6.3. Les vêtements et les accessoires

Describing People’s Clothing and Accessories

6.3.1. The Main Idea

To describe what someone is wearing, use the verb porter, meaning to wear or to carry.

Je porte un chapeau.	I am wearing a hat.
Tu portes une chemise.	You are wearing a shirt.
Il porte un manteau.	He is wearing a coat.
Elle porte une robe.	She is wearing a dress.

6.3.2. The Verb Porter

je porte	I wear / I am wearing
tu portes	you wear / you are wearing
il porte	he wears / he is wearing
elle porte	she wears / she is wearing
nous portons	we wear / we are wearing
vous portez	you wear / you are wearing
ils portent	they wear / they are wearing
elles portent	they wear / they are wearing

6.3.3. Clothing

un chapeau	a hat
une chemise	a shirt
un t-shirt	a T-shirt
un pull	a sweater
un manteau	a coat
une veste	a jacket
un pantalon	pants
un jean	jeans
une robe	a dress
une jupe	a skirt
des chaussures	shoes
des bottes	boots
des chaussettes	socks

6.3.4. Accessories

un accessoire	an accessory
des accessoires	accessories
une montre	a watch
un sac	a bag
un sac à dos	a backpack
une ceinture	a belt
des lunettes	glasses
des lunettes de soleil	sunglasses
une écharpe	a scarf
une casquette	a cap
un bijou	a piece of jewelry
des bijoux	jewelry

6.3.5. Describing Clothing with Colours

Clothing words use colour adjectives. Many colour adjectives change for masculine, feminine, singular, and plural.

un chapeau noir	a black hat
une chemise blanche	a white shirt
un manteau bleu	a blue coat
une robe bleue	a blue dress
des chaussures noires	black shoes
des bottes brunes	brown boots

6.3.6. Describing Clothing with Other Adjectives

un beau chapeau	a beautiful hat
une belle robe	a beautiful dress
un petit sac	a small bag
une grande veste	a large jacket
un vieux pull	an old sweater
une nouvelle chemise	a new shirt
un pantalon confortable	comfortable pants
des chaussures confortables	comfortable shoes

6.3.7. Asking What Someone Is Wearing

Tu portes quoi ?	What are you wearing?
Vous portez quoi ?	What are you wearing? formal or plural
Qu’est-ce que tu portes ?	What are you wearing?
Qu’est-ce que vous portez ?	What are you wearing? formal or plural
Il porte quoi ?	What is he wearing?
Elle porte quoi ?	What is she wearing?

6.3.8. Talking About Someone’s Outfit

Il porte un chapeau noir.	He is wearing a black hat.
Elle porte une robe bleue.	She is wearing a blue dress.
Il porte un jean et un t-shirt.	He is wearing jeans and a T-shirt.
Elle porte une veste blanche.	She is wearing a white jacket.
Je porte mon chapeau.	I am wearing my hat.
Tu portes ta montre ?	Are you wearing your watch?

6.3.9. My / Your Clothing

mon chapeau	my hat
ma chemise	my shirt
mes chaussures	my shoes
ton manteau	your coat
ta veste	your jacket
tes lunettes	your glasses
son sac	his / her bag
sa robe	his / her dress
ses bottes	his / her boots

6.3.10. Core Patterns

porter	to wear / to carry
Je porte ___ .	I am wearing ___ .
Tu portes ___ ?	Are you wearing ___ ?
Il porte ___ .	He is wearing ___ .
Elle porte ___ .	She is wearing ___ .
Qu’est-ce que tu portes ?	What are you wearing?
clothing + colour	un chapeau noir, une robe bleue

6.3.11. Practice

I am wearing a hat. |

I am wearing my hat. |

You are wearing a shirt. informal |

He is wearing a black coat. |

She is wearing a blue dress. |

What are you wearing? informal |

My shoes |

Your glasses |

His / her bag |

6.3.12. Answers

I am wearing a hat.	Je porte un chapeau.
I am wearing my hat.	Je porte mon chapeau.
You are wearing a shirt. informal	Tu portes une chemise.
He is wearing a black coat.	Il porte un manteau noir.
She is wearing a blue dress.	Elle porte une robe bleue.
What are you wearing? informal	Qu’est-ce que tu portes ?
My shoes	mes chaussures
Your glasses	tes lunettes
His / her bag	son sac

6.3.13. Short Dialogue

A : Tu portes quoi aujourd’hui ?	A: What are you wearing today?
B : Je porte un jean, un t-shirt et mon chapeau. Et toi ?	B: I am wearing jeans, a T-shirt, and my hat. And you?
A : Je porte une chemise blanche et des chaussures noires.	A: I am wearing a white shirt and black shoes.
B : Très bien !	B: Very good!

6.3.14. Checkpoint

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to name common clothing and accessories, use porter to say what someone is wearing, describe clothing with colours and adjectives, and use possessive articles with clothing items.