About This Lesson
Use Handling a frozen maintenance request app to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
L’application de demande d’intervention s’est bloquée après que j’ai appuyé sur envoyer.
lah-plee-kah-SYOHN duh duh-MAHND dan-tair-vahn-SYOHN say bloh-KAY ah-PRAY kuh zhay ah-pwee-YAY sewr ahn-vwah-YAY The maintenance request app froze after I pressed send.
B
Vérifie si la demande apparaît dans ton historique avant d’essayer à nouveau.
vay-ree-FEE see lah duh-MAHND ah-pah-REHTR dahn tohn ee-stoh-REEK ah-VAHN day-SAY-YAY ah noo-VOH Check whether the request appears in your history before you try again.
A
Elle charge encore, et je ne peux pas savoir si le message est bien parti.
ehl sharzh ahn-KOR, ay zhuh nuh puh pah sah-VWAHR see luh meh-SAHZH ay byan par-TEE It is still loading, and I cannot tell if the message went through.
B
Fais une capture d’écran pour pouvoir expliquer clairement le problème.
feh ewn kahp-TEWR day-KRAHN poor poo-VWAHR eks-plee-KAY klehr-MAHN luh proh-BLEHM Take a screenshot so you can explain the problem clearly.
A
Je ne veux pas envoyer la même demande une deuxième fois.
zhuh nuh vuh pah ahn-vwah-YAY lah MEHM duh-MAHND ewn duh-ZYEM fwah I do not want to send the same request again.
B
Attends un court moment, puis vérifie l’application avant de commencer une nouvelle demande.
ah-TAHN uhn KOOR moh-MAHN, pwee vay-ree-FEE lah-plee-kah-SYOHN ah-VAHN duh koh-mahn-SAY ewn noo-VEHL duh-MAHND Wait a short time, then check the app before starting a new request.
A
Si elle se bloque encore, est-ce que je dois contacter directement le service de maintenance de l’immeuble ?
see ehl suh blohk ahn-KOR, ehs kuh zhuh dwah kohn-tahk-TAY dee-rekt-MAHN luh sair-VEES duh man-tuh-NAHNS duh lee-MUHB-luh If it still freezes, should I contact building maintenance directly?
B
Contacte-les directement et explique que l’application ne fonctionne peut-être pas.
kohn-TAHKT lay dee-rekt-MAHN ay eks-PLEEK kuh lah-plee-kah-SYOHN nuh fohnk-SYOHN puh-TEHTR pah Contact them directly and explain that the app may not be working.
A
Je peux laisser l’écran ouvert jusqu’à ce que je sache ce qui s’est passé.
zhuh puh leh-SAY lay-KRAHN oo-VAIR zhoos-KAH suh kuh zhuh sahsh suh kee say pah-SAY I can keep the screen open until I know what happened.
B
Ensuite, le service de maintenance pourra utiliser la capture d’écran pour comprendre ce qui n’a pas marché.
ahn-SWEET luh sair-VEES duh man-tuh-NAHNS poo-RAH oo-tee-lee-ZAY lah kahp-TEWR day-KRAHN poor kohn-PRAHNDR suh kee nah pah mar-SHAY Then maintenance can use the screenshot to understand what went wrong.Word by Word
L’application
In L’application de demande d’intervention, this means “the application” or “the app.” The form l’ is used before a vowel sound, and this word is used here to name the app involved in the maintenance request.
de
In L’application de demande d’intervention, de links the application to the type of request, roughly meaning “of” or “for.” A reusable pattern is noun de noun, as in demande d’intervention.
demande
In demande d’intervention, demande means “request.” The same noun appears in une deuxième fois and refers here to a request submitted through the app.
d’intervention
In demande d’intervention, d’intervention identifies the request as one for an intervention or maintenance service. The form d’ is de before a vowel, and demande d’intervention is a reusable expression for a maintenance request.
s’est
In s’est bloquée, s’est helps express that the app became or got frozen. It combines with bloquée to describe a change of state after the speaker pressed send.
bloquée
In L’application de demande d’intervention s’est bloquée, bloquée means “froze” or “got blocked.” Its form agrees with the feminine noun application, and the expression is useful for reporting that an app stopped responding.
