About This Lesson
Use Using example sentences to learn new vocabulary to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
Je retiens les nouveaux mots pendant mes révisions.
zhuh ruh-TYAN lay noo-VOH moh pahn-DAHN may ray-vee-ZYOHN I remember new words during study time.
A
Mais je les oublie quand j'essaie de parler.
meh zhuh lay-zoo-BLEE kahn zhay-SAY duh par-LAY But I forget them when I try to speak.
B
Les mots ne sont peut-être pas liés à des situations où tu les utiliserais vraiment.
lay moh nuh SOHN puh-TETR pah lyeh ah day see-twa-see-OHN oo tew lay-zew-tee-lee-zuh-RAY vray-MAHN The words may not be connected to situations where you would actually use them.
A
J'écris généralement la traduction et je révise ensuite la même liste.
zhay-KREE zhay-nay-ral-MAHN lah trah-dewk-SYOHN ay zhuh ray-VEEZ ahn-SWEET lah mem LEEST I usually write the translation and review the same list later.
B
Essaie d'ajouter une phrase d'exemple simple pour chaque mot utile.
eh-SAY dah-zhoo-TAY ewn frahz dehg-ZAHM-pluh sahmpl poor shahk moh ew-TEEL Try adding one simple example sentence for each useful word.
A
Je peux écrire des phrases sur le travail, les achats ou des messages à mes amis.
zhuh puh ay-KREER day frahz sewr luh trah-VY lay-zah-SHAH oo day meh-SAHZH ah may-zah-MEE I can write sentences about work, shopping, or messages to friends.
B
Ces situations rendront le sens plus facile à retrouver pendant une conversation.
say see-twa-see-OHN rahn-DROHN luh sahn plew fah-SEEL ah ruh-troo-VAY pahn-DAHN ewn kohn-vair-sah-SYOHN Those situations will make the meaning easier to recall during conversation.
A
Je devrais probablement étudier moins de mots et les utiliser plus souvent.
zhuh duh-VRAY proh-bah-bluh-MAHN ay-tew-DYAY mwahn duh moh ay lay-zew-lee-ZAY plew soo-VAHN I should probably study fewer words and use them more often.
B
Le fait de les utiliser souvent aidera ces mots à entrer dans ton vocabulaire actif.
luh FEH duh lay-zew-lee-ZAY soo-VAHN eh-duh-RAH say moh ah ahn-TRAY dahn tohn voh-kah-bew-LAIR ak-TEEF Repeated use will help the words become part of your active vocabulary.
A
Je choisirai un petit groupe de mots et j'écrirai des exemples personnels après le cours.
zhuh shwah-zee-RAY uhn puh-TEE groop duh moh ay zhay-kree-RAY day-zeg-ZAHM-pluh pair-soh-NEL ah-PRAY luh KOOR I will choose a small set and write personal examples after class.
B
Cette routine devrait rendre ta pratique du vocabulaire plus concrète.
set roo-TEEN duh-VRAY rahn-DR tah prah-TEEK dew voh-kah-bew-LAIR plew kohn-KRET That routine should make your vocabulary practice more practical.Word by Word
Je
In Je retiens..., Je means I, the speaker referring to themself. It is used before a verb to state what the speaker does or thinks.
retiens
In Je retiens les nouveaux mots, retiens means remember or retain. It is used with an object such as les nouveaux mots to say that information stays in your memory.
les
In Les mots, les means the before the plural noun mots; in je les oublie, les means them and refers back to the words. This form therefore works as either a plural article or a plural object pronoun, depending on its position.
nouveaux
In les nouveaux mots, nouveaux means new and describes the words being learned. It is placed before the noun in this expression and agrees with mots.
mots
In les nouveaux mots, mots means words. It is used for units of language being remembered, forgotten, studied, or used.
pendant
In pendant mes révisions, pendant means during and introduces the period when something happens. A reliable pattern is pendant + a time period or activity.
mes
In mes révisions, mes means my and shows that the study sessions belong to the speaker. It is used directly before a plural noun.
révisions
In pendant mes révisions, révisions means study or review sessions. The expression refers to time spent reviewing material, and mes révisions identifies the learner's own sessions.
