Dialogue

Want to Understand & Master the French Dialogue 100%?

Get a breakdown of the dialogue and translations instantly with the Premium line-by-line Audio. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.

Or sign up using Facebook
By clicking Join Now, you agree to our Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and to receive our email communications, which you may opt out at any time.
Already a Member?

Vocabulary (Review)

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
By clicking Join Now, you agree to our Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and to receive our email communications, which you may opt out at any time.
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
By clicking Join Now, you agree to our Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and to receive our email communications, which you may opt out at any time.
Already a Member?

Lesson Transcript

Introduction
Virginie: Hello, everyone, this is Virginie and I am here with Eric. Hi, Eric.
Eric: Wow the Crowd With These Fine Lines for Meetings or Public Events.
Virginie: What are we going to learn today?
Eric: Well, it looks like Joe’s had a dinner party with his co-workers and make some very interesting and colorful friends.
Virginie: Yes. They are at a local restaurant called L'avenue, The Avenue, and I think Joe is about to try a lot of bizarre foods in that restaurant.
Eric: Well, let’s have a listen.
Dialogue
Directrice : Bon travail tout le monde. Je vous présente Joe, des Etats-Unis.
(bonjour collectif)
Directrice : Joe, je vous en prie.
Joe : Bonsoir tout le monde. Je m'appelle Joe McFly, je suis de Californie. Je suis consultant en marketing. Et j'aime la France.
Groupe : Bonsoir, enchanté.
Directrice : Merci Joe. Je vous en prie, asseyez-vous.
Franck : Joe, je suis Franck. Enchanté.
Joe : De même.
Franck : Vous aimez le foie gras ?
Joe : Non, je n'aime pas. (pause) J'adore. (rires)
Franck : Et les escargots ? Vous aimez ?
Joe : Hmmm...qu'est-ce que c'est ?
Franck : Ah, les escargots, c'est délicieux. Vous allez adorer. C'est très français.
Joe : D'accord. Vous avez d'autres suggestions ?
Franck : OK, laissez-moi faire. Oh, et vous voulez boire...?
Joe : Ah ben je vous laisse faire.
Franck : Très bien ! (il appelle la serveuse) S'il vous plaît ?
Eric: One more time, a little more slowly.
Virginie: Encore une fois, plus lentement.
Directrice : Bon travail tout le monde. Je vous présente Joe, des Etats-Unis.
(bonjour collectif)
Directrice : Joe, je vous en prie.
Joe : Bonsoir tout le monde. Je m'appelle Joe McFly, je suis de Californie. Je suis consultant en marketing. Et j'aime la France.
Groupe : Bonsoir, enchanté.
Directrice : Merci Joe. Je vous en prie, asseyez-vous.
Franck : Joe, je suis Franck. Enchanté.
Joe : De même.
Franck : Vous aimez le foie gras ?
Joe : Non, je n'aime pas. (pause) J'adore. (rires)
Franck : Et les escargots ? Vous aimez ?
Joe : Hmmm...qu'est-ce que c'est ?
Franck : Ah, les escargots, c'est délicieux. Vous allez adorer. C'est très français.
Joe : D'accord. Vous avez d'autres suggestions ?
Franck : OK, laissez-moi faire. Oh, et vous voulez boire...?
Joe : Ah ben je vous laisse faire.
Franck : Très bien ! (il appelle la serveuse) S'il vous plaît ?
Eric: One more time, with the translation.
Virginie: Encore une fois, avec la traduction.
Directrice : Bon travail tout le monde. Je vous présente Joe, des Etats-Unis.
Manager: Great job, everyone. This is Joe from the United States.
Directrice : Joe, je vous en prie.
Manager: Joe, please.
Joe : Bonsoir tout le monde. Je m'appelle Joe McFly, je suis de Californie. Je suis consultant en marketing. Et j'aime la France.
Joe: Hello, everyone. My name is Joe McFly; I am from California. I am a marketing consultant. And I like France.
Groupe : Bonsoir, enchanté.
Group: Good evening, nice to meet you.
Directrice : Merci Joe. Je vous en prie, asseyez-vous.
Manager: Thank you, Joe. Please have a seat.
Franck : Joe, je suis Franck. Enchanté.
Frank: Joe, I'm Frank. Nice to meet you.
Joe : De même.
Joe: Same here.
Franck : Vous aimez le foie gras ?
Frank: Do you like goose liver?
Joe : Non, je n'aime pas. (pause) J'adore. (rires)
Joe: No, I don't like it. (pause) I love it. (laughter)
Franck : Et les escargots ? Vous aimez ?
Frank: What about snails? Do you like snails?
Joe : Hmmm...qu'est-ce que c'est ?
Joe: Hmmm...what is it?
Franck : Ah, les escargots, c'est délicieux. Vous allez adorer. C'est très français.
Frank: Oh, snails are delicious! You'll love it! It's very French!
Joe : D'accord. Vous avez d'autres suggestions ?
Joe: Okay, do you have any other suggestions?
Franck : OK, laissez-moi faire. Oh, et vous voulez boire...?
Frank: Okay, leave it to me. Oh, and you want to drink...?
Joe : Ah ben je vous laisse faire.
Joe: I leave it to you.
Franck : Très bien ! (il appelle la serveuse) S'il vous plaît ?
Frank: Great! (calls out a waitress) Please?
Post Conversation Banter
Virginie: Okay. So I guess Joe’s co-workers are, you know, trying to make fun of him by having him taste a bunch of different foods.
Eric: That could be funny, I guess.
Virginie: Yeah.
Eric: French foods are delicious but some are little eccentric.
Virginie: Yeah, some are a little strange. Well, you probably know the steak tartar?
Eric: Yeah you know I tried steak tartar after a few months of looking at it and thinking about it but I was very scared of it and then I’ve eventually tried it and it was delicious.
Virginie: Okay good. What was the dressing?
Eric: I don’t know. I think it had a kind of like chive and pepper…
