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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank those authors and publishers who kindly gave permission for copyright material to be used in the Collins Corpus. We would also like to thank Times Newspapers Ltd for providing valuable data.

MANAGING EDITOR

Janice McNeillie

CONTRIBUTOR

Laurence Larroche

FOR THE PUBLISHER

Gerry Breslin

Hannah Dove

Contents

Cover

Title page

Copyright

Introduction

What is it?

Why do you need it?

How is it structured?

How does it work?

Why choose Collins Easy Learning French Conversation?

The Collins Easy Learning range

French pronunciation

Silent letters

French vowels

Vowel combinations

French consonants

Stress

Liaison

Units

Small talk

Comment ça va? – How are things?

Greetings

Introducing people

Talking about yourself

Asking for information

Saying what you want to do

Making suggestions

Expressing opinions

Talking about your plans

Making arrangements

Saying what you have to do

Listen out for

Lifestyle Tips

Getting there

Bon voyage! – Have a good trip!

Talking about your plans

Saying what you have to do

Saying what you want to do

Making suggestions

Asking for information

Asking for things

Saying what you like, dislike, prefer

Listen out for

Lifestyle Tips

Home from home

Dors bien! – Sleep well!

Asking for things

Talking about yourself

Asking for information

Asking for permission

Saying what you like, dislike, prefer

Expressing opinions

Making suggestions

Asking for suggestions

Saying what you have to do

Talking about your plans

Complaining

Listen out for

Lifestyle Tips

Wining and dining

Bon appétit! – Enjoy your meal!

Making arrangements

Asking for information

Asking for things

Saying what you want to do

Saying what you like, dislike, prefer

Asking for suggestions

Making suggestions

Listen out for

Lifestyle Tips

Hitting the town

Amusez-vous bien! – Enjoy yourselves!

Making suggestions

Talking about your plans

Asking for information

Asking for things

Saying what you like, dislike, prefer

Expressing opinions

Asking for permission

Listen out for

Lifestyle Tips

Museums, monuments and much more

Passez une bonne journée! – Have a nice day!

Saying what you want to do

Talking about your plans

Making suggestions

Asking for information

Asking for things

Asking for permission

Saying what you like, dislike, prefer

Complaining

Listen out for

Lifestyle Tips

Retail therapy

Je peux vous aider? – Can I help you?

Asking for things

Saying what you have to do

Talking about your plans

Expressing opinions

Asking for information

Saying what you like, dislike, prefer

Making suggestions

Asking for permission

Listen out for

Lifestyle Tips

Service with a smile

Service irréprochable! – Excellent service!

Greetings

Talking about yourself

Saying what you have to do

Saying what you want to do

Asking for information

Asking for things

Asking for suggestions

Making suggestions

Making arrangements

Talking about your plans

Saying what you like, dislike, prefer

Listen out for

Lifestyle Tips

Ouch!

Rétablis-toi vite! – Get well soon!

Describing the problem

Saying what happened

Asking for information

Asking for things

Saying what you want to do

Making suggestions

Listen out for

Lifestyle Tips

Help!

Ne vous en faites pas! – Don’t worry!

Describing the problem

Saying what happened

Describing people and things

Asking for information

Asking for things

Saying what you want to do

Saying what you have to do

Making suggestions

Talking about your plans

Listen out for

Lifestyle Tips

Getting in touch

Qui est à l’appareil? – Who’s calling, please?

Making a telephone call

When the person you’re calling answers

Saying why you’re calling

Giving information

Answering the telephone

Ending a telephone call

Listen out for

Writing emails and letters

Texting

Social media

Lifestyle Tips

Time, numbers, date

Trois, deux, un… Partez! – Three, two, one… Go!

Les nombres – Numbers

L’heure – The time

Listen out for

La durée – Saying how long

Les saisons – The seasons

Les mois de l’année – The months of the year

Les dates – Dates

Les jours de la semaine – The days of the week

L’alphabet – The alphabet

Listen out for

Interesting days and dates

In summary…

Bon, résumons… – So, to sum up…

Apologizing

Asking for and giving explanations

Asking for information

Asking for permission

Asking for things

Complaining

Describing people and things

Explaining a problem

Expressing opinions

Making suggestions

Saying what’s happened

Saying what you have to do

Saying what you like, dislike, prefer

Saying what you want to do

Talking about your plans

One-stop phrase shop

Je vous demande pardon? – I beg your pardon?

