Finding an online listening resource | Learn French in English

French lesson set in a contemporary Paris everyday setting: In a language classroom, two adults discuss an online resource for listening practice and choosing a level that feels clear..

EN → FR / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Finding an online listening resource to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Tu connais une ressource en ligne utile pour pratiquer une langue ?

tew koh-NAI oon ruh-SOORS ahn LEEN-yoo oo-TEEL poor prah-tee-KAY oon LAHNG? Do you know a useful online resource for language practice?
B

Ce site propose de courts exercices d'écoute.

suh SEET proh-POHZ duh KOOR eg-zehr-SEES day-KOOT. This site has short listening exercises.
A

Je peux écouter l'audio sur ce site ?

zhuh puh ay-koo-TAY loh-DYOH sewr suh SEET? Can I listen to the audio there?
B

Tu peux écouter l'audio de chaque exercice sur la page.

tew puh ay-koo-TAY loh-DYOH duh SHAK eg-zehr-SEES sewr lah PAHZH. You can play the audio for each exercise on the page.
A

Comment choisir le bon niveau ?

koh-MAHN shwah-ZEER luh BOHN nee-VOH? How do I choose the right level?
B

Choisis un niveau où la plupart des phrases sont claires.

shwah-ZEE oon nee-VOH oo lah plyoo-PAR day FRAHZ sohn KLAIR. Choose a level where most sentences feel clear.
A

Cela semble moins stressant que des exercices plus difficiles.

suh-LAH sahmbl mwan stray-SAHN kuh day-zeg-zehr-SEES ploo dee-fee-SEEL. That sounds less stressful than harder practice.
B

Cela devrait t'aider à prendre confiance.

suh-LAH duh-VRAY tay-DAY ah PRAHN-druh kohn-FYAHNS. It should help you build confidence.

