About This Lesson
Use Improving Sleep Habits to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
La qualité de mon sommeil est mauvaise même quand je me couche tôt.
lah kah-lee-TAY duh mohn soh-MAY eh moh-VEHZ mem kahn zhuh muh KOOSH toh My sleep quality has been poor even when I go to bed early.
B
À quoi ressemble ta routine du soir ?
ah KWAH ruh-SAHM-bluh tah roo-TEEN doo SWAHR What does your evening routine look like?
A
Je bois du café après le dîner et je regarde mon téléphone au lit.
zhuh BWAH doo kah-FAY ah-PREH luh dee-NAY ay zhuh ruh-GARD mohn tay-lay-FON oh LEE I drink coffee after dinner and check my phone in bed.
B
La caféine et le temps passé devant un écran peuvent rendre la détente plus difficile.
lah kah-fay-EEN ay luh tahn pah-SAY duh-VAHN uhn ay-KRAHN puh-VUH rahn-DRUH lah day-TAHNT ploo dee-fee-SEEL Both caffeine and screen time can make it harder to wind down.
A
Je ne peux pas tout changer d'un coup.
zhuh nuh puh pah too shahn-ZHAY duhn KOO I cannot change everything at once.
B
Commence par un changement réaliste, comme éviter le café après le dîner.
koh-MAHNS par uhn shahnzh-MAHN ray-ah-LEEST komm ay-vee-TAY luh kah-FAY ah-PREH luh dee-NAY Start with one realistic change, like skipping coffee after dinner.
A
Ensuite, je peux remplacer le temps passé sur mon téléphone par la lecture avant de me coucher.
ahn-SWEET zhuh puh rahm-plah-SAY luh tahn pah-SAY sewr mohn tay-lay-FON par lah lek-TOOR ah-VAHN duh muh koo-SHAY Then I can replace phone time with reading before bed.
B
Une routine que tu peux suivre compte plus qu'une routine parfaite.
oon roo-TEEN kuh too puh SWEET kohnt ploo KEWN roo-TEEN par-FEH A routine you can keep matters more than a perfect one.
A
Je peux essayer ça pendant une courte période avant d'en juger le résultat.
zhuh puh ay-say-YAY sah pahn-DAHN oon KOORT pay-ree-YOD ah-VAHN dahn ZHOO-ZHAY luh ray-zool-TAH I can test that for a short period before judging the result.
B
Cela donne à ton corps assez de temps pour s'adapter.
suh-LAH DOHN ah tohn KOR ah-SAY duh tahn poor sah-dap-TAY That gives your body enough time to adjust.Word by Word
La
"La" means "the" in "La qualité" and introduces the specific noun being discussed. Use "la" before a feminine singular noun, as in "la routine".
qualité
"qualité" means quality, here referring to how good or poor the speaker's sleep is. A useful pattern is "la qualité de + noun" to describe the quality of something.
de
"de" links "qualité" to "mon sommeil" and means "of" in "La qualité de mon sommeil". Use the pattern "noun + de + noun" when specifying what something concerns.
mon
"mon" means "my" before "sommeil". Use "mon + noun" to show that something belongs to or concerns the speaker.
sommeil
"sommeil" means sleep in "mon sommeil". A useful expression is "la qualité de mon sommeil" when discussing how well one sleeps.
est
"est" means "is" and connects "La qualité de mon sommeil" with "mauvaise". Use "X est + adjective" to describe something.
mauvaise
"mauvaise" means poor or bad in "La qualité de mon sommeil est mauvaise". Its form matches the feminine noun "qualité"; use it after "est" to describe a feminine noun.
même
"même" means "even" and emphasizes that the poor sleep continues despite going to bed early. A useful pattern is "même quand + clause" for an unexpected condition.
quand
"quand" means "when" and introduces the situation "je me couche tôt". Use "quand + clause" to refer to a time or repeated situation.
je
"je" means "I" and is the subject of the speaker's actions in "je me couche". Use it before a verb when talking about yourself.
me
"me" shows that the action in "je me couche" relates back to the speaker. It is used between "je" and the verb in this reflexive expression; a common pattern is "je me + verb".
couche
"couche" in "je me couche" means "go to bed"; it is the form used with "je" from "se coucher". Use "se coucher tôt" or "se coucher tard" to describe one's bedtime.
tôt
"tôt" means early and specifies the time in "je me couche tôt". Use it after an action to say that the action happens early.
