Basic checking and status | Learn French in English

About This Lesson

Use Basic checking and status to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Est-ce que ça va ?

ess-kuh sah VAH? Is this okay?

C'est ton sac ?

say tohn SAK? Is this your bag?

Quelqu'un est assis ici ?

kel-KUHN eh tah-SEE ee-SEE? Is anyone sitting here?

Tu es occupé maintenant ?

tew eh oh-koo-PAY man-tuh-NAHN? Are you busy now?

Tu es prêt maintenant ?

tew eh PREH man-tuh-NAHN? Are you ready now?

Tu as besoin d'aide ?

tew ah buh-ZWAN dehd? Do you need help?

Word by Word

Est-ce que “Est-ce que” introduces a yes-or-no question. In “Est-ce que ça va ?”, “Est-ce” opens the question and “que” links this question form to the clause that follows. Reuse the pattern “Est-ce que + clause ?” for a direct yes-or-no question.

ça In “Est-ce que ça va ?”, “ça” refers broadly to the situation or thing being checked: “this” or “it.” Together with “va,” it forms “ça va,” the familiar way to ask whether things are okay. Use “ça” as the subject when the specific thing or situation is clear from context.

va In “Est-ce que ça va ?”, “va” is the form of aller used with “ça.” Together, “ça va” asks whether things are going well, rather than simply describing movement. A useful reuse pattern is “ça va ?” when checking a person’s or a situation’s condition.

C'est In “C'est ton sac ?”, “C'est” introduces what is being identified as “this is” or “it is.” It is the contracted form of ce and est. Use “C'est” before a noun when identifying or checking what something is; the ownership question comes from the full sentence.

ton In “C'est ton sac ?”, “ton” means “your” and belongs with the noun “sac.” It is the form used before this one-item noun in the dialogue. Reuse the pattern “ton + noun” when referring to one thing belonging to the person addressed.

sac “sac” means “bag” here and names the object being checked. In “C'est ton sac ?”, it follows “ton,” so the phrase asks whether the bag belongs to the person addressed. Reuse “sac” after a determiner such as “ton” when naming a bag.

Quelqu'un “Quelqu'un” means “someone” and is the subject in “Quelqu'un est assis ici ?”. It asks whether an unspecified person is seated in this place. Use “Quelqu'un” at the start of a question when checking for the presence or action of an unknown person.

est “est” is the form of être used with “Quelqu'un” in “Quelqu'un est assis ici ?”. It states the person’s current state, while “assis” gives the seated description. Reuse “est” before a description when saying what state someone is in.

assis “assis” means “seated” or “sitting” here. In “Quelqu'un est assis ici ?”, it describes the person’s state, while “est” provides the linking verb. Use “est assis” to describe someone who is seated in a place.

ici “ici” means “here” and points to the place where someone may be seated in “Quelqu'un est assis ici ?”. It specifies the location of the state described by “est assis”. Put “ici” after the person and state when checking or stating that the location is here.

Tu “Tu” means “you” for one person in an informal context. It is the subject of “Tu es occupé maintenant ?”, “Tu es prêt maintenant ?”, and “Tu as besoin d'aide ?”. Use “Tu” before the verb when addressing someone familiar in an informal one-to-one exchange.

es “es” is the form of être used with “Tu”. In “Tu es occupé maintenant ?” and “Tu es prêt maintenant ?”, it links the person addressed with a current state. Reuse “Tu es + a state description” to ask how someone is or whether they are in a particular state.

occupé “occupé” describes the person as busy in “Tu es occupé maintenant ?”. With “Tu es”, it asks about the person’s availability at the present time. Reuse the pattern “Tu es occupé + time expression” when checking someone’s current availability.

maintenant “maintenant” means “now” and sets the time in “Tu es occupé maintenant ?” and “Tu es prêt maintenant ?”. It makes the questions about the person’s current state rather than a general state. Reuse “maintenant” to anchor a question or statement to the present moment.

prêt “prêt” means “ready” in “Tu es prêt maintenant ?”. With “Tu es”, it asks whether the person is prepared at this moment. Use it when checking readiness before an action or next step.

as “as” is the form of avoir used with “Tu” in “Tu as besoin d'aide ?”. It contributes the “have” part of the construction avoir besoin de, whose full meaning here is “need”; the meaning does not come from “as” alone. Reuse “Tu as besoin de + the thing needed” when asking whether someone needs something.

besoin “besoin” names the need in “Tu as besoin d'aide ?”. With “as” and “d'aide”, it forms the expression meaning “to need help”; it is not being used as a standalone verb here. Reuse avoir besoin de + the thing someone needs.

d'aide “d'aide” specifies what is needed in “Tu as besoin d'aide ?”. The shortened form before “aide” links the requested help to the construction expressing need. Use the pattern besoin de + a noun to say what is needed.

Grammar Points

Est-ce que + phrase

Est-ce que ça va ?

ess-kuh sah VAH

Is this okay?

Est-ce que introduces a yes-or-no question in French and comes before the statement.

French Vocabulary

as verb

ah have

line_006

assis adj

ah-SEE sitting

line_003

ça pron

sah it / that

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Est-ce que ça va ? phrase

ess-kuh sah VAH Is this okay?

line_001

ici adv

ee-SEE here

line_003

maintenant adv

man-tuh-NAHN now

line_004

occupé adj

oh-koo-PAY busy

line_004

prêt adj

preh ready

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quelqu'un pron

kel-KUHN someone / anyone

line_003

sac noun

sak bag

line_002

ton det

tohn your

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va verb

vah is going; is okay

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Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Is this okay?

Show Answer

Est-ce que ça va ?

Is this your bag?

Show Answer

C'est ton sac ?

Is anyone sitting here?

Show Answer

Quelqu'un est assis ici ?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

sitting

Show Answer

assis

busy

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occupé

ready

Show Answer

prêt

now

Show Answer

maintenant