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Lesson 83 of 240

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Sharing a table in French

The terrace at Café des Tilleuls is packed this morning. Sam needs a seat, and Inès is still on her way.

Gaspard already has two chairs and a café crème he has not touched.

You will ask if a seat is free, if you can sit or share, and say who is still coming.

The window table stays empty. Odile's look is enough.

By the end of this lesson

Ask to sit with others and say who is still coming.

  • Cette place est libre ?Is this seat free?
  • On peut s'asseoir ici ?Can we sit here?
  • On attend quelqu'un.We're waiting for someone.
  • Il manque encore une personne.One person still isn't here.
  • On est au complet.Everyone's here.
  • On peut partager la table ?Can we share the table?

Scene — the terrace is full

Same Saturday on the terrace of Café des Tilleuls. The tables are full and the awning is out.

Gaspard sits on two chairs with a café crème he has not finished. Sam looks for a seat. Inès is not here yet.

Odile watches from the doorway. The window table inside still has its blank brass sign.

A packed Saturday terrace under the extended awning, with Gaspard occupying two chairs, Sam looking for a seat, and Odile watching from the doorway.

Learn — a free seat

Six lines cover a free seat, sitting down, sharing a table, and who is still on the way.

You also get a line for when everyone has arrived.

  1. Sam leans in with an open palm toward Gaspard's extra chair, checking whether that place is free.

    Cette place est libre ?

    Is this seat free?

    When to use it: Ask this when you want an empty chair at a table.

    Place here means a seat, not a town or a square.

    Say it: The t of est is silent before the l in libre.

  2. From the doorway behind Odile, Sam stands in the aisle with both hands open, asking to sit on the packed terrace.

    On peut s'asseoir ici ?

    Can we sit here?

    When to use it: Ask this to sit down at a table that looks free.

    On means we in everyday talk, not a formal nous.

    Say it: The apostrophe in s'asseoir drops the e of se.

  3. Odile stands in the doorway with one hand on the frame, turning toward the empty indoor table by the window.

    On attend quelqu'un.

    We're waiting for someone.

    When to use it: Say this to keep a seat for a person on the way.

    Quelqu'un means someone, said as one piece.

    Say it: The un in quelqu'un is a nasal vowel.

  4. Gaspard sits with two chairs at the terrace table and looks down the sidewalk for the person who has not arrived.

    Il manque encore une personne.

    One person still isn't here.

    When to use it: Say this when your group is still missing one person.

    Encore here means still, not again.

    Say it: The last sound of encore links into une.

  5. Inès arrives at the terrace table where Sam and Gaspard are sitting, and the group is now complete.

    On est au complet.

    Everyone's here.

    When to use it: Say this when the last person has arrived.

    Au complet means the group is full, with nobody missing.

    Say it: In on est, the n links into est.

  6. From above, Sam leans in and motions toward the extra space at Gaspard's table, asking to share.

    On peut partager la table ?

    Can we share the table?

    When to use it: Ask this when the terrace is full and you need space.

    Partager la table means sit with people already there.

Story — her look is enough

Watch Sam ask for a seat on the packed terrace. Gaspard is already there, and Inès is late.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned. Turn on Show English if you need it.

  1. Every table on the terrace is taken. Gaspard has two chairs and a café crème he has not finished.
  2. SamBonjour.Hello.
  3. GaspardBonjour.Hello.
  4. SamOn peut s'asseoir ici ?Can we sit here?
  5. GaspardOn attend quelqu'un.We're waiting for someone.
  6. SamOn peut partager la table ?Can we share the table?
  7. GaspardOui, vas-y.Yes, go ahead.
  8. Sam sits. He looks through the window at the empty table with the blank brass sign.
  9. SamCette place est libre ?Is this seat free?
  10. OdileC'est réservé.It's reserved.
  11. SamD'accord.Okay.
  12. Inès is still not on the terrace.
  13. GaspardIl manque encore une personne.One person still isn't here.
  14. Inès walks up from the street with her green bag.
  15. InèsSalut, je suis là.Hi, I'm here.
  16. GaspardOn est au complet.Everyone's here.

Practice — share or wait

Eleven short exercises wait here. You will listen, pick, fill a gap, and build a line.

They stay small, so you can move through them fast.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What do you say?

    You and a friend stop at a free terrace table. Ask if you can sit here.

  3. What does it mean?

    On attend quelqu'un.

  4. Fill the gap

    One person still isn't here.

    Il manque ____ une personne.

  5. Build the line

    Everyone's here.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  6. Pick the reply

    Gaspard says:

    On attend quelqu'un.

    We're waiting for someone.

    And you reply with:

  7. What do you say?

    You walk up to the café in the morning. Greet Odile before asking for a seat.

  8. True or false?

    This means the table is free for anyone to take.

  9. Swap the word

    You point at one empty chair. Ask if that seat is free.

    Cette ____ est libre ?

  10. Match the pairs

    French

    Cette place est libre ?Drop the English here
    On attend quelqu'un.Drop the English here
    On est au complet.Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its French, or tap one and then the other.

  11. Which one doesn’t belong?

Say it — ask for a chair

Now you are Sam on the terrace. When it is your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap ▶ first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. GaspardBonjour.Hello.
  2. Sam (you)Say hello back. It is still morning.

    Bonjour.

    Hello

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
Cette place est libre ?Is this seat free?
On peut s'asseoir ici ?Can we sit here?
On attend quelqu'un.We're waiting for someone.
Il manque encore une personne.One person still isn't here.
On est au complet.Everyone's here.
On peut partager la table ?Can we share the table?
Next: lesson 84Getting a table

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep these table lines handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps your seat-sharing lines ready.

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