About This Lesson
Use Confirming Delay Information and Where to Wait to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
L'annonce dit qu'il y a un retard, mais elle n'explique pas pourquoi.
lah-NOHNSS dee keel yah uhn ruh-TAR, meh EL nex-PLEEK pah poor-KWAH. The announcement says there is a delay, but it does not say why.
B
Je pense qu'ils vérifient le train avant de laisser les gens monter à bord.
zhuh PAHNS keel vay-ree-FEE luh TRAN ah-VAHN duh leh-SAY lay ZHON mont-AY ah BOR. I think they are checking the train before letting people board.
A
Est-ce qu'on devrait rester ici ou chercher un autre quai ?
ess kuh OHN duh-VRAY res-TAY ee-SEE oo sher-SHAY uhn OH-truh KAY? Should we stay here, or should we look for another platform?
B
Reste à proximité pour l'instant. Si ça change, le personnel indiquera où aller.
REST ah prok-see-mee-TAY poor lan-STAHN. SEE sah SHAHNZH, luh pair-soh-NEL an-dee-kuh-RAH oo ah-LAY. Stay close for now. If it changes, staff will say where to go.
A
J'ai des bagages, donc je ne veux pas continuer à me déplacer.
ZHAY day bah-GAHZH, donk zhuh nuh vuh pah kon-tee-NYOO ah muh day-plah-SAY. I have luggage, so I do not want to keep moving around.
B
Je vais demander s'ils peuvent nous aider si nous devons changer de quai.
zhuh vay duh-mahn-DAY SEEL puh-vuh NOO ZAY-DAY see noo duh-VON SHON-ZHAY duh KAY. I will ask whether they can help if we need to switch platforms.
A
Ça nous aiderait si le changement avait lieu au dernier moment.
sah noo ZAY-dreh see luh shahnzh-MAHN ah-VAY lee-YUH oh der-NYAY moh-MAHN. That would help if the change comes at the last minute.
B
Une fois qu'ils auront mis à jour l'affichage, nous pourrons nous déplacer sans avoir à deviner.
oon fwah keel oh-RAHN mee ah ZHOOR lah-fee-SHAHZH, noo poor-RON noo day-plah-SAY sahn zah-VWAR ah duh-vee-NAY. Once they update the board, we can move without guessing.Word by Word
L'annonce
"L'annonce" means the announcement in this dialogue. The form uses the definite article l' before the noun "annonce".
dit
"dit" means says in "L'annonce dit...". It is a form of the citation verb "dire" and introduces the information being reported.
qu'il
"qu'il" means that it in "qu'il y a un retard". It combines "que" with "il" and introduces the clause that follows.
y
In "il y a un retard", "y" contributes the idea of there in the expression meaning there is a delay. The reusable pattern is "il y a" followed by a noun.
a
In "il y a un retard", "a" is a form of "avoir" used as part of the expression meaning there is a delay. Its meaning here comes from the full construction "il y a", not from "a" alone.
un
"un" is the indefinite article before "retard", giving the meaning a delay. It is used before a singular noun in the pattern "un" plus a noun.
retard
"retard" means delay in "un retard". This is a common transport expression for a delay affecting a train or another service.
mais
"mais" means but and introduces a contrast between the announcement reporting a delay and its failure to give the reason. It commonly links two contrasting clauses.
elle
"elle" means it here and refers back to the feminine noun "L'annonce". It is used as the subject of "elle n'explique pas pourquoi".
n'explique
"n'explique" contributes does not explain in "elle n'explique pas pourquoi". It is the form of "expliquer" used with the negative structure "ne...pas", with "ne" shortened before the vowel.
pas
In "n'explique pas", "pas" completes the negative structure with "n'" and makes the meaning does not explain. The reusable pattern is "ne" or its shortened form plus a verb plus "pas".
pourquoi
"pourquoi" means why in "n'explique pas pourquoi". It asks for or refers to the reason for a situation.
Je
"Je" means I and is the subject of "Je pense". It is placed before the verb when the speaker gives a personal opinion.
pense
"pense" means think in "Je pense qu'ils vérifient...". It is a form of "penser" and the pattern "Je pense que" introduces an opinion or belief.
qu'ils
"qu'ils" means that they in "Je pense qu'ils vérifient le train". It combines "que" with "ils" and introduces the clause expressing what the speaker thinks.
vérifient
"vérifient" means are checking in this dialogue. It is a form of "vérifier" with "ils" as its subject, referring to the people inspecting the train.
le
"le" means the before "train" in "le train". It is the definite article used to identify the particular train being checked.
train
"train" means train in "vérifient le train". It is the object of the checking action and is used with the transport-related verb "vérifier" here.
avant
"avant" means before in "avant de laisser les gens monter". The common pattern "avant de" is followed by an infinitive to place one action earlier than another.
de
In "avant de laisser", "de" connects "avant" with the following infinitive and helps form the meaning before letting. The reusable pattern is "avant de" plus an infinitive.
laisser
"laisser" means let or allow in "avant de laisser les gens monter". It is an infinitive after "avant de" and is followed here by the people allowed to board and another infinitive.
les
"les" means the before the plural noun "gens" in "les gens". It identifies the people being allowed to board.
gens
"gens" means people in "les gens". The expression is commonly used when referring to people in general or to a group of people.
monter
"monter" means get on or board in "laisser les gens monter à bord". It is an infinitive after "laisser" and describes the action the people are allowed to perform.
