Saving leftovers for tomorrow's lunch | Learn French in English

French lesson set in a contemporary Paris everyday setting: At home after dinner, two adults put leftovers in a container, label them, and keep them for lunch tomorrow..

EN → FR / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Saving leftovers for tomorrow's lunch to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Il y a beaucoup de restes du dîner.

eel yah boh-KOO duh REST doo dee-NAY There are a lot of leftovers from dinner.
B

Mettons-les dans une boîte propre.

meh-TOHN lay dahn-zewn BWAHT PROH-pr Let's put them in a clean container.
A

Est-ce que je peux les réchauffer pour le déjeuner de demain ?

ess kuh zhuh puh lay ray-shoh-FAY poor luh day-zhuh-NAY duh duh-MAN Can I reheat them for lunch tomorrow?
B

Tu peux, si on les garde au frigo jusque-là.

tew puh, see ohn lay GARD oh FREE-goh zhewsk-uh-LAH You can if we keep them in the fridge until then.
A

Est-ce que je dois mettre une étiquette sur la boîte ?

ess kuh zhuh DWAH MEHTR ewn ay-tee-KET sewr lah BWAHT Should I put a label on the container?
B

Comme ça, demain, on saura ce qu'il y a dedans.

kohm-SAH, duh-MAN, ohn soh-RAH suh keel yah duh-DAHN That way, tomorrow we will know what is inside.
A

Je vais mettre une étiquette bien visible dessus.

zhuh vay MEHTR ewn ay-tee-KET byan vee-ZEE-bluh duh-SEW I'll put a clear label on it.
B

Ça rendra le déjeuner plus facile.

sah rahn-DRAH luh day-zhuh-NAY plew fah-SEEL That will make lunch easier.

