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Lesson 25 of 240

New here? This is lesson 25 of a free 240-lesson French course.

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Where is it in French

Sam is back at Café des Tilleuls. He looks for Gaspard, but the window table is empty.

Odile is at the counter. The yak is on two chairs at the next table, café crème still full.

By the end, you'll ask where someone is, and say it is here, over there, or not here.

You'll also ask a friend where they are, and if a place is near.

By the end of this lesson

Ask where something is and say it is here or there.

  • Où est ___ ?Where is ___?
  • C'est ici.It's here.
  • C'est là-bas.It's over there.
  • Ce n'est pas ici.It's not here.
  • Tu es où ?Where are you?
  • C'est près d'ici ?Is it near here?

Scene — the next table

Same morning on rue des Tilleuls. Sam steps into Café des Tilleuls and looks for Gaspard.

Odile is at the zinc counter. The window table is empty, brass sign blank.

Gaspard sits at the next table on two chairs, croissant in reach, café crème untouched.

A wide morning view of Café des Tilleuls with Sam paused in the doorway, Odile at the zinc, the window table empty, and Gaspard on two chairs at the next table.

Learn — here and over there

Six short lines cover where it is, here, over there, and not here.

You'll also ask a friend where they are, and if a place is near.

  1. Sam stands just inside the café in profile, turned toward the empty window table, searching the vacant chairs.

    Où est ___ ?

    Where is ___?

    When to use it: Ask this when you cannot see a person or a thing.

    Learn it as one piece and put a name in the blank.

  2. Gaspard's hand indicates the place in front of him, with a croissant nearby and a café crème left untouched.

    C'est ici.

    It's here.

    When to use it: Say this when you point to a place right by you.

    Learn it as one piece for something close by.

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

  3. Odile leans from behind the zinc and points at the empty window table while Sam looks that way.

    C'est là-bas.

    It's over there.

    When to use it: Say this when you point to a place farther away.

    Learn it as one piece for something farther off.

    Say it: The last s in là-bas is silent.

  4. From above, Sam looks down at a vacant chair at the empty window table and gives a rejecting shake of the head.

    Ce n'est pas ici.

    It's not here.

    When to use it: Say this when the thing is not in this spot.

    Learn it as one piece to say not in this spot.

    Say it: The e after n drops before est.

  5. Over Gaspard's shoulder, Gaspard twists on two chairs and points at the empty window table where Sam still stands.

    Tu es où ?

    Where are you?

    When to use it: Ask a friend or a regular where they are.

    Learn it as one piece with people you already know.

    Say it: Où sounds like 'oo' in 'zoo'. Say tu es où smoothly, with no pause.

  6. Sam leans both forearms on the zinc toward Odile, head tilted in a near-or-far question.

    C'est près d'ici ?

    Is it near here?

    When to use it: Ask if a place is close to where you stand.

    Learn it as one piece to check if a place is close.

    Say it: The e of de drops before ici.

Story — he points

Watch Sam look for Gaspard at the café. The yak is not at the window table.

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

  1. The lamps are on. Sam looks at the empty window table.
  2. SamTu es où ?Where are you?
  3. OdileBonjour.Hello.
  4. SamBonjour. Où est Gaspard ?Hello. Where is Gaspard?
  5. Odile points at the empty window table.
  6. OdileCe n'est pas ici.It's not here.
  7. Gaspard sits on two chairs at the next table.
  8. GaspardC'est ici.It's here.
  9. He points at the empty window table.
  10. GaspardC'est là-bas.It's over there.
  11. SamC'est près d'ici ?Is it near here?
  12. He stays in his two chairs. The café crème stays full.

Practice — here or there

Ten quick exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, match, fill a gap, and build a line.

They stay tiny, so the round moves fast.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    French

    Où est ___ ?Drop the English here
    C'est ici.Drop the English here
    C'est là-bas.Drop the English here

    English

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

  3. What do you say?

    You cannot see Gaspard. Ask Odile where he is.

  4. Fill the gap

    It's not here.

    Ce n'est ____ ici.

  5. What does it mean?

    Tu es où ?

  6. Swap the word

    Point at the window table, farther from you.

    C'est ____.

  7. Build the line

    Is it near here?

     ?

    Tap the words in order.

  8. Pick the reply

    Odile says:

    Bonjour.

    Hello.

    And you reply with:

  9. What do you say?

    You need Odile to look up so you can ask where Gaspard is.

  10. Build the line

    I don't know

    .

    Tap the words in order.

Say it — ask where

Now you're Sam looking for Gaspard at the café. 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. Sam (you)You cannot see him yet. Ask him where he is.

    Tu es où ?

    Where are you?

0 of 4 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
Où est ___ ?Where is ___?
C'est ici.It's here.
C'est là-bas.It's over there.
Ce n'est pas ici.It's not here.
Tu es où ?Where are you?
C'est près d'ici ?Is it near here?
Next: lesson 26In front, behind, beside

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

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

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps here and over there ready.

Open Yak Cards