To rapidly enhance your French speaking and comprehension skills, prioritize learning spoken French over formal grammar rules.
You can ignore some technical grammar learned in school, as it is seldom used in spoken French.
Let’s focus on the differences between spoken and written grammar to speed up your path to fluency.
C’est parti!
Index:
1. La journée de Laure (short story in correct French with English translation)
2. La journée de Laure 2 (same story, in informal spoken French in the first person)
3. Breaking down the differences between these versions
4. Quiz!
1) La journée de Laure (short story in correct French)
Chaque matin, Laure se réveille, prend une douche, puis s’attable pour un café avec quelques tartines de confiture.
Every morning, Laure wakes up, takes a shower, then sits down for a coffee with some jam on toast.
Elle sort de son appartement en se dépêchant, pour ne pas rater le bus qui l’emmène au travail.
She leaves her apartment in a hurry to avoid missing the bus that takes her to work.
Arrivée au bureau, elle s’installe devant son ordinateur.
Upon arriving at the office, she settles in front of her computer.
Les heures s’écoulent entre projets, réunions et appels téléphoniques.
The hours pass by with projects, meetings, and phone calls.
Elle déjeune avec ses collègues, qu’elle trouve très amusants.
She has lunch with her colleagues, whom she finds very amusing.
Cependant, l’après-midi est souvent plus chargée.
However, the afternoon is often busier.
Réunions, rapports à finaliser, Laure ne doit pas se déconcentrer.
Meetings, reports to finalize, Laure must not get distracted.
Elle termine généralement sa journée vers dix-huit heures.
She usually ends her day around six o’clock.
Sur le chemin du retour, elle fait quelques courses.
On her way back, she does some shopping.
Le soir, elle va parfois rejoindre des amis pour prendre un verre.
In the evening, she sometimes meets up with friends for a drink.
Mais aujourd’hui, elle est exténuée.
But today, she is exhausted.
Alors après avoir préparé son repas, elle dîne en regardant une série.
So after preparing her meal, she has dinner while watching a TV show.
Puis elle va se coucher avec un bon livre, et après quelques pages, s’endort.
Then she goes to bed with a good book and falls asleep after a few pages.
2) La journée de Laure 2 (short story in informal spoken French, in the first person)
Tous les matins, j’me réveille, j’prends une douche, et puis j’bois un café vite fait avec des tartines.
Every morning, I wake up, take a shower, and then quickly have a coffee with a couple of slices of bread.
J’me grouille de sortir de l’appart’, pour pas rater l’bus qui m’emmène au taf.
I hurry out of the apartment so I don’t miss the bus that takes me to work.
Une fois au bureau, j’m’installe devant mon ordi.
Once at the office, I settle in front of my computer.
Le temps passe entre projets, coups de fil et réunions.
Time passes with projects, phone calls, and meetings.
J’déjeune avec mes collègues, qui sont vachement marrants.
I have lunch with my colleagues, who are really funny.
Par contre, l’aprem, c’est toujours le rush.
However, the afternoon is always a rush.
Réunions, rapports à boucler, faut pas que j’me déconcentre.
Meetings, reports to finish, I must not get distracted.
En général j’finis vers six heures.
Usually, I finish around six o’clock.
En rentrant, j’fais un saut au super pour acheter deux-trois trucs.
When I get back, I pop into the supermarket to buy some stuff.
Le soir, j’vais parfois rejoindre des potes pour l’apéro.
In the evening, sometimes I meet up with friends for drinks.
Mais aujourd’hui j’suis crevée.
But today, I’m exhausted.
Alors après m’être fait à bouffer, j’mange en matant une série.
So after making myself some food, I eat while watching a series.
Après j’vais m’pieuter avec un bon bouquin.
Then I go to bed with a good book.
Et j’m’endors en deux-deux.
And I fall asleep in no time.
3) Breaking down the differences between these versions
> > Correct French:
Chaque matin, Laure se réveille, prend une douche, puis s’attable pour un café avec quelques tartines de confiture. = Every morning, Laure wakes up, takes a shower, then sits down for a coffee with some jam on toast.
