Basic actions happening now | Learn French in English

About This Lesson

Use Basic actions happening now to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Qu'est-ce que tu fais ?

kess-kuh tü FEH? What are you doing?

Je mange maintenant.

zhuh MAHNZH meh-tuh-NAHN. I am eating now.

Je bois de l'eau.

zhuh BWAH duh LOH. I am drinking water.

Je prépare le dîner.

zhuh pray-PAHR luh dee-NAY. I am making dinner.

Je nettoie ma chambre.

zhuh neh-TWAH mah SHAHN-br. I am cleaning my room.

Je prends une douche.

zhuh PRAHN ühn DOOSH. I am taking a shower.

Word by Word

Qu'est-ce In “Qu'est-ce que tu fais ?”, “Qu'est-ce” begins the question expression asking what something is. Use it together with “que” before asking about an action, such as “Qu'est-ce que tu fais ?” when speaking to one person.

que Here, “que” completes the question expression “Qu'est-ce que” in “Qu'est-ce que tu fais ?”. Keep it before the person and action when asking what someone is doing: “Qu'est-ce que tu fais ?”.

tu “Tu” means “you” in the question “Qu'est-ce que tu fais ?”, addressing one person directly. Use “tu” with an action when speaking informally to one person, as in the reusable pattern “Tu fais ... ?”.

fais “Fais” expresses “do” or “are doing” in “Qu'est-ce que tu fais ?”. It is the form used with “tu” in this question, so reuse the pattern “Qu'est-ce que tu fais ?” to ask about someone’s current action.

Je “Je” means “I” in the statements “Je mange maintenant”, “Je bois de l'eau”, and the other action sentences. Use it at the beginning of a sentence when describing your own action, followed by the action word.

mange “Mange” means “eat” or “am eating” in “Je mange maintenant.” It describes the speaker’s action at the present time; reuse “Je mange ...” before a food or meal when saying what you are eating.

maintenant “Maintenant” means “now” in “Je mange maintenant.” It specifies that the action is happening at this moment, and it can be placed after the action in a pattern such as “Je ... maintenant.”

bois “Bois” means “drink” or “am drinking” in “Je bois de l'eau.” It describes the speaker drinking, and the reusable pattern is “Je bois ...” followed by a beverage or drink phrase.

de In “de l'eau”, “de” is part of the French phrase used for “water” after “bois.” Keep it together with “l'eau” in the pattern “Je bois de l'eau” when saying that you are drinking water.

l'eau “L'eau” means “water” in “Je bois de l'eau.” Use it after “de” in this expression, or as the object in a new example such as “Je bois l'eau” when referring to water.

prépare “Prépare” means “prepare” or “am making” in “Je prépare le dîner.” It describes preparing the evening meal, and you can reuse “Je prépare ...” before a meal or another thing you are preparing.

le “Le” means “the” before “dîner” in “Je prépare le dîner.” It identifies the meal as the dinner being prepared, so keep “le” before “dîner” in this phrase.

dîner “Dîner” means “dinner” in “Je prépare le dîner.” Use it after “le” when talking about the dinner being prepared, as in the reusable phrase “préparer le dîner”.

nettoie “Nettoie” means “clean” or “am cleaning” in “Je nettoie ma chambre.” It describes cleaning the room, and the pattern “Je nettoie ...” can be followed by a place or object being cleaned.

ma “Ma” means “my” before “chambre” in “Je nettoie ma chambre.” It shows that the room belongs to the speaker; use “ma” before “chambre” in the phrase “ma chambre”.

chambre “Chambre” means “room” in “Je nettoie ma chambre.” It is the place being cleaned, and you can reuse the phrase “ma chambre” when talking about your room.

prends “Prends” means “take” or “am taking” in “Je prends une douche.” In this expression it describes having a shower, and the reusable pattern is “Je prends ...” followed by “une douche”.

une “Une” means “a” before “douche” in “Je prends une douche.” It introduces one unspecified shower in this expression, so keep it before “douche” when saying that you are taking a shower.

douche “Douche” means “shower” in “Je prends une douche.” Use it with “une” after “prends” in the common expression “Je prends une douche” to say that you are showering.

Grammar Points

Qu'est-ce que + sujet + verbe ?

Qu'est-ce que tu fais ?

kess-kuh tü FEH?

What are you doing?

« Qu'est-ce que » se place au début pour former une question, avant le sujet et le verbe.

ma + nom féminin

ma chambre

mah SHAHN-br

my room

« Ma » accompagne un nom féminin singulier comme « chambre » pour exprimer la possession.

French Vocabulary

bois verb

BWAH drink

Je bois de l'eau.

dîner noun

dee-NAY dinner

eau noun

OH water l'eau

fais verb

FEH do

Qu'est-ce que tu fais ?

je pron

zhuh I

ma det

MAH my

maintenant adv

meh-tuh-NAHN now

mange verb

MAHNZH eat

Je mange maintenant.

nettoie verb

neh-TWAH clean

Je nettoie ma chambre.

prépare verb

pray-PAHR make

Je prépare le dîner.

Qu'est-ce que phrase

kess-kuh what

Qu'est-ce que tu fais ?

tu pron

tü you

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

What are you doing?

Show Answer

Qu'est-ce que tu fais ?

I am eating now.

Show Answer

Je mange maintenant.

I am drinking water.

Show Answer

Je bois de l'eau.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

eat

Show Answer

mange

make

Show Answer

prépare

Show Answer

fais

drink

Show Answer

bois