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Lesson 184 of 240

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Never gets old in French

Karim can talk about the postcard for hours. At Café des Tilleuls he is still sure it is a love story.

Odile does not believe a word, and she is no expert on the thing.

You'll ask what someone never tires of, request a rec, and say you could talk for hours.

You'll also hedge: you're no expert, but you like hearing other takes.

By the end of this lesson

Share a rec and say what you never tire of.

  • Il y a un sujet dont tu ne te lasses jamais ?Is there a topic you never get bored of?
  • Tu peux me conseiller quelque chose sur ___ ?Can you recommend anything on ___?
  • Qu'est-ce que tu aimes le plus dans ___ ?What do you like most about ___?
  • Je pourrais parler de ça pendant des heures.I could talk about this for hours.
  • Je ne suis pas expert, mais j'aime bien ça.I'm no expert, but I enjoy it.
  • J'aime entendre d'autres avis.I like hearing other people's takes.

Scene — the postcard again

Saturday after the market. Karim has left his cargo bike outside and taken a stool at the zinc counter.

Odile wipes a cup. Gaspard sits on two chairs at the next table, café crème still full. The window table stays empty, blank brass sign in place.

Sam wants a topic that never gets old, and maybe a rec.

Wide establishing shot of the café after the market: Odile wiping a cup at the zinc, Karim on a stool, Sam at the counter, an empty window table, and a cargo bike outside.

Learn — never gets old

These six lines cover geek talk: a topic you never tire of, asking for a rec, and what you like most.

Then you can go on for hours, hedge that you're no expert, and invite other takes.

  1. Close-up of Sam's open hands on the zinc in a questioning pose.

    Il y a un sujet dont tu ne te lasses jamais ?

    Is there a topic you never get bored of?

    When to use it: Ask a friend if there is a topic they never get tired of.

    Ne te lasses jamais means you never get tired of that topic.

    Say it: The last s in lasses is silent.

  2. Medium two-shot of Sam twisted on a stool toward Karim, one hand lifted as if asking for a recommendation.

    Tu peux me conseiller quelque chose sur ___ ?

    Can you recommend anything on ___?

    When to use it: Ask a friend to recommend something on a topic you name.

    Name the topic after sur, and keep tu with a friend.

  3. Over Odile's shoulder, Sam across the zinc with both hands framing an unseen topic.

    Qu'est-ce que tu aimes le plus dans ___ ?

    What do you like most about ___?

    When to use it: Ask what they like most about a topic you name.

    Le plus marks the thing you like most in that topic.

    Say it: The t in est is silent in est-ce.

  4. Low angle of Karim on a zinc stool, hands spread in an eager ongoing gesture, with the cargo bike outside.

    Je pourrais parler de ça pendant des heures.

    I could talk about this for hours.

    When to use it: Say a topic could keep you talking for a long time.

    Pourrais here is a could, not a plan you already made.

    Say it: The s in des links into heures as a z sound.

  5. Close-up of Odile behind the zinc, cup in one hand, one shoulder lifted in a modest shrug.

    Je ne suis pas expert, mais j'aime bien ça.

    I'm no expert, but I enjoy it.

    When to use it: Hedge that you are not an expert, then say you still enjoy it.

    A woman would say experte in this line.

    Say it: The last t in expert is silent.

  6. Profile of Gaspard on two chairs beside a full café crème, turned toward the zinc like a listener.

    J'aime entendre d'autres avis.

    I like hearing other people's takes.

    When to use it: Say you like hearing what other people think.

    Avis here means someone's take, not a written warning.

    Say it: The s in d'autres links into avis as a z sound.

Story — hours of it

Watch Karim go on about the postcard. Odile still does not believe a word of it.

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

  1. Saturday lull after the market. Karim still has a pencil behind his ear.
  2. SamIl y a un sujet dont tu ne te lasses jamais ?Is there a topic you never get bored of?
  3. KarimLa carte postale, ça c'est facile.The postcard, that's an easy one.
  4. KarimJe pourrais parler de ça pendant des heures.I could talk about this for hours.
  5. SamQu'est-ce que tu aimes le plus dans cette histoire ?What do you like most about this story?
  6. KarimBah, l'idée que quelqu'un revient.The idea that someone comes back.
  7. Odile sets a cup on the zinc. She does not look at the postcard behind the bar.
  8. SamTu as un avis sur la carte postale ?Do you have a view on the postcard?
  9. OdileJe ne suis pas experte. J'aime bien l'idée, mais je n'en crois pas un mot.I'm no expert. I like the idea, but I don't believe a word of it.
  10. SamJe ne suis pas expert, mais j'aime bien ça.I'm no expert, but I enjoy it.
  11. SamTu peux me conseiller quelque chose sur cette histoire ?Can you recommend anything on this story?
  12. KarimParle aux gens du quartier, tu verras.Talk to people in the neighbourhood, you'll see.
  13. OdileJ'aime entendre d'autres avis.I like hearing other people's takes.

Practice — recs and takes

Eleven short tasks. You'll listen, fill a gap, swap a word, and sort questions from answers.

One item is listen and pick. None of them use a picture.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What do you say?

    You want Karim to recommend something on the postcard story.

  3. Fill the gap

    I could talk about this for hours.

    Je pourrais parler de ça pendant des ____.

  4. What does it mean?

    J'aime entendre d'autres avis.

  5. Pick the reply

    Karim says:

    Tu t'y connais, toi, sur la carte postale ?

    You know about the postcard, do you?

    And you reply with:

  6. Build the line

    I'm no expert, but I enjoy it.

    , .

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Swap the word

    Tell Karim you could go on about this for hours.

    Je ____ parler de ça pendant des heures.

  8. Match the pairs

    French

    Il y a un sujet dont tu ne te lasses jamais ?Drop the English here
    Je pourrais parler de ça pendant des heures.Drop the English here
    J'aime entendre d'autres avis.Drop the English here
    Tu as un avis sur ___ ?Drop the English here
    J'aime bien ___.Drop the English here

    English

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

  9. Sort them

    Asking a friend

    Saying how you feel

    Drag each line into its group, or tap a line and then a group.

  10. True or false?

    This asks someone to recommend a restaurant.

  11. Fill the gap

    Do you have a view on ___?

    Tu as un ____ sur ___ ?

Say it — your take

Now you're Sam at the zinc counter with Karim. 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. KarimAlors, dis-moi.So, tell me.
  2. Sam (you)Ask if there is a topic he never gets bored of.

    Il y a un sujet dont tu ne te lasses jamais ?

    Is there a topic you never get bored of?

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
Il y a un sujet dont tu ne te lasses jamais ?Is there a topic you never get bored of?
Tu peux me conseiller quelque chose sur ___ ?Can you recommend anything on ___?
Qu'est-ce que tu aimes le plus dans ___ ?What do you like most about ___?
Je pourrais parler de ça pendant des heures.I could talk about this for hours.
Je ne suis pas expert, mais j'aime bien ça.I'm no expert, but I enjoy it.
J'aime entendre d'autres avis.I like hearing other people's takes.
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