Virginie: Okay.
Eric: Mixed in with the meat I think.
Virginie: Sometimes there is just an egg on top of that.
Eric: I think there was an egg as well.
Virginie: Yeah, but if it’s just an egg, it’s hard but if there is pepper and you know, other spices, it’s all easier to swallow.
Eric: Indeed.
Virginie: Yes. Joe’s co-workers are trying to be funny, right?
Eric: Right, it looks like it.
Virginie: Yeah, French people can be very funny sometimes. Do you think French people are funny Eric?
Eric: Sure. I don’t know if they have the reputation of being funny but they actually are very funny.
Virginie: Yeah thank you. Am I funny?
Eric: You are very funny.
Virginie: Thank you. French people, you know they have these Belgian jokes.
Eric: Ah.
Virginie: That are…
Eric: Picking on the Belgian’s again.
Virginie: Yeah I know. It’s not fair…
Eric: It’s mean.
Virginie: It’s really mean and there is no explanation to that. I don’t know why there are so many Belgian jokes in French and I am not going to tell you a Belgian joke. I am against it.
Eric: What a tease!
Virginie: No, no, no.
Eric: What about political humor, like Les Guignols?
Virginie: Oh yes, les Guignols de l'info is a puppet show on TV and they portray the politicians, the French politicians.
Eric: It’s really well done. It’s hilarious.
Virginie: It is very, very funny, yes.
Eric: Okay. So why don’t we get into a little vocabulary?
Virginie: Yes, let’s do that.
Vocab List
vraiment [natural native speed]
truly, really
vraiment [slowly - broken down by syllable]
vraiment [natural native speed]
aimer [natural native speed]
to like
aimer [slowly - broken down by syllable]
aimer [natural native speed]
une suggestion [natural native speed]
a suggestion, a recommendation
une suggestion [slowly - broken down by syllable]
une suggestion [natural native speed]
un escargot [natural native speed]
a snail
un escargot [slowly - broken down by syllable]
un escargot [natural native speed]
être [natural native speed]
to be
être [slowly - broken down by syllable]
être [natural native speed]
vous [natural native speed]
you (formal)
vous [slowly - broken down by syllable]
vous [natural native speed]
très [natural native speed]
very
très [slowly - broken down by syllable]
très [natural native speed]
autre [natural native speed]
other
autre [slowly - broken down by syllable]
autre [natural native speed]
boire [natural native speed]
to drink
boire [slowly - broken down by syllable]
boire [natural native speed]
laisser faire quelqu'un [natural native speed]
to leave it to someone
laisser faire quelqu'un [slowly - broken down by syllable]
laisser faire quelqu'un [natural native speed]
Bon travail. [natural native speed]
Good job.
Bon travail. [slowly - broken down by syllable]
Bon travail. [natural native speed]
Je vous en prie. [natural native speed]
You are welcome, please
Je vous en prie. [slowly - broken down by syllable]
Je vous en prie. [natural native speed]
Et...? [natural native speed]
What about...?
Et...? [slowly - broken down by syllable]
Et...? [natural native speed]
vouloir [natural native speed]
to want
vouloir [slowly - broken down by syllable]
vouloir [natural native speed]
adorer [natural native speed]
to be fond of, to love
adorer [slowly - broken down by syllable]
adorer [natural native speed]
Post Conversation Banter
Virginie: first let's see the phrasess "Laissez moi faire" and "je vous laisse faire"
Eric: Yes, frank in our dialogue says "laissez moi faire, "leave it to me", to Joe
Virginie: Yes when it comes to choosing the meal, Frank seems to take control
Eric: So, first of all. This phrase is conjugated at the imperative form.
Virginie: Yes, it's an order, or rather a assertion (ask eric for the right term)
Eric: Our verb here is the verb "laisser"
Virginie: That means to leave, to let
Eric: And it's conjugated with the vous conjugation, since Frank talks to Joe in a formal way
Virginie: Yes he say "laissez" (spell) the z at the end is an indication that it's the vous conjugation
Eric: After that we have "moi", which is me
Virginie: So, "laissez moi" , let me
Eric: And then we have a verb we're familiar with by now, "Faire"
Virginie: And that's to do, or do
Eric: So in the end laissez-moi faire is literally let me do.
Virginie: And that's something you will be able to use a lot.
Eric: Yes, whenever you want to take control over things.
Virginie: Just say "laissez-moi faire"
Eric: Now Joe later on says "je vous laisse faire"
Virginie: Yes he leaves the drink choice to Frank as well.
Eric: He says "I leave it to you
Virginie: It really looks like laissez moi faire, although the difference is that it's not in the imperative form.
Eric: No it's the affirmative form, just a common statement.
Virginie: so what joe says is "je"
Eric: I
Virginie: Vous
Eric: you
virginie: laisse
Eric: Let, or leave
Virginie: Faire
Eric: do.
Virginie: Literally it's I you let do.
Eric: In French, the pronouns are placed before the verb, usually.
Virginie: Once again, it's je (subject) vous (pronoun) laisse (let) faire (do)
Eric: Good.
Virginie: Now another phrase here is "Bon travail"
Eric: Oh yes the Manager Madame Fonta says it at the very beginning of the dialog
Virginie: And that means "good job".
Eric: Le travail, in French, is "job" and also "work".
Virginie: Yes. Once again, le travail. So to say "good job" in French is really easy.
Virginie: Just say bon which by now we know means "good"
Eric: And then just say "travail, "job"
Eric: Bon travail, Virginie!
Virginie: Merci, Eric!
Eric: So, maybe a little grammar?
Virginie: Yes, maybe a little grammaire now.

