A small example
Lundi… non, mardi means Monday… no, Tuesday. Tuesday replaces Monday; it does not add a second event.
Spoken messages often include repairs. The speaker can replace a number, a name, or a description after a pause. A transcript may show both versions, so reading alone does not remove the need to interpret the correction. Put an arrow between the old detail and the new one. Keep the rest of the message unchanged unless the speaker changes it too.
A common confusion
Not every pause or use of enfin is a correction. Enfin can organise a list or express other meanings. Look for a replacement detail and supporting context. In the parcel exercise, the speaker explicitly says they are getting confused, which supports the correction reading. A different scene could use the same word without rejecting anything.
Use it in a listening note
In your own chosen clip, replay the short span around a repair. Ask which field changes and whether a later sentence confirms it. Do not turn one repaired event into two events. Keep the original wording only as evidence of the correction, not as a second valid fact.
Practise the term
- Spot a speaker’s self-correction in French
- Catch a corrected appointment time in French
- Catch a platform change in a French station announcement
How the related sites connect
This workbook is one of a coordinated collection of comprehensible input guides published by Jibber Jabber. They share one publisher and are not independent endorsements.
Cite this page
Jibber Jabber. “Self-correction: a French listening term.” French Listening Atelier. Updated 9 November 2026. https://frenchcomprehensibleinput.com/glossary/self-correction/.