Fixing a washing machine | Learn French in English

French lesson set in a contemporary Paris everyday setting: In a shared laundry area, two adults check why a washing machine will not start and fix it by closing the door properly..

EN → FR / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Fixing a washing machine to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Cette machine à laver ne démarre pas.

set mah-SHEEN ah lah-VAYR nuh day-MAR pah. This washing machine won't start.
B

Tu as vérifié la prise et le bouton marche ?

tyoo ah vay-ree-FYAY lah PREEZ ay luh boo-TOHN MARSH? Did you check the plug and the power button?
A

La prise est branchée, mais rien ne se passe.

lah PREEZ ay brahn-SHAY, may ree-EHN nuh suh PASS. The plug is in, but nothing happens.
B

La porte n'est peut-être pas bien fermée.

lah PORT nay puh-TETR pah BYAN fair-MAY. Maybe the door isn't closed properly.
A

Les instructions disent qu'il faut entendre un clic avant qu'elle démarre.

layz an-strook-SYOHN DEEZ keel FOH ahn-TAHNDR uhn KLEEK ah-VAHN kell day-MAR. The instructions say it should click before it starts.
B

Pousse encore une fois sur la porte, puis appuie sur le bouton de démarrage.

POOSS ahn-KOR oon FWAH soor lah PORT, pwee ah-PWEE soor luh boo-TOHN duh day-mah-RAHZH. Push the door once more, then press start.
A

La porte a fait un clic, et maintenant ça marche.

lah PORT ah FAY uhn KLEEK, ay mahnt-NAHN sah MARSH. The door clicked, and now it works.
B

Parfois, de simples vérifications règlent le problème.

par-FWAH, duh SAMPL vay-ree-fee-ka-SYOHN REGL luh proh-BLEM. Sometimes simple checks solve the problem.

