French conversation practice: speak about shopping in French

00:00 - Introduction :
02:13 - First step: Listen :
04:21 - Second step: Understand:
07:54 - Third step: Listen and repeat:
12:12 - Fourth step: Shadowing:

Hi, I hope you are well. I'm Manon, your French teacher. Welcome to my channel Ohlala French Course !

Today, I'm offering you a new type of video, I hope you'll like it, I think it will be very useful. The goal of this video is to help you speak more authentic, more natural French. This will be done through the use of specific vocabulary, but it will also be done through pronunciation and intonation. These are the points that we will work on today, together.

Let me explain the concept:

First step: I tell you a short experience as I would tell it to a friend. The goal is to present you with authentic French on a specific subject. Today, we're going to talk about consumption.

Second step: I explain the vocabulary and expressions I used. 

Third step: I will tell my story again and I will pause so that you can repeat after me. We'll work on pronunciation here.

Step four: Shadowing! Yes, sorry, that's an Anglicism. Shadowing is a technique in language learning that consists of imitating a native speaker. You will reproduce the same intonation and the same pronunciation at the same time, simultaneously as I do. It is very effective for improving pronunciation, for speaking more fluently and authentically. It also allows you to better assimilate the vocabulary and the syntax of the sentences. It is also a technique that you can use while watching French series and movies.

 

First step : Listen :

In this first part, I'm going to tell you about my last shopping trip, where I went and what I bought. The theme of the week in my conversation group is consumption. It's a current theme, because there is Black Friday this week and we are starting to do our Christmas shopping. If you want to go further, in the exercise we are going to do today, I invite you to join my conversation group in French, the link is in the description. Let's start the conversation part. You just have to listen to what I'm going to tell you:

Ces dernières semaines, je ne suis pas chez moi, je suis en séjour en Aube. C’est pour cette raison que mon décor n’est pas le même. En Aube, il y a la ville de Troyes qui est très connue pour ses magasins d’usine. Je suis allée faire un tour aux magasins d’usine de Troyes qui sont juste en périphérie de Troyes, pas au centre. Il parait qu’on peut faire de bonnes affaires dans les magasins d’usine, que les prix des produits de marques sont plus bas. C’est un peu comme s’il y avait des soldes toute l’année. Je n’avais pas besoin de grand-chose, je cherchais juste un nouveau jeans. Je ne suis pas une acheteuse compulsive, mais je me permets quelques achats plaisirs de temps en temps. Je suis allée en premier à Levi’s, mais j’ai été déçue et je n’ai pas trouvé mon bonheur. En suite, je suis allée au Temps des cerises où j’ai trouvé un joli jeans, mais il n’y avait pas ma taille. Je pensais repartir bredouille, mais j’ai flashé sur une jolie écharpe. Elle était toute douce et les couleurs étaient trop belles. J’ai craqué et je l’ai achetée. Après, je suis allée à Kaporal et j’ai enfin trouvé un jeans. C’est un jean style boyfriend avec un effet patchwork. Je suis allée dans la cabine d’essayage et je l’ai essayé et il m’allait très bien. En plus, il y avait une promotion très intéressante, il y avait 30% de réduction. J’ai fait une très bonne affaire ! Après, j’ai fait du lèche-vitrines comme j’avais trouvé ce que je cherchais. Conclusion : j’ai trouvé ce dont j’avais besoin et je n’ai pas trop dépensé.

🇬🇧 These last weeks, I am not at home, I am in Aube. That's why my scenery is not the same. In Aube, there is the city of Troyes which is very famous for its factory stores. I went to the factory stores in Troyes which are just on the outskirts of Troyes, not in the center. I heard that you can get good deals in the factory stores, that the prices of branded products are lower. It's like having a sale all year long. I didn't need much, I was just looking for new jeans. I'm not a compulsive shopper, but I do allow myself a few fun purchases from time to time. I went to Levi's first, but I was disappointed and didn't find what I was looking for. Then I went to Le Temps des cerises where I found a nice pair of jeans, but they were not my size. I thought I would leave empty-handed, but I found a pretty scarf. It was so soft and the colors were so pretty. I fell for it and bought it. Afterwards, I went to Kaporal and finally found a pair of jeans. They are boyfriend style jeans with a patchwork effect. I went to the fitting room and tried them on and they fit very well. Plus, there was a very interesting promotion, there was 30% off. I got a great deal! Afterwards, I went shopping as I found what I was looking for. Conclusion: I found what I needed and I didn't spend too much.

 

2nd step : Understand 

Let's take a closer look at the vocabulary used:

💡 Un magasin d’usine = 

A store that sells products directly from the manufacturer to the consumer. Prices are usually lower and discontinued products are available.