Hellos and goodbyes

Please and thank you

Attracting someone’s attention

Making sure you’ve understood

Checking facts

Wishing someone something

Apologizing

Reassuring someone

Opinions

Agreeing, disagreeing and declining

Congratulating someone

Reacting to good and bad news

Exclamations

Surprise

Encouraging someone

Handing someone something

Dangers and emergencies

Speaking your mind

Conversational words

Grammar

Nouns

Articles

Pronouns

Adjectives

Questions

Negatives

Some common translation difficulties

Verbs

Verb tenses

Verb tables

Aimer: to love

Finir: to finish

Attendre: to wait

S’asseoir: to sit down

Aller: to go

Avoir: to have

Devoir: to have, to owe

Être: to be

Faire: to do, to make

Pouvoir: to be able

Vouloir: to want

Vocabulary builder

About the publisher

Introduction
What is it?

Collins Easy Learning French Conversation is a book for learners of French of all ages. It will increase your confidence in holding a conversation in French, whether you are just starting to learn French, studying at school or at an evening class, or brushing up your language skills. You may be going on holiday or planning to go travelling in a French-speaking country, go there on business, or live there. Whatever your situation, you’ll want to be able to communicate effectively and naturally in French.

Why do you need it?

Becoming proficient in a foreign language means being able to use and understand a number of different aspects – vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and so on. However, it takes a while to be able to put all these elements together and be sure that what you are saying sounds like natural French. The Easy Learning French Conversation has been carefully designed to bring these aspects together and give you language structures which you can use in conversation with confidence, knowing that you will be speaking French as spoken by French speakers.

How is it structured?

Collins Easy Learning French Conversation is made up of 12 units, each illustrating the language used in a particular situation, followed by a summary which brings together the key phrases covered throughout the units. You’ll also find the One-stop phrase shop – a unit which contains all the important expressions and turns of phrase that help you to sound more natural in French.

A short grammar and verbs supplement gives you additional language support, ensuring that you have everything at your fingertips. Finally, the English-French glossary covers the most important vocabulary you may need to personalize your conversation.

How does it work?

Language allows us to express ourselves and interact with others. In any given situation, we perform different language tasks, such as asking for information, agreeing and disagreeing, complaining, making suggestions and so forth. To do this, we use linguistic structures (How…?, When…?, Could I…?, I’d like… and so on) which can be used in a variety of contexts. Each unit in Collins Easy Learning French Conversation gives you all the phrases you might need in a given situation, grouped by structure. English headings help you navigate through the structures to enable you to find what you want quickly and easily. Throughout the units, there are also tips headed Bon à savoir! which highlight important differences in the way English and French work.

A conversation, by definition, is a two-way process. It is as important to understand what is being said to you as it is to be able to respond. At the end of each unit, there is a section headed Listen out for. Each of these sections gives you a variety of the most typical phrases you might hear in a given situation. Becoming familiar with these will allow you to have a successful conversation with a French speaker. For further help with pronunciation, a free download with all the important structures recorded is available on www.collins.co.uk/easylearningresources.

Communicating effectively in French isn’t just about linguistic competence – it’s also about cultural knowledge. For you to feel confident in a French-speaking country, it is useful to know more about French culture and lifestyle. At the end of each unit, the Lifestyle Tips will give you the information you need to gain a deeper insight into the language, the country and its people.

Why choose Collins Easy Learning French Conversation?

• easy to use all the key language structures you need to give you the confidence to hold a conversation in natural French

• easy to read a clear, modern layout which allows you to find what you need quickly and easily

• easy to understand the language you may hear from French speakers in a given situation

• easy to speak free audio download available on www.collins.co.uk/easylearningresources

The Collins Easy Learning range

The Collins Easy Learning French Conversation is part of the best-selling Collins Easy Learning range, which includes the highly acclaimed Collins Easy Learning French Dictionary. Collins Easy Learning French Grammar and Collins Easy Learning French Verbs support you with all your grammatical needs, and the Collins Easy Learning French Words allows you to learn and practise your French vocabulary. The Collins Easy Learning series is the ideal language reference range to help you learn French.

