Finding a book on a library shelf | Learn French in English

About This Lesson

Use Finding a book on a library shelf to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Où puis-je trouver ce livre ?

oo pwee-ZH troo-VAY suh LEEVR Where can I find this book?

Il devrait être sur l'une de ces étagères.

eel duh-VRAY EH-truh syur lyun duh say ay-ta-ZHAIR It should be on one of these shelves.

Quelle étagère dois-je vérifier en premier ?

kell ay-ta-ZHAIR dwah-ZH vay-ree-FYAY ahn pruh-MYAY Which shelf should I check first?

Essayez l'étagère du bas, près du bout.

ay-say-YAY lay-ta-ZHAIR dyu BAH, preh dyu BOO Try the lower shelf near the end.

Je vois la couverture maintenant.

zhuh VWAH lah koo-VAIR-tyur man-tuh-NAHN I can see the cover now.

Sortez-le avec précaution pour que les autres restent en place.

sor-TAY-luh ah-VEK preh-koh-SYON poor kuh lay-ZOH-truh REST ahn PLASS Pull it out carefully so the others stay in place.

C'est le bon livre.

say luh BOHN LEEVR This is the right book.

Vous pouvez le lire à cette table.

voo poo-VAY luh LEER ah set TAHBL You can read it at that table.

Word by Word

Où “Où” asks where something is or where an action can happen. Here it introduces the question “Où puis-je trouver ce livre ?”. It is useful when asking for a location.

puis-je “Puis-je” means “can I” in this question about finding the book. It is the question form used before the infinitive “trouver”, as in “puis-je trouver”. Use it to ask politely whether you may or can do something.

trouver “Trouver” means “find” in “Où puis-je trouver ce livre ?”. It follows “puis-je” as the action the speaker wants to do. A reusable pattern from the dialogue is “puis-je trouver” when asking where something can be found.

ce “Ce” points to the specific book being discussed in “ce livre”, meaning “this book”. It appears directly before the noun “livre”. Use “ce” with a specific masculine singular noun in a similar noun phrase.

livre “Livre” means “book” in “ce livre”. It is the object the speaker is trying to find and later identifies as “le bon livre”. Use it after a determiner such as “ce” or “le” when talking about a book.

Il “Il” means “it” here and refers to the book. In “Il devrait être sur l'une de ces étagères”, it is the subject of the statement about where the book should be. Use it to refer back to the masculine noun “livre”.

devrait “Devrait” expresses that the book is expected or likely to be somewhere: “Il devrait être sur l'une de ces étagères.” It is followed here by “être” and the location phrase. Use “devrait être” when saying where something is expected to be.

être “Être” means “be” in “Il devrait être sur l'une de ces étagères”. It completes the expression “devrait être” about the book’s expected location. A useful pattern is “devrait être sur” followed by a place.

sur “Sur” means “on” in the location phrase “sur l'une de ces étagères”. It introduces the surface or place where the book is expected to be. Use “sur” before a specific location, as in “être sur l'une de ces étagères”.

l'une “L'une” means “one” when selecting one shelf from a group. In “l'une de ces étagères”, it refers to one of the shelves mentioned. Use the pattern “l'une de” to identify one item from a group.

de “De” connects “l'une” with the group it belongs to in “l'une de ces étagères”. Together, “l'une de ces étagères” means “one of these shelves”. Use “de” in this pattern when identifying one item from a group.

ces “Ces” points to the specific group of shelves in “ces étagères”, meaning “these shelves”. It comes before the plural noun “étagères”. Use “ces” before a specific plural noun.

étagères “Étagères” means “shelves” in “l'une de ces étagères”. The dialogue uses it for the possible places where the book is located. Use it after a plural determiner such as “ces” when talking about shelves.

Quelle “Quelle” asks which one when choosing a shelf: “Quelle étagère dois-je vérifier en premier ?”. It comes directly before “étagère”. Use “quelle” before a specific choice in a question.

étagère “Étagère” means “shelf” in “Quelle étagère”. It is the particular shelf the speaker plans to check. Use it after “quelle” when asking which shelf.

dois-je “Dois-je” means “should I” in the question “Quelle étagère dois-je vérifier en premier ?”. It is followed by the infinitive “vérifier”, the action being considered. Use “dois-je” to ask what action is advisable or necessary.

vérifier “Vérifier” means “check” in “dois-je vérifier”. Here it means looking at a shelf to see whether the book is there. Use it after “dois-je” when asking whether you should check something.

en In “en premier”, “en” is part of the expression meaning “first” or “as the first one”. It helps describe the order in which the shelf will be checked. Keep it together with “premier” in the pattern “en premier”.

premier “Premier” means “first” in the expression “en premier”. It shows that this shelf will be checked before the others. Use “en premier” when describing the first step or choice in a sequence.

Essayez “Essayez” tells someone to try the lower shelf in “Essayez l'étagère du bas”. It is a direct but polite instruction in this library interaction. Use it before a noun or action when suggesting that someone try something.

l'étagère “L'étagère” means “the shelf” in “Essayez l'étagère du bas”. The article and noun identify the particular shelf to try. Use it when referring to a specific shelf already located or described.

du In “l'étagère du bas”, “du” links the shelf with its lower position, giving the meaning “the lower shelf”. It is part of the phrase “du bas”, not a complete location by itself. Use “du bas” to describe something at the bottom or in the lower position.

bas “Bas” means “lower” or “bottom” in “l'étagère du bas”. It distinguishes this shelf from shelves in other positions. Use the pattern “du bas” when identifying the lower part of something.

près “Près” means “near” in “près du bout”. It places the lower shelf close to the end of the shelving area. Use “près de” followed by a place or thing to say that something is nearby.

bout “Bout” means “end” in “près du bout”. It identifies the end of the shelf or shelving area as the reference point. Use it with “près de” when describing something near an end.

