Borrowing cleaning supplies from a neighbor | Learn French in English

About This Lesson

Use Borrowing cleaning supplies from a neighbor to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Est-ce que je peux utiliser du produit nettoyant ?

ess kuh zhuh puh oo-tee-lee-ZAY dyoo proh-DWEE neh-twah-YAHN? Can I use some cleaning spray?

Il est sous l'évier. Quelque chose s'est renversé ?

eel EH soo lay-VYAYR. kelk SHOHZ say rahn-vair-SAY? It is under the sink. Did something spill?

Du jus s'est renversé sur le sol de la cuisine.

dyoo ZHOO say rahn-vair-SAY syur luh sohl duh lah kwee-ZEEN. Juice spilled on the kitchen floor.

Prends aussi le petit seau, comme ça tu peux rincer la serpillière.

prahn oh-SEE luh puh-TEE soh, kohm sah tyoo puh RAN-say lah sair-pee-YAIR. Take the small bucket too, so you can rinse the mop.

Ça m'aide. Je rapporterai les deux quand j'aurai fini.

sah MED. zhuh rah-pore-tuh-RAY lay duh kahn zhoh-RAY fee-NEE. That helps. I will bring both back when I finish.

Laisse-les devant ma porte quand tout sera sec.

less-LAY duh-VAHN mah PORT kahn too suh-RAH sek. Leave them by my door once everything is dry.

J'apprécie ton aide pour ce bazar.

zha-pray-SEE tohn NED poor suh bah-ZAR. I appreciate your help with this mess.

Assure-toi juste que le sol n'est pas glissant après.

ah-SYOOR-twah zhoost kuh luh sohl nay pah glee-SAHN ah-PRAY. Just make sure the floor is not slippery afterward.

Word by Word

Est-ce In «Est-ce que je peux utiliser du produit nettoyant ?», «Est-ce» introduces a direct yes-or-no question. It is used with «que» before the subject and verb, here to ask permission from a neighbor.

que In «Est-ce que je peux utiliser du produit nettoyant ?», «que» connects the question marker to the clause that follows. Together with «Est-ce», it forms a common way to ask a yes-or-no question.

je «Je» means “I” and identifies the speaker in «je peux utiliser du produit nettoyant». It is placed before the verb when the speaker asks about their own action or ability.

peux «Peux» means “can” in «je peux utiliser du produit nettoyant» and expresses permission or ability here. It is followed by the infinitive «utiliser», a useful pattern for asking whether you can do something.

utiliser «Utiliser» means “to use” in «je peux utiliser du produit nettoyant». It stays in this form after «peux» and takes the thing being used, here «du produit nettoyant».

du In «du produit nettoyant», «du» indicates an unspecified amount of the cleaning product. It is used before the noun when asking to use some of a substance or material.

produit «Produit» means “product” in «du produit nettoyant». With «nettoyant», it identifies the item as a product intended for cleaning; the noun follows «du».

nettoyant «Nettoyant» describes «produit» in «du produit nettoyant» and specifies that the product is for cleaning. This form is used after the noun in this expression to identify the type of product.

Il «Il» means “it” in «Il est sous l'évier» and refers to the cleaning product just mentioned. It is the subject placed before «est» in a sentence giving the item's location.

est «Est» means “is” in «Il est sous l'évier» and states where the item is located. A useful reuse pattern is «Il est» followed by a location such as «sous l'évier».

sous «Sous» means “under” in «sous l'évier» and describes the position of the cleaning product. It comes before the noun that identifies what is above it.

l'évier «L'évier» means “the sink” in «sous l'évier». After «sous», it names the fixed point used to describe where the cleaning product is stored.

