Les Contes du Québec: La Chasse-galerie (Quebec Tales: Chasse-galerie)

Learning ObjectivesDiscover a famous story from Quebec.Learn new vocabulary about legends.Use the passé composé (past tense) [pah-say kom-poh-ZAY] to talk about past events.Imagine... It's winter, and it's snowing a lot ❄️. You are far from your family for the Nouvel An (New Year's) [noo-vel AHN] and you really want to see them. What would you do to travel very, very fast? In our story, some bûcherons (lumberjacks) [boosh-uh-ROHN] found a magical, but dangerous, solution! 🛶Real-World ApplicationsUnderstand an important part of Quebec's culture and folklore.Improve your ability to tell stories in the past tense.Share contes francophones (French-language stories) [kohnts frahn-ko-FOHN] with your friends and family.

French TermEnglish ExplanationExampleun conte (a story/tale) [uhn KOHNT]An imaginary story, often an old one.La Chasse-galerie [la shass-gal-uh-REE] is a popular conte (story) [uhn KOHNT].un bûcheron (a lumberjack) [uhn boosh-uh-ROHN]A person who cuts down trees in the forest.The bûcheron (lumberjack) [uhn boosh-uh-ROHN] works with an axe.un canot (a canoe) [uhn kah-NOH]A small, long, and narrow boat.We go in a canot (canoe) [uhn kah-NOH] on the lake. 🛶voler (to fly) [voh-LAY]To move through the air, like a bird.The plane is going to voler (fly) [voh-LAY] in the sky.le ciel (the sky) [luh see-EL]The blue space above us.The stars shine in the ciel (sky) [luh see-EL] at night. ✨le diable (the devil) [luh dee-AH-bluh]A very evil character in many stories.In the story, le diable (the devil)...

The Passé Composé (Past Tense) with 'avoir'To talk about actions that are already finished, we often use the passé composé (past tense) [pah-say kom-poh-ZAY]. It's like the simple past tense in English (e.g., I walked, he ate). Many verbs use the helper verb avoir (to have) [ah-VWAR].Rule 1: How to Form ItTo form the passé composé (past tense) [pah-say kom-poh-ZAY], you need two parts:1. The verb avoir (to have) [ah-VWAR] in the present tense (j'ai (I have) [zhay], tu as (you have) [too ah], il/elle a (he/she has) [eel/el ah], nous avons (we have) [noo zah-VOHN], vous avez (you have) [voo zah-VAY], ils/elles ont (they have) [eel/el zohn])2. The participe passé (past participle) [par-tee-seep pah-SAY] of the main verb.Example: Subject + present tense of avoir (to have) [ah-VWAR] + participe...