To improve your French in 2024, you should focus on spoken French, a completely different language than the “school” French.
I’ll share some French dialogues so you can train your ear to hear and understand real, everyday spoken French. And to celebrate the end of 2023, they’ll be all about the New Year in France!
C’est parti!
Index:
Dialogue 1: Préparer une fête – Preparing a party
Dialogue 2: Les bonnes résolutions – New Year’s resolutions
Dialogue 3: Le bilan – A year in review
Dialogue 4: Bonne année ! – Happy New Year!
Each dialogue comes with an analysis, a vocabulary review and more resources about its theme or difficulties.
Dialogue 1: Préparer une fête – Preparing a party
Géraldine : Et toi, t’as un plan pour le 31 ?
Géraldine: And you, do you have any plans for the 31st?
Lucie : Pas vraiment. Je pensais peut-être inviter des potes à la maison. Je sais pas encore qui sera sur Grenoble pour le Nouvel An.
Lucie: Not really. I was thinking maybe of inviting some friends over to my place. I don’t know yet who will be in Grenoble for the new year.
Géraldine : Ça te dit d’aller dans la montagne ? On a loué un petit chalet, avec Romain et Agathe. C’est le même que l’automne dernier, tiens.
Géraldine: How about going to the mountains? We rented a small chalet with Romain and Agathe. It’s the same one as last autumn, you know.
Lucie : Oh ! Bah carrément, c’est une bonne idée. Ça fait longtemps que je les ai pas vus, en plus.
Lucie: Oh! Well, absolutely, that’s a great idea. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen them, too.
Géraldine : Super. Comme ça les enfants se couchent tôt, on fait une petite fête sans se prendre la tête, et tout le monde dort sur place.
Géraldine: Great. That way, the kids can go to bed early, we have a small party without any fuss, and everyone sleeps over.
Lucie : Et en plus le lendemain, on peut aller se balader dans les environs et faire de la luge. J’ai hâte !
Lucie: And the next day, we can go for a walk in the surroundings and go sledding. I can’t wait!
Analysis:
1. Ça te dit d’aller dans la montagne ? On a loué un petit chalet, avec Romain et Agathe. = How about going to the mountains? We rented a small chalet, with Romain and Agathe.
The sentence is a friendly and open invitation to spend the New Year holiday in the mountains.
- Ça te dit… ? – It maintains a friendly and inviting tone, suggesting a casual and open approach to the proposition.
- On a loué un petit chalet, avec Romain et Agathe. – The statement suggests that arrangements have already been made, giving the invitation a more concrete and planned character.
2. Oh ! Bah carrément, c’est une bonne idée. Ça fait longtemps que je les ai pas vus, en plus. = Oh! Well, absolutely, that’s a great idea. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen them, too.
Here’s a positive and enthusiastic response, expressing agreement with the suggested plan and highlighting the additional positive aspect of reconnecting with friends.
- Bah carrément, c’est une bonne idée. – The phrase “Bah carrément” is an informal expression that can be translated to “Well, totally” or “Absolutely.” It conveys a firm agreement and enthusiasm towards the proposed idea.
- Ça fait longtemps que je les ai pas vus, en plus. – This adds a personal touch, expressing enthusiasm for the activity and a desire to reconnect with friends.
Vocabulary:
- Un / une pote (informal) = un copain / une copine (less formal) = un ami / une amie (formal) = a mate.
- Ça te dit de [faire ça] = Do you feel like [doing it]…?
Ça te dit quelque chose ? = Does that ring a bell?
Dire = to say. - Louer = to rent, to lease.
La location = a rental, a lease.
Le loyer = a rent.
Le / La locataire = a renter.
Louer = to praise, to laud sb./sth.
Des louanges (f.pl.) = praises.
Don’t mix it up with the English word “location”:
La localisation, le lieu, l’endroit, l’emplacement, la position = location. - Carrément = totally, absolutely.
- J’ai hâte ! = I can’t wait. I am excited about it.
Avoir hâte de [faire ça] = to be excited to do something, to look forward to doing something.
