Planning a market visit during a heatwave | Learn French in English

French lesson set in a contemporary Paris everyday setting: During a heatwave, two adults plan a market visit for a cooler, quieter time with shade, water, and flexibility..

EN → FR / Level: B1

About This Lesson

Use Planning a market visit during a heatwave to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

La canicule devrait continuer.

lah kah-nee-KEWL duh-VRAY kohn-tee-new-AY The heatwave is expected to continue.
B

Alors, nous devrions prévoir les activités à l'extérieur pendant le moment le plus frais de la journée.

ah-LOR, noo duh-vree-OHN pray-VWAHR lay zak-tee-vee-TAY ah lek-stay-ree-UHR pahn-DAHN luh moh-MAHN luh plew FRAY duh lah zhoor-NAY Then we should plan anything outside for the cooler part of the day.
A

Je voulais aller au marché, mais la foule pourrait rendre les choses plus difficiles.

zhuh voo-LAY ah-LAY oh mar-SHAY, may lah FOOL poo-RAY RAHN-druh lay SHOHZ plew dee-fee-SEEL I wanted to visit the market, but the crowds might make it harder.
B

Avec cette chaleur, nous devrions choisir un moment plus calme et éviter de rester debout sur place.

ah-VEK set shah-LUR, noo duh-vree-OHN shwah-ZEER uhn moh-MAHN plew KAHLM ay ay-vee-TAY duh res-TAY duh-BOO soor plass In that heat, we should choose a quieter time and avoid standing around.
A

Nous pouvons prendre des rues ombragées et nous reposer à l'intérieur quand c'est nécessaire.

noo poo-VOHN PRAHN-druh day rew oom-brah-ZHAY ay noo ruh-poh-ZAY ah lan-tay-ree-UHR kahn say nay-sess-SAIR We can take shaded streets and rest indoors when needed.
B

Cela nous donne plus de flexibilité si la chaleur s'aggrave.

seh-LAH noo DON plew duh flex-ee-bee-lee-TAY see lah shah-LUR sah-GRAHV That gives us more flexibility if the heat gets worse.
A

Est-ce qu'un chapeau et un peu plus d'eau aideraient ?

ess-kuhn shah-POH ay uhn puh plew DOH eh-DRAY Would a hat and extra water help?
B

Un chapeau aidera, et des vêtements légers rendraient la marche plus facile.

uhn shah-POH eh-duh-RAH, ay day VET-mahn lay-ZHAY RAHN-dray lah MARSH plew fah-SEEL A hat will help, and light clothing would make the walk easier.
A

Alors, nous pourrons changer le plan s'il fait trop chaud.

ah-LOR noo poo-ROHN shahn-ZHAY luh PLAHN seel fay troh SHOH Then we can change the plan if it feels too hot.
B

Ça a l'air assez flexible pour une journée chaude.

sah ah LAIR ah-SAY flex-EE-bl poor uhn zhoor-NAY SHOHD That sounds flexible enough for a hot day.

