LEVEL 03
APPRENTI

From sentences to stories.

Level 3 is centered on the past. You will learn how French separates events, background, habits, and what happened before something else, then bring those tenses together with object pronouns to build longer, more natural sentences.

Who is it for?

Level 3 is for lower-intermediate students who are comfortable in the present tense and ready to build a real past-tense system.

  • You can use a range of common regular and irregular verbs in the present tense.
  • You can ask and answer everyday questions and hold a basic conversation.
  • You can build connected sentences, even if speaking still takes some time.
  • You want to talk about experiences, memories, and events with more structure.

The level starts with a review of present-tense irregular verbs, then builds the past system in depth.

What you’ll learn in this level:

Level 3 focuses on the past: how French organizes events, background, and sequence so you can move from individual sentences to telling a story.

BUILD A COMPLETE PAST-TENSE SYSTEM

  • Passé composé with avoir, including irregular past participles
  • Passé composé with être and agreement
  • Reflexive and reciprocal verbs in the past
  • Imparfait for background, habits, and ongoing past situations
  • Plus-que-parfait for what had already happened

MAKE TENSE CHOICES CLEAR

  • Passé composé vs. imparfait and what each tense contributes to a story
  • How French organizes events, background, and sequence in the past
  • Simple vs. compound tenses and the role of auxiliary verbs
  • How direct objects can affect verb structure and meaning

USE OBJECT PRONOUNS TO CONNECT YOUR IDEAS

  • Direct and indirect object pronouns
  • Tonic pronouns after prepositions
  • Y and en for places, quantities, and phrases built with à or de
  • Pronoun placement and order when several appear together

USE THE PAST IN CONVERSATION

  • Using the past to share personal experiences
  • Structured storytelling exercises
  • Quoi de neuf ? — informal speaking practice focused on past narration
  • Increasing the amount of French spoken in class

What is the goal at the end of the level?

By the end of Level 3, you’ll understand how French organizes the past and be able to use that system to tell a clear, structured story.

You’ll be able to:

  • Choose between the passé composé and imparfait based on what you mean
  • Use the plus-que-parfait to show what happened before another past event
  • Form the passé composé with both avoir and être, including agreement with être
  • Use direct and indirect object pronouns, y, and en to avoid repetition
  • Talk about experiences, memories, and events in longer, more connected sentences

These choices keep getting sharper with practice, but you’ll leave with a clear system for building a past-tense timeline.

MATERIAL USED
Cover of Coucou course book level 3
Value: $25
Course Book PDF

10 structured lessons covering past tense formation, usage differences, storytelling techniques, and guided speaking practice.

Cover of Coucou exercise book level 3
Value: $35
Exercise Book PDF

Additional written practice to reinforce tense contrast, pronoun placement, and timeline clarity between classes.

LEARN MORE ABOUT
OTHER LEVELS

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LEVEL 01

DÉBUTANT

True beginners. Build your first French foundations: pronunciation, essential vocabulary, and core sentence structures.

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LEVEL 02

GRAND DÉBUTANT

You can build simple sentences. Now you go deeper: irregular verbs, pronominal verbs, and the logic that makes French actually click.

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LEVEL 03

APPRENTI

You're comfortable in the present tense. Now you tackle the past: multiple tenses, how they work together, and how to use them to tell real stories.

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LEVEL 04

INTERMÉDIAIRE

You're comfortable in the present tense. Now you tackle the past: multiple tenses, how they work together, and how to use them to tell real stories.

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LEVEL 05

CONFIRMÉ

You can express ideas clearly. Now you add subtlety: the subjunctive, complex clauses, and more advanced sentence structures.

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LEVEL 06

SPÉCIALISTE

You know the grammar. Now the focus shifts to using it. Classes are 100% in French and conversation-based, giving you the time and practice to become more natural and spontaneous.

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LEVEL 07

EXPERT

You’re a highly advanced speaker. Now it’s about precision: richer material, faster conversations, finer distinctions, and a more sophisticated command of French.

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