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Lesson 64 of 240

New here? This is lesson 64 of a free 240-lesson French course.

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Tell me more in French

Inès comes off a hospital night and calls it a bit busy. Sam wants more than that, and her first example still needs an example.

You'll ask like what, why, and how often it happens. You'll also check how she knew, what it was like, and whether you heard it right.

Keep tu with Inès. These are friend questions, not counter questions.

By the end of this lesson

Ask for an example, a reason, and how often it happens.

  • Comme quoi ?Like what?
  • Comment tu sais ?How do you know?
  • Pourquoi ça ?Why's that?
  • Ça arrive souvent ?Does that happen often?
  • C'était comment ?What was it like?
  • J'ai bien compris ?Have I got that right?

Scene — a bit busy

Same café terrace on rue des Tilleuls, morning after Inès's night shift. She drops her bag by a wicker chair. Sam already has a coffee.

Gaspard sits at the next table on two chairs, café crème still full. The window table keeps its blank brass sign.

Inès drops a bag beside a wicker chair on the morning terrace while Sam sits with a coffee and Gaspard leaves a full café crème untouched at the next table.

Learn — ask for more

Six short questions help you ask for an example, a reason, and how often something happens.

You can also check what it was like, how they know, and whether you heard it right.

  1. Sam leans far forward over the table with both palms open, pressing Inès for an example of the busy night.

    Comme quoi ?

    Like what?

    When to use it: Ask this when their story is still too vague.

    This asks for a concrete example, not a translation of a word.

  2. From over Sam's shoulder, Inès turns in the chair with one palm lifted, answering how the story was known.

    Comment tu sais ?

    How do you know?

    When to use it: Ask this when you want the source, not more story.

    Tu is for Inès; staff and new people get vous.

    Say it: The t at the end of Comment stays silent before tu.

  3. From high above, Sam sits back in the wicker chair with one palm up, asking Inès why that happened.

    Pourquoi ça ?

    Why's that?

    When to use it: Ask this when you want the reason for what they just said.

    Ça points at the last thing they said, not a new topic.

  4. From the terrace stones, Sam turns toward Inès with a slow circling hand to ask if this happens often, while Gaspard sits at the next table with a full café crème.

    Ça arrive souvent ?

    Does that happen often?

    When to use it: Ask this to check if a story is rare or usual.

    Arrive stays the same here; ça is the thing that happens.

    Say it: The last part of souvent is a nasal sound.

  5. In profile at the table, Sam sits fully turned toward Inès with hands quiet, waiting to hear what the night was like.

    C'était comment ?

    What was it like?

    When to use it: Ask this after a story when you want the feel of it.

    C'était is for the past; keep the apostrophe as one piece.

    Say it: C'était is ce plus était, said as one word.

  6. Close on the table, Sam makes a small confirming gesture over the cups to check the story, with Inès just at the edge of the frame.

    J'ai bien compris ?

    Have I got that right?

    When to use it: Ask this to check you heard the story correctly.

    A woman says this too; the line does not change.

    Say it: J'ai is je plus ai, said as one word.

Story — her example needs an example

Inès downplays a busy night at the hospital. Sam has to ask twice before her example is actually an example.

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

  1. Inès sits down still in her denim jacket. Morning light hits the empty window table.
  2. InèsSalut. La nuit était un peu chargée.Hi. The night was a bit busy.
  3. SamComme quoi ?Like what?
  4. She looks at her cup, not at him.
  5. InèsUn type aux urgences. Un truc.Some guy in the ER. A thing.
  6. SamTu veux dire quoi ?What do you mean?
  7. InèsIl a demandé du café à trois heures.He asked for coffee at three.
  8. SamPourquoi ça ?Why's that?
  9. InèsIl voulait rester éveillé, je crois.He wanted to stay awake, I think.
  10. SamComment tu sais ?How do you know?
  11. InèsJe l'ai entendu dans le couloir.I heard him in the corridor.
  12. SamÇa arrive souvent ?Does that happen often?
  13. InèsNon. Juste cette nuit.No. Just tonight.
  14. SamC'était comment ?What was it like?
  15. InèsBruyant. Un peu long.Noisy. A bit long.
  16. She almost smiles. Gaspard still has not touched his café crème.
  17. SamJ'ai bien compris ?Have I got that right?
  18. InèsOui. C'est ça.Yes. That's it.

Practice — like what, and why

Ten short exercises wait here. You'll listen, fill a gap, swap a word, and pick what to say.

Stay with the friend questions. Odile at the counter would get vous.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    French

    Comme quoi ?Drop the English here
    Pourquoi ça ?Drop the English here
    C'était comment ?Drop the English here

    English

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

  3. What do you say?

    Inès tells you a precise hospital detail. You want the source, not another example.

  4. Fill the gap

    Does that happen often?

    Ça arrive ____ ?

  5. What does it mean?

    Pourquoi ça ?

  6. Swap the word

    Inès just told you about last night. Ask what it was like.

    ____ comment ?

  7. Build the line

    Have I got that right?

     ?

    Tap the words in order.

  8. Pick the reply

    Inès says:

    Ce n'était pas vraiment une nuit.

    It wasn't really a night.

    And you reply with:

  9. What do you say?

    Inès walks up to your table after her night shift. Greet her as a friend.

  10. Find the mistake

Say it — ask her again

Now you're Sam on the terrace with Inès after her night shift. 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. InèsLa nuit était un peu chargée.The night was a bit busy.
  2. Sam (you)Ask for an example of that.

    Comme quoi ?

    Like what?

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
Comme quoi ?Like what?
Comment tu sais ?How do you know?
Pourquoi ça ?Why's that?
Ça arrive souvent ?Does that happen often?
C'était comment ?What was it like?
J'ai bien compris ?Have I got that right?
Next: lesson 65Say it a different way

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