Checking the Correct Line | Learn French in English

French lesson set in a contemporary Paris everyday setting: At a public service area, two adults check which line is correct for renewing a membership card..

EN → FR / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Checking the Correct Line to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Excusez-moi, est-ce la bonne file ?

eks-kew-ZAY-MWAH, ESS lah BON FEEL? Excuse me, is this the right line?
B

Cette file est pour le bureau d'information.

set FEEL eh poor luh bew-ROH dan-for-ma-SYON. This queue is for the information desk.
A

Je dois renouveler ma carte de membre.

zhuh DWAH ruh-noo-vuh-LAY mah KART duh MAHN-BRUH. I need to renew my membership card.
B

Alors, vous devriez rejoindre la file près du panneau bleu.

ah-LOR, voo duh-vree-YAY ruh-ZHWAN-druh lah FEEL preh dew pah-NOH BLUH. Then you should join the line by the blue sign.
A

J'ai failli attendre au mauvais endroit.

zhay fah-YEE ah-TAHN-druh oh moh-VAY ahn-DRWAH. I almost waited in the wrong place.
B

C'est difficile à comprendre parce que les deux files sont proches.

say dee-fee-SEEL ah kom-PRAHN-druh parss kuh lay DUH FEEL son PROSH. It is confusing because both lines are close.
A

Je vais changer de file avant que d'autres personnes arrivent.

zhuh VAY shahn-ZHAY duh FEEL ah-VAHN kuh DOHTR pehr-SON ah-REEV. I'll move before more people arrive.
B

Cette file est plus courte maintenant.

set FEEL eh plewS KOORT man-tuh-NAHN. That line is shorter now.

