Interviewer Prompts, Discourse Markers, and Spoken Nuance
Interviews follow a structured sequence. The interviewer's questions act as verbal signposts, signalling when the conversation moves on to the next examination question on your paper.
Interviewer signposts
- Pourquoi avez-vous choisi ce métier ? signals a reason, childhood ambition, or career motivation.
- Depuis combien de temps faites-vous cela ? signals an answer containing depuis or a duration.
- Qu'est-ce qui est le plus difficile au quotidien ? signals an obstacle, heavy workload, or complaint.
- Quels sont vos projets pour l'avenir ? signals future study, travel, or career plans.
- Comment vos proches ont-ils réagi ? signals opinions, encouragement, or opposition from family and friends.
Recognising whether speakers use tu or vous clarifies their relationship. Strangers, officials, and formal interviewers use vous, while family members, classmates, and friends use tu.
Discourse markers and causal links
- D'abord / Tout d'abord (first of all) introduces the initial point.
- Ensuite / Puis (next / then) introduces a following step.
- Enfin / Pour finir (finally / to finish) introduces the concluding point.
- Parce que / Car (because) introduces a direct explanation.
- grâce à (thanks to) introduces a helpful cause or positive factor: J'ai trouvé du travail grâce à mon oncle (Thanks to my uncle, I found a job).
- à cause de (because of) introduces a negative cause, hurdle, or fault: On a raté le train à cause de la grève (We missed the train because of the strike).
- Cependant / Pourtant (however / yet) signals a qualification or shift in opinion.
- En revanche / Par contre (on the other hand) introduces a contrasting disadvantage or reality.
- Donc / Par conséquent (so / therefore) introduces a decision or outcome.
- En fait (in fact / actually) introduces a clarification or true explanation.
Negation in conversational French
In rapid spoken French, native speakers almost always drop the initial ne, pronouncing only the second half of the negative (pas, plus, jamais, que, guère). If you miss that second word, you will reverse the meaning of your answer:
- Je (ne) mange plus de viande: I no longer eat meat (do not write he eats more meat). Clue: negative plus is usually pronounced without the final 's' sound ('plu'), whereas plus meaning more is often pronounced with the 's' sound ('pluss').
- Il (ne) fait que se plaindre: He does nothing but complain / He only complains (ne... que indicates restriction, meaning only).
- Ce n'est guère rassurant: It is hardly / scarcely reassuring.
- Elle (ne) prend jamais la voiture: She never takes the car.
Tone and attitude
A speaker's choice of words indicates approval, irritation, or scepticism:
- Approval and satisfaction: ravi(e) (delighted), passionnant (thrilling), détendu (relaxed), c'est impeccable (it is perfect / spotless), valoir la peine (to be worth it).
- Discontent and complaint: inadmissible (unacceptable), déçu(e) (disappointed), sale (dirty), bruyant (noisy), en panne (broken down / out of order).
- Doubt and hesitation: je ne suis pas sûr(e) (I'm not sure), peut-être (maybe), il se peut que (it is possible that), tu crois ? (do you think so?).