B1IntermediateSpoken Quebec French · Point 39 / 40
Ben, Là, Faque, Pis, Genre
These words carry almost no meaning; they give speech its rhythm.
| Word | Comes from | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Ben | bien | well, so (opens an answer) |
| Là | là | filler word at the end of a sentence, has no translation |
| Faque | ça fait que | so, therefore |
| Pis | puis | and, and then |
| Genre | genre | for example, roughly |
Understand them, but never write them in an email, a form or schoolwork.
In context
Examples from our dialogues
Lines taken from our dialogues. Listen to them, then open the full dialogue to hear them in a real situation.
- Listen
Ben voyons, entre voisins ! Ça fait quoi, trois ans qu'on partage le même palier ?
Come on, between neighbours! What's it been, three years sharing the same floor?
Check The Full DialogueChatting with a neighbourJaser avec un voisin
C1 - Listen
Pas trop tôt. Bonne journée, là, et restez au chaud !
Not a moment too soon. Have a good day, and stay warm!
Check The Full DialogueWaiting for the bus in winter with a strangerAttendre l'autobus en hiver avec un inconnu
A2 - Listen
C'est offert par l'arrondissement, je pense. On peut se tutoyer, là — on est à la fête. Moi, c'est Sylvain.
It's offered by the borough, I think. We can use « tu » here — we're at a party. I'm Sylvain.
- Listen
Ah oui, ça donne de la profondeur. Pas besoin d'un grand cru, là.
Oh yes, it adds depth. No need for a fine vintage there.
Check The Full DialogueDoing the grocery shoppingFaire son épicerie
B1 Il neigeait, faque je suis resté chez nous.
It was snowing, so I stayed home.
Pis toi, tu fais quoi, genre, la fin de semaine ?
And you, what do you do, like, on weekends?
Watch out
Common mistakes
Mistakes you will often hear, and the right way to say it.
Faque je vous envoie le document demain.Donc, je vous envoie le document demain.
In an email, “faque” looks very sloppy. Write “donc” or “alors”. Same for “pis” → “et”, “ben” → “eh bien”.
« Bonne journée, là ! » — Là ? Où ça ?« Bonne journée, là ! » — Merci, vous aussi !
This sentence-final “là” does not point to a place. It has no translation; just answer the sentence as if it were not there.
Read
Related readings
Short texts where this point comes up. Read them to see it inside a story.
In real life
Guides where this comes up
Spot this point while reading a guide about a real task in Quebec.