About This Lesson
Use Finding the restroom during a break to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
Combien de temps dure la pause ?
kohm-BYAN duh TAHN dyoor lah POHZ How long is the break?
B
La pause dure dix minutes.
lah POHZ dyoor DEESS mee-NUUT The break is ten minutes long.
A
Où sont les toilettes ?
OO SOHN lay twah-LET Where is the restroom?
B
Sors de la salle et tourne à droite.
sohr duh lah SAHL ay TOORN ah DRWAHT Go out of the room and turn right.
A
Je pense que je peux les trouver.
zhuh PAHNS kuh zhuh puh lay troo-VAY I think I can find it.
B
Je vais attendre ici avant que le cours recommence.
zhuh VAY ah-TAHND-ruh ee-SEE ah-VAHN kuh luh KOOR ruh-koh-MAHNS I will wait here before class starts again.Word by Word
Combien
In the exact question “Combien de temps dure la pause ?”, “Combien” asks how much or how many. It is used before de plus a noun when asking about an amount or number. Use it when asking for information such as the length of a break or the number of items.
de
In “Combien de temps”, “de” links “Combien” with “temps” to ask about an amount of time. This is the form used in the question “Combien de temps dure la pause ?”. Use this construction when asking how long something lasts.
temps
In “Combien de temps”, “temps” means time. Together with “Combien de”, it identifies the amount being asked about. Use it when asking about the length or duration of an activity.
dure
In “Combien de temps dure la pause ?” and “La pause dure dix minutes”, “dure” means lasts. It is the form used with “la pause” to describe its duration. Use this verb with an activity or event when stating or asking how long it lasts.
la
In “la pause”, “la” means the and introduces the specific break being discussed. It is used before the singular noun “pause” here. Use it before a specific noun when referring to something already identified in the situation.
pause
In “la pause”, “pause” means break, the period when the lesson stops temporarily. It is the noun whose duration is given in “La pause dure dix minutes”. Use it for a break during a lesson or another activity.
dix
In “dix minutes”, “dix” means ten and gives the number of minutes. It specifies the length of the break in “La pause dure dix minutes”. Use it before a noun when stating a quantity of ten.
minutes
In “dix minutes”, “minutes” means minutes and expresses the unit of duration. It completes the time expression describing how long the break lasts. Use it after a number when giving a duration in minutes.
Où
At the beginning of “Où sont les toilettes ?”, “Où” asks where something is. It introduces a question about location. Use it when asking for the place of a person, object, or facility.
sont
In “Où sont les toilettes ?”, “sont” means are and connects the question to the plural subject “les toilettes”. It is the form used to ask about their location. Use it in location questions with a plural subject.
les
In “les toilettes”, “les” means the and introduces the specific restroom facilities being sought. It is used before the plural noun “toilettes” here. Use it before a specific plural noun.
toilettes
In “les toilettes”, “toilettes” means restroom or toilets. The phrase is used when asking where the restroom is in “Où sont les toilettes ?”. Use it to ask for or refer to restroom facilities.
Sors
At the beginning of “Sors de la salle”, “Sors” tells the listener to go out. It is the form used to give this direct instruction to one person. Use it when directing someone to leave an enclosed place.
salle
In “de la salle”, “salle” means room, specifically the room the speakers are in. The phrase “Sors de la salle” gives the starting point for the directions. Use it when referring to a room or hall in a building.
et
In “Sors de la salle et tourne à droite”, “et” means and. It joins the instruction to leave the room with the next instruction to turn. Use it to connect two actions or directions.
tourne
In “tourne à droite”, “tourne” tells the listener to turn. It is the form used in the direction after leaving the room. Use it when giving a direction that requires changing direction.
à
In “à droite”, “à” forms the direction expression meaning to the right. Its meaning here comes from the complete expression “tourne à droite”. Use it with a direction when telling someone which way to turn.
droite
In “tourne à droite”, “droite” identifies the right-hand direction. Together with “à”, it completes the instruction about where to turn. Use it after “à” when giving this direction.