Don’t mix it up with the English expression “to be excited”:
Je suis excité(e) = I am horny. (NOT excited = enthousiaste) - Se prendre la tête = to overthink, to stress out.
Sans se prendre la tête = without stressing out.
La prise de tête = stressing out.
Keywords: des potes, carrément, se prendre la tête.
Click here to learn more:
Dialogue 2: Les bonnes résolutions – New Year’s resolutions
Fabien : T’as pris des bonnes résolutions pour la nouvelle année ?
Fabien: Have you made any good resolutions for the new year?
Géraldine : Oh, moi, tu sais, les bonnes résolutions… J’y crois pas trop. Mais cette année j’aimerais bien me remettre au dessin. J’ai eu un chouette bouquin d’art pour Noël, ça m’a donné envie de ressortir mes crayons. Et toi ?
Géraldine: Oh, me, you know, good resolutions… I don’t really believe in them. But this year, I’d like to get back into drawing. I got a cool art book for Christmas, and it made me want to get out my pencils again. And you?
Fabien : Moi j’aime bien prendre des bonnes résolutions. L’année dernière j’avais décidé d’apprendre l’italien.
Fabien: I like to make good resolutions. Last year, I decided to learn Italian.
Géraldine : Et ça a marché ?
Géraldine: And did it work?
Fabien : Nan pas du tout. J’ai acheté un livre de cours pour apprendre tout seul dans ma chambre. Donc évidemment je l’ai jamais ouvert. Et le mois d’après je suis passé à une autre passion.
Fabien: No, not at all. I bought a textbook to learn by myself in my room. So, obviously, I never opened it. And the next month I moved on to another hobby.
Géraldine : Ah.
Géraldine: Ah.
Fabien : Mais cette année, c’est décidé : je vais apprendre l’italien !
Fabien: But this year, I’ve decided: I’m going to learn Italian!
Analysis:
1. Mais cette année j’aimerais bien me remettre au dessin. = But this year, I’d like to get back into drawing.
This sentence conveys a personal positive intention to re-engage in the drawing. The grammatical construction and word choices reflect an informal tone.
- J’aimerais bien… – The choice of the present conditional “J’aimerais” (= I would like) expresses the desire, especially by adding the adverb “bien” (= well), which confirms it.
- J’aimerais bien me remettre au dessin. – “me remettre au dessin” means “to get back into drawing” and suggests a return to a previous activity. That construction is less formal than other options like: “recommencer à”, “reprendre”, etc.
2. J’ai eu un chouette bouquin d’art pour Noël, ça m’a donné envie de ressortir mes crayons. = I got a cool art book for Christmas, it made me want to get out my pencils again.
The sentence gives the information about receiving an enjoyable art book for Christmas, which, in turn, inspired the speaker to retrieve their pencils to engage in artistic activities. It conveys a positive and enthusiastic tone.
- Un chouette bouquin d’art – “chouette bouquin” suggests an informal and colloquial tone.
- Ça m’a donné envie de ressortir mes crayons. – The “donner envie” construction indicates a cause-and-effect relationship: receiving the art book led to a desire to do something. The verb “ressortir” is not particularly formal. The choice between “resortir” and “sortir à nouveau” or “reprendre” depends on the speaker’s preference and the overall tone of the conversation.
Vocabulary:
- Prendre des bonnes résolutions = to make good New Year’s resolutions.
Tenir ses bonnes résolutions = to keep one’s New Year’s resolutions. - Se remettre à = to start doing sth again, to get back to.
Se remettre au travail = to start working again, to get back to work.
Se remettre à travailler = to get back to work, to start working again. - Le dessin = a drawing.
Dessiner = to draw. - Un chouette bouquin (slang) = a nice book.
Chouette (slang) = super (informal), cool (informal) = cool, nice, great.
C’est chouette ! = C’est super ! = That’s nice.
Bouquin (informal) = un livre (formal) = a book.
Les bouquinistes = a bookseller, a used-book store.