À
"À" in "À quoi ressemble" helps form a question about what something is like. Use the pattern "À quoi ressemble + noun ?" to ask someone to describe something.
quoi
"quoi" means "what" in the question "À quoi ressemble ta routine du soir ?". Together with "À" and "ressemble", it asks for a description rather than a simple name.
ressemble
"ressemble" means "looks like" or "is like" in "À quoi ressemble ta routine du soir ?". The form comes from "ressembler" and is used here with "ta routine"; use "À quoi ressemble... ?" to ask what something is like.
ta
"ta" means "your" when speaking informally to one person, as in "ta routine". Use "ta + noun" for something belonging to or associated with one familiar person.
routine
"routine" means routine, here the regular activities done in the evening. A useful expression is "ta routine du soir" for someone's evening routine.
du
"du" links "routine" to "soir" in "routine du soir" and means "of the" here. It is the contracted form of "de + le"; use "du + noun" in similar phrases of connection or belonging.
soir
"soir" means evening in "la routine du soir". Use "du soir" after a noun to specify that something belongs to or happens in the evening.
bois
"bois" means drink in "Je bois du café"; it is the form used with "je" from "boire". A useful pattern is "je bois + drink".
café
"café" means coffee in "du café". Use it after "boire" to say what someone drinks, as in "Je bois du café".
après
"après" means after and places the coffee after dinner in "après le dîner". Use "après + noun" to describe what follows something.
dîner
"dîner" means dinner in "après le dîner". A useful time expression is "après le dîner" when referring to the period after the evening meal.
et
"et" means "and" and joins the two evening actions in "Je bois du café ... et je regarde mon téléphone". Use it to connect words, phrases, or complete actions.
regarde
"regarde" means look at or check in "je regarde mon téléphone"; it is the form used with "je" from "regarder". Use "regarder + object" when saying what someone looks at or checks.
téléphone
"téléphone" means phone in "mon téléphone". A useful pattern is "regarder son téléphone" when describing checking one's phone.
au
"au" means "at the" or "in the" in "au lit". It is the contracted form of "à + le"; use "au lit" to say that someone is in bed.
lit
"lit" means bed in "au lit". The common expression "être au lit" describes being in bed, while "se coucher" describes going to bed.
caféine
"caféine" means caffeine and is one of the two things discussed as making it harder to relax. Use it as a noun when talking about caffeine in drinks or its effects.
le
"le" means "the" before "temps" in "le temps passé devant un écran". Use "le" before a masculine singular noun when referring to something specific.
temps
"temps" means time in "le temps passé devant un écran". A useful pattern is "avoir du temps" or "le temps passé + description" when discussing time used for an activity.
passé
"passé" describes time that is spent in "le temps passé devant un écran". It links the time to the activity or place that follows; use "temps passé + devant/sur + noun" to describe time spent somewhere or on something.
devant
"devant" means in front of in "devant un écran". Use "devant + noun" to describe being or spending time in front of something.
un
"un" means "a" or "an" before "écran" in "un écran". Use "un + noun" when introducing one unspecified masculine singular thing.
