Borrowing a Hammer and Nails | Learn French in English

French lesson set in a contemporary Paris everyday setting: In a shared space, one person borrows a hammer and a nail for a shelf and agrees where to return the tool..

EN → FR / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Borrowing a Hammer and Nails to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Est-ce que tu as un marteau que je peux utiliser ?

ehs-kuh tyoo ahz uhn mar-TOH kuh zhuh puh oo-tee-lee-ZAY Do you have a hammer I can use?
B

Utilise celui-ci, mais tiens bien le manche.

oo-tee-LEEZ suh-lwee-SEE, meh tyan byehn luh mahnsh Use this one, but grip the handle firmly.
A

J'en ai besoin pour réparer cette étagère.

zhahn ay buh-ZWAN poor ray-pah-RAY set ay-tah-ZHAIR I need it to fix this shelf.
B

Tu as aussi besoin de clous ?

tyoo ahz oh-SEE buh-ZWAN duh KLOO Do you also need any nails?
A

Un clou m'aiderait.

uhn KLOO meh-day-RAY One nail would help.
B

Ils sont dans la boîte à côté de toi.

eel sohn dahn lah BWAHT ah koh-TAY duh TWAH They are in the box beside you.
A

Je rendrai le marteau quand j'aurai fini.

zhuh rahn-DRAY luh mar-TOH kahn zhoh-RAY fee-NEE I will return the hammer when I finish.
B

Laisse-le ici avec les autres outils quand tu as fini.

less-luh ee-SEE ah-VEK lay ZOH-truh oo-TEEL kahn tyoo ah fee-NEE Leave it here with the other tools when you are done.