Word by Word

Tu Tu means “you” when speaking to one person informally. In Tu connais, it identifies the person being asked about a resource.
connais Connais means “know” or “be familiar with” in Tu connais une ressource. Connais is the form of connaître used with Tu; the pattern Tu connais + a person or thing asks whether someone knows it.
une Une means “a” or “one” before the feminine noun ressource in une ressource. The pattern une + noun introduces one unspecified feminine thing.
ressource Ressource means “resource,” here an online material for language practice. Une ressource can be followed by details about its purpose, as in une ressource en ligne.
en ligne En ligne means “online” and describes the resource as available on the internet. In this expression, en places something in a setting or mode, while ligne contributes the idea of being online; the reusable pattern is une ressource en ligne.
utile Utile means “useful” and describes the resource in une ressource en ligne utile. It is useful here because the speaker is looking for something that helps with language practice.
pour Pour introduces the purpose of the resource in pour pratiquer une langue, meaning “for practicing a language” or “in order to practice a language.” A reliable pattern is pour + an infinitive to state purpose.
pratiquer Pratiquer means “to practice” in pour pratiquer une langue. It is the infinitive used after pour, and the pattern pratiquer + a language or activity describes what someone practices.
langue Langue means “language” in pratiquer une langue. The phrase pratiquer une langue identifies the language being practiced.
Ce Ce means “this” before the masculine noun site in Ce site. It points to a particular site that has already become the topic of the conversation.
site Site means “website” in Ce site propose de courts exercices d'écoute. The pattern ce site + a verb describes what a particular website offers.
propose Propose means “offers” or “provides” in Ce site propose de courts exercices d'écoute. It presents the site as making exercises available; the pattern proposer + something describes what is offered.
de De introduces the exercises provided in propose de courts exercices d'écoute. In this exact phrase, it connects propose with the offered group of exercises rather than simply meaning “of.”
courts Courts means “short” and describes the exercises in de courts exercices d'écoute. Its form agrees with the plural noun exercices; the pattern courts + plural noun describes short items.
exercices Exercices means “exercises,” here practice activities on the site. In de courts exercices d'écoute, it is the thing the site provides.
d'écoute D'écoute specifies that the exercises are for listening. It is de before écoute with the vowel removed and an apostrophe, and the reusable expression exercices d'écoute refers to listening exercises.
Je Je means “I” and identifies the speaker in Je peux écouter l'audio. It is used before the verb to state what the speaker can do.
peux Peux means “can” or “am able to” in Je peux écouter l'audio. It is the form of pouvoir used with Je, followed here by the infinitive écouter.
écouter Écouter means “to listen to” in Je peux écouter l'audio. It follows peux as an infinitive, and the pattern peux + écouter expresses ability or permission to listen.
l'audio L'audio means “the audio” in écouter l'audio. L' is the shortened form of the article before audio, and écouter l'audio identifies the material being listened to.
sur Sur means “on” in sur ce site and sur la page, referring to where the audio can be accessed. The pattern sur + a site or page locates something on an online platform.
chaque Chaque means “each” in chaque exercice. It points to the exercises one by one, as in the pattern chaque + singular noun.
exercice Exercice means “exercise” in chaque exercice. Here it identifies each individual activity whose audio can be listened to.
la La means “the” before the feminine noun page in la page. It introduces a specific page, and the pattern la + feminine noun marks that definite noun.
page Page means “page,” here the page where the audio for each exercise is available. Sur la page means “on the page” and gives the location of the audio.
Comment Comment means “how” at the beginning of Comment choisir le bon niveau ? It asks about the method for choosing the appropriate level.
choisir Choisir means “to choose” in Comment choisir le bon niveau ? It is the infinitive used after Comment to ask how an action is done.
le Le means “the” before the masculine noun niveau in le bon niveau. It introduces the specific level being considered.
bon Bon means “right” or “suitable” in le bon niveau, meaning the level that is appropriate. The pattern bon + noun can describe something as suitable for the purpose under discussion.
niveau Niveau means “level” in le bon niveau and Choisis un niveau. Here it refers to the difficulty level of the listening practice.
Choisis Choisis means “choose” as an instruction to one person in Choisis un niveau. It is used to tell the listener what action to take, followed by the thing to choose.
un Un means “a” or “one” before niveau in un niveau. The pattern un + noun introduces one possible level.
où Où means “where” or “at which” in un niveau où la plupart des phrases sont claires. It links the chosen level to the condition that most sentences are clear.
la plupart La plupart means “most” or “the majority” in la plupart des phrases. La is the article and plupart means the greater part; together, the expression is followed here by des phrases to identify most of the sentences.
des Des introduces the plural noun phrases in la plupart des phrases, meaning “the sentences” within the expression “most of the sentences.” Here it connects la plupart with a plural group.
phrases Phrases means “sentences” in la plupart des phrases. These are the sentences whose clarity is used to judge whether the level is suitable.
sont Sont means “are” in les phrases sont claires, here within la plupart des phrases sont claires. It links phrases with the description claires.
claires Claires means “clear” in la plupart des phrases sont claires. It describes the sentences as understandable, and its form matches the plural feminine noun phrases.
Cela Cela means “that” or “it” in Cela semble moins stressant. It refers to the idea of choosing a level where most sentences are clear.
semble Semble means “seems” in Cela semble moins stressant que des exercices plus difficiles. It presents the speaker’s assessment of the practice as less stressful.
moins Moins means “less” in moins stressant que des exercices plus difficiles. The pattern moins + adjective + que compares one thing with another.
stressant Stressant means “stressful” in moins stressant. It describes the practice being evaluated and is modified by moins to mean “less stressful.”
que Que means “than” after moins stressant in moins stressant que des exercices plus difficiles. It introduces the thing used for comparison.
plus Plus means “more” in plus difficiles, making the exercises “more difficult” or “harder.” The pattern plus + adjective compares the degree of a quality.
difficiles Difficiles means “difficult” or “harder” in des exercices plus difficiles. It describes the exercises used as the more demanding comparison.
devrait Devrait means “should” in Cela devrait t'aider à prendre confiance. It expresses an expected or helpful result of the suggested practice.
t'aider T'aider means “help you” in devrait t'aider à prendre confiance. T' represents te before aider, and the pattern aider quelqu'un à + infinitive states what someone helps another person do.
à À introduces the action connected to help in t'aider à prendre confiance. In this pattern, aider quelqu'un à + infinitive indicates the result or action that the help supports.
prendre Prendre means “to take” literally, but in prendre confiance it contributes to the meaning “gain” or “build confidence.” The expression prendre confiance is used for becoming more confident.
confiance Confiance means “confidence” in prendre confiance. Together, prendre confiance means “gain confidence,” a useful expression when practice helps someone feel more assured.

Grammar Points

la plupart de + nom

La plupart des phrases semblent claires.

lah plyoo-PAR day FRAHZ sahmbl KLAIR.

Most sentences seem clear.

La plupart est suivi de de et d’un nom pluriel : la plupart des phrases.

sembler + adjectif

Les exercices semblent moins stressants.

lay-zeg-zehr-SEES sahmbl MWAHN stray-SAHN.

The exercises seem less stressful.

Après sembler, on utilise un adjectif qui s’accorde avec le sujet : stressants avec exercices.

French Vocabulary

connaître verb
koh-NETR to know connais
court adj
KOOR short courts
écoute noun
ay-KOOT listening
écouter verb
ay-koo-TAY to listen to
en ligne phrase
ahn LEEN-yoo online
exercice noun
eg-zehr-SEES exercise exercices
langue noun
LAHNG language
pratiquer verb
prah-tee-KAY to practise
proposer verb
proh-poh-ZAY to offer propose
ressource noun
ruh-SOORS resource
site noun
SEET site
utile adj
ew-TEEL useful

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

How do I choose the right level?

Show AnswerComment choisir le bon niveau ?

It should help you build confidence.

Show AnswerCela devrait t'aider à prendre confiance.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to practise

Show Answerpratiquer

language

Show Answerlangue

short

Show Answercourts

to offer

Show Answerpropose