Preparing for a meeting | Learn French in English

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Use Preparing for a meeting to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Les notes de la réunion sont-elles prêtes ?

lay NOHT duh lah ray-oo-nee-OHN sohn-TELL PREHT Are the meeting notes ready?

Elles sont sur mon bureau.

ell SOHN soor mohn byoo-ROH They are on my desk.

Est-ce qu’il y a une copie pour moi ?

ess keel-YAH oon koh-PEE poor MWAH Is there a copy for me?

Voici une copie.

vwah-SEE oon koh-PEE Here is one.

De quoi parlons-nous aujourd’hui ?

duh KWAH par-LOHN-NOO oh-zhoor-DWEE What are we discussing today?

Nous allons discuter du nouveau plan.

noo zah-LOHN dee-skoo-TAY dew noo-VOH PLAHN We will discuss the new plan.

Laisse-moi lire les notes avant de commencer.

less-MWAH LEER lay NOHT ah-VAHN duh koh-mahn-SAY Let me read the notes before we start.

Prends une minute avant de commencer.

prahn oon mee-NUHT ah-VAHN duh koh-mahn-SAY Take a minute before we begin.

Word by Word

Les “Les” means “the” before “notes” in the question about the meeting notes. It is used when referring to a specific plural set, such as the notes being checked here.

notes “notes” means notes; here it refers to the written meeting notes. The singular citation form is note, while this dialogue uses the plural because there is more than one note, as shown by “Les notes” and “les notes”.

de “de” links “notes” to “la réunion” in “de la réunion”, giving the meaning “meeting notes”; in “De quoi”, it introduces what is being discussed. It is useful for connecting a noun to its source or topic, as in these two expressions.

la “la” means “the” before “réunion” in “la réunion”. It identifies the specific meeting connected to the notes.

réunion “réunion” means meeting in “la réunion”. Here it identifies the meeting whose notes are being checked, so it is useful in a phrase describing meeting notes.

sont “sont” means “are” in “sont-elles prêtes ?” and “Elles sont sur mon bureau.” It links the plural notes to their condition or location; the verb’s citation form is être.

elles “elles” means “they” for the feminine plural notes; the capitalized form “Elles” begins the answer. It is used as the subject with “sont” when referring back to the notes; its singular citation form is elle.

prêtes “prêtes” means ready and describes the notes in “sont-elles prêtes ?”. Its citation form is prêt, and this dialogue uses the feminine plural form to agree with “notes”.

sur “sur” means “on” for the location in “sur mon bureau”. It is useful when stating that something is located on a surface, as with the notes on the desk.

mon “mon” means “my” before “bureau” in “mon bureau”. It shows that the desk belongs to the speaker and is used before the possessed noun.

bureau “bureau” means desk in “mon bureau”. In this scene it names the place where the notes are located, as shown by “sur mon bureau”.

Est “Est” contributes “is” in the question frame “Est-ce qu’il y a une copie pour moi ?”. The verb’s citation form is être, and the complete frame is used to ask whether something is present or available.

ce “ce” is part of the question frame “Est-ce qu’il y a une copie pour moi ?” rather than having a separate meaning here. The full frame is used to ask whether a copy is available.

qu’il “qu’il” connects “Est-ce” to “y a” in “Est-ce qu’il y a une copie pour moi ?”; it is the contraction of que and il. Here it helps form the question frame, which can be reused when asking whether something is present.

y “y” contributes “there” inside “il y a”, the existence phrase in the question. It is used as part of this fixed phrase rather than as an independent location word in this line.

a “a” is the verb form that completes “il y a”, the French expression for “there is”, in “Est-ce qu’il y a une copie pour moi ?”. Its citation form is avoir, and here it states that a copy is present or available.

une “une” means “a” before “copie”, presenting one copy for the speaker. It is used with a singular noun when introducing one item, as in “une copie”.

copie “copie” means copy; here it means a copy of the meeting notes. It is introduced by “une” and then presented in “Voici une copie”.

pour “pour” means “for” in “pour moi”. It identifies the intended recipient, so it is useful when saying who something is meant for.

moi “moi” means “me” after “pour” in “pour moi”. It identifies the person who should receive the copy and is used after this preposition.

