Small Healthy Daily Changes | Learn French in English

French lesson set in a contemporary Paris everyday setting: At home, two adults discuss small daily health changes, including drinking more water and taking a short walk..

EN → FR / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Small Healthy Daily Changes to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Je veux une routine quotidienne plus saine.

zhuh vuh ewn roo-TEEN koh-tee-dee-EN ploo SEN I want a healthier daily routine.
B

Commence par de petits changements que tu peux garder.

koh-MAHNS par duh puh-TEE shahnzh-MAHN kuh too puh gar-DAY Start with small changes you can stick with.
A

Je peux boire plus d'eau quand je suis au travail.

zhuh puh BWAHR ploo doh kohn zhuh swee oh trah-VY I can drink more water while I'm at work.
B

Cela peut t'aider à avoir plus d'énergie l'après-midi.

suh-LAH puh tay-DAY ah ah-VWAHR ploo day-nair-ZHEE lah-preh-mee-DEE That may help your energy in the afternoon.
A

Est-ce que je devrais aussi faire de l'exercice après le dîner ?

ess kuh zhuh duh-VRAY oh-SEE fair duh lehg-zair-SEES ah-PRAY luh dee-NAY Should I also exercise after dinner?
B

Une courte promenade serait un début facile.

ewn koort proh-muh-NAHD suh-RAY uhn day-BOO fah-SEEL A short walk would be a manageable start.
A

Je peux mettre mes chaussures près de la porte pour me souvenir de sortir.

zhuh puh MET-truh may shoh-SYR pray duh lah PORT poor muh soo-vuh-NEER duh sor-TEER I can put my shoes by the door so I remember to go.
B

Ça semble réaliste et facile à suivre.

sah SAHMBL ray-ah-LEEST ay fah-SEEL ah SWEE-vruh That sounds realistic and easy to keep up.

