Using a computer and printer quietly | Learn French in English

About This Lesson

Use Using a computer and printer quietly to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Je peux utiliser cet ordinateur ?

zhuh puh zü-tee-lee-ZAY seh-tor-dee-nah-TEUR Can I use this computer?

Cet ordinateur est disponible.

seh-tor-dee-nah-TEUR eh dee-spoh-NEEBL That computer is free.

L'écran est très lumineux.

leh-KRAHN eh treh lü-mee-NEU The screen is very bright.

Vous pouvez baisser la luminosité ici.

voo poo-VAY beh-SAY lah lü-mee-noh-zee-TAY ee-SEE You can lower the brightness here.

Je peux aussi utiliser l'imprimante ?

zhuh puh oh-SEE zü-tee-lee-ZAY leem-pree-MAHNT Can I use the printer too?

Vous pouvez utiliser l'imprimante près du bureau.

voo poo-VAY zü-tee-lee-ZAY leem-pree-MAHNT preh dü bü-ROH You can use the printer near the desk.

J'utiliserai des écouteurs si je mets du son.

zhü-tee-lee-zuh-RAY day-zay-koo-TEUR see zhuh meh dü sohn I'll use headphones if I play any audio.

Ça gardera la salle calme.

sah gar-duh-RAH lah sahl kahlm That will keep the room quiet.

Word by Word

Je Je means “I” in Je peux utiliser cet ordinateur ? and Je peux aussi utiliser l'imprimante ?. It is the subject before the verb and is used when the speaker asks about their own action. The reusable pattern here is Je peux + infinitive.

peux peux means “can” or “am able to” in Je peux utiliser cet ordinateur ?. It is the form used with Je to ask for permission or say that the speaker can do something. A useful pattern is Je peux + infinitive, as in Je peux aussi utiliser l'imprimante ?.

utiliser utiliser means “to use” in Je peux utiliser cet ordinateur ?. It follows peux as the action the speaker wants permission to perform. The dialogue reuses utiliser with a device in utiliser l'imprimante.

cet cet points to the computer in cet ordinateur, meaning “this” or “that” computer in this context. It is the demonstrative determiner placed before ordinateur. The reusable pattern is cet + noun, as in cet ordinateur.

ordinateur ordinateur means “computer” in cet ordinateur and Cet ordinateur est disponible. In the dialogue, it names the computer that the speaker wants to use. A useful reuse pattern is utiliser + cet ordinateur.

est est states that Cet ordinateur is available in Cet ordinateur est disponible. It is the form used with Cet ordinateur to link the computer to its description. The dialogue also uses the pattern L'écran est très lumineux.

disponible disponible means “available” or “free” in Cet ordinateur est disponible, so the computer can be used. It comes after est to describe the computer's status. A useful reuse pattern is ordinateur est disponible.

L'écran L'écran means “the screen” in L'écran est très lumineux. L' is the shortened form of the article before écran, and the whole expression names the screen being discussed. The dialogue reuses it as the subject of L'écran est très lumineux.

très très means “very” in L'écran est très lumineux and strengthens the description of the screen's brightness. It is placed before lumineux in this expression. A useful pattern is très + adjective, as in très lumineux.

lumineux lumineux means “bright” in L'écran est très lumineux. It describes the screen after est and is intensified by très. The reusable expression from the dialogue is L'écran est très lumineux.

Vous Vous means “you” in Vous pouvez baisser la luminosité ici. It addresses one person formally or more than one person. A useful pattern in the dialogue is Vous pouvez + infinitive, as in Vous pouvez utiliser l'imprimante près du bureau.

pouvez pouvez means “can” or “are able to” in Vous pouvez baisser la luminosité ici. It is the form used with Vous to give permission or explain what the listener can do. It is followed by an infinitive, as in Vous pouvez utiliser l'imprimante près du bureau.

baisser baisser means “to lower” or “turn down” in Vous pouvez baisser la luminosité ici. It follows pouvez and names the action suggested for the brightness. The reusable expression is baisser la luminosité.

la la is the feminine singular “the” in la luminosité. It introduces luminosité, the brightness being adjusted. The dialogue uses the complete phrase baisser la luminosité.

luminosité luminosité means “brightness” in baisser la luminosité. It identifies what can be lowered on the computer screen. A useful reuse pattern is baisser la luminosité.

