Dialogue

Vocabulary

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Lesson Notes

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Lesson Transcript

INTRODUCTION
Gabriella: Salut chers auditeurs ! Je m'appelle Gabriella. A Quiet Meeting in a French Hotel.
Jeremy: Moi, c'est Jeremy.
Gabriella: Let's get started. Quel est le sujet de la leçon d'aujourd'hui ?
Jeremy: In this lesson, you’ll learn how to use double pronouns.
Gabriella: This conversation is between Vincent and a receptionist.
Jeremy: C’est donc une conversation formelle.
DIALOGUE
Vincent: Bonjour, je voudrais réserver une salle au calme pour une réunion associative.
Réceptionniste : Bien Monsieur. Pour combien de personnes ?
Vincent : En théorie, une dizaine de personnes.
Réceptionniste : A quel nom ?
Vincent : Association Sonnan’bulles.
Réceptionniste : Quel serait votre programme ? Si vous ne le savez pas encore, vous avez jusqu’à 16h pour nous le faire savoir.
Vincent : Vous nous verrez arriver vers 18h, puis nous vous commanderons un apéritif dinatoire. Nous vous le commanderons sans alcool. C’est une réunion importante, nous élisons le nouveau Bureau.
Réceptionniste : Très bien Monsieur, nous vous servirons à 19h.
Gabriella: Now let's hear it with the English translation.
Vincent: Bonjour, je voudrais réserver une salle au calme pour une réunion associative.
Vincent: Good morning. I would like to make a reservation for an association meeting.
Réceptionniste : Bien Monsieur. Pour combien de personnes ?
Receptionist: Very well, sir. How many people?
Vincent : En théorie, une dizaine de personnes.
Vincent: Probably ten or so.
Réceptionniste : A quel nom ?
Receptionist: Under what name?
Vincent : Association Sonnan’bulles.
Vincent: Association Sonnan’bulles.
Réceptionniste : Quel serait votre programme ? Si vous ne le savez pas encore, vous avez jusqu’à 16h pour nous le faire savoir.
Receptionist: What are your plans? If you don't know yet, please let us know before 4 pm.
Vincent : Vous nous verrez arriver vers 18h, puis nous vous commanderons un apéritif dinatoire. Nous vous le commanderons sans alcool. C’est une réunion importante, nous élisons le nouveau Bureau.
Vincent: Well, you'll see us arrive around 6 pm, then we'll order a buffet dinner and drinks; we'll ask you to serve it without alcohol. It's an important meeting; we're electing the new board of the association.
Réceptionniste : Très bien Monsieur, nous vous servirons à 19h.
Receptionist: Very well, sir. We'll serve you at 7 pm.
POST CONVERSATION BANTER
Gabriella: Are associations common in France?
Jeremy: Yes, it’s quite easy to create one, especially if it’s under a special law, called Loi 1901. It’s for non-profit associations.
Gabriella: Are there any special criteria for these associations?
Jeremy: The main one is to have a board composed of three people: a president, a secretary, and an accountant—even if they've never studied accounting. It’s usually simple operations.
Gabriella: What about the subjects?
Jeremy: You can find associations for almost everything—games, students, cultural events, concert organizations, free food for poor people, and so on. You can even find kindergartens!
Gabriella: That’s impressive! Are they easy to find anywhere?
Jeremy: Yes, unless you live in a very small village with only old people and sheep, you can find them in any town!
Gabriella: [laughter] How interesting!
VOCAB LIST
Gabriella: Let’s take a look at the vocabulary for this lesson.
Gabriella: The first word we shall see is...
Jeremy: calme [natural native speed]
Gabriella: calm, quiet
Jeremy: calme [slowly - broken down by syllable] calme [natural native speed]
Gabriella: Next
Jeremy: réserver [natural native speed]
Gabriella: to book, to reserve
Jeremy: réserver [slowly - broken down by syllable] réserver [natural native speed]
Gabriella: Next
Jeremy: programme [natural native speed]
Gabriella: plan
Jeremy: programme [slowly - broken down by syllable] programme [natural native speed]
Gabriella: Next
Jeremy: en théorie [natural native speed]
Gabriella: in theory
