Talking About Holidays and Other Celebrations
10.3.1. The Main Idea
To talk about holidays and celebrations in French, use fêter, célébrer, and passer.
fêter | to celebrate |
célébrer | to celebrate |
passer | to spend, as in spend a holiday |
Je fête Noël avec ma famille. | I celebrate Christmas with my family. |
Nous célébrons le Nouvel An. | We celebrate New Year’s. |
Je passe les fêtes avec mes amis. | I spend the holidays with my friends. |
10.3.2. Common Holidays and Celebrations
Noël | Christmas |
le Nouvel An | New Year’s |
le jour de l’An | New Year’s Day |
Pâques | Easter |
la Saint-Valentin | Valentine’s Day |
la fête nationale | National Day |
la fête du Canada | Canada Day |
l’Action de grâce | Thanksgiving |
un anniversaire | a birthday |
un mariage | a wedding |
une fête | a party / celebration |
une célébration | a celebration |
10.3.3. Talking About Celebrating
Je fête mon anniversaire. | I celebrate my birthday. |
Tu fêtes Noël ? | Do you celebrate Christmas? |
Il fête le Nouvel An avec ses amis. | He celebrates New Year’s with his friends. |
Elle célèbre son anniversaire au restaurant. | She celebrates her birthday at the restaurant. |
Nous célébrons Pâques en famille. | We celebrate Easter as a family. |
Vous fêtez la fête du Canada ? | Do you celebrate Canada Day? |
10.3.4. Talking About Plans
Tu fais quoi pour Noël ? | What are you doing for Christmas? |
Tu fais quoi pour le Nouvel An ? | What are you doing for New Year’s? |
Vous faites quoi pour les fêtes ? | What are you doing for the holidays? |
Tu vas où pour les vacances ? | Where are you going for vacation? |
Tu vas célébrer avec qui ? | Who are you going to celebrate with? |
10.3.5. Answering About Plans
Je vais rester à la maison. | I am going to stay home. |
Je vais voir ma famille. | I am going to see my family. |
Je vais rendre visite à mes parents. | I am going to visit my parents. |
Je vais sortir avec des amis. | I am going to go out with friends. |
Je vais préparer un repas. | I am going to prepare a meal. |
Je vais voyager. | I am going to travel. |
10.3.6. Celebration Activities
décorer la maison | to decorate the house |
préparer un repas | to prepare a meal |
offrir un cadeau | to give a gift |
recevoir un cadeau | to receive a gift |
envoyer une carte | to send a card |
inviter des amis | to invite friends |
danser | to dance |
chanter | to sing |
manger ensemble | to eat together |
passer du temps en famille | to spend time with family |
10.3.7. Food and Gifts
un cadeau | a gift |
une carte | a card |
un repas | a meal |
un gâteau | a cake |
une bougie | a candle |
des décorations | decorations |
une tradition | a tradition |
une fête de famille | a family celebration |
un invité | a guest, masculine |
une invitée | a guest, feminine |
10.3.8. Talking About Past Celebrations
J’ai fêté mon anniversaire hier. | I celebrated my birthday yesterday. |
Nous avons célébré le Nouvel An avec des amis. | We celebrated New Year’s with friends. |
J’ai reçu un cadeau. | I received a gift. |
J’ai offert une carte. | I gave a card. |
J’ai préparé un repas. | I prepared a meal. |
C’était amusant. | It was fun. |
C’était très spécial. | It was very special. |
10.3.9. Asking About Past Celebrations
Qu’est-ce que tu as fait pour Noël ? | What did you do for Christmas? |
Qu’est-ce que vous avez fait pour les fêtes ? | What did you do for the holidays? formal or plural |
Tu as fêté ton anniversaire ? | Did you celebrate your birthday? |
Tu as reçu des cadeaux ? | Did you receive gifts? |
C’était comment ? | What was it like? |
10.3.10. Core Patterns
fêter + holiday / occasion | to celebrate ___ |
célébrer + holiday / occasion | to celebrate ___ |
passer + holiday + avec | to spend ___ with |
faire quoi pour ___ ? | to do what for ___? |
Je vais + infinitive | I am going to ___ |
J’ai + past participle | I ___ed |
C’était ___ . | It was ___. |
10.3.11. Practice
I celebrate Christmas with my family. |
We celebrate New Year’s. |
What are you doing for Christmas? |
Who are you going to celebrate with? |
I am going to prepare a meal. |
I am going to give a gift. |
I celebrated my birthday yesterday. |
It was very special. |
10.3.12. Answers
I celebrate Christmas with my family. | Je fête Noël avec ma famille. |
We celebrate New Year’s. | Nous célébrons le Nouvel An. |
What are you doing for Christmas? | Tu fais quoi pour Noël ? |
Who are you going to celebrate with? | Tu vas célébrer avec qui ? |
I am going to prepare a meal. | Je vais préparer un repas. |
I am going to give a gift. | Je vais offrir un cadeau. |
I celebrated my birthday yesterday. | J’ai fêté mon anniversaire hier. |
It was very special. | C’était très spécial. |
10.3.13. Short Dialogue
A : Tu fais quoi pour Noël ? | A: What are you doing for Christmas? |
B : Je vais rester à la maison et préparer un repas avec ma famille. Et toi ? | B: I am going to stay home and prepare a meal with my family. And you? |
A : Je vais rendre visite à mes parents. | A: I am going to visit my parents. |
B : Très bien. Joyeux Noël ! | B: Very good. Merry Christmas! |
10.3.14. Checkpoint
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to talk about holidays and celebrations, say what people celebrate, ask about holiday plans, describe celebration activities, and talk about past celebrations using the passé composé.
10.3.15. Try It Out
Try saying this in French:
What are you doing for Christmas?
I’m going to see my family.
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Possible answer:
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