Lesson focus
Eric: What's our focus today?
Virginie: How to say you like or dislike something.
Eric: So to do this you will need to know two verbs.
Virginie: Oui. The verb "aimer" and the verb "adorer"
Eric: Let's start with aimer., to like. That's an ER vebs.
Virginie: It means that it will follow the conjugation of all the ER verbs.
Eric: So...let's use it with a word we just saw, "travail"
Virginie: Here's my sentence, J'aime le travail.
Eric: I like work.
Virginie: J'aime
Eric: "I like"
Virginie: And it's spelled "j'aime". Why is it not "je," Eric?
Eric: Well, because the "e" in "je" dropped in front of the vowel "a" at the beginning of "aimer", "je" becomes just "j'".
Virginie: OK, so it sounds like one single word. J'aime.
Eric: And then we have "le travail", which we know is work. Tu aimes le travail Virginie?
Virginie: Do I like work? You forgot I'm French, Eric. I don't like work. Je n'aime pas le travail.
Eric: So Virginie just talked about the negative form, Je n'aime pas le travail.
Virginie: What happened is tht the verb "aime" is squeezed between the negative particule "ne and pas.
Eric: It's the common negative construction in French.
Virginie: So we have "je then n', which is really "ne" with a dropped "e" in front of the verb aime..
Eric: And then to close the negation, you say pas spell. Je n'aime pas.
Virginie: Je n'aime pas.
Eric: Good. OK. Now that you know how to say you like something, let's see how to say you LOVE something. Our verb here is "adorer", to love.
Virginie: Another very easy to use ER verb.
Eric: Tu adores le travail?
Virginie: Oui, j'adore le travail. Note that like with the verb "aimer", the e of "je" dropped.
Eric: J'adore le travail!!
Virginie: I love work! J'adore le travail!!
Eric: Virginie needs to make up her mind on whether she likes work or not.
Virginie: J'adore! I love it!
Eric: Now, to get the full conjugation of these two verb, you can refer to our lesson notes.
Virginie: And.. one last thing before we go.
Eric: Yes?
Virginie: There is another way to say I like in French. It's not in our dialog but I'd like to share it with you.
Eric: How generous of you Virginie. what is it?
Virginie: It's "j'aime bien"
Eric: Oh, so it's j'aime with the adverb bien , well"
virginie: Yes. Literally, I like well.
Eric: So, for example?
Virginie: J'aime bien le travail.
Eric: I like work. Whats the difference with j'aime?
Virginie: There's no difference really, except when you talk about a person
Eric: Why?
Virginie: Because if you say "j'aime Eric", it sounds ambiguous. It could also mean "I am in love with Eric"
Eric: Oh là là.
Virginie: So you add "bien" to specify that it's friendship.
Eric: Ok, so you say, J'aime bien Eric. J'aime bien Virginie.
Virginie: Exactly. I like Eric, I like Virginie.

Outro
Virginie: Ok, I think we're done for this lesson, Eric.
Eric: Thank you very much for listening.
Virginie: Thank you for listening, merci beaucoup ! Au revoir !
Eric: Au revoir !

Comments

Hide