écran
"écran" means screen in "devant un écran". A useful expression is "passer du temps devant un écran" when talking about time spent using or watching a screen.
peuvent
"peuvent" means "can" or "may" in "La caféine et le temps passé devant un écran peuvent...". It is the form used with the plural subject here from "pouvoir"; use "peuvent + infinitive" to describe a possible effect.
rendre
"rendre" means make or cause something to become in "rendre la détente plus difficile". Use the pattern "rendre + noun + adjective" to describe an effect on something.
détente
"détente" means relaxation or unwinding in "la détente". It is the thing made more difficult in "rendre la détente plus difficile"; use it when discussing relaxing after an activity.
plus
"plus" means more in "plus difficile" and makes the adjective comparative. Use "plus + adjective" to say that something has a greater degree of a quality.
difficile
"difficile" means difficult in "rendre la détente plus difficile". With "plus", it describes something becoming harder; use "être difficile" to describe a difficult task or situation.
ne
"ne" contributes to the negation in "Je ne peux pas tout changer". It is used together with "pas" around the verb; this pattern expresses that the speaker cannot do something.
peux
"peux" means can or am able to in "Je ne peux pas tout changer"; it is the form used with "je" from "pouvoir". Use "je peux + infinitive" to say what you are able to do.
pas
"pas" completes the negation with "ne" in "Je ne peux pas tout changer". The pattern "ne + verb + pas" means that the action is not possible or does not happen.
tout
"tout" means everything or all in "tout changer". Here it is the object of "changer"; use "tout + infinitive" when referring to everything involved in an action.
changer
"changer" means change and follows "peux" in "Je ne peux pas tout changer". Use "pouvoir + infinitive", as in "je peux changer" or "je ne peux pas tout changer".
d'un coup
As a whole, "d'un coup" means all at once or in one go. In this expression, "d'un" marks one single instance and "coup" contributes the idea of one go; use it after an action when several changes happen together.
Commence
"Commence" means start in the advice "Commence par un changement réaliste". It is the form used to tell one person to start; a useful pattern is "Commence par + noun" or "Commence par + infinitive".
par
"par" means with or by in "Commence par un changement réaliste". Use "commencer par + noun or infinitive" to identify the first step.
changement
"changement" means change, here a practical adjustment to the evening routine. The expression "un changement réaliste" is useful when recommending one manageable step.
réaliste
"réaliste" means realistic in "un changement réaliste". It describes a change that can reasonably be maintained; use it after a noun to evaluate whether a plan is practical.
comme
"comme" means like or such as and introduces an example in "comme éviter le café après le dîner". Use "comme + noun or infinitive" to give a specific example.
éviter
"éviter" means avoid or skip in "éviter le café après le dîner". It is an infinitive used as the example after "comme"; use "éviter + noun" when saying what someone chooses not to have or do.
Ensuite
"Ensuite" means then or next and moves the conversation to the following step. Use it at the beginning of a sentence to organize actions in sequence.
remplacer
"remplacer" means replace in "remplacer le temps passé sur mon téléphone par la lecture". Use the pattern "remplacer A par B" to say what is removed and what takes its place.
sur
"sur" means on in "sur mon téléphone". Use "sur + device" to describe time or activity spent on a phone or another device.
lecture
"lecture" means reading in "par la lecture". It names the activity that replaces phone time; use "la lecture" when talking about reading as an activity.
avant
"avant" means before and places the reading before going to bed in "avant de me coucher". Use "avant de + infinitive" before an action.
coucher
"coucher" in "me coucher" contributes the meaning "go to bed" in the expression "avant de me coucher". The infinitive follows "de" after "avant"; use "avant de se coucher" when referring generally to going to bed.
Une
"Une" means "a" or "one" before "routine" in "Une routine que tu peux suivre". Use "une + noun" when introducing one unspecified feminine singular thing.
que
"que" introduces the clause "tu peux suivre", which describes the routine in "Une routine que tu peux suivre". Use the pattern "noun + que + clause" to add information about a noun.
tu
"tu" means "you" when speaking informally to one person. It is the subject in "tu peux suivre"; use it before a verb when addressing one familiar person.
suivre
"suivre" means follow or keep in "une routine que tu peux suivre", referring to maintaining the routine. It follows "peux" as an infinitive; use "pouvoir suivre + noun" for something someone can keep or follow.
compte
"compte" means matters or counts in "Une routine ... compte plus qu'une routine parfaite". It is used to say that something is important; a useful comparison pattern is "X compte plus que Y".
qu'une
"qu'une" means "than a" in the comparison "compte plus qu'une routine parfaite". It combines "que" and "une" and introduces the second thing being compared.
parfaite
"parfaite" means perfect and describes "une routine parfaite". Its form matches the feminine noun "routine"; use it after a noun to describe an ideal but possibly unrealistic standard.
essayer
"essayer" means try or test in "Je peux essayer ça". It follows "peux" as an infinitive; use "essayer + object" when testing an idea, method, or change.
