Real-life French · CLB 6 / TCF Canada
French conversation scenarios for Canada
50 real-life situations you'll actually face in Canada — each a bilingual French–English dialogue with key vocabulary, a grammar focus, and phrases to practise aloud.
🏠 Housing
- Calling about an apartment — Phone the landlord, get the price, book a visit (CLB 3-4)
- Requesting an apartment repair — The heater is broken — call the landlord, get it fixed (CLB 4)
- Signing the lease — Read before you sign — heating, repairs, renewal rules (CLB 5)
- Setting up electricity (Hydro-Québec) — New apartment — open an account, understand billing (CLB 4-5)
- Visiting an apartment — On site — check the place, ask sharp questions, spot problems (CLB 4-5)
- Complaining about noise — Upstairs parties at 2 a.m. — firm but fair, with a paper trail (CLB 5)
- Moving day with the movers — July 1st — direct the crew, protect the fragile, check the bill (CLB 4-5)
🏦 Banking
- Opening a bank account — New arrival, no SIN yet — what documents do you need? (CLB 4)
- Asking about a car loan — Rates, payments, credit history — your first Canadian loan (CLB 5-6)
🏥 Medical
- Booking a clinic appointment — Phone a walk-in clinic, describe a symptom, get a slot (CLB 4)
- Picking up a prescription — Pharmacy counter — give your name, confirm allergies, pay (CLB 3-4)
- At the dentist — Describe tooth pain, understand the treatment and the bill (CLB 4-5)
- At the walk-in clinic — Describe flu symptoms — since when, how bad, what you took (CLB 4)
💼 Work
- Job interview — introduction — The 60-second opener: who you are, what you do, why you're here (CLB 4-5)
- Meeting a coworker — First day at the office — introduce yourself, find common ground (CLB 4)
- Requesting time off — Approach your manager, give context, ask for the dates (CLB 4-5)
- Your performance review — Meet your manager — strengths, goals, asking for training (CLB 5-6)
- At a networking event — Introduce yourself, pitch your background, ask for a contact (CLB 5-6)
- Following up after an interview — One week of silence — call back without sounding desperate (CLB 5-6)
- Small talk in the lunchroom — The weekend question — answer, ask back, keep it flowing (CLB 4-5)
🚇 Transportation
- Asking for directions — Lost on the metro — ask which line, which exit (CLB 3)
- Booking winter tires at the garage — Mandatory by December 1st — book before the rush (CLB 4-5)
- Lost item on the bus — Backpack left on the 80 — describe it, claim it, ID it (CLB 4-5)
- Arriving at the airport — Border questions at YUL — purpose, duration, what you bring (CLB 4)
- Taking a taxi — Destination, route preference, small talk, payment (CLB 3-4)
🛒 Shopping
- At the grocery checkout — Bag-or-no-bag, debit-or-credit, loyalty card (CLB 3)
- Returning an item — Wrong size, lost receipt — exchange, refund, or store credit? (CLB 4)
- At the hardware store — Explain a DIY problem — get the right part and instructions (CLB 4)
- At the farmers' market — Jean-Talon market — quantities, prices, a little small talk (CLB 3-4)
🏛️ Government
- Service Canada — applying for SIN — Walk in, present your work permit, get your SIN number (CLB 4)
- Exchanging your driver's licence (SAAQ) — New resident — swap your foreign licence for a Quebec one (CLB 4-5)
- Calling about your taxes (ARC) — First Canadian tax return — call the Agence du revenu (CLB 5)
- Signing up for French classes — Government francisation — eligibility, allowance, schedule (CLB 4)
🚨 Emergency
- Calling 911 — Stay calm. State the emergency. Give your address. (CLB 4)
- A minor car accident — Fender-bender — stay calm, exchange info, fill the joint report (CLB 5)
🎓 School
- Meeting your child's teacher — Quick chat at pickup — how is your kid doing? (CLB 4)
- Enrolling your child in daycare — Visit a garderie — hours, cost, what to bring (CLB 4-5)
- Parent-teacher meeting — Your son's progress — strengths, one concern, how to help (CLB 5)
🍽️ Restaurant
- Ordering at a restaurant — Asking for the menu, ordering, special request (CLB 3-4)
- My food arrived cold — Politely flag a problem — get a solution, not a fight (CLB 4)
📞 Customer Service
- Reporting a broken product — Phone customer service, describe the problem, request a replacement (CLB 4)
- Cancelling a subscription — Phone or chat to cancel — without getting talked out of it (CLB 4-5)
📡 Technology
- Setting up home internet — Call your provider, give your address, schedule the install (CLB 4)
- Cracked phone screen — Repair or replace? Price, time, warranty, your data (CLB 4-5)
🏙️ Daily Life
- Sending a package at the post office — Mail a parcel abroad — weight, speed, tracking (CLB 3-4)
- Meeting your neighbour — Small talk in the hallway — and a small favour (CLB 3-4)
- Getting a library card — Free card, French books, conversation workshops (CLB 3-4)
- Taking your cat to the vet — He's not eating — describe behaviour, understand the exam (CLB 4-5)
- Hiring snow removal — A seasonal contract for your driveway — before the first storm (CLB 4-5)
- Joining the gym — Read the contract trap — cancellation terms before you sign (CLB 4-5)
Free · no signup
Practise every scenario with audio
Open the app to hear each dialogue in native Canadian French, shadow it aloud, and track your progress — all in your browser.
Open the scenarios→