Dialogue
Être en train de: say what you are doing right now
Use être en train de with an infinitive to explain an action in progress. Practise a kitchen conversation, compare the simple present and check the forms.
- A2
- 8 lines
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In short
Être en train de + infinitive highlights an action in progress: Je suis en train de cuisiner (I’m in the middle of cooking). The simple present, Je cuisine, can also mean “I’m cooking”; add en train de when that ongoing activity matters.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learnRed watch out
Léa wants Samir’s help while he is cooking. Practise Samir’s lines: explain what is happening now, then offer a practical next step. The replies use the present for now and the imparfait for an earlier interruption.
- Léa
Tu peux venir une minute ?
English
Can you come for a minute?
- Samir
Attends un instant, je suis en train de couper les légumes.
Ask her to wait: you are cutting the vegetables.
English
Wait a moment, I’m cutting the vegetables.
- Léa
D’accord. Je mets la table ?
English
All right. Shall I lay the table?
- Samir
Oui, merci. Inès est en train de préparer la sauce.
Thank her and say Inès is preparing the sauce.
English
Yes, thanks. Inès is preparing the sauce.
- Léa
Vous avez presque fini ?
English
Have you nearly finished?
- Samir
Oui. Nous sommes en train de terminer la préparation du dîner.
Say you are finishing the dinner preparations.
English
Yes. We’re finishing the dinner preparations.
- Léa
Et hier, pourquoi tu n’as pas répondu ?
English
And yesterday, why didn’t you reply?
- Samir
J’étais en train de cuisiner quand tu as appelé.
Say you were cooking when she called.
English
I was cooking when you called.
Four objects from the dinner preparations
Find:
How do you form être en train de?
| Subject | Frame | Action |
|---|---|---|
| je | suis en train de | préparer |
| tu | es en train de | préparer |
| il / elle / on | est en train de | préparer |
| nous | sommes en train de | préparer |
| vous | êtes en train de | préparer |
| ils / elles | sont en train de | préparer |
Elle est en train d’écrire à Inès.
She is writing to Inès.
De becomes d’ before a vowel. The action remains the infinitive écrire.
Tu es en train de te préparer ?
Are you getting ready?
Keep the reflexive pronoun with the infinitive: de te préparer.
Now, a habit or a past interruption?
| French | English | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Je cuisine tous les soirs. | I cook every evening. | A routine |
| Je cuisine. | I’m cooking. | A current action, with the situation supplying now |
| Je suis en train de cuisiner. | I’m in the middle of cooking. | The current activity is emphasised |
| J’étais en train de cuisiner quand elle a appelé. | I was cooking when she called. | Activity in progress at a past moment |
Use en train de for an activity unfolding at a particular moment. For a general fact, keep a simple form: J’habite ici (I live here). English -ing has several jobs; this French expression specifically highlights progress.