French Translation Exam
This exam is for graduate students who need to fulfill a language requirement. Exams consist of two passages to be translated from French to English. A French to English print dictionary is permitted for use, but not provided; students must supply their own. Exams are usually held once per semester.
Fall 2025
There will be two exams this fall in September and December
December 2025
Friday Dec 5, 2025 HQ room #133 from 3:00pm - 5:00pm
PLEASE USE THIS QUALTRICS SURVEY TO SIGN UP FOR THE Dec 5th EXAM.
Fall Dec 2025 QR Code:
Spring 2026
Friday April 24, 2026 HQ room TBA from 3:00pm - 5:00pm
PLEASE USE THIS QUALTRICS SURVEY TO SIGN UP FOR THE EXAM. (Site not active yet)
Contact Lauren Pinzka, Exam Proctor, for questions concerning the exam.
Please email the French Registrar, Bethany Hayes, if you have questions on how to sign up for the exam.
A message from Professor Lauren Pinzka:
Dear Participant,
It is important to know that I am most of all looking to see if you know the basic syntactic and grammatical features of French, not specific vocabulary.
This said, it is problematic when I realize that you don’t know high use words such as “attendre” or “rester,” both of which are false cognates as you know.
You should make sure that you know the important verb tenses including the passé simple, the use of direct and indirect object pronouns and of course the subjunctive.
Therefore, you should be able to understand what je le lui ai demandé means. Pronoun usage in general including “le mien” is very important. Be sure to understand the usage of “ne…..que” in a sentence.
Regarding idiomatic expressions: translate into a similar idiomatic expression in English that has the same meaning. Do not take poetic license.
You are not expected to be a professional translator; I want to make sure that you understand French, that suffices!
Therefore, do not translate word for word, respect proper usage in English, but do not alter the meaning because a different expression is more appealing to you.
An example: je n’y ai plus jamais remis les pieds== I never set foot there again. I would accept “I never went there again.” Less evocative but it conveys the meaning.
I will pass you, even if you make approximately four mistakes per blue book page, so I am not expecting perfection. I tolerate English mistakes especially from non-native speakers of English because this is not a test of your English.
Good luck!
Lauren Pinzka
Examples of Past Exams