- Everyday spoken French:
Tous les matins, j’me réveille, j’prends une douche, et puis j’bois un café vite fait avec des tartines. = Every morning, I wake up, take a shower, and then quickly have a coffee with a couple of slices of bread.
Analysis:
- Grammar:
– J’me réveille, j’prends une douche. – I’m repeating the subject in informal French. In correct French, we could write “Je me réveille et prends une douche.” without repeating the subject, but when speaking, it sounds too formal.
– J’prends. – I cut the “e” in “Je”! That’s spoken French pronunciation: we always cut down the “e”s that slow us down. It would be incorrect to write it that way in formal situations. I’m writing it here only to help you hear the difference.
Click here to learn more:
Essentials of Spoken French – Cutting the “e”
2. Vocabulary:
– S’attabler (formal verb) = to sit at a table for a meal.
– Vite fait = quickly. It’s a common expression; it’s not rude or slang, but it’s still too informal for correct written French.
Vite ef (verlan) = vite fait.
En deux temps, trois mouvements = vite fait = très rapidement = very quickly.
– Chaque matin = each morning, which I used in the correct French
Tous les matins = every morning, which I used in informal French.
The last one is here to tell you how subjective it all is. You could use “Chaque matin” and “Tous les marins” in the correct and everyday spoken French, which means basically the same thing.
BUT – I still feel that “Chaque matin” is more formal than “tous les matins.” That kind of thing will depend on each French speaker and their background and personality. So, it’s here to tell you: don’t worry too much about all this. You’ll always sound too informal for some people and too formal for others, and that’s OK!
The point is to help you practice another kind of language, the everyday spoken French you might have skipped in school, but you need to understand real conversations or your favorite French TV shows.
> > Correct French:
Elle sort de son appartement en se dépêchant, pour ne pas rater le bus qui l’emmène au travail. = She leaves her apartment in a hurry, so as not to miss the bus that takes her to work.
- Everyday spoken French:
J’me grouille de sortir de l’appart’, pour pas rater l’bus qui m’emmène au taf. = I hurry out of the apartment, so I don’t miss the bus that takes me to work.
Analysis:
- Grammar:
– J’me grouille – we cut the “e”.
– Pour pas rater l’bus – we cut the “e” in “le bus”, and we cut the “ne” in “ne pas”: “pour ne pas rater le bus” in correct French becomes “pour pas rater l’bus” in spoken French so that we can speak faster, again!
Click here to learn more:
Memorize This Fast Spoken French Rule: Drop the “ne”
2. Vocabulary:
– Je me grouille = j’me grouille (informal) = Je me dépêche = I hurry up.
– Un appart (informal shorthand) = un appartement = a flat, an apartment.
– Le taf (informal slang) = le travail = work.
Le TAF = Travail A Faire.
> > Correct French:
Arrivée au bureau, elle s’installe devant son ordinateur. = Upon arriving at the office, she settles in front of her computer.
- Everyday spoken French:
Quand j’arrive au bureau, j’m’installe devant mon ordi. = Once at the office, I settle in front of my computer.
Analysis:
- Grammar:
– Quand j’arrive au bureau (significantly less formal) = Une fois au bureau (less formal) = Une fois arrivée au bureau (more formal) = Arrivée au bureau (formal). = Once at the office.
But again, that’s subtle and subjective.
2. Vocabulary:
– Un ordi (informal shorthand) = un ordinateur = a computer.
> > Correct French:
Les heures s’écoulent entre projets, réunions et appels téléphoniques. Elle déjeune avec ses collègues, qu’elle trouve très amusants. = The hours pass by with projects, meetings, and phone calls. She has lunch with her colleagues, whom she finds very amusing.
- Everyday spoken French:
Le temps passe entre projets, coups de fil et réunions. J’déjeune avec mes collègues, qui sont vachement marrants. = Time passes with projects, phone calls, and meetings. I have lunch with my colleagues, who are really funny.
Analysis:
- Grammar:
J’déjeune = Je déjeune = I have lunch. We cut the “e” in “je”.
2. Vocabulary:
– Les heures s’écoulent (too poetic) = Le temps passe (less formal).