Jeremy: en théorie [slowly - broken down by syllable] en théorie [natural native speed]
Gabriella: Next
Jeremy: faire savoir [natural native speed]
Gabriella: to let someone know
Jeremy: faire savoir [slowly - broken down by syllable] faire savoir [natural native speed]
Gabriella: Next
Jeremy: apéritif dinatoire [natural native speed]
Gabriella: buffet dinner and drinks
Jeremy: apéritif dinatoire [slowly - broken down by syllable] apéritif dinatoire [natural native speed]
Gabriella: Next
Jeremy: élire [natural native speed]
Gabriella: to elect
Jeremy: élire [slowly - broken down by syllable] élire [natural native speed]
Gabriella: And last...
Jeremy: bureau [natural native speed]
Gabriella: board
Jeremy: bureau [slowly - broken down by syllable] bureau [natural native speed]
KEY VOCAB AND PHRASES
Gabriella: Let's have a closer look at the usage for some of the words and phrases from this lesson. Jeremy, what’s our first word?
Jeremy: It’s the expression en théorie.
Gabriella: “In theory”. It’s used to express probability, isn’t it?
Jeremy: Yes, you’re right. It can replace “yes”, when the speaker is not totally sure.
Gabriella: So if someone is asking Tu penses qu’il viendra à la soirée?
Jeremy: You can answer, “En théorie...”. This stands for “most likely.”
Gabriella: Ok, I get it! In the dialogue, Vincent is talking about a bureau, but it doesn’t seem to be a desk.
Jeremy: Exactly, here, it means “the board”, so that means people at the head of the association.
Gabriella: Ok, je vois. C’est la seule signification ?
Jeremy: No, it can also be a "computer’s desktop" or "the office." For example, Je vais au bureau tous les jours pour 9 heures.
Gabriella: "I go to the office everyday at 9 am." And the last one is…
Jeremy: Apéritif dinatoire.
Gabriella: "Buffet dinner." It sounds classy.
Jeremy: It does! It’s usually served on formal occasions. But now, young people tend to do it to receive friends. It’s more jovial!
Gabriella: I see, I should try that for my next party!
Jeremy: Don’t forget me!
Gabriella: [laughter] Ne t’inquietes pas! You’re already invited! Okay, now onto the grammar.
GRAMMAR POINT
Gabriella: In this lesson, you’ll learn about double pronouns.
Jeremy: Yes, it’s a very important lesson, since the French use this daily.
Gabriella: They don’t like to repeat words!
Jeremy: No, they don’t, they feel it makes heavy sentences.
Gabriella: How are they used?
Jeremy: First, they all have a fixed place in the sentence, but they are not all necessary in the sentence at the same time!
Gabriella: Ok! First, the subject, then the reflexive pronoun... Me, te, nous, vous, or se.
Jeremy: Right. After this one, it’s the direct object... Le, la ou les.
Gabriella: Do you have an example for this one?
Jeremy: Il me donne une glace. Il me la donne.
Gabriella: “He gives me an ice-cream. He gives it to me.”
Jeremy: La replaces the word glace, because this is a direct object. And as explained before, me is placed before la.
Gabriella: C’est simple! Let’s go on. And what comes after the direct object?
Jeremy: Lui or leur, for the indirect objects.
Gabriella: After these ones, you can find en or y. They're used to replace an object, or a place. For example...
Jeremy: Il donne de la glace aux enfants. Il leur en donne.
Gabriella: “He's giving ice-cream to the children. He gives it to them.” Ok, so after these ones, you just put the verb and the rest of the sentence.
Jeremy: Exactly, all of them are placed between the subject and the verb. Nous vous le commanderons sans alcool.
Gabriella: "We'll ask you to serve it without alcohol." Ok, explained this way, it’s getting clearer. it’s Less hard than what I thought.
Jeremy: It just needs some practice.
Gabriella: Donc, n’hésitez pas à pratiquer dans les commentaires!
Jeremy: Bonne chance!

Outro

Jeremy: Okay, that’s all for this lesson.
Gabriella: As always, make sure to check the lesson notes and leave us a comment. Thank you for listening everyone, and we’ll see you next time.
Jeremy: Salut!

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