Word by Word

Excusez-moi Excusez-moi means “excuse me” and is used to politely get someone’s attention. Excusez addresses the person as vous, while moi means “me.” Use Excusez-moi before a question or request.
est-ce Est-ce introduces the direct question est-ce la bonne file ? and helps turn it into a yes-or-no question. A common reusable pattern is est-ce + statement. Here it asks whether the line is the correct one.
la La means “the” before the feminine singular noun file. It forms la bonne file, referring to one specific line. Use la before a feminine singular noun when referring to a particular thing.
bonne Bonne means “right” or “correct” here, as in la bonne file. It describes file and identifies the line the speaker should use. Use bonne + noun when selecting the correct option.
file File means “line” or “queue” here, the row of people waiting for service. In la bonne file, it names the line the speaker is checking. It can also appear in the reusable phrase rejoindre la file, meaning to join the line.
Cette Cette means “this” and identifies one particular line in Cette file. It is used before the singular noun file. Use cette + noun when pointing out or referring to a specific feminine thing.
est Est means “is” and connects Cette file with the information service it is for. The pattern Cette file est pour... states what a line or place is intended for. Use est to link a subject with information about it.
pour Pour means “for” in Cette file est pour le bureau d'information. It introduces the service or purpose connected with the line. Use est pour + service or destination to say what something is for.
le Le means “the” before the masculine singular noun bureau. It forms le bureau d'information, referring to a specific information desk. Use le before a masculine singular noun when referring to a particular thing.
bureau Bureau means “desk” here, specifically the information desk in le bureau d'information. It can refer to a service desk or an office, depending on the context. Use bureau in a noun phrase that identifies a service location.
d'information D'information means “of information” and specifies the kind of bureau being mentioned. In le bureau d'information, d' links bureau with information and names the information desk. A noun followed by d'information can identify an information-related service or place.
Je Je means “I” and is the subject of the speaker’s statement Je dois renouveler ma carte de membre. It introduces what the speaker needs to do. Use Je + verb to talk about your own action, need, or intention.
dois Dois means “need to” or “must” in Je dois renouveler. It expresses that the speaker has an obligation or need to renew the card. This form comes from devoir; use Je dois + infinitive for a personal need or obligation.
renouveler Renouveler means “renew” and names the action required for the membership card. It is the infinitive after dois in Je dois renouveler ma carte de membre. Use renouveler + document, card, or membership when something needs to be extended or made valid again.
ma Ma means “my” before carte in ma carte de membre. It shows that the membership card belongs to the speaker. Use ma + noun to express possession with a feminine singular noun.
carte Carte means “card” in ma carte de membre, the item the speaker needs to renew. The phrase carte de membre identifies it as a membership card. Use carte de + noun to specify the type or purpose of a card.
de De means “of” in carte de membre and links carte with membre. It helps specify what kind of card is being discussed. A noun + de + noun pattern can identify a type, purpose, or connection.
membre Membre means “member” in carte de membre. Together, carte de membre refers to a membership card rather than just any card. Use membre after de in this expression to identify the membership connection.
Alors Alors means “then” and introduces the consequence or next step after hearing what the speaker needs. Here it leads into advice about which line to join. Use Alors, + advice or instruction when responding to new information.
vous Vous means “you” for the person being addressed in Alors, vous devriez rejoindre la file. It can address one person politely or more than one person. Use vous before a verb when giving advice or instructions to the addressee.
devriez Dev riez means “should” and gives a recommendation about which line to join. This form comes from devoir and is used with the subject vous here. Use vous devriez + infinitive for a polite suggestion or recommendation.
rejoindre Rejoindre means “join” in rejoindre la file. It describes entering the correct line, not merely standing near it. Use rejoindre + a group, place, or line when going to join it.
près Près means “near” in près du panneau bleu and describes the location of the correct line. It is used with de, which appears here as du before the masculine noun panneau. Use près de + place or object to indicate nearby location.
du Du means “by the” or “near the” in près du panneau bleu. It is the contraction of de and le, and it completes the location phrase près du panneau. Use près du + masculine singular noun to identify something located near a specific object.
panneau Panneau means “sign” in le panneau bleu. The sign is used as a landmark for finding the correct line. Use panneau with a description such as bleu to identify a particular sign.
bleu Bleu means “blue” and describes panneau in le panneau bleu. It helps the listener recognize the sign near the correct line. Use a color adjective with a noun when identifying an object by its color.
J'ai J'ai means “I have” in J'ai failli attendre au mauvais endroit. With failli and an infinitive, it forms the expression for something the speaker almost did. Use J'ai + failli + infinitive to describe a narrowly avoided action.
failli Failli means “almost” in J'ai failli attendre. It shows that waiting in the wrong place nearly happened but did not happen. This form comes from faillir; use J'ai failli + infinitive for an action that was nearly carried out.
attendre Attendre means “wait” in J'ai failli attendre au mauvais endroit. It is the action that almost happened. Use attendre when describing waiting in a line, place, or situation.
au Au means “at the” or “in the” in au mauvais endroit. It is the contraction of à and le and introduces the location. Use au + masculine singular noun to express being at or in a specific place.
mauvais Mauvais means “wrong” here in au mauvais endroit, not simply “bad.” It describes the place as unsuitable for the speaker’s purpose. Use mauvais + noun to identify an incorrect or unsuitable option.
endroit Endroit means “place” or “location” in au mauvais endroit. The phrase identifies where the speaker almost waited. Use endroit with a location expression when referring to a particular place.
C'est C'est means “it is” and introduces the explanation C'est difficile à comprendre. It presents an assessment of the situation. Use C'est + adjective to describe how a situation or thing seems.
difficile Difficile means “difficult” here and describes the confusing arrangement of the two lines. It is followed by à comprendre, explaining what is difficult. Use difficile à + infinitive to say that an action is hard to carry out or understand.
à À means “to” in difficile à comprendre and links difficile with the action comprendre. The pattern adjective + à + infinitive describes an action that is easy, difficult, or possible in relation to the adjective. Here it expresses that the arrangement is difficult to understand.
comprendre Comprendre means “understand” in difficile à comprendre. It identifies the mental action that is difficult because the lines are close. Use comprendre when referring to understanding information, instructions, or a situation.
parce Parce is part of the connector parce que, meaning “because,” in parce que les deux files sont proches. It does not complete the reason connector by itself here; que follows it. Use parce que + clause to introduce a reason.
que Que completes parce que and helps introduce the reason les deux files sont proches. Together, parce que connects an explanation to the statement before it. Use parce que + clause when explaining why something is the case.
les Les means “the” before the plural phrase les deux files. It refers to both specific lines being discussed. Use les before a plural noun when referring to particular people or things.
deux Deux means “two” and specifies the number of lines in les deux files. It comes before the plural noun files. Use deux + plural noun when stating that there are two of something.
files Files means “lines” or “queues,” referring to the two lines near each other. It is the plural form of file. Use les deux files when comparing or discussing both lines together.
sont Sont means “are” and links les deux files with their description proches. This form comes from être and is used with the plural subject les deux files. Use a plural subject + sont + adjective to describe several things.
proches Proches means “close” or “nearby” and describes the two lines as being near each other. It is the plural form used with les deux files. Use être proches to say that places or objects are located near one another.
vais Vais means “am going to” in Je vais changer de file and expresses the speaker’s intention. This form comes from aller and is followed here by the infinitive changer. Use Je vais + infinitive to state a planned action.
changer Changer means “change” here, specifically move to another line in changer de file. The phrase indicates switching from the current line to a different one. Use changer de + noun when describing a change from one option, place, or thing to another.
avant Avant means “before” and introduces the time relationship in avant que d'autres personnes arrivent. It says the speaker will change lines earlier than the arrival of more people. Use avant que + clause to introduce an event that has not happened yet in the sentence.
d'autres D'autres means “other” or “more” in d'autres personnes, referring to additional people beyond those already present. It comes before the plural noun personnes. Use d'autres + plural noun when referring to additional or different people or things.
personnes Personnes means “people” in d'autres personnes. These people are the subject of arrivent and are expected to arrive later. It is the plural form of personne; use personnes when referring to people as a group.
arrivent Arrivent means “arrive” in d'autres personnes arrivent. It describes the expected arrival of more people. This form comes from arriver and is used here with the plural subject d'autres personnes.
plus Plus marks the comparison in plus courte and means “more” in the sense of “shorter.” It is placed before the adjective being compared. Use plus + adjective to compare a quality between things.
courte Courte means “shorter” in Cette file est plus courte maintenant, describing the line as shorter than before or than another line. It is the feminine form related to court and agrees with file. Use plus + courte to describe a feminine noun as shorter.
maintenant Maintenant means “now” and shows that the line is shorter at the present time. It often appears at the end of a sentence to mark a current change or condition. Use maintenant when contrasting the present situation with an earlier one.

