Running into a friend in French: from hello to a plan
Et vous, ça s'est bien passé aujourd'hui ?
“And you, did today go well?”
When: Just after you describe your own day
The moment
On a busy Paris street you run into someone you met once at a party. Greet them, ask how their day has been, chat for a moment, and leave with a real plan: a day, a time and a place.
A1 · Unit 4 · People · Checkpoint
This is the unit’s checkpoint: one roleplay that puts the unit’s scenes together.
The lines
Asking about their day
Give your own news in one line, then hand it over: « Et vous, ça s'est bien passé aujourd'hui ? ». Say it early and the other person does most of the talking.
Et vous, ça s'est bien passé aujourd'hui ?
“And you, did today go well?”
When to use it: Just after you describe your own day
What you’ll hear back: Ça va, j'ai eu une grosse journée. (Fine, I had a busy day.)
Pinning down day and time
It is not a plan until you name a slot out loud: « On se dit jeudi à quinze heures ? ». After that, only the place is left to settle.
On se dit jeudi à quinze heures ?
“So, Thursday at three?”
When to use it: Once the other person has agreed to meet
What you’ll hear back: Parfait, ça me va. (Perfect, that works for me.)
Words for this scene
| French | Say it | English |
|---|---|---|
| On prend un café ? | ohn prahn tuhn kah-FEH | Shall we get a coffee? |
Vous avez dix minutes ? On prend un café ? Do you have ten minutes? Shall we get a coffee? Tip: A coffee invite is low stakes, so people accept easily. | ||
| J'ai travaillé ce matin | zhay trah-vah-YAY suh mah-TAN | I worked this morning |
J'ai travaillé ce matin, mais je suis libre ce soir. I worked this morning, but I'm free this evening. Tip: Swap the ending: ce matin, cet après-midi, hier. | ||
| On se retrouve où ? | ohn suh ruh-troov OO | Where shall we meet? |
Jeudi à quinze heures, d'accord. On se retrouve où ? Thursday at three, agreed. Where shall we meet? Tip: Parisians wait outside the café, not at a table inside. | ||
Your objective
Say hello, ask about their day, tell them one thing about yours, and leave with a plan: a day, a time and a place.
- a question about their day
- something about your day
- a day, a time and a place
Lines that get it done
- Et vous, ça s'est bien passé aujourd'hui ?
- J'ai travaillé ce matin, mais je suis libre ce soir. · I worked this morning, but I'm free this evening.
- Jeudi à quinze heures, d'accord. On se retrouve où ? · Thursday at three, agreed. Where shall we meet?
In the live scene the objective stays on screen, and the Replay afterwards says whether you got it done.
Check yourself
1. He asks how your day was, and you were at work all morning. What do you say?
- J'ai travaillé ce matin
- Je vais travailler ce matin
- Je cherche un travail ce matin
- J'aime mon travail le matin
Show the answer
J'ai travaillé ce matin
« J'ai travaillé » reports what you already did; the others talk about the future or your feelings.
2. You have agreed on Thursday at three, but not on the spot. What do you ask?
- On se retrouve où ?
- On se retrouve quand ?
- On prend un café ?
- Et vous, votre journée ?
Show the answer
On se retrouve où ?
« Où ? » asks for the place; « quand ? » would ask again for the time you just fixed.
3. He proposes « Jeudi à quinze heures, ça vous va ? » and you are free. What do you answer?
- Ça me va, avec plaisir !
- Ah bon ? Rien de spécial
- Non, ce n'est pas possible
- Et vous, votre journée ?
Show the answer
Ça me va, avec plaisir !
« Ça me va » accepts the slot and « avec plaisir » makes the yes sound genuinely happy.