après
In après que j’ai appuyé sur envoyer, après means “after” and introduces the event that happened first. Use après que before a clause when explaining the order of two events.
que
In après que j’ai appuyé sur envoyer, que introduces the clause describing what happened after. The reusable construction is après que followed by a subject and verb.
j’ai
In j’ai appuyé sur envoyer, j’ai means “I have” as part of the form describing what the speaker did. It introduces the action of pressing the send control.
appuyé
In j’ai appuyé sur envoyer, appuyé means “pressed.” The reusable pattern is appuyer sur followed by the button or control that was pressed.
sur
In appuyé sur envoyer, sur identifies the control that was pressed, here the send action. Use appuyer sur with a button, key, or other control.
envoyer
In appuyé sur envoyer, envoyer means “send” and appears as the label or action selected in the app. A useful pattern is appuyer sur envoyer when describing pressing a send button.
Vérifie
In Vérifie si la demande apparaît dans ton historique, Vérifie is a direct instruction to check. It is useful when telling someone to inspect information before taking another action.
si
In Vérifie si la demande apparaît dans ton historique, si means “whether.” In Si elle se bloque encore, it means “if,” so the exact meaning depends on whether it introduces a check or a condition.
apparaît
In la demande apparaît dans ton historique, apparaît means “appears” or “shows up.” Use it when checking whether a request or message is visible in a record.
dans
In dans ton historique, dans means “in” and identifies the history as the place where the request may appear. It commonly introduces a container, record, or location.
ton
In ton historique, ton means “your” when addressing one person informally. It marks historique as belonging to the person being advised.
historique
In ton historique, historique means the app’s “history” or record of previous requests. Use it when referring to stored activity that can be checked later.
avant
In avant d’essayer à nouveau, avant means “before” and places one action earlier than another. It is commonly followed by de and an infinitive when the subject remains understood.
d’essayer
In avant d’essayer à nouveau, d’essayer means “to try” after avant de. The reusable pattern is avant de + infinitive for an action that should happen beforehand.
à
In à nouveau, à forms the expression meaning “again” or “anew.” The reusable pattern is verb followed by à nouveau, as in essayer à nouveau.
nouveau
In à nouveau, nouveau completes the expression meaning “again.” Use à nouveau when describing a repeated attempt, such as essayer à nouveau.
Elle
In Elle charge encore, Elle refers to the application, not to a person. The same feminine pronoun appears in Si elle se bloque encore when describing the app’s possible state.
charge
In Elle charge encore, charge means “is loading.” It describes what the app is doing while the speaker waits for the request status to become clear.
encore
In Elle charge encore, encore means “still,” showing that the loading has not finished. In Si elle se bloque encore, it refers to the possibility of the app freezing again.
et
In Elle charge encore, et je ne peux pas savoir, et links two pieces of information. It connects the app’s continued loading with the speaker’s inability to know what happened.
je
In je ne peux pas savoir si le message est bien parti, je means “I” and is the subject of the speaker’s statement. It is used to describe the speaker’s own ability or uncertainty.
ne
In je ne peux pas savoir, ne is the first part of the negative construction ne ... pas. Together with pas, it makes the statement mean that the speaker cannot know.
peux
In je ne peux pas savoir, peux means “can” or “am able to.” With ne ... pas, the exact expression means “cannot,” and pouvoir + infinitive is a reusable pattern.
pas
In je ne peux pas savoir, pas completes the negative construction ne ... pas. Together they negate peux and show that the speaker is unable to know.
savoir
In je ne peux pas savoir si le message est bien parti, savoir means “to know” or “to tell.” It is followed here by si to identify the uncertainty being checked.
message
In le message est bien parti, message means “message.” It refers to the information that may or may not have gone through the app.
est
In le message est bien parti, est is the form of être used with parti to state what happened to the message. The expression est bien parti describes a message that went through successfully.
bien
In le message est bien parti, bien indicates that the message went through properly or successfully. It modifies the idea of the message being sent, rather than simply meaning “well” on its own.
parti
In le message est bien parti, parti means that the message was sent or went through. The full expression is useful when checking whether a message has successfully left an app.
