# Where can I learn about Formal Schemes?

I am trying to learn formal schemes. I tried to read the section in Hartshorne but I don't get very far from there since things are not done quite explicitly enough, at least in my opinion. I cannot read French, so EGA is out of the question. I would really appreciate it if you could tell me a good introduction to this topic.

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A free draft version of the Illusie chapter BCnrd suggested is available at (cdsagenda5.ictp.it//…). – Evan Jenkins Dec 2 '10 at 4:04
Read Illusie's exposition (in English!) of the important and awe-inspiring results from EGA III$_1$ in the book "FGA Explained". That should clear up everything (motivation, technique, ways to think about and work with them, etc.). Note that the deepest results are in the proper case (just like GAGA). By the way, practice the math French; well worth the effort, and needs virtually no knowledge of real French. – BCnrd Dec 2 '10 at 4:04
Perhaps you may try EGA I new edition after all. You will have to struggle with the language for a week, but after that you'll realize that the sentences are of a few types and the vocabulary is relatively limited. The exposition there is complete and lucid, so the effort will pay off. – Leo Alonso Dec 2 '10 at 9:56
this may seem nuts, but you probably can read french if you try. e.g. "theoreme" = theorem. "epreuve" = proof = "demonstration", "algebrique" = algebraic,.... you do need a few verbs, but it is well worth the effort to learn them. take my word for it, give it a few more minutes... e.g. start with serre's fac. – roy smith Dec 3 '10 at 5:44
Isn't this topic a generalization of zariski's theory of holomorphic functions? maybe those old papers would convey the idea. – roy smith Dec 13 '10 at 2:03