Gap-fill
Doing it now or just finished? A French hotel-message cloze
Complete a French arrival message with venir de, être en train de and a planned next step. Compare ongoing and completed actions, with travel picture cards.
- A2
- 8 gaps
- Translation included
- Learn this in the A2 notebook →
In short
Use venir de + infinitive for something just completed, and être en train de + infinitive to emphasise an action in progress. The simple present also describes what is happening now: Je range mes affaires. Add aller + infinitive when you want to give the next step.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn
| Stage | French | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Just completed | Je viens de préparer mon sac. | I have just packed my bag. |
| In progress | Je suis en train de préparer mon sac. | I am packing my bag right now. |
| Planned next | Je vais préparer mon sac. | I am going to pack my bag. |
Nora is waiting for an update. You have arrived at the hotel and opened the window. You are unpacking now and will call her afterwards. Complete the message using the English meaning cues. The action after de or aller stays in the infinitive.
Four things in the arrival message
Find:
Un message pour Nora
Salut Nora ! Je (venir · présent, je) d’arriver à l’hôtel. Je (have just received) la clé et je viens (de + ouvrir) la fenêtre. Il fait bon ici.
Je (être · présent, je) en train de vider ma valise. Je range mes affaires : la serviette ici, le savon là. Paul (être · présent, il) en train de préparer son sac. Nous (être · présent, nous) encore dans la chambre.
Je (aller · présent, je) t’appeler après. Ensuite, nous (aller · présent, nous) sortir. À tout à l’heure !
Read it in English
Hi Nora! I have just arrived at the hotel. I have just received the key and have just opened the window. It feels pleasant here.
I am unpacking my suitcase. I am putting my things away: the towel here, the soap there. Paul is getting his bag ready. We are still in the room.
I am going to call you afterwards. Then we are going to go out. See you shortly!
How do you say what you’re doing now or just did in French?
To answer “What are you doing?”, you can simply say Je vide ma valise. Add je suis en train de when the ongoing activity matters: perhaps Nora is waiting for your call. English “am unpacking” can translate either French version.
Je viens de vider ma valise. Je suis prêt à sortir.
I have just unpacked my suitcase. I am ready to go out.
This male speaker reports completion. A female speaker writes prête.
Check the small words as well as the tense: de becomes d’ before a vowel, as in d’arriver. In je vais t’appeler, the pronoun belongs with appeler. Changing the subject changes the first verb: nous venons de, nous sommes en train de, nous allons.