ici ici means “here” in Vous pouvez baisser la luminosité ici. It points to the place or control where the listener can lower the brightness. It is useful after an instruction to identify the location, as in baisser la luminosité ici.

aussi aussi means “also” or “too” in Je peux aussi utiliser l'imprimante ?. It adds the printer to the computer as another thing the speaker wants to use. In this sentence, it comes before utiliser in Je peux aussi utiliser l'imprimante ?.

l'imprimante l'imprimante means “the printer” in Je peux aussi utiliser l'imprimante ?. The article is shortened before the vowel at the start of imprimante. The dialogue reuses the device in utiliser l'imprimante près du bureau.

près près means “near” in près du bureau. It expresses the location of the printer relative to the desk. The useful location expression from the dialogue is près du bureau.

du du means “of the” or “from the” in près du bureau; here, the whole phrase means “near the desk.” It is the contracted form of de + le and links près to bureau. The reusable expression is près du bureau.

bureau bureau means “desk” in près du bureau. It identifies the place near which the printer is located. A useful reuse pattern is près du bureau.

J'utiliserai J'utiliserai means “I will use” in J'utiliserai des écouteurs si je mets du son. It says what the speaker intends to do in the situation described by si. The reusable pattern is J'utiliserai + object, as in J'utiliserai des écouteurs.

des des is the plural article before écouteurs in des écouteurs. It introduces the plural listening devices the speaker will use. The dialogue reuses it in the expression J'utiliserai des écouteurs.

écouteurs écouteurs means “headphones” or “earbuds” in J'utiliserai des écouteurs. It names the devices used so that playing audio will not disturb the room. A useful reuse pattern is utiliser des écouteurs.

si si means “if” in si je mets du son. It introduces the condition under which the speaker will use headphones. The dialogue uses the pattern J'utiliserai des écouteurs si je mets du son.

mets mets means “play” or “put on” in si je mets du son. It describes the speaker starting audio and appears with je in the condition. The reusable expression is je mets du son.

son son means “sound” or “audio” in je mets du son. It is what the speaker may play, and it is the object of mets. A useful reuse pattern is mettre du son, as in si je mets du son.

Ça Ça means “that” or “it” in Ça gardera la salle calme. It refers to the previous action of using headphones and makes that action the subject of the next statement. A useful pattern is Ça + verb, as in Ça gardera la salle calme.

gardera gardera means “will keep” in Ça gardera la salle calme. It describes the expected result of using headphones: the room will remain quiet. The reusable expression is gardera la salle calme.

salle salle means “room” in la salle calme. It identifies the room whose quietness is being protected. The dialogue uses it in gardera la salle calme.

calme calme means “quiet” or “calm” in la salle calme. It describes the state in which the room will remain. A useful expression from the dialogue is garder la salle calme.

Grammar Points

pouvoir + infinitif

Vous pouvez baisser la luminosité ici.

voo poo-VAY beh-SAY lah lü-mee-noh-zee-TAY ee-SEE

You can lower the brightness here.

Use pouvoir followed directly by an infinitive to express ability or permission.

si + présent, futur

Si tu mets le son, ça gardera la salle calme.

see tü meh luh sohn, sah gar-duh-RAH lah sahl kahlm

If you play the sound, it will keep the room quiet.

After si for a condition, use the present tense; the result can use the future.

French Vocabulary

baisser verb

beh-SAY to lower

cet det

seh this/that

disponible adj

dee-spoh-NEEBL available

écran noun

ay-KRAHN screen L'écran

je pron

zhuh I

lumineux adj

lü-mee-NEU bright

luminosité noun

lü-mee-noh-zee-TAY brightness

ordinateur noun

or-dee-nah-TEUR computer

peux verb

puh can

pouvez verb

poo-VAY can

très adv

treh very

utiliser verb

ü-tee-lee-ZAY to use

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Can I use this computer?

Show Answer

Je peux utiliser cet ordinateur ?

That computer is free.

Show Answer

Cet ordinateur est disponible.

The screen is very bright.

Show Answer

L'écran est très lumineux.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

bright

Show Answer

lumineux

computer

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ordinateur

available

Show Answer

disponible

to use

Show Answer

utiliser