Keeping a Shared Bathroom Clean | Learn French in English

French lesson set in a contemporary Paris everyday setting: In a shared bathroom, two adults talk about paper towels, the trash bin, and keeping the sink area clean..

EN → FR / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Keeping a Shared Bathroom Clean to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Est-ce que je peux utiliser cette salle de bains commune ?

ess-kuh zhuh puh oo-tee-lee-ZAY set sahl duh BAN kom-UN Can I use this shared bathroom?
B

Tu peux, et s'il te plaît, garde l'espace autour du lavabo propre.

too puh, ay seel tuh PLAY, gard less-PASS ah-TOOR dew lah-vah-BOH PROH-pr You can, and please keep the sink area clean.
A

J'ai besoin d'une feuille d'essuie-tout.

zhay buh-ZWAN dun FUH-yuh day-SWEE-TOO I need a paper towel.
B

Il y en a près du lavabo.

eel-yah-NAH PRAY duh lah-vah-BOH There are some near the sink.
A

Est-ce que je mets ça à la poubelle ?

ess-kuh zhuh meh sah ah lah poo-BELL Does this go in the trash?
B

Mets-le dans la petite poubelle.

meh luh dahn lah puh-TEET poo-BELL Put it in the small bin.
A

Je vais aussi essuyer rapidement le lavabo.

zhuh vay oh-SEE ay-swee-YAY rah-peed-MAHN luh lah-vah-BOH I will wipe the sink quickly too.
B

Ça aide la personne suivante.

sah ED lah pehr-SONN swee-VAHNT That helps the next person.

