupings and wording follow AQA GCSE French (8658) — Specification (2026) for AQA GCSE. Always confirm final learning objectives and any regional options in your official specification and recent examiner reports for your exam session.
- Why focus on definitions instead of full notes?
- Mark schemes reward correct technical terms and clear links between ideas. A compact glossary lets you drill the exact language examiners expect for French at GCSE, separate from longer notes or topic trackers.