Je
In “Je pense” and “Je vais attendre”, “Je” means I and identifies the speaker. It appears before the verb in these first-person statements. Use it to talk about your own thoughts, abilities, or plans.
pense
In “Je pense que je peux les trouver”, “pense” means think. It introduces the speaker’s belief about being able to find the restroom. Use it before “que” when expressing a thought or opinion followed by a clause.
que
In “Je pense que je peux les trouver”, “que” introduces the idea that follows “Je pense”. It connects the speaker’s thought with the clause “je peux les trouver”. Use it to link a statement of thinking with its content.
peux
In “je peux les trouver”, “peux” means can and expresses ability. It is followed here by “les trouver”, the action the speaker believes they are able to complete. Use it before an action to say that someone is able to do it.
trouver
In “les trouver”, “trouver” means find. It names the action the speaker expects to carry out after receiving directions. Use it after a form meaning can when describing an action someone is able to do.
vais
In “Je vais attendre ici”, “vais” helps express what the speaker is going to do next. It is the form used with “attendre” to state an immediate plan. Use “Je vais” before an action when announcing what you are going to do.
attendre
In “Je vais attendre ici”, “attendre” means wait. It is the action planned by the speaker during the break. Use it after “Je vais” when saying that you are going to wait.
ici
In “attendre ici”, “ici” means here and identifies the place where the speaker will wait. It gives the location of the planned action. Use it when referring to the place where the speaker is currently located.
avant
In “avant que le cours recommence”, “avant” means before and places the waiting earlier than the class starting again. It is part of the time expression that sets the limit for the waiting. Use it to say that one event happens earlier than another.
le
In “le cours”, “le” means the and introduces the specific class being discussed. It is used before the singular noun “cours” here. Use it before a specific singular noun.
cours
In “le cours recommence”, “cours” means class or course. It is the lesson that will start again after the break. Use it to refer to a class or course in an educational setting.
recommence
In “le cours recommence”, “recommence” means starts again. It describes the class resuming after the break. Use it for an activity or event that begins again after stopping.
Grammar Points
combien de temps + durer ?
Combien de temps dure la pause ?
kohm-BYAN duh TAHN dyoor lah POHZHow long does the break last?
En français, on demande la durée avec « combien de temps » et le verbe « durer ».
pouvoir + infinitif
Je peux sortir.
zhuh puh sohr-TEERI can go out.
Après « pouvoir », le verbe suivant reste à l’infinitif : « peux sortir ».
French Vocabulary
à droite
phrase
ah DRWAHT
to the right
Sors de la salle et tourne à droite.
combien de temps
phrase
kohm-BYAN duh TAHN
how long
Combien de temps dure la pause ?
dix
num
DEESS
ten
La pause dure dix minutes.
durer
verb
dyoor-RAY
to last
dure
Combien de temps dure la pause ?
minutes
noun
mee-NUUT
minutes
La pause dure dix minutes.
où
adv
OO
where
Où sont les toilettes ?
pause
noun
POHZ
break
La pause dure dix minutes.
penser
verb
pahn-SAY
to think
pense
Je pense que je peux les trouver.
salle
noun
SAHL
room
Sors de la salle et tourne à droite.
sortir
verb
sohr-TEER
to go out
sors
Sors de la salle et tourne à droite.
toilettes
noun
twah-LET
restroom
Où sont les toilettes ?
tourner
verb
toor-NAY
to turn
tourne
Sors de la salle et tourne à droite.
Quiz
Word Order
Arrange the words in the correct order.
The break is ten minutes long.
Show Answer
La pause dure dix minutes.Where is the restroom?
Show Answer
Où sont les toilettes ?Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
room
Show Answer
salleto last
Show Answer
durebreak
Show Answer
pauserestroom