Word by Word

Je Je means “I” in this dialogue and identifies the speaker as the person who wants a healthier routine. It is commonly placed before the verb, as in “Je veux”.
veux Veux means “want” in “Je veux une routine quotidienne plus saine.” It is followed here by a noun phrase, and this pattern is useful for stating a personal goal or preference.
une Une means “a” in “une routine” and introduces a feminine noun. It is used before a feminine singular noun when referring to one item or idea.
routine Routine means “routine” in “une routine quotidienne.” It refers here to a regular pattern of daily activities, and it can be combined with an adjective to describe that routine.
quotidienne Quotidienne means “daily” and describes the routine in “une routine quotidienne.” It agrees with the feminine noun routine, and it is useful for describing something that happens every day.
plus Plus means “more” in “plus saine,” showing a higher degree of healthiness. It commonly comes before an adjective when making a comparison or describing an increased degree.
saine Saine means “healthy” in “plus saine.” It describes routine and agrees with that feminine noun; the phrase is useful when talking about improving a lifestyle or habit.
Commence Commence means “start” in the advice “Commence par de petits changements.” It addresses tu and is followed by par when introducing the first step of an action.
par Par means “with” in “Commence par de petits changements,” identifying what to begin with. The pattern commencer par + an activity or thing is useful for explaining the first step in a plan.
de De introduces the plural noun phrase “de petits changements,” meaning “small changes” in this dialogue. It appears before the adjective and noun here, and this pattern is common when describing plural things with an adjective.
petits Petits means “small” in “de petits changements.” It describes changements and agrees with that masculine plural noun, making the suggested changes sound limited in size or scope.
changements Changements means “changes” in the advice to begin with small changes. It is the object of Commence par, and the word is useful for discussing adjustments to habits or routines.
que Que links “de petits changements” to the clause “que tu peux garder,” meaning that the changes are ones the listener can maintain. It commonly introduces a relative clause that gives more information about a noun.
tu Tu means “you” in the informal address used between the two adults. It is placed before the verb in “tu peux,” and it is used when speaking directly to one familiar person.
peux Peux means “can” in “tu peux garder,” expressing the listener’s ability to maintain the changes. It is followed by an infinitive, so pouvoir + infinitive is a useful pattern for describing what someone can do.
garder Garder means “keep” or “stick with” in “que tu peux garder,” referring to maintaining the suggested changes. It follows peux here, and it can be used for something a person continues to have or maintain.
boire Boire means “drink” in “Je peux boire plus d'eau.” It follows peux as an infinitive and is useful for describing the action of consuming a drink.
d'eau D'eau means “of water” in “boire plus d'eau,” identifying what is being drunk. The form combines de with eau and is used after a quantity such as plus to name the substance involved.
quand Quand means “when” in “quand je suis au travail,” introducing the time or situation for drinking more water. It commonly connects an action with the time when it happens.
suis Suis means “am” in “je suis au travail,” describing where the speaker is. It is used here with a place or situation expression to say that the speaker is at work.
au Au means “at the” in “au travail,” expressing the situation of being at work. It is the form used before travail in this fixed location expression, which is useful for talking about being at work.
travail Travail means “work” in “au travail.” Together with au, it identifies the setting where the speaker drinks water, and the expression is useful for describing someone’s work situation.
Cela Cela means “that” or “it” in “Cela peut t'aider,” referring to the earlier idea of drinking more water. It can be used as a subject to refer back to an action, suggestion, or situation.
peut Peut means “may” or “can” in “Cela peut t'aider,” expressing a possible helpful effect. It is followed by an infinitive here, a common pattern for saying that something may help or may produce an effect.
t'aider T'aider means “help you” in “Cela peut t'aider à avoir plus d'énergie.” The pronoun t- identifies the person receiving help, and aider quelqu'un à + infinitive is a useful pattern for describing assistance with an action or result.
à À introduces the result or action after aider in “t'aider à avoir plus d'énergie.” Here it connects help with having more energy, and the pattern aider quelqu'un à + infinitive is reusable.
avoir Avoir means “have” in “à avoir plus d'énergie,” describing the result of having more energy. It follows à as an infinitive and is commonly used to express possession or a state.
d'énergie D'énergie means “of energy” in “avoir plus d'énergie,” naming what the person may have more of. It follows the quantity plus, and this structure is useful for talking about an increased amount of something.
l'après-midi L'après-midi means “the afternoon” in “l'après-midi,” specifying when the extra energy may be useful. The expression can identify the part of the day when an event or condition occurs.
Est-ce Est-ce begins the question marker “Est-ce que” in “Est-ce que je devrais aussi faire de l'exercice.” It helps form a direct question and is useful when asking for advice or confirmation.
devrais Devrais means “should” in “je devrais aussi faire de l'exercice,” asking whether the speaker ought to add another activity. It is followed by an infinitive, which is a common pattern for asking about recommended actions.
aussi Aussi means “also” in “je devrais aussi faire de l'exercice,” adding exercise to the earlier healthy change. It is useful for adding another action or idea to what has already been mentioned.
faire Faire means “do” in “faire de l'exercice,” naming the action of exercising. It is followed here by the expression de l'exercice, and faire is commonly used to talk about carrying out an activity.
l'exercice L'exercice means “exercise” in the expression “faire de l'exercice.” It identifies the activity being considered after dinner, and the full expression is useful when talking about exercising.
après Après means “after” in “après le dîner,” placing the exercise later than dinner. It commonly comes before a noun phrase to indicate the time following an event.
le Le means “the” before the masculine noun dîner in “le dîner.” It identifies a specific dinner in this sentence and is used before a masculine singular noun.
dîner Dîner means “dinner” in “le dîner.” Together with après, it gives the time for the proposed exercise, and it is useful for referring to the evening meal.
courte Courte means “short” in “Une courte promenade,” describing the limited length of the walk. It agrees with the feminine noun promenade and is useful for making an activity sound brief or manageable.
promenade Promenade means “walk” in “Une courte promenade.” It names the suggested light activity, and it can be used when proposing a walk as part of a routine.
serait Serait means “would be” in “Une courte promenade serait un début facile,” presenting the walk as a possible suitable starting point. It is followed by a description or noun phrase here, a useful pattern for making a gentle suggestion.
un Un means “a” in “un début facile” and introduces the masculine noun début. It is used before a masculine singular noun when referring to one possible thing or idea.
début Début means “start” or “beginning” in “un début facile,” describing the walk as the first step in the routine. It is useful for talking about the first stage of an activity or plan.
facile Facile means “easy” or “manageable” in “un début facile” and later in “facile à suivre.” It describes something that does not seem difficult to begin or maintain, and it can appear before a noun or after à.
mettre Mettre means “put” in “mettre mes chaussures près de la porte.” It follows peux as an infinitive and is useful for describing placing an object somewhere.
mes Mes means “my” in “mes chaussures,” showing that the shoes belong to the speaker. It comes before a plural noun and is useful for identifying several things connected with oneself.
chaussures Chaussures means “shoes” in “mettre mes chaussures.” It is the object being placed near the door, and it is useful for talking about footwear or getting ready to go out.
près Près means “near” in “près de la porte,” describing the location of the shoes. It is followed by de before the place, forming a reusable pattern for saying that something is close to another thing.
la La means “the” before the feminine noun porte in “la porte.” It identifies the specific door mentioned as the place near which the shoes are put.
porte Porte means “door” in “près de la porte.” It identifies the location chosen for the shoes, and it is useful for describing where someone enters, leaves, or places something.
pour Pour means “in order to” in “pour me souvenir de sortir,” introducing the purpose of putting the shoes near the door. It commonly comes before an infinitive phrase to explain why an action is done.
me Me means “myself” or “me” in “pour me souvenir de sortir,” referring back to the speaker as the person who will remember. It appears with souvenir in this reflexive expression and identifies the person experiencing the remembering.
souvenir Souvenir contributes the meaning “remember” in “me souvenir de sortir.” The expression se souvenir de + a noun or infinitive is used to say that someone remembers something or remembers to do something.
sortir Sortir means “go out” in “me souvenir de sortir,” naming the action the speaker wants to remember. It follows de after souvenir and is useful for referring to leaving the home or going outside.
Ça Ça means “that” or “it” in “Ça semble réaliste,” referring to the proposed plan of drinking more water and taking a walk. It is commonly used as a subject when giving an opinion about a situation or idea.
semble Semble means “seems” in “Ça semble réaliste,” expressing an impression or judgment about the plan. It is followed by an adjective here, a useful pattern for describing how something appears.
réaliste Réaliste means “realistic” in “Ça semble réaliste,” judging the suggested routine as practical. It can follow sembler to give an opinion about whether a plan appears possible.
et Et means “and” in “réaliste et facile à suivre,” joining two descriptions of the plan. It is useful for connecting adjectives, actions, or other equivalent parts of a sentence.
suivre Suivre contributes the meaning “follow” or “keep up with” in “facile à suivre,” describing a routine that is easy to continue. The pattern facile à + infinitive is useful for saying that an action is easy to do.

