New
New
New Year in Algeria: -er verbs in the perfect tense with 'être'
Learning outcomes
I can use the perfect tense with the correct part of 'avoir' or 'être' to describe New Year in Algeria.
I can distinguish between [a] and [è/ê] and confidently pronounce both sounds.
Lesson 4 of 11
New
New
- Year 9
New Year in Algeria: -er verbs in the perfect tense with 'être'
Learning outcomes
I can use the perfect tense with the correct part of 'avoir' or 'être' to describe New Year in Algeria.
I can distinguish between [a] and [è/ê] and confidently pronounce both sounds.
Lesson details
Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons
Key learning points
- [a] is pronounced as in 'animal'. The tu and il/elle forms of 'avoir' contain [a].
- [è/ê] is pronounced as in 'tête'. The tu and il/elle forms of 'être' contain [è/ê].
- Vowels with circumflex accents often show removal of letters from French words of Latin origin. English retains the 's'.
- Most verbs take ‘avoir’ in the perfect tense, but movement verbs and 'rester' take ‘être’.
Keywords
[a] - pronounced as in 'animal'
[è/ê] - pronounced as in 'tête'
Common misconception
Always use the verb 'avoir' to help you form the perfect tense.
Remember - for movement verbs and 'rester' use 'être', instead of 'avoir', to help you form the perfect tense.
The final written activity could be made more challenging by just giving students the open question 'What did you do for New Year?' with students encouraged to draw on their own repertoire and use reference material if appropriate.
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.Which of these celebrations is a long dinner that you eat in the evening preceding Christmas Day and New Year's Eve?
Which of these celebrations is a long dinner that you eat in the evening preceding Christmas Day and New Year's Eve?
l'Aïd
Mardi Gras
Noël
Le 14 juillet
Q2.Which of the following are parts of the verb 'être'?
Which of the following are parts of the verb 'être'?
Vous avez
Ils ont
Q3.Which sentence means 'She never arrived on time'.
Which sentence means 'She never arrived on time'.
Je ne suis jamais allé en ville.
Elle n'est jamais allée en ville.
Elle n'est jamais restée à la maison.
Il n'est jamais arrivé à l'heure.
Q4.Which is correct?
Which is correct?
Elle est allés
Elle est allées
Elle est allé
Q5.Which sentences are correct translations? 'On Sunday, I brought the money.'
Which sentences are correct translations? 'On Sunday, I brought the money.'
J'ai apporté l'argent
J'ai apporté dimanche l'argent
Q6.Match the sentences deciding if the verbs take 'avoir' or 'être' in the perfect tense.
Match the sentences deciding if the verbs take 'avoir' or 'être' in the perfect tense.
Assessment exit quiz
5 Questions
Q1.Put the numbers in order lowest to highest.
Put the numbers in order lowest to highest.
Q2.How do you say, 'at (someone’s house)', in French?
How do you say, 'at (someone’s house)', in French?
Q3.Which of the following verbs take 'être' in the perfect tense?
Which of the following verbs take 'être' in the perfect tense?
manger
jouer
fêter
Q4.Fill in the missing verb. Elle est __________ en Algérie avec sa famille.
Fill in the missing verb. Elle est __________ en Algérie avec sa famille.
allées
allés
allé
aller
Q5.Yennayer is a public holiday in Algeria and Morocco on January 12th. It marks the start of the Berber (Amazigh) New Year. Match the sentences below to find out how much you know about Yennayer.
Yennayer is a public holiday in Algeria and Morocco on January 12th. It marks the start of the Berber (Amazigh) New Year. Match the sentences below to find out how much you know about Yennayer.
