Rest your eyes from the screen | Learn French in English

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Use Rest your eyes from the screen to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

J'ai les yeux fatigués.

zhay lay YUH fah-tee-GAY My eyes are tired.

Fais une courte pause loin de l'écran.

feh EWN koort POHZ lwan duh ay-KRAHN Take a short break from the screen.

Combien de temps dois-je regarder ailleurs ?

kohm-BYAN duh TAHN dwah-ZHUH ruh-gar-DAY ah-YUHR How long should I look away?

Regarde ailleurs pendant une minute.

ruh-GARD ah-YUHR pahn-DAHN EWN mee-NEWT Look away for a minute.

Je peux boire un peu d'eau pendant que je me repose.

zhuh PUH bwahr uh(n) puh doh pahn-DAHN kuh zhuh muh ruh-POHZ I can drink some water while I rest.

Cela devrait aider tes yeux à aller mieux.

suh-LAH duh-VREH ay-DAY tay ZYUH ah ah-LAY MYUH That should help your eyes feel better.

Ensuite, je peux finir la tâche.

ahn-SWHEET zhuh PUH fee-NEER lah TAHSH Then I can finish the task.

Fais d'abord la pause, puis finis la tâche.

feh dah-BOR lah POHZ pwee fee-NEE lah TAHSH Take the break first, then finish the task.

Word by Word

J'ai “J'ai” means “I have” here, in the expression “J'ai les yeux fatigués.” It is the first-person form of avoir. A common reuse pattern is “J'ai + noun” to say that you have something.

les “les” means “the” before the plural noun in “les yeux.” It is used with a plural noun to refer to specific things. A common pattern is “les + plural noun.”

yeux “yeux” means “eyes” in “les yeux fatigués.” Here it is the thing being described as tired. A useful expression from the dialogue is “les yeux fatigués.”

fatigués “fatigués” means “tired” and describes “les yeux.” This exact form matches the plural noun “yeux.” A useful reuse pattern is “les yeux + adjective” when describing how the eyes feel.

Fais “Fais” gives the instruction “take” in “Fais une courte pause.” It is the command form of faire used in the expression for taking a break. A common pattern is “Fais + noun” for a direct instruction.

une “une” means “a” before the singular noun in “une courte pause.” It introduces one unspecified pause. A common pattern is “une + singular noun.”

courte “courte” means “short” and describes “une pause.” This exact form matches the feminine singular noun “pause.” A useful pattern is “une + adjective + noun,” as in “une courte pause.”

pause “pause” means “break” in “une courte pause.” With faire, the expression “faire une pause” means to take a break. It is useful when suggesting a short rest during an activity.

loin “loin” indicates being away or at a distance in “loin de l'écran.” It helps express looking away from the screen. A common pattern is “loin de + noun” for being away from something.

de “de” links “loin” to the thing that is at a distance in “loin de l'écran.” Here it contributes the meaning “from” in “away from the screen.” A useful pattern is “loin de + noun.”

l'écran “l'écran” means “the screen.” The form combines the article l' with the noun écran. In this dialogue it appears in “loin de l'écran,” a useful expression for being away from the screen.

Combien “Combien” asks about an amount, and in “Combien de temps” it helps ask “how long.” It is used with “de temps” to ask about duration. A common pattern is “Combien de temps + verb?” for asking how long something takes or should continue.

temps “temps” means “time” in “Combien de temps.” Together, “Combien de temps” asks about a duration rather than a number of objects. A useful reuse pattern is “pendant + time” when stating a duration.

dois “dois” means “should” or “must” in “dois-je regarder ailleurs?” It is the first-person form of devoir and is used here in a question with inversion. A common pattern is “dois-je + infinitive?” when asking what one should do.

je “je” means “I” and identifies the speaker as the subject in “dois-je” and “Je peux.” It appears before a verb in ordinary word order and after the verb in the question “dois-je.” A common pattern is “je + verb.”

regarder “regarder” means “to look” in “regarder ailleurs.” It is the infinitive used after “dois-je.” A useful pattern is “regarder + adverb or place,” as in “regarder ailleurs.”

ailleurs “ailleurs” means “elsewhere” or “away” in “regarder ailleurs.” It tells the listener to direct the eyes somewhere different from the screen. A useful expression is “regarder ailleurs” for looking away.

Regarde “Regarde” means “look” as a direct instruction in “Regarde ailleurs.” It is the command form of regarder. A common pattern is “Regarde + adverb or place” when telling someone where to look.

pendant “pendant” marks the duration in “pendant une minute,” meaning “for one minute.” It introduces the period during which the action continues. A common pattern is “pendant + duration.”

minute “minute” means “minute” in “pendant une minute.” It names the unit of time used for the requested break. A useful pattern is “pendant une + time unit” when stating a short duration.

peux “peux” means “can” in “Je peux boire.” It is the first-person form of pouvoir and is followed by an infinitive. A common pattern is “je peux + infinitive” to say what I am able or allowed to do.

boire “boire” means “to drink” in “Je peux boire un peu d'eau.” It is the infinitive after “peux.” A useful pattern is “boire + object,” as in “boire un peu d'eau.”

un “un” contributes to the quantity expression “un peu d'eau,” meaning “some” or “a little water.” It does not mean “one” independently in this expression. A common pattern is “un peu de + noun” for a small quantity.

