Welcome! In this B1 lesson we'll focus on practical phrases for talking about personal goals—what you want, the hard parts, and how you plan to get there. Have fun practicing: listen, repeat, then use the phrases in your own sentences.
Level B1: In lesson 75 you'll practice useful French phrases to describe progress, difficulties, motivation and plans. We'll work with chunks like "Je fais des progrès en ...", "Le plus difficile, c'est ..." and questions such as "Comment tu comptes y arriver ?". This CEFR-aligned mini-lesson helps you talk about real goals in conversation — no long speeches required.
After this lesson you'll be able to:
Be able to say what you are improving and what’s difficult for you.
Ask and answer friendly questions about goals and plans (informal tu).
Use practical strategy phrases to explain how you’ll reach a goal.
Ready? Let's go!
When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.
1. Reading + Listening Practice
Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.
Je fais des progrès en ___.
I'm making progress with ___.
Meaning: I'm making progress with ___.
When to use: Use this to say you are improving in a subject, skill, or area: fill in the area after "en".
Tip: Some learners say "dans" instead of "en" (correct: "en français").
Je fais des progrès en français.
I'm making progress in French.
Je fais des progrès en cuisine depuis que je pratique tous les week-ends.
I'm making progress with cooking since I practice every weekend.
Le plus difficile, c'est ___.
The hardest part is ___.
Meaning: The hardest part is ___.
When to use: Use this to name the main difficulty or obstacle; you can finish with a noun or an infinitive phrase (often introduced with "de").
Le plus difficile, c'est la prononciation.
The hardest part is pronunciation.
Le plus difficile, c'est de trouver du temps pour étudier.
The hardest part is finding time to study.
Je fais ça parce que je veux ___.
I'm doing this because I want to ___.
Meaning: I’m doing this because I want to ___.
When to use: Use this to explain your motivation; follow with an infinitive action or result.
Je fais ça parce que je veux apprendre à mieux parler.
I'm doing this because I want to learn to speak better.
Je fais ça parce que je veux changer de métier.
I'm doing this because I want to change careers.
Ça peut prendre du temps, mais je pense que je peux ___.
It may take a while, but I think I can ___.
Meaning: It may take a while, but I think I can ___.
When to use: Use this to express a realistic but hopeful expectation; finish with an infinitive like "y arriver" or "le faire".
Ça peut prendre du temps, mais je pense que je peux y arriver.
It may take time, but I think I can make it.
Ça peut prendre du temps, mais je pense que je peux finir le projet avant l'été.
It may take time, but I think I can finish the project before summer.
Tu travailles sur quels objectifs en ce moment ?
What goals are you working toward?
Meaning: What goals are you working toward right now?
When to use: Use this informal question with friends or classmates to ask about their current objectives.
Tu travailles sur quels objectifs en ce moment ?
What goals are you working on right now?
Tu travailles sur quels objectifs en ce moment — apprendre une nouvelle compétence ?
What goals are you working on right now — learning a new skill?
Comment tu comptes y arriver ?
How are you going to achieve that?
Meaning: How are you going to achieve that?
When to use: Use this informal question to ask someone to explain their plan or strategy to reach a goal.
Comment tu comptes y arriver ? En pratiquant tous les jours ?
How are you going to achieve that? By practicing every day?
Comment tu comptes y arriver si tu manques de temps ?
How do you plan to manage if you lack time?
Qu’est-ce que tu aimerais accomplir d’ici ___ ?
What would you like to achieve in the next ___?
Meaning: What would you like to achieve in the next ___?
When to use: Use this to ask about a specific future time frame (e.g., "six mois", "l'année prochaine").
Qu’est-ce que tu aimerais accomplir d’ici six mois ?
What would you like to achieve in the next six months?
Qu’est-ce que tu aimerais accomplir d’ici la fin de l'année ?
What would you like to accomplish by the end of the year?
Je me fixe de petits objectifs pour m’aider à ___.
I'm setting small goals to help me ___.
Meaning: I’m setting small goals to help me ___.
When to use: Use this to explain a practical strategy: follow with an infinitive like "progresser" or "rester motivé".
Je me fixe de petits objectifs pour m’aider à rester motivé.
I'm setting small goals to help me stay motivated.
Je me fixe de petits objectifs pour m’aider à progresser plus vite.
I'm setting small goals to help me progress faster.
2. Conversational Listening Practice
Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.
Friends talk about progress and plans
What is David trying to improve?
Anna
Tu travailles sur quels objectifs en ce moment ?
What goals are you working on right now?
David
Je me fixe de petits objectifs pour m’aider à progresser en français.
I'm setting small goals to help me improve in French.
Anna
Le plus difficile, c'est la prononciation ?
The hardest part is pronunciation?
David
Non — le plus difficile, c'est de trouver du temps. Mais je fais des progrès en vocabulaire.
No — the hardest part is finding time. But I'm making progress in vocabulary.
Anna
Comment tu comptes y arriver ?
How are you going to achieve that?
David
Ça peut prendre du temps, mais je pense que je peux y arriver. Je fais ça parce que je veux enseigner à l'étranger.
It may take time, but I think I can do it. I'm doing this because I want to teach abroad.
3. Guided Practice
Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.
Which French sentence means "I'm making progress with French."?
Which phrase asks about someone's current goals?
Which sentence expresses a motivation ('I'm doing this because...')?
Which phrase would you use to say a goal might take time but is possible?
To say you are improving a skill, you can say: "Je fais des progrès en ___."
Pour dire que vous progressez dans une compétence, vous pouvez dire : __
To ask about someone's plan for success, you'd say: "Comment tu comptes y arriver ?"
Pour demander à quelqu'un son plan pour réussir, vous diriez : __
To say it may take time but you think you can do it: "Ça peut prendre du temps, mais je pense que je peux ___."
Pour exprimer l'idée que quelque chose peut prendre du temps mais reste possible, on dit : __
Match the core phrases
Match the extra phrases
4. Speaking Practice
Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).
Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.
Say this phrase out loud:
Je fais des progrès en ___.
I'm making progress with ___.
Say this phrase out loud:
Le plus difficile, c'est ___.
The hardest part is ___.
Say this phrase out loud:
Je fais ça parce que je veux ___.
I'm doing this because I want to ___.
Say this phrase out loud:
Ça peut prendre du temps, mais je pense que je peux ___.
It may take a while, but I think I can ___.
Say this phrase out loud:
Tu travailles sur quels objectifs en ce moment ?
What goals are you working toward right now?
Say this phrase out loud:
Comment tu comptes y arriver ?
How are you going to achieve that?
Say this phrase out loud:
Qu’est-ce que tu aimerais accomplir d’ici ___ ?
What would you like to achieve in the next ___?
Say this phrase out loud:
Je me fixe de petits objectifs pour m’aider à ___.