ça
"ça" means that or it and refers to the suggested change in "Je peux essayer ça". Use it as a conversational pronoun for something already mentioned or understood.
pendant
"pendant" means for when it introduces a duration in "pendant une courte période". Use "pendant + duration" to say how long an action or trial lasts.
courte
"courte" means short in "une courte période". Its form matches the feminine noun "période"; use it before a noun to describe a brief duration.
période
"période" means period, here a limited period of testing the new routine. A useful expression is "pendant une courte période" when setting a short trial duration.
d'en
In "avant d'en juger le résultat", "d'en" links the phrase to the infinitive "juger" and refers back to the thing being tested. The pattern "avant d'en + infinitive" can be used before evaluating or discussing the result of something.
juger
"juger" means judge or assess in "d'en juger le résultat". It is an infinitive after "avant de"; use "juger le résultat" when evaluating the outcome of an action.
résultat
"résultat" means result in "en juger le résultat". Use "le résultat de + noun" or "juger le résultat" when discussing the outcome of a test or change.
Cela
"Cela" means that or it and refers to the proposed trial in "Cela donne à ton corps assez de temps". Use it as a more neutral written or careful alternative for referring to something already mentioned.
donne
"donne" means gives in "Cela donne à ton corps assez de temps"; it is the form used with "Cela" from "donner". Use "donner à + person or thing + noun" when saying that someone or something receives something.
ton
"ton" means "your" when speaking informally to one person, as in "ton corps". Use "ton + noun" for something belonging to or associated with one familiar person.
corps
"corps" means body in "ton corps". A useful pattern is "donner à ton corps + time" when describing time allowed for the body to respond.
assez
"assez" means enough in "assez de temps". Use "assez de + noun" to say that there is a sufficient amount of something.
pour
"pour" means to in "pour s'adapter" and introduces the purpose or possible action. Use "pour + infinitive" to explain what time, effort, or another resource allows someone or something to do.
s'adapter
"s'adapter" means adjust or adapt, here describing the body's response to the new routine. Use the pattern "assez de temps pour s'adapter" when saying that something needs sufficient time to adjust.
Grammar Points
se coucher → je me couche
Je me couche tôt.
zhuh muh KOOSH tohI go to bed early.
Les verbes pronominaux utilisent un pronom comme me devant le verbe pour indiquer que l’action concerne le sujet.
assez + adjectif
C'est assez difficile.
say ah-SAY dee-fee-SEELIt is quite difficult.
Assez se place généralement devant l’adjectif et signifie « quite » ou « enough » selon le contexte.
French Vocabulary
boire
verb
BWAHR
to drink
bois
Je bois du café
café
noun
kah-FAY
coffee
du café après le dîner
dîner
noun
dee-NAY
dinner
après le dîner
mauvais
adj
moh-VEH
poor; bad
mauvaise
La qualité de mon sommeil est mauvaise
qualité
noun
kah-lee-TAY
quality
la qualité de mon sommeil
regarder
verb
ruh-gar-DAY
to look at; to check
regarde
je regarde mon téléphone
ressembler
verb
ruh-sahm-BLAY
to look like; to resemble
ressemble
À quoi ressemble ta routine du soir ?
routine
noun
roo-TEEN
routine
ta routine du soir
se coucher
verb
suh koo-SHAY
to go to bed
me couche
je me couche tôt
soir
noun
SWAHR
evening
la routine du soir
sommeil
noun
soh-MAY
sleep
la qualité de mon sommeil
tôt
adv
toh
early
je me couche tôt
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
to look like; to resemble
Show Answer
ressemblequality
Show Answer
qualitéevening
Show Answer
soirpoor; bad