Housing and accommodation
Logement et hébergement
- Learn the different types of accommodations.
- Contact a landlord or agency to rent a house.
- The present progressive: "Être en train de"
Learn essential French for discussing housing and accommodation, focusing on the present progressive with phrases like "Je suis en train de louer" (I am renting) and vocabulary such as "appartement," "propriétaire," and "contrat." This lesson guides you through practical expressions to describe finding and renting homes.
Listening & reading materials
Practice vocabulary in context with real materials.
Vocabulary (12) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Reorder sentences
Instruction: Make correct sentences and translate.
Exercise 2: Match a word
Instruction: Match the translations
Exercise 3: Cluster the words
Instruction: Sort the following words into two categories: different types of housing and people or actions related to renting.
Types de logements
Personnes et actions liées à la location
Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
La tour
The tower
2
Louer
To rent
3
Partager un logement
Sharing accommodation
4
Signer
To sign
5
Aller
To go
Exercice 5: Conversation exercise
Instruction:
- Talk to the real estate agent. What kind of accomodation do you want to rent? (Talk to the real estate agent. What kind of accomodation do you want to rent? )
- Name and describe the types of accomodations in the pictures. Think about the prices. (Name and describe the types of accomodations in the pictures. Think about the prices. )
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
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Puis-je louer la villa pour le week-end ? Elle est très grande avec une belle piscine. Can I rent the villa for the weekend? It is very big with a nice pool. |
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Je veux louer une chambre dans cet hôtel pour deux mois. I want to rent a room in this hotel for two months. |
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Je pense que le loyer est trop cher. I think the rent is too expensive. |
|
Je préfère louer une chambre partagée parce que c'est moins cher. I prefer to rent a shared room because it is cheaper. |
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J'aime vivre avec plus de gens. Donc je veux partager un appartement mais je veux une chambre individuelle. I like to live with more people. So I want to share an appartment but I want a single room. |
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Je cherche une maison à louer avec mon partenaire. I am looking for a house to rent together with my partner. |
| ... |
Exercise 6: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 7: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Je suis en train de ______ le contrat de location avec le propriétaire.
(I am ______ the rental contract with the owner.)2. Tu es en train de ______ l'appartement dans ce quartier.
(You are ______ the apartment in this neighborhood.)3. Il est en train de ______ une villa près du lotissement.
(He is ______ a villa near the housing estate.)4. Nous sommes en train de ______ avec le locataire au sujet du logement.
(We are ______ with the tenant about the housing.)Exercise 8: Signing the Rental Contract
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Louer - Rent
Présent
- je loue
- tu loues
- il/elle/on loue
- nous louons
- vous louez
- ils/elles louent
Signer - Sign
Présent
- je signe
- tu signes
- il/elle/on signe
- nous signons
- vous signez
- ils/elles signent
Être - To be
Présent
- je suis
- tu es
- il/elle/on est
- nous sommes
- vous êtes
- ils/elles sont
Exercise 9: Le présent progressif: "Être en train de"
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: The present progressive: "Être en train de"
Show translation Show answersêtes en train de, suis en train de, sommes en train de, sont en train d', es en train de, est en train de
Grammar Share Copied!
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A1.35.2 Grammaire
Le présent progressif: "Être en train de"
The present progressive: "Être en train de"
Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Signer to sign Share Copied!
present
| French | English |
|---|---|
| (je/j') je signe | I sign |
| tu signes | you sign |
| il/elle/on signe | he/she/one signs |
| nous signons | we sign |
| vous signez | You sign |
| ils/elles signent | They sign |
Louer to rent Share Copied!
present
| French | English |
|---|---|
| (je/j') je loue | I rent |
| tu loues | you rent |
| il/elle/on loue | He/she/one rents |
| nous louons | We rent |
| vous louez | You rent |
| ils/elles louent | They rent |
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Lesson Overview: Housing and Accommodation
This lesson focuses on vocabulary and expressions related to housing and accommodation in French, ideal for beginner (A1) learners. It covers essential words for types of housing, key people involved in renting, and practical verbs used in everyday conversations about searching for, renting, and visiting apartments or villas.
Main Vocabulary Categories
- Types of Housing: l'immeuble (apartment building), la tour (tower), la villa (villa), le logement (housing), le lotissement (housing development)
- People and Actions Related to Renting: le locataire (tenant), le propriétaire (owner), louer (to rent), signer (to sign)
Key Grammar Point: Present Progressive Tense with "Être en train de"
This lesson introduces the French present progressive form, which expresses an action currently in progress. This is formed by combining the verb être in the present tense + "en train de" + the infinitive verb. Examples include:
- Je suis en train de chercher un logement dans ce quartier. (I am looking for accommodation in this neighborhood.)
- Le propriétaire est en train de signer le contrat de location. (The owner is signing the rental contract.)
- Ils sont en train de partager un logement pour réduire les coûts. (They are sharing housing to reduce costs.)
Practical Dialogues
The lesson also provides practical dialogue simulations to help practice common interactions such as:
- Inquiring about available apartments
- Contacting the owner for details
- Arranging a visit to the property
Verb Conjugation Practice
It includes exercises to reinforce present tense conjugations of common verbs relevant to housing, such as louer (to rent), signer (to sign), and the auxiliary verb être (to be).
Cultural and Language Notes
Unlike English, French uses the construction "être en train de + infinitive" to express ongoing actions, roughly equivalent to the English present continuous tense "to be + -ing". For example, English speakers would say "I am renting an apartment," while in French, it is "Je suis en train de louer un appartement." This explicit construction emphasizes the action is happening right now.
Regarding housing terms, some French words specify building types (e.g., l'immeuble is a multi-story apartment building, while la villa refers to a detached house, often upscale). These distinctions may differ slightly from English usage, so it's helpful to know both the French terms and their English equivalents.
Useful Phrases
- Je suis en train de chercher un appartement. — I am looking for an apartment.
- Le propriétaire est en train de signer le contrat. — The owner is signing the contract.
- Est-ce que vous êtes en train d’aller à l’agence immobilière ? — Are you on your way to the real estate agency?
- Ils sont en train de partager un logement. — They are sharing a place.
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