French course

Lesson 62 of 240

New here? This is lesson 62 of a free 240-lesson French course.

Start hereHow this works

Running into a coworker in French

Sam is at the office, two metro stops from rue des Tilleuls. In the hallway by the lift he finally meets a colleague he only knew from email.

He starts a long question. She is already backing toward the lift.

You will put a face to a name, check in on a project, and let someone go without keeping them.

Save the long chat for lunch another day.

By the end of this lesson

Welcome a coworker you've heard of, check in on a project, and let them go.

  • Ravi de mettre un visage sur un nom.Nice to finally put a face to the name.
  • Tu travailles ici depuis longtemps ?Have you worked here long?
  • Ça avance bien, ton projet ?Is your project going well?
  • Dis-moi si je te dérange.Tell me if I'm interrupting.
  • Je ne veux pas te déranger plus longtemps.I don't want to keep you.
  • On déjeune ensemble un de ces jours ?Shall we have lunch one of these days?

Scene — the lift is waiting

Same weekday at the small office two metro stops from the café. Sam has a mustard backpack on one shoulder.

A colleague he only knew by email is already walking toward the lift, laptop under her arm. The courtyard window is bright.

Sam stands in a small office lift lobby with a mustard backpack while Claire walks toward the lift with a laptop, bright courtyard light behind them.

Learn — a face and a project

Six lines help you greet a coworker, ask about their project, and step back when they need to go.

You'll also offer lunch another day, so the chat can end kindly.

  1. Sam holds out a hand in greeting toward Claire in the office lobby.

    Ravi de mettre un visage sur un nom.

    Nice to finally put a face to the name.

    When to use it: Say this when you meet someone you only knew by name.

    A man says Ravi; a woman says Ravie here.

    Say it: The vowel in nom is nasal; the final m is silent.

  2. Close on Sam, mustard backpack strap on one shoulder, head tilted as he asks Claire a question.

    Tu travailles ici depuis longtemps ?

    Have you worked here long?

    When to use it: Ask a coworker this after you say hello.

    Use tu with a colleague, not with a new stranger.

    Say it: The last s in longtemps is silent.

  3. Claire pauses on the way to the lift, laptop under her arm, and turns back toward Sam.

    Ça avance bien, ton projet ?

    Is your project going well?

    When to use it: Check in on a coworker's work, then let them talk.

    Ton goes with a masculine word like projet.

  4. Over Claire’s shoulder, Sam raises one palm in a careful pause, mustard backpack on one shoulder.

    Dis-moi si je te dérange.

    Tell me if I'm interrupting.

    When to use it: Say this when they look busy or start to leave.

    Dis-moi is the tu way to say tell me.

    Say it: The s in dis is silent.

  5. Sam steps back toward the courtyard window to give Claire room to reach the lift.

    Je ne veux pas te déranger plus longtemps.

    I don't want to keep you.

    When to use it: Say this when you see they need to go.

    Keep ne and pas around veux in this line.

    Say it: The x in veux is silent.

  6. Close on Claire beside the lift, glancing back, laptop under her arm, one hand lifted in a small invitation.

    On déjeune ensemble un de ces jours ?

    Shall we have lunch one of these days?

    When to use it: Suggest lunch so you can end the chat kindly.

    On here means we, in everyday speech.

Story — she steps back

Watch Sam meet a colleague by the lift. He wants a long chat, and she needs to go.

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

  1. The lift doors are still shut. She already has a hand on her bag.
  2. ColleagueSalut.Hi.
  3. SamRavi de mettre un visage sur un nom.Nice to finally put a face to the name.
  4. ColleagueMoi aussi. Tu es Sam, c'est ça ?Me too. You're Sam, right?
  5. SamOui. Tu travailles ici depuis longtemps ?Yes. Have you worked here long?
  6. ColleagueDeux ans déjà.Two years already.
  7. She takes a step toward the lift. Sam starts another question.
  8. SamÇa avance bien, ton projet ?Is your project going well?
  9. ColleagueOui, ça avance. Mais je dois y aller.Yes, it's moving. But I have to go.
  10. SamDis-moi si je te dérange.Tell me if I'm interrupting.
  11. ColleagueUn peu, oui. L'ascenseur est là.A little, yes. The lift is here.
  12. SamJe ne veux pas te déranger plus longtemps.I don't want to keep you.
  13. ColleagueMerci.Thanks.
  14. SamOn déjeune ensemble un de ces jours ?Shall we have lunch one of these days?
  15. ColleagueOui, avec plaisir.Yes, I'd like that.

Practice — don't keep them

Ten short exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, fill a gap, swap a word, and build a line.

They stay tiny, so the round moves fast.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What do you say?

    You bump into a colleague you already know in person, in the hallway at noon.

  3. What does it mean?

    Tu travailles ici depuis longtemps ?

  4. Fill the gap

    Is your project going well?

    Ça avance bien, ton ____ ?

  5. Pick the reply

    Colleague says:

    Je suis un peu pressée.

    I'm a bit in a hurry.

    And you reply with:

  6. Swap the word

    She is backing toward the lift. You do not want to keep her.

    Je ne veux pas te déranger ____ longtemps.

  7. Build the line

    Tell me if I'm interrupting.

    - .

    Tap the words in order.

  8. True or false?

    You say this when you need to leave.

  9. Match the pairs

    French

    Ravi de mettre un visage sur un nom.Drop the English here
    Tu travailles ici depuis longtemps ?Drop the English here
    Ça avance bien, ton projet ?Drop the English here
    On déjeune ensemble un de ces jours ?Drop the English here

    English

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

  10. Find the mistake

Say it — let her go

Now you're Sam in the hallway. 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. ColleagueSalut.Hi.
  2. Sam (you)You've only known her from email. Say you're glad to meet her in person.

    Ravi de mettre un visage sur un nom.

    Nice to finally put a face to the name.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
Ravi de mettre un visage sur un nom.Nice to finally put a face to the name.
Tu travailles ici depuis longtemps ?Have you worked here long?
Ça avance bien, ton projet ?Is your project going well?
Dis-moi si je te dérange.Tell me if I'm interrupting.
Je ne veux pas te déranger plus longtemps.I don't want to keep you.
On déjeune ensemble un de ces jours ?Shall we have lunch one of these days?
Next: lesson 63And then what happened

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

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

A quick round with the Yak Cards keeps your coworker chat ready for the lift.

Open Yak Cards