New
New
Birthdays: 'quand', dates
Learning outcomes
I can say what the date is and give my birthday in French.
I can recognise, pronounce and contrast the SSCs [i] and [(a)in].
Lesson 5 of 10
New
New
- Year 5
Birthdays: 'quand', dates
Learning outcomes
I can say what the date is and give my birthday in French.
I can recognise, pronounce and contrast the SSCs [i] and [(a)in].
Lesson details
Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons
Key learning points
- The letters [in], [ain], [im] and [aim] make the same sound: matin, main, simple, faim.
- The question word quand means 'when'. When saying your birthday in French, the number always comes before the month.
- In English, we use ordinal numbers with dates (27th); in French, we use cardinal numbers (27).
- When saying a date in French, we use 'le' before the number to say (on) the: c'est le trois avril.
- If we add a day to a date, we no longer need 'le': c'est mardi trois avril.
Keywords
[(a)in] - pronounced as in 'train'
[(a)im] - pronounced as in 'faim'
Quand - question word meaning 'when'
Common misconception
Like in English, when saying a date in French we use ordinal numbers: 27th July.
Unlike in English, when saying a date in French we use cardinal numbers: 27 juillet.
Ask pupils to say their birthday in French, the other children in the class must listen and raise their hand to say when that pupil's birthday is.
Teacher tip
Equipment
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the French words with their English meanings.
Match the French words with their English meanings.
Q2.What does the French word 'quand' mean?
What does the French word 'quand' mean?
how
where
why
Q3.Match the French colours with the correct English meanings.
Match the French colours with the correct English meanings.
Q4.Put these French months in the correct calendar order. Start from January.
Put these French months in the correct calendar order. Start from January.
Q5.Write the correct French for 'It is the third of April' (write the number in full.)
Write the correct French for 'It is the third of April' (write the number in full.)
Q6.Which of these numbers are written differently because they include 'et'?
Which of these numbers are written differently because they include 'et'?
42
20
27
Assessment exit quiz
5 Questions
Q1.Match the numbers.
Match the numbers.
Q2.Put the parts of this French date in the correct order.
Put the parts of this French date in the correct order.
Q3.How would you write 'It is the fifth of November' in French? (Use words not numbers)
How would you write 'It is the fifth of November' in French? (Use words not numbers)
Q4.Which of these is the correct French for '27th July'?
Which of these is the correct French for '27th July'?
le vingt-septième juillet
le 27e juillet
le juillet vingt-sept
Q5.Rewrite this sentence in full by adding the day of the week, Tuesday, and use numbers not words: C'est le 28 février.
Rewrite this sentence in full by adding the day of the week, Tuesday, and use numbers not words: C'est le 28 février.
