Borrowing bicycle repair tools | Learn French in English

French lesson set in a contemporary Paris everyday setting: In a shared space, one adult borrows bicycle repair tools and asks for guidance while changing a flat tire..

EN → FR / Level: B1

About This Lesson

Use Borrowing bicycle repair tools to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Mon pneu de vélo est à plat et j'ai besoin d'une trousse de réparation.

mohn p'nuh duh vay-LOH eh zhay buh-ZWAN doon TROOSS duh ray-pah-rah-SYOHN My bicycle tire is flat, and I need a repair kit.
B

J'ai un kit avec des démonte-pneus et une chambre à air de rechange.

zhay un KEET ah-VEK day duh-MOHNT p'nuh ay oon SHAHM-br ah AIR duh ruh-SHAHNZH I have a kit with tire levers and a spare inner tube.
A

Est-ce que tu peux me montrer comment retirer la roue correctement ?

ess-kuh tooh puh meh mohn-TRAY koh-MAHN ruh-tee-RAY lah ROO koh-rekt-tuh-MAHN Could you show me how to remove the wheel correctly?
B

Commence par retourner soigneusement le vélo.

koh-MAHNS par ruh-toor-NAY swan-YUHZ-mohn luh vay-LOH Start by turning the bike upside down carefully.
A

Je n'ai encore jamais changé une chambre à air sans aide.

zhuh nay ahn-KOR zhah-MAY shahn-ZHAY oon SHAHM-br ah AIR sahnz EHD I have never changed an inner tube by myself before.
B

Suis attentivement les instructions et ne force aucune pièce à bouger.

SWEE ah-tahn-tee-vuh-MAHN layz an-strook-SYOHN ay nuh FORS oh-KOON PYEHS ah boo-ZHAY Follow the instructions carefully, and do not force any part to move.
A

Après l'avoir remplacée, est-ce que je dois vérifier la pression ?

ah-PRAY lah-VWAR rahn-plah-SAY ess-kuh zhuh dwah vay-ree-FYAY lah preh-SYOHN After I replace it, should I check the pressure?
B

Le pneu doit être ferme au toucher, mais pas trop dur.

luh p'nuh dwah ETR fehrm oh too-SHAY may pah troh d(y)ur The tire should feel firm, but not too hard.
A

Est-ce que tu peux rester près de moi pendant que j'essaie la première étape ?

ess-kuh tooh puh reh-STAY pray duh MWAH pahn-DAHN kuh zheh-SAY lah pruh-MYEHR ay-TAHP Could you stay nearby while I try the first step?
B

Je peux te guider pour la première partie pendant que tu utilises le kit.

zhuh puh tuh gee-DAY poor lah pruh-MYEHR par-TEE pahn-DAHN kuh tooh ew-tee-LEEZ luh KEET I can talk you through the first part while you use the kit.