Word by Word

La In 'La canicule', this means 'the' before a specific feminine singular noun. Reuse it before a known feminine singular noun when referring to a particular thing or situation.
canicule In 'La canicule', this means a heatwave, a period of unusually hot weather. Use it when discussing prolonged extreme heat, such as in a weather report or daily plan.
devrait In 'La canicule devrait continuer', this expresses that the heatwave is expected to continue, without presenting it as certain. It is followed here by the infinitive 'continuer', so this pattern is useful for stating an expectation.
continuer In 'devrait continuer', this means to continue or carry on. It is the infinitive used after a form expressing expectation, and it can describe an activity, event, or condition that does not stop.
Alors At the beginning of 'Alors, nous devrions prévoir...', this means 'then' or 'so' and introduces a consequence or next step. Use it to connect new advice or an action to information just mentioned.
nous In 'nous devrions' and 'nous pouvons', this means 'we'; in 'nous reposer', it refers to the people taking the action. It commonly appears before a conjugated verb when the speaker includes themself and someone else.
devrions In 'nous devrions prévoir' and 'nous devrions choisir', this gives the meaning 'we should' or 'we ought to' and presents a recommendation. Reuse 'nous devrions' before an infinitive when suggesting an action for the group.
prévoir In 'prévoir les activités à l'extérieur', this means to plan or arrange something in advance. It is used with the thing being planned, such as the activities here, and follows 'devrions' as an infinitive.
les In 'les activités', this means 'the' before a specific plural noun. Reuse it before plural things that are identifiable in the situation.
activités In 'les activités à l'extérieur', this means activities or planned things to do outdoors. Use it for several actions, events, or things people do.
à In 'à l'extérieur', this indicates the location 'outside' or 'outdoors'. Reuse it with a place expression to show where an activity takes place.
l'extérieur In 'à l'extérieur', this means outside or outdoors. Together with 'à', it gives a location, so the expression is useful when contrasting outdoor activities with being inside.
pendant In 'pendant le moment le plus frais de la journée', this means 'during' and introduces the time period when something should happen. Use it before a period of time to say when an action takes place.
le In 'le moment', this means 'the' before a specific masculine singular noun. Reuse it before a particular time, object, or situation when the noun is masculine singular.
moment In 'le moment le plus frais de la journée' and 'un moment plus calme', this means a time or moment suitable for scheduling. Use it when choosing or referring to a particular part of a day or event.
plus In 'le plus frais', this marks the highest degree and gives the meaning 'the coolest' in the selected part of the day. Reuse it with an article and an adjective when identifying the item with the greatest quality.
frais In 'le plus frais', this describes a time that is cooler in temperature. Use it for a cool period, place, or condition, especially when deciding when to go outside.
de In 'de la journée', this links the moment to the day it belongs to or comes from. Reuse it after a noun when adding a related time period or reference.
journée In 'de la journée', this means the day considered as a period of time. Use it when talking about how conditions or activities vary over the course of a day.
Je In 'Je voulais aller au marché', this means 'I' and identifies the speaker as the subject of the action. It is commonly placed before the conjugated verb when the speaker describes their own plan, wish, or experience.
voulais In 'Je voulais aller au marché', this means 'I wanted' and expresses a past desire or intention. The pattern 'Je voulais' followed by an infinitive is useful for explaining what the speaker intended to do.
aller In 'aller au marché', this means 'to go' and names the action intended after 'voulais'. Reuse it with a destination when describing where someone plans to go.
au In 'aller au marché', this means 'to the' before the destination 'marché'. It is the contracted form used with this masculine singular destination, and the whole pattern is useful for saying where someone is going.
marché In 'au marché', this means market, the place they want to visit. Use it when discussing shopping or visiting a market as a destination.
mais In 'mais la foule pourrait rendre les choses plus difficiles', this means 'but' and introduces a limitation or contrasting problem. Reuse it between two ideas when the second one changes or qualifies the first.
foule In 'la foule', this means the crowd or group of people gathered in one place. Use it when discussing how many people may make a public place busier or harder to navigate.
pourrait In 'la foule pourrait rendre les choses plus difficiles', this presents a possible consequence: the crowd might make things harder. Reuse it before an infinitive when describing something that could happen.
rendre In 'rendre les choses plus difficiles', this means to make or cause something to have a certain quality. The reusable pattern is 'rendre' plus an object plus an adjective, as in this statement about the crowd.
choses In 'les choses', this means things and refers generally to the situation or tasks involved. Reuse it when the exact individual details are not being named.
difficiles In 'rendre les choses plus difficiles', this means difficult or harder and describes the things affected by the crowd. It is useful when explaining that a condition increases the difficulty of a situation.
Avec At the beginning of 'Avec cette chaleur', this means 'with' or 'given these conditions' and introduces the heat as the context for the advice. Reuse 'Avec' before a situation or condition when explaining its effect on a decision.
cette In 'cette chaleur', this means 'this' before the feminine singular noun 'chaleur'. Reuse it before a specific feminine singular thing that is present or relevant in the current situation.
chaleur In 'cette chaleur', this means heat and refers to the hot conditions affecting the plan. Use it when discussing how hot weather influences comfort or activities.
choisir In 'choisir un moment plus calme', this means to choose or select. It follows 'devrions' as an infinitive and is useful with the thing being selected, such as a time.
un In 'un moment plus calme', this means 'a' before a nonspecific masculine singular noun. Reuse it when introducing one possible person, object, or time that has not been identified more specifically.
calme In 'un moment plus calme', this describes a time that is quieter or less busy. Use it when selecting a peaceful time for an activity.
et In 'choisir un moment plus calme et éviter...', this means 'and' and links two actions in the plan. Reuse it to join parallel actions or pieces of advice.
éviter In 'éviter de rester debout sur place', this means to avoid. It is followed here by 'de rester' and is useful when saying that someone should not do a particular action.
rester In 'rester debout sur place', this means to stay or remain. After 'éviter de', it names the action to be avoided, and the expression can describe remaining in a particular state or location.
debout In 'rester debout', this means standing or upright. Use it with a verb such as 'rester' when describing someone's physical position, for example while waiting.
sur In 'sur place', this contributes to the expression meaning 'on the spot' or 'in the same place'. Reuse 'sur place' when someone remains at the location instead of moving elsewhere.
place In 'sur place', this means the spot or place, as part of the expression for staying at the same location. Use the expression when describing an action done where someone already is.
