Choosing a Simple Activity | Learn French in English

French lesson set in a contemporary Paris everyday setting: In a shared space, two adults choose between walking outside and reading inside in a quiet room..

EN → FR / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Choosing a Simple Activity to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Quelle activité devrions-nous faire ?

kel ak-tee-vee-TAY duh-vree-YON noo fair What activity should we do?
B

On pourrait marcher dehors.

ohn poo-RAY mar-SHAY duh-OR We could walk outside.
A

Il peut faire froid dehors.

eel puh fair frwah duh-OR It may be cold out there.
B

Alors, on peut lire à l'intérieur.

ah-LOR, ohn puh leer ah lan-tay-RYUR Then we can read inside.
A

Lire est mieux aujourd'hui.

leer ay MYUH oh-zhoor-DWEE Reading sounds better today.
B

Choisissons une pièce calme.

shwah-zee-SONS ewn pee-ESS kalm Let's choose a quiet room.
A

Je vais apporter mon livre.

zhuh vay ah-por-TAY mohn LEE-vruh I'll bring my book.
B

Je vais trouver une place pour nous.

zhuh vay troo-VAY ewn plass poor noo I'll find a spot for us.

Word by Word

Quelle In "Quelle activité", this asks what or which activity. It is used with the feminine singular noun "activité"; reuse the pattern "Quelle + singular feminine noun" when choosing among options.
activité In "Quelle activité", "activité" means activity, something people can do. It is the thing being chosen in the question; it can be used after a question word when asking what to do.
devrions In "devrions-nous faire", this expresses what we should or ought to do. It is a form of devoir used with "nous" in a question; reuse "devrions-nous + infinitive" to ask for a suggestion.
nous In "devrions-nous", "nous" means we and appears after the verb in this question. In "pour nous", it means us; reuse "pour nous" to express something intended for the speakers.
faire In "devrions-nous faire", "faire" means do and refers to carrying out the activity being discussed. It follows "devrions-nous" as the action to be done; reuse a form of devoir followed by an infinitive.
On In "On pourrait marcher", "On" means we and refers to the two speakers. It is commonly used as a subject for a group in everyday French; reuse "On + verb" when speaking about what a group does or might do.
pourrait In "On pourrait marcher", "pourrait" expresses the suggestion that they could walk. It is a form of pouvoir followed by the infinitive "marcher"; reuse "On pourrait + infinitive" to propose an option.
marcher In "pourrait marcher dehors", "marcher" means to walk. It follows "pourrait" as the possible activity; reuse a form of pouvoir followed by "marcher" when suggesting walking.
dehors In "marcher dehors", "dehors" means outside and shows where the walking would happen. It can follow an action verb to indicate an outdoor location; the dialogue also uses it in "faire froid dehors".
Il In "Il peut faire froid dehors", "Il" is the impersonal subject used in this weather statement, so it does not mean he here. Reuse "Il" in a weather expression such as "Il peut faire froid".
peut In "Il peut faire froid dehors", "peut" expresses possibility: it may be cold outside. It is a form of pouvoir followed by the infinitive "faire"; reuse "peut + infinitive" to express what may happen or be possible.
froid In "faire froid", "froid" describes cold weather. The weather meaning comes from the whole expression "Il peut faire froid dehors"; reuse "faire froid" when saying that it is cold.
Alors At the start of "Alors, on peut lire à l'intérieur", "Alors" means then or so and connects this suggestion to the possible cold weather. Reuse it at the beginning of a sentence to introduce a consequence or next option.
lire In "on peut lire à l'intérieur", "lire" means to read. It follows "peut" as the possible activity; reuse "on peut lire" when suggesting that a group can read.
à In "à l'intérieur", "à" introduces the location inside. Together with "l'intérieur", it forms a place expression; reuse the exact phrase "à l'intérieur" to say where an action happens.
l'intérieur In "à l'intérieur", "l'intérieur" refers to the inside or interior. Its location meaning comes with "à"; reuse "à l'intérieur" when contrasting an indoor place with outside.
est In "Lire est mieux aujourd'hui", "est" means is and links the activity "Lire" with the evaluation "mieux". It is a form of être; reuse "X est mieux" to say that one option is better.
mieux In "Lire est mieux aujourd'hui", "mieux" means better and presents reading as the preferred option today. Reuse it after "est" to evaluate one choice positively, as in "Lire est mieux".
aujourd'hui In "Lire est mieux aujourd'hui", "aujourd'hui" means today and specifies when this preference applies. It can be placed at the end of a sentence to set the time for an opinion or situation.
Choisissons In "Choisissons une pièce calme", "Choisissons" means let's choose and proposes a joint decision. It is used to invite the other person to act together; reuse "Choisissons + noun" when selecting something.
une In "une pièce calme", "une" means a or one and introduces the room being selected. It is used before the feminine singular noun "pièce"; reuse "une + feminine singular noun" for one non-specific item.
pièce In "une pièce calme", "pièce" means room. It is the place the speakers want to choose; reuse "une pièce + adjective" to describe a room.
calme In "une pièce calme", "calme" means quiet and describes the room. It comes after "pièce" in this phrase; reuse "pièce calme" when referring to a quiet room.
Je In "Je vais apporter mon livre", "Je" means I and identifies the speaker as the person making the plan. Reuse "Je + verb" to state your own action or intention.
vais In "Je vais apporter", "vais" means am going to and helps express a planned action. It is a form of aller followed by the infinitive "apporter"; reuse "Je vais + infinitive" for a personal future plan.
apporter In "Je vais apporter mon livre", "apporter" means to bring. It follows "vais" and takes "mon livre" as the thing being brought; reuse "apporter + object" when saying what you will bring.
mon In "mon livre", "mon" means my and shows that the book belongs to or is associated with the speaker. It comes before the noun "livre"; reuse "mon + noun" to identify something as yours.
livre In "mon livre", "livre" means book and is the object of "apporter". Reuse "mon livre" when referring to a book that belongs to the speaker.
trouver In "Je vais trouver une place pour nous", "trouver" means to find. It follows "vais" and takes "une place" as its object; reuse "trouver + object" when saying what you intend to locate.
place In "trouver une place pour nous", "place" means a spot or place, here a suitable place for the speakers to read. Reuse "trouver une place" when looking for somewhere to sit or stay.
pour In "une place pour nous", "pour" means for and marks who the place is intended for. Reuse "pour + person" to show the intended recipient or beneficiary, as in "pour nous".