Word by Word

Mon Mon means my here and marks that the tire belongs to the speaker: Mon pneu. It is reused before the possessed noun in a pattern such as Mon + noun.
pneu Pneu means tire here, specifically the bicycle tire in Mon pneu de vélo. It can be used with a bicycle-related noun phrase such as pneu de vélo.
de De links vélo to pneu in pneu de vélo, indicating the type or associated object: a bicycle tire. The pattern noun de noun is commonly used to connect two nouns.
vélo Vélo means bicycle here in pneu de vélo. It identifies the vehicle associated with the tire and can follow de in a noun phrase.
est Est means is here, linking the tire to its condition in est à plat. It is used between a subject and a description or condition.
à À is part of à plat, the expression used here to say that the tire has no air and is flat. The pattern être à plat describes a tire or another inflatable object in this condition.
plat Plat means flat in à plat, describing the condition of the tire. The exact expression être à plat is used when a tire is flat.
et Et means and, joining the statements Mon pneu de vélo est à plat and j'ai besoin d'une trousse de réparation. It connects two related pieces of information in one sentence.
j'ai J'ai means I have here in j'ai besoin d'une trousse de réparation. The pattern j'ai besoin de + noun expresses that the speaker needs something.
besoin Besoin means need as part of j'ai besoin de, the construction used to say that the speaker needs a repair kit. Reuse it with avoir besoin de + noun or infinitive.
d'une D'une means of a in j'ai besoin d'une trousse de réparation. It is the form of de before une, and the pattern besoin d'une + noun introduces the needed item.
trousse Trousse means kit or case here in trousse de réparation, referring to the container of repair tools. The pattern trousse de + purpose identifies what the kit is for.
réparation Réparation means repair here and specifies the purpose of trousse in trousse de réparation. It can follow de to name the purpose of a kit or other item.
un Un means a or one here before kit in un kit. It introduces one nonspecific kit, and the pattern un + noun presents an item.
kit Kit means kit here, referring to the set of bicycle repair tools. It can be used after un or with avec to describe what the kit contains.
avec Avec means with here in un kit avec des démonte-pneus et une chambre à air de rechange. The pattern avec + noun lists an item included with or contained in something.
des Des introduces the plural tool name in des démonte-pneus and means some or unspecified plural items here. It is used before a plural noun when listing the kit's contents.
démonte-pneus Démonte-pneus means tire levers here, the tools used with the bicycle tire. It appears after des when naming plural items in the kit.
une Une means a or one before chambre in une chambre à air de rechange. It introduces one feminine noun phrase, here an inner tube.
chambre Chambre means chamber as part of chambre à air, which refers here to an inner tube. In this repair context, chambre à air is the reusable expression for that bicycle part.
air Air means air in chambre à air and specifies that the chamber contains air. The complete expression chambre à air names the inner tube used in a bicycle wheel.
rechange Rechange marks something as spare or replacement in chambre à air de rechange. The pattern noun de rechange identifies an item kept as a replacement.
Est-ce Est-ce is part of Est-ce que, the question-forming expression used to ask whether someone can show or stay nearby. It begins a direct question in the dialogue.
que Que completes the question structure Est-ce que and introduces the clause being asked about. The reusable pattern Est-ce que + subject + verb forms a direct question.
tu Tu means you when addressing one person informally in tu peux me montrer. It is used as the subject before the verb in an informal request.
peux Peux means can here in tu peux me montrer and tu peux rester. It is followed by an infinitive to ask about someone's ability or politely request an action.
me Me means me as the person who receives the showing in me montrer. The pattern montrer quelque chose à me is represented here by me montrer in the sentence structure.
montrer Montrer means show here in me montrer comment retirer la roue correctement. After peux, it is followed by the person shown and by comment + infinitive to request an explanation or demonstration.
comment Comment means how here and introduces the method in comment retirer la roue correctement. The pattern montrer comment + infinitive asks someone to explain or demonstrate how to do something.
retirer Retirer means remove here in retirer la roue, referring to taking the wheel off the bicycle. It is followed by the object being removed.
la La means the before roue in la roue and identifies the specific wheel under discussion. It is used before this singular feminine noun.
roue Roue means wheel here in retirer la roue. The phrase retirer la roue describes the repair action the learner wants to perform.
correctement Correctement means correctly here and describes how the wheel should be removed. It can follow an action verb to specify that the action must be done properly.
Commence Commence means start here as a direct instruction to the person addressed in Commence par retourner soigneusement le vélo. The pattern commence par + infinitive introduces the first action in a procedure.
par Par means by in commence par retourner and introduces the action that should be done first. The pattern commencer par + infinitive is used to give the first step in a sequence.
retourner Retourner means turn over here in retourner soigneusement le vélo, telling the learner to place the bicycle upside down. It follows par and takes le vélo as its object.
soigneusement Soigneusement means carefully here and describes how to retourner le vélo. It is used after an action verb to indicate careful execution.
le Le means the before vélo in le vélo and identifies the specific bicycle being repaired. It is used before this singular masculine noun.
Je Je means I here as the subject of Je n'ai encore jamais changé une chambre à air sans aide. It introduces the speaker's own experience or lack of experience.
n'ai N'ai contributes the negative meaning have not in n'ai encore jamais changé. The negative idea is completed by jamais, giving the pattern ne...jamais for saying that an experience has never happened.
encore Encore means yet here in encore jamais and places the experience within the time up to now. The expression n'ai encore jamais changé describes something the speaker has not done so far.
jamais Jamais means never here in n'ai encore jamais changé. Together with the negative form n'ai, it expresses that the speaker has had no previous experience of this action.
changé Changé means changed here in n'ai encore jamais changé une chambre à air. It describes the repair action that the speaker has never carried out before.
sans Sans means without here in sans aide, indicating that the speaker has not changed an inner tube independently. The pattern sans + noun expresses the absence of assistance or another thing.
aide Aide means help here in sans aide. It identifies the assistance that is absent, and it can follow sans when describing an action done without help.
Suis Suis means follow here as an instruction in Suis attentivement les instructions. It is used to tell the person addressed to follow guidance or directions.
attentivement Attentivement means carefully or attentively here and describes how to follow the instructions. It can modify an action to show that the learner should pay close attention while doing it.
les Les means the before instructions in les instructions and refers to the specific instructions for the repair. It is used before this plural noun.
instructions Instructions means instructions here, referring to the directions for changing the inner tube. The phrase suivre les instructions is a common pattern for telling someone to follow directions.
ne Ne is the negative marker in ne force aucune pièce à bouger. With aucune, it helps express that no part should be forced to move.
force Force means force or apply pressure here in ne force aucune pièce à bouger. The pattern forcer + object + à + infinitive describes making something move by applying force.
aucune Aucune means any in the negative expression ne force aucune pièce and gives the meaning no part. It agrees with the feminine noun pièce and is used with ne to deny that even one such item should be forced.
pièce Pièce means part or component here in aucune pièce, referring to any component of the bicycle repair. It is used as the object of force in the instruction.
bouger Bouger means move here after à in force aucune pièce à bouger. The construction describes the movement that must not be caused by forcing the part.
Après Après means after here and places the question about checking the pressure after the replacement. The pattern Après + completed action introduces an action that happens later.
l'avoir L'avoir is part of l'avoir remplacée and contributes the meaning having replaced it: l' is the object and avoir marks the prior action. In Après l'avoir remplacée, the replacement happens before the pressure is checked.
remplacée Remplacée means replaced here in l'avoir remplacée, referring to the feminine chambre à air. Its final form reflects that feminine object and the phrase describes completing the replacement before the next action.
dois Dois means must or should here in est-ce que je dois vérifier la pression. The pattern devoir + infinitive asks whether the speaker is expected or advised to do something.
vérifier Vérifier means check here in vérifier la pression. It follows dois and takes the thing being checked as its object.
pression Pression means pressure here, specifically the tire pressure in vérifier la pression. The phrase vérifier la pression is used when checking whether the tire has the appropriate firmness.
doit Doit means should or must here in Le pneu doit être ferme and expresses the recommended condition of the tire. It is followed by être + adjective to describe what the tire should be like.
être Être means be here in doit être ferme and links the tire to the quality ferme. The pattern devoir être + adjective describes a required or recommended condition.
ferme Ferme means firm here and describes how the tire should feel when touched. It is used after être and is clarified by the expression au toucher.
au Au is part of au toucher and gives the meaning to the touch in this sentence. It is used in the pattern adjective + au toucher to describe a quality judged by touching.
toucher Toucher means touch here in au toucher, referring to the sense used to assess the tire. The expression ferme au toucher means firm to the touch.
mais Mais means but here and introduces the limit in mais pas trop dur. It contrasts the desired firmness with the warning that the tire must not be excessively hard.
pas Pas means not here in pas trop dur and negates the description of the tire's hardness. The pattern pas trop + adjective expresses that something should not be too much of a quality.
trop Trop means too or excessively here in pas trop dur. It limits the degree of dur and is commonly used before an adjective in this pattern.
dur Dur means hard here in pas trop dur and describes the tire's firmness limit. The full phrase pas trop dur means not too hard.
rester Rester means stay here in rester près de moi and asks the other person to remain nearby. It can be followed by a location phrase such as près de moi.
près Près means near here in près de moi and describes the requested location. The pattern près de + person or thing indicates proximity.
moi Moi means me here in près de moi and identifies the person near whom the other speaker should stay. It follows de in this location expression.
pendant Pendant means while here in pendant que j'essaie la première étape and introduces an action happening at the same time. The pattern pendant que + subject + verb connects two simultaneous actions.
j'essaie J'essaie means I try here in pendant que j'essaie la première étape. It is followed by the thing being attempted, la première étape, and describes the speaker beginning the procedure.
première Première means first here in première étape and identifies the initial step in the repair sequence. It is used before étape to mark its position in that sequence.
étape Étape means step here in la première étape, referring to the first action in the instructions. The pattern première étape is useful when describing the beginning of a procedure.
te Te means you as the informal object in te guider and identifies the person who will receive guidance. The pattern guider quelqu'un uses this object position for the person being guided.
guider Guider means guide here in Je peux te guider pour la première partie and means help someone through a procedure. It can be used with a person as the object and a task or section as the scope.
pour Pour means for here in pour la première partie and identifies the part of the procedure covered by the guidance. The pattern guider quelqu'un pour + section or task specifies what the guidance concerns.
partie Partie means part here in pour la première partie, referring to the first section of the repair instructions. The phrase première partie identifies the initial portion of an activity.
utilises Utilises means use here in pendant que tu utilises le kit and describes the other person's use of the repair kit. It is followed by the object being used, le kit.

