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Lesson 200 of 240

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Deadlines in French

Claire wants the museum draft on Friday, and she is already closing her laptop. Sam has to ask when it is due, and say if he can make it.

You will ask for a deadline, say you can finish on time, or admit you will not make it.

You will also call a deadline tight, try to finish before Friday, and mark a Monday morning due date as firm.

By the end of this lesson

Say when something is due and whether you can make it.

  • Il faut le rendre pour quand ?When does this have to be in?
  • Je peux le finir à temps.I can get it done on time.
  • Je ne vais pas y arriver.I'm not going to make it.
  • Le délai est un peu serré.The deadline is a bit tight.
  • J'essaie de finir avant vendredi.I'll try to finish before Friday.
  • C'est pour lundi matin, sans faute.It's due Monday morning, no later.

Scene — the laptop is closing

Late afternoon at the small office two metro stops from rue des Tilleuls. Claire has her laptop half closed, a museum-guide kit still on the desk.

Sam stands with his mustard backpack. The courtyard window is already dim. She wants the draft, and she wants it Friday.

A small office in late afternoon, Claire at a desk with a half-closed laptop and a museum-guide kit, Sam standing with a mustard backpack by a dim courtyard window.

Learn — due dates

Six lines cover asking when work is due, saying you can finish on time, and saying you will not make it.

You also get a tight deadline, a try-before-Friday line, and a firm Monday morning due date.

  1. Sam stands in the office with a mustard backpack, one hand lifted in a questioning gesture toward Claire at the desk.

    Il faut le rendre pour quand ?

    When does this have to be in?

    When to use it: Ask this when you need a due date for work.

    Rendre here means handing the work in, not giving something back.

    Say it: The t at the end of faut is silent.

  2. Sam leans toward the desk in an open, confident pose over the work.

    Je peux le finir à temps.

    I can get it done on time.

    When to use it: Say this when you believe you can meet the due date.

    À temps means on time for the deadline, not slowly.

  3. Sam sits slack in a visitor chair with the mustard backpack on the floor, turned toward a blank stack of papers.

    Je ne vais pas y arriver.

    I'm not going to make it.

    When to use it: Say this when you will miss the deadline.

    Y arriver means managing to finish, not walking into a place.

    Say it: The s in vais is silent here.

  4. Claire at the desk holds two fingers a tight gap apart above the museum-guide kit.

    Le délai est un peu serré.

    The deadline is a bit tight.

    When to use it: Say this when the due date leaves you too little time.

    Serré here means tight on time, not tight like a lid.

  5. From behind Claire, Sam pulls a blank notebook from the mustard backpack, set on getting the work done.

    J'essaie de finir avant vendredi.

    I'll try to finish before Friday.

    When to use it: Say this when you will try to finish before Friday.

    Avant vendredi means before Friday, not on Friday itself.

    Say it: The e of je drops, so you say J'essaie.

  6. Claire in profile shuts the laptop with one hand planted on the desk in a firm final gesture.

    C'est pour lundi matin, sans faute.

    It's due Monday morning, no later.

    When to use it: Use this to give a firm due date that cannot slip.

    Sans faute here means no later, not that someone made a mistake.

    Say it: The final s in sans is silent before faute.

Story — friday, no later

Watch Sam and Claire pin down the museum draft. She is already closing her laptop.

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

  1. Late light in the office. Claire is already closing her laptop.
  2. ClaireBon, le brouillon du musée.Right, the museum draft.
  3. SamIl faut le rendre pour quand ?When does this have to be in?
  4. ClaireVendredi. Pas plus tard.Friday. No later.
  5. SamLe délai est un peu serré.The deadline is a bit tight.
  6. She keeps her hand on the closed laptop.
  7. ClaireJe sais, mais le musée attend.I know, but the museum is waiting.
  8. SamJe ne vais pas y arriver.I'm not going to make it.
  9. ClaireTu as encore deux jours.You've still got two days.
  10. SamJ'essaie de finir avant vendredi.I'll try to finish before Friday.
  11. ClaireÇa devrait être prêt vendredi.It should be ready on Friday.
  12. SamJe n'ai pas le temps.I don't have time.
  13. ClaireD'accord. Et le son ?Okay. And the sound?
  14. SamIl faut le rendre pour quand ?When does this have to be in?
  15. ClaireC'est pour lundi matin, sans faute.It's due Monday morning, no later.
  16. SamJe peux le finir à temps.I can get it done on time.
  17. ClaireC'est noté.Noted.

Practice — tight or on time

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

They stay on due dates, so the round moves fast.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    French

    Je peux le finir à temps.Drop the English here
    Je ne vais pas y arriver.Drop the English here
    Le délai est un peu serré.Drop the English here

    English

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

  3. What do you say?

    Friday is the latest. You will try to be done before that day.

  4. Fill the gap

    The deadline is a bit tight.

    Le délai est un peu ____.

  5. What does it mean?

    C'est pour lundi matin, sans faute.

  6. Swap the word

    You believe you can meet the due date she just gave you.

    Je ____ le finir à temps.

  7. Build the line

    I'm not going to make it.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  8. Pick the reply

    Claire says:

    Il me faut le brouillon, mais je n'ai pas encore donné de date.

    I need the draft, but I haven't given you a date yet.

    And you reply with:

  9. True or false?

    This means you are saying the deadline is too tight.

  10. What do you say?

    Claire asks when the museum draft will be ready. You think Friday will work.

  11. Fill the gap

    I don't have time.

    Je n'ai pas le ____.

Say it — make the date

Now you are Sam at the office, and Claire wants a date. 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. ClaireBon, le brouillon du musée.Right, the museum draft.
  2. Sam (you)Ask her when this has to be in.

    Il faut le rendre pour quand ?

    When does this have to be in?

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
Il faut le rendre pour quand ?When does this have to be in?
Je peux le finir à temps.I can get it done on time.
Je ne vais pas y arriver.I'm not going to make it.
Le délai est un peu serré.The deadline is a bit tight.
J'essaie de finir avant vendredi.I'll try to finish before Friday.
C'est pour lundi matin, sans faute.It's due Monday morning, no later.
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

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

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps your due dates ready for the office.

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