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🇫🇷 French · Fluency Level 1

PART 3 · LESSON 29 OF 30 · 30 MINUTES

Emma's Father Tells a French Joke

Hear a joke told badly in French by a beginner, help him to the punchline, and learn the words the French use for jokes and for not getting them.

Audio instruction: English

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THE STORY

Emma's parents on a video call, David with a joke he learnt from a book, and a punchline in trouble.

Flashcards

The words and phrases of this lesson, one card each. Best after you’ve listened.

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Words and phrases

The lesson is for your ears. Open this afterwards, to see what you learned.
J'ai une blague en français. Un homme entre dans un café.zhay ewn blahg ah(n) frah(n)-seh, a(n) nom ah(n)tr dah(n) za(n) kah-FAYI've got a joke in French. A man walks into a cafe.
Vas-y, David. Doucement.vah-zee, dah-veed, doos-MAH(N)Go on, David. Slowly. To a friend.
Il dit au serveur : « Un café, s'il vous plaît. » Et le serveur dit... plouf.eel dee oh sehr-vuhr, a(n) kah-fay, seel voo pleh, ay luh sehr-vuhr dee, PLOOFHe says to the waiter: "A coffee, please." And the waiter says... plouf.
Plouf ? Papa, c'est quoi, la chute ?ploof, pah-pah, seh kwah, lah SHEWTPlouf? Dad, what's the punchline?
Le serveur tombe dans le café. Plouf. Parce que le café, c'est aussi le...luh sehr-vuhr toh(n)b dah(n) luh kah-fay, ploof, pars kuh luh kah-fay, seh toh-see LUHThe waiter falls into the coffee. Plouf. Because the cafe is also the...
Ah ! Le café, le lieu, et le café, la boisson. Elle est bonne !ah, luh kah-fay, luh lyuh, ay luh kah-fay, lah bwah-soh(n), ehl eh BONAh! The cafe, the place, and the coffee, the drink. That's a good one!
Je l'ai pas comprise. Mais bravo, papa. En français, en plus.zhuh lay pah koh(n)-preez, meh brah-voh, pah-pah, ah(n) frah(n)-seh, ah(n) PLEWSI didn't get it. But well done, Dad. In French, too. About a joke, in spoken French.
Bravo, papa.brah-voh, pah-PAHWell done, Dad.
Mamie l'a comprise. Elle a ri.mah-mee lah koh(n)-preez, ehl ah REEMamie got it. She laughed. About a joke.
Elle a ri.ehl ah REEShe laughed.