Essential Phrases for Airport Check-in｜French Conversation Expressions
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How to Talk About Weekend Plans｜French Conversation Patterns
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In conversations with friends or colleagues, asking “What do you usually do on weekends?” is a very common topic in French. By sharing your hobbies, routines, or ways of relaxing, you can build closer connections with others.
In this lesson, we will learn expressions and grammar to talk about weekend plans and everyday leisure activities in French.
Contents
Dialogue
Qu’est-ce que tu fais le week-end en général ?
（What do you usually do on weekends?）
Le samedi, je fais un peu de ménage et je vais faire les courses.
（On Saturdays, I do a bit of cleaning and go shopping.）
Et le dimanche ?
（And on Sundays?）
Le dimanche, je me repose et je fais une balade au parc.
（On Sundays, I relax and take a walk in the park.）
C’est bien de prendre du temps pour soi.
（It’s important to take time for yourself.）
Et toi, tu fais quoi le week-end ?
（And you, what do you do on weekends?）
Je regarde souvent des films ou je lis un roman.
（I often watch movies or read a novel.）
Grammar and Expression Points
1. The Question Form “Qu’est-ce que … ?”
French offers several ways to form questions, but “Qu’est-ce que … ?” is one of the most common and easy to use.
Qu’ is the contracted form of que (what). est-ce que is a fixed phrase that turns a statement into a question.
Structure: Qu’ + est-ce que + subject + verb … ?
The word order remains the same as in a regular statement, which makes it straightforward to use.
2. The Expression “faire + noun”
The verb faire (to do, to make) is widely used to describe everyday activities, just like “to do” in English.
Examples:
- faire le ménage (to do the cleaning)
- faire la cuisine (to cook)
- faire la vaisselle (to do the dishes)
- faire les courses (to go shopping for groceries, daily items)
- faire du sport (to do sports)
3. Saying “a little”: un peu de
By adding “un peu de”, you can express doing something “a little” or “a bit.”
- Je fais un peu de ménage. (I do a bit of cleaning.)
This gives a softer, more polite impression and is frequently used in French conversation.
4. A Casual Walk or Outing: faire une balade
The phrase “faire une balade” means “to go for a walk” or “to go out casually.” For a slightly more formal tone, you can say “faire une promenade.”
- faire une balade au parc (to take a walk in the park)
- faire une balade en ville (to stroll around town)
5. Infinitive Construction: C’est bien de + verb phrase
The structure “C’est bien de …” is a fixed phrase that means “It’s good to … / It’s important to ….” Grammatically, the infinitive phrase (de + verb) functions as the subject of the sentence.
Example from the dialogue:
- C’est bien de prendre du temps pour soi.
(It’s good to take time for yourself.)
Note: soi is an impersonal reflexive pronoun meaning “oneself.” For specific subjects, it changes (moi, toi, lui, elle, etc.).
Related expressions:
- C’est important de se reposer.
(It’s important to rest.) - C’est difficile de se lever tôt.
(It’s hard to get up early.)
Summary
- Qu’est-ce que tu fais le week-end en général ?
→ A natural way to ask “What do you usually do on weekends?” Adding en général softens the tone. - Je fais le ménage / les courses
→ Everyday expressions for chores using faire. - Je me repose / je fais une balade
→ Phrases for relaxing and going for a walk. - prendre du temps pour soi
→ “to take time for oneself.” - Using adverbs like souvent (often) or parfois (sometimes) makes descriptions of frequency sound natural.
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