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Lesson 203 of 240

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While and even in French

Sam walks into Café des Tilleuls already on his phone, the museum guide open, though he has not started editing.

Odile is at the zinc counter. He has not even said hello. She stares until he does.

By the end, you'll say you are doing two things at once, and even this.

Gaspard sits at the next table, croissant in reach, café crème still full.

By the end of this lesson

Say you are doing two things at once, and even this.

  • Je marche en écoutant le guide.I walk while listening to the guide
  • Je réponds aux mails en mangeant.I answer emails while I eat
  • Je fais les deux en même temps.I do both at the same time
  • Je n'ai même pas eu le temps.I didn't even have time
  • Même moi, je n'y avais pas pensé.Even I hadn't thought of that
  • Ça n'a même pas encore commencé.It hasn't even started yet

Scene — she waits for hello

Late morning on rue des Tilleuls. Sam is already at the zinc, phone in one hand and a croissant in the other.

Odile waits for the order. He has not even said hello.

The window table keeps its blank brass sign. Gaspard sits next to it on two chairs, café crème untouched.

A wide late-morning café interior with Sam small at the zinc holding a phone and a croissant, Odile waiting behind the bar, and Gaspard on two chairs beside the window table.

Learn — while and even

Six lines cover two actions at once with en plus a verb in -ant, then même and même pas for even.

You'll also get a line for doing both at the same time.

  1. Sam walking along rue des Tilleuls in profile, a phone held to one ear as he listens while he walks.

    Je marche en écoutant le guide.

    I walk while listening to the guide

    When to use it: Say this when you walk and listen at the same time.

    En plus a verb ending in -ant means you do that second thing at the same time.

    Say it: The n of en links into écoutant.

  2. From above, Sam at the zinc looks down at a phone while holding a croissant, eating as he answers.

    Je réponds aux mails en mangeant.

    I answer emails while I eat

    When to use it: Say this when you answer emails during a meal.

    En mangeant is the second action, happening while you answer the emails.

    Say it: The last s in réponds is silent.

  3. A close-up of Sam’s hands at the zinc, a croissant at the mouth and a phone in the other hand, both at once.

    Je fais les deux en même temps.

    I do both at the same time

    When to use it: Say this when two things happen together, not one after the other.

    En même temps is one piece meaning at the same time.

    Say it: The em in temps is a nasal sound.

  4. Over Sam’s shoulder, Odile waits behind the zinc with empty hands, the order still not begun.

    Je n'ai même pas eu le temps.

    I didn't even have time

    When to use it: Use this when you missed something because there was no time at all.

    Même pas after n'ai makes even not, stronger than pas alone.

    Say it: N'ai drops the e of ne before ai.

  5. A close-up of Gaspard’s face reacting as he sits on two chairs beside the window table, café crème untouched.

    Même moi, je n'y avais pas pensé.

    Even I hadn't thought of that

    When to use it: Say this when even you had not thought of that idea.

    Même moi puts even on the speaker, then the rest follows.

    Say it: N'y drops the e of ne before y.

  6. A detail of idle cups and the coffee machine, with Odile and Sam soft in the empty late-morning café behind.

    Ça n'a même pas encore commencé.

    It hasn't even started yet

    When to use it: Use this when something has not started, not even a little.

    Encore after même pas keeps the not yet meaning.

Story — the order can wait

Watch Sam at the counter with the guide open on his phone. He has not started the work.

Odile waits for hello first. The highlighted words are the lines you just learned. Turn on Show English if you need it.

  1. Sam is at the zinc, phone in one hand, croissant in the other.
  2. OdileBonjour.Hello.
  3. She stares. He still does not look up.
  4. SamBonjour.Hello.
  5. OdileTu commandes ?Are you ordering?
  6. SamJe n'ai pas le temps.I don't have time.
  7. OdileMême pas un crème ?Not even a coffee with milk?
  8. SamJe n'ai même pas eu le temps.I didn't even have time.
  9. Gaspard leans in from the next table. He does not sit at the window table.
  10. GaspardTu écoutes le guide quand tu marches ?Do you listen to the guide when you walk?
  11. SamJe marche en écoutant le guide.I walk while listening to the guide.
  12. OdileEt maintenant ?And now?
  13. SamJe réponds aux mails en mangeant.I answer emails while I eat.
  14. OdileLes deux à la fois ?Both at once?
  15. SamJe fais les deux en même temps.I do both at the same time.
  16. GaspardMême moi, je n'y avais pas pensé.Even I hadn't thought of that.
  17. OdileLe guide, tu as commencé ?Have you started the guide?
  18. SamÇa n'a même pas encore commencé.It hasn't even started yet.
  19. OdileLe café, alors ?So, the coffee?
  20. SamJe n'ai même pas encore commandé.I haven't even ordered yet.
  21. OdileUn crème. Allez.A coffee with milk. Come on.

Practice — two things at once

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

They stay short, so the round moves fast.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What do you say?

    You walk into Café des Tilleuls in the morning. Odile looks at you and waits.

  3. Fill the gap

    I answer emails while I eat

    Je ____ aux mails en mangeant.

  4. What does it mean?

    Je n'ai même pas eu le temps.

  5. Build the line

    I do both at the same time

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  6. Match the pairs

    French

    Je n'ai même pas eu le temps.Drop the English here
    Même moi, je n'y avais pas pensé.Drop the English here
    Ça n'a même pas encore commencé.Drop the English here

    English

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

  7. Swap the word

    You missed the idea, and even you had not seen it.

    ____ moi, je n'y avais pas pensé.

  8. Pick the reply

    Odile says:

    Le guide, tu as commencé ?

    Have you started the guide?

    And you reply with:

  9. True or false?

    This means you do not have time.

  10. What do you say?

    Odile asks if the emails and the guide happen together.

Say it — look up first

Now you're Sam at the counter, still on your phone. 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. OdileBonjour.Hello.
  2. Sam (you)Say hello back. She is waiting.

    Bonjour.

    Hello

0 of 7 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
Je marche en écoutant le guide.I walk while listening to the guide
Je réponds aux mails en mangeant.I answer emails while I eat
Je fais les deux en même temps.I do both at the same time
Je n'ai même pas eu le temps.I didn't even have time
Même moi, je n'y avais pas pensé.Even I hadn't thought of that
Ça n'a même pas encore commencé.It hasn't even started yet
Next: lesson 204A leaking tap

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A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps while and even ready at the counter.

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