Family and pets at home | Learn French in English

French lesson set in a contemporary Paris everyday setting: In a language classroom, two adults talk about living with a child and having a pet at home..

EN → FR / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Family and pets at home to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Tu vis avec ta famille ?

too VEE ah-VEK tah fah-MEE? Do you live with family?
B

J'habite avec mon enfant.

zhah-BEET ah-VEK mohn ahn-FAHN. I live with my child.
A

Est-ce qu'il y a aussi un animal de compagnie à la maison ?

ess-keel-ee-AH oh-SEE uhn ah-nee-MAHL duh koh(n)-pah-NYEE ah lah meh-ZOHN? Is there a pet at home too?
B

Nous avons un petit chien.

noo zah-VOHN uhn puh-TEE SHYEHN. We have a small dog.
A

Comment s'entendent-ils ?

koh-MAHN sahn-TAHN-TEEL? How do they get along?
B

Ils jouent ensemble tous les jours.

eel ZHOO ahn-SAHNBL too lay ZHOOR. They play together every day.

Word by Word

Tu “Tu” means “you” here and addresses one person directly. It is used as the subject in “Tu vis avec ta famille ?” A reusable pattern is “Tu + verb” when asking one person about their situation.
vis “Vis” means “live” here, referring to where the person lives. It is the form used with “Tu” in “Tu vis avec ta famille ?” Use “vis” with “tu” when asking or saying that one person lives somewhere.
avec “Avec” means “with” and connects the person to the family they live with. In “Tu vis avec ta famille ?”, it is followed by “ta famille”. A common reusable pattern is “vivre avec + person or group” for living together.
ta “Ta” means “your” before “famille”, showing that the family is associated with the person being addressed. The exact phrase is “ta famille”. A reusable pattern is “ta + noun” when referring to something belonging to or connected with one person.
famille “Famille” means “family” in “ta famille”. It is the group the person is asked about living with. A common reuse is “avec ta famille” when talking about living or spending time with your family.
J'habite “J’habite” means “I live” here, in the answer “J'habite avec mon enfant.” It is the first-person form of “habiter”. Use “J'habite avec + person or group” to say who you live with.
mon “Mon” means “my” before “enfant”, showing that the child is connected to the speaker. The exact phrase is “mon enfant”. A reusable pattern is “mon + noun” when referring to something belonging to or associated with the speaker.
enfant “Enfant” means “child” in “mon enfant”. It identifies the person the speaker lives with. A common reuse is “avec mon enfant” when saying that you are with or live with your child.
Est “Est” contributes the verb form in the question opening “Est-ce qu'il y a”, which asks whether something exists or is present. In this dialogue, its meaning comes from the whole question structure rather than from “Est” alone. Use the same opening when asking whether something is present.
ce “Ce” is part of the question opening “Est-ce qu'il y a”. It helps form the fixed question structure, while the whole structure asks whether there is a pet at home. A reusable pattern is the same question opening followed by what you want to ask about.
qu'il “Qu'il” links the question opening to “y a” in “Est-ce qu'il y a”, producing the meaning “whether there is”. It contains the shortened form used before “il” in this question. Use “qu'il y a” as part of the structure for asking whether something exists or is present.
y “Y” means “there” in the expression “il y a”, which states that something exists or is present. It does not independently mean “there is”; that meaning comes from the whole expression. A reusable pattern is “il y a + noun” for saying that something is present.
a “A” is the form used in “il y a” to express that something is present or exists. Here, the complete phrase “qu'il y a” means “that there is” within the question. Use “il y a + noun” when pointing out that something exists or is located somewhere.
aussi “Aussi” means “also” or “too” here, adding a pet to the things being asked about at home. It appears in “aussi un animal de compagnie”. A common use is placing “aussi” near the item or idea being added.
un “Un” means “a” or “an” before “animal de compagnie”. It introduces one pet that may be present at home. A reusable pattern is “un + noun” when introducing one nonspecific thing.
animal de compagnie “Animal de compagnie” means “pet” as a whole expression. “Animal” names the animal, “de” links it to “compagnie”, and “compagnie” supplies the idea of companionship. The reusable phrase is “un animal de compagnie” when talking about one pet.
à “À” is the preposition used in “à la maison” to indicate the location “at home”. Its meaning here comes together with the following words. A common pattern is “à + place” when saying where something happens or is located.
la “La” means “the” before “maison” in “à la maison”. It introduces the specific home referred to in the question. A reusable pattern is “la + noun” when referring to a particular thing.
maison “Maison” means “home” or “house” in the location phrase “à la maison”. It identifies where the pet may be present. Use “à la maison” when talking about being or doing something at home.
Nous “Nous” means “we” and is the subject of “Nous avons un petit chien.” It refers to the speaker together with at least one other person. A reusable pattern is “Nous + verb” when speaking about a group that includes the speaker.
avons “Avons” means “have” here, stating that the group has a dog. It is the first-person plural form of “avoir”. Use “Nous avons + noun” to say that the group possesses or has something.
petit “Petit” means “small” and describes the dog in “un petit chien”. It appears before the noun here. A reusable pattern is “un petit + noun” when introducing one small thing.
chien “Chien” means “dog” in “un petit chien”. It identifies the pet the speakers are discussing. A common reuse is “avoir un chien” when saying that someone has a dog.
Comment “Comment” means “how” and asks about the way the child and dog get along in “Comment s'entendent-ils ?”. It asks about the quality or manner of a situation. Use “Comment” at the beginning of a question about how something happens or how people relate.
s'entendent “S'entendent” means “get along” in “Comment s'entendent-ils ?”. It is the form of “s'entendre” used with the plural subject “ils”, and the question asks about the relationship between them. A reusable pattern is “s'entendre avec quelqu'un” when describing having a good or difficult relationship with someone.
ils “Ils” means “they” and refers here to the child and the dog being discussed. In “Comment s'entendent-ils ?”, it comes after the verb because the question uses inversion. A reusable pattern is “ils + verb” when speaking about a group of people or animals.
jouent “Jouent” means “play” in “Ils jouent ensemble tous les jours.” It is the form of “jouer” used with “ils”. Use “jouent ensemble” when saying that two or more people or animals play together.
ensemble “Ensemble” means “together” and shows that the child and dog play with each other. It completes the idea in “jouent ensemble”. A common pattern is “verb + ensemble” when describing an activity shared by more than one person or animal.
tous “Tous” contributes the meaning “every” in the time expression “tous les jours”. It shows that the playing happens on each day. Use “tous les jours” to describe a daily routine.
les “Les” means “the” in the plural time expression “tous les jours”. Together with “tous” and “jours”, it forms the expression meaning “every day”. A reusable pattern is “les + plural noun” when referring to several specific things.
jours “Jours” means “days” in “tous les jours”. The complete expression means “every day” and describes how regularly they play. Use “tous les jours” when talking about something that happens daily.

