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A1 French short story: the cinema opens at six

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Three friends arrive far too early for a film. An easy French story about opening times, film times and waiting, with glosses, translation and questions.

In short

An A1 story about times: the cinema opens at six, but the film starts at a quarter past seven. Read it, then separate the opening time from the film time.

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn

Three friends eating crêpes outside a neighbourhood cinema.
The friends enjoy des crêpes while waiting for their film. Illustration: Atelier

Trop tôt !

Lina, Max et Julie veulent voir le nouveau film d'animation. Lina dit : « Le cinéma ouvre à six heures. Rendez-vous à six heures moins cinq ! » Ils arrivent en avance1, pleins d'enthousiasme.

À six heures, les portes ouvrent2. Max lit l'écran : « La séance3 est à sept heures et quart. » Lina s'est trompée4 : six heures, c'est l'ouverture du cinéma, pas l'heure du film.

Julie rit : « Une heure et quart à attendre5 ! » D'abord, ils regardent les affiches6, puis ils vont au stand de crêpes7 à côté.

À sept heures, ils reviennent, le ventre plein. « Cette fois, on est à l'heure8 », dit Max. Le film est très drôle.

Read it in English

Lina, Max and Julie want to see the new animated film. Lina says: "The cinema opens at six. Let's meet at five to six!" They arrive early, full of enthusiasm.

At six o'clock, the doors open. Max reads the screen: "The showing is at a quarter past seven." Lina made a mistake: six o'clock is the cinema's opening time, not the film's.

Julie laughs: "An hour and a quarter to wait!" They look at the posters, then go to the crêpe stand next door.

At seven, they come back with full stomachs. "This time, we're on time," says Max. The film is very funny.

Two different times
WhatTime
The cinema opens18:00 (six heures)
The film starts19:15 (sept heures et quart)
The friends arrive17:55 (six heures moins cinq)

La séance is a showing or screening, and French cinema listings give l'horaire de la séance. Adverts and trailers (les bandes-annonces) usually take about ten to fifteen minutes before the film itself.

Question 1No account needed
What time does the film start?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

7.15. La séance est à sept heures et quart.

Question 2No account needed
What was Lina's mistake?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

She confused the cinema's opening time with the film time.. Six o'clock is l'ouverture du cinéma, not the film.

Question 3No account needed
What do they do while waiting?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

They look at posters and eat crêpes.. They look at posters, then go to the crêpe stand.

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