Organizing a retirement party

Situation

Your colleague is retiring after thirty years. You organize the farewell party with the team.

The roles

AYouBThe colleague

You
Listen
Alors, pour la retraite de Marie, on organise quoi ?
So, for Marie's retirement, what are we organizing?
The colleague
Listen
On a pensé à un souper au restaurant, le vendredi avant son dernier jour.
We thought of a dinner at a restaurant, on the Friday before her last day.
You
Listen
Bonne idée. Combien de personnes ?
Good idea. How many people?
The colleague
Listen
Une trentaine, avec les anciens collègues qu'on a invités.
About thirty, including the former colleagues we invited.
You
Listen
Est-ce qu'on fait un cadeau commun ?
Are we doing a group gift?
The colleague
Listen
Oui, on a recueilli deux cents dollars. On pense à un bon-cadeau pour un voyage.
Yes, we collected two hundred dollars. We're thinking of a gift card for a trip.
You
Listen
C'est une belle attention. Qui fait le discours ?
That's a nice touch. Who gives the speech?

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Simplifiez votre vie au Québec · Simplify your life in Quebec

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Organizing a retirement partyDialogue 267

The colleague
Listen
Toi, tu la connais depuis le plus longtemps. Et on prépare un album de photos.
You, you've known her the longest. And we're preparing a photo album.
You
Listen
D'accord, je prépare un discours de cinq minutes, avec quelques anecdotes.
Okay, I'll prepare a five-minute speech, with a few anecdotes.
The colleague
Listen
Parfait. Et on a réservé une salle privée au restaurant.
Perfect. And we booked a private room at the restaurant.
You
Listen
Est-ce que Marie est au courant ?
Does Marie know?
The colleague
Listen
Non, c'est une surprise ! Son conjoint la fera venir sans rien dire.
No, it's a surprise! Her partner will bring her without saying anything.
You
Listen
Parfait. On garde le secret jusqu'au bout !
Perfect. We keep the secret until the end!

Vocabulary

une retraitea retirement
un cadeau communa group gift
un bon-cadeaua gift card
un discoursa speech
une anecdotean anecdote
un album de photosa photo album

Culture note

Retirement parties are important traditions in Quebec workplaces. They often include a speech, a group gift and a meal. Retirement is celebrated as a new stage of life.

Web version

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Organizing a retirement partyWeb version ↗

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