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Lesson 214 of 240

New here? This is lesson 214 of a free 240-lesson French course.

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Give feedback in French

Sam and Claire sit in the small office with headphones on. They listen to a draft audio guide for the museum, and Claire wants it shorter.

You'll learn how to say what works, point to a bit that needs a trim, and thank someone for clear feedback.

Keep the praise first, then the cut. Retour here means feedback, not a trip back.

By the end of this lesson

Say what works, what to trim, and thank someone for the notes.

  • Dans l'ensemble, c'est vraiment bien.Overall it's really good.
  • Ce passage-là, on pourrait l'alléger.That bit we could trim.
  • La voix est un peu trop rapide ici.The voice is a bit too fast here.
  • Si on coupait cette phrase, ça irait mieux ?If we cut this sentence, would it work better?
  • C'est la deuxième version que je préfère.It's the second version I prefer.
  • Merci pour le retour, c'est clair.Thanks for the feedback, that's clear.

Scene — two takes

Claire has a laptop and two pairs of headphones. Sam sits across from her in the courtyard-window office.

They play a draft audio guide. Claire wants it shorter. Sam will say what works first, then what to cut.

Claire and Sam sit across a desk in a courtyard-window office with a laptop and two pairs of headphones between them.

Learn — what works, what to cut

Six lines cover praise first, one bit to trim, speed, a cut as a question, a preferred take, and thanks for feedback.

Keep the good news first, then the change.

  1. Sam nods with an open approving palm while wearing headphones.

    Dans l'ensemble, c'est vraiment bien.

    Overall it's really good.

    When to use it: Start with this before you name anything that needs a cut.

    Dans l'ensemble looks at the whole draft, not one sentence.

    Say it: The apostrophe in l'ensemble joins le to ensemble.

  2. From a high angle, Sam leans in, pinching two fingers together and pointing at the laptop.

    Ce passage-là, on pourrait l'alléger.

    That bit we could trim.

    When to use it: After praise, point to one heavy bit you could trim.

    On pourrait keeps the trim as a suggestion, not an order.

    Say it: The final t in pourrait is silent.

  3. Over Claire’s shoulder, Sam lifts one headphone cup and flattens a hand in a slow-down gesture.

    La voix est un peu trop rapide ici.

    The voice is a bit too fast here.

    When to use it: Say this when the recording races and a listener would miss a word.

    Un peu trop softens trop, so you flag speed without killing the take.

    Say it: The x in voix is silent.

  4. In profile, Sam offers open palms toward Claire, proposing a cut, with the laptop between them.

    Si on coupait cette phrase, ça irait mieux ?

    If we cut this sentence, would it work better?

    When to use it: Offer the cut as a question so the other person can still say no.

    Coupait sets up the hypothetical after si; irait gives the result.

  5. Claire taps the farther half of the laptop while Sam listens across the desk.

    C'est la deuxième version que je préfère.

    It's the second version I prefer.

    When to use it: Pick one take when two drafts are on the table.

    Deuxième means the second of the two, not an extra spare copy.

  6. Claire, headphones off, offers a small two-handed grateful gesture toward Sam.

    Merci pour le retour, c'est clair.

    Thanks for the feedback, that's clear.

    When to use it: Thank someone after they have told you what to change.

    Retour here means comments on the work, not a trip back.

Story — she wants it shorter

Claire and Sam listen to two takes of the museum guide. She wants it shorter.

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

  1. Headphones sit on a pile of museum-guide kits. Claire opens the file.
  2. ClaireBon, on écoute les deux versions ?Right, shall we listen to both versions?
  3. SamVas-y. Je t'écoute.Go ahead. I'm listening.
  4. ClaireLa première d'abord. Dis-moi ce qui marche.The first one first. Tell me what works.
  5. She plays the first take. Sam frowns at one long sentence.
  6. SamDans l'ensemble, c'est vraiment bien.Overall it's really good.
  7. ClaireOui. Après, on coupe. On a douze minutes, pas plus.Yes. After that, we cut. We have twelve minutes, no more.
  8. SamCe passage-là, on pourrait l'alléger.That bit we could trim.
  9. ClaireLequel ? Le début, ou la salle du fond ?Which one? The start, or the back room?
  10. SamLa salle du fond. La voix est un peu trop rapide ici.The back room. The voice is a bit too fast here.
  11. ClaireJe l'entends. On enlève une phrase, alors ?I hear it. So we drop a sentence?
  12. SamSi on coupait cette phrase, ça irait mieux ?If we cut this sentence, would it work better?
  13. ClaireOui. Écoute la deux, du coup.Yes. Listen to take two, then.
  14. She plays the shorter take. Sam nods.
  15. SamC'est la deuxième version que je préfère.It's the second version I prefer.
  16. ClaireÀ mon avis, la version courte, c'est mieux.In my opinion, the short version is better.
  17. SamCe que je veux dire, c'est que c'est trop long.What I mean is that it's too long.
  18. ClaireC'est noté. Tu me l'envoies ce soir ?Noted. Will you send it to me tonight?
  19. SamOui. Merci pour le retour, c'est clair.Yes. Thanks for the feedback, that's clear.

Practice — praise then a trim

Ten short tasks mix listening, gaps, a swap, and a rebuild.

They stay on the draft, so you practise the feedback, not a long review.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What does it mean?

    La voix est un peu trop rapide ici.

  3. What do you say?

    You already said the draft is good overall. Now point to one heavy bit to trim.

  4. Fill the gap

    If we cut this sentence, would it work better?

    Si on ____ cette phrase, ça irait mieux ?

  5. Build the line

    It's the second version I prefer.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  6. Swap the word

    Claire has just told you what to change on the draft. Thank her.

    Merci pour le ____, c'est clair.

  7. True or false?

    This line says the long version is better.

  8. Fill the gap

    What I mean is that it's too long.

    Ce que je veux dire, c'est que c'est ____ long.

  9. What do you say?

    Claire has just told you the short version wins. Show you have the point.

  10. Match the pairs

    French

    Dans l'ensemble, c'est vraiment bien.Drop the English here
    La voix est un peu trop rapide ici.Drop the English here
    Merci pour le retour, c'est clair.Drop the English here

    English

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

Say it — give the notes

Now you're Sam with the headphones on. 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, après écoute, qu'est-ce que tu en penses ?So, after listening, what do you think?
  2. Sam (you)Say the draft is really good, taking it as a whole.

    Dans l'ensemble, c'est vraiment bien.

    Overall it's really good.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
Dans l'ensemble, c'est vraiment bien.Overall it's really good.
Ce passage-là, on pourrait l'alléger.That bit we could trim.
La voix est un peu trop rapide ici.The voice is a bit too fast here.
Si on coupait cette phrase, ça irait mieux ?If we cut this sentence, would it work better?
C'est la deuxième version que je préfère.It's the second version I prefer.
Merci pour le retour, c'est clair.Thanks for the feedback, that's clear.
Next: lesson 215A short presentation

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