Deciding Whether to Continue a Hobby | Learn French in English

About This Lesson

Use Deciding Whether to Continue a Hobby to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Je ne sais pas si je veux continuer le cours de peinture.

zhuh nuh say see zhuh vuh kohn-tee-NWAY luh koor duh pan-TUR. I am not sure whether I want to continue the painting class.

Est-ce que tu perds de l'intérêt, ou est-ce que cette obligation fixe est trop lourde ?

ess-kuh tyoo pair duh lan-tay-RAY, oo ess-kuh set oh-blee-gah-SYON feex eh troh LOORD? Are you losing interest, or is the fixed commitment too much?

Un peu des deux. J'aime peindre, mais le cours me stresse.

uhn puh day DOO. zhem PAN-druh, may luh koor muh STRESS. A bit of both. I like painting, but the class feels stressful.

Peut-être que ce loisir est passé d'un moment de détente à une autre obligation.

put-ETR kuh suh lwah-ZEER eh pah-SAY duhn moh-MAHN duh day-TONT ah yoon OH-tr oh-blee-gah-SYON. Maybe the hobby changed from relaxing to another obligation.

Oui, cela ressemble moins à un plaisir et davantage à une autre tâche.

wee, suh-LAH ruh-SAHM-bluh mwan ahn play-ZEER ay dah-vahn-TAZH ah yoon OH-tr TAHSH. Yes, it feels less like fun and more like another task.

Tu pourrais plutôt pratiquer tranquillement chez toi.

tyoo poo-RAY plyoo-TOH prah-tee-KAY trahn-keel-MAHN shay TWAH. You could switch to casual practice at home instead.

Alors, je peux garder ce que cela m'apporte sans avoir d'emploi du temps fixe.

ah-LOHR, zhuh puh gar-DAY suh kuh suh-LAH mah-PORT sahn zah-VWAR ahn-PLWAH duh TAHN feex. Then I can keep the benefit without the fixed schedule.

Les loisirs devraient s'adapter à ta vie, pas seulement à la personne idéale que tu voudrais être.

lay lwah-ZEER duh-VRAY sah-dap-TAY ah tah VEE, pah suhl-MAHN ah lah pair-SOHN ee-day-AHL kuh tyoo voo-DRAY ETR. Hobbies should fit your life, not just your ideal self.

Peut-être qu'en faisant une pause dans le cours, je verrai s'il me manque.

put-ETR kahn fay-ZAHN yoon POHZ dahn luh koor, zhuh vay-RAY seel muh MAHNK. Maybe pausing the class would show whether I miss it.

C'est mieux que d'arrêter soudainement ou de te forcer.

say mee-YUH kuh dahr-ray-TAY soo-day-nuh-MAHN oo duh tuh for-SAY. That is better than quitting suddenly or forcing yourself.

Word by Word

Je “Je” means “I” here and is the subject of “ne sais pas”. It is used when the speaker talks about their own thoughts or actions, as in “Je ne sais pas si je veux continuer”.

ne “ne” is the first part of the negation around “sais” in “Je ne sais pas”, meaning that the speaker does not know. In this dialogue, it works together with “pas”; this two-part pattern is reused around a conjugated verb.

sais “Sais” means “know” in “Je ne sais pas”, referring to the speaker’s uncertainty. It is the form used with “Je”, and the pattern “Je ne sais pas si…” introduces something the speaker is unsure about.

pas “Pas” completes the negation in “Je ne sais pas”, giving the meaning “do not”. It normally works with “ne” around the verb, as in the reusable pattern “Je ne sais pas si…”.

si “Si” means “whether” in “Je ne sais pas si je veux continuer”, introducing the uncertain choice being discussed. The pattern “Je ne sais pas si…” is useful when saying that you do not know whether something is true or wanted.

veux “Veux” means “want” in “si je veux continuer”, describing the speaker’s desire to continue. It is used with “je” here and is followed by the infinitive “continuer” in the pattern “je veux continuer”.

continuer “Continuer” means “to continue” the painting class in this dialogue. It follows “je veux”, and the reusable pattern “je veux continuer le cours” expresses wanting to keep doing an activity.

le “Le” means “the” in “le cours de peinture”, identifying a specific class. It comes before the noun “cours”, and the phrase “le cours de peinture” names the activity under discussion.

cours “Cours” means “class” here, specifically the painting class the speaker is considering continuing. It appears in “le cours de peinture”, a useful pattern for naming a class connected with a subject.

de “De” links “cours” to “peinture” in “le cours de peinture”, meaning a class related to painting. This pattern, “cours de” followed by an activity or subject, identifies what kind of class it is.

peinture “Peinture” means “painting” in “le cours de peinture”, the hobby being discussed. It can identify the subject of a class when used after “cours de”, as in this dialogue.

