French · Upper intermediate (B2) · Chapter 12 of 12
Final review
Révision générale
Follow a long, natural conversation that uses the whole range of B2 French, and learn n'importe qui, n'importe quoi and quoi que.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Follow a long, natural conversation between friends
- Combine hypotheses, reported speech and the subjunctive
- Say “anyone”, “anything” and “any” with n'importe
- Say “whatever” with quoi que + subjunctive
Listen
During the summer festival in Bayonne, Yasmine runs into her old school friend Arnaud, who has a big decision to make. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Yasmine
Arnaud ! Ça fait une éternité ! Tu es revenu pour les fêtes ?
Arnaud! It's been ages! Are you back for the festival?
Arnaud
Oui, et pour autre chose. Mes parents m'ont annoncé qu'ils prendraient leur retraite l'année prochaine, et ils m'ont demandé si je voulais reprendre la boulangerie.
Yes, and for something else. My parents told me they would retire next year, and they asked me whether I wanted to take over the bakery.
Yasmine
Sans blague ! Et toi, l'ingénieur, tu en as envie ?
You're kidding! And you, the engineer, do you want to?
Arnaud
C'est ça, le problème. Bien que j'aie un bon poste à Paris, j'en ai assez du métro et des réunions. En même temps, je n'ai jamais fait de pain de ma vie !
That's the problem. Although I've got a good job in Paris, I've had enough of the metro and meetings. At the same time, I've never made bread in my life!
Yasmine
Tu sais, si tu m'avais posé la question il y a cinq ans, je t'aurais dit que tu étais fou. Mais aujourd'hui, je te dirais : fonce !
You know, if you'd asked me five years ago, I'd have told you that you were mad. But today I'd tell you: go for it!
Arnaud
Facile à dire… Si je me plante, je perds tout.
Easy for you to say… If it goes wrong, I lose everything.
Yasmine
Pas forcément. Tu pourrais te faire former par ton père pendant un an, à condition qu'il accepte de rester un peu plus longtemps.
Not necessarily. You could get your father to train you for a year, as long as he agrees to stay on a bit longer.
Arnaud
En fait, il me l'a déjà proposé. Il a dit qu'il m'aurait tout appris avant de partir.
Actually, he's already offered. He said he would have taught me everything before he left.
Yasmine
Tu vois ! Et puis, ce n'est pas n'importe quelle boulangerie : c'est là qu'on achetait nos croissants en sortant du lycée.
You see! And anyway, it isn't just any bakery: it's where we used to buy our croissants on the way out of school.
Arnaud
C'est vrai… Mais ma compagne, elle, adore Paris. Je ne voudrais pas qu'elle ait l'impression que j'ai décidé tout seul.
That's true… But my partner loves Paris. I wouldn't want her to feel that I've decided on my own.
Yasmine
Alors parlez-en ensemble, franchement. Quoi que tu décides, je suis sûre que ce sera le bon choix.
Then talk about it together, openly. Whatever you decide, I'm sure it'll be the right choice.
Arnaud
Merci, Yasmine. Allez, je t'offre un verre. Et si je reprends la boulangerie, tu auras des croissants gratuits à vie !
Thanks, Yasmine. Come on, I'll buy you a drink. And if I take over the bakery, you'll get free croissants for life!
Understand
N'importe qui, n'importe quoi, quoi que
+ a question word means “any… at all”. means “it isn't just any bakery”. agrees with its noun, like .
+ subjunctive means “whatever”: Don't confuse it with (although), written as one word.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| anyone (at all) | |
| anything; nonsense | |
| anywhere | |
| any time | |
| any old how, carelessly | |
| / + noun | any + noun |
Review: the subjunctive at B2
These are the main new uses of the subjunctive at B2. For a finished action, use the subjonctif passé: , .
| Use | Example |
|---|---|
| conceding | |
| a condition | … |
| after a superlative | |
| concern | |
| a wish about someone else | … |
| whatever | , … |
Review: hypotheses, reported speech and se faire
The conversation also brings back the clauses, reported speech with its tense changes, and + infinitive.
| Form | Example |
|---|---|
| + plus-que-parfait, conditionnel passé | |
| + present, present | |
| futur → conditional | |
| futur antérieur → conditionnel passé | |
| question → | |
| + infinitive |
More in the grammar: Reported speech: il a dit que… · The conditional: je voudrais, si j'avais… · The passive: être + past participle · Bien que, à condition que, à moins que: conjunctions and the subjunctive · The futur antérieur: will have done · The past subjunctive: que j'aie fait, qu'il soit parti
New words
- ça fait une éternitéit's been ages · : an eternity
- les fêtesfestival, celebrations · : the Bayonne summer festival
- prendre sa retraiteto retire · : retirement
- l'ingénieur / l'ingénieureengineer
- en même tempsat the same time; then again
- foncerto go for it; to rush · : go for it! (informal)
- se planterto fail, to get it wrong (familiar)
- pas forcémentnot necessarily
- formerto train (someone) · : to get trained
- n'importe quel / quelleany · : not just any bakery
- le compagnon / la compagnepartner (in a couple)
- quoi quewhatever · + subjunctive:
- offrir un verreto buy someone a drink · : to offer, to give (a present); like
- à viefor life
Practise
1.“Whatever you decide, …” Which is correct?
2.Complete with .
If you'd asked me, I'd have told you that you were mad.
3.Complete: “It isn't just any bakery.”
It isn't just any bakery.
4.His father said: How does Arnaud report it?
5.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.You could get your father to train you.
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
Ça fait une éternité !
It's been ages!
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.