Choosing an Event Activity | Learn French in English

About This Lesson

Use Choosing an Event Activity to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Excusez-moi, à quelles activités pouvons-nous participer maintenant ?

ehk-skew-zay-MWAH, ah KEL ahk-tee-vee-TAY poo-VOHN-noo par-tee-see-PAY man-tuh-NAHN? Excuse me, which events can we join now?

Vous pouvez choisir entre une promenade guidée et une séance de danse.

voo poo-VAY shwah-ZEER ahn-TRUH ewn prohm-uh-NAHD gee-DAY ay ewn say-AHNS duh DAHNS. You can choose between a guided walk and a dance session.

Comment est la promenade guidée ?

koh-MAHN ay lah prohm-uh-NAHD gee-DAY? What is the guided walk like?

Un guide mène la promenade à un rythme lent.

uhn GEED MEN lah prohm-uh-NAHD ah uhn REETM LAHN. A guide leads the walk at a slow pace.

C'est donc facile à suivre.

say DOHNK fah-SEEL ah SWEevr. So it is easy to follow.

Ça semble faisable pour un premier essai.

sah SAHMBL fay-ZAHBL poor uhn pruh-MYAYR ay-SAY. That sounds manageable for a first try.

Est-ce qu'on bouge beaucoup pendant la séance de danse ?

ess-kuh-OHN BOOZH boh-KOO pahn-DAHN lah say-AHNS duh DAHNS? How active is the dance session?

On bouge plus vite, avec des pas simples en groupe.

ohn BOOZH ploo VEET, ah-VEK day PAH SAHMP-le ahn GROOP. It moves faster, with simple steps in a group.

La promenade guidée nous convient mieux.

lah prohm-uh-NAHD gee-DAY noo kohm-VYAN MYUH. The guided walk suits us better.

Word by Word

Excusez-moi “Excusez-moi” means “excuse me” and is used here to politely get the staff member’s attention. It combines the form “Excusez” with “moi,” meaning “me.” The citation form of “Excusez” is excuser. Use it when addressing someone politely or addressing more than one person.

à In “à quelles activités,” “à” marks the activities that someone can take part in. This preposition is useful with expressions about participating in an activity. Here it connects the question to the activities being considered.

quelles “Quelles” means “which” before the plural feminine noun “activités.” It asks the listener to select from particular activities. The citation form is quel, and “quelles” is its feminine plural form.

activités “Activités” means “activities,” referring here to the events available at the desk. It is the object of the question about what people can participate in. The singular citation form is activité; the form here is plural.

pouvons “Pouvons” expresses “can” or “are able to” with “nous” in the question “pouvons-nous.” The citation form is pouvoir, and “pouvons” is the form used with “nous.” Use this form to ask what you and another person are able to do.

nous In “pouvons-nous,” “nous” means “we” and is the subject of the question. The inverted order makes the question polite and clear. It is also commonly used as the subject before a verb in a statement.

participer “Participer” means “to participate” or “to join” the activities being discussed. It stays in this form after “pouvons,” which expresses ability. Use it when talking about taking part in an activity or event.

maintenant “Maintenant” means “now” and limits the question to activities available at the present time. It is commonly placed at the end of a question or statement about timing. Here it asks what can be joined immediately.

Vous “Vous” means “you” when speaking to one person politely or to several people. Here it addresses the adults at the event desk. It functions as the subject of “pouvez” and is often used with the corresponding plural verb form.

pouvez “Pouvez” means “can” in “Vous pouvez choisir.” The citation form is pouvoir, and “pouvez” is used with “vous.” Use it to tell someone politely what they are able to do.

choisir “Choisir” means “to choose” between the two activities. It appears in the infinitive form after “pouvez.” Use it when someone selects one option from several possibilities.

entre “Entre” means “between” and introduces the alternatives in the choice. In this sentence, it connects the two activities that are available. It is commonly used before two or more options.

une “Une” means “a” or “one” before the feminine singular noun “promenade.” It introduces one available guided walk. The masculine counterpart is not needed here; this form matches the feminine noun that follows.

promenade “Promenade” means “walk,” referring to the guided walk offered at the event. It is a feminine noun, as shown by “une” and “la.” Use it for a walk or stroll, including an organized one.

