sur une progrès

You will almost always use this with the verb faire (to do/make). In French, we say faire des progrès. A very important thing to remember is that progrès is a masculine noun. Even though it ends in an 's', it is not always plural, but we usually use the plural form des progrès when talking about general improvement. You can add adjectives to spice it up, like faire de gros progrès for big improvements or faire des progrès constants for steady growth. If you are talking to a friend, just say, "Tu fais des progrès !" and you will make their day.

Use it at work during a performance review to show you are growing. Use it with your friends when they finally learn how to bake a decent baguette. It is perfect for texting a classmate after a tough exam to stay motivated. If you are at a restaurant and you manage to order your entire meal in French without switching to English, you are definitely en train de faire des progrès! It is a great way to boost someone's confidence and acknowledge their hard work.

Do not use it for moving physically forward in space. If you are walking toward a door or driving down a street, use the verb avancer instead. Also, avoid using it for the "progress" of a negative thing, like a disease or a forest fire; in those cases, the French prefer the word progression or évolution. And remember the gender trap! Never say une progrès. It sounds as weird to a French person as saying "a apples" sounds to you. Keep it masculine, keep it classy.

The French education system is quite rigorous and focuses heavily on the "bulletin scolaire" (report card). Teachers often write en progrès on student papers to encourage them without giving away a perfect grade too easily. There is a deep cultural respect for the "process" of learning. It is not just about the final result or the "A" grade; it is about the journey of le progrès. This reflects Enlightenment values where constant human advancement was seen as the highest goal of society.

You might hear être en progrès which means "to be in the process of improving." Another common one is faire un pas en avant, which literally means "to take a step forward." If you are doing really well, you can use faire des progrès fulgurants, which means you are improving at lightning speed! For a more casual vibe, you might hear ça s'améliore, which simply means "it is getting better."