Changing a Chair's Height | Learn French in English

About This Lesson

Use Changing a Chair's Height to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Cette chaise est trop basse.

set SHEHZ eh TROH BAHSS. This chair is too low.

Vous pouvez changer la hauteur.

VOO poo-VAY shahn-ZHAY lah oh-TUHR. You can change the height.

Comment je fais ça ?

koh-MAHN zhuh FEH SAH? How do I do that?

Appuyez sur le bouton sous le siège.

ah-PWEE-YAY syur luh boo-TOHN soo luh SYEHZH. Press the button under the seat.

C'est mieux. Merci.

seh MYUH. mehr-SEE. That is better. Thank you.

Dites-moi si ce n'est toujours pas bien.

DEET-MWAH see suh NEH too-ZHOOR pah BYEHN. Tell me if it is still not right.

Word by Word

Cette “Cette” means “this” and identifies the nearby chair in “Cette chaise est trop basse.” It is placed before “chaise”; “Cette chaise” is a useful pattern for pointing out one specific chair. You could use it when referring to a particular object in the room.

chaise “Chaise” means “chair” and names the object being discussed in “Cette chaise est trop basse.” It appears after “Cette” in “Cette chaise.” Use it when identifying a chair in a classroom or another room.

est “Est” means “is” and links the chair with its description in “Cette chaise est trop basse.” It is used between the subject and a description of what it is like. Here, it helps describe the chair’s height.

trop “Trop” means “too” and shows that the chair is low beyond what is suitable in “Cette chaise est trop basse.” It comes before the description “basse.” Use “trop” before a description when something exceeds a useful or acceptable level.

basse “Basse” means “low” in “Cette chaise est trop basse.” This form describes “chaise” and matches it in the phrase. It is useful when describing the height or position of the chair in this situation.

Vous “Vous” means “you” and addresses the other adult in “Vous pouvez changer la hauteur.” Here it respectfully addresses one person; it can also address more than one person. The reusable phrase “Vous pouvez” introduces what the person can do.

pouvez “Pouvez” expresses “can” or “are able to” in “Vous pouvez changer la hauteur.” It is used with “Vous” before the action “changer.” Use “Vous pouvez changer” when telling someone that they are able to change something.

changer “Changer” means “change” and names the action that can be done to the chair in “Vous pouvez changer la hauteur.” It follows “Vous pouvez” and comes before the thing being changed, “la hauteur.” This pattern is useful when explaining how someone can alter an object or setting.

la “La” means “the” and identifies the specific height in “la hauteur.” It comes directly before the noun “hauteur.” The phrase “la hauteur” is useful when referring to the height of the chair.

hauteur “Hauteur” means “height” and names what can be changed in “Vous pouvez changer la hauteur.” It is the object of “changer” in that sentence. Use “changer la hauteur” when discussing the height of a chair or another adjustable object.

Comment “Comment” means “how” and asks about the method in “Comment je fais ça ?” It begins a question asking for instructions. Use it when you need someone to explain how to perform an action.

je “Je” means “I” and identifies the person asking the question in “Comment je fais ça ?” It appears before “fais” in this question. Use it when asking how you can carry out an action.

fais “Fais” expresses “do” in “Comment je fais ça ?” and describes the action the speaker wants to perform. It is used with “je” before “ça.” The full question is useful when asking someone how to do something that has already been mentioned.

ça “Ça” means “that” or “it” and points to the action already being discussed in “Comment je fais ça ?” It avoids repeating the action itself. Use it when referring to a previously mentioned action or thing while asking how to handle it.

Appuyez “Appuyez” means “press” and gives the listener an instruction in “Appuyez sur le bouton sous le siège.” It is a direct command addressed respectfully to one person or to more than one person. The phrase “Appuyez sur le bouton” is useful when telling someone how to operate a control.

sur “Sur” means “on” in “Appuyez sur le bouton.” With “Appuyez,” it introduces the button that should be pressed. Use “Appuyez sur” before the object that someone must press.

le “Le” means “the” and identifies the specific button in “le bouton.” It comes before the noun “bouton.” The phrase “le bouton” is useful when referring to one particular control.

bouton “Bouton” means “button” and names the control to press in “Appuyez sur le bouton sous le siège.” It appears after “le” and after “sur” in the instruction. Use it when giving directions about a button on a chair or another device.

sous “Sous” means “under” and describes the location of the button in “sous le siège.” It introduces the object used as the reference point for the location. Use “sous” before a noun when explaining that something is underneath it.

siège “Siège” means “seat” and identifies the part under which the button is located in “sous le siège.” It follows “le” in this location phrase. Use “sous le siège” when directing someone to look underneath a chair’s seat.

