Cleaning a Small Stain | Learn French in English

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Use Cleaning a Small Stain to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Il y a une tache sur la table.

eel yah oon TAHSH sür lah TAH-bluh There is a stain on the table.

Je la vois près de la tasse.

zhuh lah VWAH preh duh lah TAHSS I can see it near the cup.

Est-ce que nous avons une éponge propre ?

ess-kuh noo zah-VON oon ay-PONZH PROHP? Do we have a clean sponge?

L'éponge est près de l'évier.

lay-PONZH eh preh duh lay-VYAY The sponge is by the sink.

Est-ce que je dois utiliser du savon ?

ess-kuh zhuh DWAH oo-tee-lee-ZAY dü sa-VON? Should I use some soap?

Mets un peu de savon sur l'éponge.

meh tuh(n) puh duh sa-VON sür lay-PONZH. Put a little soap on the sponge.

La tache a presque disparu.

lah TAHSH ah PRESK dee-spah-RÜ The stain is almost gone.

La table a l'air propre.

lah TAH-bluh ah LAIR PROHP The table looks clean.

Word by Word

Il y a “Il y a” is the whole expression used to say that something exists or is present: “Il” is the subject form, “y” is part of the fixed expression, and “a” completes it. Here, “Il y a une tache” introduces the stain as something present on the table. Use it to introduce something that exists or is somewhere.

une “une” means “a” in “une tache,” introducing one feminine singular noun. It comes before “tache” here. Use it before a feminine singular noun when introducing one thing.

tache “tache” means “stain” here and names the mark on the table that the speakers are cleaning. It appears in “une tache” and later “la tache.” Use it when talking about a mark or dirty spot.

sur “sur” means “on” in “sur la table,” showing that the stain is located on the table’s surface. It comes before the place or object that gives the location. Use “sur” to describe something positioned on a surface.

la “la” means “the” before a feminine singular noun. In “la table” and “La tache,” it refers to a specific table and stain already identifiable in the situation; “La” is capitalized at the beginning of the sentence. Use it before a known feminine singular noun.

table “table” means “table” in “la table,” the surface where the stain is located. It also appears in “La table a l'air propre.” Use it when identifying the table involved in a situation.

Je “Je” means “I” and is the speaker in “Je la vois.” It comes before the verb to show who is seeing the stain. Use it to speak about your own action or observation.

vois “vois” means “see” in “Je la vois,” where the speaker says that they can see the stain. The citation form is “voir”; “vois” is the form used with “Je” here. It is used with “la” before the verb because “la” refers to the stain.

près “près” means “near” in “près de la tasse,” locating the stain close to the cup. It is used together with “de” before the reference point. Use it to describe the location of one thing near another.

de “de” links “près” to the reference point in “près de la tasse.” Together, “près de la tasse” means “near the cup.” Use it after “près” before the person or thing used as the location reference.

tasse “tasse” means “cup” in “près de la tasse,” which identifies the object near the stain. It follows “de” in this location expression. Use it when referring to the cup in a table or kitchen situation.

Est-ce que “Est-ce que” is the whole question marker in “Est-ce que nous avons une éponge propre ?” It turns the following statement into a question: “Est-ce” begins the marker and “que” connects it to the rest of the sentence. Use it before a statement when asking a yes-or-no question.

nous “nous” means “we” in “nous avons,” identifying the speaker and another person together. It comes before “avons” as the subject of the question. Use it when talking about an action or possession shared by the speaker and others.

avons “avons” means “have” in “nous avons une éponge propre,” asking whether the group has a clean sponge available. The citation form is “avoir”; “avons” is the form used with “nous.” Use “nous avons” to talk about what the group has.

éponge “éponge” means “sponge” in “une éponge propre,” the item needed to clean the stain. It also appears in “L'éponge,” referring to the same sponge. Use it when identifying a sponge used for cleaning.

propre “propre” means “clean” in “une éponge propre,” describing the condition of the sponge. It follows “éponge” in this phrase. Use it to describe something that is clean, including a cleaning item.

