Graded story

A2 French short story: a birthday on the wrong evening

Hugo throws a surprise party for Sophie, but on the wrong date. An A2 story about a misunderstanding with dates, with glosses, translation and questions.

In short

An A2 story in the past tenses about a date mix-up: the party was planned for le samedi 12, but the 12th was a Friday. Read and reconstruct what went wrong.

Party guests discovering a neighbour at the door beside gifts and a cake.
A surprise party goes wrong when Hugo se trompe de jour. Illustration: Atelier

Le mauvais soir

Pour les trente ans de Sophie, Hugo a organisé une fête surprise1. Dans son message aux amis, il a écrit : « Samedi 12, à 20 h, chez moi. Chut ! »

Le soir du 12, les invités2 sont arrivés avec des cadeaux. À vingt heures, ils ont éteint la lumière et se sont cachés3 derrière le canapé.

La porte s'est ouverte4… mais c'était le voisin, qui venait emprunter du sel. Et Sophie ne venait pas : elle était à son cours de yoga, parce que le 12, c'était un vendredi !

Hugo s'était trompé5 de jour. Tout le monde a éclaté de rire6… et le lendemain7, samedi 13, ils ont organisé une deuxième fête8. Cette fois, Sophie est venue.

Read it in English

For Sophie's thirty years, Hugo organised a surprise party. In his message to the friends, he wrote: "Saturday the 12th at 8 pm, at my place. Shh!"

On the evening of the 12th, the guests arrived with presents. At eight o'clock, they turned off the lights and hid behind the sofa.

The door opened… but it was the neighbour, who had come to borrow some salt. And Sophie wasn't coming: she was at her yoga class, because the 12th was a Friday!

Hugo had got the day wrong. Everyone burst out laughing. The next day, Saturday the 13th, they organised a second party, and this time Sophie came.

Question 1No account needed
What was the mistake?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

The 12th was a Friday, not a Saturday.. Le 12, c'était un vendredi.

Question 2No account needed
Who opened the door?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

the neighbour. C'était le voisin, qui venait emprunter du sel.

Question 3No account needed
Se tromper de jour means…

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

to get the day wrong. Se tromper de + noun: to get the wrong one.