In this workshop you practise saying French nouns in the singular and the plural, and you use them in a short shop conversation. You will hear each model line, repeat it, and then choose or produce the right reply. The recordings give you the exact phrases to copy, so listen first, then speak.
Singular and plural nouns
French regularly marks noun plurals with a written -s. In these recordings, livre and livres sound alike, as do table and tables: the final -s is silent. Listen to the article for the audible number cue: un livre and une table are singular; les livres and des tables are plural. Repeat each whole phrase after the recording. Say the article clearly rather than adding an s sound to the noun.
Asking about books in a shop
Now use the nouns in a short exchange. A customer speaks first, then a staff member replies. Listen to «Bonjour, je cherche un livre de cuisine.» and «Nous avons des livres de cuisine ici.». The customer is looking for a cookbook, and the staff member says they have some cookbooks. Then listen to «Est-ce que les livres sont en français ?» and «Oui, les livres sont en français.». The customer asks whether the books are in French, and the staff member confirms that they are. Repeat each line and copy the rhythm. The customer asks the questions, and the staff member gives the answers.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
un livre
a book
uh(n) LEEVR
une table
a table
ewn TAHBL
les livres
the books
lay LEEVR
des tables
some tables
day TAHBL
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
Bonjour, je cherche un livre de cuisine.
Hello, I'm looking for a cookbook.Nous avons des livres de cuisine ici.
We have some cookbooks here.Est-ce que les livres sont en français ?
Are the books in French?Oui, les livres sont en français.
Yes, the books are in French.Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided shop exchange
You are the customer in a bookshop. The staff member has already replied that they have some cookbooks. Use the recordings to guide your lines.
Your task: Say the customer's first line from «Bonjour, je cherche un livre de cuisine.». Then, after the staff reply, say the customer's question from «Est-ce que les livres sont en français ?». Repeat the whole exchange twice, once as the customer and once as the staff member.
Choose the correct reply
The customer asks whether the books are in French. You are the staff member and need to choose the right reply from the recordings.
Your task: Listen again to «Est-ce que les livres sont en français ?». Then choose the staff reply that matches it: either «Nous avons des livres de cuisine ici.» or «Oui, les livres sont en français.». Say your chosen line aloud.
Recall the exchange with correct roles
Cover the text. You will rebuild the shop conversation from memory, keeping the customer and staff roles in order.
Your task: Say the customer's request from «Bonjour, je cherche un livre de cuisine.», then the staff reply from «Nous avons des livres de cuisine ici.». Then say the customer's question from «Est-ce que les livres sont en français ?», then the staff reply from «Oui, les livres sont en français.». Do this once as the customer and once as the staff member.
Common questions
Do I need to change the word order when I swap roles?
No. Swapping roles changes who says each line, but the order stays the same: the customer's request comes first, then the staff reply, then the customer's question, then the staff reply. Use «Bonjour, je cherche un livre de cuisine.», «Nous avons des livres de cuisine ici.», «Est-ce que les livres sont en français ?» and «Oui, les livres sont en français.» in that order.
How do I know if a noun is singular or plural in the recordings?
Listen to the article in the whole phrase: un livre and une table are singular; les livres and des tables are plural. The nouns livre/livres and table/tables sound alike because the written plural -s is silent. The changed article supplies the audible number cue in these examples.
Sources and further reading
- french: plural nouns basicsChecked September 2026
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