Working on a Close Deadline | Learn French in English

French lesson set in a contemporary Paris everyday setting: In a workplace, two adults discuss a close deadline and divide the next steps for checking notes and writing an update..

EN → FR / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Working on a Close Deadline to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

La date limite approche ?

la dat lee-MEET a-PROSH Is the deadline coming up soon?
B

La date limite est proche.

la dat lee-MEET ay PROHSH The deadline is close.
B

Alors, commençons par la partie principale.

a-LOR, koh-mohn-SOHN par la par-TEE pran-see-PAHL So let's start with the main part.
A

Tu veux t'en occuper maintenant ?

ty vuh tahn noh-kyu-PAY man-tuh-NAHN Do you want to take that on now?
B

Je peux commencer pendant que tu vérifies le fichier.

zhuh puh koh-mohn-SAY pahn-DAHN kuh ty vay-ree-FYAY luh fee-ZHAY I can start while you check the file.
A

Qu'est-ce que je dois chercher d'abord ?

kess kuh zhuh dwa shair-SHAY da-BOR What should I look for first?
B

Vérifie que les notes correspondent à la demande.

vay-ree-FEE kuh lay noht koh-res-POHND ah la duh-MAHND Make sure the notes match the request.
A

Ensuite, j'écrirai une courte mise à jour.

ahn-SWEET, zhay-kree-RAY yn koort meez ah ZHOOR Then I'll write a short update.
B

Quand elle sera prête, nous pourrons la partager.

kahn tell suh-RAH pret, noo poor-ROHN la par-ta-ZHAY When it's ready, we can share it.

Word by Word

La In La date limite, La means “the” and introduces the deadline. In la partager, the lowercase form la means “it” and refers to the mise à jour. The form depends on the expression in which it appears.
date In date limite, date refers to the scheduled date or deadline being discussed. Together with limite, it names the deadline rather than a general calendar date. The dialogue uses the exact phrase la date limite.
limite In date limite, limite adds the idea of a limit or cutoff point, so the whole phrase means “deadline.” It identifies which date is being discussed. The reusable phrase is la date limite.
approche Approche says that the deadline is coming nearer in La date limite approche ? It is the form of approcher used for the deadline here. This form is useful when asking whether an event or point in time is getting near.
est Est links La date limite with proche and states that the deadline is close. It is the form of être used in this statement. The pattern est + description appears in La date limite est proche.
proche Proche describes the deadline as near or close in La date limite est proche. It completes the description of the deadline after est. The exact pattern est proche expresses that something is near.
Alors Alors means “so” here and moves from the close deadline to the next plan. It introduces the decision to begin with the main part. At the beginning of a sentence, Alors can mark a consequence or next step.
commençons Commençons invites the speakers to start together in commençons par la partie principale. It is the form of commencer used to propose beginning the task. The reusable pattern is commençons par + the starting part.
par In commençons par la partie principale, par identifies the point where the work will begin. It contributes “with” or “by” to this starting-point construction. The pattern commençons par + noun names what to start with.
partie Partie means “part” in la partie principale, referring to one section of the work. It is the element that principale describes. The phrase la partie principale identifies the main section.
principale Principale specifies that the partie is the main or principal one. It helps select the section to start with in la partie principale. The exact phrase can be reused when identifying the main part of something.
Tu Tu means “you” when one speaker addresses the other person directly. Here it is used for the person asked whether they want to take care of the task. It is the singular familiar form used throughout Tu veux t'en occuper maintenant ?
veux Veux means “want” in Tu veux t'en occuper maintenant ? It asks about the other person's willingness to handle the task. It is the form of vouloir used with Tu, and the pattern Tu veux + infinitive asks whether someone wants to do something.
t'en occuper T'en occuper means “take care of it” in Tu veux t'en occuper maintenant ? The t'en points to the person addressed and the matter to be handled, while occuper completes the expression for taking care of something. After veux, the complete expression t'en occuper stays together as the action being considered.
maintenant Maintenant means “now” and asks whether the task should be handled at this moment. It sets the timing of t'en occuper. It can be placed with an action to specify that the action is happening now.
Je Je means “I” and identifies the speaker who can begin the work. It is the subject of Je peux commencer. Before a vowel, this subject form appears as j' in j'écrirai.
peux Peux means “can” or “am able to” in Je peux commencer. It states that the speaker is able or available to begin. It is the form of pouvoir used with Je, and Je peux + infinitive gives the action the speaker can do.
commencer Commencer means “to start” in Je peux commencer. It names the action the speaker is able to do after peux. The pattern Je peux commencer states that the speaker can begin.
pendant Pendant contributes “while” in pendant que tu vérifies le fichier. It marks that the speaker can start during the time the other person checks the file. The reusable construction is pendant que + clause for overlapping actions.
que In pendant que tu vérifies le fichier, que completes pendant que and introduces the clause describing the simultaneous action. It links the time expression to tu vérifies. The exact construction pendant que is followed by a subject and verb.
vérifies Vérifies means “check” in pendant que tu vérifies le fichier. It describes the action the person addressed performs on the file. It is the form of vérifier used with tu, and the pattern tu vérifies + object identifies what is checked.
le Le means “the” in le fichier and introduces the specific file being checked. It belongs directly with fichier in this noun phrase. The exact phrase vérifier le fichier names the checking task.
fichier Fichier means “file” in le fichier, the item that the other person checks. It is the object of vérifies in pendant que tu vérifies le fichier. The phrase vérifier le fichier is a useful work-related pattern.
Qu'est-ce que Qu'est-ce que is the complete question expression meaning “what” in Qu'est-ce que je dois chercher d'abord ? Qu'est-ce begins the question and que connects it to the following clause je dois chercher. The reusable pattern is Qu'est-ce que + subject + verb?
dois Dois means “must” or “should” in Qu'est-ce que je dois chercher d'abord ? It asks what the speaker is expected to look for. It is the form of devoir used with je, and je dois + infinitive expresses an obligation or required action.
chercher Chercher means “look for” or “search” in je dois chercher. It names the action the speaker should perform first. The pattern chercher + object identifies what someone is looking for.
d'abord D'abord means “first” and asks which item should be searched for before the others. It marks priority in the question. It can be used with an action to identify the first step.
Vérifie Vérifie gives the direct instruction “check” or “make sure” in Vérifie que les notes correspondent à la demande. It tells the person addressed what to do next. The reusable pattern is Vérifie que + clause.
les Les means “the” in les notes and introduces the specific notes being discussed. It marks notes as a plural set. The phrase les notes corresponds to the notes that must be checked.
notes Notes refers to the notes that are being compared with the request in les notes correspondent à la demande. It is the subject of correspondent. The exact pattern les notes correspondent à identifies what the notes match.
correspondent Correspondent means “match” or “correspond” in les notes correspondent à la demande. It says that the notes are consistent with the request. It is the form of correspondre used here, and correspondre à + noun identifies what something matches.
à In correspondent à la demande, à links the notes to the request they match. It contributes “to” within the construction correspondre à. The reusable pattern is correspondre à + the thing being matched.
demande Demande means “request” in la demande, the requirement with which the notes must correspond. It is the object after à in correspondent à la demande. The phrase correspondre à la demande describes matching a request.
Ensuite Ensuite means “then” or “next” and introduces the speaker's next step after checking the notes. It orders the work in time. At the beginning of a sentence, Ensuite can signal what will happen after the previous action.
j'écrirai J'écrirai means “I will write” in Ensuite, j'écrirai une courte mise à jour. It states the speaker's planned writing after the check. It is a form of écrire with je shortened to j' before a vowel, and j'écrirai + object names what will be written.
une Une means “a” or “one” in une courte mise à jour and introduces one update. It belongs with the feminine noun phrase mise à jour. The phrase une courte mise à jour identifies a single short update.
courte Courte describes the mise à jour as short or brief in une courte mise à jour. It specifies the expected length of the update. The exact phrase une courte mise à jour names the brief item to be written.
mise à jour Mise à jour is the complete expression for “update” in this dialogue, the item that will be written and later shared. The components mise, à, and jour remain together: mise is the main noun component, à links it to jour, and jour supplies the day-related element. The whole expression, rather than any one component alone, names an update.
Quand Quand means “when” and introduces the condition or time at which the update is ready in Quand elle sera prête. It connects readiness with the later possibility of sharing. The reusable pattern is Quand + clause.
elle Elle means “she” or “it” here and refers to the feminine mise à jour. It is the subject of elle sera prête. In this dialogue, the pronoun lets the speakers refer back to the update without repeating the noun phrase.
sera Sera means “will be” in elle sera prête and states the future condition of the update. It is the form of être used with elle. The pattern sera + description appears in sera prête.
prête Prête means “ready” and describes the update when it can be shared. It matches the feminine referent elle, which refers to mise à jour. The exact phrase sera prête means that it will be ready.
nous Nous means “we” in nous pourrons la partager and refers to the two speakers together. It is the subject of pourrons. It identifies the people who will be able to share the update.
pourrons Pourrons means “will be able to” in nous pourrons la partager. It expresses the speakers' future ability or possibility once the update is ready. It is the form of pouvoir used with nous, and nous pourrons + infinitive gives the future action.
partager Partager means “share” in nous pourrons la partager. It names the action the speakers will be able to perform on the update. It appears as an infinitive after pourrons, with la as the object being shared.