French pronunciation

There are some sounds in French which need a bit of practice, such as the French r, which is much more noticeable than an English r, and the very sharp u sound to be heard in words like rue and plu, which is different from the oo sound in an English word like ruin.

Silent letters

As in English, not all the letters in French words are pronounced – especially final consonants. The final consonant is not sounded in the following, for example: vert (green), grand (tall), petit (small), and ouvert (open). However, if the final consonant is followed by an e, for example in the feminine form of the adjective, the consonant is pronounced. The feminine forms verte, grande, petite, and ouverte all end with consonant sounds.

French vowels

These are the main ways in which French vowels are pronounced:

a | – a as in fat (patte, casserole) aw (bas, cas) followed by n: en as in encore (dans, sans, plan)
e | – uh (le, premier, repas) e as in set (merci, restaurant) followed by n: en as in encore (vent, entrer, cent) followed by r: ay (parler, dîner)
é | – ay (occupé, région)
è | – ai as in air (père, règle)
i | – ee (il, billet, vie, samedi) followed by n: a as in sang (matin, fin, vin)
o | – o as in spot (donner, mort) oh (mot, poser)
u | – followed by n: u as in sung (lundi, brun)

To make the u sound for words like rue and pure, place your lips as if you were going to whistle and make a sharp ee sound at the front of your mouth.

Vowel combinations

ai | – e as in set (mais, lait) followed by n: a as in sang (pain, copain)
au | – o as in gosh (gauche)
eu | – euh (peu, deux)
eau | – oh (couteau)
ou | – oo (genou, couscous)

BON À SAVOIR!

Two words you will often hear – oui (yes) and lui (him) are examples of a breathy w sound – they’re pronounced rather like hwee and lwhee.

French consonants

Most French consonants are pronounced the same as their English equivalents. Some consonants, however, are pronounced differently depending on which vowel follows:

c | – k as in keen when it is followed by a, o or u (cadeau, couteau, cumin) – note that when a cedilla (ç) is added to the c, it will sound like s in sit (ça, garçon, déçu)– s as in ceiling when it is followed by e, i or y (séance, citron, cyprès)
ch | – sh as in shop (chemise, mouchoir)
g | – g as in gate when it is followed by a, o or u (gaz, égouter, aigu)– s as in leisure when it is followed by e, i or y (juge, gilet, gym)
gn | – ni as in onion (oignon, campagne)
j | – s as in leisure (jeter, Jules)
q, qu | – k as in keen (chaque, question)
s | – z as in zoo when it is between vowels (heureuse, oiseau)– s as in sit when it isn’t (cassé, sauce, désastre)
th | – t as in take (maths, thermostat, théâtre)
t in -tion | – s as in sit (natation, national)

Some consonants are pronounced differently to English:

h | – when it begins a word, it can be ‘silent’ (l’homme, un hôtel) or ‘aspirate’ (les haricots, le hall). When the h is silent, the word behaves as though it starts with a vowel and forms a liaison with the preceding word where appropriate (see below). When the h is aspirate, no liaison is made.
r | – rr: a raspy sound in the back of the throat (rue, rouge, rare)
ll | – y as in yes (fille, paille)

BON À SAVOIR!

Note, however, that mille (one thousand) is pronounced to rhyme with peel.

Stress

In English words, a particular syllable is stressed (concert, dentist), whereas in French each syllable has its own length and each is pronounced with the same intensity.

Liaison

Liaison is what happens when a French word ending in a consonant which would usually be silent, for example, petit (small), les (the), precedes a word starting with a vowel or a ‘silent’ h. The silent consonant is sounded to make the words flow more easily.

petit ami (boyfriend) is pronounced puh-teet-ah-mee (the t at the end of petit is sounded)

les hôtels (hotels) is pronounced layz-oh-tel (the s at the end of les sounds like a z)

Small talk
Comment ça va? – How are things?

Whether you’re going to be working in a French-speaking country or you’re going to spend some time with your French-speaking friends, you’ll want to be able to chat with people and get to know them better. The phrases in this unit will help you talk naturally to friends, family and colleagues in a number of everyday situations.

