Cambridge International · IGCSE · 0520
French (Foreign Language) — Keywords & Key Terms — Definitions Glossary (2026)
Cambridge IGCSE French — Foreign Language (0520)
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.
Cambridge International IGCSE French (Foreign Language) (0520)
Cambridge International IGCSE French (Foreign Language) (0520)
Cambridge IGCSE French — Foreign Language (0520)
Aligned to Cambridge IGCSE French 0520 (2026): the 5 prescribed topic areas (everyday activities, personal & social life, the world around us, the world of work, the international world) assessed across Listening (Paper 1), Reading (Paper 2), Speaking (Paper 3) and Writing (Paper 4).
Mark schemes: Cambridge rewards a clear range of tenses (present + past + future at minimum), accuracy of agreement (gender, number, adjective, past participle with être), and varied vocabulary beyond textbook lists. Speaking and Writing examiner reports flag over-reliance on present tense, missing accents, and weak connectives — plan to vary tenses and link ideas explicitly.
Active recall: 0 / 22 terms ticked
| Recalled | Topic | Level | Keyword | Definition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verb conjugations & tenses | Essential | Regular -ER / -IR / -RE present tense | Drop the infinitive ending and add the regular present-tense endings (e.g. parler → je parle, finir → je finis, vendre → je vends). | |
| Verb conjugations & tenses | Core | Perfect tense (passé composé) with avoir / être | Auxiliary avoir or être in the present + past participle; the MRS VAN DER TRAMP verbs (Monter, Rester, Sortir, Venir, Aller, Naître, Descendre, Entrer, Rentrer, Tomber, Retourner, Arriver, Mourir, Partir) take être and agree with the subject. | |
| Verb conjugations & tenses | Core | Imperfect tense (imparfait) | Stem from the nous form of the present + endings -ais/-ais/-ait/-ions/-iez/-aient — used for description, habit and ongoing past action. | |
| Verb conjugations & tenses | Core | Near future (futur proche) — ALLER + infinitive | Conjugate aller in the present and follow with an infinitive to express what is going to happen (je vais manger = I am going to eat). | |
| Verb conjugations & tenses | Core | Simple future and conditional | Future = infinitive + -ai/-as/-a/-ons/-ez/-ont; conditional = same stem + imperfect endings, used for ‘would’ and polite requests (je voudrais). | |
| Verb conjugations & tenses | Advanced | Key irregular verbs — être, avoir, aller, faire | Memorise present, perfect, imperfect, future and conditional forms — they appear in nearly every Speaking and Writing answer. | |
| Articles & determiners | Essential | Definite articles — le / la / l' / les | Used for specific or general nouns; agree in gender and number with the noun (le livre, la table, l'école, les enfants). | |
| Articles & determiners | Core | Indefinite articles — un / une / des | Equivalent of ‘a / an / some’; un (m), une (f), des (plural). | |
| Articles & determiners | Core | Partitive articles — du / de la / de l' / des | Express ‘some’ of an uncountable or unspecified quantity (du pain, de la confiture, de l'eau, des fruits). | |
| Articles & determiners | Core | Possessive adjectives | Mon/ma/mes, ton/ta/tes, son/sa/ses, notre/nos, votre/vos, leur/leurs — agree with the thing possessed, not the owner. | |
| Articles & determiners | Advanced | De after a negative | Indefinite and partitive articles change to de/d' after ne…pas (je mange du pain → je ne mange pas de pain). | |
| Pronouns & negatives | Essential | Subject pronouns | je, tu, il, elle, on, nous, vous, ils, elles — note on is widely used in spoken French to mean ‘we’. | |
| Pronouns & negatives | Core | Direct object pronouns | me, te, le, la, nous, vous, les — placed before the conjugated verb (je le vois = I see him/it). | |
| Pronouns & negatives | Core | The pronoun y | Replaces à + place or thing (j'y vais = I'm going there). | |
| Pronouns & negatives | Core | The pronoun en | Replaces de + noun, often a quantity (j'en ai trois = I have three of them). | |
| Pronouns & negatives | Core | Negatives — ne…pas / jamais / rien / personne / plus | Two-part negation around the conjugated verb meaning not / never / nothing / nobody / no longer. | |
| Topic vocabulary & exam technique | Core | The 5 Cambridge topic areas | Everyday activities, personal & social life, the world around us, the world of work, and the international world — every Speaking/Writing prompt maps onto one of these. | |
| Topic vocabulary & exam technique | Core | Useful connectives | Je pense que (I think that), parce que (because), cependant (however), d'abord / ensuite / puis / finalement (firstly / then / next / finally) — the markers Cambridge expects to see. | |
| Topic vocabulary & exam technique | Core | Paper 1 — Listening | Recorded extracts in French; multiple-choice and short answers — practise spotting tense markers (hier, demain, depuis). | |
| Topic vocabulary & exam technique | Core | Paper 2 — Reading | Texts in French testing comprehension, inference and gap-fill — answers in French; spelling is assessed. | |
| Topic vocabulary & exam technique | Core | Paper 3 — Speaking | Role play + presentation/discussion + general conversation; aim to use minimum 2–3 tenses and an opinion with justification. | |
| Topic vocabulary & exam technique | Advanced | Paper 4 — Writing | Two tasks (e.g. email and longer composition); reward range of tenses, complex sentences with subordinate clauses, accurate agreement and topic-specific vocabulary. |
Pair this with our revision checklists, formula sheets hub and past paper finder.
French (Foreign Language) (0520) — Keywords & Key Terms FAQ
- What is on this Cambridge International IGCSE French (Foreign Language) keywords and key terms list?
- It is a topic-organised glossary of important french (foreign language) terms with short, exam-style definitions aligned to Cambridge IGCSE French — Foreign Language (0520) (0520). It is designed for “define”, “state”, “outline” and “explain” questions where precise vocabulary earns marks.
- How should I use this French (Foreign Language) 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 IGCSE French (Foreign Language) (0520) 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 (Foreign Language).
- Can I download this French (Foreign Language) 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 (Foreign Language) list aligned to the 0520 specification?
- Topic groupings and wording follow Cambridge IGCSE French — Foreign Language (0520) for Cambridge International IGCSE. 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 (Foreign Language) at IGCSE, separate from longer notes or topic trackers.