Mission: talk about your ambitions at a job interview
Projects and intentions, with avoir l'intention de, compter, envisager de and je souhaiterais. Speak about your strengths and plans in formal French.
FrenchB1 · Hypotheses and plansAbout 6 min: 3 reading, 3 practiceUpdated
- Express plans with avoir l'intention de, compter, envisager de and mon objectif est de
- Soften wishes with j'aimerais and je souhaiterais
- Talk about your strengths with je suis capable de
- Combine the futur simple (firm plans) with the conditionnel (wishes)
- Keep a formal register with vous
Hypotheses and plans: lesson 4 of 4
- B1 · Hypotheses and plans
- Mission: give a friend advice 7 min
- Mission: imagine winning the lottery 6 min
- Mission: describe how you do things 7 min
- Mission: talk about your ambitions at a job interview 6 min
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Level Level B1 (around the DELF B1 exam). Real French: answering questions at a job interview.
What it is
Your mission: you have an interview at a small bookshop in Lyon. The manager, Madame Lefèvre, asks, « Où vous voyez-vous dans cinq ans ? » Present your strengths and three plans, politely and clearly, using vous.
Plans and intentions (all followed by an infinitive):
| Expression | Example |
|---|---|
| avoir l'intention de | J'ai l'intention de rester longtemps. |
| compter (no de) | Je compte me former. |
| envisager de | J'envisage de passer un diplôme. |
| mon objectif est de | Mon objectif est de gérer une équipe. |
Wishes (more polite with the conditionnel; j'ai envie de is a plain present):
| Expression | Example |
|---|---|
| j'aimerais | J'aimerais prendre des responsabilités. |
| je souhaiterais (formal) | Je souhaiterais évoluer dans l'entreprise. |
| j'ai envie de | J'ai envie d'apprendre de nouvelles choses. |
Strengths: je suis capable de + infinitive (je suis capable de travailler seul(e)), je sais + infinitive, je suis (très) organisé(e).
Futur simple and conditional together: use the futur simple for plans you are sure of, and the conditionnel for wishes that depend on others: Je suivrai une formation cette année. Plus tard, j'aimerais devenir responsable du rayon.
Quick check
Tap an answer to check it.
"I intend to stay at least two years."
- Wrong preposition: avoir l'intention takes de
- avoir l'intention needs de before the infinitive
Show answer
J'ai l'intention de rester au moins deux ans.. avoir l'intention de + infinitive.
Why it matters
Interviewers want to know where you are going, not only where you have been. Plans in firm, polite French show you are serious, while the conditional shows you are modest. The same tools work in a letter of motivation, and they are useful practice for the DELF B1 speaking test.
Worked example
At the interview, with Madame Lefèvre:
- Mme Lefèvre: Alors, parlez-moi de vous. Quelles sont vos qualités ?
- You: Je suis organisé(e) et je suis capable de travailler seul(e) comme en équipe.
- Mme Lefèvre: Très bien. Où vous voyez-vous dans cinq ans ?
- You: Mon objectif est de devenir responsable d'un rayon. Je compte suivre une formation, et j'envisage de passer un diplôme de librairie.
- Mme Lefèvre: Vous avez l'intention de rester à Lyon ?
- You: Oui, j'ai l'intention de m'installer ici. Dans cinq ans, je serai responsable de l'équipe, et j'aimerais aussi organiser des rencontres avec des auteurs.
- Mme Lefèvre: Merci. Nous vous répondrons la semaine prochaine.
Real French: Où vous voyez-vous dans cinq ans ? is a classic interview question in France. A job interview is called un entretien d'embauche, and the manager usually uses vous with you (and you with her).
Common mistake
Putting de after compter: wrong: Je compte de rester. Compter takes the infinitive directly: Je compte rester. Also, avoir l'intention, envisager and mon objectif est always take de.
More detail: formal or casual?
Je souhaiterais is more formal than j'aimerais, and j'ai envie de is a little more casual. All three are fine at an interview, but use je souhaiterais or j'aimerais for the main wish and keep j'ai envie de for things you enjoy.
Quick check
Tap an answer to check it.
Which sentence is correct?
- compter takes the infinitive directly, with no de
- de does not belong at the end of the sentence
Show answer
Je compte rester dans l'entreprise.. compter + infinitive, no de.