GREETINGS

Just as in English, there are several ways of greeting people in French, depending on who you are addressing, and whether you want to be formal or not. Say bonjour, madame/mademoiselle/monsieur if you want to sound polite and just bonjour to someone you know a little. If you’re on friendly terms with someone, you can say salut! (hi!).

Hello…

Bonjour. | Hello.
Bonjour, madame. | Good morning.
Bonjour, Pierre. | Good afternoon Pierre.
Salut, Olivier! | Hi Olivier!
Bonsoir. | Good evening.

BON À SAVOIR!

In French there is no equivalent for good morning and good afternoon – people just say bonjour during the day or bonsoir in the evening.

Use au revoir, madame/mademoiselle/monsieur to say goodbye to people you don’t know well. You can just say au revoir to people you know, or use salut! (bye!) if you are on friendly terms with them.

Goodbye…

Au revoir, monsieur. | Goodbye.
Au revoir, mademoiselle. | Goodbye.
Salut! | Bye!
Bonsoir. | Goodnight.

See you…

À plus tard! | See you later!
À demain! | See you tomorrow!
À lundi! | See you on Monday!

INTRODUCING PEOPLE

You may want to introduce people you know to one another. The simplest way is by saying voici (this is) when introducing a person. You can also use je te présente (I’d like you to meet) when addressing someone you know well, or je vous présente to be more formal or when speaking to several people.

This is…

Voici mon mari, Richard. | This is my husband, Richard.
Voici mes enfants: Andrew, Gordon et Emma. | These are my children, Andrew, Gordon and Emma.
Je vous présente Danielle. | I’d like you to meet Danielle.
Je te présente Kevin, mon compagnon. | I’d like you to meet Kevin, my partner.

BON À SAVOIR!

When you’re introduced to someone, you’ll want to know how to react. The traditional enchanté should only be used in formal or business situations these days, and very often people just say bonjour.

TALKING ABOUT YOURSELF

In order to get the conversation going, you’ll want to be able to talk about yourself – what your name is, what you do and so on. To say what your name is in French, you use the verb s’appeler which literally means to call oneself. The s’ (oneself) changes to m’ (myself) in je m’appelle (my name is). For more information on reflexive verbs like s’appeler, see here.

My name is…

Je m’appelle Jean-Pierre Métayer. | My name is Jean-Pierre Métayer.
Je m’appelle Tarik. | My name is Tarik.
Il s’appelle André. | His name is André.
Elle s’appelle Lara. | Her name is Lara.
Vous vous appelez comment? | What’s your name?
Moi, c’est Liam. | Hi, I’m Liam.

If you want to say how old you are, use j’ai followed by your age and ans (literally I have… years). ai comes from the verb avoir. For more information on avoir, see here.

I’m…years old

J’ai trente-sept ans. | I’m thirty-seven years old.
J’ai vingt-deux ans. | I’m twenty-two.
Mon fils a huit ans. | My son’s eight.
Vous avez quel âge? | How old are you?

BON À SAVOIR!

If you have to ask Vous avez quel âge?, you can always add sans indiscrétion (if you don’t mind my asking).

To talk about who you are and what you do, use je suis (I am). This comes from the verb être. For more information on être, see here.

Je suis une amie de Paul. | I’m a friend of Paul’s.
Je suis le frère de Ben. | I’m Ben’s brother.
Je suis célibataire. | I’m single.
Je travaille en tant que programmeur pour l’entreprise Dunier. | I work as a programmer for the Dunier company.
Je suis enseignant. | I’m a teacher.

BON À SAVOIR!

When you say what you do in French, you don’t put an article in front of the job name: I’m a baker is je suis boulanger. However, you do need an article when you address someone by their title, so Mrs Chairwoman is Madame la Directrice.

I have…

J’ai deux sœurs. | I have two sisters.
J’ai un fils et une fille. | I have one son and one daughter.
On a de la famille dans le sud de la France. | We have relatives in southern France.
Elle a les yeux bleus. | She has blue eyes.
Il a les cheveux châtain. | He has brown hair.

I live…

Je vis au pays de Galles. | I live in Wales.
Je vis seul. | I live alone.
On habite dans un appartement. | We live in a flat.