Language register: common

In English = a factory outlet

Example:  “La ville de Troyes qui est très connue pour ses magasins d’usine”

 

💡 Faire une bonne affaire = 

Buy something at a good price. 

Language register: common

In English = to make a good deal

Example: “Il parait qu’on peut faire de bonnes affaires dans les magasins d’usine”

 

💡 Une marque =

A set of signs like a name, a logo or values that can be recognized like Levi's, Kaporal, etc.

Language register: common

In English = a brand

Example : “Dans les magasins d’usine, les prix des produits de marques sont plus bas.”

 

💡 Les soldes =  

A commercial technique where products often unsold are offered at a reduced price.

Language register: common

In English = sales

Example: “C’est un peu comme s’il y avait des soldes toute l’année”

 

💡 Avoir besoin de quelque chose =

Require something that comes from a lack.

Language register: common

In English = to need something

Example: “Je n’avais pas besoin de grand-chose, je cherchais juste un nouveau jeans.”

 

💡 Un⸱e acheteur⸱eus compulsif⸱ve =

Person who will buy products without thinking and sometimes regret afterwards.

Language register: common

In English = an impulse buyer

Example: “Je ne suis pas une acheteuse compulsive, mais je me permets quelques achats plaisirs de temps en temps..”

 

💡 Un achat =

Something we bought. It is the noun that comes from the verb "to buy".

Language register: common

In English = a purchase

Example: “Je me permets quelques achats plaisirs de temps en temps”

 

💡 Être déçu⸱e =

Feeling that comes when one had an expectation, but that this expectation was not realized.

Language register: common

In English = to be disappointed

Example: “Je suis allée en premier à Levi’s, mais j’ai été déçue.”

 

💡 Trouver son bonheur =

Expression that is the opposite of being disappointed⸱e, it means that one is fully satisfied, that one has found what one was looking for.

Language register: common

In English = to find what you are looking for

Example: “Je n’ai pas trouvé mon bonheur à Levi’s”

 

💡 Une taille =

Size of certain parts of our body to define if a garment will fit us or not.

Language register: common

In English = a size

Example : “J’ai trouvé un joli jeans, mais il n’y avait pas ma taille”

 

💡 Repartir / Rentrer bredouille =

When you have a goal to obtain something, but you don't get it. One leaves or returns empty-handed.

Language register: colloquial

In English = to return empty-handed

Example: “Je pensais repartir bredouille, mais j’ai flashé sur une jolie écharpe”

 

💡 Flasher sur quelque chose ou sur quelqu’un = 

To have a sudden crush on something, to love something directly. 

Language register: colloquial

In English = to fall for

Example: “Je pensais repartir bredouille, mais j’ai flashé sur une jolie écharpe.”

 

💡 Craquer pour quelque chose ou quelqu’un = 

You really like something and you buy it. It's an expression often used when we talk about shopping.

Language register: colloquial

In English = to fall for

Example: “J’ai craqué et je l’ai achetée.”

 

💡 Une cabine d’essayage =

A place in a store where you can try on clothes.

Language register: common

In English = a dressing room, a fitting room

Example: “Je suis allée dans la cabine d’essayage et j’ai essayé un jean.”

 

💡 Aller bien à quelqu’un =

Verb that is used specifically when trying on a piece of clothing or an accessory to describe if it fits the person or not.

Language register: common

In English = to suit, to look good on somebody

Example: “Je suis allée dans la cabine d’essayage et j’ai essayé un jean, il m’allait très bien”

 

💡 Une promotion =

A special price on a product (discount or advantage)

Language register: common

In English = a special offer

Example : “En plus, il y avait une promotion très intéressante.”

 

💡 Une réduction =

A reduction in the price of a product.

Language register: common

In English = a discount

Example: “En plus, il y avait une promotion très intéressante, il y avait 30% de réduction.”

 

💡 Faire du lèche-vitrines =

Walking down a shopping street without buying, just looking at the store windows.

Language register: fluent

In English = to do some window shopping

Example: “Après, j’ai fait du lèche-vitrines comme j’avais trouvé ce que je cherchais.”

 

💡 Dépenser =

Consume money.

Language register: common

In English = to spent

Example: “J’ai trouvé ce dont j’avais besoin et je n’ai pas trop dépensé.”

 

Practice this vocabulary:

 

Third step : Listen and repeat :

Step three: Listen and repeat. I will tell you my little story again, pausing between sentences. Repeat these sentences after me, try to imitate my pronunciation, my intonation and the movements I make with my mouth. Feel free to repeat this step as many times as you like.

 

Fourth step : Shadowing : 

Fourth step: shadowing! I'm going to tell my story again, without a pause this time, and you're going to try to repeat what I say at the same time as I do. 

 

Tell me in comments about your last shopping trip (in French of course) !

I'll see you soon for new adventures, in French of course! 🇫🇷