Easy Learning French Conversation

If you want to say what you prefer, use je préfère (I prefer) or je préférerais (I’d prefer). To say that you prefer A to B, use je préfère A à B. These come from the verb préférer. For more information on -er verbs like préférer, see here (#litres_trial_promo).

I prefer…

I’d rather…

EXPRESSING OPINIONS (#ulink_de9b474c-4c5f-5c29-8f12-e7017eca331f)

You may well be asked what you think of your accommodation. Whether it’s perfect or not up to scratch, you can use je trouve to say what you think. This comes from the verb trouver. For more information on -er verbs like trouver, see here (#litres_trial_promo).

I think…

In my opinion…

MAKING SUGGESTIONS (#ulink_88aa5a97-f981-5eab-a274-ab32f84dab4d)

If you would like to suggest that you do something, use je peux (I can) followed by the infinitive and si vous voulez (if you like) – or si tu veux for a person you know well – at the end. peux comes from the verb pouvoir. For more information on pouvoir, see here (#litres_trial_promo).

I can… if you like

If you wish to ask what someone would like you to do, you can use Vous voulez que je…? (Would you like me to…?) followed by a verb in the subjunctive, which you can find out more about here (#litres_trial_promo).

Would you like me to…?

ASKING FOR SUGGESTIONS (#ulink_c0770dae-6c62-5432-9cee-3b6ab1ede612)

You may want to ask for advice or a recommendation concerning your accommodation. To ask for advice, use Est-ce que vous me conseillez de…? (Would you advise…?). This comes from the verb conseiller. For more information on -er verbs like conseiller, see here (#litres_trial_promo).

Would you advise…?

Would you recommend…?

SAYING WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO (#ulink_c51c92d0-ae39-5729-a189-a7d3bf2bf652)

If you want to say that you have to do something with regard to your accommodation in French, you use il faut que je (I have to) or il faudrait que je (I ought to) and then the verb in the subjunctive, which you can find out about here (#litres_trial_promo).

I have to…

I ought to…

Alternatively, you can use je dois (I must), from the verb devoir. For more information on devoir, see here (#litres_trial_promo).

I must…

In French you can tell somebody what you need by using j’ai besoin de (I need).

I need…

You can use Est-ce qu’il faut que…? (Do I have to…?) followed by the verb in the subjunctive to ask about what you have to do. For more information on the subjunctive, see here (#litres_trial_promo).

Do I have to…?

Alternatively, you can use Est-ce que je dois…? (Do I need to…?)

Do I need to…?

TALKING ABOUT YOUR PLANS (#ulink_e65a0007-8131-5b79-a8af-01161a2a713a)

When you are talking about your plans for where you’re going to stay, in French, as in English, the present tense is very often used to talk about things that have been arranged and are definite. For more on the present tense, see here (#litres_trial_promo).

I’m staying…

Alternatively, you can use the future tense in French, as in English.

I’ll…

In English we often say I’m going to to talk about the future. French works the same way. To say that you’re going to do something, put je vais (I’m going to) or on va (we’re going to) before the verb. vais and va come from the verb aller. For more information on aller, see here (#litres_trial_promo).

I’m going to…

If you want to say that you intend to do something, you can use j’ai l’intention de or je compte (I intend to).

I intend to…

COMPLAINING (#ulink_b6e53241-bfae-5813-aca9-b79e51810189)

Unfortunately the service you get in your accommodation may not always be perfect. A very simple way of complaining is to say what the problem is using il y a, which means both there is and there are or il n’y a pas de which means there isn’t or there aren’t.

There’s…

There isn’t…

You can also use the verb être (to be) to describe what the problem is.

It’s…

BON À SAVOIR!

Remember that in French to talk about the weather, you use the verb faire. For more information on this use of faire, see here (#litres_trial_promo).

LISTEN OUT FOR (#ulink_f8a09e23-36c1-58e8-9f60-63c20a907136)

Here are some phrases you are likely to hear when you’re looking for somewhere to stay.

Lifestyle Tips

• The proportion of propriétaires (homeowners) in France is much lower than it is in Britain. People tend to rent a lot more. Long-term rented accommodation is usually unfurnished; locataires (tenants) often even have to supply their own appareils ménagers (white goods) and meubles de cuisine (kitchen units).

• It is not as common for professionals to share a flat – être en colocation – in France as it is in Britain, although high rents have changed this over the past few years, especially in cities.