BON À SAVOIR!

If you’re female, you’ll say seule (alone) rather than seul.

I’m staying…

Je suis descendu à l’hôtel du Palais. | I’m staying at the Palace Hotel.
Vous êtes descendu à quel hôtel? | Which hotel are you staying at?
Je suis à Paris pour une semaine. | I’m staying in Paris for a week.
Je loge chez des amis. | I’m staying with friends.

To say that you’ve done something for a given length of time, use ça fait… followed by a time word such as jour (day), semaine (week) or an (year) and the verb in the present tense. For more information on the present tense, see here.

I have…for…

Ça fait cinq ans que je suis infirmière. | I’ve been a nurse for five years.
Ça fait dix ans que je vis en France. | I’ve lived in France for ten years.
Je suis à Saint-Raphaël depuis deux semaines. | I’ve been in Saint-Raphaël for two weeks.
J’apprends le français depuis 6 mois. | I’ve been learning French for 6 months.

ASKING FOR INFORMATION

When you’re chatting socially, you will want to ask any number of questions. One simple way of finding out information from someone is to say parlez-moi (tell me) to someone you don’t know very well or parle-moi to someone you’re on friendly terms with.

Tell me…

Parlez-moi de votre famille. | Tell me about your family.
Parlez-moi un peu de vous. | Tell me a bit about yourself.
Parle-moi de ton nouveau copain. | Tell me about your new boyfriend.
Dis-moi en quoi consiste ton boulot. | Tell me what your job involves.

Another handy way of asking for information in spoken French is to put c’est at the beginning of the sentence before the question word: quoi (what), où (where), quand (when) and so on.

What…?

C’est quoi ton adresse? | What’s your address?
C’est quoi le numéro de téléphone d’Olivier? | What’s Olivier’s phone number?
Qu’est-ce que tu fais dans la vie? | What do you do?
À quoi elle ressemble? | What does she look like?

Where…?

Où est votre bureau? | Where is your office?
C’est où cette soirée? | Where is the party being held?
Où est-ce que tu travailles? | Where do you work?
Où est-ce que tu habites? | Where do you live?
Tu viens d’où? | Where do you come from?
Tu loges où? | Where are you staying?

When…?

C’est quand ton anniversaire? | When is your birthday?
Quand est-ce que tu arrives? | When will you be here?
Quand est-ce que Laurent doit arriver? | When is Laurent supposed to get here?
Quand est-ce que James vient nous rendre visite? | When is James coming to visit us?
À quelle heure on se retrouve? | What time are we meeting?

If you want to ask how long someone has been doing something, use Ça fait longtemps que…? (How long have you…?) followed by the present tense. For more information on the present tense, see here.

How long have…?

Ça fait longtemps que tu es en France? | How long have you been in France?
Ça fait longtemps que tu travailles ici? | How long have you been working here?
Ça fait longtemps que vous attendez? | How long have you been waiting?

A very versatile way of asking someone socially how something is going or has gone is to use Ça se passe bien,…? (How is…?) or Ça s’est bien passé,…? (How was…?).

How…?

Ça s’est bien passé, tes vacances? | How was your holiday?
Ça s’est bien passé, votre vol? | How was your flight?
Ça se passe bien, à l’université? | How’s university going?

Sometimes you’ll want to ask why a friend or acquaintance did or didn’t do something. You can use Pourquoi…? (Why…?) and the past tense to ask. For more information on the past tense, see here.

Why…?

Pourquoi est-ce que tu ne m’as pas téléphoné? | Why didn’t you call me?
Pourquoi est-ce que tu n’y es pas allé? | Why didn’t you go?
Pourquoi est-ce que tu as déménagé? | Why did you move house?
Pourquoi est-ce qu’elle a démissionné? | Why did she quit her job?

SAYING WHAT YOU WANT TO DO

When you’re talking to friends or colleagues you will often need to be able to talk about what you would like to do. To say what you want to do, use je voudrais (I’d like). voudrais comes from the verb vouloir. For more information on vouloir, see here.