Mais
Mais introduces a contrast with the previous statement: the speaker remembers words during study but forgets them when speaking. It is commonly placed at the beginning of a contrasting sentence.
oublie
In je les oublie, oublie means forget, referring to the words introduced by les. The reusable pattern is oublier + an object, as in les oublier.
quand
In quand j'essaie de parler, quand means when and introduces the situation in which the forgetting happens. It is used before a clause describing the time or circumstance of an event.
j'
In j'essaie, j' is the shortened form of je before the vowel sound at the beginning of essaie. It is used directly before the verb in expressions such as j'essaie de parler.
essaie
In j'essaie de parler, essaie means try. The reliable construction is essayer de + an infinitive, as in essayer de parler.
de
In j'essaie de parler, de links essaie with the following infinitive parler and means to in this construction. A useful pattern is essayer de + infinitive.
parler
In essayer de parler, parler means speak or talk. It follows de as the action the speaker is trying to perform.
ne
In Les mots ne sont peut-être pas liés..., ne is part of the negative construction ne ... pas. It works together with pas to say that the words may not be connected.
sont
In Les mots ne sont peut-être pas liés, sont means are and links the subject Les mots with the description liés. It is used with a plural subject.
peut-être
In ne sont peut-être pas liés, peut-être means perhaps or maybe and makes the statement uncertain. This expression combines peut, meaning may or can, with être, meaning be; it is placed inside the negative sentence here.
pas
In ne sont peut-être pas liés, pas completes the negative construction ne ... pas and gives the meaning not. The two parts are used around the verb phrase.
liés
In Les mots ne sont peut-être pas liés à des situations, liés means connected or linked. The construction être lié à identifies what something is connected to.
à
In liés à des situations, à links liés with the situations that the words are connected to. The reusable pattern is être lié à + a person, thing, or situation.
des
In à des situations, des introduces situations as plural, unspecified situations. It is used before a plural noun when the exact situations are not identified.
situations
In des situations où tu les utiliserais vraiment, situations means situations or circumstances. Here it refers to real-life contexts in which the learner might use the words.
où
In des situations où tu les utiliserais vraiment, où means where and introduces the clause describing those situations. It can introduce the setting or circumstance in which an action occurs.
tu
In où tu les utiliserais vraiment, tu means you and refers to the person being addressed. It is used as the subject before the verb.
utiliserais
In tu les utiliserais vraiment, utiliserais means would use and describes a possible use in the situations mentioned. It is used with an object such as les and with a situation introduced by où.
vraiment
In les utiliserais vraiment, vraiment means really or actually and emphasizes that the words would be used in genuine situations. It commonly appears near the verb or object whose reality it emphasizes.
écris
In J'écris généralement la traduction, écris means write. It is used with a direct object such as la traduction to state what is written.
généralement
In J'écris généralement..., généralement means usually or generally and describes a habitual action. It can be placed near the verb to indicate what normally happens.
la
In la traduction, la means the and introduces a singular noun. It identifies the particular translation being written.
traduction
In J'écris généralement la traduction, traduction means translation. It is the direct object of écrire here, naming what the speaker writes.
et
Et joins two actions in J'écris généralement la traduction et je révise ensuite la même liste. It is used to connect related words, phrases, or clauses.
révise
In je révise ensuite la même liste, révise means review or study. The object la même liste specifies what is being reviewed.
ensuite
In je révise ensuite la même liste, ensuite means afterward or later and places the review after the writing. It is useful for ordering two actions in sequence.
même
In la même liste, même means same and shows that the list reviewed later is identical to the one already mentioned. It is placed directly before the noun in this expression.
liste
In la même liste, liste means list. Here it refers to the organized set of words that the speaker reviews.
d'
In phrase d'exemple, d' is the shortened form of de before the vowel sound in exemple. It links phrase with the type of phrase being described.
ajouter
In Essaie d'ajouter une phrase..., ajouter means add. The pattern is essayer de + infinitive, followed here by the thing being added.
