Managing back pain from desk work | Learn French in English

French lesson set in a contemporary Paris everyday setting: At home after a desk-heavy day, two adults discuss back pain, screen position, gentle stretching, and when to seek professional help..

EN → FR / Level: B1

About This Lesson

Use Managing back pain from desk work to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

J’ai mal au bas du dos après être resté assis à mon bureau toute la journée.

zhay mahl oh bah dew doh ah-PREH ay-truh reh-STAY ah mon bew-ROH toot lah zhoor-NAY My lower back hurts after sitting at my desk all day.
B

Ta chaise ne te soutient peut-être pas assez.

tah shehz nuh tuh soo-TYAN puh-TETR pah ah-SAY Your chair might not be giving you enough support.
A

Je me penche aussi en avant parce que mon écran est trop loin.

zhuh muh PAHNsh oh-SEE ahn ah-VAHN parss kuh mohn ay-KRAHN eh troh LWAHN I also lean forward because my monitor is too far away.
B

Rapprocher l’écran pourrait soulager un peu ton dos.

rah-proh-SHAY lay-KRAHN poo-RAY soo-lah-ZHAY uhn puh tohn doh Moving the screen closer could take some pressure off your back.
A

Je pensais m’étirer pendant de courtes pauses.

zhuh pahn-SAY may-tee-RAY pahn-DAHN duh koort POHZ I was thinking about stretching during short breaks.
B

Des étirements doux peuvent aider, mais arrête si la douleur augmente.

dayz ay-TEER-mahn doo PUHV ah-DAY meh zah-RET see lah doo-LUHR ohg-MAHNT Gentle stretching may help, but stop if it increases the pain.
A

Si ça continue, je devrais probablement consulter un professionnel.

see sah kohn-tee-NEW zhuh duh-VRAY proh-bah-bluh-MAHN kohn-suhl-TAY uhn proh-fay-syoh-NEL If it continues, I should probably see a professional.
B

Surtout si la douleur se propage ou commence à perturber ton sommeil.

soo-TOO see lah doo-LUHR suh proh-PAHZH oo koh-MAHNSS ah pehr-tewr-BAY tohn soh-MAY Especially if the pain spreads or starts affecting your sleep.
A

Cette semaine, je peux faire de petits changements et vérifier s’ils aident.

set suh-MEN zhuh puh FEHR duh puh-TEE shahnzh-MAHN ay vay-ree-FYAY seel EHD This week, I can make small adjustments and track whether they help.
B

Il est généralement plus facile d’évaluer des changements réguliers qu’un seul grand changement.

eel eh zhay-nay-rahl-MAHN plew fah-SEEL day-vahl-WAY day shahnzh-MAHN ray-gyoo-LYAY kuhn suhl grahn shahnzh-MAHN Consistent changes are usually easier to judge than one big change.