pouvons In 'nous pouvons prendre' and 'nous pouvons nous reposer', this means 'we can' or 'we are able to'. Reuse 'nous pouvons' before an infinitive when describing an available option for the group.
prendre In 'prendre des rues ombragées', this means to take or use streets as a route. It follows 'pouvons' as an infinitive and is useful when choosing a way through a place.
des In 'des rues ombragées', this introduces unspecified plural streets and means 'some' or a plural indefinite article. Reuse it before plural nouns when the particular items have not been identified.
rues In 'des rues ombragées', this means streets, referring to possible routes to the market. Use it when discussing routes through a town or neighborhood.
ombragées In 'des rues ombragées', this means shaded and describes streets protected from direct sun. Use it after a noun when identifying a route or place with shade.
reposer In 'nous reposer à l'intérieur', this means to rest. It is the infinitive used after 'pouvons' in the expression about taking a break indoors when necessary.
l'intérieur In 'à l'intérieur', this means inside or indoors. Together with 'à', it gives a location and is useful when saying that someone moves or rests inside a building.
quand In 'quand c'est nécessaire', this means 'when' and introduces the condition or time for resting indoors. Reuse it before a clause that explains when an action should happen.
c'est In 'quand c'est nécessaire', this means 'it is' and evaluates the situation as necessary. The pattern 'c'est' plus an adjective is useful for describing a situation or giving an assessment.
nécessaire In 'c'est nécessaire', this means necessary or needed. Use it when an action is required by the circumstances, such as resting because of the heat.
Cela At the beginning of 'Cela nous donne plus de flexibilité', this means 'that' or 'it' and refers to the route-and-rest plan just described. Reuse it to refer back to an idea or situation that has already been mentioned.
donne In 'Cela nous donne plus de flexibilité', this means gives or provides. The pattern shows what provides something, who receives it, and what is provided, so it is useful for describing the benefit of a plan.
flexibilité In 'plus de flexibilité', this means flexibility, the ability to adapt the plan when conditions change. Use it when discussing plans that can be changed according to circumstances.
si In 'si la chaleur s'aggrave', this means 'if' and introduces a possible condition. Reuse it before a clause describing what must happen for another result or action to apply.
s'aggrave In 'si la chaleur s'aggrave', this means gets worse and describes the heat becoming more severe. Use it in a condition about a situation deteriorating.
Est-ce In 'Est-ce qu'un chapeau et un peu plus d'eau aideraient ?', this begins a yes-or-no question asking whether something would help. 'Est' and 'ce' work together as this question marker here, so the whole construction introduces the question rather than giving each part a separate meaning.
qu'un In 'Est-ce qu'un chapeau et un peu plus d'eau aideraient ?', this introduces the subject of the question: whether a hat and some extra water would help. It follows the question marker and comes before the noun phrase being considered.
chapeau In 'un chapeau', this means a hat, proposed as protection during the hot walk. Use it with an article when discussing headwear or something someone might wear outdoors.
peu In 'un peu plus d'eau', this means a small amount. Together with 'plus d'eau', it asks about having a little extra water rather than a large quantity.
d'eau In 'un peu plus d'eau', this specifies that the amount is water. It completes the quantity expression after 'plus' and is useful when asking for or referring to additional water.
aideraient In the question '... aideraient ?', this means 'would help' and asks about a possible benefit from the hat and extra water. Reuse it to ask whether several proposed things might be useful.
aidera In 'Un chapeau aidera', this means 'will help' and gives a confident prediction about the hat. It is useful for reassuring someone that a specific measure will provide assistance.
vêtements In 'des vêtements légers', this means clothes or clothing. Use it when discussing what someone should wear, especially when followed by a description of the clothing.
légers In 'des vêtements légers', this means light, referring to clothing that is not heavy or warm. Use it to describe clothing suitable for a hot walk.
rendraient In 'rendraient la marche plus facile', this means 'would make' and introduces a possible effect of wearing light clothing. Reuse it in the pattern of making an activity or situation have a particular quality.
marche In 'la marche', this means the walk or the act of walking. It is the activity that the clothing would make easier, so use it when discussing walking as part of a plan.
facile In 'rendraient la marche plus facile', this means easy, with 'plus' giving the meaning easier. Reuse it after a verb meaning 'make' when describing an activity that becomes less difficult.
pourrons In 'nous pourrons changer le plan', this means 'we will be able to' and presents a future option. Reuse 'nous pourrons' before an infinitive when describing what the group will have the possibility to do.
changer In 'changer le plan', this means to change or alter. It follows 'pourrons' as an infinitive and is useful with the thing being changed, here the plan.
plan In 'changer le plan', this means the plan for the market visit. Use it when referring to an arrangement or intended course of action that can be adjusted.
s'il In 's'il fait trop chaud', this means 'if it' and introduces the weather condition for changing the plan. Reuse it before a weather expression when a result depends on the temperature or conditions.
fait In the weather expression 'il fait trop chaud', this contributes to the meaning 'it is too hot'. Together with 'il' and the adjective, it is a standard pattern for describing the weather.
trop In 'trop chaud', this means 'too' and marks a degree that is excessive for the planned activity. Reuse it before an adjective when something exceeds a suitable or acceptable level.
chaud In 'il fait trop chaud', this means hot and describes the weather. Reuse it in the weather pattern 'il fait' plus an adjective when talking about temperature.
Ça At the beginning of 'Ça a l'air assez flexible', this means 'that' or 'it' and refers to the plan being discussed. It is useful as a subject when giving a general comment about an already mentioned situation.
a In 'Ça a l'air...', this is the form used with 'l'air' in the expression meaning 'seems' or 'looks'. The meaning comes from the whole expression, and the pattern is useful before an adjective that describes an impression.
l'air In 'Ça a l'air assez flexible', this is part of the expression meaning 'seems' or 'looks'. Reuse the pattern with a subject and an adjective when giving an impression about a plan or situation.
assez In 'assez flexible pour une journée chaude', this means 'enough' and says that the flexibility is sufficient for the situation. Reuse it before an adjective when evaluating whether something meets a required level.
flexible In 'assez flexible', this means adaptable and able to accommodate changes. Use it when describing a plan that can be adjusted if the weather or another condition changes.
une In 'une journée chaude', this means 'a' before a nonspecific feminine singular noun. Reuse it when introducing one possible person, object, or period that has not been identified more specifically.
chaude In 'une journée chaude', this means hot and describes the feminine noun 'journée'. Use it when describing a hot day or another feminine singular noun affected by high temperature.

