Taking a Short Break | Learn French in English

About This Lesson

Use Taking a Short Break to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Je suis fatigué.

zhuh swee fa-tee-GAY I feel tired.

Faisons une courte pause.

fuh-ZOHN ewn KOORT POHZ Let's take a short break.

Cette chaise est-elle libre ?

set SHEHZ eh-TELL LEEBR Is this chair free?

Tu peux t'asseoir ici.

tew puh tah-SWAR ee-SEE You can sit here.

J'ai apporté un petit encas pour la pause.

zhay ah-por-TAY uh(n) puh-TEE ahn-KAH poor lah POHZ I brought a small snack for the break.

Je vais chercher de l'eau.

zhuh veh shair-SHAY duh LOH I'll get some water.

Cet endroit semble calme.

set ahn-DRWAH sah(n)BL KAHLM This place feels quiet.

Alors, nous pouvons nous reposer ici un moment.

ah-LOR noo poo-VOHN noo ruh-poh-ZAY ee-SEE uh(n) moh-MAHN Then we can rest here for a bit.

Word by Word

Je “Je” means “I” and identifies the speaker in “Je suis fatigué.” It is used before a verb when talking about yourself, as in “Je vais chercher de l'eau.”

suis “Suis” means “am” here and is the form of être used with “Je” in “Je suis fatigué.” It links the speaker to a condition or description; this same pattern can be used before a description of yourself.

fatigué “Fatigué” means “tired” in “Je suis fatigué.” It describes the speaker’s current condition after “Je suis,” and it is useful when telling someone why you need a break.

Faisons “Faisons” expresses “let’s take” in “Faisons une courte pause.” It is a suggestion for the speaker and listener together, using the form of faire associated with “nous”; it can introduce a shared activity.

une “Une” means “a” in “une courte pause” and introduces the feminine noun “pause.” It is used before a singular feminine noun, as in the complete suggestion “Faisons une courte pause.”

courte “Courte” means “short” and describes “pause” in “une courte pause.” Its form matches the feminine noun it describes; this pattern places the describing word before the noun here.

pause “Pause” means “break” in “Faisons une courte pause.” It names a short period of rest, and it can be used after a word describing the length or type of the break.

Cette “Cette” means “this” in “Cette chaise est-elle libre ?” and points to one specific feminine noun, “chaise.” It is placed directly before the noun when identifying a particular object.

chaise “Chaise” means “chair” in “Cette chaise est-elle libre ?” It is the object being checked for availability, and it can follow “Cette” when asking about a specific chair.

est-elle “Est-elle” asks “is it” in “Cette chaise est-elle libre ?” It combines the form “est” of être with the pronoun “elle” in an inverted question; this word order is used here to ask whether the chair is available.

libre “Libre” means “free” or “available” in “Cette chaise est-elle libre ?” It describes whether the chair can be used, and it follows the form of être in this question.

Tu “Tu” means “you” for one person in “Tu peux t'asseoir ici.” It addresses the other person directly in an informal way and comes before the verb in this sentence.

peux “Peux” means “can” in “Tu peux t'asseoir ici” and is the form of pouvoir used with “Tu.” It is followed here by an action, “t'asseoir,” to give permission or state ability.

t'asseoir “T'asseoir” means “sit down” in “Tu peux t'asseoir ici.” It follows “Tu peux” to express that the listener may sit, and the attached “t'” is part of the reflexive action in this form.

ici “Ici” means “here” in “Tu peux t'asseoir ici.” It identifies the place where the person can sit and is placed after the action in this sentence.