Grammar Points

pendant que + indicatif

Pendant que tu vérifies le fichier, j'écrirai une courte mise à jour.

pahn-DAHN kuh ty vay-ree-FYAY luh fee-ZHAY, zhay-kree-RAY yn koort meez ah ZHOOR

While you check the file, I will write a short update.

This conjunction links two actions happening at the same time.

une + adjectif féminin + nom féminin

une courte mise à jour

yn koort meez ah ZHOOR

a short update

The adjective courte agrees with the feminine noun mise à jour.

French Vocabulary

alors adv
a-LOR so; then

Alors, commençons par la partie principale.

approcher verb
a-proh-SHAY to be approaching approche

La date limite approche ?

commencer verb
koh-mohn-SAY to start commençons

Alors, commençons par la partie principale.

date limite phrase
dat lee-MEET deadline

La date limite approche ?

fichier noun
fee-ZHAY file

le fichier

maintenant adv
man-tuh-NAHN now

Tu veux t'en occuper maintenant ?

partie noun
par-TEE part

la partie principale

pendant que conj
pahn-DAHN kuh while

Je peux commencer pendant que tu vérifies le fichier.

principal adj
pran-see-PAHL main; principal principale

la partie principale

proche adj
PROHSH close; near

La date limite est proche.

s'occuper de verb
soh-kyu-PAY duh to take care of; to handle t'en occuper

Tu veux t'en occuper maintenant ?

vérifier verb
vay-ree-FYAY to check vérifies

tu vérifies le fichier

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Is the deadline coming up soon?

Show AnswerLa date limite approche ?

The deadline is close.

Show AnswerLa date limite est proche.

So let's start with the main part.

Show AnswerAlors, commençons par la partie principale.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to be approaching

Show Answerapproche

now

Show Answermaintenant

main; principal

Show Answerprincipale

part

Show Answerpartie