à bord
"à bord" means on board in "monter à bord". The full expression gives the destination or status of boarding: "à" marks the position, and "bord" contributes the idea of being on a vehicle.
Est-ce
"Est-ce" begins the yes-or-no question "Est-ce qu'on devrait rester ici ou chercher un autre quai ?". Together with "que", it forms a standard question structure.
qu'on
"qu'on" links the question marker to the subject in "Est-ce qu'on devrait...". It combines "que" with "on", which means we here.
devrait
"devrait" means should in the suggestion "Est-ce qu'on devrait rester ici...". It is a form of "devoir" and is followed by an infinitive such as "rester" or "chercher".
rester
"rester" means stay in "devrait rester ici". It is an infinitive after "devrait" and is completed by the location "ici".
ici
"ici" means here and refers to the travelers' current location. It commonly follows a verb of staying or moving to specify place.
ou
"ou" means or and introduces the alternative "chercher un autre quai". It connects two possible actions in the question.
chercher
"chercher" means look for in "chercher un autre quai". It is an infinitive coordinated with "rester" after "devrait" and takes the thing being sought as its object.
autre
"autre" means another in "un autre quai". It modifies "quai" and identifies a platform different from the current one.
quai
"quai" means platform in this train-station context. The phrase "changer de quai" is a reusable way to talk about switching platforms.
Reste
"Reste" means stay in the instruction "Reste à proximité". It is the imperative form of "rester" used to tell one person what to do.
proximité
"proximité" means nearness in the expression "à proximité". With "à", it describes remaining nearby rather than moving far away.
pour l'instant
"pour l'instant" means for now in "Reste à proximité pour l'instant". "Pour" contributes for and "l'instant" means the moment; together they limit the instruction to the present period.
Si
"Si" means if and introduces the condition "Si ça change". It is used at the beginning of a clause describing what must happen for the result to apply.
ça
"ça" means it or that and refers here to the travel situation or its current arrangement. The same pronoun appears capitalized as "Ça" at the beginning of "Ça nous aiderait".
change
"change" means changes in "Si ça change". It is a form of "changer" with "ça" as the subject, referring to a change in the situation.
personnel
"personnel" means staff in "le personnel". It refers collectively to the employees who can provide instructions or assistance at the station.
indiquera
"indiquera" means will indicate in "le personnel indiquera où aller". It is a form of "indiquer" and is followed by the information about where to go.
où
"où" means where in "où aller". It introduces the place that the staff will indicate, forming the reusable pattern "où" plus an infinitive.
aller
"aller" means go in "où aller". It is an infinitive used after "où" to express where someone should or can go.
J'ai
"J'ai" means I have in "J'ai des bagages". It combines "je" with the form "ai" of "avoir" and is followed by what the speaker has.
des
"des" is the plural indefinite article before "bagages" in "des bagages". Together with the noun, it refers to luggage the speaker has with them.
bagages
"bagages" means luggage in "J'ai des bagages". It is used here as the thing possessed and explains why the speaker does not want to keep moving.
donc
"donc" means so or therefore and introduces the consequence of having luggage. It commonly links a reason to its result.
ne
"ne" starts the negative structure "ne veux pas" in "je ne veux pas continuer". It works together with "pas" rather than expressing the complete negation by itself.
veux
"veux" means want in "je ne veux pas continuer". It is a form of "vouloir" and is followed by an infinitive expressing the action the speaker does not want to continue.
continuer
"continuer" means continue in "continuer à me déplacer". It is an infinitive after "veux" and is followed by "à" plus another infinitive for the ongoing action.
me
In "me déplacer", "me" is the reflexive pronoun referring to the speaker. Together with "déplacer", it describes the speaker moving around.
déplacer
"déplacer" means move in the reflexive expression "me déplacer". It is an infinitive after "à" and describes changing one's position or moving around.
vais
"vais" contributes am going to in "Je vais demander". It is a form of "aller" used before an infinitive to announce a planned or imminent action.
demander
"demander" means ask in "Je vais demander s'ils peuvent nous aider". It is an infinitive after "vais" and can be followed by "si" when asking whether something is possible.
