About This Lesson
Use Fixing a Light Problem to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
La lumière ne marche pas.
lah lyoo-MYEHR nuh marsh pah The light does not work.
B
Tu as vérifié l'interrupteur ?
tyoo ah vay-ree-FYAY an-tair-roop-TEUR Did you check the switch?
A
Je l'ai vérifié, et ça ne marche toujours pas.
zhuh lay vay-ree-FYAY ay sah nuh marsh too-ZHOOR pah I checked it, and it still does not work.
B
L'ampoule est peut-être vieille.
lahm-POOL ay puh-TETR VYAY Maybe the bulb is old.
A
La pièce est trop sombre maintenant.
lah PYEHS ay troh SOHMBR man-tuh-NAHN The room is too dark now.
B
Je peux apporter une petite lampe.
zhuh puh ah-por-TAY ewn puh-TEET LAHMP I can bring a small lamp.
A
On devrait changer l'ampoule plus tard.
ohn duh-VRAY shahn-ZHAY lahm-POOL ploo tahr We should change the bulb later.
B
Utilise la lampe jusqu'à ce qu'on remplace l'ampoule.
ew-tee-LEEZ lah LAHMP zhoos-KAH suh kuh kohn rahm-PLASS lahm-POOL Use the lamp until we replace it.Word by Word
La
In “La lumière”, “La” identifies the light being discussed. It comes before the noun, as in “la lampe”. You use it when referring to a specific feminine noun.
lumière
In “La lumière ne marche pas”, “lumière” means the light in the room. It is the thing that is not working here. The same expression “la lumière” is useful when talking about a room’s light.
ne
In “ne marche pas”, “ne” starts the negative expression saying that something does not work. Its meaning is completed by “pas”. A common reuse pattern is “ne ... pas” around the verb.
marche
In “La lumière ne marche pas”, “marche” means works. With “ne” and “pas”, the whole expression says that the light does not work. The same idea appears in “ça ne marche toujours pas” when the problem continues.
pas
In “ne marche pas”, “pas” completes the negation and makes the meaning “does not work”. It works together with “ne”, rather than carrying the whole negative meaning alone. Reuse the pattern “ne ... pas” around the verb.
Tu
In “Tu as vérifié l'interrupteur ?”, “Tu” means you and addresses one person directly. It is used here to ask the other adult about an action. The same direct-address pattern appears in “Tu as vérifié...”.
as
In “Tu as vérifié”, “as” combines with “vérifié” to present the checking as completed. It comes before “vérifié” in this construction. This pattern is useful when asking whether someone has completed an action.
vérifié
In “Tu as vérifié” and “Je l'ai vérifié”, “vérifié” means checked. It describes the completed checking of the switch or the thing just mentioned. The dialogue also gives the object pattern “vérifié l'interrupteur”.
l'interrupteur
In “Tu as vérifié l'interrupteur ?”, “l'interrupteur” means the switch being checked. It names the object of the checking action. A useful reuse is to put it after a verb when talking about checking the switch.
Je
In “Je l'ai vérifié” and “Je peux apporter une petite lampe”, “Je” means I and identifies the speaker. It is used when the speaker reports their own action or ability. It comes before the verb phrase.
l'ai
In “Je l'ai vérifié”, “l'ai” combines “l'”, meaning it, with “ai”, which helps present the checking as completed. Here, “l'” refers to the switch just mentioned. The same form is reused in the complete expression “Je l'ai vérifié”.
et
In “Je l'ai vérifié, et ça ne marche toujours pas”, “et” links the completed checking with the continuing problem. It connects two parts of the statement. The pattern “et ça...” introduces the result or next situation here.
ça
In “ça ne marche toujours pas”, “ça” means it or that thing, referring to the thing being discussed. It is the subject of “ne marche toujours pas”. Use it when referring generally to the situation or object already under discussion.
toujours
In “ça ne marche toujours pas”, “toujours” means still and shows that the problem continues. It adds the idea that the situation has not changed. This expression is useful when something remains unsuccessful after an attempt.
L'ampoule
In “L'ampoule est peut-être vieille”, “L'ampoule” means the bulb. It is the thing being described as possibly old. The same noun appears in “changer l'ampoule” when talking about replacing it.
est
In “L'ampoule est peut-être vieille”, “est” links the bulb with the description that follows. It means is in this statement. The dialogue also uses it in “La pièce est trop sombre” to describe the room.
peut-être
In “L'ampoule est peut-être vieille”, “peut-être” means maybe and marks the idea as uncertain. It combines “peut”, which contributes the possibility, with “être”, which contributes being. It can be placed before the uncertain description, as here.
vieille
In “L'ampoule est peut-être vieille”, “vieille” means old and describes the bulb. The phrase presents the bulb’s age as a possible reason for the problem. Use it after “est” when giving this description of the bulb.
pièce
In “La pièce est trop sombre maintenant”, “pièce” means room. It identifies the room affected by the lighting problem. The complete expression “La pièce” is useful when describing conditions in a room.
trop
In “trop sombre”, “trop” means too and shows that the degree of darkness is excessive for the situation. Its meaning works together with “sombre”. Reuse it before a description when something exceeds what is acceptable.