Word by Word

Il In Il y a, Il is part of the expression used to say that something exists or is present; here, Il y a beaucoup de restes means there are many leftovers. Reuse Il y a + a noun when pointing out that something is there. You can use this expression at home when mentioning available food or objects.
y In Il y a, y is part of the existential expression meaning there is or there are, rather than a separate word meaning there in this sentence. Reuse it in Il y a + a noun. This is useful when stating that something exists or is present.
a In Il y a, a is part of the expression that means there is or there are. Its meaning here comes from the whole expression Il y a, not from a alone. Reuse Il y a + a noun when introducing something that is present.
beaucoup Beaucoup means a lot in beaucoup de restes, so the sentence says there are many leftovers. With a noun, reuse the pattern beaucoup de + noun. Use it when describing a large quantity of food or another thing.
de In beaucoup de restes, de links the quantity beaucoup to the noun restes. The pattern beaucoup de + noun is used to say a lot of something. Use it when describing a large amount or number.
restes Restes means leftovers here, referring to food remaining from dinner. It appears in restes du dîner and can be reused in expressions about keeping or eating leftovers. Use it after a meal when talking about food that remains.
du In du dîner, du expresses the relation to the dinner, giving the meaning from dinner or of dinner in this context. It is the form used before the masculine noun dîner in this phrase. Reuse restes du dîner when identifying leftovers by the meal they came from.
dîner Dîner means dinner in restes du dîner, which identifies the meal connected with the leftovers. Reuse it in expressions that refer to dinner, such as restes du dîner. Use it when discussing the evening meal or food left from it.
Mettons Mettons-les dans une boîte propre means let's put them in a clean container, so Mettons proposes a joint action. It is followed here by the object les and the destination dans une boîte propre. Use Mettons when suggesting an action to do together.
les In Mettons-les, les means them and refers to the leftovers already mentioned. It is placed directly with Mettons before the destination phrase dans une boîte propre. Use it when replacing previously mentioned plural objects in this instruction.
dans Dans means in and shows that the leftovers are placed inside une boîte propre. A common reuse point is dans + a place or container. Use it when describing where something is put or located.
une Une introduces the non-specific feminine noun boîte in une boîte propre, meaning a clean container. Reuse une before a feminine singular noun when referring to one non-specific thing. Here it introduces the container chosen for the leftovers.
boîte Boîte means box or container in une boîte propre. It is the place receiving the leftovers in Mettons-les dans une boîte propre. Use it when talking about storing food or another object in a container.
propre Propre means clean in une boîte propre and describes the container. It follows boîte in this exact phrase. Use it after a noun when identifying something as clean, especially when discussing food storage.
Est Est is part of Est-ce que, the question marker used in Est-ce que je peux les réchauffer...? The whole expression introduces a yes-or-no question, so Est is not used alone with its usual literal meaning here. Use Est-ce que before a statement when asking a direct question.
ce Ce is part of the question marker Est-ce que in Est-ce que je peux les réchauffer...? Together, Est-ce que turns the following statement into a yes-or-no question. Use this fixed expression when asking whether an action is possible or allowed.
que Que completes the question marker Est-ce que in Est-ce que je peux les réchauffer...? It links the question marker to the following clause rather than expressing a separate meaning here. Reuse Est-ce que + a clause for a direct question.
je Je means I in je peux les réchauffer, identifying the person asking whether they may reheat the leftovers. It is used before the verb peux in this sentence. Reuse je + a verb when speaking about your own action or ability.
peux Peux means can in Est-ce que je peux les réchauffer...? Here it asks whether the speaker is allowed or able to reheat them. Reuse je peux + an infinitive when asking for permission or describing an ability.
réchauffer Réchauffer means reheat in les réchauffer, referring to warming the leftovers again. It follows peux in the question and remains in this basic verb form after it. Use it when talking about warming prepared food again.
pour Pour means for in pour le déjeuner de demain, expressing the intended meal or purpose of reheating the leftovers. Reuse pour + a noun when saying what something is intended for. Use it when planning food for a particular meal.
le Le is the definite article before déjeuner in le déjeuner de demain, referring to the specific lunch being planned for tomorrow. Reuse le before a masculine singular noun when referring to a particular thing. Here it identifies the planned lunch.
déjeuner Déjeuner means lunch in le déjeuner de demain. The phrase identifies the meal for which the leftovers will be reheated. Reuse pour le déjeuner when discussing food intended for lunch.
demain Demain means tomorrow and places the planned lunch on the following day in le déjeuner de demain. Reuse it with a meal or action to refer to the next day. Use it when making plans for the day after today.
Tu Tu means you and addresses the other adult in Tu peux, if we keep them in the fridge. It is used for one familiar person in this conversation. Reuse Tu + a verb when speaking directly to a familiar individual.
si Si means if and introduces the condition si on les garde au frigo jusque-là. The condition explains when the other person can reheat the leftovers. Reuse si + a clause when one action depends on another condition.
on On means we in si on les garde au frigo jusque-là, referring to the two adults together. It is the subject of garde in this sentence. Reuse on + a verb when speaking about a group including the speaker, especially in everyday conversation.