Key terms
- avoir l'intention de
- to intend to
- compter + infinitive
- to plan to
- envisager de
- to consider, to plan to
- mon objectif est de
- my goal is to
- je souhaiterais
- I would like (formal)
- je suis capable de
- I am able to
- un entretien d'embauche
- a job interview
- évoluer
- to progress, to move up
- une formation
- a training course
Practise the key terms
Tap a card to turn it over. 9 cards.
| Front | Back |
|---|---|
| avoir l'intention de | to intend to |
| compter + infinitive | to plan to |
| envisager de | to consider, to plan to |
| mon objectif est de | my goal is to |
| je souhaiterais | I would like (formal) |
| je suis capable de | I am able to |
| un entretien d'embauche | a job interview |
| évoluer | to progress, to move up |
| une formation | a training course |
Practice
Sort it
Infinitive directly, or after de?
Je compte ... partir en septembre.
compter + infinitiveShow answer
Directly. compter + infinitive
J'aimerais ... apprendre l'espagnol.
aimer + infinitiveShow answer
Directly. aimer + infinitive
Je souhaiterais ... travailler ici.
souhaiter + infinitiveShow answer
Directly. souhaiter + infinitive
J'ai l'intention ... rester.
avoir l'intention deShow answer
After de. avoir l'intention de
J'envisage ... changer de poste.
envisager deShow answer
After de. envisager de
Mon objectif est ... progresser.
mon objectif est deShow answer
After de. mon objectif est de
Quick quiz
Tap an answer to check it.
Say "In five years, I'll be team leader" (a firm plan).
- j'étais is the imparfait, a past tense
- That is the passé composé, a past tense
Show answer
Dans cinq ans, je serai responsable d'équipe.. a firm future plan uses the futur simple: je serai.
"I'm able to work alone."
- être capable needs de before the infinitive
- The preposition is de, not à
Show answer
Je suis capable de travailler seul(e).. être capable de + infinitive.
Build the sentence
Build "My goal is to become manager of the shop." Start with the first words of the sentence.
Show answer
Mon objectif est de devenir responsable du magasin.. mon objectif est de + infinitive.
Practise speaking
Studyfern has no voice tools of its own. To practise out loud, copy this prompt into a voice-capable AI assistant and talk with it.
Mission role-play. You are Madame Lefèvre, the manager of a small bookshop in Lyon, interviewing me for a job. Speak naturally but clearly, at level B1, using vous. Start with « Bonjour, asseyez-vous. Parlez-moi de vous. ». Ask one question at a time: my strengths, my plans, where I see myself in five years, my wishes. After each of my answers, tell me in English what kind of mistake I made, if any, and let me try again; watch de or no de after each expression, the formal register and the choice between the futur simple and the conditionnel. When I have used three different expressions of plan or intention (avoir l'intention de, compter, envisager de, mon objectif est de), one conditionnel wish (j'aimerais / je souhaiterais), one futur simple, and at least one strength with je suis capable de, say « Mission accomplie ! » and give me one tip. Keep every reply under 3 sentences.
Listen too. Listen to native speakers before and after: see the free listening and shadowing links.
Good to know. AI feedback on pronunciation is hit and miss, so check yourself against native recordings. Many assistants turn your speech into text first, so a vowel or liaison you got wrong may be silently “heard” as the right word. Don't share personal details: use a made-up name and town.
New to this? Read Practising speaking with an AI.
In short
- Plans: avoir l'intention de, envisager de, mon objectif est de (+ de); compter (no de).
- Wishes: j'aimerais, je souhaiterais; j'ai envie de is a little more casual.
- Strengths: je suis capable de + infinitive; je sais + infinitive.
- Firm plans: futur simple. Wishes that depend on others: conditionnel.
- At an interview, use vous and polite, complete sentences.
Mastery check
Answer without looking back. Score 80% or more and the lesson is marked done. Your result is kept only in this browser.
Check yourself
Answer in your head first, then open the answer. Nothing is saved.
Say "I plan to take a course" using compter.
Show answer
Je compte suivre une formation.
Which expression needs de before the infinitive: compter or envisager?
Show answer
envisager (envisager de + infinitive); compter takes the infinitive directly.
Which tense for a firm plan, and which for a wish?
Show answer
The futur simple for a firm plan (je serai); the conditionnel for a wish (j'aimerais).
Further reading
- TV5MONDE, Apprendre le français: free exercises on real clips.
- RFI, Journal en français facile, daily news in simple French.
Finished? Mark it done to fill in your leaf on the French map.