Word by Word

Est-ce que “Est-ce que” introduces a yes-or-no question; here, “Est-ce que je peux utiliser...” asks whether the speaker may use the bathroom. It is a reusable question pattern placed before a statement, such as “Est-ce que tu peux... ?”
je “je” means “I” and is the subject of “je peux utiliser” here. It is placed before the verb in a simple statement or question.
peux “peux” expresses ability or permission here: the speaker asks whether they can use the bathroom. With “je”, it commonly appears in “je peux + infinitive,” as in “je peux utiliser.”
utiliser “utiliser” means “to use” here, referring to using the shared bathroom. After “peux”, the verb stays in this infinitive form: “je peux utiliser...”.
cette “cette” means “this” and points to the particular bathroom being discussed. It comes directly before the noun “salle” in “cette salle de bains commune.”
salle “salle” means “room” here as part of the expression “salle de bains”, meaning bathroom. The pattern “salle de + noun” identifies a type of room.
de “de” links “salle” to “bains” in the fixed expression “salle de bains”. In this expression, it connects the room with its function or contents.
bains “bains” contributes “baths” to the expression “salle de bains”, which means bathroom. Learn “salle de bains” as the complete expression rather than translating this word alone.
commune “commune” means “shared” or “common” here and describes “salle de bains”. It follows the noun and can describe a space used by more than one person.
Tu “Tu” means “you” when speaking to one person in this dialogue. It is the subject in “Tu peux” and is placed before the verb.
et “et” means “and” and links permission with the request to keep the sink area clean. It commonly connects two related statements or instructions.
s'il te plaît “s'il te plaît” is the complete polite expression “please” here. Inside it, “s'il” contributes “if it/that”, “te” refers to the person being addressed, and “plaît” contributes “pleases”; together they form a polite request. It is used after or around an instruction, as in “Garde..., s'il te plaît.”
garde “garde” is the instruction “keep” here, telling one person to maintain the area in a clean condition. It is used before the object or area being kept in a certain state, as in “garde ... propre.”
l'espace “l'espace” means “the space” or “the area” here, specifically the area around the sink. The form begins with “l'” because the article is attached before a vowel sound.
autour “autour” means “around” and locates the space in relation to the sink. The reusable pattern is “autour de + noun,” as in “autour du lavabo.”
du “du” means “of the” in “autour du lavabo”. It is the contracted form of “de” and “le”, used before a masculine singular noun in this expression.
lavabo “lavabo” means “sink” here. In “l'espace autour du lavabo”, it is the reference point for the area being described or cleaned.
propre “propre” means “clean” here and describes the condition the sink area should remain in. It follows the area in the pattern “garder + area + propre.”
J'ai “J'ai” means “I have” here and begins the expression “J'ai besoin de...” for stating a need. It combines “je” and “ai” in the exact dialogue form and is followed by “besoin de”.
besoin “besoin” contributes “need” in the expression “J'ai besoin d'une feuille d'essuie-tout”. The reusable pattern is “avoir besoin de + noun” when saying that something is needed.
d'une “d'une” means “of a” in “J'ai besoin d'une feuille”. It combines “de” and “une”, and the pattern “avoir besoin d'une + noun” identifies one needed item.
feuille “feuille” means “sheet” or “piece” here, referring to one piece of paper towel. It is followed by “d'essuie-tout” to specify what kind of sheet it is.
d'essuie-tout “d'essuie-tout” specifies that the sheet is made of paper towel in “une feuille d'essuie-tout”. The form begins with “d'” because “de” is shortened before the vowel sound in “essuie-tout.”
Il In the exact expression “Il y en a”, “Il” participates in the French way of saying that some items exist or are available; it does not mean “he” here. This expression can be reused when pointing out that some previously mentioned things are present.
y In “Il y en a”, “y” helps refer to the place already understood, near the sink in this dialogue. It is part of the reusable expression “il y a” or “il y en a” for saying that something is present.
en In “Il y en a”, “en” refers to some of the paper towels already mentioned. The pattern “il y en a” is useful when saying that some quantity of a previously mentioned item is available.
a In “Il y en a”, “a” contributes the idea that the items are present or available. Together with “Il y en a”, it means “there are some,” rather than “he has” in this dialogue.
près “près” means “near” here and locates the paper towels close to the sink. The common location pattern is “près de + noun,” as in “près du lavabo.”
mets “mets” is the direct instruction “put” here, telling one person where to place something. It is used before the item and its destination, as in “Mets-le dans...”.
ça “ça” means “that” or “it” here and refers to the item whose destination is being asked about. It is commonly used for an object already indicated or understood in the conversation.
à “à” indicates the destination in “à la poubelle”, meaning into or in the trash bin. The pattern “mettre quelque chose à la poubelle” is used when throwing something away.
la “la” means “the” before the feminine noun “poubelle”. It identifies the particular trash bin being discussed.
poubelle “poubelle” means “trash bin” here. In “à la poubelle”, it names the destination for something that is being thrown away.
Mets-le “Mets-le” means “put it” here and tells one person to place the item in the small bin. It combines the instruction “mets” with “le”, referring to the item; the reusable pattern is “Mets-le dans + container.”
dans “dans” means “in” and marks the container where the item should be placed. It commonly comes before a noun naming an interior space or container, as in “dans la petite poubelle.”
petite “petite” means “small” here and describes the trash bin. It comes before the feminine noun “poubelle” in “la petite poubelle.”
vais “vais” contributes “am going to” in “Je vais aussi essuyer...”, expressing a planned or immediate action. The reusable pattern is “je vais + infinitive,” followed here by “essuyer.”
aussi “aussi” means “also” or “too” and adds wiping the sink to the speaker’s actions. It can be placed before the infinitive phrase, as in “je vais aussi essuyer...”.
essuyer “essuyer” means “to wipe” here, referring to wiping the sink. After “vais”, it remains in the infinitive form: “je vais essuyer...”.
rapidement “rapidement” means “quickly” and describes how the speaker will wipe the sink. It is an adverb that can be placed with the action it describes, as in “essuyer rapidement.”
aide “aide” means “helps” here: wiping the sink benefits the next person. It follows the subject “Ça” in the pattern “ça aide + person.”
personne “personne” means “person” here, referring to whoever uses the shared bathroom after the speaker. It is used with a describing word in “la personne suivante.”
suivante “suivante” means “next” or “following” here and identifies the person who comes after the speaker. It follows “personne” in “la personne suivante” and agrees with that noun.

Grammar Points

Impératif : garde

Garde ça propre, s'il te plaît.

GARD sah PROH-pr, seel tuh PLAY

Keep that clean, please.

The imperative gives a direct instruction. For the informal singular, garder becomes garde.

Accord des adjectifs féminins

cette petite poubelle commune

set puh-TEET poo-BELL kom-UN

this small shared bin

Feminine nouns take feminine adjective forms: petite and commune agree with poubelle.

French Vocabulary

autour de prep
ah-TOOR duh around
avoir besoin de phrase
ah-VWAR buh-ZWAN duh to need
cette det
set this
commune adj
kom-UN shared; common
espace noun
ess-PASS space; area
feuille noun
FUH-yuh sheet; piece
garder verb
gar-DAY to keep garde
lavabo noun
lah-vah-BOH sink
propre adj
PROH-pr clean
s'il te plaît phrase
seel tuh PLAY please
salle de bains noun
sahl duh BAN bathroom
utiliser verb
oo-tee-lee-ZAY to use

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

I need a paper towel.

Show AnswerJ'ai besoin d'une feuille d'essuie-tout.

Put it in the small bin.

Show AnswerMets-le dans la petite poubelle.

That helps the next person.

Show AnswerÇa aide la personne suivante.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

this

Show Answercette

sink

Show Answerlavabo

to use

Show Answerutiliser

shared; common

Show Answercommune