B1IntermediateSpoken Quebec French · Point 39 / 40
Ben, Là, Faque, Pis, Genre
These words carry almost no meaning; they give speech its rhythm.
| Word | Pattern | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Ben | — | well, so (opens an answer) |
| Là | — | filler word at the end of a sentence, has no translation |
| Faque | — | so, therefore |
| Pis | — | and, and then |
| Genre | — | for example, roughly |
Understand them, but never write them in an email, a form or schoolwork.
Examples from our dialogues 6 · 4 with audio
- 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 neighbour
- 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 stranger
- 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.
Check The Full DialogueIntroducing yourself to strangers at a block party
- 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 shopping
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?
Common mistakes
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.
Practise speaking
Les interactions socialesSocial interactions
Greeting, getting acquainted, chatting with a neighbour — the French of everyday exchanges.
These dialogues use this point. They open on the dialogue page (audio, vocabulary to save).