Est-ce “Est-ce” begins the yes-or-no question “Est-ce que tu perds de l'intérêt…?” It is part of the fixed question pattern “Est-ce que…”, useful when asking someone directly about a situation.

que “Que” completes the question pattern “Est-ce que”, which introduces the question about losing interest. In this dialogue, it does not mean a separate object; it helps form the question before “tu perds”.

tu “Tu” means “you” and addresses the other adult directly in “tu perds de l'intérêt”. It is the subject of the question and is reused when speaking informally to one person, as in “Tu pourrais…”.

perds “Perds” means “are losing” in “tu perds de l'intérêt”, referring to a decreasing interest in the hobby. It is used with “tu”, and “perdre de l'intérêt” is a reusable pattern for talking about interest declining.

l'intérêt “L'intérêt” means “interest” in the expression “perds de l'intérêt”, referring to motivation for the hobby. The form begins with “l'” because the noun follows the contraction in the dialogue; “perdre de l'intérêt” describes losing motivation for an activity.

ou “Ou” means “or” and presents the second possible explanation: the fixed commitment may be too much. It links alternatives in the question “tu perds de l'intérêt, ou est-ce que cette obligation fixe est trop lourde ?”.

cette “Cette” means “this” in “cette obligation fixe”, pointing to the particular fixed commitment being discussed. It comes directly before the noun and helps identify a specific obligation.

obligation “Obligation” means “commitment” or “obligation” here, referring to the fixed requirement of attending the class. The phrase “obligation fixe” is useful for describing a commitment that does not easily change.

fixe “Fixe” means “fixed” in “cette obligation fixe”, describing a commitment with a set arrangement. It follows “obligation” here and specifies the kind of commitment that feels burdensome.

trop “Trop” means “too” in “trop lourde”, showing that the obligation feels excessive. It comes before the adjective “lourde”, a common pattern for saying that something has an excessive quality.

lourde “Lourde” means “burdensome” in “cette obligation fixe est trop lourde”, describing the commitment as difficult to carry emotionally or practically. It describes “obligation” in this sentence and is used after “est trop”.

Un “Un” means “a” in “Un peu des deux”, contributing to the expression “a bit of both”. Together with “peu”, it gives a small quantity rather than identifying a separate object.

peu “Peu” means “a little” or “a bit” in “Un peu des deux”, where the speaker says that both explanations apply to a small degree. The pattern “un peu de…” is useful for expressing a small amount.

des “Des” means “of the” in “un peu des deux”, connecting the small amount with the two explanations just mentioned. The phrase “un peu des deux” is a reusable way to say that both options apply partially.

deux “Deux” means “two” in “un peu des deux”, referring to the two possible reasons in the previous question. It is used after “des” in the expression “un peu des deux” to refer back to two alternatives.

J'aime “J'aime” means “I like” in “J'aime peindre”, expressing the speaker’s continuing enjoyment of painting. It is followed by the infinitive “peindre”, and the pattern “J'aime + infinitive” states an activity the speaker enjoys.

peindre “Peindre” means “to paint” in “J'aime peindre”, naming the activity the speaker likes. It follows “J'aime” here, so the phrase expresses enjoyment of doing that activity.

mais “Mais” means “but” and contrasts liking painting with feeling stressed by the class. It connects the two ideas in “J'aime peindre, mais le cours me stresse”, a useful pattern for balancing a positive point with a problem.

me “Me” means “me” in “le cours me stresse”, showing who experiences the stress caused by the class. It appears before “stresse” as the person affected, in the pattern “[something] me stresse”.

stresse “Stresse” means “causes stress” in “le cours me stresse”, explaining the effect of the class on the speaker. The reusable pattern “[something] me stresse” identifies what is creating stress for the speaker.