peu “peu” means “little” in “un peu d'eau.” Together with “un” and “de,” it expresses a small amount. A useful pattern is “un peu de + noun.”

d'eau “d'eau” means “of water” in “un peu d'eau.” It follows “un peu” to identify the substance being measured in a small quantity. A common pattern is “un peu de + noun,” with de becoming d' before eau.

que “que” introduces the second action in “pendant que je me repose,” meaning “while I rest.” It connects two actions happening during the same period. A useful pattern is “pendant que + clause.”

me “me” refers back to the speaker in “je me repose,” meaning “myself” or “me.” It is part of the expression for resting oneself. A common pattern is “je me + verb” for an action involving the speaker.

repose “repose” means “rest” in “je me repose.” With “me,” it forms the expression “je me repose,” meaning “I rest.” This expression is useful when saying that you are taking time to rest.

Cela “Cela” means “that” and refers to the preceding break or resting action in “Cela devrait aider.” It is the subject of the statement about the expected result. A common pattern is “Cela + verb” when referring back to an idea or action.

devrait “devrait” means “should” in “Cela devrait aider,” expressing an expected helpful result. It is followed by the infinitive “aider.” A useful pattern is “subject + devrait + infinitive” for saying what is expected to happen.

aider “aider” means “to help” in “aider tes yeux à aller mieux.” Here it is followed by the thing helped and by “à” plus an infinitive. A common pattern is “aider + object + à + infinitive.”

tes “tes” means “your” before the plural noun “yeux” in “tes yeux.” It identifies the eyes as belonging to the person being addressed. A common pattern is “tes + plural noun.”

à “à” introduces the result or action after “aider” in “aider tes yeux à aller mieux.” It connects the object being helped with the infinitive that describes the improvement. A useful pattern is “aider + object + à + infinitive.”

aller “aller” normally means “to go,” but in “aller mieux” it contributes to the meaning “to feel better” or “to get better.” Here it follows “à” after “aider.” A useful expression is “aller mieux” for describing an improvement in how someone feels.

mieux “mieux” means “better” in the expression “aller mieux.” It describes an improved condition for the eyes. A useful pattern is “aller mieux” when saying that someone or something feels better.

Ensuite “Ensuite” means “then” or “afterward” and marks the next step in “Ensuite, je peux finir la tâche.” It places the finishing action after the break. A common pattern is “Ensuite + clause” when describing what happens next.

finir “finir” means “to finish” in “je peux finir la tâche.” It is the infinitive after “peux.” A useful pattern is “je peux + infinitive,” followed here by the object “la tâche.”

la “la” means “the” before the singular noun in “la tâche.” It refers to a specific task. A common pattern is “la + singular noun.”

tâche “tâche” means “task” in “finir la tâche.” It is the thing that the speaker can finish after the break. A useful expression is “finir la tâche” when completing a specific task.

d'abord “d'abord” means “first” in “Fais d'abord la pause.” It marks the action that should happen before the next one. A useful sequence pattern is “d'abord ..., puis ...” for ordering two actions.

puis “puis” means “then” or “next” in “puis finis la tâche.” It introduces the action that follows the break. A common pattern is “d'abord ..., puis ...” when giving steps in order.

finis “finis” means “finish” as a direct instruction in “finis la tâche.” It is the command form of finir and is followed by the object “la tâche.” A useful pattern is “finis + object” when telling someone to complete something.

Grammar Points

avoir + nom + adjectif

J'ai les yeux fatigués.

zhay lay YUH fah-tee-GAY

My eyes are tired.

French uses avoir, literally “to have,” to describe some physical states such as tired eyes.

faire une pause

Fais une courte pause.

feh EWN koort POHZ

Take a short break.

French uses faire, literally “to do” or “make,” in the fixed expression faire une pause.

French Vocabulary

ailleurs adv

ah-YUHR elsewhere or away

Regarde ailleurs pendant une minute.

avoir verb

ah-VWAHR to have J'ai

J'ai les yeux fatigués.

combien de temps phrase

kohm-BYAN duh TAHN how long

Combien de temps dois-je regarder ailleurs ?

court adj

KOOR short courte

Fais une courte pause loin de l'écran.

écran noun

ay-KRAHN screen

Fais une courte pause loin de l'écran.

faire verb

FEHR to take or have Fais

Fais une courte pause loin de l'écran.

fatigué adj

fah-tee-GAY tired fatigués

J'ai les yeux fatigués.

loin adv

lwan far away

Fais une courte pause loin de l'écran.

minute noun

mee-NEWT minute

Regarde ailleurs pendant une minute.

œil noun

uh-Y eye yeux

J'ai les yeux fatigués.

pause noun

POHZ break

Fais une courte pause loin de l'écran.

regarder verb

ruh-gar-DAY to look

Combien de temps dois-je regarder ailleurs ?

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

My eyes are tired.

Show Answer

J'ai les yeux fatigués.

Look away for a minute.

Show Answer

Regarde ailleurs pendant une minute.

Then I can finish the task.

Show Answer

Ensuite, je peux finir la tâche.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

eye

Show Answer

yeux

break

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pause

short

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courte

far away

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loin