guidée “Guidée” means “guided” and describes the promenade. It matches the feminine singular noun “promenade” in the expression “promenade guidée.” The citation form is guider; this form is the feminine form used as a description here.

et “Et” means “and” and joins the guided walk with the dance session. It links two options in the same list. Use it to connect words, phrases, or complete ideas.

séance “Séance” means “session,” referring here to one organized dance activity. It is followed by “de danse” to specify what the session involves. Use it for a scheduled period devoted to an activity.

de In “de danse,” “de” connects “séance” with the activity that defines it. It can show the type or content of something. Here it tells us that the session is a dance session.

danse “Danse” means “dance” and specifies the activity in “séance de danse.” It identifies what participants do during the session. The same word can refer to dancing as an activity or to dance more generally.

Comment “Comment” means “how” in “Comment est la promenade guidée ?” Together with “est,” it asks what the guided walk is like. Use this question word when asking for a description or evaluation.

est “Est” means “is” and links the question word “Comment” with “la promenade guidée.” The citation form is être, and “est” is the form used with a singular subject such as “la promenade.” It is common in questions asking for a description.

la “La” means “the” before the feminine singular noun “promenade.” It identifies the particular guided walk already being discussed. The form matches the gender and number of that noun.

Un “Un” means “a” or “one” before the masculine singular noun “guide.” It introduces the guide who leads the walk. The lowercase form is used in the same way inside a sentence.

guide “Guide” means “guide,” the person who leads the promenade. Here it is the subject of “mène.” Use it for a person who shows others a place or leads an organized activity.

mène “Mène” means “leads” in the sentence about the guide leading the promenade. The citation form is mener, and this is the form used with the singular subject “Un guide.” Use it when describing someone leading a person, group, or activity.

rythme “Rythme” means “pace” in “à un rythme lent.” It describes how quickly the guided walk proceeds. Use it with a description such as “lent” to talk about the speed or rhythm of an activity.

lent “Lent” means “slow” and describes the pace of the promenade. It agrees with the masculine singular noun “rythme.” Use it to characterize an activity that proceeds without speed.

C'est “C'est” means “it is” in “C'est donc facile à suivre.” It introduces the conclusion that following the walk is easy. It is a common way to describe or identify something.

donc “Donc” means “so” or “therefore” and shows the conclusion drawn from the slow pace. Here it connects the guide’s explanation with the result that the walk is easy to follow. Use it to introduce a consequence or conclusion.

facile “Facile” means “easy” and describes following the guided walk. In “facile à suivre,” it evaluates the action expressed by “suivre.” Use this adjective with “à” and an infinitive when saying that an action is easy to do.

suivre “Suivre” means “to follow,” referring here to following the guide during the walk. It appears after “facile à” in the expression “facile à suivre.” Use it when someone keeps with a person, route, explanation, or activity.

Ça “Ça” means “that” or “it” and refers here to the guided walk just described. It is the subject of “semble,” so the speaker says that the activity seems manageable. Use it in conversational speech to refer to a situation or thing already understood.

semble “Semble” means “seems” in “Ça semble faisable.” The citation form is sembler, and this form is used with the singular subject “Ça.” Use it when giving an impression without presenting it as absolute certainty.

faisable “Faisable” means “manageable” or “feasible” for a first attempt. It describes something that can be done successfully. Use it after a verb such as “semble” when evaluating whether an activity is within someone’s ability.

pour “Pour” means “for” and introduces the situation in which the walk seems manageable: a first attempt. It connects an evaluation with the person, purpose, or situation it applies to. Here it frames the activity as suitable for trying for the first time.

premier “Premier” means “first” and describes “essai.” It is the masculine singular form used with that noun. Use it to identify the first event or attempt in an order or sequence.

essai “Essai” means “try” or “attempt,” referring here to the learner’s first attempt at the activity. It appears after “premier” in “un premier essai.” Use it when someone tries an activity or method.

ce In “Est-ce qu'on bouge beaucoup,” “ce” is part of the question frame “Est-ce que.” It helps turn the following clause into a yes-or-no question and does not mean “this” by itself here. Use this frame when asking whether something happens or is true.