Grammar Points

Impératif : verbe à la forme de commande

Commence la première étape.

koh-MAHNS lah pruh-MYEHR ay-TAHP

Start the first step.

Le verbe est utilisé seul pour donner une instruction directe, sans sujet exprimé.

pendant que + proposition

pendant que j’essaie

pahn-DAHN kuh zheh-SAY

while I try

« Pendant que » relie deux actions qui se déroulent en même temps.

French Vocabulary

à plat phrase
ah PLAH flat
avoir besoin de phrase
ah-VWAR buh-ZWAN duh to need j'ai besoin de
chambre à air noun
SHAHM-br ah AIR inner tube
de rechange phrase
duh ruh-SHAHNZH spare
démonte-pneu noun
day-MOHNT p'nuh tire lever démonte-pneus
kit noun
KEET kit
montrer verb
mohn-TRAY to show
pneu noun
p'nuh tire
réparation noun
ray-pah-rah-SYOHN repair
retirer verb
ruh-tee-RAY to remove
trousse noun
TROOSS kit
vélo noun
vay-LOH bicycle

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Start by turning the bike upside down carefully.

Show AnswerCommence par retourner soigneusement le vélo.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

repair

Show Answerréparation

tire

Show Answerpneu

kit

Show Answertrousse

bicycle

Show Answervélo