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Lesson 128 of 240

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Still learning in French

Thursday evening, Sam is back in the mairie classroom for French. Inès, his friend and classmate, sits beside him.

He has never read aloud in class. The teacher gives him a chance, and Sam starts before he is ready.

Learn how to say you've never tried something, haven't learned it yet, still need practice, and can do it with help.

By the end of this lesson

Say what you are still learning and what you have never tried.

  • Laisse-moi essayer.Let me try.
  • Je n'ai jamais essayé de ___.I've never tried to ___.
  • Je n'ai pas encore appris à ___.I haven't learned to ___ yet.
  • J'ai encore besoin de m'entraîner.I still need more practice.
  • Je ne suis pas encore prêt.I'm not ready yet.
  • Je peux le faire si tu m'aides.I can do it if you help me.

Scene — reading aloud

Thursday evening French class is in the mairie community room. Sam sits at a desk with a short reading passage in front of him.

Inès, his friend and classmate, sits beside him. The teacher gives the class a chance to read aloud, and Sam hesitates.

A wide evening view of the mairie community classroom with Sam and Inès small at a shared desk while Monsieur Lefebvre invites the class to read and Sam hesitates over a blank sheet.

Learn — still learning

These six lines help you talk about a new skill. Say you've never tried it, haven't learned it yet, or need more practice.

You'll also say you're not ready and ask a classmate for help.

  1. Over Sam's shoulder, Inès leans forward at the shared desk and reaches toward the blank sheet to take the turn.

    Laisse-moi essayer.

    Let me try.

    When to use it: Say this when you want a chance to try something yourself.

    Use this with a friend or classmate when you want to take a turn.

    Say it: The final e in Laisse is silent.

  2. Close-up of Sam looking down at the blank sheet, uncertain, fingers resting on the page as if he has never tried this.

    Je n'ai jamais essayé de ___.

    I've never tried to ___.

    When to use it: Say this when you have never attempted an activity.

    After essayer de, use an infinitive, such as lire.

    Say it: The apostrophe in n'ai marks an elision of ne before ai.

  3. From high above, Sam shakes his head at the blank page with one hand hovering above it, Inès seated beside him.

    Je n'ai pas encore appris à ___.

    I haven't learned to ___ yet.

    When to use it: Use this when you have not learned a skill yet.

    After appris à, use an infinitive, such as lire.

  4. Close-up of Sam's hands and a pencil going over the blank sheet again for practice.

    J'ai encore besoin de m'entraîner.

    I still need more practice.

    When to use it: Say this when you need more practice to improve.

    De m'entraîner means to practice or train myself.

    Say it: The apostrophe in m'entraîner marks elision before a vowel.

  5. Low angle of Sam leaning back in the chair with open palms toward the blank page, not ready yet.

    Je ne suis pas encore prêt.

    I'm not ready yet.

    When to use it: Say this when you need a little more time before starting.

    Sam says prêt; a woman says prête.

  6. Medium two-shot of Sam turned toward Inès at the shared desk, one hand on the blank page and the other toward her, asking for her help.

    Je peux le faire si tu m'aides.

    I can do it if you help me.

    When to use it: Say this to a friend or classmate when you need help.

    Use tu with a classmate you know; use vous with a stranger or teacher.

Story — sam gives it a try

Sam is in Thursday French class with Inès, his friend and classmate. The teacher invites the class to read aloud, and Sam decides to try.

Listen for the lines you learned, including what Sam has not tried yet.

  1. The teacher gives the class a short passage. Sam looks at the page.
  2. TeacherOn lit une phrase à voix haute.We read a sentence aloud.
  3. Inès reads a short line first.
  4. InèsJ'apprends le français.I'm learning French.
  5. TeacherSam, vous voulez essayer ?Sam, would you like to try?
  6. SamJe n'ai jamais essayé de lire à voix haute.I've never tried reading aloud.
  7. InèsTu veux que je lise ?Do you want me to read?
  8. SamLaisse-moi essayer.Let me try.
  9. TeacherPrenez votre temps.Take your time.
  10. SamJe n'ai pas encore appris à lire à voix haute.I haven't learned to read aloud yet.
  11. SamJe ne suis pas encore prêt.I'm not ready yet.
  12. InèsJe peux t'aider à commencer.I can help you get started.
  13. SamJe peux le faire si tu m'aides.I can do it if you help me.
  14. He looks at the page and starts to read.
  15. SamLe café ouvre tôt le matin.The café opens early in the morning.
  16. TeacherVous commencez un peu vite, Sam.You're starting a little fast, Sam.
  17. SamJ'ai encore besoin de m'entraîner.I still need more practice.
  18. SamJe n'ai pas encore fini.I'm not finished yet.

Practice — one step at a time

Eleven exercises help you hear, build, and choose the right line. You'll work with what you have never tried and what you still need to learn.

Take your time.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What does it mean?

    Je n'ai jamais essayé de ___.

  3. What do you say?

    A classmate asks if you have learned a skill yet. Say you have not learned it yet.

  4. Build the line

    I still need more practice.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  5. Swap the word

    You need more time before your turn. Say you are not ready yet.

    Je ne suis pas encore ____.

  6. What does it mean?

    Je peux le faire si tu m'aides.

  7. Find the mistake

  8. Match the pairs

    French

    Laisse-moi essayer.Drop the English here
    J'ai encore besoin de m'entraîner.Drop the English here
    Je ne suis pas encore prêt.Drop the English here

    English

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

  9. Pick the reply

    Inès says:

    Tu veux que je t'aide ?

    Do you want me to help you?

    And you reply with:

  10. True or false?

    This line says Sam has already finished.

  11. What does it mean?

    J'apprends le français.

Say it — ask for a hand

Now take Sam's place in class. When it's your turn, say the line that fits the teacher's prompt or your classmate's offer.

You can listen first, then record your response. This is practice, not a pronunciation score.

  1. TeacherSam, vous voulez essayer ?Sam, would you like to try?
  2. Sam (you)Tell the teacher you've never tried reading aloud.

    Je n'ai jamais essayé de ___.

    I've never tried to ___.

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
Laisse-moi essayer.Let me try.
Je n'ai jamais essayé de ___.I've never tried to ___.
Je n'ai pas encore appris à ___.I haven't learned to ___ yet.
J'ai encore besoin de m'entraîner.I still need more practice.
Je ne suis pas encore prêt.I'm not ready yet.
Je peux le faire si tu m'aides.I can do it if you help me.
Next: lesson 129Emergencies

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