J'ai “J'ai” means “I have” as part of “J'ai apporté un petit encas,” which communicates “I brought a small snack.” It is the combination of “Je” and the form “ai” of avoir, used here with “apporté” to talk about something already brought.

apporté “Apporté” means “brought” in “J'ai apporté un petit encas.” It completes the statement about bringing something and is used after “J'ai” when identifying what was brought.

un “Un” means “a” in “un petit encas” and introduces the singular masculine noun “encas.” It is used before the noun and its describing word in this phrase.

petit “Petit” means “small” in “un petit encas.” It describes the snack and appears before the noun; its form matches the masculine noun “encas” here.

encas “Encas” means “snack” in “J'ai apporté un petit encas.” It names the food brought for the break and follows the article and description in this noun phrase.

pour “Pour” means “for” in “pour la pause.” It introduces the purpose or intended occasion of the snack, linking it to the break.

la “La” means “the” in “la pause” and refers to the specific break being taken. It is placed before the singular feminine noun “pause.”

vais “Vais” means “am going” in “Je vais chercher de l'eau.” It is the form of aller used with “Je” and combines with the following action to express a plan or immediate intention.

chercher “Chercher” means “get” in “Je vais chercher de l'eau.” It is the action planned after “Je vais,” and this construction is used when saying that you are going to get something.

de “De” contributes the meaning “some” in “de l'eau.” Together with “l'eau,” it introduces an unspecified amount of water, and it is used before the noun phrase in this sentence.

l'eau “L'eau” means “water” in “Je vais chercher de l'eau.” It is the thing the speaker plans to get; the form combines the article with “eau” through the written apostrophe.

Cet “Cet” means “this” in “Cet endroit semble calme.” It points to the specific masculine noun “endroit” and is placed immediately before it.

endroit “Endroit” means “place” in “Cet endroit semble calme.” It identifies the location being described and follows “Cet” in this noun phrase.

semble “Semble” means “seems” or “feels” in “Cet endroit semble calme.” It presents “calme” as the speaker’s impression of the place and is the form of sembler used with “Cet endroit.”

calme “Calme” means “quiet” or “calm” in “Cet endroit semble calme.” It describes the place after “semble,” expressing an impression about its atmosphere.

Alors “Alors” means “then” in “Alors, nous pouvons nous reposer ici un moment.” It connects the quiet impression with the next suggestion and can introduce a resulting action or conclusion.

nous “Nous” means “we” in “nous pouvons nous reposer ici un moment.” It identifies the speaker and the other person together, and it appears before the verb when they are the ones who can rest.

pouvons “Pouvons” means “can” in “nous pouvons nous reposer ici un moment.” It is the form of pouvoir used with “nous” and is followed by the action that is possible or permitted.

reposer “Reposer” means “rest” in “nous reposer.” It appears with “nous” in the reflexive expression “nous reposer,” which states that the two people can rest themselves; it follows “pouvons” as the action they can do.

moment “Moment” means “a while” in “un moment.” It indicates the short amount of time for resting, and it follows the article “un” in this time expression.

Grammar Points

pouvoir + infinitif

Peux-tu t'asseoir ici ?

puh-TEW tah-SWAR ee-SEE

Can you sit here?

Place the infinitive after pouvoir to express ability or a request.

Faisons + nom

Faisons une courte pause.

fuh-ZOHN ewn KOORT POHZ

Let's take a short break.

Faisons is the nous form of faire used to suggest doing something together.

French Vocabulary

apporter verb

ah-por-TAY to bring apporté

J'ai apporté un petit encas pour la pause.

cette det

SET this

Cette chaise est-elle libre ?

chaise noun

SHEHZ chair

Cette chaise est-elle libre ?

court adj

KOOR short courte

Faisons une courte pause.

être verb

EH-tr to be suis

Je suis fatigué.

faire verb

FAIR to take; to make Faisons

Faisons une courte pause.

fatigué adj

fa-tee-GAY tired

Je suis fatigué.

ici adv

ee-SEE here

Tu peux t'asseoir ici.

libre adj

LEEBR free; available

Cette chaise est-elle libre ?

pause noun

POHZ break

Faisons une courte pause.

pouvoir verb

poo-VWAR can; to be able to peux

Tu peux t'asseoir ici.

s'asseoir verb

ah-SWAR to sit down t'asseoir

Tu peux t'asseoir ici.

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

I feel tired.

Show Answer

Je suis fatigué.

Let's take a short break.

Show Answer

Faisons une courte pause.

Is this chair free?

Show Answer

Cette chaise est-elle libre ?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

free; available

Show Answer

libre

to take; to make

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Faisons

tired

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fatigué

chair

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chaise