In this workshop you will speak French to describe what people are like, not what they look like. You will meet four short model lines, then use them in three short tasks: a guided exchange, a listening choice, and a recall task where you play both roles. Each model line is shown with its recording reference, and its meaning is explained in English before you practise it. Speak the lines out loud, slowly at first, then at a natural speed.
Talking about character
To describe a person's character, French uses a subject pronoun with the verb être and an adjective. The recording «Il est extraverti.» means 'He's outgoing.' It describes a male person, so the adjective ends in -i. For a female person, the ending changes. The recording «Elle est un peu timide.» means 'She's a bit shy.' The small word un peu softens the description, so the person is not extremely shy. Notice that timide keeps the same form for a man or a woman. When you speak, keep the adjective close to the person it describes, and say the whole line as one smooth group of words.
Comparing two people
To compare two people, French puts plus or moins before the adjective and que after it. The recording «Il est plus sociable que son frère.» means 'He's more sociable than his brother.' Here plus ... que shows that the first person has more of this quality. The recording «Elle est moins bavarde que moi.» means 'She's less talkative than me.' Here moins ... que shows that the first person has less of this quality. The adjective bavarde is the feminine form, because the sentence is about a woman. When you compare, keep the order: person, être, plus or moins, adjective, que, second person. Say the comparison in one breath if you can.
Character or appearance?
Personality words describe how someone acts and thinks, for example outgoing, shy, sociable or talkative. Physical words describe the body, for example tall, short, dark-haired or blue-eyed. The recordings in this workshop are all about personality, so you should not use them to talk about height, hair or eyes. In a real conversation, a question like 'What is he like?' can invite either kind of answer, so listen for the adjective. If the adjective is about behaviour, answer with a character word. If it is about the body, answer with a physical word. This workshop practises the character side only.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
Il est extraverti.
He's outgoing.
eel eh ek-strah-vehr-tee
Elle est un peu timide.
She's a bit shy.
ell eh uhn puh tee-meed
Il est plus sociable que son frère.
He's more sociable than his brother.
eel eh plew soh-see-ahbl kuh son frehr
Elle est moins bavarde que moi.
She's less talkative than me.
ell eh mwan bah-vard kuh mwah
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
Tu connais mon nouveau voisin ?
Do you know my new neighbour?Oui, il est très extraverti, non ?
Yes, he's very outgoing, isn't he?Exact. Sa sœur est un peu timide, par contre.
Exactly. His sister is a bit shy, though.Ah bon ? Elle est moins bavarde que lui, alors.
Really? She's less talkative than him, then.Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided exchange: meet the new neighbour
Imagine a friend asks you about a new neighbour. You will play the first speaker and then the second speaker. Use the model lines as your script. Speak each line out loud before you move to the next one.
Your task: Say the first line of the exchange: «Tu connais mon nouveau voisin ?». Then answer as the second speaker with «Oui, il est très extraverti, non ?». Then continue as the first speaker with «Exact. Sa sœur est un peu timide, par contre.». Finish as the second speaker with «Ah bon ? Elle est moins bavarde que lui, alors.». After you finish, say the whole exchange again without looking at the lines.
Listening choice: who is being described?
Read the four model lines again. Two lines describe a male person and two lines describe a female person. Listen to the pronoun and the adjective ending before you choose.
Your task: For each line, decide if it describes a man or a woman. Line one: «Il est extraverti.». Line two: «Elle est un peu timide.». Line three: «Il est plus sociable que son frère.». Line four: «Elle est moins bavarde que moi.». Say your answer out loud, then check below.
Recall and rebuild: play both roles
Cover the lines. You will rebuild the short exchange from memory. One person asks about a new neighbour, and the other answers. Then they talk about the neighbour's sister.
Your task: Say the question about the new neighbour from memory. Then give the answer that says the neighbour is very outgoing. Then say the line about the sister being a bit shy. Then give the final line that compares the sister and the neighbour. After you finish, uncover the lines and check your version.
Common questions
Do I need to change the adjective for a woman?
Sometimes. Some adjectives change their ending for a woman, and some stay the same. In the model lines, extraverti is used for a male person, and the source note gives the feminine form extravertie. Timide stays the same for a man or a woman. Listen to the whole line and copy the ending you hear.
What is the difference between plus and moins in a comparison?
Plus means 'more' and moins means 'less'. Both go before the adjective, and que goes after it. So plus sociable que means 'more sociable than', and moins bavarde que means 'less talkative than'. Keep this order when you speak.
Sources and further reading
- french: describe personalityChecked September 2026
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