Improve your listening comprehension for French in real life with this clip of French in real life! Dive in and fill in the blanks with what you hear. Can you catch all the phrases? Like “je nous vois”? Set your level and fill in the blanks to practice!
Learn French with a podcast snippet! This clip is is from Transfert s01ep22. We do not own the content. Listen to the entire episode here.
The above audio sample and transcription is from Transfert s01ep22. We do not own the content. Listen to the entire episode here.
I see us
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The snippet in English
Find a translation of this snippet here, how much of this did you hear?
Et je nous vois dans l’avion, euh donc papa a été décédé en août, donc c’est décembre, fin décembre et j’ai toujours parlé très ouvertement à maman. euh…
And I see us on the plane, uh so dad passed away in August, so it’s December, late December and I’ve always talked very openly to mom. uh….
The above translation from Deepl
What does “je nous vois” mean?
The phrase “je nous vois” translates to “I see us” in English. When followed by “dans” (which means “in”), it’s used to express envisioning or imagining oneself and others in a particular situation or context.
Usage and Context:
- Imagining a Future Scenario or State: This phrase is often used to describe a mental image or projection of oneself and others in a specific future situation.
- Reflective and Projective: It reflects a thoughtful or contemplative perspective, where the speaker is considering potential outcomes or possibilities for themselves and another person or group.
Examples:
- “Je nous vois dans une grande maison.” (I see us in a big house.)
- “Je nous vois réussir dans ce projet.” (I see us succeeding in this project.)
Nuance:
- Personal Projection and Hope: “Je nous vois (dans)” conveys a sense of personal projection, often intertwined with hopes, dreams, or plans for the future.
- Inclusive Perspective: The use of “nous” (us) indicates an inclusive perspective, where the speaker is considering not only themselves but also others in their vision.
Summary:
In this colloquial context, it sounds like the speaker is using “je nous vois” to recall a memory or a mental image from the past. This usage is more about recollecting a past vision or thought rather than projecting into the future. In everyday speech, especially in a reflective or narrative mode, people often bend tenses and phrases to suit the flow of their thoughts and memories.
In this instance, the phrase “I see us on an airplane…” (“Je nous vois dans l’avion…”) suggests the speaker is looking back and describing a scene from their memory, almost as if they are replaying a mental image of that moment. It’s not uncommon for people to use present tense verbs to describe past events in order to make the recollection more vivid and immediate, as if the speaker is reliving the memory while narrating it.
In summary, while “Je nous vois” typically implies present or future visualization, in colloquial, reflective speech, it can be used to vividly describe a memory or a past mental image. This usage brings immediacy and vividness to the recollection, making the past scene more relatable and impactful for the listener.
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Improve your listening comprehension for French in real life with this clip of French in real life! Dive in and fill in the blanks with what you hear. Can you catch all the phrases? Like “je nous vois”? Set your level and fill in the blanks to practice!
