French course

Lesson 61 of 240

New here? This is lesson 61 of a free 240-lesson French course.

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Chatting with coworkers in French

Sam is at the office coffee corner with Claire, his manager. She already holds two cups and still wants another.

Claire already uses tu with Sam after their first team lunch. This is just a coffee at the office corner.

You will ask how the day is going, check the weekend, and offer a coffee or a short break.

You will also ask if someone has plans after work.

By the end of this lesson

Make small talk at the office about the day, the weekend, and coffee.

  • Ça se passe bien, ta journée ?How's your day going?
  • Tu as passé un bon week-end ?Did you have a good weekend?
  • C'est une journée bien chargée, mais ça va.It's been a busy day, but I'm all right.
  • Je vais prendre un café. Tu veux quelque chose ?I'm going to grab a coffee. Do you want anything?
  • Tu veux faire une petite pause ?Do you want to take a quick break?
  • Tu as quelque chose de prévu après le travail ?Do you have any plans after work?

Scene — two cups already

Monday at Sam's office, two metro stops from rue des Tilleuls. Claire is at the coffee corner with two cups already in her hands.

Museum guide kits sit on the desks. A courtyard window lets in grey light. She still looks at the machine.

A wide office view with Claire small at the coffee corner holding two cups toward the machine and Sam small at a desk of museum kits under grey courtyard light.

Learn — the day and a coffee

Six lines cover the day, the weekend, a busy answer, and a coffee offer.

You also get a short break and plans after work.

  1. A high-angle view of Claire at the coffee corner with two cups, turned toward the desks.

    Ça se passe bien, ta journée ?

    How's your day going?

    When to use it: Ask a coworker how their day is going.

    Ta matches journée because journée is feminine.

  2. A close-up of Sam seated at the desk among museum guide kits, looking toward the coffee corner.

    Tu as passé un bon week-end ?

    Did you have a good weekend?

    When to use it: Ask this on a Monday when you see a coworker.

    Keep tu as in full; do not shorten it to t'as.

  3. A low-angle view of Claire facing the office with two cups held close in front, away from the machine.

    C'est une journée bien chargée, mais ça va.

    It's been a busy day, but I'm all right.

    When to use it: Answer when someone asks how your busy day is going.

    Une and chargée both match journée, which is feminine.

    Say it: The t in C'est links into une.

  4. A close-up of two cups in Claire's hands held toward the coffee machine.

    Je vais prendre un café. Tu veux quelque chose ?

    I'm going to grab a coffee. Do you want anything?

    When to use it: Say this when you walk to the coffee machine.

    Claire already uses tu with Sam after a team lunch, not vous.

    Say it: The s in vais is silent before prendre.

  5. Sam leaving the desk with one hand on the pushed-out chair, turned toward the coffee corner.

    Tu veux faire une petite pause ?

    Do you want to take a quick break?

    When to use it: Ask a coworker if they want a short break.

    Une and petite both match pause, which is feminine.

  6. An over-the-shoulder view past Sam toward Claire, who stands with two cups and looks across at Sam.

    Tu as quelque chose de prévu après le travail ?

    Do you have any plans after work?

    When to use it: Ask a coworker if they have plans after work.

    Après le travail means after the workday in this question.

Story — she wants another

Watch Sam and Claire at the coffee corner. She already has two cups.

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

  1. The coffee machine hums. Claire already holds two cups.
  2. ClaireSalut.Hi.
  3. SamSalut.Hi.
  4. ClaireÇa se passe bien, ta journée ?How's your day going?
  5. SamC'est une journée bien chargée, mais ça va.It's been a busy day, but I'm all right.
  6. ClaireTu as passé un bon week-end ?Did you have a good weekend?
  7. SamOui, ça va.Yes, it was fine.
  8. She glances at the two cups, then at the machine again.
  9. ClaireTu veux faire une petite pause ?Do you want to take a quick break?
  10. SamJe vais prendre un café. Tu veux quelque chose ?I'm going to grab a coffee. Do you want anything?
  11. ClaireOui, un petit café, s'il te plaît.Yes, a small coffee, please.
  12. SamD'accord.Okay.
  13. ClaireTu as quelque chose de prévu après le travail ?Do you have any plans after work?
  14. SamNon, pas vraiment.No, not really.
  15. ClaireBonne journée.Have a good day.
  16. SamBonne journée.Have a good day.

Practice — busy day and coffee

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

They stay short, so the round moves fast.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What does it mean?

    Tu as passé un bon week-end ?

  3. What do you say?

    Claire asks how your day is going at the coffee corner.

  4. Fill the gap

    Do you want to take a quick break?

    Tu veux faire une petite ____ ?

  5. Match the pairs

    French

    Ça se passe bien, ta journée ?Drop the English here
    Tu as passé un bon week-end ?Drop the English here
    Tu as quelque chose de prévu après le travail ?Drop the English here

    English

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

  6. Build the line

    I'm going to grab a coffee. Do you want anything?

    .  ?

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Pick the reply

    Claire says:

    Tu veux faire une petite pause ?

    Do you want to take a quick break?

    And you reply with:

  8. Swap the word

    Ask Claire if she has plans after work.

    Tu as quelque chose de prévu après le ____ ?

  9. What do you say?

    You see Claire at the office coffee corner. Say the short hi, not a question about her day.

  10. True or false?

    You say this when you do not want anything.

  11. Fill the gap

    Have a good day

    Bonne ____.

Say it — your turn at the machine

Now you're Sam at the office coffee corner. When it's 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. ClaireSalut.Hi.
  2. Sam (you)Ask how her day is going.

    Ça se passe bien, ta journée ?

    How's your day going?

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
Ça se passe bien, ta journée ?How's your day going?
Tu as passé un bon week-end ?Did you have a good weekend?
C'est une journée bien chargée, mais ça va.It's been a busy day, but I'm all right.
Je vais prendre un café. Tu veux quelque chose ?I'm going to grab a coffee. Do you want anything?
Tu veux faire une petite pause ?Do you want to take a quick break?
Tu as quelque chose de prévu après le travail ?Do you have any plans after work?
Next: lesson 62Running into a coworker

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

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

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps your office small talk ready.

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