une
In une phrase d'exemple, une means a or one and introduces one singular noun. It is used with the feminine noun phrase.
phrase
In une phrase d'exemple simple, phrase means sentence. It names the practical language example the learner is advised to add.
exemple
In phrase d'exemple, exemple means example and specifies what kind of phrase is being discussed. The pattern phrase d'exemple means an example sentence.
simple
In une phrase d'exemple simple, simple means simple and describes the example sentence. It is placed after the noun in this phrase.
pour
In pour chaque mot utile, pour means for and introduces the word that receives one example sentence. A useful pattern is un élément pour chaque + singular noun.
chaque
In pour chaque mot utile, chaque means each and distributes the recommendation across the words individually. It is followed here by the singular noun mot.
mot
In chaque mot utile, mot means word. It refers to each vocabulary item for which the learner should add an example.
utile
In chaque mot utile, utile means useful and describes the vocabulary item. It identifies the words worth practicing in this recommendation.
peux
In Je peux écrire..., peux means can and expresses the speaker's ability or possibility. The reusable pattern is pouvoir + infinitive, as in peux écrire.
écrire
In Je peux écrire des phrases, écrire means write. It follows peux as the action the speaker can perform and takes des phrases as its object.
phrases
In écrire des phrases, phrases means sentences. It is the plural object of écrire and refers to the examples the learner can create.
sur
In des phrases sur le travail, sur means about and introduces the subject of the sentences. A useful pattern is une phrase sur + a topic.
le
In le travail, le means the and introduces a singular noun; the same form appears in Le fait and le cours. It is the singular masculine article in these expressions.
travail
In des phrases sur le travail, travail means work. It is one of the everyday topics the speaker can use for personal example sentences.
achats
In les achats, achats means shopping or purchases. It names another everyday topic for writing practical sentences.
ou
Ou connects alternatives in le travail, les achats ou des messages à mes amis. It means or and presents another possible topic.
messages
In des messages à mes amis, messages means messages. It refers to written communication as a possible subject for example sentences.
amis
In à mes amis, amis means friends. The phrase à mes amis identifies the people to whom the messages are addressed.
Ces
In Ces situations, Ces means these or those and points back to the situations just discussed. It is placed before the plural noun situations.
rendront
In Ces situations rendront le sens plus facile..., rendront means will make. It introduces the result that these situations will produce, followed by an object and a description.
sens
In le sens, sens means meaning or sense. Here it refers to the meaning of the vocabulary becoming easier to recall.
plus
In plus facile, plus means more and forms the comparison more easy, or easier. It is placed before the adjective it modifies.
facile
In rendre le sens plus facile à retrouver, facile means easy or easier. It describes how easy it will be to recall the meaning.
retrouver
In plus facile à retrouver, retrouver means recall or retrieve. The construction rendre quelque chose facile à retrouver describes making something easier to bring back to mind.
conversation
In pendant une conversation, conversation means conversation. It identifies the spoken situation in which the learner wants to recall the meaning.
devrais
In Je devrais probablement étudier..., devrais means should and presents the speaker's considered recommendation for themself. It is followed by an infinitive such as étudier.
probablement
In Je devrais probablement étudier moins de mots, probablement means probably and softens the recommendation by showing that it is not stated with complete certainty. It commonly modifies the following action or the sentence as a whole.
étudier
In étudier moins de mots, étudier means study. It follows devrais and takes moins de mots as the quantity being studied.
moins
In moins de mots, moins means fewer and indicates a smaller number of words. The reusable pattern is moins de + plural noun.
utiliser
In les utiliser plus souvent, utiliser means use. It follows les, which identifies the words being used, and can be modified by plus souvent.
souvent
In les utiliser plus souvent, souvent means often. With plus, it expresses using the words more frequently.
fait
In Le fait de les utiliser souvent, fait refers to the act of using the words often. The pattern le fait de + infinitive turns an action into the topic of the sentence.
aidera
In aidera ces mots à entrer dans ton vocabulaire actif, aidera means will help. The construction aider quelqu'un or quelque chose à + infinitive shows what the help enables.
