About This Lesson
Use Organizing a suitcase to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
Ma valise est en désordre et nous partons demain.
mah va-LEEZ eh-TAHN day-ZOR-druh ay noo par-TOHN duh-MAN My suitcase is messy, and we leave tomorrow.
B
Plie d'abord les chemises pour gagner de la place.
plee duh-BOR lay shuh-MEEZ poor gah-NYAY duh lah PLAHS Fold the shirts first to save space.
A
Est-ce que je dois séparer les liquides des vêtements ?
ess-kuh zhuh dwah say-pah-RAY lay lee-KEED day vet-MAHN Should I separate liquids from clothes?
B
Mets les liquides dans un sac en plastique avant de les mettre dans la valise.
meh lay lee-KEED dahn-zuhn sahk ahn plas-TEEK ah-VAHN duh lay MEHTR dahn lah va-LEEZ Put liquids in a plastic bag before you pack them.
A
La valise semble proche de la limite de poids.
lah va-LEEZ SAHMBL prohsh duh lah lee-MEET duh PWAH The suitcase feels close to the weight limit.
B
Alors, mets les livres lourds dans ton sac à dos.
ah-LOR meh lay LEE-vruh loor dahn tohn sahk ah DOH Then move heavy books to your backpack.
A
Ça rend la valise plus facile à fermer.
sah rahn lah va-LEEZ plew fa-SEEL ah fehr-MAY That makes the suitcase easier to close.
B
Elle devrait être prête pour le voyage maintenant.
el duh-VRAY ehtr PREHT poor luh vwah-YAHZH man-tuh-NAHN It should be ready for the trip now.Word by Word
Ma
« Ma » means “my” here and identifies « valise » as belonging to the speaker. It comes directly before the noun it describes. Use this form before a feminine singular noun when identifying something as the speaker’s.
valise
« valise » means “suitcase” here. It is the item being organized, moved, and made ready for the trip. It can be used as the noun after a possessive such as « Ma ».
est
« est » means “is” and links « valise » with its state, « en désordre ». It is the form of « être » used with the suitcase here. Use it before a description of a person or thing’s state.
en
« en » contributes the meaning “in” in the expression « en désordre », which describes the suitcase as messy. Here it is part of the expression for being in a disordered state, not a reference to material. Use « en » with this expression when describing something as messy.
désordre
« désordre » means “disorder” in « en désordre », so the suitcase is messy or untidy. The expression uses « en » before this noun to describe a state. Use « en désordre » when describing an untidy room, bag, or other space.
et
« et » means “and” and joins the suitcase’s condition with the information that the travelers leave tomorrow. It connects two parts of the sentence without showing a contrast. Use it to link related statements or items.
nous
« nous » means “we” here and is the subject of « partons ». It refers to the speaker and the other people leaving together. Use it before a verb when the subject is “we,” or in other contexts for “us.”
partons
« partons » means “leave” here: the speakers are leaving tomorrow. It is a form of « partir » used with « nous », and the subject appears before it in « nous partons ». Use a subject plus this verb when talking about leaving for a trip.
demain
« demain » means “tomorrow” and places the departure on the day after today. It appears at the end of « nous partons demain » as a time reference. Use it to specify that an action will happen tomorrow.
Plie
« Plie » tells one person to fold something; here the shirts should be folded. It is the direct instruction form of « plier » and is followed by « les chemises ». Use it when giving someone a simple instruction about folding an item.
d'abord
« d'abord » means “first” and shows that folding the shirts is the first step. It appears after the instruction « Plie ». Use it to order actions when explaining what should happen before later steps.
les
« les » means “the” here and introduces the plural noun « chemises ». It identifies the shirts as the specific items to fold. Use it before a plural noun when referring to specific people or things.
chemises
« chemises » means “shirts” and is the object of « Plie ». The word is plural because the instruction concerns more than one shirt. Use it after an action verb when referring to shirts being folded or packed.
pour
« pour » means “to” or “in order to” here and introduces the purpose of folding the shirts. It is followed by the infinitive « gagner ». Use « pour » before an infinitive to explain the purpose of an action.
gagner
« gagner » means “save” in « gagner de la place »: folding the shirts saves or creates usable space. It is an infinitive after « pour ». Use « pour » plus an infinitive when explaining what an action is intended to achieve.
de
« de » is part of « gagner de la place », where it introduces the amount or resource being gained: space. It follows « gagner » in this expression. Learn it together with « gagner de la place » when talking about making more room.
la
« la » means “the” here and introduces the feminine singular noun « place ». It is the definite article in « de la place ». Use it before a feminine singular noun when referring to a specific thing or concept.
place
« place » means “space” here, especially room available in the suitcase. In « gagner de la place », it refers to gaining or saving room. Use this expression when organizing or moving things to make more room.