C'est “C'est” means “that is” or “it is” in the short assessment “C'est mieux.” It is the form used to introduce an evaluation of the adjusted chair. This expression is useful for commenting that a result has improved.

mieux “Mieux” means “better” and shows that the chair is now more suitable in “C'est mieux.” It evaluates the result after the height has been changed. Use “C'est mieux” when a change has made a situation better.

Merci “Merci” means “thank you” and expresses gratitude in “Merci.” It can stand alone after someone has helped or given instructions. Use it when thanking the other person for assistance.

Dites “Dites” means “tell” and gives the listener an instruction in “Dites-moi si ce n'est toujours pas bien.” It asks the person addressed to report something. The phrase “Dites-moi si” is useful when asking someone to inform you about a condition.

moi “Moi” means “me” and identifies the person who should receive the information in “Dites-moi.” It follows “Dites” and is joined to it with a hyphen in this command. Use “Dites-moi” when asking someone to tell you something.

si “Si” means “if” and introduces the condition in “Dites-moi si ce n'est toujours pas bien.” It connects the request to the possibility that the chair is still not right. Use “Dites-moi si” when asking someone to inform you if a situation has a certain result.

ce “Ce” means “it” and provides the subject of the assessment in “ce n'est toujours pas bien.” It refers to the situation or result being checked. Here it works with “n'est” and “pas” to describe whether the result is satisfactory.

n'est “N'est” carries the “is” part of the negative expression in “ce n'est toujours pas bien.” In this sentence, “pas” completes the negation, so the full phrase says that it is still not right. Use this form with “pas” when making a negative statement about what something is like.

toujours “Toujours” means “still” in “ce n'est toujours pas bien.” It shows that the problem continues after the adjustment. The phrase “toujours pas bien” is useful when checking whether something remains unsatisfactory.

pas “Pas” helps make the assessment negative in “ce n'est toujours pas bien.” It works with “n'est” to say that the result is not right, and it appears before “bien.” Use it in this negative expression when reporting that the problem remains.

bien “Bien” means “right” or “okay” in “ce n'est toujours pas bien.” With the surrounding negative expression, it describes a result that is still not satisfactory. Use “pas bien” when saying that something is not working or is not in the right condition.

Grammar Points

Appuyez

Appuyez.

ah-PWEE-YAY.

Press.

The -ez form is the formal or plural imperative of a verb.

Dites-moi

Dites-moi.

DEET-MWAH.

Tell me.

In a positive imperative, the object pronoun follows the verb and is joined with a hyphen.

French Vocabulary

appuyer verb

ah-PWEE-YAY to press Appuyez

Appuyez sur le bouton sous le siège.

bas adj

BAH low basse

Cette chaise est trop basse.

bouton noun

boo-TOHN button

Appuyez sur le bouton sous le siège.

ça pron

SAH that; it

Comment je fais ça ?

chaise noun

SHEHZ chair

Cette chaise est trop basse.

changer verb

shahn-ZHAY to change

Vous pouvez changer la hauteur.

comment adv

koh-MAHN how Comment

Comment je fais ça ?

faire verb

FEHR to do; to make fais

Comment je fais ça ?

hauteur noun

oh-TUHR height

Vous pouvez changer la hauteur.

siège noun

SYEHZH seat

Appuyez sur le bouton sous le siège.

sous prep

SOO under

Appuyez sur le bouton sous le siège.

trop adv

TROH too

Cette chaise est trop basse.

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

This chair is too low.

Show Answer

Cette chaise est trop basse.

You can change the height.

Show Answer

Vous pouvez changer la hauteur.

How do I do that?

Show Answer

Comment je fais ça ?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to change

Show Answer

changer

low

Show Answer

basse

height

Show Answer

hauteur

how

Show Answer

Comment