Word by Word

J’ai In this dialogue, 'J’ai' means “I have” in the expression 'J’ai mal au bas du dos', which means that the speaker feels pain there. It is the first-person form of the citation verb avoir and is used when describing a current physical symptom.
mal Here, 'mal' means pain in the expression 'J’ai mal au bas du dos', rather than simply “badly.” It is used with avoir and a body-part phrase when reporting discomfort, so this form is useful when telling someone about a physical problem.
au 'Au' means “to the” in 'mal au bas du dos'; it connects the pain expression to the affected body area. It is the contraction of à and le, and this type of phrase is used when identifying where something hurts.
bas In 'au bas du dos', 'bas' means “lower,” identifying the lower part of the back. It modifies 'dos' through the phrase 'le bas du dos', which is useful when specifying the location of back pain.
du 'Du' means “of the” in 'le bas du dos', linking the lower part to the back. It is the contraction of de and le, and it appears here in a noun phrase that identifies a specific body area.
dos Here, 'dos' means “back,” specifically in the body-area phrase 'au bas du dos'. It is used after 'bas du' to identify the part of the body affected, so it is useful when discussing back discomfort.
après 'Après' means “after” and introduces the activity that came before the pain in 'après être resté assis'. It is useful for linking a symptom or event to something that happened earlier.
être In 'après être resté assis', 'être' means “to be” and helps form the expression “to have remained seated.” Its citation form is être, and after 'après' it introduces the earlier situation that may have contributed to the pain.
resté In 'être resté assis', 'resté' expresses having remained in the same state, namely seated. It comes from the citation verb rester and is useful for describing a state that continued before another event.
assis Here, 'assis' means “seated” and completes 'être resté assis', describing the speaker’s position at the desk. The expression is useful when explaining that someone spent time in a seated position.
à In 'à mon bureau', 'à' means “at” and locates the speaker at the desk. It is commonly used before a place or object to indicate where an activity takes place.
mon 'Mon' means “my” in 'mon bureau', showing that the desk belongs to or is associated with the speaker. It comes before the noun it determines and is useful when identifying a person’s own object or place.
bureau Here, 'bureau' means “desk” in 'à mon bureau'. The phrase is used to identify the place where the speaker sat, so this word is useful when talking about a work setting.
toute In 'toute la journée', 'toute' means “the whole” or “all” and emphasizes the complete duration. It modifies 'journée' in this time expression, which is useful for saying that something continued for the entire day.
la 'La' means “the” in 'la journée', identifying a specific day as a period of time. It is used before the feminine noun 'journée' in this expression for an entire day.
journée Here, 'journée' means “day” viewed as a period of time, especially in 'toute la journée'. The phrase is useful for describing how long someone remained at an activity or in a condition.
Ta 'Ta' means “your” in 'Ta chaise', referring informally to something belonging to the listener. It appears directly before the noun and is useful when discussing another person’s object in a familiar conversation.
chaise Here, 'chaise' means “chair,” specifically the chair that may not be supporting the listener enough. It is the object of 'Ta' and is useful when discussing seating or furniture.
ne In 'ne te soutient peut-être pas assez', 'ne' is the first part of the French negation surrounding the verb phrase. Together with 'pas', it shows that the chair may not provide enough support; this pattern is useful for denying or limiting an action.
te 'Te' means “you” as the person receiving the support in 'te soutient'. It is an informal object pronoun placed before the verb, and it is useful when identifying the person affected by an action.
soutient Here, 'soutient' means “supports” in 'Ta chaise ne te soutient peut-être pas assez'. It is a form of the citation verb soutenir and describes the chair’s support of the listener; this verb is useful when discussing physical support.
peut-être 'Peut-être' means “perhaps” or “maybe,” making the statement about the chair’s support uncertain. In this dialogue it appears inside the negative verb phrase, and it is useful when offering a possibility without presenting it as certain.
pas In 'ne te soutient peut-être pas assez', 'pas' is the second part of the negation with 'ne'. It helps express that the chair does not provide enough support, a pattern useful for saying that an action or condition is absent.
assez Here, 'assez' means “enough” in 'pas assez', indicating that the support may be insufficient. It commonly follows the quality or action being measured and is useful when discussing whether something reaches a sufficient level.
Je 'Je' means “I” and identifies the speaker in 'Je me penche aussi en avant'. It is used before the verb phrase when the speaker describes their own action or condition.
me In 'Je me penche', 'me' refers back to the speaker and forms the reflexive expression “I lean.” It is placed before the verb and is useful when the subject performs the action on or with their own body.
penche Here, 'penche' means “leans” in 'Je me penche en avant'. It comes from the citation verb se pencher and is used with 'me' to describe the speaker’s own change of body position.
aussi 'Aussi' means “also” and adds this leaning action to the previously mentioned cause of the back pain. It is useful for adding another fact or action to what has already been said.
en In 'en avant', 'en' contributes to the directional expression meaning “forward,” while 'avant' completes the direction. Together they describe the direction of leaning and are useful when specifying movement or body position.
avant In 'en avant', 'avant' means “forward,” completing the direction of the speaker’s leaning. This expression is useful when describing a body position or movement toward the front.
parce 'Parce' contributes to the conjunction 'parce que', meaning “because”; it begins the explanation for why the speaker leans. The complete expression introduces a reason and is useful when connecting an action to its cause.
