French course

Lesson 168 of 240

New here? This is lesson 168 of a free 240-lesson French course.

Start hereHow this works

The short version in French

Claire wants the short version of the museum audio guide. Sam has a map, a script, and too much detail on his screen.

In this lesson you lead with the point, then you unpack it for her.

You'll put the time first, say what you cut, and check that Claire is still with you.

Give the headline first. The why comes after, in one or two lines.

By the end of this lesson

Give the point first, then explain.

  • Pour faire simple, ___.To put it simply, ___
  • Le plus important, c'est ___.The main thing is ___
  • En gros, on a douze minutes.Basically, we have twelve minutes.
  • Ce que je veux dire, c'est que c'est trop long.What I mean is that it's too long.
  • Ça te paraît clair ?Does that make sense to you?
  • L'idée, c'est de garder le visiteur éveillé.The idea is to keep the visitor awake.

Scene — the short list

The office looks onto a courtyard. Claire has her laptop and a short list. Sam has the museum map on his screen.

Headphones sit on the desk. She wants the short version, not the whole tour.

Claire and Sam work at two desks in an office with tall windows onto a leafy courtyard, her laptop and short list beside his museum map, headphones on the desk.

Learn — point first

Six lines help you put the point first.

You get two openers, a time headline, a longer explain, a check, and the idea behind the cut.

  1. From above, Sam pinches a blurred museum map on his screen as if shrinking the tour.

    Pour faire simple, ___.

    To put it simply, ___

    When to use it: Use this when you want the short version before any detail.

    Say this first, then fill in one short point.

  2. Claire taps one blurred mark on her short list beside the laptop.

    Le plus important, c'est ___.

    The main thing is ___

    When to use it: Use this to name the one thing that matters most.

    C'est stays here even if what follows is a longer idea.

    Say it: The s in plus sounds like z before important.

  3. Claire holds the headphones and looks to Sam while he stays at his desk.

    En gros, on a douze minutes.

    Basically, we have twelve minutes.

    When to use it: Lead with this when someone wants the time in one line.

    En gros is the casual headline, not a full explanation.

    Say it: The s in gros is silent.

  4. Sam leans back from the sprawling blurred map and spreads both hands over the screen to show it is too much.

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

    What I mean is that it's too long.

    When to use it: Use this after the short point when you need to unpack it.

    This restates the point in plainer words, after the headline.

  5. Over Claire's shoulder, Sam turns from the map to check that the short version landed.

    Ça te paraît clair ?

    Does that make sense to you?

    When to use it: Check that a friend or colleague followed your short version.

    Te is for tu. Use vous with a stranger or a new manager.

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

  6. In profile by the window, Claire sits upright with the headphones on, alert in the courtyard light.

    L'idée, c'est de garder le visiteur éveillé.

    The idea is to keep the visitor awake.

    When to use it: Say this when you name the goal behind the short version.

    After c'est, de plus a verb names the aim.

    Say it: La loses its final a before idée: la idée becomes l'idée.

Story — twelve minutes

Claire asks for the short version. Sam leads with the time, then he explains the cut.

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

  1. Monday morning at the office. Claire has a short list. The courtyard is grey.
  2. ClaireTu en es où ?Where are you with it?
  3. SamLe script est terminé.The script is done.
  4. ClaireLa version courte, s'il te plaît.The short version, please.
  5. SamEn gros, on a douze minutes.Basically, we have twelve minutes.
  6. ClaireDouze minutes. Et le reste ?Twelve minutes. And the rest?
  7. SamPour faire simple, on coupe trois salles.To put it simply, we cut three rooms.
  8. ClaireTrois salles. C'est noté.Three rooms. Noted.
  9. She looks up from the laptop. She wants the why, not another map.
  10. SamLe plus important, c'est le temps.The main thing is the time.
  11. ClairePourquoi le temps ?Why the time?
  12. SamCe que je veux dire, c'est que c'est trop long.What I mean is that it's too long.
  13. ClaireTrop long pour qui ?Too long for whom?
  14. SamL'idée, c'est de garder le visiteur éveillé.The idea is to keep the visitor awake.
  15. Claire waits a second. Sam checks she is still with him.
  16. SamÇa te paraît clair ?Does that make sense to you?
  17. ClaireOui. Bonne idée.Yes. Good idea.

Practice — headline then why

Eleven quick items wait here. You'll listen, fill a gap, swap a word, and build a line.

They stay short, so you can check the point-first habit.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Put the chat in order

    1. ClaireWhat comes first?
    2. Sam…
    3. Claire…
    4. Sam…

    Tap the line that comes next, or drag it into the chat.

  3. What did you hear?

  4. Pick the reply

    Claire says:

    Qu'est-ce que tu veux dire ?

    What do you mean?

    And you reply with:

  5. What does it mean?

    Ça te paraît clair ?

  6. Swap the word

    Name the goal: keep the visitor awake.

    L'idée, c'est de garder le ____ éveillé.

  7. Build the line

    The idea is to keep the visitor awake.

    , .

    Tap the words in order.

  8. Match the pairs

    French

    Pour faire simple, ___.Drop the English here
    Le plus important, c'est ___.Drop the English here
    En gros, on a douze minutes.Drop the English here

    English

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

  9. True or false?

    This means you think the plan is a good idea.

  10. What do you say?

    Claire asks where you are with the audio guide. The script is done.

  11. Fill the gap

    Noted.

    C'est ____.

Say it — tell Claire

Now you're Sam in the meeting. 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. ClaireLa version courte, s'il te plaît.The short version, please.
  2. Sam (you)Give her the short point: you have twelve minutes.

    En gros, on a douze minutes.

    Basically, we have twelve minutes.

0 of 4 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
Pour faire simple, ___.To put it simply, ___
Le plus important, c'est ___.The main thing is ___
En gros, on a douze minutes.Basically, we have twelve minutes.
Ce que je veux dire, c'est que c'est trop long.What I mean is that it's too long.
Ça te paraît clair ?Does that make sense to you?
L'idée, c'est de garder le visiteur éveillé.The idea is to keep the visitor awake.
Next: lesson 169In other words

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