Following signs to the registration desk | Learn French in English

About This Lesson

Use Following signs to the registration desk to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Je vois le panneau de l'événement sur le mur.

zhuh vwah luh pah-NOH duh lay-vay-nuh-MAHN sewr luh mewr I can see the event sign on the wall.

Le panneau indique que le bureau est à l'étage.

luh pah-NOH an-DEEK kuh luh bew-ROH ay tah-LAHZH It says the desk is upstairs.

Le chemin pour monter est facile à suivre.

luh shuh-MAN poor mohn-TAY ay fah-SEEL ah sweevr The way upstairs is easy to follow.

Le panneau nous aide beaucoup.

luh pah-NOH noo-ZED boh-KOO The sign helps a lot.

Le palier est juste devant nous.

luh pah-LYAY ay zhoost duh-VAHN noo The landing is just ahead.

Alors, le bureau d'inscription doit être près d'ici.

ah-LOR luh bew-ROH dan-skreep-SYON dwah EHTR preh dee-SEE Then the registration desk should be close.

Allons-y avant que la file ne s'allonge.

ah-LON-ZEE ah-VAHN kuh lah feel nuh sah-LONZH Let's go before the line gets longer.

Je vais garder le formulaire prêt.

zhuh vay gahr-DAY luh for-myoo-LAIR preh I will keep the form ready.

Word by Word

Je “Je” means “I” here and identifies the speaker in “Je vois”. It is used before a verb when talking about yourself, for example in “Je vais garder”.

vois “Vois” means “see” in “Je vois le panneau”. It is the form used with “Je” here; reuse it before something you can see, as in “Je vois le mur” in a new example.

le “Le” means “the” before the masculine noun “panneau” in “le panneau”. It introduces a specific thing already identifiable in the situation, and it also appears in “le mur” and “le bureau”.

panneau “Panneau” means “sign” in “le panneau de l'événement”. It names the sign the speakers are using to find their way, and can be reused for a public sign giving information or directions.

de “De” links “panneau” to “l'événement” in “le panneau de l'événement”, meaning the sign connected with the event. This pattern can link a thing to its purpose, owner, or subject.

l'événement “L'événement” means “the event” in “le panneau de l'événement”. The form uses “l'” before the vowel at the beginning of “événement”; it identifies the event whose sign they see.

sur “Sur” means “on” in “sur le mur”, describing the sign’s position on the wall. Use “sur” with a surface or position, such as “sur la table” in a new example.

mur “Mur” means “wall” in “sur le mur”. It identifies the surface where the event sign is located, and can be reused after “sur” when describing something placed on a wall.

indique “Indique” means “indicates” or “says” in “Le panneau indique que le bureau est à l'étage”. It introduces information shown by the sign; a reusable pattern is “Le panneau indique que…” followed by the information.

que “Que” means “that” in “indique que le bureau est à l'étage”. It introduces the information that the sign gives, and commonly follows a verb such as “indique” before a complete statement.

bureau “Bureau” means “desk” in “le bureau est à l'étage” and “le bureau d'inscription”. Here it refers to the service or registration desk, and can be reused for a desk in a public building.

est “Est” means “is” in “le bureau est à l'étage”. It links the desk with its location, and is used to state where a person or thing is.

à “À” marks the location in “à l'étage”, meaning “on the upper floor” here. It is commonly used before a place or location, as in “à la gare” in a new example.

l'étage “L'étage” means “the upper floor” in “à l'étage”. The form uses “l'” before the vowel at the beginning of “étage”; it identifies the floor where the desk is located.

chemin “Chemin” means “way” or “path” in “Le chemin pour monter”. It refers to the route leading upward, and can be reused for a route to a place.

pour “Pour” means “for” or “in order to” in “le chemin pour monter”, introducing the purpose or direction of the way. A common pattern is “pour” followed by an infinitive, as in “pour entrer” in a new example.

monter “Monter” means “go up” in “pour monter”. It describes moving upward toward the desk, and appears after “pour” as the action the way is used for.

facile “Facile” means “easy” in “facile à suivre”. It describes the route as not difficult to follow, and the reusable pattern here is “facile à” followed by an action.

suivre “Suivre” means “follow” in “facile à suivre”. It describes following the route upstairs, and can be reused for following a sign, route, or person.

nous “Nous” means “us” in “Le panneau nous aide beaucoup”. It identifies the people receiving the help, namely the two speakers, and can be placed before a verb to show who is affected.

aide “Aide” means “helps” in “Le panneau nous aide beaucoup”. The sign is the thing providing help, while “nous” shows who receives it; this pattern can describe something helping a person.

beaucoup “Beaucoup” means “a lot” in “nous aide beaucoup”, emphasizing that the sign helps them considerably. It commonly comes after the verb in this kind of sentence.

palier “Palier” means “landing” in “Le palier est juste devant nous”. It refers to the flat area at the top or between stairs, and can be used when giving directions inside a building.

juste “Juste” means “just” in “juste devant nous”, emphasizing the precise position of the landing. It can be placed before a location expression to indicate that something is immediately there.

devant “Devant” means “ahead of” or “in front of” in “devant nous”. It places the landing in front of the speakers, and can be followed by a person or thing to describe relative position.

