French course

Lesson 185 of 240

New here? This is lesson 185 of a free 240-lesson French course.

Start hereHow this works

My goals in French

Claire has a new slide up and wants a short answer: what does Sam want this year?

His main aim is to write the museum script in French. She is already half on the next point.

You will name a big goal, say what you are trying this year, and say what it takes.

You will also ask what someone hopes to do next, and say you are on it now.

By the end of this lesson

Say what you want to achieve and what it takes.

  • Mon objectif principal, c'est de ___.My main goal is to ___
  • Cette année, j'essaie de ___.This year I'm trying to ___
  • J'ai besoin de pratiquer pour y arriver.I need to practise so I can get there
  • Qu'est-ce que tu espères faire ensuite ?What are you hoping to do next?
  • J'espère y arriver un jour.I hope to get there someday
  • Je travaille dessus en ce moment.I'm working on it right now

Scene — the next slide

Same small office two metro stops from the café. Claire has a laptop under one arm, then open on the desk.

Sam sits across from her. Museum-guide kits wait on a side table. She is already clicking toward the next slide.

A small Paris office in afternoon light, with Claire at an open laptop, Sam seated across the desk, and museum-guide kits waiting on a side table.

Learn — a main goal

Six lines cover a main goal, a try for this year, and what it takes to get there.

You also ask what comes next, hope to arrive someday, and say you are on it now.

  1. Low angle from the desk of Sam leaning forward with both palms open on the wood while Claire listens at the laptop.

    Mon objectif principal, c'est de ___.

    My main goal is to ___

    When to use it: Use this to name your biggest aim, then an action.

    After de, put a verb with no subject, like rédiger or écrire.

    Say it: The in of principal is a nasal sound.

  2. Profile of Sam at the office desk with one hand lifted near the chest as if mapping a plan for the year.

    Cette année, j'essaie de ___.

    This year I'm trying to ___

    When to use it: Use this for a big try you have started this year.

    j'essaie is the I-form; after de, put the verb in the to-form.

    Say it: j'essaie is je plus essaie, said with elision.

  3. Over Claire's shoulder, Sam twists toward the side table and lifts a museum-guide kit.

    J'ai besoin de pratiquer pour y arriver.

    I need to practise so I can get there

    When to use it: Say this when a goal still needs regular practice.

    y points back to the aim you just named, not a new place.

  4. Close-up of Claire paused above the laptop, torso turned toward the visitor chair as if asking what comes next.

    Qu'est-ce que tu espères faire ensuite ?

    What are you hoping to do next?

    When to use it: Ask a friend or coworker what they want to do next.

    tu is right here; Sam and Claire use tu at work now.

    Say it: The t of est is silent, and you hear an s in Qu'est-ce.

  5. The courtyard window and rooftops fill the foreground, with Sam sitting back from the desk, soft in the background.

    J'espère y arriver un jour.

    I hope to get there someday

    When to use it: Say this when the aim is still far off.

    y again points to that same aim, not a new place.

  6. Close-up of Claire’s hands on the open laptop, working the trackpad.

    Je travaille dessus en ce moment.

    I'm working on it right now

    When to use it: Say this when the work has already started.

    dessus means on that task, the goal you were just talking about.

Story — she clicks on

Claire wants the year in one sentence, then she is already on the next slide.

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

  1. Monday in the small office. Claire's laptop is open. The courtyard window is behind her.
  2. ClaireSam, c'est quoi, ton objectif cette année ?Sam, what's your goal this year?
  3. SamMon objectif principal, c'est de rédiger le script du musée en français.My main goal is to write the museum script in French.
  4. ClaireEn français, tout le script ?In French, the whole script?
  5. SamOui, tout le script. Cette année, j'essaie de le rédiger moi-même.Yes, the whole script. This year I'm trying to write it myself.
  6. She nods once, already looking at the next bullet.
  7. ClaireTu en es où ?Where are you with it?
  8. SamJe travaille dessus en ce moment.I'm working on it right now.
  9. ClaireEt pour y arriver ?And to get there?
  10. SamJ'ai besoin de pratiquer pour y arriver. J'apprends le français.I need to practise so I can get there. I'm learning French.
  11. ClaireTu espères y arriver un jour ?Do you hope to get there someday?
  12. SamJ'espère y arriver un jour. Qu'est-ce que tu espères faire ensuite ?I hope to get there someday. What are you hoping to do next?
  13. ClaireMoi, passer à la suite.Me, move on to the next thing.
  14. She clicks. The next slide is already up.
  15. ClaireBonne chance.Good luck.
  16. SamMerci.Thanks.
  17. ClaireBon, on passe au suivant.Right, let's move on to the next one.

Practice — aim and effort

Ten short exercises. You will listen, fill a gap, build a line, and pick what fits the meeting.

They stay short, so you can move through the round quickly.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    French

    J'ai besoin de pratiquer pour y arriver.Drop the English here
    J'espère y arriver un jour.Drop the English here
    Je travaille dessus en ce moment.Drop the English here

    English

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

  3. What do you say?

    Claire asks what you are trying this year, as a try already under way.

  4. Fill the gap

    I need to practise so I can get there

    J'ai besoin de ____ pour y arriver.

  5. What does it mean?

    Qu'est-ce que tu espères faire ensuite ?

  6. Pick the reply

    Claire says:

    Tu penses y arriver un jour ?

    Do you think you'll get there someday?

    And you reply with:

  7. Build the line

    I'm working on it right now

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  8. Swap the word

    Tell her your try is for this year, not a shorter stretch of time.

    Cette ____, j'essaie de ___.

  9. What do you say?

    Claire has just named a hard aim of her own. Wish her luck.

  10. True or false?

    This means you are learning French.

Say it — name the aim

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. ClaireSam, c'est quoi, ton objectif cette année ?Sam, what's your goal this year?
  2. Sam (you)Tell her your main goal, then the action that follows.

    Mon objectif principal, c'est de ___.

    My main goal is to ___

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
Mon objectif principal, c'est de ___.My main goal is to ___
Cette année, j'essaie de ___.This year I'm trying to ___
J'ai besoin de pratiquer pour y arriver.I need to practise so I can get there
Qu'est-ce que tu espères faire ensuite ?What are you hoping to do next?
J'espère y arriver un jour.I hope to get there someday
Je travaille dessus en ce moment.I'm working on it right now
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