L'éponge “L'éponge” means “the sponge” and refers to the specific sponge by the sink. It is the subject in “L'éponge est près de l'évier.” The form “l'” is attached to “éponge” before this noun.

est “est” means “is” in “L'éponge est près de l'évier,” linking the sponge to its location. It is followed here by a location expression. Use it to state where a person or thing is.

l'évier “l'évier” means “the sink” in “près de l'évier,” the place near which the sponge is located. The form “l'” is attached to “évier” in this expression. Use it when identifying the sink as a location in a kitchen or cleaning situation.

dois “dois” expresses “should” or “must” in “je dois utiliser du savon,” asking whether the speaker is expected or needs to use soap. The citation form is “devoir”; “dois” is the form used with “je.” It is followed here by the infinitive “utiliser.”

utiliser “utiliser” means “use” in “je dois utiliser du savon,” naming the action the speaker is considering. It follows “dois” as the action that may be necessary. Use it before the thing being used, as in “utiliser du savon.”

du “du” presents an unspecified amount in “du savon,” meaning “some soap.” It comes before “savon” here rather than identifying one particular item. Use it before a substance or other masculine noun when referring to some amount of it.

savon “savon” means “soap” in “du savon,” the substance used for cleaning the stain. It appears both in the question and in “un peu de savon.” Use it when talking about soap as a cleaning material.

Mets “Mets” means “put” in the instruction “Mets un peu de savon sur l'éponge.” The citation form is “mettre”; “Mets” is the form used to address one person directly. Use it at the start of a direct instruction before the object being placed.

un “un” contributes the idea of “a” or “one” in the quantity expression “un peu.” Together, “un peu de savon” means “a little soap,” not one separate piece of soap. Use it as part of “un peu de” when specifying a small amount.

peu “peu” means “little” in “un peu de savon,” describing a small amount of soap. The reusable quantity pattern is “un peu de” followed by the substance or thing. Use it when asking for or describing a small amount.

presque “presque” means “almost” in “a presque disparu,” showing that the stain has nearly disappeared but the change is not presented as fully complete. It comes before “disparu” here. Use it to say that an action or change is very close to completion.

disparu “disparu” means “gone” or “disappeared” in “La tache a presque disparu.” The citation form is “disparaître”; “disparu” is the form used with “a” to report the stain’s disappearance. Use “a disparu” to report that something has disappeared.

a l'air “a l'air” is the whole expression used to describe appearance in “La table a l'air propre.” Here, “a” supplies the verb part, “l'air” refers to the appearance, and “propre” says that the table appears clean. Use this expression to describe how something looks or seems.

Grammar Points

il y a + nom

Il y a une tache sur la table.

eel yah oon TAHSH sür lah TAH-bluh

There is a stain on the table.

Il y a means both “there is” and “there are”; the expression stays the same before singular or plural nouns.

devoir + infinitif

Tu dois mettre un peu de savon.

tü DWAH MEHTR uh(n) puh duh sa-VON

You must put a little soap.

Devoir + infinitive expresses obligation. Devoir changes with the subject, while the second verb stays in the infinitive.

French Vocabulary

devoir verb

duh-VWAHR must; should dois

éponge noun

ay-PONZH sponge une éponge

évier noun

ay-VYAY sink l'évier

il y a phrase

eel yah there is; there are

Il y a une tache sur la table.

près de prep

preh duh near; close to

propre adj

PROHP clean

sur prep

sür on

table noun

TAH-bluh table la table

tache noun

TAHSH stain une tache

tasse noun

TAHSS cup la tasse

utiliser verb

oo-tee-lee-ZAY to use

voir verb

VWAHR to see vois

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

The sponge is by the sink.

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L'éponge est près de l'évier.

The stain is almost gone.

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La tache a presque disparu.

The table looks clean.

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La table a l'air propre.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

clean

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propre

to see

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vois

to use

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utiliser

must; should

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dois