Gap-fill
Poser or déposer? A French gap-fill about everyday errands
Put down your glasses, drop off a parcel and submit a form. Practise poser and déposer in a short present-tense story with eight gaps and pictures.
- B1
- 8 gaps
- Translation included
- Learn this in the B1 notebook →
In short
Poser means putting or setting something down. Déposer can mean that too, and also dropping something or someone off, or submitting documents. Both work for a cup on a table; use déposer un dossier for submitting an application and poser une question for asking a question.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn
poserput down; ask a question
Focus: placement or a fixed expression with the object
Je pose mes lunettes sur le bureau.
I put my glasses down on the desk.
Elle pose une question à l’agent.
She asks the officer a question.
déposerput down; drop off; submit
Focus: leaving something at a destination or taking someone there
Je dépose le colis chez ma voisine.
I leave the parcel with my neighbour.
Nous déposons Léa à la gare.
We drop Léa off at the station.
What moves during the morning?
Find:
| Subject | poser | déposer |
|---|---|---|
| je | pose | dépose |
| tu | poses | déposes |
| il / elle / on | pose | dépose |
| nous | posons | déposons |
| vous | posez | déposez |
| ils / elles | posent | déposent |
In the story, follow the verb supplied in each hint and use the present tense. That lets you practise the forms even where both verbs could describe placement. Sur introduces a surface, à a destination such as reception, and chez someone’s home. Read the whole morning before filling the eight gaps.
Une matinée bien remplie
Avant de sortir, je (poser) mes lunettes sur le bureau. Ma sœur (déposer) un vase sur la table, près de la fenêtre. Nous prenons un colis pour notre voisine.
Dans le couloir, ma sœur me demande : « Tu (déposer) le colis chez Mme Robert ? » Je sonne chez elle. Elle ouvre, me remercie et prend le paquet.
Ensuite, nous (déposer) notre frère à la gare. Il part pour Lyon. Puis nous allons au centre administratif : je (déposer) mon dossier à l’accueil.
L’agent regarde les documents et me dit : « Vous (poser) votre sac ici, si vous voulez. » Je lui (poser) une question sur les horaires. Pendant ce temps, deux visiteurs (déposer) leurs formulaires au guichet voisin.
Read it in English
Before going out, I put my glasses on the desk. My sister places a vase on the table, near the window. We take a parcel for our neighbour.
In the corridor, my sister asks: “Are you dropping the parcel off at Mrs Robert’s?” I ring her doorbell. She opens, thanks me and takes the package.
Then we drop our brother off at the station. He is leaving for Lyon. Next we go to the administrative centre: I submit my file at reception.
The officer looks at the documents and says: “You can put your bag here if you like.” I ask him a question about the opening hours. Meanwhile, two visitors submit their forms at the neighbouring counter.