que In 'parce que mon écran est trop loin', 'que' completes the conjunction 'parce que', meaning “because,” and introduces the reason clause. This construction is useful for explaining why something happens.
écran Here, 'écran' means “screen” or “monitor,” the object that is too far away in the dialogue. It is the subject of 'est trop loin' and is useful when discussing a computer or display setup.
est 'Est' means “is” in 'mon écran est trop loin', describing the screen’s position. It is a form of the citation verb être and links the screen to the description that follows.
trop Here, 'trop' means “too,” showing that the distance is greater than is comfortable in 'trop loin'. It modifies 'loin' and is useful for describing an excessive degree of a quality or condition.
loin 'Loin' means “far away” in 'mon écran est trop loin'. It describes distance from the speaker and is useful when explaining that an object is positioned too far from someone.
Rapprocher At the beginning of 'Rapprocher l’écran', 'Rapprocher' means “to move or bring closer.” It is the citation form used as the subject of 'pourrait soulager', and this infinitive construction is useful when presenting an action as a possible solution.
l’écran 'L’écran' means “the screen” and is the object being moved closer in 'Rapprocher l’écran'. It combines the article and noun in one written form and is useful when referring to a specific screen already known in the conversation.
pourrait Here, 'pourrait' means “could,” presenting the possible effect of moving the screen. It is a form of the citation verb pouvoir and is useful for suggesting a possible result without guaranteeing it.
soulager In 'pourrait soulager un peu ton dos', 'soulager' means “to relieve,” referring to reducing pressure or discomfort. It follows 'pourrait' in the infinitive and is useful when discussing an action that may reduce pain or strain.
un In 'un peu', 'un' is part of the quantity expression meaning “a little.” It does not identify a separate object here; together with 'peu' it is useful for expressing a small amount or degree.
peu Here, 'peu' means “a little” in 'un peu ton dos', indicating a limited amount of relief. The expression 'un peu' is useful when describing a small degree rather than a complete change.
ton 'Ton' means “your” in 'ton dos', referring informally to the listener’s back. It comes before the noun and is useful when identifying a body part belonging to the person being addressed.
pensais Here, 'pensais' means “was thinking” in 'Je pensais m’étirer'. It is a form of the citation verb penser and introduces an idea or intention that the speaker had in mind.
m’étirer In 'Je pensais m’étirer', 'm’étirer' means “to stretch myself,” describing the speaker’s intended action. It combines the reflexive pronoun with the infinitive étirer and is useful after a verb of thinking when describing an intended personal action.
pendant 'Pendant' means “during” and introduces the time period 'de courtes pauses'. It is useful for saying that an action takes place within a particular period or interval.
de In 'de courtes pauses', 'de' introduces the plural noun phrase after the adjective 'courtes'. This form is used in the expression for short breaks and is useful when describing an unspecified number of plural things with an adjective before the noun.
courtes Here, 'courtes' means “short,” describing the duration of the pauses. It modifies 'pauses' in 'de courtes pauses' and is useful when distinguishing brief breaks from longer ones.
pauses 'Pauses' means “breaks,” referring to short interruptions during work. In 'pendant de courtes pauses', it identifies when the stretching would happen and is useful for discussing breaks in an activity.
Des At the beginning of 'Des étirements doux', 'Des' means “some” and introduces the plural noun phrase. It is a plural indefinite article, useful when referring to an unspecified amount of several exercises or things.
étirements Here, 'étirements' means “stretching exercises,” the activity that may help with the pain. It is modified by 'doux' and is useful when discussing physical exercises intended to loosen or relieve the body.
doux In 'des étirements doux', 'doux' means “gentle,” describing stretching that is not forceful. It modifies 'étirements' and is useful when specifying a mild way of performing an activity.
peuvent Here, 'peuvent' means “can” or “may,” expressing that the gentle stretches have a possible helpful effect. It is a form of the citation verb pouvoir and is useful for stating a possibility involving several things, here 'des étirements doux'.
aider In 'peuvent aider', 'aider' means “to help,” referring to the possible benefit of the stretching exercises. It follows 'peuvent' in the infinitive and is useful when describing an action that may improve a situation.
mais 'Mais' means “but” and introduces the caution that follows the possible benefit of stretching. It is useful for connecting a positive possibility with a limitation or warning.
arrête Here, 'arrête' means “stop” and gives a direct instruction to the person doing the stretching. It is the informal singular command form of the citation verb arrêter and is useful when telling someone to end an activity.
si In 'si la douleur augmente', 'si' means “if” and introduces the condition for stopping. It is useful for giving advice that applies only when a particular situation occurs.
douleur Here, 'douleur' means “pain,” specifically the pain that may increase. It is the subject of 'augmente' and is useful when discussing the intensity or development of a physical symptom.
augmente In 'la douleur augmente', 'augmente' means “increases,” describing a worsening level of pain. It comes from the citation verb augmenter and is useful for reporting that a symptom becomes stronger.
ça Here, 'ça' means “it” or “that” and refers back to the pain or condition being discussed in 'Si ça continue'. It is an informal subject form useful when referring to an already understood situation.
continue In 'Si ça continue', 'continue' means “continues,” referring to the ongoing pain or problem. It is a form of the citation verb continuer and is useful when discussing a condition that does not stop.
devrais Here, 'devrais' means “should,” expressing the speaker’s opinion that consulting a professional would probably be appropriate. It is a form of the citation verb devoir and is useful for giving or describing personal advice.
