New here? This is lesson 192 of a free 240-lesson French course.
Being unsure in French
Sam is at Café des Tilleuls with a late audio-guide script on his mind. Odile asks what is holding it up, and he cannot quite name it.
He buys time, hunts for a word, and admits he is not sure.
By the end, you'll stall politely, say you are unsure, and float a maybe that you take back.
Odile already knows. The coffee is ready.
By the end of this lesson
Buy time and say you are not sure.
- Euh, attends, je réfléchis.Um, hang on, I'm thinking.
- Ben, je suis pas sûr.Well, I'm not sure.
- Comment on dit déjà ?What's that word again?
- C'est un peu ___.It's kind of ___
- Peut-être ___, mais ___.Maybe ___, but ___
- J'essaie de me rappeler.I'm trying to remember.
Scene — the coffee is ready
Afternoon at Café des Tilleuls. Sam sits at the zinc counter with his bag open. Odile wipes a cup and waits for a real answer about the script.
The window table still has its blank brass sign. Gaspard sits next to it on two chairs, café crème unfinished.
Learn — hang on, I'm not sure
Six short lines let you stall, admit you are not sure, and hunt for a word you almost have.
Use them when an answer will not come.
Euh, attends, je réfléchis.
Um, hang on, I'm thinking.
When to use it: Say this when you need a second before you answer.
Attends is for a friend or a regular; staff get attendez.
Say it: The last s in réfléchis is silent.
Ben, je suis pas sûr.
Well, I'm not sure.
When to use it: Say this when you cannot commit to an answer yet.
Sam says sûr. A woman writes sûre. This relaxed B1 line drops ne; at A1 and A2, keep ne.
Say it: The en in Ben is a nasal sound.
Comment on dit déjà ?
What's that word again?
When to use it: Use this when the word is on the tip of your tongue.
On here means people in general, not a named we.
C'est un peu ___.
It's kind of ___
When to use it: Use this to soften a guess you cannot finish cleanly.
Fill the blank with the word you almost have.
Peut-être ___, mais ___.
Maybe ___, but ___
When to use it: Use this to float a guess and then undercut it.
Fill both blanks; the second one undercuts the first.
Say it: The t in Peut links into être.
J'essaie de me rappeler.
I'm trying to remember.
When to use it: Say this when the word is close but will not come.
Rappeler here means to bring a word back to mind.
Say it: J'essaie elides je before essaie.
Story — she already knows
Watch Sam try to explain why the script is late. He hunts for a word, and Odile does not rush him.
The highlighted words are the lines you just learned. Turn on Show English if you need it.
- Odile sets a cup on the zinc. Sam still has his bag half open.
OdileAlors, le script, ça avance ?So, is the script moving along?
SamEuh, attends, je réfléchis.Um, hang on, I'm thinking.- OdilePrends ton temps.Take your time.
- SamComment on dit déjà ?What's that word again?
- OdileBloqué ? En retard ?Stuck? Late?
- SamJ'essaie de me rappeler.I'm trying to remember.
- He glances at the blank brass sign, then back at her.
- SamC'est un peu bloqué.It's kind of stuck.
- OdileBloqué comment ?Stuck how?
- SamBen, je suis pas sûr.Well, I'm not sure.
- OdilePas sûr de la date ?Not sure about the date?
- SamPeut-être vendredi, mais je ne peux pas confirmer.Maybe Friday, but I can't confirm.
- OdileJe savais. Tu es pas sûr, et le café est prêt.I knew. You're not sure, and the coffee is ready.
- Gaspard does not look up. His café crème stays untouched.
Practice — not sure yet
Eleven quick exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, match, fill a gap, and build a line.
They stay tiny, so the round moves fast.
0 of 11 done
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
Match the pairs
French
Ben, je suis pas sûr.Drop the English hereComment on dit déjà ?Drop the English hereJ'essaie de me rappeler.Drop the English hereC'est un peu ___.Drop the English herePeut-être ___, mais ___.Drop the English hereEnglish
What do you say?
What do you say?
Odile asks if Friday is certain. Admit you are not sure, with no stall.
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
What's that word again?
Comment on ____ déjà ?
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
J'essaie de me rappeler.
Build the line
Build the line
Um, hang on, I'm thinking.
, , .
Tap the words in order.
Swap the word
Swap the word
Odile asks if Friday is certain. You cannot commit yet.
Ben, je suis ____ sûr.
What do you say?
What do you say?
Odile already offered stuck. Soften her word: say the script is kind of stuck.
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
True or false?
True or false?
Say this when someone you know is hunting for a word and you do not want to rush them.
Which one doesn’t belong?
Which one doesn’t belong?
Say it — hunt for the word
Now you're Sam at the counter, trying to explain the delay. 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.
- OdileAlors, le script, ça avance ?So, is the script moving along?
- Sam (you)Buy a second. You need to think.
Buy a second. You need to think.
Euh, attends, je réfléchis.
Um, hang on, I'm thinking.
0 of 4 said
Recap — what you can say now
| French | English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| Euh, attends, je réfléchis. | Um, hang on, I'm thinking. | |
| Ben, je suis pas sûr. | Well, I'm not sure. | |
| Comment on dit déjà ? | What's that word again? | |
| C'est un peu ___. | It's kind of ___ | |
| Peut-être ___, mais ___. | Maybe ___, but ___ | |
| J'essaie de me rappeler. | I'm trying to remember. |
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards
Want to keep these not-sure lines handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.
A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps your stall lines ready at the counter.
Open Yak Cards