French · Upper intermediate (B2) · Chapter 1 of 12
Discussing and debating
Discuter et débattre
Defend a point of view, admit a point with bien que and même si, contrast ideas with pourtant and en revanche, and take the floor politely.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Defend your point of view and admit a good argument
- Use bien que + subjunctive and même si + indicative
- Use the past subjunctive: bien qu'on ait essayé
- Interrupt politely and keep the floor
Listen
At a family dinner in Angers, Solène and her brother Guillaume disagree about whether her son Noé, who is eleven, should have a mobile phone. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Guillaume
Alors, Noé a eu son portable pour ses onze ans ?
So, did Noé get his mobile for his eleventh birthday?
Solène
Non. Bien que tous ses copains en aient un, je trouve qu'il est encore trop jeune.
No. Although all his friends have one, I think he's still too young.
Guillaume
Je te comprends. Pourtant, s'il est le seul à ne pas en avoir, il risque de se sentir exclu.
I understand. And yet if he's the only one without one, he may feel left out.
Solène
Peut-être, mais les écrans, c'est mauvais pour le sommeil. Tous les médecins le disent.
Maybe, but screens are bad for sleep. All the doctors say so.
Guillaume
Attends, je peux dire quelque chose ? Je ne parle pas d'un smartphone. Je parle d'un simple téléphone, sans Internet.
Hang on, can I say something? I'm not talking about a smartphone. I mean a basic phone, without internet.
Solène
Laisse-moi finir. Bien qu'on ait fixé des règles pour la tablette, il la cachait sous son oreiller pour jouer la nuit.
Let me finish. Although we set rules for the tablet, he used to hide it under his pillow to play at night.
Guillaume
D'accord, sur ce point, tu as raison. En revanche, un téléphone sans Internet, ce n'est pas la même chose : il pourrait seulement appeler et envoyer des messages.
OK, you're right on that point. On the other hand, a phone without internet isn't the same thing: he could only make calls and send texts.
Solène
C'est vrai que maintenant, il rentre seul du collège. Même s'il n'y a que dix minutes à pied, je m'inquiète.
It's true that he walks home from school on his own now. Even though it's only ten minutes on foot, I worry.
Guillaume
Tu vois ? Avec un téléphone, il pourrait t'appeler en arrivant. Ce serait plus simple pour tout le monde.
You see? With a phone, he could call you when he gets home. It would be easier for everyone.
Solène
Hum… Bien que je ne sois pas tout à fait convaincue, je vais en parler avec son père.
Hmm. Although I'm not entirely convinced, I'll talk about it with his dad.
Guillaume
Voilà ! Finalement, on n'est pas si loin l'un de l'autre.
There you go! In the end, we're not so far apart.
Solène
Facile à dire ! Ce n'est pas toi qui devras dire non quand il voudra un smartphone.
That's easy for you to say! You won't be the one who has to say no when he wants a smartphone.
Understand
Although: bien que or même si?
To concede a point (to admit that something is true before you give your own view), use (although) + subjunctive: means the same and is a little more formal.
(even if, even though) also concedes, but it is followed by the indicative, like : Never use the subjunctive after . Before a noun, use (despite, in spite of).
| Word | Followed by | Example |
|---|---|---|
| subjunctive | ||
| subjunctive | ||
| indicative | ||
| a noun |
The past subjunctive: qu'il ait fait
When the action after happened before the main verb, use the (past subjunctive): or in the present subjunctive + the past participle. (Although we had set rules, he hid the tablet).
The same verbs take as in the passé composé, with the same agreement: . Compare (that you're coming) with (that you came).
| Subject | (with ) | (with ) |
|---|---|---|
| (j') | que je sois parti(e) | |
| que tu sois parti(e) | ||
| / / | ||
| que nous soyons parti(e)s | ||
| que vous soyez parti(e)(s) | ||
| / |
Taking part in a debate
To contrast two ideas, use (and yet), (however, a little more formal) and (on the other hand). often shows that a result is surprising:
In a lively discussion, these phrases help you get a word in, keep the floor or give way politely. With , say and .
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Can I say something? | |
| … | Sorry to interrupt, but… |
| Let me finish. | |
| You're right on that point. | |
| I don't entirely agree. | |
| … | To sum up… |
More in the grammar: Bien que, à condition que, à moins que: conjunctions and the subjunctive · The past subjunctive: que j'aie fait, qu'il soit parti
New words
- le portablemobile phone · short for
- le copain / la copinefriend, mate (informal) · also boyfriend / girlfriend:
- bien quealthough · + subjunctive:
- pourtantand yet, however
- risquer deto be likely to, may (something bad) · : he may feel left out
- exclu / exclueleft out, excluded
- le sommeilsleep · : to sleep
- laisse-moi finirlet me finish · with
- l'oreillerpillow · masculine
- en revancheon the other hand
- le collègesecondary school (ages 11 to 15) · not a university college
- même sieven if, even though · + indicative:
- convaincu / convaincueconvinced
- facile à direeasy to say, easy for you to say · : easy; : difficult
Practise
1.“Although it's late, I'm calling you.” Which sentence is correct?
2.Complete with the past subjunctive of .
Although we had set rules, he used to hide the tablet.
3.Complete with or .
Even though it's far, I walk there.
4.Your brother is talking, and you want to add an idea. What do you say?
5.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.And yet screens are bad for sleep.
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
Excuse-moi de t'interrompre, mais je ne suis pas tout à fait d'accord.
Sorry to interrupt, but I don't entirely agree.
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.