Choosing a Place to Sit | Learn French in English

About This Lesson

Use Choosing a Place to Sit to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Où devrions-nous nous asseoir ?

oo duh-vree-YOHN noo noo-zah-SWAHR Where should we sit?

La table du coin est dans un endroit calme.

lah TAHBL dyoo KWA(N) eh dahn-zuhn-nahn-DRWAH KAHLM The corner table is in a quiet spot.

Cette table est aussi bien éclairée.

seht TAHBL eh oh-SEE BYEH(N)-nay-klay-RAY This table has nice light too.

Cette table serait mieux pour lire.

seht TAHBL suh-RAY MYUH poor LEER This table would be better for reading.

Ces chaises sont confortables ?

say SHEHZ SOH(N) kohn-for-TAHBL Are these chairs comfortable?

Elles sont bien pour moi.

ehl SOH(N) BYEH(N) poor MWAH They feel fine to me.

Asseyons-nous à cette table.

ah-say-YOHN noo ah seht TAHBL Let's sit at this table.

Je vais mettre nos sacs sous la table.

zhuh VEH MEHTR noh SAHK soo lah TAHBL I'll put our bags under it.

Word by Word

Où “Où” asks for a location in “Où devrions-nous nous asseoir ?”. Use it when asking where something is or where an action should happen.

devrions “Devrions” expresses what the speakers should or ought to do in the shared question “Où devrions-nous nous asseoir ?”. It is useful when making a suggestion or deciding together what to do.

nous In “Où devrions-nous nous asseoir ?”, “nous” refers to the speaker and at least one other person. It identifies the people who should sit, and it also appears in “Asseyons-nous” for a suggestion involving the group.

asseoir “Asseoir” names the action of sitting down in “nous asseoir”. It is used here to describe taking a seat, and the same action appears in the suggestion “Asseyons-nous”.

La “La” means “the” before “table” in “La table du coin”. It identifies one specific table, and it is used before a singular feminine noun.

table “Table” means “table” in “La table du coin” and “Cette table”. It names the piece of furniture the speakers are choosing and can be used when referring to a table in a room or public space.

du In “La table du coin”, “du” links the table with the corner and means “of the”; it is the contraction of “de” and “le”. The phrase “du coin” helps identify which table is meant.

coin “Coin” means “corner” in “du coin”. Use it to identify a table or area by its position at the corner of a room or space.

est “Est” means “is” in “La table du coin est dans un endroit calme”. It links the table with its location, and a useful pattern is a noun followed by “est” and a location phrase.

dans “Dans” means “in” in “dans un endroit calme”. It places the table inside a particular place, and it is useful before a place or location expression.

un “Un” means “a” before “endroit” in “un endroit calme”. It introduces one non-specific place and is used here before the singular noun “endroit”.

endroit “Endroit” means “place” or “spot” in “un endroit calme”. It names the location where the table is, and it can be used when describing a particular kind of place.

calme “Calme” means “quiet” in “un endroit calme”. It describes the place as peaceful, and you can use it to describe a quiet room, area, or setting.

Cette “Cette” means “this” before “table” in “Cette table est aussi bien éclairée”. It points to a specific table being considered and is used before a singular feminine noun.

aussi “Aussi” means “also” or “too” in “Cette table est aussi bien éclairée”. It adds the table’s good lighting as another positive point, and it is useful when adding another fact or quality.

bien “Bien” means “well” in “bien éclairée”. Together with “éclairée”, it shows that the table has good lighting, and “bien” can qualify a description to show a good degree or quality.

éclairée “Éclairée” describes “Cette table” as well lit in “Cette table est aussi bien éclairée”. Use it when describing a table, room, or area that has sufficient light.

serait “Serait” means “would be” in “Cette table serait mieux pour lire”. It presents the table as a softer recommendation, and “serait mieux pour” is useful when suggesting an option for a particular purpose.

mieux “Mieux” means “better” in “serait mieux pour lire”. It marks this table as the preferable choice for reading, and “mieux pour” can show that one option suits a purpose better.

pour “Pour” means “for” and introduces the purpose in “pour lire”. The pattern “pour” followed by an infinitive is useful for saying what an action or choice is intended for.

lire “Lire” means “to read” in “pour lire”. It names the activity that the table is better suited for and appears after “pour” to express purpose.

