Changing the meeting place | Learn French in English

French lesson set in a contemporary Paris everyday setting: At a meeting place, two friends change their plan because the first spot is noisy and agree to meet inside the entrance..

EN → FR / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Changing the meeting place to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Je dois changer le plan.

zhuh DWAH shahn-ZHAY luh PLAHN I need to change the plan.
B

Quelle partie ne marche pas ?

KEL par-TEE nuh marsh PAH What part is not working?
A

Le lieu de rendez-vous est trop bruyant.

luh lyuh duh rahn-day-VOO eh troh brwee-YAHN The meeting spot feels too noisy.
B

Allons à l'intérieur, dans un endroit plus calme.

ah-LON ah lan-tay-RYUR, dahn-zun ahn-DRWAH ploo KAHLM Let's move somewhere quieter inside.
A

On peut se retrouver juste à l'intérieur de l'entrée ?

ohn puh suh ruh-troo-VAY zhyust ah lan-tay-RYUR duh lahn-TRAY Can we meet just inside the entrance?
B

Ça me va.

sah muh VAH That works for me.
A

J'attendrai là quand j'arriverai.

zhah-tahn-DRAY lah kahn zhah-ree-vuh-RAY I'll wait there when I arrive.
B

Alors, nous pourrons trouver un endroit calme ensemble.

ah-LOR noo poo-RON troo-VAY uhn ahn-DRWAH KAHLM ahn-SAHNBL Then we can find a quiet place together.

