French course

Lesson 206 of 240

New here? This is lesson 206 of a free 240-lesson French course.

Start hereHow this works

Taking a day off in French

Sam needs Tuesday off for an appointment. Claire is already at her desk with the museum audio-guide files, and she hates a long speech.

You will ask for a day's leave, give a short reason, promise the work is finished, and check that Tuesday works for her.

Keep it short. Claire often says yes before you finish the ask.

By the end of this lesson

Ask your manager for time off and explain.

  • Je voudrais poser un jour de congé.I'd like to take a day's leave.
  • Mardi, j'ai un rendez-vous important.On Tuesday I have an important appointment.
  • Je termine tout avant de partir.I'll finish everything before I go.
  • Quelqu'un peut me remplacer ?Can someone cover for me?
  • C'est bon pour toi, mardi ?Is Tuesday all right with you?
  • Merci de m'avoir dit oui.Thanks for saying yes.

Scene — the short ask

Monday morning in the small office two metro stops from rue des Tilleuls. Claire has a laptop under one arm and the audio-guide kits on a desk.

The courtyard window is open. She looks ready for a short ask, not a speech.

A small sunlit office with an open courtyard window, Claire holding a laptop under one arm, audio-guide kits on a desk, and Sam waiting at another desk.

Learn — a day of leave

Six lines take you from the ask to the thanks.

You name the day, cover the work, and check that Tuesday is fine.

  1. Sam leans forward with a short careful request while Claire, laptop under one arm, looks up from the desk.

    Je voudrais poser un jour de congé.

    I'd like to take a day's leave.

    When to use it: Use this with your manager when you want a day off.

    Poser un congé is the usual office phrase for booking leave.

    Say it: The first vowel in congé is nasal, like the sound in bon.

  2. Claire's hand rests on a blank notebook by the open window as if marking an important day.

    Mardi, j'ai un rendez-vous important.

    On Tuesday I have an important appointment.

    When to use it: Give this as the reason you need Tuesday off.

    Rendez-vous here is the appointment, not the polite you.

    Say it: The final s in rendez-vous is silent.

  3. From behind Claire, Sam finishes a stack of audio-guide kits at the desk before leaving.

    Je termine tout avant de partir.

    I'll finish everything before I go.

    When to use it: Promise this so your manager knows the work is covered.

    This promise covers the work so Claire can say yes faster.

  4. From above, Sam stands between the desks with open hands, asking whether someone can cover, while Claire listens.

    Quelqu'un peut me remplacer ?

    Can someone cover for me?

    When to use it: Ask this when you need a colleague to cover your work.

    Quelqu'un does not name the person; it just asks if cover exists.

    Say it: In quelqu'un, un is a nasal sound.

  5. In profile, Sam checks a blank notebook at a desk while Claire stands nearby, already having agreed.

    C'est bon pour toi, mardi ?

    Is Tuesday all right with you?

    When to use it: Ask this to check that Tuesday works for your manager.

    Toi is for Claire; you two already use tu at work.

  6. Close on Sam by the window, shoulders eased, offering a small grateful nod.

    Merci de m'avoir dit oui.

    Thanks for saying yes.

    When to use it: Say this after your manager agrees to the day off.

    This thanks her for a yes she has already given.

    Say it: In m'avoir, the e of me drops before a vowel.

Story — yes before he finishes

Sam asks Claire for Tuesday off. She hates a long story and may say yes early.

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

  1. Monday in the small office. Claire looks up from her laptop.
  2. SamJe voudrais poser un jour de congé.I'd like to take a day's leave.
  3. ClaireUn jour, d'accord. Quel jour ?A day, okay. Which day?
  4. SamMardi, j'ai un rendez-vous important.On Tuesday I have an important appointment.
  5. ClaireOui, d'accord. Prends mardi.Yes, okay. Take Tuesday.
  6. She already said yes. Sam keeps talking anyway.
  7. SamLe script est terminé.The script is done.
  8. SamJe termine tout avant de partir.I'll finish everything before I go.
  9. He still asks about cover, then checks the day once more.
  10. SamQuelqu'un peut me remplacer ?Can someone cover for me?
  11. ClaireOui. C'est noté.Yes. Noted.
  12. SamC'est bon pour toi, mardi ?Is Tuesday all right with you?
  13. ClaireOui, mardi ça marche. On se voit mercredi.Yes, Tuesday works. See you Wednesday.
  14. SamMerci de m'avoir dit oui.Thanks for saying yes.
  15. ClaireBon, on avance. Je te laisse.Right, let's get on. I'll let you go.

Practice — leave and cover

Eleven short tasks wait here. You will listen, fill a gap, swap a word, and build a line.

They stay small, so the round moves fast.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    French

    Je voudrais poser un jour de congé.Drop the English here
    Je termine tout avant de partir.Drop the English here
    Merci de m'avoir dit oui.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 asked which day. You have a serious appointment on Tuesday.

  4. Fill the gap

    I'll finish everything before I go.

    Je termine ____ avant de partir.

  5. Pick the reply

    Claire says:

    Comment le travail sera-t-il couvert ?

    How will the work be covered?

    And you reply with:

  6. Swap the word

    Check with Claire that Tuesday works for her.

    C'est bon pour toi, ____ ?

  7. What does it mean?

    Merci de m'avoir dit oui.

  8. Build the line

    I'd like to take a day's leave.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  9. True or false?

    Sam is telling Claire the audio-guide script is already done.

  10. Fill the gap

    Noted.

    C'est ____.

  11. What do you say?

    You will be out on Tuesday. Ask whether a colleague can cover your work.

Say it — ask Claire

Now you're Sam in Claire's office. 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. ClaireOui, tu voulais me voir ?Yes, you wanted to see me?
  2. Sam (you)Ask for a day's leave.

    Je voudrais poser un jour de congé.

    I'd like to take a day's leave.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
Je voudrais poser un jour de congé.I'd like to take a day's leave.
Mardi, j'ai un rendez-vous important.On Tuesday I have an important appointment.
Je termine tout avant de partir.I'll finish everything before I go.
Quelqu'un peut me remplacer ?Can someone cover for me?
C'est bon pour toi, mardi ?Is Tuesday all right with you?
Merci de m'avoir dit oui.Thanks for saying yes.
Next: lesson 207I heard

Save your progress — it’s free

Keep your place in the course and see which lines you’ve learned.

Want the next lesson in your inbox?

Get the next lesson by email, one a day.

Where should we start?
Join the newsletter

Daily lesson emails are coming soon. Newsletter subscribers get them first.

Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want these office lines on your phone? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A short round with the Yak Cards keeps the leave ask ready for Monday.

Open Yak Cards