probablement 'Probablement' means “probably,” showing that the recommendation is likely but not certain. It modifies the idea of consulting a professional and is useful when expressing a reasoned degree of confidence.
consulter In 'consulter un professionnel', 'consulter' means “to consult” or “to see a professional for advice.” It follows 'devrais' in the infinitive and is useful when talking about seeking professional help for a health concern.
professionnel Here, 'professionnel' means “professional,” referring to the person the speaker may consult about the continuing pain. It is used in the phrase 'un professionnel' and is useful when referring to someone with relevant professional expertise.
Surtout At the beginning of the sentence, 'Surtout' means “especially” and emphasizes the warning that follows. It is useful when highlighting a condition that deserves particular attention.
se In 'se propage', 'se' is the reflexive pronoun that forms the pronominal verb for pain spreading. It appears before the verb and is useful when the action is expressed as happening to or involving the subject itself.
propage Here, 'propage' means “spreads,” describing pain extending to other areas in 'la douleur se propage'. It comes from the citation verb se propager and is useful for reporting that a symptom reaches beyond its original location.
ou 'Ou' means “or” and presents an alternative warning sign: the pain may spread or it may begin to disturb sleep. It is useful for linking two possible conditions or outcomes.
commence In 'commence à perturber ton sommeil', 'commence' means “starts,” marking the beginning of an effect on sleep. It is a form of the citation verb commencer and is useful for describing the point at which an action or problem begins.
perturber Here, 'perturber' means “to disrupt” or “to affect negatively” in 'perturber ton sommeil'. It follows 'commence à' in the infinitive and is useful when describing something that interferes with normal sleep or another activity.
sommeil In 'ton sommeil', 'sommeil' means “sleep,” referring to the listener’s rest at night. It is the object of 'perturber' and is useful when discussing how a symptom affects rest.
Cette 'Cette' means “this” in 'Cette semaine', pointing to the current week. It comes before the noun 'semaine' and is useful for locating an action in the present time period.
semaine Here, 'semaine' means “week” in 'Cette semaine'. The phrase sets the time frame for making and observing the small changes, so it is useful when discussing plans over a seven-day period.
peux In 'je peux faire', 'peux' means “can,” expressing that the speaker is able or willing to make the changes. It is a form of the citation verb pouvoir and is useful for stating a present possibility or ability.
faire Here, 'faire' means “make” or “do” in 'faire de petits changements'. It follows 'peux' in the infinitive and is useful when describing carrying out an action or making an adjustment.
petits In 'de petits changements', 'petits' means “small,” describing changes that are limited rather than major. It modifies 'changements' and is useful when discussing modest adjustments.
changements Here, 'changements' means “changes,” referring to adjustments to the speaker’s work setup or habits. It is the object of 'faire' and is useful when discussing modifications made to improve a situation.
et 'Et' means “and” and connects making small changes with checking their effects. It is useful for joining two related actions in the same plan.
vérifier In 'vérifier s’ils aident', 'vérifier' means “to check” or “to verify,” referring to observing whether the changes are useful. It follows 'peux' in the infinitive and is useful when testing the result of an action.
s’ils In 'vérifier s’ils aident', 's’ils' means “whether they” and introduces the question of whether the changes help. It combines si with ils, and this construction is useful after verbs such as checking when the result is uncertain.
aident Here, 'aident' means “help,” referring to whether the changes improve the situation. It is a form of the citation verb aider and follows 's’ils' because the subject is the plural 'changements'.
Il In 'Il est généralement plus facile d’évaluer...', 'Il' is an impersonal subject used to frame the judgment that follows. It does not refer to a particular person, and this structure is useful for making a general assessment.
généralement 'Généralement' means “generally” or “usually,” presenting the statement about judging changes as a broad tendency. It modifies the assessment and is useful when describing what commonly happens rather than an absolute rule.
plus Here, 'plus' means “more” in the comparison 'plus facile ... qu’un seul grand changement'. It forms a comparative with 'facile' and is useful when saying that one option is easier than another.
facile In 'plus facile d’évaluer', 'facile' means “easy,” describing the level of difficulty involved in judging the changes. It is part of the impersonal structure 'Il est ... facile de' and is useful for evaluating how difficult an action is.
d’évaluer Here, 'd’évaluer' means “to evaluate” or “to assess,” referring to judging whether the changes help. It combines de with the infinitive évaluer after 'plus facile' and is useful when discussing the process of measuring an effect.
réguliers In 'des changements réguliers', 'réguliers' means “consistent” or “regular,” describing changes made steadily over time. It modifies 'changements' and is useful when contrasting repeated adjustments with a one-time intervention.
qu’un In 'plus facile d’évaluer des changements réguliers qu’un seul grand changement', 'qu’un' means “than one” and introduces the second side of the comparison. It combines que with un and is useful for comparing one option with another.
seul Here, 'seul' means “single” or “only one,” emphasizing that there is just one large change in 'un seul grand changement'. It modifies 'changement' and is useful when contrasting one isolated action with several smaller ones.
grand In 'un seul grand changement', 'grand' means “big” or “major,” describing the scale of the change. It modifies 'changement' and is useful when contrasting a substantial adjustment with smaller ones.
changement Here, 'changement' means “change,” referring to one major adjustment being compared with regular smaller changes. It is the noun in 'un seul grand changement' and is useful when discussing a modification to a routine, setup, or condition.