garde Garde means keep in on les garde au frigo, referring to keeping the leftovers refrigerated. The form appears after on and before les in this sentence. Use on les garde + a place when describing where food is kept.
au Au means in the or at the in au frigo, indicating the place where the leftovers are kept. It is the form used before frigo in this phrase. Reuse au + a place when saying where something is stored or located.
frigo Frigo means fridge in au frigo. It names the place where the leftovers remain until tomorrow. Reuse au frigo when talking about storing food in a refrigerator.
jusque Jusque marks an endpoint in jusque-là, which means until then in this sentence. It works together with là to show how long the leftovers should stay in the fridge. Use jusque with a time or endpoint when describing how long something continues.
là In jusque-là, là refers to the point in time mentioned in the conversation, namely tomorrow or until then. The whole expression means until then rather than simply there. Reuse jusque-là when referring back to a previously understood time or endpoint.
dois Dois means should or must in Est-ce que je dois mettre une étiquette...? The question asks whether putting a label is required or advisable. Reuse je dois + an infinitive when asking about or stating an obligation.
mettre Mettre means put in mettre une étiquette sur la boîte, describing the action of placing a label on the container. It follows dois in the question. Reuse mettre + an object + dans or sur a place when describing where something is placed.
étiquette Étiquette means label in mettre une étiquette sur la boîte. It refers to the label placed on the container to identify its contents. Reuse mettre une étiquette sur + an object when marking or identifying something.
sur Sur means on in sur la boîte, showing the surface where the label is placed. It follows the object étiquette in mettre une étiquette sur la boîte. Use it when describing something positioned on a surface or object.
la La is the definite article before boîte in sur la boîte, referring to the particular container already being discussed. Reuse la before a feminine singular noun when referring to a specific thing. Here it identifies the container receiving the label.
Comme Comme contributes to the expression Comme ça, meaning that way or so in this dialogue. The expression connects the labeling action with the result of knowing the contents. Use Comme ça when explaining how an action will produce a practical result.
ça In Comme ça, ça refers to the action or arrangement just discussed, and the whole expression means that way or so. It does not identify a separate object here. Reuse Comme ça when pointing to a method or action and stating its consequence.
saura Saura means will know in on saura ce qu'il y a dedans, referring to knowledge they will have tomorrow. It is used with on as the subject and is followed by information about what will be known. Reuse on saura + information when talking about something that will become known later.
dedans Dedans means inside in ce qu'il y a dedans, referring to the inside of the labeled box. It completes the phrase that asks what the container contains. Use it when referring to something located inside a previously understood place or container.
vais In Je vais mettre une étiquette bien visible dessus, vais helps express the speaker's immediate plan to put on a label. It is followed by the infinitive mettre. Reuse je vais + an infinitive when announcing what you are going to do.
bien Bien strengthens visible in bien visible, so the whole phrase means clearly or easily visible. It does not by itself carry the entire meaning of the phrase. Reuse bien before an adjective when emphasizing a noticeable quality.
visible Visible means visible in une étiquette bien visible, describing a label that can be seen clearly. Together with bien, it explains why the label will help identify the contents. Use it when describing something that can be seen or noticed.
dessus Dessus means on it or on top of it in mettre une étiquette bien visible dessus, referring back to the box. It indicates where the label will be placed. Reuse mettre quelque chose dessus when placing an object on a previously mentioned surface or item.
rendra Rendra means will make or will render in Ça rendra le déjeuner plus facile. It predicts that the label will make lunch easier. Reuse rendre + an object + an adjective when describing the effect one action has on something.
plus Plus contributes to the comparative phrase plus facile, meaning easier in plus facile. Its meaning here comes together with facile rather than standing alone. Reuse plus + an adjective when describing something as having a greater degree of a quality.
facile Facile means easy in le déjeuner plus facile, and plus facile means easier. The sentence predicts that labeling the container will simplify lunch. Reuse rendre + an object + plus facile when saying that an action makes something easier.

Grammar Points

pouvoir + infinitif

Je peux réchauffer le dîner demain.

zhuh puh ray-shoh-FAY luh dee-NAY duh-MAN

I can reheat dinner tomorrow.

After peux, use the infinitive: peux réchauffer means “can reheat.”

impératif avec pronom objet

Mettons-les dedans.

meh-TOHN lay duh-DAHN

Let's put them inside.

In the affirmative imperative, the object pronoun follows the verb with a hyphen: mettons-les.

French Vocabulary

beaucoup adv
boh-KOO a lot
boîte noun
BWAHT box; container
déjeuner noun
day-zhuh-NAY lunch
demain adv
duh-MAN tomorrow
dîner noun
dee-NAY dinner
garde verb
GARD keep
les pron
lay them
mettons verb
meh-TOHN let's put
peux verb
puh can
propre adj
PROH-pr clean
réchauffer verb
ray-shoh-FAY to reheat
restes noun
REST leftovers

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Let's put them in a clean container.

Show AnswerMettons-les dans une boîte propre.

That will make lunch easier.

Show AnswerÇa rendra le déjeuner plus facile.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

a lot

Show Answerbeaucoup

let's put

Show Answermettons

leftovers

Show Answerrestes

dinner

Show Answerdîner