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🇫🇷 French · Fluency Level 2

PART 2 · LESSON 16 OF 30 · 30 MINUTES

The Interview Begins

Walk into a citizenship interview, answer the first question, why France, with a story rather than a slogan, and hear the examiner warm up.

Audio instruction: English

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THE STORY

A small office on the second floor of the prefecture, a window on a car park, and a question Emma has rehearsed for three months.

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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.
Asseyez-vous, Madame Carter. Nous allons commencer. Racontez-moi pourquoi la France.ah-say-yay voo, mah-dahm kar-tehr, noo zah-loh(n) koh-mah(n)-say, rah-koh(n)-tay mwah poor-kwah lah FRAH(N)SSit down, Madame Carter. We're going to begin. Tell me why France.
Je suis arrivée il y a sept ans, avec une valise. Je ne parlais pas un mot.zhuh swee zah-ree-vay eel ee ah seh tah(n), ah-vehk ewn vah-leez, zhuh nuh par-leh pah a(n) MOHI arrived seven years ago, with a suitcase. I didn't speak a word. A woman speaking.
Et vous êtes restée.ay voo zeht rehs-TAYAnd you stayed. To a woman, politely.
Je suis restée pour un garçon qui portait un gâteau. Puis pour une école. Puis pour un village.zhuh swee rehs-tay poor a(n) gar-soh(n) kee por-teh a(n) gah-toh, pwee poor ewn ay-kol, pwee poor a(n) vee-LAHZHI stayed for a boy who was carrying a cake. Then for a school. Then for a village. A woman speaking.
Ce n'est pas la réponse habituelle.suh neh pah lah ray-poh(n)s ah-bee-tew-EHLThat's not the usual answer.
Ce n'est pas la France que j'ai choisie, au début. C'est un village. Et puis la France est venue avec.suh neh pah lah frah(n)s kuh zhay shwah-zee, oh day-bew, seh ta(n) vee-lahzh, ay pwee lah frah(n)s eh vuh-new ah-VEHKIt's not France I chose, at first. It's a village. And then France came with it.
« La France est venue avec. » Je note.lah frah(n)s eh vuh-new ah-vehk, zhuh NOT"France came with it." I'm writing that down.
Ce n'est pas la France que j'ai choisie, au début.suh neh pah lah frah(n)s kuh zhay shwah-zee, oh day-BEWIt's not France I chose, at first.
C'est la vérité, madame.seh lah vay-ree-tay, mah-DAHMIt's the truth, madam.