Voici “Voici” means “here is” and introduces the copy being offered in “Voici une copie.” It is useful for presenting something directly to another person.

quoi “quoi” means “what” in “De quoi parlons-nous aujourd’hui ?”. It asks for the topic after “de”, so the full expression is useful when asking what people are discussing.

parlons “parlons” expresses “are discussing” in “De quoi parlons-nous aujourd’hui ?”. Its citation form is parler, and with “nous” it is useful for asking about the topic of a group’s discussion.

nous “nous” means “we” in “Nous allons discuter du nouveau plan” and identifies the group in “parlons-nous”. It is used for an action shared by the speaker and at least one other person.

aujourd’hui “aujourd’hui” means “today” in “De quoi parlons-nous aujourd’hui ?”. It specifies that the discussion is happening on the current day and is useful for locating an event in time.

allons “allons” means “are going to” or “will” in “Nous allons discuter du nouveau plan.” Its citation form is aller, and together with the following infinitive “discuter” it announces a planned action.

discuter “discuter” means “discuss” in “Nous allons discuter du nouveau plan.” It is the infinitive after “allons”, and “discuter” is followed here by the topic introduced through “du nouveau plan”.

du “du” means “of the” in “du nouveau plan” and is the contraction of de and le. After “discuter”, it introduces the topic being discussed, here the new plan.

nouveau “nouveau” means “new” and describes “plan” in “du nouveau plan”. It gives the plan a current or recently introduced quality and appears directly before the noun here.

plan “plan” means plan in “du nouveau plan”. It names the topic that the speakers are going to discuss.

Laisse “Laisse” means “let” or “allow” in the direct request “Laisse-moi lire les notes avant de commencer.” Its citation form is laisser, and the expression asks the listener to allow the speaker to perform the following action.

lire “lire” means “read” in “Laisse-moi lire les notes avant de commencer.” It names the action the speaker wants to perform and is followed here by the object “les notes”.

avant “avant” means “before” in “avant de commencer”. It places reading or taking a minute earlier than starting and is used here before an infinitive through the complete expression.

commencer “commencer” means “start” or “begin” in “avant de commencer”. Its citation form is commencer, and the expression “avant de commencer” is useful for referring to an action that happens before the start.

Prends “Prends” means “take” in the direct request “Prends une minute avant de commencer.” Its citation form is prendre, and here it asks the listener to spend a short amount of time preparing.

minute “minute” means minute in “une minute”. It names the short amount of time requested in “Prends une minute avant de commencer”.

Grammar Points

être + adjectif accordé

Les notes sont prêtes.

lay NOHT sohn PREHT

The notes are ready.

The adjective prêtes agrees with notes in the feminine plural: -es marks feminine plural.

Laisse-moi + infinitif

Laisse-moi lire.

less-MWAH LEER

Let me read.

This fixed expression uses the imperative laisse, followed by moi and an infinitive.

French Vocabulary

aujourd’hui adv

oh-zhoor-DWEE today

bureau noun

byoo-ROH desk

copie noun

koh-PEE copy

discuter verb

dee-skoo-TAY to discuss

être verb

EH-truh to be sont

moi pron

MWAH me

note noun

NOHT note notes

meeting notes

parler verb

par-LAY to talk parlons

prêt adj

PREH ready prêtes

réunion noun

ray-oo-nee-OHN meeting

sur prep

syoor on

voici intj

vwah-SEE here is

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

They are on my desk.

Show Answer

Elles sont sur mon bureau.

Here is one.

Show Answer

Voici une copie.

What are we discussing today?

Show Answer

De quoi parlons-nous aujourd’hui ?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

meeting

Show Answer

réunion

here is

Show Answer

voici

note

Show Answer

notes

desk

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bureau