French · Intermediate (B1) · Chapter 3 of 12
News and current events
L'actualité
Understand simple local news, use the passive (a été inauguré, sera fermé) and report what someone said with il a dit que.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Understand and talk about simple news stories
- Use the passive to say what was done
- Report what someone said
Listen
At breakfast in Caen, Martine reads the local news on her tablet and tells her husband Alain about it. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Alain
Tu as vu les infos ce matin ?
Have you seen the news this morning?
Martine
Oui. Regarde : la nouvelle ligne de tram a été inaugurée hier par le maire.
Yes. Look: the new tram line was opened yesterday by the mayor.
Alain
Ah, c'est bien. Les travaux ont duré trois ans.
Oh, good. The works went on for three years.
Martine
Le maire a dit que c'était un grand jour pour la ville.
The mayor said it was a great day for the city.
Alain
Et il y a autre chose ?
Is there anything else?
Martine
Oui. Le tableau qui a été volé au musée en mars a été retrouvé.
Yes. The painting that was stolen from the museum in March has been found.
Alain
Ah bon ? Où ça ?
Really? Where?
Martine
Chez un homme, à Rouen. Il a été arrêté lundi. Selon le journal, il a dit qu'il l'avait acheté sur Internet.
At a man's home in Rouen. He was arrested on Monday. According to the paper, he said he had bought it on the internet.
Alain
Tu crois que c'est vrai ?
Do you think it's true?
Martine
Je ne sais pas. Mais le musée a annoncé que le tableau allait bientôt rentrer à Caen.
I don't know. But the museum has announced that the painting will soon be back in Caen.
Alain
Tant mieux. Et la météo ?
Good. And the weather forecast?
Martine
Il pleuvra tout le week-end. Et la route de la plage sera fermée samedi pour des travaux.
It'll rain all weekend. And the beach road will be closed on Saturday for roadworks.
Understand
The passive: it was opened
In a passive sentence, the subject doesn't do the action: something is done to it. (the mayor opened the line) becomes (the line was opened by the mayor). The person who does the action comes after (by), or is left out.
To form the passive, use in the tense you need + the past participle. The participle agrees with the subject, like an adjective: , . The passive is common in the news. In conversation, French often prefers :
| Tense of | Passive | English |
|---|---|---|
| present | The road is closed. | |
| passé composé | The painting has been found. | |
| futur simple | The road will be closed on Saturday. | |
| imparfait | The museum was closed. |
- L'homme a été arrêté par la police.The man was arrested by the police.
- On a retrouvé le tableau.The painting has been found.
Reporting what someone said
To report what someone says, use , (to explain that) or (to announce that). When the reporting verb is in the present, keep the tense: Pronouns change as in English: becomes or .
When the reporting verb is in the past (), the tenses move one step back, as in English: the present becomes the imparfait, the passé composé becomes the plus-que-parfait, and + infinitive becomes + infinitive.
For a yes/no question, use (if, whether): (He's asking if the museum is open).
| What was said | Reported with a verb in the past |
|---|---|
- Elle dit qu'elle arrive.She says she's coming.
- Je ne sais pas si c'est vrai.I don't know if it's true.
More in the grammar: Reported speech: il a dit que… · The passive: être + past participle · The plus-que-parfait: had done
New words
- les infosthe news · short for
- la ligne de tramtram line
- inaugurerto open officially
- le mairemayor
- les travauxbuilding work, roadworks
- durerto last, to go on
- le tableaupainting
- volerto steal · also “to fly”
- retrouverto find (something lost)
- arrêterto arrest; to stop
- selonaccording to
- le journalnewspaper
- annoncerto announce ·
- tant mieuxgood, so much the better · the opposite is : never mind, too bad
Practise
1.“The painting has been found.” Which sentence is correct?
2.Complete with the passive in the passé composé of .
The line was opened by the mayor.
3.He said: Report it.
He said he was free.
4.He said: How do you report it?
5.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.The road will be closed on Saturday.
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
Tu as vu les infos ce matin ?
Have you seen the news this morning?
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.