s'ils
"s'ils" means whether they in "demander s'ils peuvent nous aider". It combines "si" with "ils" and introduces an indirect question.
peuvent
"peuvent" means can in "s'ils peuvent nous aider". It is a form of "pouvoir" with "ils" as the subject and is followed by the infinitive "aider".
nous
"nous" means us in "nous aider" and we in "nous devons" or "nous pourrons", depending on its position. In this dialogue it refers to both travelers.
aider
"aider" means help in "peuvent nous aider". It is an infinitive after "peuvent" and takes "nous" as the people receiving the help.
devons
"devons" means must or need to in "si nous devons changer de quai". It is a form of "devoir" with "nous" as the subject and is followed by the required action.
changer
"changer" means change or switch in "changer de quai". It is an infinitive after "devons", and the pattern "changer de" identifies what is being changed.
aiderait
"aiderait" means would help in "Ça nous aiderait". It is a form of "aider" used to describe the helpful result of a possible last-minute change.
changement
"changement" means change in "si le changement avait lieu". It is the noun naming the possible change of platform.
avait
In "avait lieu", "avait" is a form of "avoir" used in the expression "avoir lieu", meaning take place. Here it describes the possible occurrence of the change.
lieu
In "avait lieu", "lieu" contributes to the expression meaning took place or occurred. Although "lieu" can mean place, the full construction "avoir lieu" refers to an event happening.
au
"au" means at the in "au dernier moment". It is the contraction of "à" and "le", used in this time expression.
dernier
"dernier" means last in "au dernier moment". It modifies "moment" and identifies the final point before the event.
moment
"moment" means moment in "au dernier moment". The full expression refers to something happening at the last possible time.
Une
"Une" contributes one to the expression "Une fois que...", which means once. It begins a time clause describing what happens after an event is completed.
fois
In "Une fois que", "fois" means time or occasion, while the full expression means once. It introduces the condition or point after which the travelers can move.
auront
"auront" means will have in "ils auront mis à jour l'affichage". It is a future form of "avoir" used with "mis à jour" to refer to the completed update.
mis à jour
"mis à jour" means updated in "auront mis à jour l'affichage". The full expression means brought up to date: "mis" is related to putting, "à" contributes to, and "jour" means day.
l'affichage
"l'affichage" means the display or information board in this station context. The form uses l' as the definite article before the vowel sound at the beginning of "affichage".
pourrons
"pourrons" means will be able to in "nous pourrons nous déplacer". It is a future form of "pouvoir" with "nous" as the subject and is followed by an infinitive.
sans
"sans" means without and introduces "sans avoir à deviner". The pattern "sans" plus an infinitive phrase explains what will not be necessary.
avoir
In "sans avoir à deviner", "avoir" is the infinitive in the expression "avoir à" plus another infinitive, meaning have to guess. With "sans", the whole phrase means without having to guess.
deviner
"deviner" means guess in "sans avoir à deviner". It is an infinitive after "avoir à" and refers to trying to determine the platform without reliable information.
Grammar Points
avant de + infinitif
Avant de monter à bord, le personnel vérifie les bagages.
ah-VAHN duh mon-TAY ah BOR, luh pair-soh-NEL vay-ree-FEE lay bah-GAHZH.Before boarding, the staff checks the luggage.
Use avant de followed by an infinitive when the subject remains the same in both actions.
sans avoir à + infinitif
Sans avoir à deviner, le personnel indiquera le changement.
sahn zah-VWAR ah duh-vee-NAY, luh pair-soh-NEL an-dee-kuh-RAH luh shahnzh-MAHN.Without having to guess, the staff will indicate the change.
This structure means “without having to do something”; avoir stays in the infinitive.
French Vocabulary
annonce
noun
lah-NOHNSS
announcement
L'annonce
L'annonce dit qu'il y a un retard.
avant de
prep
ah-VAHN duh
before
Avant de laisser les gens monter à bord.
chercher
verb
sher-SHAY
to look for
Chercher un autre quai.
dire
verb
DEER
to say
dit
L'annonce dit qu'il y a un retard.
expliquer
verb
ex-plee-KAY
to explain
n'explique
Elle n'explique pas pourquoi.
laisser
verb
leh-SAY
to let; to allow
Avant de laisser les gens monter à bord.
monter à bord
phrase
mon-TAY ah BOR
to board
Les gens montent à bord.
quai
noun
KAY
platform
Un autre quai.
rester
verb
res-TAY
to stay
On devrait rester ici.
retard
noun
ruh-TAR
delay
un retard
Il y a un retard.
train
noun
TRAN
train
le train
Ils vérifient le train.
vérifier
verb
vay-ree-FYAY
to check
vérifient
Ils vérifient le train.
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
to let; to allow
Show Answer
laisserto check
Show Answer
vérifientplatform
Show Answer
quaito stay