Peut-être “Peut-être” means “maybe” and introduces a possible explanation rather than a certainty. It begins “Peut-être que ce loisir est passé…”, a useful pattern for offering a tentative interpretation.

ce “Ce” means “this” in “ce loisir”, pointing to the particular hobby being discussed. It comes before “loisir” and identifies the activity as the topic of the explanation.

loisir “Loisir” means “hobby” or “leisure activity” in “ce loisir”, referring to painting as an activity done in free time. The phrase “ce loisir” is used to refer back to the hobby already under discussion.

est “Est” means “is” in “ce loisir est passé…”, linking the hobby with the change being described. It is followed by “passé” in the expression “est passé de… à…”, which describes a change from one state to another.

passé “Passé” means “has changed” or “has passed” in “est passé d'un moment de détente à une autre obligation”. Together with “est”, it describes the hobby’s movement from a relaxing experience to an obligation.

d'un “D'un” means “from a” in “passé d'un moment de détente à…”, marking the starting point of the change. The pattern “passer de… à…” is useful for describing a transition between two states or situations.

moment “Moment” means “moment” in “un moment de détente”, describing the hobby as a period or experience of relaxation. The pattern “un moment de…” identifies what kind of moment or experience is meant.

détente “Détente” means “relaxation” in “un moment de détente”, describing how the hobby used to feel. The phrase “un moment de détente” is useful for talking about an activity that helps someone relax.

à “À” marks the destination of the change in “passé d'un moment de détente à une autre obligation”. In the pattern “de… à…”, it introduces the new state or situation.

une “Une” means “a” in “une autre obligation”, introducing the new obligation that the hobby has become. It appears before the feminine noun “obligation” and is part of the phrase “une autre obligation”.

autre “Autre” means “another” in “une autre obligation”, showing that the hobby now feels like one more obligation. It comes before the noun in this phrase and adds the idea of an additional burden.

Oui “Oui” means “yes” and confirms the interpretation that the hobby feels different now. It stands at the beginning of the reply “Oui, cela ressemble moins à un plaisir…”, a direct way to agree before explaining.

cela “Cela” means “it” or “that” in “cela ressemble moins à un plaisir”, referring to the hobby or situation just discussed. It acts as the subject before “ressemble” when describing how the situation feels.

ressemble “Ressemble” means “resembles” or “feels like” in “cela ressemble moins à un plaisir”. The pattern “ressembler à” compares a situation with something it seems similar to.

moins “Moins” means “less” in “ressemble moins à un plaisir”, showing that the hobby now feels less like fun. It is paired with “davantage” in the contrast “moins à… et davantage à…”.

plaisir “Plaisir” means “pleasure” or “fun” in “moins à un plaisir”, describing the enjoyable quality the hobby used to have. It follows “ressembler à” in the comparison “ressembler à un plaisir”.

et “Et” means “and” and connects the two sides of the comparison between pleasure and task. In “moins à un plaisir et davantage à une autre tâche”, it joins two related descriptions.

davantage “Davantage” means “more” in “davantage à une autre tâche”, contrasting with “moins” and showing what the hobby now resembles more closely. The pattern “moins… et davantage…” compares two degrees or impressions.

tâche “Tâche” means “task” in “une autre tâche”, presenting the hobby as work rather than enjoyment. The phrase “ressembler à une autre tâche” describes an activity that feels like an additional duty.

pourrais “Pourrais” means “could” in “Tu pourrais plutôt pratiquer…”, offering a possible alternative to the class. It is followed by the infinitive “pratiquer”, and “Tu pourrais…” is useful for making a gentle suggestion.

plutôt “Plutôt” means “instead” or “rather” in “Tu pourrais plutôt pratiquer…”, directing the suggestion toward home practice instead of the class. It can be placed before the proposed activity, as in this dialogue.

pratiquer “Pratiquer” means “to practise” in “pratiquer tranquillement chez toi”, referring to continuing painting informally at home. It follows “pourrais” in the suggestion pattern “Tu pourrais pratiquer…”.

tranquillement “Tranquillement” means “calmly” or “casually” in “pratiquer tranquillement chez toi”, describing practice without the pressure of a fixed class. It modifies “pratiquer” and shows the relaxed manner of the activity.

chez “Chez” means “at the home of” or “at someone’s place” in “chez toi”. It is followed by the stressed pronoun “toi”, and “chez toi” is a common expression for being or doing something at your home.

toi “Toi” means “you” in the expression “chez toi”, meaning “at your place” or “at home”. It is the stressed form used after the preposition “chez” in this phrase.

