PrettyFluent
This is just a lesson preview. Get the interactive lesson free on PrettyFluent
🧹🪑

How to Say ‘I cleaned the tables.’ in French

J'ai nettoyé les tables.

zhay ay neh-twah-YAY leh tahbl

[zhay ay neh-twah-YAY leh tahbl]

💬 Usage Tip: The ending -é in nettoyé marks a finished past action. Many verbs work this way: J'ai rangé "I tidied", J'ai mangé "I ate".

Phrase Breakdown

J'ai nettoyé

zhay ay neh-twah-YAY

I cleaned

This is the past tense of 'nettoyer', meaning 'to clean'. Say it 'zhay net-wa-YAY'.

Example

J'ai nettoyé la cuisine.

I cleaned the kitchen.

Words in this phrase

J'

[zhay]

I

Pronoun used by the speaker to refer to himself or herself.

Example

J'aime les bonbons.

I like candies.

ai

[ay]

have

Form of 'avoir' used with past participles to make the past tense.

Example

J'ai beaucoup appris grâce à notre discussion.

I learned a lot thanks to our discussion.

nettoyé

[neh-twah-YAY]

cleaned

Past participle of 'nettoyer' (to clean).

Example

Tu as nettoyé la cuisine ?

Did you clean the kitchen?

les tables.

leh tahbl

the tables.

'Les' is the plural 'the'. The final 's' is silent: 'lay TABL'.

Example

Les tables sont propres.

The tables are clean.

Words in this phrase

les

[leh]

the

Used before plural nouns to denote particularity.

Example

Les années passent vite.

The years pass quickly.

tables

[tahbl]

tables

Plural of table, referring to restaurant tables.

Example

Entre les tables, il y a assez d'espace.

Between the tables, there is enough space.

Related guides

French Conversation for Beginners: 6 Everyday Dialogues You'll Actually UseSix basic French conversations for beginners, from greeting a neighbour and introducing yourself to booking a restaurant, with translations, native audio and the phrases that keep them going.Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.

Get the Full Learning Experience

This lesson is just a preview. Download PrettyFluent to practice pronunciation, roleplay conversations, and master vocabulary with spaced repetition.

Pronunciation Feedback

AI-powered feedback on what you say out loud

Spaced Repetition

Retain vocabulary long-term with smart practice

Immersive Roleplaying

Practice real conversations with AI partners

Lessons for Your Situation

Request lessons tailored to your specific needs

Download PrettyFluent on the App StoreGet Full Lesson

What Learners Are Saying

“Moved to Lyon for a culinary apprenticeship. The food and restaurant lessons were exactly what I needed — my French colleagues were genuinely impressed.”

Tom H., 38, Chef

“Studying in Paris and the academic French I learned in school was useless for daily life. This app filled the gap in weeks, not months.”

Nina W., 29, Graduate Student

“Learning a language has never been as immediately impactful. Now I can charm the locals and navigate the food scene like a boss.”

Alex M., 42, Software Engineer