entrer
In à entrer dans ton vocabulaire actif, entrer means enter or become part of. The pattern entrer dans + a group or domain describes becoming included in it.
dans
In entrer dans ton vocabulaire actif, dans means into or in and introduces the vocabulary that the words become part of. It commonly marks movement or inclusion within something.
ton
In ton vocabulaire actif, ton means your and shows that the vocabulary belongs to the person being addressed. It is placed before the singular noun vocabulaire here.
vocabulaire
In ton vocabulaire actif, vocabulaire means vocabulary. It refers to the words that the learner can actively use.
actif
In vocabulaire actif, actif means active and describes vocabulary that can be used by the learner. It follows the noun in this expression.
choisirai
In Je choisirai un petit groupe de mots, choisirai means will choose. It introduces a future decision and is followed by the thing being selected.
un
In un petit groupe de mots, un means a or one and introduces a singular noun. It identifies one selected group.
petit
In un petit groupe de mots, petit means small. It describes the limited size of the group the speaker plans to choose.
groupe
In un petit groupe de mots, groupe means group or set. The phrase de mots specifies what the group contains.
écrirai
In j'écrirai des exemples personnels, écrirai means will write. It describes a planned future action and takes des exemples personnels as its object.
exemples
In des exemples personnels, exemples means examples. Here they are sentences created from the learner's own experience.
personnels
In des exemples personnels, personnels means personal and describes examples connected to the learner. It distinguishes these examples as their own rather than generic ones.
après
In après le cours, après means after and places the writing later than the class. A useful pattern is après + a noun naming an event or time.
cours
In après le cours, cours means class or course. Here it identifies the lesson after which the speaker will write the examples.
Cette
In Cette routine, Cette means this and points to the study routine just described. It is placed before the singular noun routine.
routine
In Cette routine, routine means routine. It refers to the repeated practice of choosing words and writing personal examples.
devrait
In Cette routine devrait rendre..., devrait means should and expresses an expected result rather than a definite guarantee. It is followed here by the infinitive rendre.
rendre
In devrait rendre ta pratique du vocabulaire plus concrète, rendre means make or render. The construction rendre quelque chose + adjective describes changing how something is.
ta
In ta pratique du vocabulaire, ta means your and shows that the practice belongs to the person being addressed. It comes before the singular noun pratique.
pratique
In ta pratique du vocabulaire, pratique means practice. It refers to the learner's activity of working with vocabulary.
du
In pratique du vocabulaire, du is the contraction of de and le, linking pratique with the vocabulary being practiced. The pattern pratique de + a subject names the area of practice.
concrète
In rendre ta pratique du vocabulaire plus concrète, concrète means practical or concrete. It describes practice based on usable examples rather than only abstract lists.
Grammar Points
essayer de + infinitif
J'essaie de parler souvent.
zhay-SAY duh par-LAY soo-VAHNI try to speak often.
After essayer de, use the infinitive form of the next verb: de parler.
être lié à + nom
Les situations sont liées à la pratique.
lay see-twa-see-OHN sohn lyeh ah lah prah-TEEKThe situations are connected to practice.
Lié agrees with the noun: liées is feminine plural to match situations.
French Vocabulary
écrire
verb
ay-KREER
to write
j'écris
essayer de
verb
eh-say-YAY duh
to try to
j'essaie de
être lié à
phrase
EH-tr lyeh ah
to be connected to
liés à
mot
noun
moh
word
mots
oublier
verb
oo-BLYAY
to forget
oublie
parler
verb
par-LAY
to speak
retenir
verb
ruh-tuh-NEER
to remember; to retain
retiens
révision
noun
ray-vee-ZYOHN
review; revision
révisions
situation
noun
see-twa-see-OHN
situation
situations
traduction
noun
trah-dewk-SYOHN
translation
utiliser
verb
ew-tee-lee-ZAY
to use
utiliserais
vraiment
adv
vray-MAHN
really; actually
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
situation
Show Answer
situationsto speak
Show Answer
parlerword
Show Answer
motsto use