Grammar Points

rendre + nom + adjectif

La chaleur rend les activités difficiles.

lah shah-LUR RAHN lay zak-tee-vee-TAY dee-fee-SEEL

The heat makes activities difficult.

Rendre is followed by a noun and an adjective to express that something causes a change or result.

conditionnel présent : aideraient

Des vêtements légers aideraient.

day VET-mahn lay-ZHAY eh-DRAY

Light clothing would help.

The conditional expresses a possible or hypothetical result; aideraient means “would help” for ils or elles.

French Vocabulary

à l'extérieur phrase
ah lek-stay-ree-UHR outside; outdoors

Les activités à l'extérieur.

activités noun
ak-tee-vee-TAY activities

Prévoir les activités à l'extérieur.

canicule noun
kah-nee-KEWL heatwave

La canicule devrait continuer.

chaleur noun
shah-LUR heat

Avec cette chaleur.

continuer verb
kohn-tee-new-AY to continue

La canicule devrait continuer.

difficiles adj
dee-fee-SEEL difficult; harder

Rendre les choses plus difficiles.

foule noun
FOOL crowd

La foule pourrait rendre les choses plus difficiles.

frais adj
FRAY cool

Le moment le plus frais de la journée.

marché noun
mar-SHAY market

Je voulais aller au marché.

moment noun
moh-MAHN time; moment

Pendant le moment le plus frais de la journée.

prévoir verb
pray-VWAHR to plan; to foresee

Nous devrions prévoir les activités à l'extérieur.

rendre verb
RAHN-druh to make

Rendre les choses plus difficiles.

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

The heatwave is expected to continue.

Show AnswerLa canicule devrait continuer.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

time; moment

Show Answermoment

crowd

Show Answerfoule

market

Show Answermarché

activities

Show Answeractivités