Learn Hardcore French: Nous utilisons une application de messagerie pour envoyer les documents avant la séance. - We use a messaging app to send the documents before the session.

nous utilisons
- More formal or neutral.
- Common in writing, presentations, and careful speech.
- Emphasizes a clear, explicit we.
on utilise
- Very common in everyday spoken French.
- on often means we in modern spoken French.
- Sounds more casual and conversational.

So:

Nous utilisons une application de messagerie… = a bit more formal/neutral.
On utilise une appli de messagerie… = how many people would say it in daily conversation.

As a learner, you can safely use nous in writing and more formal situations, and on in casual speech once you’re comfortable with it.

How is nous utilisons pronounced, especially utilisons?

Pronunciation:

nous: roughly like noo (the final s is silent unless followed by a vowel in liaison).
utilisons: [y.ti.li.zɔ̃]
- u = [y], like the French u in tu, not like English you.
- ti = tee
- li = lee
- sons = [zɔ̃], nasal sound, you don’t fully pronounce the n.

Put together: nous utilisons ≈ noo ü-tee-lee-zon (with a nasal on at the end, not a clear n).

In a full sentence, you’ll often hear a liaison:

Nous utilisons une…
You link nous and utilisons: nou‑zutilisons.

Why is it une application and not un application?

In French, every noun has a grammatical gender. Application is:

feminine: une application
plural: des applications / les applications

There is no logical rule you can apply from English; you simply need to learn application as a feminine noun.

Some clues (not 100% reliable, but helpful):

Many nouns ending in ‑tion are feminine:
- la nation, la station, la conversation, la présentation, l’application.

So in this sentence, une agrees in gender (feminine) and number (singular) with application.

What exactly does une application de messagerie mean? Is it like “messaging app,” and is this the usual way to say it?

Yes, une application de messagerie means a messaging application/app (WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, etc.).

Breakdown:

une application = an application / an app (often shortened in speech to une appli).
de messagerie = “of messaging” → indicating the type of application.

So:

une application de messagerie ≈ a messaging app (neutral register).
une appli de messagerie ≈ a messaging app (more casual/spoken).

Other possible phrases:

une application de messagerie instantanée = instant messaging app
une messagerie alone can mean messaging service, inbox, or even voicemail, depending on context.

In this sentence, une application de messagerie is a natural, clear way to say a messaging app.

Why is envoyer in the infinitive after pour? Could you use a different form?

Envoyer is in the infinitive because pour + infinitive expresses purpose in French.

Structure:

pour + [infinitive] = in order to / to (do something)

Examples:

Nous utilisons une application de messagerie pour envoyer les documents.
= We use a messaging app to send the documents / in order to send the documents.

You would not say:

✗ pour envoyons
✗ pour envoie

Those are incorrect because after pour (when it means “in order to”), French requires the infinitive form of the verb.

Other examples:

Je viens pour t’aider. = I’m coming to help you.
Il travaille pour gagner de l’argent. = He works to earn money.

Why is it les documents and not des documents or nos documents?

All three are possible, but they don’t express exactly the same thing.

les documents = the documents
- Refers to documents known from context (the ones we are supposed to send).
- Feels more specific/definite.
des documents = some documents
- More vague, some unspecified documents.
- Could suggest that which documents doesn’t matter.
nos documents = our documents
- Explicitly says they belong to us.
- Adds a possessive idea.

In many real situations, les documents is natural because:

everyone already knows which documents are meant (e.g., the ones for the meeting or class), and
you don’t always need to stress ownership with nos.

So the choice of les here matches the idea that these are specific, previously mentioned or expected documents.

Why is it avant la séance and not avant de la séance?

The preposition avant works differently depending on what follows:

avant + noun
- No extra de.
- Example:
  - avant la séance = before the session
  - avant le film = before the film
  - avant le dîner = before dinner
avant de + infinitive
- Used before a verb in the infinitive.
- Example:
  - avant de partir = before leaving
  - avant de manger = before eating
avant que + subjunctive
- Used before a full clause with a subject + verb.
- Example:
  - avant que la séance commence = before the session starts

So:

avant la séance is correct because séance is a noun.
✗ avant de la séance is incorrect.

What is the nuance of séance here? Could you also say réunion or cours?

Séance is a flexible word; its exact meaning depends on context:

une séance can be:
- a session (of therapy, training, coaching, etc.)
- a screening (for a movie: une séance de cinéma)
- a meeting or sitting (e.g., parliament: une séance à l’Assemblée)

Alternatives:

une réunion = a meeting (usually work/organizational context)
un cours = a class/lesson (at school, university, etc.)
une session = a session (often used for training, exams, IT contexts; a bit more formal or borrowed from English)

So depending on what séance refers to, you could say:

avant la réunion – before the meeting
avant le cours – before the class
avant la séance de coaching / de thérapie / de formation – before the coaching/therapy/training session

In your sentence, séance is fine and fairly neutral, but the “best” alternative depends on the real-life situation.

Can avant la séance be moved in the sentence, or must it stay at the end?

You can move avant la séance; French word order is flexible for time expressions, as long as the meaning stays clear.

All of these are possible:

Nous utilisons une application de messagerie pour envoyer les documents avant la séance.
Nous utilisons une application de messagerie, avant la séance, pour envoyer les documents. (more marked/insistent)
Avant la séance, nous utilisons une application de messagerie pour envoyer les documents.

Typical, neutral choices are (1) and (3).
Putting the time expression at the beginning (Avant la séance, …) is very common to set the time context first.

Is this sentence formal, neutral, or informal? How would it sound in more casual spoken French?

The original sentence is neutral, suitable for:

emails,
instructions,
explanations in class,
spoken French in a professional or semi-formal context.

A more casual, spoken version might be:

On utilise une appli de messagerie pour s’envoyer les docs avant la séance.

Changes:

Nous utilisons → On utilise (more conversational)
une application → une appli (shortened, informal)
les documents → les docs (colloquial abbreviation)
You might also hear avant la réunion / avant le cours depending on context.

As a learner, using the original sentence is safe and appropriate almost anywhere; it won’t sound overly formal.