Alors “Alors” means “then” and introduces the consequence of choosing home practice. In “Alors, je peux garder…”, it links the suggestion with what the speaker can do as a result.

peux “Peux” means “can” in “je peux garder”, expressing what the speaker is able to maintain under the new arrangement. It is followed by the infinitive “garder”, in the pattern “je peux + infinitive”.

garder “Garder” means “to keep” in “je peux garder ce que cela m'apporte”, referring to retaining the benefit of the hobby. It follows “peux” and takes “ce que cela m'apporte” as what is being kept.

m'apporte “M'apporte” means “provides me with” in “ce que cela m'apporte”, referring to the benefit the hobby gives the speaker. The form combines “m'” for “me” with “apporte”; the full pattern “ce que cela m'apporte” means what the activity brings or provides.

sans “Sans” means “without” in “sans avoir d'emploi du temps fixe”, introducing what the speaker can avoid. It is followed here by the infinitive “avoir”, in the pattern “sans + infinitive”.

avoir “Avoir” means “to have” in “sans avoir d'emploi du temps fixe”, referring to not having a fixed schedule. It follows “sans”, and the phrase “sans avoir…” explains what is absent from the proposed arrangement.

d'emploi “D'emploi” is part of “d'emploi du temps fixe”, the expression for a schedule or timetable. Here “emploi” does not mean a job; together with “du temps”, it identifies the fixed schedule the speaker wants to avoid.

du “Du” is part of the fixed expression “emploi du temps”, referring to the organisation of time. In this dialogue, it connects “emploi” with “temps” inside the phrase meaning “schedule”.

temps “Temps” means “time” in the expression “emploi du temps fixe”, which refers to a fixed schedule. The complete phrase “emploi du temps” is used when talking about how activities are arranged in time.

Les “Les” means “the” before the plural noun “loisirs” in “Les loisirs devraient s'adapter…”. It introduces hobbies in general as the subject of the statement.

loisirs “Loisirs” means “hobbies” or “leisure activities” in “Les loisirs devraient s'adapter à ta vie”. The plural form refers to hobbies generally, and the phrase gives advice about how they should fit into life.

devraient “Devraient” means “should” in “Les loisirs devraient s'adapter à ta vie”, expressing advice or an ideal principle. It is followed by the infinitive “s'adapter”, in the pattern “[subject] devraient + infinitive”.

s'adapter “S'adapter” means “to adapt” or “to fit” in “s'adapter à ta vie”, describing hobbies changing to suit someone’s circumstances. It is used with “à” in the reusable pattern “s'adapter à…”.

ta “Ta” means “your” in “ta vie”, referring to the life of the person being addressed. It comes before the noun “vie” and identifies whose life is meant.

vie “Vie” means “life” in “s'adapter à ta vie”, the circumstances that hobbies should fit. The pattern “s'adapter à ta vie” is useful when discussing whether an activity suits someone’s everyday life.

seulement “Seulement” means “only” in “pas seulement à la personne idéale…”, limiting the idea that hobbies should fit an ideal self. It works with “pas” in the contrast “pas seulement…”, meaning “not only…”.

la “La” means “the” in “la personne idéale”, identifying the particular ideal person the listener would like to be. It comes before the feminine noun “personne”.

personne “Personne” means “person” in “la personne idéale que tu voudrais être”, referring to the ideal version of oneself. The phrase describes an imagined identity rather than the person’s current daily life.

idéale “Idéale” means “ideal” in “la personne idéale”, describing the imagined person the listener would like to be. It follows “personne” here and agrees with that noun in the expression.

voudrais “Voudrais” means “would like” or “would want” in “que tu voudrais être”, referring to the person the listener would like to become. It is followed by the infinitive “être”, and the pattern “tu voudrais être…” expresses a desired identity or state.