Grammar Points

vouloir + infinitif

Je veux garder une routine quotidienne saine.

zhuh vuh gar-DAY ewn roo-TEEN koh-tee-dee-EN SEN

I want to keep a healthy daily routine.

After « veux », the next verb stays in the infinitive: « garder », not a conjugated form.

nom féminin + adjectif féminin

une promenade courte

ewn proh-muh-NAHD koort

a short walk

French adjectives agree with the noun in gender and number: « promenade » and « courte » are feminine.

French Vocabulary

aider verb
ay-DAY to help t'aider

Cela peut t'aider.

boire verb
BWAHR to drink

boire plus d'eau

changement noun
shahnzh-MAHN change changements

de petits changements

commencer verb
koh-mahn-SAY to start Commence

Commence par de petits changements.

eau noun
OH water

plus d'eau

garder verb
gar-DAY to keep

que tu peux garder

petit adj
puh-TEE small petits

de petits changements

quotidien adj
koh-tee-dee-EN daily quotidienne

une routine quotidienne

routine quotidienne phrase
roo-TEEN koh-tee-dee-EN daily routine

Je veux une routine quotidienne plus saine.

sain adj
SEN healthy saine

plus saine

travail noun
trah-VY work

au travail

vouloir verb
voo-LWAHR to want veux

Je veux une routine quotidienne plus saine.

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to keep

Show Answergarder

small

Show Answerpetits

to drink

Show Answerboire

to want

Show Answerveux