A1Beginner218 words · 3 min
A birthday party at the neighbour's
Aylin and her daughter Zeynep are invited to the neighbour's son's birthday party: a nice book as a gift, a big cake, and a new friend.
The text
Aylin et sa fille Zeynep habitent dans un grand immeuble. Ce matin, la voisine, Manon, frappe à la porte avec une petite carte : c'est l'anniversaire de son fils samedi, et elle organise une petite fête. Elle leur demande si elles peuvent venir. Aylin accepte avec plaisir et demande si elles doivent apporter quelque chose. Manon répond qu'un petit cadeau serait gentil.
Le samedi, Aylin et Zeynep choisissent un beau livre avec de grandes images. Zeynep écrit une jolie carte, et elles montent au troisième étage. La porte est ouverte. Dans le grand salon, il y a des ballons rouges, une longue table et un gros gâteau au chocolat. Manon les accueille et explique que chez elle, on ne fait pas de cérémonie.
On chante, on souffle les bougies, on mange le gâteau. Zeynep joue avec une nouvelle amie, Maya, et lui demande si on fête souvent les anniversaires à la maison au Québec. Maya répond que oui, souvent. Plus tard, un petit garçon pleure parce qu'il a perdu son ballon bleu. Zeynep lui donne le sien en disant qu'on partage. Le garçon sourit.
Avant de partir, Manon leur propose de sonner aux portes ensemble pour l'Halloween le mois prochain. Sur le chemin du retour, Aylin pense qu'elles ont une nouvelle amie et un nouveau quartier. Quel bel après-midi !
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Aylin and her daughter Zeynep live in a big apartment building. This morning, the neighbour, Manon, knocks on the door with a small card: it is her son's birthday on Saturday, and she is having a little party. She asks if they can come. Aylin accepts with pleasure and asks if they should bring anything. Manon says a small gift would be nice.
On Saturday, Aylin and Zeynep choose a nice book with big pictures. Zeynep writes a pretty card, and they go up to the third floor. The door is open. In the big living room, there are red balloons, a long table and a big chocolate cake. Manon welcomes them and explains that at her place, they don't stand on ceremony.
They sing, blow out the candles and eat the cake. Zeynep plays with a new friend, Maya, and asks her whether people often celebrate birthdays at home in Quebec. Maya says yes, often. Later, a little boy cries because he lost his blue balloon. Zeynep gives him hers, saying they share. The boy smiles.
Before they leave, Manon suggests they all go door to door together for Halloween next month. On the way home, Aylin thinks they have a new friend and a new neighbourhood. What a lovely afternoon!
Underlined words are in the glossary: tap one for its definition.
Comprehension questions 4
1. Qui invite Aylin et Zeynep à la fête ?（Who invites Aylin and Zeynep to the party?）
Answer : Manon, la voisine.
2. Quel cadeau choisissent-elles ?（What gift do they choose?）
Answer : Un beau livre avec de grandes images.
3. Que fait Zeynep quand le petit garçon pleure ?（What does Zeynep do when the little boy cries?）
Answer : Elle lui donne son ballon.
4. Que propose Manon pour le mois prochain ?（What does Manon suggest for next month?）
Answer : Sonner aux portes ensemble à l'Halloween.
Grammar point in this text
- A2“On” instead of “nous”In speech, “on” almost always replaces “nous”.
- A2Adjectives: agreement and position (un petit bar, une grande salle, un document officiel)The adjective agrees with the noun: “un petit bar” but “une petite entreprise”, “un nouveau voisin” but “une nouvelle famille”, and in the plural you add “-s”…
Practise speaking
Les fêtes et célébrationsHolidays and celebrations
Christmas, birthdays, neighbourhood parties — the French of celebrations.
Dialogues on the same theme. They open on the dialogue page.
The tasks where this French will help
Put these dialogues into practice in real life.
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