Fais
In Fais une capture d’écran, Fais is a direct instruction to make or take something. Here it tells the other person to take a screenshot.
une
In une capture d’écran, une means “a” and introduces one screenshot. It is the feminine singular indefinite article used with capture.
capture
In une capture d’écran, capture means “capture,” and the whole expression means “screenshot.” Use it when saving an image of what is currently displayed.
d’écran
In capture d’écran, d’écran means “of the screen” and completes the expression for a screenshot. The form d’ is de before the vowel in écran.
pour
In pour pouvoir expliquer clairement le problème, pour introduces the purpose of taking the screenshot. It answers what the action is intended to make possible.
pouvoir
In pour pouvoir expliquer clairement le problème, pouvoir means “to be able to.” It follows pour and shows the purpose: being able to explain the problem clearly.
expliquer
In pour pouvoir expliquer clairement le problème, expliquer means “to explain.” It follows pouvoir and identifies the communication the screenshot will support.
clairement
In expliquer clairement le problème, clairement means “clearly” and describes the manner of explaining. It is useful when asking someone to make a problem easy to understand.
le
In le problème, le means “the” before the masculine noun problème. It identifies the particular problem being discussed.
problème
In le problème, problème means “problem.” Here it refers to the app’s frozen or uncertain request process.
veux
In Je ne veux pas envoyer la même demande une deuxième fois, veux means “want.” With ne ... pas, the speaker says they do not want to send the request again.
la
In la même demande, la means “the” before the feminine noun demande. It identifies the specific request that should not be sent again.
même
In la même demande, même means “same.” It emphasizes that the request being considered would be identical to the earlier one.
deuxième
In une deuxième fois, deuxième means “second” and marks the repeat as another occurrence after the first. The expression is useful when describing an action done for a second time.
fois
In une deuxième fois, fois means “time” or “occasion.” Together with deuxième, it describes repeating the same request on another occasion.
Attends
In Attends un court moment, Attends is a direct instruction to wait. It is used here to recommend pausing briefly before checking the app again.
un
In un court moment, un means “a” or “one” before the masculine noun moment. It introduces a short period of waiting.
court
In un court moment, court means “short.” It limits the length of the wait being recommended.
moment
In un court moment, moment means “moment” or “short period of time.” The expression is useful for asking someone to wait briefly.
puis
In puis vérifie l’application, puis means “then” and marks the next step after waiting. It is useful for giving actions in sequence.
commencer
In avant de commencer une nouvelle demande, commencer means “to start.” It follows avant de and describes beginning a new request.
nouvelle
In une nouvelle demande, nouvelle means “new” and describes a request that has not yet been started. Its form agrees with the feminine noun demande.
se
In elle se bloque encore, se is used with bloque to describe the app becoming blocked or frozen. The combination se bloquer is useful for describing an app that freezes.
bloque
In Si elle se bloque encore, bloque means “freezes” or “gets blocked.” It describes the possible repeated failure of the application.
est-ce
In est-ce que je dois contacter directement le service de maintenance de l’immeuble, est-ce introduces a yes-or-no question. The reusable pattern is est-ce que followed by a complete question.
dois
In est-ce que je dois contacter directement le service de maintenance de l’immeuble, dois means “should” or “must.” It asks whether contacting maintenance is the appropriate action.
contacter
In je dois contacter directement le service de maintenance de l’immeuble, contacter means “to contact.” It follows dois and takes the service being contacted as its object.
directement
In contacter directement le service de maintenance de l’immeuble, directement means “directly.” It explains that the speaker should contact the maintenance service without using the app.
service
In le service de maintenance de l’immeuble, service means a “service” or “department.” It identifies the group responsible for handling the building’s maintenance.
maintenance
In le service de maintenance de l’immeuble, maintenance refers to maintenance work or the maintenance department. The expression names the service that can handle the problem.
l’immeuble
In le service de maintenance de l’immeuble, l’immeuble means “the building.” The form l’ is used before the vowel in immeuble, and it specifies which maintenance service is meant.
