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Lesson 155 of 240

New here? This is lesson 155 of a free 240-lesson French course.

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Project updates in French

Sam sits with Claire in the small office. She wants a short update on the museum audio guide, not a long meeting.

The script is done. The sound still needs work, and they are waiting on the museum.

By the end, you'll say a task is done, still in progress, or blocked, and you'll keep someone posted.

No percents. Claire wants the status in plain words.

By the end of this lesson

Give a short progress update: done, in progress, or blocked.

  • Le script est terminé.The script is done.
  • Je suis encore en train de régler le son.I'm still working on the sound.
  • Je suis bloqué, j'attends le retour du musée.I'm stuck, waiting on the museum's reply.
  • Ça devrait être prêt vendredi.It should be ready on Friday.
  • Pour le reste, ça avance bien.As for the rest, it's going well.
  • Je te tiens au courant.I'll keep you posted.

Scene — a short update

Late morning in the small office two metro stops from the café. Claire has a laptop under one arm and wants the audio-guide status in plain words.

Sam sits across from her. Museum-guide kits sit on the desks. The courtyard window is open.

In a small sunlit office Claire stands with a laptop under one arm while Sam sits across the desk among museum-guide kits, the courtyard window open.

Learn — done, stuck, or moving

Six lines cover done, still working, stuck waiting, a Friday ready date, and keeping someone posted.

You'll give Claire a short status, not a long report.

  1. Sam closes a finished folder on the desk while Claire waits opposite him.

    Le script est terminé.

    The script is done.

    When to use it: Say this when that piece of work is finished.

    Sam says terminé with le script, and a feminine noun would take terminée.

  2. Sam's hands stay on a headset and the audio control of a museum-guide kit.

    Je suis encore en train de régler le son.

    I'm still working on the sound.

    When to use it: Say this when you are still in the middle of a task.

    En train de plus a verb means the work is happening now.

    Say it: En in en train is a nasal sound.

  3. Over Claire's shoulder, Sam sits back from a silent laptop with idle hands, stuck and waiting.

    Je suis bloqué, j'attends le retour du musée.

    I'm stuck, waiting on the museum's reply.

    When to use it: Say this when you cannot continue without someone else.

    Sam says bloqué, and a woman in the same line says bloquée.

    Say it: J'attends drops the e of je before a vowel.

  4. From a low angle, Sam leans forward and zips a museum-guide kit shut with a sure, nearly-ready gesture.

    Ça devrait être prêt vendredi.

    It should be ready on Friday.

    When to use it: Give a likely ready day, not a hard promise.

    Devrait marks a likely date, not a deadline you can swear to.

    Say it: The last t in prêt is silent.

  5. Tidy museum-guide kits fill the foreground while Sam, soft in the background, turns toward the other desks with an open hand.

    Pour le reste, ça avance bien.

    As for the rest, it's going well.

    When to use it: Say this after one problem, when the other work is fine.

    Pour le reste points to everything else besides the stuck part.

  6. In profile, Sam faces Claire and lifts a silent phone with a follow-up nod.

    Je te tiens au courant.

    I'll keep you posted.

    When to use it: Use this with tu when you will send news later.

    Te matches tu, which Claire uses with Sam at work now.

    Say it: The last s in tiens is silent.

Story — Claire wants the status

Watch Sam give Claire a short status on the museum audio guide. The script is done; the sound is not.

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

  1. Claire drops her laptop on the desk. She wants a short update, not a long meeting.
  2. ClaireAlors, où on en est ?So, where are we?
  3. SamLe script est terminé.The script is done.
  4. ClaireD'accord. Et le son ?Okay. And the sound?
  5. SamJe suis encore en train de régler le son.I'm still working on the sound.
  6. ClaireTu es bloqué ?Are you stuck?
  7. SamJe suis bloqué, j'attends le retour du musée.I'm stuck, waiting on the museum's reply.
  8. Claire looks toward the courtyard. She is kind, but she still hates a long meeting.
  9. ClaireEt pour vendredi ?And for Friday?
  10. SamÇa devrait être prêt vendredi.It should be ready on Friday.
  11. ClaireLe musée, ils répondent ou pas ?Is the museum getting back to us, or not?
  12. SamPas encore. Pour le reste, ça avance bien.Not yet. As for the rest, it's going well.
  13. ClairePas de souci.No problem.
  14. SamJe te tiens au courant.I'll keep you posted.
  15. ClaireBonne chance.Good luck.

Practice — where things stand

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

They stay short, so the round moves fast.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    French

    Le script est terminé.Drop the English here
    Je suis encore en train de régler le son.Drop the English here
    Je te tiens au courant.Drop the English here

    English

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

  3. What do you say?

    Claire asks if you can keep going. You need the museum first.

  4. Fill the gap

    I'm still working on the sound.

    Je suis encore en ____ de régler le son.

  5. What does it mean?

    Ça devrait être prêt vendredi.

  6. Swap the word

    The museum is stuck, but the other work is going well.

    Pour le reste, ça avance ____.

  7. Build the line

    I'll keep you posted.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  8. True or false?

    This line means the script is finished.

  9. Fill the gap

    Good luck

    Bonne ____.

  10. Pick the reply

    Claire says:

    Le musée est lent, désolée.

    The museum is slow, sorry.

    And you reply with:

  11. Find the mistake

Say it — tell Claire

Now you're Sam in the small office with Claire. 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. ClaireAlors, le guide audio ?So, the audio guide?
  2. Sam (you)Tell her the script is finished.

    Le script est terminé.

    The script is done.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
Le script est terminé.The script is done.
Je suis encore en train de régler le son.I'm still working on the sound.
Je suis bloqué, j'attends le retour du musée.I'm stuck, waiting on the museum's reply.
Ça devrait être prêt vendredi.It should be ready on Friday.
Pour le reste, ça avance bien.As for the rest, it's going well.
Je te tiens au courant.I'll keep you posted.
Next: lesson 156A polite work message

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A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps your status lines ready for Claire.

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