Word by Word

Cette “Cette” means “this” and points to the washing machine being discussed in “Cette machine à laver”. A common reuse pattern is cette + a noun when identifying one specific thing.
machine “Machine” means “machine” and refers here to the washing machine in “Cette machine à laver”. The expression “machine à laver” names a machine used for washing.
à In “machine à laver”, “à” links the machine to its function; the whole expression means “washing machine”. This pattern can describe an object by what it is used for.
laver “Laver” means “to wash” and identifies the function of the machine in “machine à laver”. Here it is part of the expression naming the type of machine, rather than an action someone is performing.
ne “Ne” is the first part of the negation in “ne démarre pas”, saying that the machine does not start. A common reuse pattern is ne + verb + pas.
démarre “Démarre” means “starts” in “ne démarre pas”, describing what the washing machine fails to do. The citation form is démarrer; démarre is the form used in this sentence with the machine as the subject.
pas “Pas” completes the negation with ne in “ne démarre pas”, meaning “does not start”. It commonly appears after the verb in the pattern ne + verb + pas.
Tu “Tu” means “you” when speaking to one person in this conversation. It is used here to address the other adult directly, as in “Tu as vérifié”.
as “As” is the auxiliary in “Tu as vérifié” and helps express that the checking has been done. The citation form is avoir; as is the form used here with Tu.
vérifié “Vérifié” means “checked” in “Tu as vérifié la prise”, asking whether the plug or socket was checked. The citation form is vérifier, and it commonly takes the thing being checked as its object.
la “La” means “the” in “la prise” and identifies the specific electrical connection being discussed. A common reuse pattern is la + noun.
prise “Prise” refers here to the plug or socket in “la prise”. It names the electrical connection that is checked and later described as plugged in.
et “Et” means “and” and joins the two things being checked in “la prise et le bouton marche”. It is used to connect items in a list or two related parts of a sentence.
le “Le” means “the” before “bouton” in “le bouton marche”, identifying the specific button on the machine. A common reuse pattern is le + noun.
bouton “Bouton” means “button” in “le bouton marche” and refers to the machine’s power or start control. It can name a control that someone presses, as in “le bouton de démarrage”.
marche In “le bouton marche”, “marche” identifies the on or start function of the button. Later, in “ça marche”, it means “works”, so its meaning depends on the expression around it.
est “Est” means “is” in “La prise est branchée” and links the plug or socket to its current state. It is used here to describe the condition of something.
branchée “Branchée” means “plugged in” in “La prise est branchée”. The citation form is brancher; this form is used to describe an electrical connection that is connected.
mais “Mais” means “but” and introduces the contrast between “La prise est branchée” and “rien ne se passe”. It commonly links one fact with an unexpected or opposing result.
rien “Rien” means “nothing” in “rien ne se passe”, describing the absence of any response from the machine. This expression is useful when saying that no event or result occurs.
se In “se passe”, “se” is part of the expression meaning “happens”; it is not translated as a separate action here. Learn it together with passe when describing what happens.
passe “Passe” means “happens” in the expression “rien ne se passe”. The citation form is passer, and the form passe appears here as part of se passe.
porte “Porte” means “door” and refers to the washing machine door. It appears in “sur la porte” and later in “La porte a fait un clic”.
n'est “N’est” is the contracted form of ne + est and begins the negative description in “n’est peut-être pas bien fermée”. The complete negative idea is finished by pas.
peut-être “Peut-être” means “maybe” and shows uncertainty about whether the door is closed properly. In this sentence it is placed inside “n’est peut-être pas bien fermée”.
bien “Bien” means “properly” or “well” in “bien fermée”, describing how the door is closed. It can qualify how an action is done or how a condition holds.
fermée “Fermée” means “closed” in “n’est peut-être pas bien fermée”, describing the state of the door. The citation form is fermer; fermée is the form used here for the door.
Les “Les” means “the” before “instructions” in “Les instructions”. It refers to the instructions as a plural set of directions.
instructions “Instructions” means “instructions” and refers to the written guidance for using the machine. It can name directions that explain how to operate or check something.
disent “Disent” means “say” in “Les instructions disent qu’il faut entendre un clic”. The citation form is dire, and it is used here because the instructions communicate information.
qu'il “Qu’il” is the contraction of que + il and introduces what the instructions say in “disent qu’il faut entendre un clic”. It helps connect “disent” to the necessity expressed in the following clause.
faut “Faut” expresses necessity in “il faut entendre un clic”, making the click a required sign before the machine starts. A common reuse pattern is il faut + an infinitive.
entendre “Entendre” means “to hear” in “il faut entendre un clic”. It describes the sound the user needs to notice when checking whether the door is properly closed.
un “Un” means “a” or “one” before “clic” in “un clic”. It introduces the single click that the instructions say should be heard.
clic “Clic” means “click” and names the sound expected from the door. It appears in “entendre un clic” and in “a fait un clic”.
avant “Avant” means “before” and orders the click before the machine starts in “avant qu’elle démarre”. It is used to mark that one event must happen earlier than another.
qu'elle “Qu’elle” is the contraction of que + elle in “avant qu’elle démarre”. Here elle refers to the feminine noun machine and introduces the clause about the machine starting.
Pousse “Pousse” means “push” in the direct instruction “Pousse encore une fois sur la porte”. The citation form is pousser, and this form is used to tell the other person what to do.
encore “Encore” means “again” in “encore une fois”, telling the person to repeat the action. Together with une fois, it means one more time.
une “Une” means “one” in the expression “une fois”. It introduces the single repetition requested by “encore une fois”.
fois “Fois” means “time” in “une fois”, referring to one occurrence of an action. The expression “encore une fois” means “once more” or “again”.
sur “Sur” marks what the pushing or pressing is applied to in “sur la porte”. The same preposition appears with the button in “appuie sur le bouton”.
puis “Puis” means “then” and sequences the actions in “puis appuie sur le bouton de démarrage”. It is useful for giving the next step after an earlier action.
appuie “Appuie” means “press” in “appuie sur le bouton de démarrage”. The citation form is appuyer, and the expression specifies the control that should be pressed.
de In “bouton de démarrage”, “de” links the button to its starting function; the whole expression means “start button”. It commonly links a noun to the function or purpose associated with it.
démarrage “Démarrage” means “start” or “starting” in “bouton de démarrage”. It identifies what the button is used for.
a “A” is the auxiliary in “La porte a fait un clic” and helps report the door producing a click. The citation form is avoir; a is the form used here with La porte.
fait In “a fait un clic”, “fait” means “made” or “produced”, describing the door producing the click. The citation form is faire, and the whole expression means that the door clicked.
maintenant “Maintenant” means “now” in “maintenant ça marche”, marking the new situation after the door clicked. It is useful for showing a change from an earlier problem to the present result.
ça “Ça” means “it” or “that” in “ça marche”, referring here to the machine or its operation. The whole expression “ça marche” means “it works” in this dialogue.
Parfois “Parfois” means “sometimes” and says that the result is true on some occasions, not always. It appears at the beginning of “Parfois, de simples vérifications règlent le problème” to set the frequency.
simples “Simples” means “simple” in “de simples vérifications”, describing checks that are straightforward. It is used before the plural noun it qualifies.
vérifications “Vérifications” means “checks” in “de simples vérifications”. It refers to actions carried out to find the cause of a problem or confirm a condition.
règlent “Règlent” means “solve” or “fix” in “de simples vérifications règlent le problème”. The citation form is régler; the dialogue form describes checks resolving the problem.
problème “Problème” means “problem” and refers to the washing machine’s failure to start. It appears in “règlent le problème”, meaning that the checks solve the issue.

Grammar Points

Pousse / appuie + nom

Pousse le bouton marche.

POOSS luh boo-TOHN MARSH.

Push the power button.

The imperative uses the verb form without a subject: pousse means “push” and appuie means “press” for tu.

nom féminin + participe passé en -ée

prise branchée, porte fermée

PREEZ brahn-SHAY, PORT fair-MAY.

plugged-in outlet, closed door

Past participles used like adjectives agree with feminine nouns: branchée and fermée take -ée.

French Vocabulary

bouton noun
boo-TOHN button

Le bouton marche

bouton marche phrase
boo-TOHN MARSH power button

Tu as vérifié la prise et le bouton marche ?

brancher verb
brahn-SHAY to plug in branchée

La prise est branchée.

démarrer verb
day-mah-RAY to start démarre

Cette machine à laver ne démarre pas.

fermer verb
fair-MAY to close fermée

La porte n'est peut-être pas bien fermée.

machine à laver phrase
mah-SHEEN ah lah-VAYR washing machine

Cette machine à laver ne démarre pas.

peut-être adv
puh-TEHTR maybe

La porte n'est peut-être pas bien fermée.

porte noun
PORT door

La porte n'est peut-être pas bien fermée.

prise noun
PREEZ electrical outlet; plug

La prise est branchée.

rien pron
ree-EHN nothing

Rien ne se passe.

se passer verb
suh pah-SAY to happen se passe

Rien ne se passe.

vérifier verb
vay-ree-FYAY to check vérifié

Tu as vérifié la prise et le bouton marche ?

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to check

Show Answervérifié

to plug in

Show Answerbranchée

nothing

Show Answerrien

electrical outlet; plug

Show Answerprise