Ces “Ces” means “these” before “chaises” in “Ces chaises sont confortables ?”. It points to specific chairs nearby and is used before a plural noun.

chaises “Chaises” means “chairs” in “Ces chaises”. It names the seats whose comfort the speakers are checking, and it is useful when discussing seating in a room or public space.

sont “Sont” means “are” in “Ces chaises sont confortables ?”. It links the plural chairs with the quality “confortables”, and a useful pattern is a plural noun followed by “sont” and a description.

confortables “Confortables” means “comfortable” in “Ces chaises sont confortables ?”. It describes the chairs’ comfort and can be used when asking or telling whether furniture is comfortable.

Elles “Elles” means “they” and refers back to “Ces chaises” in “Elles sont bien pour moi”. Use it when the group being discussed is already clear, so you do not need to repeat “Ces chaises”.

moi “Moi” means “me” in “pour moi”. It marks the speaker’s personal judgment that the chairs are fine, and the pattern “pour moi” is useful for stating what suits or seems good to you.

Asseyons “Asseyons” supplies the action of sitting in the suggestion “Asseyons-nous à cette table”. Together, “Asseyons-nous” means “let’s sit”, and the expression is useful when proposing that the speaker and another person take a seat.

à “À” means “at” in “à cette table”. It identifies the place where the speakers will sit, and “à” followed by a place is useful for saying where someone is or sits.

Je “Je” means “I” in “Je vais mettre nos sacs sous la table”. It identifies the speaker as the person who will act and is used before a verb when stating what the speaker will do.

vais “Vais” means “am going to” in “Je vais mettre”. Together with the infinitive “mettre”, it marks an intended forthcoming action, and “Je vais” followed by an infinitive is useful for talking about a plan or immediate action.

mettre “Mettre” means “put” or “place” in “Je vais mettre nos sacs sous la table”. It names the action applied to the bags and is reusable in the pattern “mettre” plus an object plus a place.

nos “Nos” means “our” before “sacs” in “nos sacs”. It shows that the bags belong to the speaker and the other person, and it is used before a plural noun for shared possession.

sacs “Sacs” means “bags” in “nos sacs”. It names the objects that will be placed under the table and can be used when discussing where bags are put.

sous “Sous” means “under” in “sous la table”. It marks the position below the table, and “sous” followed by a noun is useful for stating where an object is placed.

Grammar Points

Nous devrions + infinitif

Où devrions-nous nous asseoir ?

oo duh-vree-YOHN noo noo-zah-SWAHR

Where should we sit down?

Le conditionnel de devoir, « devrions », sert à donner une suggestion ou à demander un conseil avec politesse.

Impératif + -nous

Asseyons-nous.

ah-say-YOHN noo

Let's sit down.

À l’impératif affirmatif, le pronom « nous » se place après le verbe et s’y relie par un trait d’union.

French Vocabulary

aussi adv

oh-SEE also; too

bien éclairée phrase

BYEH(N)-nay-klay-RAY well-lit

calme adj

KAHLM quiet

cette det

SEHT this

coin noun

KWA(N) corner

devrions verb

duh-vree-YOHN should

endroit noun

ahn-DRWAH place

mieux adv

MYUH better

nous asseoir phrase

noo ah-SWAHR to sit down

où adv

oo where

serait verb

suh-RAY would be

table noun

TAHBL table

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Where should we sit?

Show Answer

Où devrions-nous nous asseoir ?

This table has nice light too.

Show Answer

Cette table est aussi bien éclairée.

This table would be better for reading.

Show Answer

Cette table serait mieux pour lire.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

also; too

Show Answer

aussi

quiet

Show Answer

calme

this

Show Answer

cette

should

Show Answer

devrions