Dialogue
Who said what? Follow the turns in a French conversation
Follow three people arranging a meeting. Track a preference, a reported message, a changed proposal and the final decision, then practise the organiser’s lines.
- B1
- 12 lines
- Practice mode
- Learn this in the B1 notebook →
In short
Attach each French reply to a person and a purpose: preference, constraint, proposal or decision. Names help you follow a turn; Paul m’a dit que… introduces someone else’s words. Keep listening after oui, mais…, because the next phrase can change the plan.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn
Three people are fixing a time for a short meeting: Clara, Nadia and you, the organiser. Paul has sent Nadia a message. Read the exchange once for the final arrangement, then hide your lines and practise linking each reply to what came before it.
- You · organiser
Clara, tu préfères quel moment pour notre réunion mardi ?
Ask Clara which part of Tuesday she prefers.
English
Clara, what time would you prefer for our meeting on Tuesday?
- Clara
Le matin serait plus simple pour moi. Je dois partir à onze heures.
English
The morning would be easier for me. I have to leave at eleven.
- Nadia
Moi, je préfère l’après-midi d’habitude, mais mardi matin, je suis libre.
English
I usually prefer the afternoon, but I’m free on Tuesday morning.
- You · organiser
On pourrait commencer à neuf heures et demie.
Suggest starting at 9.30.
English
We could start at half past nine.
- Nadia
Paul m’a dit qu’il serait disponible à partir de dix heures.
English
Paul told me he would be available from ten.
- Clara
Alors, dix heures ? Si on termine à dix heures quarante-cinq, ça me va.
English
Then ten? If we finish at 10.45, that works for me.
- You · organiser
Nadia, tu es d’accord pour dix heures ?
Ask Nadia to confirm ten.
English
Nadia, do you agree to ten?
- Nadia
Oui. Et je peux réserver une salle.
English
Yes. And I can book a room.
- You · organiser
Parfait, c’est décidé : mardi, de dix heures à dix heures quarante-cinq.
State the final day, start time and end time.
English
Perfect, it’s decided: Tuesday, from ten to 10.45.
- Clara
Tu préviens Paul ?
English
Will you let Paul know?
- You · organiser
Oui, je lui envoie un message tout de suite.
Say that you will send Paul a message now.
English
Yes, I’ll send him a message straight away.
- Nadia
Et moi, je m’occupe de la salle.
English
And I’ll take care of the room.
How do you follow who said what in French?
| Line | Who says it here? | Whose situation does it describe? |
|---|---|---|
| Le matin serait plus simple pour moi. | Clara | Clara’s preference |
| Paul m’a dit qu’il serait disponible… | Nadia | Paul’s availability, reported by Nadia |
| Oui, je lui envoie un message… | You, the organiser | Your action; lui refers to Paul |
The conditional in on pourrait commencer offers a possibility. The later phrase c’est décidé closes the discussion with a definite time. Nadia’s mais mardi matin also matters: her usual afternoon preference gives way to her availability on this particular Tuesday. Short notes such as “Clara: leave 11” keep a constraint distinct from a preference.