French course

Lesson 216 of 240

New here? This is lesson 216 of a free 240-lesson French course.

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Sound natural in French

Sam comes back from the meeting still unsure. At Café des Tilleuls, Gaspard's crème sits unfinished, and the yak starts three hedges he never finishes.

You'll pick up everyday fillers: to be honest, anyway, honestly I'm still unsure, then again why not.

You'll also get let's say it's doable, and or something like that, the soft landing when a thought runs out.

These are the sounds of Paris talk when you are thinking out loud, not giving a speech.

By the end of this lesson

Use fillers and hedges so everyday talk sounds natural.

  • Franchement, ___.To be honest, ___.
  • Bref, ___.Anyway, ___.
  • En vrai, j'hésite encore.Honestly, I'm still unsure.
  • En même temps, pourquoi pas.Then again, why not.
  • Disons que c'est jouable.Let's say it's doable.
  • Ou quelque chose comme ça.Or something like that.

Scene — after the meeting

Sam drops his backpack by Gaspard's two chairs. The window table still has its blank brass sign. The crème has a cold skin on top.

Gaspard is already talking, then not. He does not sit at the window table.

Sam sets a backpack down beside Gaspard on two chairs, while the empty window table holds a crème with a cold skin.

Learn — hedges and fillers

Six lines for hedges you hear at a café table after work.

Franchement and Bref open a thought. The others soften a maybe.

  1. Gaspard leans forward on two chairs with one hoof raised in a frank, confiding gesture while Sam sits beside him.

    Franchement, ___.

    To be honest, ___.

    When to use it: Say this to open a frank take with a friend, then add the point.

    Franchement flags honesty; what follows is the frank bit.

    Say it: The final t is silent.

  2. Gaspard flattens a hoof in a wrap-it-up gesture, still on two chairs and not at the window.

    Bref, ___.

    Anyway, ___.

    When to use it: Use this to cut a long story short and jump to what matters.

    Bref closes the long version; the next words are the short one.

  3. Sam looks down, uncertain, with one hand on a backpack strap.

    En vrai, j'hésite encore.

    Honestly, I'm still unsure.

    When to use it: Use this with a friend when you have not decided yet.

    En vrai is casual honesty with friends, a bit softer than a blunt take.

    Say it: The j' in j'hésite is je with the e dropped.

  4. Sam half-turns toward the empty window table with one palm open in a why-not shrug, while Gaspard stays on two chairs.

    En même temps, pourquoi pas.

    Then again, why not.

    When to use it: Use this to show the other side still looks possible.

    Here it does not mean at the same clock time; it holds both sides.

    Say it: The p and s in temps are silent.

  5. A crème with a cold skin sits unfinished on the window table while Gaspard, still on two chairs, gives a small practical nod.

    Disons que c'est jouable.

    Let's say it's doable.

    When to use it: Use this to call something doable without a hard promise.

    Disons que hedges the claim; you are proposing, not promising.

    Say it: The apostrophe in c'est marks dropped e from ce.

  6. Over Sam's shoulder, Gaspard looks toward the window and goes still, the last gesture unfinished.

    Ou quelque chose comme ça.

    Or something like that.

    When to use it: Use this to land a thought when the exact word can wait.

    This keeps you close enough without naming every detail.

Story — three starts

Sam sits with Gaspard after the meeting. Watch the fillers; the yak starts three and finishes none.

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

  1. Late light on the zinc. Sam takes the chair beside Gaspard's two. The crème has a skin.
  2. GaspardAlors, ça s'est passé comment ?So, how did it go?
  3. SamLaisse-moi réfléchir.Let me think.
  4. Gaspard lifts a hoof, then looks at the croissant.
  5. GaspardFranchement, le musée.To be honest, the museum.
  6. He taps the cold crème and starts again.
  7. GaspardBref, le fond.Anyway, the substance.
  8. A third try. He loses the thread.
  9. GaspardEn vrai, attends.Honestly, hang on.
  10. SamEn vrai, j'hésite encore.Honestly, I'm still unsure.
  11. GaspardSur le ton ?About the tone?
  12. SamFranchement, il était un peu dur.To be honest, it was a bit harsh.
  13. GaspardEn même temps, pourquoi pas.Then again, why not.
  14. SamDisons que c'est jouable.Let's say it's doable.
  15. GaspardOu quelque chose comme ça.Or something like that.
  16. SamEn fait, Claire a dit oui pour le fond.Actually, Claire said yes on the substance.
  17. GaspardC'est presque prêt ?Almost ready?
  18. SamBref, on verra lundi.Anyway, we'll see on Monday.
  19. GaspardComment dire ça ?How should I put this?
  20. He never sits at the window table. The crème stays unfinished.

Practice — pick the hedge

Ten short tasks mix listening, gaps, and building.

You'll hear the hedge and pick what it is doing in the talk.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What does it mean?

    Bref, ___.

  3. What do you say?

    Gaspard asks if you have decided about the tone. Say you are still unsure.

  4. Fill the gap

    Then again, why not.

    En ____ temps, pourquoi pas.

  5. Build the line

    Let's say it's doable.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  6. Swap the word

    You want the hedge that means or something like that.

    ____ quelque chose comme ça.

  7. Match the pairs

    French

    En vrai, j'hésite encore.Drop the English here
    En même temps, pourquoi pas.Drop the English here
    Disons que c'est jouable.Drop the English here
    Ou quelque chose comme ça.Drop the English here

    English

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

  8. Pick the reply

    Gaspard says:

    C'était un peu... tu vois ?

    It was a bit... you know?

    And you reply with:

  9. What do you say?

    Gaspard asks how the meeting went, and you need a moment before you answer.

  10. True or false?

    This phrase is for buying time while you hunt for a word.

Say it — soften it

Now you're Sam at the table after 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. GaspardAlors, ça s'est passé comment ?So, how did it go?
  2. Sam (you)Tell him you are still unsure, in a casual honest way.

    En vrai, j'hésite encore.

    Honestly, I'm still unsure.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
Franchement, ___.To be honest, ___.
Bref, ___.Anyway, ___.
En vrai, j'hésite encore.Honestly, I'm still unsure.
En même temps, pourquoi pas.Then again, why not.
Disons que c'est jouable.Let's say it's doable.
Ou quelque chose comme ça.Or something like that.
Next: lesson 217Steer the conversation

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep these hedges handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps these fillers ready for the café table.

Open Yak Cards