Dialogue

Vocabulary

Learn New Words FAST with this Lesson’s Vocab Review List

Get this lesson’s key vocab, their translations and pronunciations. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.

Or sign up using Facebook
Already a Member?

Lesson Notes

Unlock In-Depth Explanations & Exclusive Takeaways with Printable Lesson Notes

Unlock Lesson Notes and Transcripts for every single lesson. Sign Up for a Free Lifetime Account and Get 7 Days of Premium Access.

Or sign up using Facebook
Already a Member?

Lesson Transcript

Introduction
Becky: What are you doing? In this lesson, you’ll learn how to ask what someone is doing in French.
Body
Becky: Here's the informal way to ask 'What are you doing?' in French.
Yasmine: [Normal] Que fais-tu?
Becky: First is a word meaning 'what'
Yasmine: [Normal] que [Slow] que
Becky: Next is the word meaning 'do'
Yasmine: [Normal] fais [Slow] fais
Becky: Last is the word meaning 'you'
Yasmine: [Normal] tu [Slow] tu
Becky: Note the rising intonation. Listen again to the informal question meaning 'What are you doing?'
Yasmine: [Slow] Que fais-tu? [Normal] Que fais-tu?
Becky: Now, imagine you're speaking to a stranger. Here's the formal way to ask, 'What are you doing?'
Yasmine: [Normal] Que faites-vous?
Becky: First is the word meaning ‘what'
Yasmine: [Normal] que [Slow] que
Becky: Next is the word meaning ‘do’
Yasmine: [Normal] faites [Slow] faites
Becky: Last is the word meaning 'you’, in formal register
Yasmine: [Normal] vous [Slow] vous
Becky: Note again the rising intonation. Listen again to the formal question meaning 'What are you doing?'
Yasmine: [Slow] Que faites-vous? [Normal] Que faites-vous?
Becky: Here's a response meaning 'I am studying.'
Yasmine: [Normal] J'étudie.
Becky: First is a word meaning 'I'
Yasmine: [Normal] j' [Slow] j'
Becky: Last is the word meaning 'study'
Yasmine: [Normal] étudie [Slow] étudie
Becky: Listen again to the response, 'I am studying.'
Yasmine: [Slow] J'étudie. [Normal] J'étudie.
Becky: Here's a response meaning, 'I'm doing nothing special.'
Yasmine: [Normal] Je ne fais rien de spécial.
Becky: First is a word meaning 'I'
Yasmine: [Normal] je [Slow] je
Becky: Next is the word meaning 'nothing'
Yasmine: [Normal] ne...rien [Slow] ne...rien
Becky: Next is the word meaning 'do'
Yasmine: [Normal] fais [Slow] fais
Becky: Next is the word meaning 'some’
Yasmine: [Normal] de [Slow] de
Becky: Last is the word meaning 'special'
Yasmine: [Normal] spécial [Slow] spécial
Becky: Listen again to the response, 'I'm doing nothing special.'
Yasmine: [Slow] Je ne fais rien de spécial. [Normal] Je ne fais rien de spécial.
Cultural Insight
Becky: Now it's time for a quick cultural insight.
Yasmine: Asking this can be either curiosity, or just a polite way to start a conversation when you want something from someone.

Outro

Becky: And that’s all for this lesson. Don’t forget to check out the lesson notes, and we’ll see you in the next lesson!

Comments

Hide