Grammar Points

est-ce qu'il y a + nom

Est-ce qu'il y a ta famille ?

ess-keel-ee-AH tah fah-MEE?

Is your family there?

Use « est-ce qu'il y a » to form a question about whether something exists or is present.

Comment + verbe-pronom sujet

Comment s'entendent-ils ?

koh-MAHN sahn-TAHN-TEEL?

How do they get along?

In this question, the subject pronoun follows the verb: « s'entendent-ils ».

French Vocabulary

animal de compagnie phrase
ah-nee-MAHL duh koh(n)-pah-NYEE pet

un animal de compagnie

aussi adv
oh-SEE also; too

Il y a aussi un animal de compagnie.

avec prep
ah-VEK with

Tu vis avec ta famille ?

avons verb
ah-VOHN have

Nous avons un petit chien.

enfant noun
ahn-FAHN child

mon enfant

est-ce qu'il y a phrase
ess-keel-ee-AH is there

Est-ce qu'il y a aussi un animal de compagnie à la maison ?

famille noun
fah-MEE family

ta famille

j'habite verb
zhah-BEET I live

J'habite avec mon enfant.

maison noun
meh-ZOHN home; house

à la maison

mon det
mohn my

mon enfant

ta det
tah your

ta famille

vis verb
VEE live

Tu vis avec ta famille ?

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Do you live with family?

Show AnswerTu vis avec ta famille ?

I live with my child.

Show AnswerJ'habite avec mon enfant.

We have a small dog.

Show AnswerNous avons un petit chien.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

with

Show Answeravec

also; too

Show Answeraussi

family

Show Answerfamille

child

Show Answerenfant