French course

Lesson 2 of 240

New here? This is lesson 2 of a free 240-lesson French course.

Start hereHow this works

Come in, sit down in French

Sam is still in the doorway at Café des Tilleuls. Odile tells him to come in before the door is shut, then offers a chair.

Gaspard already uses two chairs. The window table stays empty.

By the end, you'll welcome someone, ask them in, offer a seat, and bounce a question back.

Asseyez-vous is for new guests. Assieds-toi is for friends.

By the end of this lesson

Welcome someone in, offer a seat, and bounce the question back.

  • Bienvenue.Welcome
  • Entrez.Come in
  • Asseyez-vous.Please sit down
  • Assieds-toi.Sit down
  • Installez-vous.Have a seat
  • Et vous ?And you?

Scene — still in the doorway

Same morning on rue des Tilleuls. Sam still has a hand on the café door. Odile is already looking at him from the zinc counter.

Gaspard sits at the table next to the window table on two chairs, with a croissant and a café crème he has not touched.

The blank brass sign stays on the empty window table.

Sam holds the open café door while Odile watches from the zinc and Gaspard the yak sits on two chairs beside the empty window table.

Learn — come in and sit down

Six short lines cover welcome, come in, three ways to offer a seat, and a bounce-back question.

Asseyez-vous is for new people. Assieds-toi is for friends.

  1. Odile leans toward the door from behind the zinc with both palms open on the bar.

    Bienvenue.

    Welcome

    When to use it: Say this when someone arrives at a shop, café, or home.

    Learn it as one piece for a warm welcome at the door.

    Say it: The ien in Bienvenue is a nasal sound.

  2. From behind Sam at the doorway, Odile has left the zinc and ushers him in with one open arm.

    Entrez.

    Come in

    When to use it: Say this to invite someone through an open door.

    Learn it as one piece to get someone inside.

    Say it: The last z is silent.

  3. Odile stands by the empty window table and lowers an open hand toward the vacant chair.

    Asseyez-vous.

    Please sit down

    When to use it: Offer a seat this way to a new guest.

    Learn it as one piece for new guests.

  4. A hoof of Gaspard the yak rests on an extra chair while the other hoof opens toward the empty table, croissant and café crème still untouched.

    Assieds-toi.

    Sit down

    When to use it: Tell a friend to sit, not a new guest.

    Learn it as one piece with friends only.

    Say it: The last d in Assieds is silent.

  5. Inès comes in through the café door as Odile sets down a cup and opens a hand toward the seats.

    Installez-vous.

    Have a seat

    When to use it: Offer a seat this way when you settle someone in.

    Learn it as one piece when you settle someone in.

    Say it: The in at the start is a nasal sound.

  6. Sam stands just inside the door and tips his head, waiting after he turns the question back.

    Et vous ?

    And you?

    When to use it: Bounce a question back after you answer, with someone new.

    Learn it as one piece after you answer a question.

Story — two chairs already

Watch Odile get Sam through the door and into a chair. Gaspard already uses two.

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

  1. Sam still has a hand on the café door. Odile is already looking at him.
  2. OdileBonjour.Hello.
  3. SamBonjour.Hello.
  4. OdileEntrez. Bienvenue.Come in. Welcome.
  5. OdileAsseyez-vous.Please sit down.
  6. Gaspard is using two chairs. The window table stays empty.
  7. GaspardInstallez-vous.Have a seat.
  8. GaspardComment allez-vous ?How are you?
  9. SamÇa va, merci. Et vous ?I'm good, thanks. And you?
  10. GaspardÇa va, merci.I'm good, thanks.
  11. He stays on his two chairs. The café crème is still full.
  12. Inès comes in, a regular by now. Odile uses tu with her.
  13. OdileAssieds-toi.Sit down.

Practice — guest or friend

Eleven 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 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What does it mean?

    Bienvenue.

  3. What do you say?

    A new guest stands inside Café des Tilleuls. Offer a seat the polite way.

  4. Match the pairs

    French

    Bienvenue.Drop the English here
    Entrez.Drop the English here
    Et vous ?Drop the English here

    English

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

  5. Fill the gap

    Have a seat

    Installez-____.

  6. What do you say?

    A close friend is still standing in your apartment. Tell them to sit.

  7. Build the line

    And you?

     ?

    Tap the words in order.

  8. Pick the reply

    Odile says:

    Comment allez-vous ?

    How are you?

    And you reply with:

  9. Swap the word

    A new guest asks how you are. You answer, then send the question back politely.

    Et ____ ?

  10. True or false?

    You say this when you walk into the café in the morning.

  11. Find the mistake

Say it — offer a chair

Now you are the host: first a new guest at the door, then a close friend who is still standing. 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. StrangerBonjour.Hello.
  2. Sam (you)Welcome the person at the door.

    Bienvenue.

    Welcome

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
Bienvenue.Welcome
Entrez.Come in
Asseyez-vous.Please sit down
Assieds-toi.Sit down
Installez-vous.Have a seat
Et vous ?And you?
Next: lesson 3What's your name

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

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A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps come-in and sit-down ready.

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