Extra French: Cape Town

Extra French tuition from conversation classes to Cambridge A-Level.

French for Medical Professionals

Course introduction.

The course is aimed at medical professionals and students in the Health Sciences who do not speak French, but who wish to facilitate communication with patients from francophone Africa.

The course will prioritise the ability to gather information through conversation rather than the mastery of French grammar. No prior knowledge of French is required, and French speakers of all levels are welcome.

Please sign up here.

Rate

R2000 for five sessions of one hour each.

Dates and times

Classes will take place every Wednesday in April, at 19:00 on Zoom.

Students will receive the link on the day of each class.

Course outline

To download this course outline, please click here.

1 April 2026

Learning objectives
  1. Greetings and introductions
  2. Formal versus informal language
  3. Parts of the body
  4. Medical specialties
Grammar
  • Le présent de l’indicatif 1
  • Le tutoiement et le vouvoiement.

8 April 2026

Learning objectives
  1. Medical history (family, surgical, allergies, etc).
  2. Pain assessment
  3. Symptoms and their frequency
  4. Vital signs
Grammar
  • Les indications du temps
  • Le présent de l’indicatif 2
  • Situer une action dans le passé
  • Exprimer l’intensité ou la gravité.

15 April 2026

Learning objectives
  1. Examining a patient.
  2. Giving direct and indirect instructions to a patient.
  3. Explaining a preliminary diagnosis to a patient.
  4. Explaining the taking of blood.
Grammar
  1. Le futur proche
  2. L’impératif
  3. Donner des consignes indirectes.
  4. Le présent de l’indicatif 3

22 April 2026

Learning objectives
  1. Patient monitoring
  2. Questioning a patient about the improvement or worsening of their condition and understanding their answers.
  3. Informing a patient of diagnosis and prognosis.
Grammar
  • Faire une comparaison. 
  • Utiliser l’imparfait pour faire une comparaison. 
  • Exprimer la condition. 
  • Révision: les indications du temps.
  • Révision: le présent de l’indicatif

29 April 2026

Learning objectives
  1. Prescriptions and medication.
  2. Dosage forms and ingredients.
  3. Revision of previous learning objectives, at students’ request.
Grammar
  • Révision: les indications du temps.
  • Révision: situer une action dans le passé
  • Révision: le futur proche
  • Révision: L’impératif
  • Révision: exprimer la comparaison

Meet your tutor

Donatella du Plessis has a PhD in French Literature and 16 years of experience teaching French to children and adults. She completed her training in Français sur Objectif Spécifique (French for Special Purposes) at the Centre International d’Études Pédagogiques on Réunion Island as part of her B.A. Honours degree. 


After working as a lecturer at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Dr du Plessis taught French and English in South African public and private schools under the CAPS, IEB and Cambridge curricula, and has been an external examiner at the University of Cape Town since 2022. In 2026, she started her tutoring business, Extra French: Cape Town.

Questions?

Please contact Donatella at duplessisdonatella@gmail.com.

Would you like to sign up?

Please click here for the Google Form.