Grammar Points

devoir + infinitif

dois renouveler

DWAH ruh-noo-vuh-LAY

must renew

Use devoir followed by an infinitive to express necessity or obligation.

avant que + subjonctif

avant que d'autres personnes arrivent

ah-VAHN kuh DOHTR pehr-SON ah-REEV

before other people arrive

Avant que introduces a clause with the subjunctive to express an action that has not happened yet.

French Vocabulary

alors adv
ah-LOR then
bonne adj
BON right; correct
bureau d'information phrase
bew-ROH dan-for-ma-SYON information desk
carte de membre phrase
KART duh MAHN-BRUH membership card
devriez verb
duh-vree-YAY should
dois verb
DWAH must; need to
est-ce phrase
ESS is it
Excusez-moi phrase
eks-kew-ZAY-MWAH Excuse me
file noun
FEEL line; queue
près de prep
preh duh near
rejoindre verb
ruh-ZHWAN-druh to join
renouveler verb
ruh-noo-vuh-LAY to renew

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Excuse me, is this the right line?

Show AnswerExcusez-moi, est-ce la bonne file ?

I almost waited in the wrong place.

Show AnswerJ'ai failli attendre au mauvais endroit.

That line is shorter now.

Show AnswerCette file est plus courte maintenant.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to renew

Show Answerrenouveler

then

Show Answeralors

line; queue

Show Answerfile

must; need to

Show Answerdois