Word by Word

Est-ce In "Est-ce que tu as un marteau que je peux utiliser ?", "Est-ce" begins a yes-or-no question. It is used with "que" to form the question structure. Reuse it at the start of a question when asking whether something is true or available.
que In "Est-ce que tu as un marteau que je peux utiliser ?", "que" is part of the question structure after "Est-ce". It also introduces the description "que je peux utiliser" for the hammer. Reuse "Est-ce que" to form a yes-or-no question.
tu "tu" means "you" for the person being addressed in this informal conversation. Here it is the subject of "as" and refers to the person who may have a hammer. Reuse "tu" when speaking informally to one person.
as In "tu as un marteau", "as" means "have" and says that the person possesses or has access to a hammer. It is the form used with "tu". Reuse "tu as besoin de" to ask or state that someone needs something.
un In "un marteau" and "Un clou", "un" means "a" or "one" before a singular item. It presents one hammer or one nail. Reuse "un" before a singular noun when referring to one item.
marteau "marteau" means "hammer" in "un marteau que je peux utiliser" and "le marteau". It is the tool being borrowed and returned in the dialogue. Reuse it with a tool-related verb such as "utiliser" or "rendre".
je "je" means "I" and identifies the person who can use the hammer and will return it. Here it appears before "peux" and "rendrai". Reuse "je" before a verb when talking about your own action or situation.
peux In "je peux utiliser", "peux" means "can" or "am able to". It says that the speaker is able to use the hammer. Reuse the pattern "je peux + infinitive", as in "je peux utiliser".
utiliser "utiliser" means "to use" in "que je peux utiliser". It remains in this form after "peux" to name the action the speaker can perform. Reuse "pouvoir + utiliser" when saying that someone can use something.
Utilise "Utilise" tells one person informally to use something. In "Utilise celui-ci", it is a direct instruction to use this particular item. Reuse "Utilise + object" when giving this kind of instruction.
celui-ci "celui-ci" means "this one" and points to the selected hammer in "Utilise celui-ci". It avoids repeating the name of the object. Reuse it when choosing one nearby item from several possibilities.
mais "mais" means "but" and introduces a contrasting instruction: use the hammer, but hold its handle firmly. Reuse "mais" to connect two statements when the second one limits or contrasts with the first.
tiens In "tiens bien le manche", "tiens" means "hold" or "grip" and gives an informal instruction to one person. It describes how to hold the hammer. Reuse "tiens + object" when telling someone to hold something.
bien In "tiens bien le manche", "bien" adds the idea of holding the handle firmly or properly. It modifies the instruction rather than naming another object. Reuse "tiens bien + object" when emphasizing a secure grip.
le In "le manche", "le" means "the" and introduces the specific handle of the hammer. It refers to an identifiable object in the situation. Reuse "le + noun" for a known singular item.
manche "manche" means "handle" in "le manche". Here it is the part of the hammer that the person is told to grip firmly. Reuse it with a tool or object when referring to its handle.
J'en In "J'en ai besoin", "J'en" means "I need it", with "en" referring back to the hammer. "J'" identifies the speaker and "en" refers to something already mentioned. Reuse the exact pattern "J'en ai besoin" when saying that you need an item already under discussion.
ai In "J'en ai besoin", "ai" means "have" as part of the expression "avoir besoin de", which means "to need". Together with "J'en", it expresses that the speaker needs the hammer. Reuse "j'ai besoin de + noun" when stating that you need something.
besoin "besoin" means "need" in the expression "avoir besoin de". In "J'en ai besoin" and "besoin de clous", it identifies what someone requires. Reuse "avoir besoin de + item" to express a need.
pour In "pour réparer cette étagère", "pour" means "in order to" and introduces the purpose of using the hammer. It is followed here by the action "réparer". Reuse "pour + infinitive" to explain the purpose of an action.
réparer "réparer" means "to repair" or "to fix" in "pour réparer cette étagère". It names the task for which the hammer is needed. Reuse "réparer + object" when describing fixing an item.
cette In "cette étagère", "cette" means "this" and points to a specific shelf. It appears directly before the noun it describes. Reuse "cette + noun" when referring to one particular nearby item.
étagère "étagère" means "shelf" in "cette étagère". It is the object that the speaker wants to fix with the hammer. Reuse it with "réparer" when talking about fixing a shelf.
aussi In "Tu as aussi besoin de clous ?", "aussi" means "also" and asks whether nails are needed in addition to the hammer. It adds another item to the existing need. Reuse it after the subject and verb to add a further item or action.
de In "besoin de clous", "de" introduces the item that is needed. It is part of the reusable expression "avoir besoin de". Reuse "besoin de + noun" when naming what someone needs.
clous "clous" means "nails" in "besoin de clous". It refers to the nails available in the box, possibly as additional items for the shelf. Reuse it after "besoin de" when talking about needing nails.
clou "clou" means "nail" in "Un clou m'aiderait". The singular form refers to one nail that would be useful for the repair. Reuse "un clou" when referring to one nail.
m'aiderait In "Un clou m'aiderait", "m'aiderait" means "would help me" and says that one nail would be useful to the speaker. The "m'" identifies the person who would receive the help. New example: "Cette information m'aiderait" means that this information would help me.
Ils "Ils" means "they" and refers to the nails in "Ils sont dans la boîte". It is the subject of the statement about their location. Reuse "Ils sont + place" to locate several items.
sont In "Ils sont dans la boîte", "sont" means "are" and states where the nails are. It is used with the plural subject "Ils". Reuse "ils sont" to say where several people or things are.
dans In "dans la boîte", "dans" means "in" and places the nails inside the box. It introduces the container containing them. Reuse "dans + container" to describe an item’s location.
la In "la boîte", "la" means "the" and introduces the specific box being mentioned. It refers to an identifiable singular item. Reuse "la + noun" for a known singular item.
boîte "boîte" means "box" in "la boîte à côté de toi". It is the container where the nails are stored. Reuse it with "dans" when saying that something is in a box.
à In the exact phrase "à côté de toi", "à" helps introduce the location expression meaning "beside you". Its meaning here comes from the whole phrase, not from "à" alone. Reuse "à côté de + person or thing" to describe a nearby position.
côté In "à côté de toi", "côté" means "side" and contributes to the expression meaning "beside you". The whole phrase locates the box next to the person addressed. Reuse "à côté de" when describing something that is next to another person or thing.
toi In "à côté de toi", "toi" means "you" and identifies the person beside whom the box is located. It follows "de" in this location expression. Reuse "à côté de toi" when saying that something is next to the person you are addressing.
rendrai In "Je rendrai le marteau", "rendrai" means "will return". It states the speaker’s future action of giving the hammer back. Reuse "Je rendrai + object" when promising to return something.
quand "quand" means "when" and introduces the time at which the speaker will return the hammer. Here it begins "quand j'aurai fini". Reuse "quand + clause" to connect an action with the time it will happen.
j'aurai In "quand j'aurai fini", "j'aurai" means "I will have" and helps express that the speaker will have finished by that time. It is followed by "fini" in the dialogue. Reuse "quand j'aurai fini" when referring to the time after you finish a task.
fini In "j'aurai fini" and "quand tu as fini", "fini" means "finished" or "done". It describes completion of the speaker’s task before the hammer is returned or left. Reuse "quand tu as fini" to refer to the time when someone has finished.
Laisse-le "Laisse-le" tells one person informally to leave it, with "le" referring to the hammer. In "Laisse-le ici", it gives the instruction about where to put the tool after use. Reuse "Laisse-le + place" when telling someone where to leave an already mentioned object.
ici "ici" means "here" and identifies the place where the hammer should be left. In "Laisse-le ici", it completes the location instruction. Reuse "verb + ici" to direct someone or something to this place.
avec "avec" means "with" and says that the hammer should be left together with the other tools. It introduces "les autres outils". Reuse "avec + noun phrase" when indicating what something is together with.
les In "les autres outils", "les" means "the" before a plural group of known tools. It introduces the specific tools in the shared space. Reuse "les + plural noun" for an identifiable group.
autres In "les autres outils", "autres" means "other" and distinguishes these tools from the hammer being returned. It describes the remaining tools in the shared space. Reuse "les autres + plural noun" when referring to the rest of a group.
outils "outils" means "tools" in "les autres outils". It refers to the group of tools where the hammer should be left. Reuse it after "les autres" when talking about other tools.

Grammar Points

Impératif à la 2e personne du singulier

Tiens bien le manche.

tyan byehn luh mahnsh

Hold the handle well.

The imperative gives a direct instruction. With tu, the verb usually uses its present-tense form without the subject pronoun.

Pronom démonstratif : celui-ci

Utilise celui-ci.

oo-tee-LEEZ suh-lwee-SEE

Use this one.

Celui-ci replaces a masculine singular noun and means “this one.” It avoids repeating the noun.

French Vocabulary

aider verb
ay-DAY to help m'aiderait
avoir besoin de phrase
ah-VWAR buh-ZWAN duh to need as besoin de
bien adv
byehn well
boîte noun
BWAHT box
celui-ci pron
suh-lwee-SEE this one
clou noun
KLOO nail clous
étagère noun
ay-tah-ZHAIR shelf
manche noun
mahnsh handle
marteau noun
mar-TOH hammer

un marteau

réparer verb
ray-pah-RAY to fix
tenir verb
tuh-NEER to hold tiens
utiliser verb
oo-tee-lee-ZAY to use

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

One nail would help.

Show AnswerUn clou m'aiderait.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

shelf

Show Answerétagère

handle

Show Answermanche

hammer

Show Answermarteau

well

Show Answerbien