– Un coup de fil (slight slang) = un appel téléphonique (slightly too formal) = a phone call.
– Vachement marrant (informal) = Très amusant (formal) = très drôle = very funny.
> > Correct French:
Cependant, l’après-midi est souvent plus chargée. Réunions, rapports à finaliser, Laure ne doit pas se déconcentrer. = However, the afternoon is often busier. Meetings, reports to finalize, Laure must not get distracted.
- Everyday spoken French:
Par contre, l’aprem, c’est toujours le rush. Réunions, rapports à boucler, faut pas que j’me déconcentre. = However, the afternoon is always a rush. Meetings, reports to finish, I must not get distracted.
Analysis:
- Grammar:
– Je dois / Elle doit or Il faut. = I need to / She needs to, she has to.
– Je dois manger. = Il faut que je mange. = I have to eat.
– Elle ne doit pas se déconcentrer. = Il ne faut pas qu’elle se déconcentre. = She mustn’t get distracted.
– Faut pas qu’elle se déconcentre. – In everyday spoken French, we often cut the “il” and the “ne”.
– Faut pas faire ça. = Il ne faut pas faire ça. = We shouldn’t do that, this is forbidden.
Le truc en plus: When we use the expression “Il faut que”, we have to use the subjonctive. The subjunctive verbal mode in French expresses doubt, uncertainty, desire, or hypothetical situations. It often appears in subordinate clauses, triggered by specific verbs or conjunctions.
Click here to learn more:
French Grammar: French Subjunctive Made Easy
2. Vocabulary:
– Par contre (less formal) = Cependant (informal) = However.
Click here to learn more:
Why French People Never Say “Cependant” (And Other Formal Words)
- L’aprem (informal shorthand) = l’après-midi = the afternoon.
– Le rush (informal slang) = chargé (formal) = busy. We often use some English words in everyday spoken French.
– Boucler (informal) = finaliser, terminer (more formal) = to finish.
> > Correct French:
Elle termine généralement sa journée vers dix-huit heures. Sur le chemin du retour, elle fait quelques courses. = She usually ends her day around six o’clock. On her way back, she does some shopping.
- Everyday spoken French:
En général j’finis vers six heures. En rentrant, j’fais un saut au super pour acheter deux-trois trucs. = Usually, I finish around six o’clock. When I get back, I pop into the supermarket to buy some stuff.
Analysis:
- Grammar:
– J’finis = Je finis. = I finish. We cut the “e” in the “je” when we speak.
– J’fais = Je fais. = I do.
2. Vocabulary:
Je finis = Je temine = I finish. Here, we are at the same level of formality, so the verb choice is subjective.
– Sur le chemin du retour (too poetic) = En rentrant (much more common) = On the way back.
– Deux-trois (informal) = quelques (slightly formal) = a couple of / a few.
> > Correct French:
Le soir, elle va parfois rejoindre des amis pour prendre un verre. Mais aujourd’hui, elle est exténuée. = In the evening, she sometimes meets up with friends for a drink. But today, she is exhausted.
- Everyday spoken French:
Le soir, j’vais parfois rejoindre des potes pour l’apéro. Mais aujourd’hui j’suis crevée. = In the evening, sometimes I meet up with friends for drinks. But today, I’m exhausted.
Analysis:
- Grammar:
– J’vais = Je vais. = I go.
– J’suis = Je suis. = I am. We cut the “e” in both examples.
Chuis = J’suis = Je suis.
2. Vocabulary:
– Les potes (slang) = les amis = friends.
– L’apéro = l’apéritif = prendre un verre = having a drink, before dinner, with people.
– Crevée (slang) = fatiguée = tired = exténuée (formal) = exhausted.
> > Correct French:
Alors après avoir préparé son repas, elle dîne en regardant une série. = So after preparing her meal, she has dinner while watching a TV show.
- Everyday spoken French:
Alors après m’être fait à bouffer, j’mange en matant une série. = So after making myself some food, I eat while watching a series.
Analysis:
- Grammar:
J’mange = Je mange. = I eat. – We cut the “e”.