Word by Word

Je “Je” means “I” and identifies the speaker in “Je dois changer le plan.” It is used before a verb when the speaker describes their own action or situation. A learner can use “Je” to say what they need, want, or do.
dois In “Je dois changer le plan”, “dois” means “need to” or “must”. It is a form of devoir and shows that changing the plan is necessary here. Use “dois” before an action to explain something you need to do.
changer “Changer” means “to change” in “Je dois changer le plan.” It is the action required after “dois”. Use “devoir” followed by an infinitive such as “changer” to say what you need to do.
le “Le” means “the” in “le plan” and “Le lieu de rendez-vous”. It comes before the specific noun being discussed. Use “le” before a masculine singular noun when referring to a particular thing.
plan “Plan” means “plan” in “le plan”. Here it refers to the arrangement the friends have already made. Use “plan” after “le” when discussing a specific arrangement or course of action.
Quelle “Quelle” means “what” or “which” in the question “Quelle partie ne marche pas ?” It introduces the particular part the speaker is asking about. Use “Quelle” before a singular feminine noun such as “partie” when asking which one.
partie “Partie” means “part” in “Quelle partie”. It identifies the element of the plan that is not working. Use “partie” after “quelle” when asking which part of something is involved.
ne In “ne marche pas”, “ne” begins the French negation around “marche”. Together with “pas”, it makes the meaning “does not work”. This pattern is used around a verb to say that something is not happening or functioning.
marche In “Quelle partie ne marche pas ?”, “marche” means “works” or “functions”. It describes whether the part of the plan is functioning successfully. It is a form of marcher used for something that works or operates.
pas In “ne marche pas”, “pas” completes the negation started by “ne”, giving the meaning “does not work”. It is not translated separately in this sentence. Use it with “ne” around a verb to make a negative statement.
lieu “Lieu” means “place” in “Le lieu de rendez-vous”. Here it refers to the location where the friends are meeting. Use “lieu” with a phrase such as “de rendez-vous” to identify a meeting location.
de In “lieu de rendez-vous”, “de” links “lieu” with “rendez-vous” and helps specify what kind of place it is. The whole phrase means “meeting place”. Use “de” to connect a noun with a following noun phrase that describes or identifies it.
rendez-vous “Rendez-vous” means “meeting” or “appointment” in “lieu de rendez-vous”. The components “rendez” and “vous” belong together in this fixed expression; together they name the meeting or appointment. Use “rendez-vous” when referring to an arranged meeting or appointment.
est “Est” means “is” in “Le lieu de rendez-vous est trop bruyant.” It links the meeting place with the description “trop bruyant”. It is a form of être used to describe a person, place, or thing.
trop “Trop” means “too” in “trop bruyant”. It shows that the noise is greater than is suitable for the meeting. Use “trop” before an adjective when describing an excessive degree of something.
bruyant “Bruyant” means “noisy” in “Le lieu de rendez-vous est trop bruyant.” It describes the meeting place and explains why the friends want to move. Use “bruyant” to describe a place or situation with too much noise.
Allons “Allons” means “let’s go” or “let’s move” in “Allons à l’intérieur”. It presents a suggestion for an action shared by the speaker and the other person. Use “Allons” when proposing that a group including the speaker go somewhere or do something.
à In “à l’intérieur”, “à” helps express movement or location toward the inside. The phrase “à l’intérieur” means “inside” or “indoors”. Use “à” as part of this expression when suggesting that people go inside.
l'intérieur “L’intérieur” means “the inside” in “à l’intérieur”. With “à”, it identifies the indoor area where the friends should move. Use “à l’intérieur” to say that someone is or should be inside.
dans “Dans” means “in” or “inside” in “dans un endroit plus calme”. It introduces the place where the friends can move. Use “dans” before a noun phrase to locate someone or something inside a place.
un “Un” means “a” or “an” in “un endroit plus calme”. It introduces one unspecified place as a possible new location. Use “un” before a singular masculine noun when referring to a non-specific thing or place.
endroit “Endroit” means “place” or “spot” in “un endroit plus calme”. It refers to a possible location inside the building. Use “un endroit” when suggesting or describing a particular kind of place.
plus “Plus” means “more” in “plus calme”. Here it makes the place quieter than the first meeting spot. Use “plus” before an adjective when comparing a higher degree of a quality.
calme “Calme” means “quiet” or “calm” in “un endroit plus calme”. It describes the kind of place the friends want to find. In “plus calme”, it means “quieter” because it follows “plus”.
On “On” means “we” in “On peut se retrouver”. It refers to the two friends and makes the question about meeting together. In spoken French, use “on” for a group including the speaker when proposing or discussing an action.
peut In “On peut se retrouver”, “peut” means “can” and presents meeting as a possible arrangement. It is a form of pouvoir followed here by the action “se retrouver”. Use “peut” before an infinitive to say that someone can or may do something.
se In “se retrouver”, “se” is part of the expression for meeting one another or meeting up. It shows that the meeting involves the people themselves together. Use “se” with “retrouver” when talking about people meeting each other.
retrouver “Retrouver” means “meet” or “find each other” in “se retrouver”. With “se”, it describes the friends meeting at the proposed location. Use “se retrouver” when arranging where people will meet.
juste “Juste” means “just” in “juste à l’intérieur de l’entrée”. It limits the location to a point immediately inside the entrance. Use “juste” before a place expression when specifying a very exact location.
l'entrée “L’entrée” means “the entrance” in “à l’intérieur de l’entrée”. It gives the reference point for the meeting location. Use “l’entrée” when identifying the way into a building or the area around it.
Ça In “Ça me va”, “Ça” refers to the proposed meeting arrangement. The whole expression means “That works for me” or “That is fine with me”. Use “Ça” to refer back to an option, suggestion, or situation already mentioned.
me In “Ça me va”, “me” means “to me” or “for me”. It identifies the person for whom the proposed arrangement is acceptable. This expression is useful when responding to a suggestion and saying that it suits you.
va In “Ça me va”, “va” means “works” or “is fine”, not literally “goes”. Together with “Ça me”, it says that the proposed arrangement is acceptable to the speaker. Use “Ça me va” to accept a plan or suggestion.
J'attendrai “J’attendrai” means “I will wait” in “J’attendrai là”. It is a future form of attendre and tells the other person what the speaker plans to do. Use it when promising to wait at an agreed place or time.
là “Là” means “there” in “J’attendrai là”. It points to the meeting location that the speakers have just agreed on. Use “là” after an action verb to specify where the action will happen.
quand “Quand” means “when” in “quand j’arriverai”. It introduces the time at which the speaker will wait. Use “quand” before an event to connect an action with the time it occurs.
j'arriverai “J’arriverai” means “I will arrive” in “quand j’arriverai”. It is a future form of arriver and describes the speaker’s arrival. Use “quand j’arriverai” to refer to the time when you arrive at a place.
Alors “Alors” means “then” in “Alors, nous pourrons trouver un endroit calme ensemble.” It signals the consequence of agreeing on the new meeting place. Use “Alors” to introduce what will happen next or what follows from a decision.
nous “Nous” means “we” in “nous pourrons trouver”. Here it explicitly refers to both friends acting together. Use “nous” as the subject when describing a shared action.
pourrons “Pourrons” means “will be able to” or “can” in “nous pourrons trouver”. It expresses the possibility of finding a quiet place after the friends meet inside. It is a form of pouvoir used before an infinitive such as “trouver”.
trouver “Trouver” means “find” in “nous pourrons trouver un endroit calme”. It is the action the friends will be able to do together. Use an infinitive such as “trouver” after “pourrons” to state what will be possible.
ensemble “Ensemble” means “together” in “trouver un endroit calme ensemble”. It shows that both friends will carry out the action jointly. Use “ensemble” to emphasize that people are doing something as a group.

Grammar Points

devoir + infinitif

Je dois changer le plan.

zhuh DWAH shahn-ZHAY luh PLAHN

I have to change the plan.

En français, devoir est suivi directement de l'infinitif pour exprimer une obligation.

futur simple

J'attendrai à l'entrée.

zhah-tahn-DRAY ah lahn-TRAY

I will wait at the entrance.

La terminaison -ai indique une action future avec je.

French Vocabulary

à l'intérieur phrase
ah lan-tay-RYUR inside
aller verb
ah-LAY to go allons
bruyant adj
brwee-YAHN noisy
changer verb
shahn-ZHAY to change
devoir verb
duh-VWAHR to need to; must dois
endroit noun
ahn-DRWAH place
lieu de rendez-vous phrase
lyuh duh rahn-day-VOO meeting place
marcher verb
mahr-SHAY to work; to function marche
partie noun
par-TEE part
plan noun
PLAHN plan
plus calme phrase
ploo KAHLM quieter
quelle det
KEL which; what

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

I need to change the plan.

Show AnswerJe dois changer le plan.

What part is not working?

Show AnswerQuelle partie ne marche pas ?

That works for me.

Show AnswerÇa me va.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

noisy

Show Answerbruyant

to need to; must

Show Answerdois

plan

Show Answerplan

to go

Show Answerallons