Je “Je” means “I” in “Je vois la couverture maintenant”. It identifies the speaker as the person seeing the book cover. Use it before an action the speaker is doing.

vois “Vois” means “see” in “Je vois la couverture maintenant”. It describes the speaker’s current visual discovery of the cover. Use “je vois” to say that you can see something.

la “La” means “the” before “couverture” in “la couverture”. It introduces the specific cover of the book. Use it before a specific noun such as “couverture”.

couverture “Couverture” means “cover” in “Je vois la couverture maintenant”. Here it is the visible cover of the book on the shelf. Use it after “la” when referring to a book cover.

maintenant “Maintenant” means “now” in “Je vois la couverture maintenant”. It shows that the cover has just become visible. Use it to mark what is happening at the present moment.

Sortez-le “Sortez-le” means “pull it out” here, referring to the book. It combines the instruction to remove the book with “le”, which refers back to it. Use the pattern “Sortez-le” when telling someone to take a specific masculine object out.

avec “Avec” means “with” in “avec précaution”. Together, “avec précaution” tells the person to pull the book out carefully. Use “avec” before a noun to describe the manner or means of an action.

précaution “Précaution” means “care” or “caution” in “avec précaution”. The phrase explains how to pull the book out so the other books remain in place. Use the pattern “avec précaution” when an action should be done carefully.

pour “Pour” introduces the purpose of the instruction in “pour que les autres restent en place”. It connects pulling the book out carefully with the intended result. Here it must be understood together with “que” as “pour que”.

que In “pour que les autres restent en place”, “que” helps introduce the clause describing the intended result. The complete expression “pour que” means “so that” here. Use it together with the following clause rather than assigning the whole meaning to “que” alone.

les “Les” means “the” before “autres” in “les autres”. It refers to the other books that are still on the shelf. Use it before a plural group that is specific in the situation.

autres “Autres” means “others” in “les autres”. Here it refers to the other books on the shelf, not the book being removed. Use “les autres” to refer to the remaining members of a known group.

restent “Restent” means “stay” or “remain” in “restent en place”. It describes the other books remaining where they are while one book is removed. Use the pattern “rester en place” when something should not move.

place “Place” means “place” in the expression “en place”. Together, “rester en place” means “stay in place”. Use “en place” when describing an object that remains in its proper position.

C'est “C'est” means “this is” in “C'est le bon livre”. It identifies the book that has been found. Use it to identify or confirm a specific thing.

le “Le” means “the” in “le bon livre”. It introduces the specific book that is correct for the speaker’s search. Here it is an article before “bon livre”, not the object pronoun used in “Sortez-le”.

bon “Bon” means “right” or “correct” in “le bon livre”. It shows that this is the book the speaker wanted. Use “le bon” before a masculine singular noun when identifying the correct one.

Vous “Vous” means “you” in “Vous pouvez le lire à cette table”. It refers to the person being given permission to read. Use it as the subject when addressing someone in this way.

pouvez “Pouvez” means “can” in “Vous pouvez le lire”. It expresses that the person is allowed or able to read the book at the table. Use “pouvez” before an infinitive such as “lire” to describe what someone can do.

lire “Lire” means “read” in “Vous pouvez le lire”. It follows “pouvez” as the action the person is permitted to do. Use it after “pouvez” when talking about being able or allowed to read.

à “À” means “at” in “à cette table”. It introduces the place where the person can read. Use “à” before a specific place or location, as in “lire à cette table”.

cette “Cette” points to a specific table in “cette table”, meaning “that table” or “this table” depending on the context. It comes directly before the noun “table”. Use “cette” before a specific singular noun such as “table”.

table “Table” means “table” in “à cette table”. It identifies the place where the person may read the book. Use it after a determiner such as “cette” when referring to a specific table.

Grammar Points

Impératif affirmatif : verbe-pronom

Sortez-le avec précaution.

sor-TAY-luh ah-VEK preh-koh-SYON

Take it out carefully.

In a positive command, the object pronoun follows the verb and is joined with a hyphen: « Sortez-le ».

French Vocabulary

bout noun

BOO end

du bas phrase

dyu BAH lower; at the bottom

en premier phrase

ahn pruh-MYAY first

essayer verb

ay-say-YAY to try Essayez

étagère noun

ay-ta-ZHAIR shelf

livre noun

LEEVR book

où adv

OO where

Où puis-je trouver ce livre ?

près de prep

preh duh near

quelle det

KELL which; what

trouver verb

troo-VAY to find

vérifier verb

veh-ree-FYAY to check

voir verb

VWAHR to see vois

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Where can I find this book?

Show Answer

Où puis-je trouver ce livre ?

I can see the cover now.

Show Answer

Je vois la couverture maintenant.

This is the right book.

Show Answer

C'est le bon livre.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

which; what

Show Answer

quelle

to find

Show Answer

trouver

shelf

Show Answer

étagère

book

Show Answer

livre