AtelierLe journal · French, understood
English

Language

The course

Updated

Timeline

French departure preparations: put six tasks in a stated order

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Follow six French departure tasks in an explicitly stated order. Read d’abord, ensuite, puis, après and enfin, then test which action comes before another.

In short

Use d’abord for the first step, puis / ensuite for following steps and enfin for the last. Avant de sortir locates an action before going out. The note below supplies a complete six-step order; follow its words rather than inventing a different packing routine.

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn

Six pictures linked in order by arrows: a phone with a blank message, folded clothes, a closed suitcase, two blank tickets, a window and a door with a key.
Follow the arrows across the top row, then across the bottom row. The written note supplies the action for each picture. Illustration: Atelier

Lina writes a short preparation note before visiting Julie. The note is about the order Lina chooses for this particular departure. It does not claim that every traveller must use that order. Read the whole sequence once before answering the before-and-after questions.

Mon ordre avant le départ

D’abord, j’envoie mon heure d’arrivée à Julie. Ensuite, je prépare mes vêtements. Puis, je ferme la valise. Après, je prends mes deux billets sur la table. Avant de sortir, je ferme la fenêtre. Enfin, je sors et je ferme la porte à clé.

The connecting words give the intended order; the final sentence contains the last departure action.

The six steps stated in the note

  1. 1 · D’abord
    J’envoie mon heure d’arrivée à Julie.First, I send Julie my arrival time.
  2. 2 · Ensuite
    Je prépare mes vêtements.Next, I prepare my clothes.
  3. 3 · Puis
    Je ferme la valise.Then I close the suitcase.
  4. 4 · Après
    Je prends mes deux billets sur la table.After that, I take my two tickets from the table.
  5. 5 · Avant de sortir
    Je ferme la fenêtre.Before going out, I close the window.
  6. 6 · Enfin
    Je sors et je ferme la porte à clé.Finally, I go out and lock the door.

Avant de is followed by an infinitive

Avant de sortir, je ferme la fenêtre.

Before going out, I close the window.

Sortir remains an infinitive after avant de. Je ferme is the main action in the sentence. The wording tells you that closing the window happens before leaving. It does not introduce a clock time; you know the relative position of the actions without knowing the minute.

Several connectors can mark the next step

Ensuite, puis and après all move the note forward here. Their position in the written sequence determines which follows which. Enfin clearly introduces the ending. Taking the two tickets occurs after the suitcase is closed and before the window is closed.

Question 1No account needed
What does Lina do first?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

She sends Julie her arrival time. D’abord introduces sending the arrival time.

Question 2No account needed
Which action comes immediately after preparing the clothes?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Closing the suitcase. Puis, je ferme la valise follows the clothes sentence.

Question 3No account needed
What happens after taking the tickets but before going out?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

She closes the window. The window sentence follows the tickets and says avant de sortir.

Question 4No account needed
Does the note give an exact departure time?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

No, it supplies an order of tasks. No clock time is written; the connectors establish sequence.

Retell the same sequence with je vais for planned actions: D’abord, je vais envoyer mon heure d’arrivée. Ensuite, je vais préparer mes vêtements. Keep the original order while changing the verbs into a future plan. That practises timing in the sentence without adding a new schedule.

Keep going