Quelque In «Quelque chose s'est renversé ?», «Quelque» contributes the idea of “some” or “a certain” before «chose». Together, «Quelque chose» means “something” and is used to ask whether an unspecified thing caused the spill.

chose «Chose» means “thing” in «Quelque chose s'est renversé ?». With «Quelque», it forms «Quelque chose», a reusable expression for an unspecified thing.

s'est In «Quelque chose s'est renversé», «s'est» is part of the verb expression used to say that something spilled. Together with «renversé», it describes the event that happened to the unspecified thing; the question asks whether that event occurred.

renversé «Renversé» completes «s'est renversé» and gives the meaning “spilled” in this dialogue. Together with «s'est», it is used to describe liquid or another thing that has spilled.

jus «Jus» means “juice” in «Du jus s'est renversé». It names the liquid that spilled and follows «du» when referring to some juice.

sur «Sur» means “on” in «sur le sol de la cuisine» and shows the surface where the juice spilled. It is placed before the noun phrase naming that surface.

le In «le sol de la cuisine», «le» means “the” and introduces the specific floor being discussed. It comes directly before «sol» in this noun phrase.

sol «Sol» means “floor” in «le sol de la cuisine». The phrase identifies the surface affected by the spilled juice and can be used after a definite article when referring to a particular floor.

de In «le sol de la cuisine», «de» means “of” and links the floor to the kitchen. It introduces the noun phrase that specifies which floor is meant.

la In «de la cuisine», «la» means “the” and introduces «cuisine». It follows «de» in this phrase identifying the kitchen.

cuisine «Cuisine» means “kitchen” in «le sol de la cuisine». In this phrase, it specifies the room associated with the floor and follows «de la».

Prends «Prends» means “take” in «Prends aussi le petit seau». It is a direct instruction to the person addressed as «tu», here telling the neighbor to take another cleaning item.

aussi «Aussi» means “also” or “too” in «Prends aussi le petit seau». Its position after «Prends» adds the bucket to the items already being taken.

petit «Petit» means “small” in «le petit seau» and describes the size of the bucket. It comes before «seau» here, forming a specific noun phrase for the item to take.

seau «Seau» means “bucket” in «le petit seau». It is the object of «Prends» and names the container used so the mop can be rinsed.

comme In «comme ça», «comme» contributes the idea of “like” or “as”. Together with «ça», it forms «comme ça», meaning “that way”, and explains the practical result of taking the bucket.

ça In «comme ça tu peux rincer la serpillière», «ça» refers to the way or action just mentioned. Together with «comme», «comme ça» means “that way” and introduces the reason the bucket is useful.

tu «Tu» means “you” and identifies the person who can rinse the mop in «tu peux rincer la serpillière». It is the subject placed before «peux» when addressing one familiar person.

rincer «Rincer» means “to rinse” in «tu peux rincer la serpillière». It follows «peux» in the pattern «tu peux» plus an infinitive and names the action performed on the mop.

serpillière «Serpillière» means “mop” in «rincer la serpillière». It is the object of «rincer», naming the cleaning tool that can be rinsed with the bucket.

m'aide «M'aide» means “helps me” in «Ça m'aide». The «m'» identifies the speaker as the person helped, and the whole form is useful for saying that an action or thing is helpful.

rapporterai «Rapporterai» means “I will bring back” in «Je rapporterai les deux». It expresses the speaker's future promise to return the two borrowed cleaning items, with the object placed after the verb.

les In «les deux», «les» marks the two items as a known set, referring here to the cleaning supplies already mentioned. Together with «deux», it forms the expression “both” or “the two.”

deux «Deux» means “two” in «les deux» and refers to the two cleaning items being borrowed. The pattern «les deux» is used when the pair is already clear from the conversation.

quand «Quand» means “when” in «quand j'aurai fini» and introduces the time at which the speaker will return the items. It connects the future action to the condition of being finished.

j'aurai In «j'aurai fini», «j'aurai» means “I will have” and places the speaker's completion in the future. Together with «fini», it indicates that the speaker will be finished before the promised return.

fini «Fini» means “finished” in «j'aurai fini». Together with «j'aurai», it describes completion of the speaker's task and follows «quand» in the time expression.