2. Vocabulary:
Faire à bouffer = préparer un repas = to cook, to prepare a meal.
***Attention! *** “Faire à bouffer” is a kind of disrespect towards the food, when you’re cooking something convenient but not too tasty so that you wouldn’t use it in a restaurant, for instance.
– Manger = Dîner (slightly too formal, but both common and correct) = to eat.
– Mater (slang, also used for voyeurism) = Regarder = to look, to watch.
> > Correct French:
Puis elle va se coucher avec un bon livre, et après quelques pages, s’endort. = Then she goes to bed with a good book, and after a few pages, falls asleep.
- Everyday spoken French:
Après j’vais m’pieuter avec un bon bouquin. Et j’m’endors en deux-deux. = Then I go to bed with a good book. And I fall asleep in no time.
Analysis:
- Grammar:
– J’vais m’pieuter = Je vais me pieuter = Je vais me coucher. = I go to sleep. We cut the “e” in “je” and in the reflexive pronoun “me”.
– J’m’endors = Je m’endors. = I fall asleep. – We cut the “e” in “je”, but the “e” in “me” is cut even in formal French because the verb starts with a vowel.
Also, we repeat the subject pronoun “elle” when speaking, which is not the case in formal writing.
2. Vocabulary:
– Aller se pieuter (slang) = Aller se coucher = to go to sleep.
– En deux-deux = rapidement = quickly.
– Un bouquin (slang) = un livre = a book.
– Puis (too formal) = then.
– En deux-deux (cute informal expression) = quickly, in two seconds.
1. Laure ne doit pas se déconcentrer. = Faut pas que j’me déconcentre.
That’s to remind you that in French, to say “I need to” or “She needs to, she has to”, we can say either Je dois / Elle doit or Il faut.
– Je dois manger. = Il faut que je mange. = I have to eat.
– Elle ne doit pas se déconcentrer. = Il ne faut pas qu’elle se déconcentre. = She mustn’t get distracted.
– Faut pas qu’elle se déconcentre. – In everyday spoken French, we often cut the “il” and the “ne”.
– Faut pas faire ça. = Il ne faut pas faire ça. = We shouldn’t do that, this is forbidden.
This one is a final reminder that in everyday spoken French:
1. We often repeat the subject: je vais m’pieuter, and je m’endors en deux-deux.
2. We often simplify: “après quelques pages” (after a few pages) gets cut.
3. We use different words: “un bouquin” instead of “un livre (a book).
And we did it! We’ve covered a lot of differences in French grammar between the correct language you learned in school and the everyday spoken language we use.
4) Final Quiz
How would you say and pronounce these sentences in everyday spoken French, in the first person?
- Laure doit changer d’appartement. = Laure needs to move from her apartment.
- Elle a eu une après-midi très amusante. = She had a really funny afternoon.
- Elle va prendre un verre avec des amis. = She’s going to have a drink with some friends.
So what do you think? Remember to switch “Laure” with “Je” in the first person. Ready for the answers? Great! Yes, we could say instead:
- J’dois changer d’appart. or Faut que j’change d’appart. = I need to move from my apartment.
Faut qu’je change d’appart. Sometimes, we cut “e” more often in one sentence. But don’t worry, you don’t have to do it because all French people don’t speak like that all the time. - J’ai eu une aprem vachement marrante. = I had a really funny afternoon.
- J’vais prendre l’apéro avec des potes. = I’m going to have a drink with some friends.
These are all suggestions. Of course, there are many ways to do the same thing, especially in informal French!
Can you think of other possible answers? Write them down in the comment section!
Then, you can keep exploring Understanding Spoken French with your next free video lesson.
Or you can keep learning about understanding fast-spoken French with me!
Click here to get your next lesson:
- Understanding Spoken French (Even When It’s Fast)
- Spoken French vs School French: Understanding This BIG Difference Will Help Your Fluency
- Speaking French: An Underrated Tip to Speed Up Your Progress (Really!)
- Learn These “Filler” Words to Speak French Properly — Spoken French vs Written French
- Speaking French vs. Reading French (Unlock Faster Fluency)
À tout de suite.
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