Grammar Points

devoir / pouvoir au conditionnel

Nous devrions choisir une activité ; on pourrait marcher dehors.

noo duh-vree-YON shwah-ZEER oon ak-tee-vee-TAY; ohn poo-RAY mar-SHAY duh-OR

We should choose an activity; we could walk outside.

Le conditionnel exprime une suggestion ou une possibilité de manière moins directe.

faire froid

Il fait froid dehors.

eel fay frwah duh-OR

It is cold outside.

Pour parler de la météo, le français utilise faire avec il : il fait froid.

French Vocabulary

à l'intérieur phrase
ah lan-tay-RYUR inside

Alors, on peut lire à l'intérieur.

activité noun
ak-tee-vee-TAY activity

Quelle activité devrions-nous faire ?

alors adv
ah-LOR then

Alors, on peut lire à l'intérieur.

dehors adv
duh-OR outside

On pourrait marcher dehors.

devoir verb
duh-VWAR should devrions

Quelle activité devrions-nous faire ?

faire verb
fair to do; to make

Quelle activité devrions-nous faire ?

faire froid phrase
fair frwah to be cold (weather)

Il peut faire froid dehors.

froid adj
frwah cold

Il peut faire froid dehors.

lire verb
leer to read

Alors, on peut lire à l'intérieur.

marcher verb
mar-SHAY to walk

On pourrait marcher dehors.

pouvoir verb
poo-VWAR can; could; may pourrait

On pourrait marcher dehors.

quelle det
kel which / what

Quelle activité devrions-nous faire ?

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

What activity should we do?

Show AnswerQuelle activité devrions-nous faire ?

We could walk outside.

Show AnswerOn pourrait marcher dehors.

It may be cold out there.

Show AnswerIl peut faire froid dehors.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to walk

Show Answermarcher

to do; to make

Show Answerfaire

activity

Show Answeractivité

outside

Show Answerdehors