French · Intermediate (B1) · Chapter 9 of 12
Health and lifestyle
Santé et mode de vie
Talk about eating, sleeping and exercise habits, give advice with il faut que and il vaut mieux que, and use the gérondif (en marchant).
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Talk about your eating, sleep and exercise habits
- Give advice with il faut que, il est important que, il vaut mieux que
- Use the main irregular subjunctive forms
- Say “while” or “by doing” with the gérondif
Listen
In Besançon, Hervé Mercier sees a dietitian, Laurence Blanc, because his doctor told him to change his habits. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Laurence
Bonjour, monsieur Mercier. Votre médecin vous a envoyé chez moi, c'est ça ?
Hello, Mr Mercier. Your doctor sent you to me, is that right?
Hervé
Oui. J'ai de l'hypertension, et je me sens souvent fatigué.
Yes. I have high blood pressure, and I often feel tired.
Laurence
Parlez-moi de vos habitudes. Qu'est-ce que vous mangez dans une journée normale ?
Tell me about your habits. What do you eat on a normal day?
Hervé
Le matin, je bois seulement un café. À midi, je mange un sandwich en travaillant, et le soir, je grignote devant la télé.
In the morning I just have a coffee. At lunchtime I eat a sandwich while I work, and in the evening I snack in front of the TV.
Laurence
Je vois. D'abord, il faut que vous preniez un vrai petit-déjeuner. Il ne faut pas sauter de repas.
I see. First, you need to have a proper breakfast. You mustn't skip meals.
Hervé
Mais le matin, je n'ai pas le temps.
But in the morning I don't have time.
Laurence
Un yaourt et un fruit, ça prend cinq minutes. Et il est important que vous mangiez plus de légumes et moins de sel.
A yoghurt and a piece of fruit take five minutes. And it's important that you eat more vegetables and less salt.
Hervé
D'accord. Et le sport ? Je n'aime pas beaucoup courir.
OK. And exercise? I don't really like running.
Laurence
Ce n'est pas un problème. Il vaut mieux que vous marchiez trente minutes par jour. Vous pouvez le faire en allant au travail.
That's not a problem. It's better for you to walk thirty minutes a day. You can do it on your way to work.
Hervé
J'habite à deux kilomètres du bureau. Je peux y aller à pied, c'est vrai.
I live two kilometres from the office. I can walk there, it's true.
Laurence
Voilà. Et il faut que vous dormiez au moins sept heures. En dormant mieux, vous aurez moins envie de grignoter.
There you go. And you need to sleep at least seven hours. If you sleep better, you'll feel less like snacking.
Hervé
Bon, je vais essayer. On se revoit dans un mois ?
Well, I'll try. Shall we meet again in a month?
Understand
Advice with il faut que + subjunctive
+ infinitive gives general advice. To say what a particular person must do, use + subjunctive: Other phrases work the same way: (it's important that) and (it's better that).
Several common verbs have an irregular subjunctive, and you need them often. , and also change their stem for and .
| Infinitive | (j') | |
|---|---|---|
- Il est important que vous fassiez du sport.It's important that you do some exercise.
- Il vaut mieux que tu ailles chez le médecin.You'd better go to the doctor's.
The gérondif: while doing, by doing
The is + a verb form ending in -ant. It says that two things happen at the same time (while…): (I eat while I work). It can also say how something happens or on what condition (by…, if…): Both actions must have the same subject.
To form it, take the form of the present, remove -ons and add -ant: → , → , → . Only three verbs are irregular: → , → , → .
- Je lis le journal en prenant mon café.I read the paper while I have my coffee.
- Elle a appris le français en regardant des films.She learnt French by watching films.
- Vous pouvez marcher en allant au travail.You can walk on your way to work.
More in the grammar: The subjunctive: que je sois, que tu fasses · The present participle and the gérondif: ayant, en faisant
New words
- l'hypertensionhigh blood pressure · feminine; : blood pressure
- se sentirto feel · : I feel tired
- fatigué / fatiguéetired
- les habitudeshabits · feminine
- à midiat lunchtime, at noon
- grignoterto snack, to nibble
- sauter un repasto skip a meal · : meal
- les légumesvegetables · masculine
- le selsalt
- courirto run ·
- il vaut mieux queit's better that · + subjunctive
- marcherto walk · also “to work” for a machine
- au moinsat least
- avoir envie deto feel like, to want
Practise
1.“You need to have a proper breakfast.” Which sentence is correct?
2.Complete with the subjunctive of .
It's important that you do some exercise.
3.Complete with the gérondif of .
I eat a sandwich while I work.
4.What does mean in the dialogue?
5.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.It's better for you to walk.
6.Match the French with the English.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
Je me sens souvent fatigué.
I often feel tired.
Listen, then say it out loud, as close to the recording as you can.
Check
Five questions on this chapter. Then mark it as finished to add its words to your review deck.
0 of 5 answered.