Laisse-les «Laisse-les» means “leave them” in «Laisse-les devant ma porte». It gives a direct instruction to the person addressed as «tu», with «les» attached after the verb to refer to the cleaning items.

devant «Devant» means “in front of” or “by” in «devant ma porte» and gives the location where the items should be left. It comes before the place noun phrase «ma porte».

ma «Ma» means “my” in «ma porte» and identifies the door as belonging to the speaker. It comes before the noun «porte» in this location phrase.

porte «Porte» means “door” in «devant ma porte». It names the place by which the borrowed items should be left and follows the possessive word «ma».

tout «Tout» means “everything” in «tout sera sec». It is the subject of the statement and refers broadly to the things that need to be dry before they are left by the door.

sera «Sera» means “will be” in «tout sera sec» and describes a future state. It is followed by «sec», which specifies the condition expected later.

sec «Sec» means “dry” in «tout sera sec». It describes the condition of everything after the cleaning and is used after «sera» to state that future condition.

J'apprécie «J'apprécie» means “I appreciate” in «J'apprécie ton aide». It expresses gratitude for the neighbor's help and is followed by the thing being appreciated, here «ton aide».

ton «Ton» means “your” in «ton aide» and identifies the help as belonging to the person addressed as «tu». It comes before «aide» in this expression of thanks.

aide «Aide» means “help” in «ton aide». It names the assistance the speaker appreciates and follows a possessive word in «ton aide».

pour In «ton aide pour ce bazar», «pour» means “for” and links the help to the mess being dealt with. It introduces the situation that the help concerns.

ce «Ce» means “this” in «ce bazar» and points to the particular mess visible in the shared living space. It comes before the noun «bazar» to identify the situation being discussed.

bazar «Bazar» means “mess” in «ce bazar» and refers to the untidy situation caused by the spilled juice. It is the noun identified by «ce» in the expression of thanks.

Assure-toi «Assure-toi» means “make sure” in «Assure-toi juste que le sol n'est pas glissant». It is a direct instruction to the person addressed as «tu», followed by a «que» clause stating what must be checked.

juste «Juste» means “just” in «Assure-toi juste que le sol n'est pas glissant». Here it keeps the instruction focused on one final check about the floor.

n'est In «le sol n'est pas glissant», «n'est» supplies the “is” part of the negative statement. Together with «pas», it forms the negative frame saying that the floor is not slippery.

pas In «n'est pas glissant», «pas» supplies the “not” part of the negative statement. It works with «n'est» to deny the condition described by «glissant».

glissant «Glissant» means “slippery” in «le sol n'est pas glissant». It describes the floor's condition, which the neighbor wants checked after the spill has been cleaned.

après «Après» means “afterward” in «n'est pas glissant après». It places the final safety check after the cleaning activity and the events just discussed.

Grammar Points

Quand + futur antérieur, futur simple

Quand j'aurai fini, je rapporterai les deux.

kahn zhoh-RAY fee-NEE, zhuh rah-pore-tuh-RAY lay duh.

When I have finished, I will bring back both.

Après quand, le futur antérieur indique qu'une action sera terminée avant une autre action future.

me/m’ + verbe

La serpillière m'aide.

lah sair-pee-YAIR MED.

The mop helps me.

Le pronom objet m’ se place avant le verbe et devient m’ devant une voyelle.

French Vocabulary

aussi adv

oh-SEE also; too

Prends aussi le petit seau.

cuisine noun

kwee-ZEEN kitchen

Du jus s'est renversé sur le sol de la cuisine.

évier noun

ay-VYAY sink

Il est sous l'évier.

jus noun

zhoo juice

Du jus s'est renversé sur le sol de la cuisine.

petit adj

puh-TEE small

Prends aussi le petit seau.

Prends verb

prahn take

Prends aussi le petit seau.

produit nettoyant phrase

proh-DWEE neh-twah-YAHN cleaning product

Est-ce que je peux utiliser du produit nettoyant ?

quelque chose pron

kelk SHOHZ something

Quelque chose s'est renversé ?

s'est renversé verb

say rahn-vair-SAY spilled

Quelque chose s'est renversé ?

sol noun

sohl floor

Du jus s'est renversé sur le sol de la cuisine.

sous prep

soo under

Il est sous l'évier.

utiliser verb

oo-tee-lee-ZAY to use

Est-ce que je peux utiliser du produit nettoyant ?

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

I appreciate your help with this mess.

Show Answer

J'apprécie ton aide pour ce bazar.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

kitchen

Show Answer

cuisine

sink

Show Answer

évier

under

Show Answer

sous

to use

Show Answer

utiliser