sombre
In “La pièce est trop sombre maintenant”, “sombre” means dark and describes the room. Together with “trop”, it says that the room is too dark. Use it when describing a room or another place with insufficient light.
maintenant
In “La pièce est trop sombre maintenant”, “maintenant” means now and places the problem in the present moment. It emphasizes the room’s current condition after the light stops working. It can appear at the end of a statement, as here.
peux
In “Je peux apporter une petite lampe”, “peux” means can and presents bringing the lamp as possible for the speaker. It comes before “apporter”. This is useful when offering or stating that you can do an action.
apporter
In “Je peux apporter une petite lampe”, “apporter” means bring. It describes bringing the small lamp to the room. The dialogue gives the reusable pattern “peux apporter une petite lampe”.
une
In “une petite lampe”, “une” means a and introduces one lamp that is not yet identified as a specific lamp. It comes before the description and noun. The same position is used before a singular noun when introducing an object.
petite
In “une petite lampe”, “petite” means small and describes the lamp. It appears between “une” and “lampe”. Use it when identifying the lamp by its size.
lampe
In “une petite lampe”, “lampe” means lamp. It names the light source that can be brought and then used. The dialogue reuses the word in “Utilise la lampe” for the same object.
On
In “On devrait changer l'ampoule”, “On” means we and refers to the two speakers together. It identifies the people who should replace the bulb. It is useful when making a joint suggestion, as in “On devrait...”.
devrait
In “On devrait changer l'ampoule”, “devrait” means should and presents a recommendation. It comes before “changer”, the action being recommended. Use this pattern when suggesting what the speakers ought to do.
changer
In “On devrait changer l'ampoule”, “changer” means change the bulb, meaning replace it in this repair situation. It follows “devrait” to name the recommended action. The exact object pattern is “changer l'ampoule”.
plus
In “plus tard”, “plus” helps form the time expression meaning later. The meaning comes from the whole expression “plus tard”, not from “plus” alone here. Use this expression when postponing an action.
tard
In “plus tard”, “tard” contributes to the expression meaning later. Together, “plus tard” places the bulb change at a later time. It is useful when saying that an action will happen after the current situation.
Utilise
In “Utilise la lampe”, “Utilise” tells one person to use the lamp. It is a direct instruction given as a practical solution while the bulb is not working. It comes before the object “la lampe”.
jusqu'à
In “jusqu'à ce qu'on remplace l'ampoule”, “jusqu'à” means until and introduces the point at which the temporary solution ends. It is followed here by a clause about replacing the bulb. Use the full pattern when an action continues until another action happens.
ce
In “jusqu'à ce qu'on remplace l'ampoule”, “ce” is part of the connector “jusqu'à ce que” that introduces the endpoint. It does not mean “this” or “that” by itself in this construction. The whole expression connects the temporary use of the lamp with the later replacement.
qu'on
In “jusqu'à ce qu'on remplace l'ampoule”, “qu'on” introduces the clause and contains “on”, referring here to we. It connects “jusqu'à ce” with the action of replacing the bulb. The complete reusable pattern is “jusqu'à ce qu'on remplace...”.
remplace
In “qu'on remplace l'ampoule”, “remplace” means replaces and names the action that ends the temporary use of the lamp. It follows “on” in the clause. The exact object pattern is “remplace l'ampoule”.
Grammar Points
jusqu'à ce que + subjonctif
jusqu'à ce que ça marche
zhoos-KAH suh kuh sah marshuntil it works
After « jusqu'à ce que », French uses the subjunctive to express an action that has not happened yet.
devrait + infinitif
Il devrait remplacer la vieille ampoule.
eel duh-VRAY rahm-PLASS-AY lah VYAY lahm-POOLHe should replace the old bulb.
« Devrait » is the conditional form of devoir and expresses advice or what would be advisable.
French Vocabulary
ampoule
noun
am-POOL
bulb
L'ampoule est peut-être vieille.
interrupteur
noun
an-tair-roop-TEUR
switch
Tu as vérifié l'interrupteur ?
lumière
noun
lyoo-MYEHR
light
La lumière ne marche pas.
maintenant
adv
man-tuh-NAHN
now
La pièce est trop sombre maintenant.
marcher
verb
mar-SHAY
to work
marche
La lumière ne marche pas.
peut-être
adv
puh-TETR
maybe
L'ampoule est peut-être vieille.
pièce
noun
PYEHS
room
La pièce est trop sombre maintenant.
pouvoir
verb
poo-VWAHR
can; to be able to
peux
Je peux apporter une petite lampe.
sombre
adj
SOHMBR
dark
La pièce est trop sombre maintenant.
toujours
adv
too-ZHOOR
still
Ça ne marche toujours pas.
vérifier
verb
vay-ree-FYAY
to check
vérifié
Tu as vérifié l'interrupteur ?
vieux
adj
VYUH
old
vieille
L'ampoule est peut-être vieille.
Quiz
Word Order
Arrange the words in the correct order.
The light does not work.
Show Answer
La lumière ne marche pas.Did you check the switch?
Show Answer
Tu as vérifié l'interrupteur ?Maybe the bulb is old.
Show Answer
L'ampoule est peut-être vieille.Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
switch
Show Answer
interrupteurto work
Show Answer
marcheold
Show Answer
vieillebulb