Est-ce
« Est-ce » begins the yes-or-no question frame « Est-ce que ... ? » in « Est-ce que je dois... ». It does not express the complete question by itself. Use this frame before a statement when asking whether something is the case.
que
« que » completes the question frame « Est-ce que ... ? » before the subject « je ». Together with « Est-ce », it helps turn the following statement into a yes-or-no question. Use it before the subject and verb in this question pattern.
je
« je » means “I” and is the subject of « dois ». It shows that the speaker is asking about their own action. Use it before a verb when the speaker is the person doing the action.
dois
« dois » means “must” or “should” here, asking whether the speaker is expected or advised to separate the liquids. It is a form of « devoir » used with « je » and followed by « séparer ». Use it before an infinitive to ask about an obligation or recommended action.
séparer
« séparer » means “separate” here: the speaker asks whether the liquids should be kept apart from the clothes. It is the infinitive after « dois ». Use it with the things being separated and the group they are separated from.
liquides
« liquides » means “liquids” and is the thing being separated from the clothes. It is the object of « séparer » in the question. Use it when referring to liquid items that need to be handled or packed separately.
des
« des » means “from the” in « séparer les liquides des vêtements ». It identifies the clothes as the group from which the liquids are separated. Use it after « séparer » to introduce what something is being separated from.
vêtements
« vêtements » means “clothes” and is the group from which the liquids should be separated. It follows « des » in the expression « des vêtements ». Use it when referring generally to clothing being packed, sorted, or moved.
Mets
« Mets » tells one person to put or place something; here the liquids are to be placed in a plastic bag. It is a direct instruction form of « mettre », and the object follows it in « Mets les liquides ». Use it at the start of an instruction before the item to be placed.
dans
« dans » means “in” or “into” and indicates the destination of the liquids: « un sac en plastique ». It comes before the container receiving the item. Use it to show that something is put inside a place or container.
un
« un » means “a” here and introduces « sac », one unspecified bag. It appears before the singular noun. Use it before a masculine singular noun when referring to one non-specific item.
sac
« sac » means “bag” and is the container where the liquids should be placed. It is described by « en plastique ». Use it as the noun after « dans » when specifying a bag as the destination.
plastique
« plastique » means “plastic” and specifies the material of « sac ». It follows the noun in « sac en plastique ». Use this pattern when describing an item made of a particular material.
avant
« avant » means “before” and introduces the action that must happen earlier: putting the liquids in the suitcase. In the dialogue it is part of « avant de les mettre ». Use it to order one action before another.
mettre
« mettre » means “put” or “place” here, referring to packing the liquids in the suitcase. It follows « avant de » as an infinitive, and « les » refers back to the liquids. Use « avant de » plus an infinitive to say that one action happens before another.
semble
« semble » means “seems” and presents the suitcase as appearing close to the weight limit. It is a form of « sembler » used with « la valise ». Use it before a description when something appears to have a certain quality or state.
proche
« proche » means “close” or “near” here, describing the suitcase’s distance from the weight limit. It is followed by « de » in « proche de la limite ». Use « proche de » before a place, amount, or limit that something is near.
limite
« limite » means “limit” in « la limite de poids ». It names the maximum weight being approached. Use it with « de » to specify the kind of limit, such as a weight limit.
poids
« poids » means “weight” and specifies what kind of limit is being discussed. It follows « de » in « limite de poids ». Use it when discussing how heavy luggage or another object is.
Alors
« Alors » means “then” or “so” and introduces the next action as a response to the suitcase being near its weight limit. It appears at the beginning of the instruction. Use it to connect a situation with a resulting suggestion or action.
livres
« livres » means “books” and is the item to be moved into the backpack. It is modified by « lourds » in « livres lourds ». Use it when referring to books as objects being packed, carried, or moved.
lourds
« lourds » means “heavy” and describes the books in « livres lourds ». Its plural form matches the plural noun « livres ». Use it after a noun when describing several books or other items as heavy.
ton
« ton » means “your” and identifies « sac à dos » as belonging to the person being addressed. It comes before the singular noun « sac ». Use it before a noun when addressing one person informally about something that belongs to them.