qu'on “Qu'on” combines “que” with “on” in the question frame “Est-ce qu'on bouge beaucoup.” Here “que” introduces the clause and “on” means “we” or “people.” This form is used when asking about an action carried out by the speaker and others or by people generally.

bouge “Bouge” means “moves” or “is physically active” in the dance-session question. The citation form is bouger, and this form is used with the subject “on.” Use it when asking or saying that someone is moving.

beaucoup “Beaucoup” means “a lot” and indicates a high amount of movement in “bouge beaucoup.” It commonly follows the verb or appears before a noun with “de.” Here it asks how physically active the dance session is.

pendant “Pendant” means “during” and places the movement within the time of the dance session. It introduces the activity or period in which something happens. Use it before a noun to describe an action happening during an event.

On “On” means “we” or “people” and is the subject of “bouge” in the answer. In this dialogue, it refers to the participants moving together during the session. It is commonly used in conversation for a group that includes the speaker.

plus In “plus vite,” “plus” means “more” and makes the movement faster than the guided walk. It is used here with an adverb to compare speed. Use it before a comparative expression when describing a greater degree.

vite “Vite” means “fast” and describes how quickly the group moves. Together with “plus,” it gives the meaning “faster.” Use it to describe the speed of an action or movement.

avec “Avec” means “with” and introduces the simple steps used in the dance session. It connects an activity with the people, objects, or features accompanying it. Here it adds information about what the movement includes.

des “Des” means “some” or introduces plural nouns without a specific article. Here it introduces the plural noun “pas” in “des pas simples.” Use it before plural things being mentioned in a general way.

pas “Pas” means “steps” in “des pas simples,” referring to dance steps. Here it is a noun, not the negative word used in a negative construction. Use it when describing individual steps in walking or dancing.

simples “Simples” means “simple” and describes the dance steps. It has a plural form because it modifies “pas.” Use it for something that is easy to understand or perform.

en In “en groupe,” “en” means “in” or “as part of” a group setting. It describes how the participants perform the simple steps. Use this expression to say that an activity is done collectively.

groupe “Groupe” means “group,” referring to the people doing the simple steps together. In “en groupe,” it describes the setting of the dance activity. Use it for several people acting or participating together.

convient “Convient” means “suits” or “is suitable for” in “nous convient mieux.” The citation form is convenir, and this form is used with the singular subject “La promenade guidée.” It commonly appears with the person or people for whom something is suitable, as in “nous convient.”

mieux “Mieux” means “better” and shows that the guided walk suits the speakers better than the dance session. It modifies the idea expressed by “convient.” Use it when comparing which option works more suitably.

Grammar Points

nom + adjectif

promenade guidée

prohm-uh-NAHD gee-DAY

guided walk

The adjective usually follows the noun and agrees with it: promenade is feminine, so guidé becomes guidée.

verbe + mieux

convient mieux

kohm-VYAN MYUH

suits better

Mieux is an adverb meaning “better”; it commonly follows the verb it modifies.

French Vocabulary

activités noun

ahk-tee-vee-TAY activities

à quelles activités pouvons-nous participer maintenant ?

choisir verb

shwah-ZEER to choose

Vous pouvez choisir entre une promenade guidée et une séance de danse.

danse noun

DAHNS dance

une séance de danse

entre prep

ahn-TRUH between

Excusez-moi phrase

ehk-skew-zay-MWAH excuse me

Excusez-moi, à quelles activités pouvons-nous participer maintenant ?

guide noun

GEED guide

Un guide mène la promenade à un rythme lent.

guidée adj

gee-DAY guided

une promenade guidée

maintenant adv

man-tuh-NAHN now

mène verb

MEN leads

Un guide mène la promenade à un rythme lent.

participer verb

par-tee-see-PAY to participate

pouvons-nous participer maintenant ?

promenade noun

prohm-uh-NAHD walk

une promenade guidée

séance noun

say-AHNS session

une séance de danse

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

What is the guided walk like?

Show Answer

Comment est la promenade guidée ?

So it is easy to follow.

Show Answer

C'est donc facile à suivre.

The guided walk suits us better.

Show Answer

La promenade guidée nous convient mieux.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

guided

Show Answer

guidée

to choose

Show Answer

choisir

session

Show Answer

séance

walk

Show Answer

promenade