Bouquiner (informal) = lire (formal) = to read. - Ressortir (neutral) = sortir de nouveau (formal) = faire sortir de nouveau (formal) = reprendre (formal) = to come out, to get out, to stand out.
- Pas du tout = not at all.
Keywords: le dessin, un chouette bouquin, pas du tout.
Click here to learn more:
Dialogue 3: Le bilan – A year in review
Julie : Finalement, j’ai passé une bonne année malgré tout.
Julie: Ultimately, I had a good year despite everything.
Géraldine : Ah ouais ? Qu’est-ce qui te fait dire ça ?
Géraldine: Oh really? What makes you say that?
Julie : Eh ben j’ai changé de boulot, déjà. Ça faisait longtemps que j’y pensais, et j’ai enfin sauté le pas.
Julie: Well, I changed jobs, for starters. I had been thinking about it for a long time and finally took the plunge.
Géraldine : Félicitations ! Et tu fais quoi maintenant dans la vie ?
Géraldine: Congratulations! And what are you doing now for a living?
Julie : Ça, c’est plus compliqué. J’ai fait des stages ici et là, un peu partout en France, dans ma spécialité. Mais là, une boîte que j’aime bien m’a fait savoir qu’ils allaient sûrement m’embaucher en janvier. Donc je croise les doigts et je touche du bois !
Julie: That’s more complicated. I did internships here and there, all over France, in my field. But now, a company I really like has told me they will probably hire me in January. So I’m keeping my fingers crossed, and I knock on wood!
Géraldine : En tout cas tu as l’air beaucoup plus épanouie depuis que t’as posé ta dem.
Géraldine: In any case, you seem much more fulfilled since you submitted your resignation.
Julie : Merci ! Et toi, ton année ?
Julie: Thanks! And you, how was your year?
Géraldine : Il y a eu des moments compliqués, mais aussi de très beaux souvenirs. Entre la famille, les spectacles, et puis aussi le voyage au Japon ! Ça, c’était vraiment très beau. J’ai déjà hâte d’y retourner un jour.
Géraldine: There were some tough times, but also some very beautiful memories. Between family, shows, and also the trip to Japan! That was really very beautiful. I can’t wait to go back there one day.
Analysis :
1. Eh ben j’ai changé de boulot, déjà. Ça faisait longtemps que j’y pensais, et j’ai enfin sauté le pas. = Well, I changed jobs, for starters. I had been thinking about it for a long time, and I finally took the plunge.
The speaker is informally expressing they have changed jobs, a decision they had contemplated for a while.
- Eh ben j’ai changé de boulot, déjà. – “Eh ben” at the beginning gives the sentence an informal and conversational tone. It translates to “Well” in English. Then, “boulot” (= job) is a slang word for “travail” (= work), too.
- Ça faisait longtemps que j’y pensais, et j’ai enfin sauté le pas. – “Ça faisait longtemps” adds a duration aspect, emphasizing the speaker had been contemplating the job change for an extended period. J’y pensais” is translated to “I had been thinking about it.” The pronoun “y” refers to the idea of changing jobs, and it’s a common construction in French: penser à qqch / faire qqch.
2. En tout cas tu as l’air beaucoup plus épanouie depuis que t’as posé ta dem. = In any case, you seem much more fulfilled since you submitted your resignation.
The person addressed appears happier and more fulfilled since they settled down or resigned from their job. The overall tone is informal and reflects a conversational style, likely between individuals who are familiar with each other.
- En tout cas tu as l’air beaucoup plus épanouie. – “En tout cas” (= In any case) is an introductory phrase often used to transition to a different point or observation. The informal contraction “t’as” (= tu as) contributes to a casual and conversational tone.
- T’as posé ta dem. – “T’as posé” is an informal contraction of “Tu as posé”. They also contracted the word “démission” to “dem,” which you usually hear in everyday French.
Vocabulary:
- Un boulot (informal) = le taf (informal) = le travail (formal) = work.
Le TAF = travail à faire. - Une boîte (literally) = a box.
Une boîte (informal) = une entreprise (formal) = a company.
Une boîte de nuit (informal) = une discothèque = a night club. - Avoir l’air (less formal) = sembler (more formal) = to seem, to look.