Contacte-les
In Contacte-les directement, Contacte-les means “contact them directly.” The pronoun les is attached to the instruction and refers to the maintenance service personnel.
explique
In explique que l’application ne fonctionne peut-être pas, explique is a direct instruction to explain. It introduces the information that should be given to maintenance.
fonctionne
In l’application ne fonctionne peut-être pas, fonctionne means “works” or “functions.” With ne ... pas, the expression says that the application may not be working.
peut-être
In l’application ne fonctionne peut-être pas, peut-être expresses uncertainty, meaning “perhaps” or “may be.” It makes the statement less definite because the speaker does not know whether the app is actually malfunctioning.
laisser
In laisser l’écran ouvert, laisser means “to leave” or “keep” something in a particular state. The pattern laisser + object + adjective describes keeping the screen open.
l’écran
In laisser l’écran ouvert, l’écran means “the screen.” The form l’ is used before the vowel in écran, and it is the screen the speaker can keep open.
ouvert
In laisser l’écran ouvert, ouvert means “open.” It describes the state in which the speaker will keep the screen.
jusqu’à
In jusqu’à ce que je sache ce qui s’est passé, jusqu’à means “until.” It introduces the point up to which the screen will remain open.
ce
In ce qui s’est passé, ce combines with qui to refer to “what” happened or “that which” happened. The full expression ce qui is useful when referring to an unspecified event or thing.
sache
In jusqu’à ce que je sache ce qui s’est passé, sache means “know.” It appears in the clause introduced by jusqu’à ce que and identifies the point when the speaker will know what happened.
qui
In ce qui s’est passé, qui completes ce qui, meaning “what” or “that which.” The expression refers to the event that happened without naming it in advance.
passé
In ce qui s’est passé, passé contributes the meaning “happened.” The full expression is used when asking or explaining what occurred.
Ensuite
In Ensuite, le service de maintenance pourra utiliser la capture d’écran, Ensuite means “then” or “next.” It marks the result or next step after the screenshot has been kept.
pourra
In le service de maintenance pourra utiliser la capture d’écran, pourra means “will be able to.” It indicates that maintenance will have the ability to use the screenshot.
utiliser
In pourra utiliser la capture d’écran, utiliser means “to use.” It follows pourra and identifies what maintenance can do with the screenshot.
comprendre
In pour comprendre ce qui n’a pas marché, comprendre means “to understand.” It follows pour and expresses the purpose of using the screenshot.
n’a
In ce qui n’a pas marché, n’a begins the negative construction n’a pas. Together with pas, it says that something did not work.
marché
In ce qui n’a pas marché, marché means “worked” in the expression n’a pas marché. The full expression describes the part of the process that failed.
Grammar Points
s’est + participe passé
L’application s’est bloquée.
lah-plee-kah-SYOHN say bloh-KAYThe application froze.
With a reflexive verb in the passé composé, French uses être; the past participle agrees with the feminine subject.
essayer de + infinitif
essayer d’envoyer le message à nouveau
eh-SAY-YAY dahn-vwah-YAY luh meh-SAHZH ah noo-VOHto try to send the message again
After essayer, use de before another verb in the infinitive: essayer de + infinitive.
French Vocabulary
à nouveau
adv
ah noo-VOH
again
essayer à nouveau
apparaître
verb
ah-pah-REHTR
to appear
apparaît
la demande apparaît dans ton historique
application
noun
ah-plee-kah-SYOHN
application
L’application
L’application de demande d’intervention
appuyer
verb
ah-pwee-YAY
to press
appuyé
j’ai appuyé sur envoyer
charger
verb
shar-ZHAY
to load
charge
Elle charge encore
demande d’intervention
phrase
duh-MAHND dan-tair-vahn-SYOHN
maintenance request
L’application de demande d’intervention
envoyer
verb
ahn-vwah-YAY
to send
appuyé sur envoyer
essayer
verb
eh-SAY-YAY
to try
d’essayer
avant d’essayer à nouveau
historique
noun
ee-stoh-REEK
history
ton historique
dans ton historique
message
noun
meh-SAHZH
message
le message
si le message est bien parti
partir
verb
par-TEER
to go through; to be sent
est bien parti
si le message est bien parti
se bloquer
verb
suh bloh-KAY
to freeze; to become stuck
s’est bloquée
L’application ... s’est bloquée
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
to appear
Show Answer
apparaîtto press
Show Answer
appuyéto send
Show Answer
envoyerto load