Alors “Alors” means “then” in “Alors, le bureau d'inscription doit être près d'ici”. It connects this conclusion to the previous information, and can introduce a conclusion or next step in conversation.

d'inscription “D'inscription” means “of registration” in “le bureau d'inscription”. It specifies what the desk is for, and the pattern “bureau de…” or “bureau d’…” can identify a desk’s service or function.

doit “Doit” means “should” here in “doit être près d'ici”, expressing the speakers’ expectation that the desk is nearby. It is followed by “être” in this sentence, forming an expectation about a location.

être “Être” means “be” in “doit être près d'ici”. It follows “doit” to describe the expected location of the desk, and can follow another modal expression when stating what something is expected to be.

près “Près” means “near” in “près d'ici”. It describes a short distance from the speakers, and the common pattern is “près de” followed by a place or person.

d'ici “D'ici” means “from here” in “près d'ici”, so the desk is near the speakers’ current position. Together, “près d'ici” is a useful way to say that something is nearby.

Allons-y “Allons-y” means “let’s go” as a suggestion to move toward the registration desk. It combines “Allons”, the form used to suggest going together, with “y”, which points toward the destination; use the whole expression when inviting someone to leave or proceed.

avant “Avant” means “before” in “avant que la file ne s'allonge”. It introduces the time limit for going, and commonly appears before a time or an event that should happen later.

la “La” means “the” before “file” in “la file”. It introduces the specific queue they are watching, and is used before this noun in the expression “la file”.

file “File” means “line” or “queue” in “la file”. It refers to the people waiting for registration, and can be reused when talking about waiting in a queue.

ne “Ne” is part of the structure “ne s'allonge” in “avant que la file ne s'allonge”. Here it accompanies the verb inside the clause introduced by “avant que”; keep it with the following verb when reusing this formal written pattern.

s'allonge “S'allonge” means “gets longer” in “la file ne s'allonge”. It describes the queue becoming longer, and can be reused for something that increases in length, especially a queue or line.

vais “Vais” contributes the future intention in “Je vais garder le formulaire prêt”. It is followed by the infinitive “garder” in this construction, which is commonly used to say what someone is going to do.

garder “Garder” means “keep” in “Je vais garder le formulaire prêt”. It describes keeping the form ready for use, and follows “vais” as the action the speaker intends to do.

formulaire “Formulaire” means “form” in “le formulaire prêt”. It refers to the document needed at the registration desk, and can be reused for a document that someone must complete or present.

prêt “Prêt” means “ready” in “garder le formulaire prêt”. It describes the form’s prepared state, and can be placed after a noun to say that an item is ready for use.

Grammar Points

avant que + subjonctif

Avant que la file s'allonge

ah-VAHN kuh lah feel sah-LONZH

Before the line gets longer

Avant que introduces a situation that has not happened yet and is followed by the subjunctive.

Allons-y !

Allons-y !

ah-LON-ZEE

Let's go!

Allons-y is a fixed expression meaning “let’s go,” formed with the nous imperative of aller and y.

French Vocabulary

à l'étage phrase

ah lay-TAHZH upstairs; on the upper floor

Le bureau est à l'étage.

aider verb

ay-DAY to help aide

Le panneau nous aide beaucoup.

bureau noun

bew-ROH desk; office

Le panneau indique que le bureau est à l'étage.

chemin noun

shuh-MAN way; path

Le chemin pour monter est facile à suivre.

événement noun

ay-vay-nuh-MAHN event

le panneau de l'événement

facile adj

fah-SEEL easy

Le chemin est facile à suivre.

indiquer verb

an-dee-KAY to indicate; to say indique

Le panneau indique que le bureau est à l'étage.

monter verb

mohn-TAY to go up

Le chemin pour monter est facile à suivre.

mur noun

mewr wall

sur le mur

panneau noun

pah-NOH sign

Je vois le panneau de l'événement sur le mur.

suivre verb

sweevr to follow

facile à suivre

voir verb

vwahr to see vois

Je vois le panneau de l'événement sur le mur.

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

The sign helps a lot.

Show Answer

Le panneau nous aide beaucoup.

The landing is just ahead.

Show Answer

Le palier est juste devant nous.

I will keep the form ready.

Show Answer

Je vais garder le formulaire prêt.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to go up

Show Answer

monter

desk; office

Show Answer

bureau

to indicate; to say

Show Answer

indique

to see

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vois