à
« à » links « sac » with « dos » in « sac à dos », the expression for a backpack. Here it does not indicate movement to a destination; it helps form the name of the type of bag. Use it as part of this expression when referring to a backpack.
dos
« dos » means “back” and contributes the body-related meaning in « sac à dos », literally a bag carried on the back. The complete expression means “backpack”. Use it in this fixed expression when identifying that kind of bag.
Ça
« Ça » means “that” or “it” here and refers to the preceding action of moving the books. It is the subject of « rend ». Use it to refer back to an action or situation that has just been mentioned.
rend
« rend » means “makes” here: moving the books makes the suitcase easier to close. It is a form of « rendre » in the pattern « Ça rend ... plus facile ». Use this pattern to describe something causing a task or situation to become easier or harder.
plus
« plus » means “more” here and forms the comparison « plus facile », meaning “easier”. It increases the degree of the adjective « facile ». Use « plus » before an adjective when describing a greater degree of a quality.
facile
« facile » means “easy” and describes closing the suitcase in « plus facile à fermer ». It follows « plus » and is followed by « à » plus an infinitive. Use « facile à » with an infinitive to describe an action that is easy to perform.
fermer
« fermer » means “close” here, referring to closing the suitcase. It is the infinitive after « facile à ». Use « facile à » plus this type of infinitive when describing how easy it is to carry out an action.
Elle
« Elle » means “it” here and refers to the feminine noun « valise », not to a person. It is the subject of « devrait être ». Use it after mentioning a feminine singular noun when referring back to that thing.
devrait
« devrait » expresses “should” or an expectation here: after the packing changes, the suitcase is expected to be ready. It is a form of « devoir » followed by the infinitive « être ». Use it before an infinitive when making a cautious prediction or expectation.
être
« être » means “be” and completes « devrait être prête », describing the expected state of the suitcase. It is the infinitive after « devrait ». Use it before an adjective when describing what state someone or something is expected to be in.
prête
« prête » means “ready” and describes the suitcase as prepared for the trip. Its feminine singular form matches « Elle », referring to « valise ». Use it after a form of « être » to describe a feminine singular person or thing as ready.
le
« le » means “the” and introduces « voyage », the specific trip being prepared for. It comes before the masculine singular noun. Use it before a specific masculine singular noun.
voyage
« voyage » means “trip” or “journey” here and is the purpose associated with the prepared suitcase. In « pour le voyage », it follows « pour » to identify what the preparation is for. Use this noun when referring to a trip or journey.
maintenant
« maintenant » means “now” and places the expected readiness at the present time. It appears at the end of the sentence as a time reference. Use it to say that a state or action applies at this moment.
Grammar Points
Impératif affirmatif : verbe à la 2e personne du singulier
Plie les chemises d'abord.
plee lay shuh-MEEZ dah-BORFold the shirts first.
À l’impératif, le sujet tu est omis et le verbe donne directement la consigne.
Accord de l’adjectif avec le nom
Les vêtements sont lourds. La valise est prête.
lay vet-MAHN sohn loor. lah va-LEEZ eh PREHTThe clothes are heavy. The suitcase is ready.
L’adjectif change selon le nom : lourds au masculin pluriel, prête au féminin singulier.
French Vocabulary
chemise
noun
shuh-MEEZ
shirt
chemises
d'abord
adv
dah-BOR
first; at first
demain
adv
duh-MAN
tomorrow
en désordre
phrase
ahn day-ZOR-druh
messy; untidy
Ma valise est en désordre.
gagner de la place
phrase
gah-NYAY duh lah PLAHS
to save space
liquide
noun
lee-KEED
liquid
liquides
mettre
verb
MEHTR
to put; to place
Mets
partir
verb
par-TEER
to leave
partons
plier
verb
plee-YAY
to fold
Plie
séparer
verb
say-pah-RAY
to separate
valise
noun
va-LEEZ
suitcase
vêtement
noun
veh-tuh-MAHN
clothing; garment
vêtements
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
shirt
Show Answer
chemisessuitcase
Show Answer
valiseto fold
Show Answer
Plieto leave