être “Être” means “to be” in “la personne idéale que tu voudrais être”, describing the identity the listener would like to have. It follows “voudrais” and completes the pattern “voudrais être…”.

qu'en “Qu'en” begins “qu'en faisant une pause…”, introducing the idea that taking a pause may reveal something. Here it combines the clause introduction with “en faisant”, a construction meaning “by doing” the action that follows.

faisant “Faisant” means “doing” in “en faisant une pause dans le cours”, describing the action through which the speaker will find out whether they miss the class. The pattern “en faisant…” explains what is done in order to produce a result.

pause “Pause” means “break” or “pause” in “en faisant une pause dans le cours”, referring to temporarily stopping attendance. The expression “faire une pause” is a reusable way to talk about taking a break from an activity.

dans “Dans” means “in” in “une pause dans le cours”, locating the pause within the course or participation in it. The pattern “faire une pause dans…” identifies the activity from which someone is taking a break.

verrai “Verrai” means “will see” in “je verrai s'il me manque”, referring to what the speaker expects to discover after pausing. It is used with “je” and is followed by the clause “s'il me manque”.

s'il “S'il” means “if it” or “whether it” in “s'il me manque”, introducing the question of whether the class will be missed. It combines “si” with “il” and begins the clause that follows “je verrai”.

manque “Manque” means “is missed” in “s'il me manque”, expressing whether the class will be missed by the speaker. The pattern “il me manque” literally presents the thing as lacking to the speaker and is used here for missing the class.

C'est “C'est” means “it is” or “that is” in “C'est mieux que…”, evaluating the suggested pause as a better option. It introduces the comparison before “mieux” and the alternatives that follow.

mieux “Mieux” means “better” in “C'est mieux que d'arrêter soudainement…”, comparing the suggested pause with quitting or forcing oneself. The pattern “C'est mieux que…” introduces a preferred option.

d'arrêter “D'arrêter” means “to stop” or “to quit” in “mieux que d'arrêter soudainement”, naming one option being judged less desirable. It is “de” plus the infinitive “arrêter”, used after the comparison “mieux que”.

soudainement “Soudainement” means “suddenly” in “arrêter soudainement”, describing quitting without a gradual decision. It modifies “arrêter” and specifies the manner in which the action would happen.

te “Te” means “yourself” in “te forcer”, showing that the person would be forcing themselves. It comes before the infinitive “forcer” as the object pronoun in this reflexive expression.

forcer “Forcer” means “to force” in “te forcer”, referring to making yourself continue despite the pressure. The pattern “te forcer” expresses forcing oneself to do something, and here it is contrasted with taking a pause.

Grammar Points

continuer à + infinitif

continuer à peindre

kohn-tee-NWAY ah PAN-druh

to continue painting

After continuer, use à followed by an infinitive to express continuing an action.

lourd / lourde

une obligation lourde

yoon oh-blee-gah-SYON LOORD

a burdensome obligation

The adjective changes to lourde to agree with a feminine noun such as obligation.

French Vocabulary

continuer verb

kohn-tee-NWAY to continue

Je ne sais pas si je veux continuer le cours de peinture.

cours noun

koor class

Je ne sais pas si je veux continuer le cours de peinture.

fixe adj

feex fixed

Cette obligation fixe est trop lourde.

intérêt noun

ahn-tay-RAY interest

Est-ce que tu perds de l'intérêt ?

loisir noun

lwah-ZEER hobby; leisure activity

Ce loisir est passé d'un moment de détente à une autre obligation.

lourd adj

LOOR heavy; burdensome lourde

Cette obligation fixe est trop lourde.

obligation noun

oh-blee-gah-SYON obligation

Cette obligation fixe est trop lourde.

peindre verb

PAN-druh to paint

J'aime peindre.

peinture noun

pan-TUR painting

Je ne sais pas si je veux continuer le cours de peinture.

perdre verb

pair-druh to lose perds

Est-ce que tu perds de l'intérêt ?

peut-être adv

put-ETR maybe

Peut-être que ce loisir est passé d'un moment de détente à une autre obligation.

stresser verb

STRESS-ay to stress stresse

Le cours me stresse.

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to continue

Show Answer

continuer

heavy; burdensome

Show Answer

lourde

fixed

Show Answer

fixe

to paint

Show Answer

peindre