Grammar Points

avoir mal à + partie du corps

J’ai mal au bas du dos.

zhay mahl oh bah dew doh

I have lower back pain.

French uses avoir mal à with a body part; au combines à and le.

se + verbe pronominal

Je me penche en avant.

zhuh muh PAHNsh ahn ahn ah-VAHN

I lean forward.

The pronoun changes with the subject: se pencher becomes me pencher with je.

French Vocabulary

assez adv
ah-SAY enough

Ta chaise ne te soutient peut-être pas assez.

assis adj
ah-SEE sitting; seated

Après être resté assis à mon bureau.

avoir mal au bas du dos phrase
ah-VWAHR mahl oh bah dew doh to have lower back pain J’ai mal au bas du dos

J’ai mal au bas du dos après être resté assis.

bas du dos phrase
bah dew doh lower back

J’ai mal au bas du dos.

bureau noun
bew-ROH desk; office

À mon bureau toute la journée.

chaise noun
shehz chair

Ta chaise ne te soutient peut-être pas assez.

écran noun
ay-KRAHN screen; monitor

Mon écran est trop loin.

en avant adv
ahn ah-VAHN forward

Je me penche aussi en avant.

loin adv
LWAHN far

Mon écran est trop loin.

rester verb
reh-STAY to stay; to remain resté

Après être resté assis à mon bureau.

se pencher verb
suh PAHN-shay to lean me penche

Je me penche aussi en avant.

soutenir verb
soo-tuh-NEER to support soutient

Ta chaise ne te soutient peut-être pas assez.

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

sitting; seated

Show Answerassis

to stay; to remain

Show Answerresté

enough

Show Answerassez

chair

Show Answerchaise