L’air = the air, the tune, the melody, the look. - Poser sa dem (informal) = poser sa démission = donner sa démission = démissionner = to resign, to submit your resignation.
Embaucher = to hire, to employ.
Un entretien d’embauche = a job interview. - Malgré tout = despite everything else.
- Sauter le pas = taking the plunge, daring (“jumping the step” literally)
Sauter = to jump.
Le pas = the step.
Pas à pas = step by step. - Toucher du bois = knock on wood (“touching some wood” literally)
Toucher = to touch.
Le bois = wood.
En bois = wooden.
Keywords: malgré tout, sauter le pas, toucher du bois.
Click here to learn more:
Dialogue 4: Bonne année ! – Happy New Year!
Géraldine : 4… 3… 2… 1… Bonne année !
Géraldine: 4… 3… 2… 1… Happy New Year!
Lucie : Bonne année ! Wooouh !
Lucie: Happy New Year! Woo-hoo!
Géraldine : Et surtout la santé !
Géraldine: And above all, good health!
Lucie : Et surtout la santé ! Allez, à la nouvelle année, qu’elle soit pleine de joie et de découvertes et de passions et de gens incroyables. Tchin !
Lucie: And above all, good health! Come on, the new year may be full of joy, discoveries, passions, and incredible people. Cheers!
Géraldine : Tchin tchin ! À la tienne ! Mais oui, cette année va tout déchirer. Et puis l’important c’est d’être tous ensemble.
Géraldine: Cheers! To you! Absolutely, this year is going to be amazing. And what’s important is that we’re all together.
Lucie : Grave !
Lucie: Totally!
Analysis:
1. 4… 3… 2… 1… Bonne année ! = 4… 3… 2… 1… Happy New Year!
It is a concise and typical way of marking when the clock strikes midnight and a new year begins.
- 4… 3… 2… 1… – It represents a countdown to mark the transition to a new year. It is a common tradition during New Year’s Eve celebrations.
- Bonne année ! = This is a traditional greeting on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day to wish happiness and prosperity for the upcoming year.
2. Mais oui, cette année va tout déchirer. = Absolutely, this year is going to be amazing.
The optimistic statement expresses confidence that the current year will be outstanding and successful.
- Mais oui, … – This expression is an informal way of affirming or agreeing, adding a positive tone to the statement.
- Cette année va tout déchirer. – The phrase “va tout déchirer” is an informal expression meaning something will be fantastic or highly successful.
Vocabulary:
- Un décompte = un compte à rebours = a countdown.
Faire le décompte avant minuit (4… 3… 2… 1…) - Bonne année ! = Happy New Year!
- Et surtout la santé ! = And above all, good health!
- Tchin tchin ! = Cheers!
À la tienne ! = To you! - Grave ! (slang) = Totally! Absolutely!
Grave (literally) = serious, severe, important, bad.
Une maladie grave = a serious illness.
Ce n’est pas grave ! = It’s alright!
C’est grave bien ! = It’s really great.
Keywords: tchin tchin, tout déchirer, grave.
Click here to learn more:
- The Second Eve: le Nouvel An
- French Traditions and Vocabulary for January: 5 traditions françaises (Leçon en français !)
- What they never tell you about January traditions in France
Congrats! You completed the dialogues. What did you write down to remember?
If you enjoyed this format, by the way, you’d be interested in my longer courses.
You’ll get to practice and listen to real spoken French with real French people and situations and natural dialogues on various topics, with programs from intermediate to advanced, such as French Vocabulary and Pronunciation – or the 30-Day French Challenges! The dialogues for today come from our 30-Day French Challenge, and the next Challenge is opening very soon! They’re all entertaining, with our lovely community of lovely francophiles, and they’re designed to help you find confidence whatever French Conversation throws at you.
Here are the links:
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- French Vocabulary: Fake French Words to Know
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Bonne année Géraldine!!
Merci beaucoup pour tout ton travail.. j’espère que tu passes des bonnes fêtes.
Bisous