Let's head to the train station to learn how to express actions that are right on the verge of happening.
Just About To: être sur le point de
Use être sur le point de to say that you are "about to" or "on the point of" doing something.
To build this structure, conjugate être, add sur le point de, and follow it with an infinitive:
- subject + être
- sur le point de
- infinitive
- sur le point de
| I listen to the announcement because the high-speed train is about to leave. | J'écoute l'annonce parce que le TGV est sur le point de partir. |
De contracts to d' if the infinitive verb begins with a vowel or a mute h.
| The passengers of track three are about to board. | Les passagers de la voie trois sont sur le point d'embarquer. |
All Aboard: Navigating the Station
This construction works with any subject. You'll hear it often when traveling, whether a ticket inspector is approaching or you are rushing to catch a connection.
| The ticket inspector is about to board with a lot of passengers. | Le contrôleur est sur le point d'embarquer avec beaucoup de passagers. |
| I am about to miss my connection for the terminus. | Je suis sur le point de rater ma correspondance pour le terminus. |
| Besides, the ticket inspector is about to check the tickets. | D'ailleurs, le contrôleur est sur le point de vérifier les billets. |
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