I’d like to…

Je voudrais te remercier de m’avoir aidé. | I’d like to thank you for helping me.
Je voudrais parler à M. Gautier, s’il vous plaît. | I’d like to speak to Mr Gautier, please.
On voudrait t’inviter à prendre un verre. | We’d like to take you out for a drink.
On voudrait te présenter un ami. | We’d like you to meet a friend.

You can also use je veux (I want) to talk about what you want to do. If you want to say that you want someone to do something, you use je veux que followed by the subjunctive. For more information on the subjunctive, see here.

I want to…

Je veux organiser une soirée surprise. | I want to organize a surprise party.
Je veux inviter quelques amis pour mon anniversaire. | I want to have a few friends over for my birthday.
Je veux que tu viennes avec moi. | I want you to come with me.
Je veux que la soirée soit réussie. | I want the evening to be a success.

MAKING SUGGESTIONS

One easy way of making suggestions to your friends and colleagues is to use on pourrait (we could) followed by the verb in the infinitive. pourrait comes from the verb pouvoir. For more information on pouvoir, see here.

We could…

On pourrait demander à Paul de se joindre à nous. | We could ask Paul to join us.
On pourrait se voir à un autre moment. | We could meet another time.
On pourrait prendre un verre un de ces jours. | We could go out for a drink some time.
On pourrait se retrouver au Café de la Poste. | We could meet up at the Café de la Poste.

Just as in English you can make a suggestion by simply asking Pourquoi ne… pas? (Why don’t…?). You will notice that French speakers very often omit ne to make sentences shorter – this is mainly in spoken French.

Why don’t…?

Pourquoi ne pas se donner rendez-vous un de ces jours? | Why don’t we get together sometime?
Pourquoi pas inviter Fabien et sa copine? | Why don’t we invite Fabien and his girlfriend?
Pourquoi pas déjeuner avec moi? | Why don’t you meet me for lunch?
Pourquoi tu ne les appelles pas? | Why don’t you phone them?

You can also make a suggestion using the French phrase Et si…? (How about?) which is followed by a verb in the imperfect tense. For more information on the imperfect tense, see here.

How about…?

Et si on les invitait à dîner? | How about asking them round for dinner?
Et si tu venais avec nous? | How about if you came with us?
Et si je passais te prendre le matin? | How about if I picked you up in the morning?

Use Est-ce que je devrais…? (Should I…?) followed by the verb in the infinitive to ask if you should do something. devrais comes from the verb devoir. For more information on devoir, see here.

Should I…?

Est-ce que je devrais inviter Anna? | Should I invite Anna?
Est-ce que je devrais la rappeler? | Should I call her back?
Est-ce qu’on devrait aller dans un restaurant italien? | Should we go to an Italian restaurant?

EXPRESSING OPINIONS

When talking to people in a social or work situation, you may wish to express your opinion of something. In French you can use je crois or je pense (I think). When you use croire and penser with a negative, as in je ne pense pas que or je ne crois pas que, the verb which follows is in the subjunctive. For more information on the subjunctive, see here.

I think…

Je pense que Sonia a raison. | I think Sonia’s right.
Je pense vraiment qu’il est trop tard pour aller au cinéma. | I really think it’s too late to go to the cinema.
Je pense qu’on devrait partir à minuit. | I think we should leave at midnight.
Je ne pense pas que ça soit le cas du tout. | I don’t think that’s the case at all.
Je crois que c’est une excellente idée. | I think it’s a great idea.

BON À SAVOIR!

Don’t forget to add que (that) after croire and penser. It’s optional in English, but not in French.

In my opinion…

À mon avis, c’est une bonne proposition. | In my opinion, it’s a good suggestion.
À mon avis, ça va poser des problèmes. | In my opinion, it’s going to cause problems.
À mon avis, ce n’est pas vrai. | In my opinion, it’s not true.
À mon avis, c’est un bon employeur, cette société. | In my opinion, it’s a great company to work for.

If you want to ask other people what they think of something, use Qu’est-ce que tu penses de…? (What do you think of…?).

What do you think of…?

Qu’est-ce que tu penses de son dernier film? | What do you think of his latest movie?
Qu’est-ce que tu penses de cette idée? | What do you think of this idea?
Qu’est-ce que vous diriez de sortir dîner ce soir? | What do you think about going out for dinner tonight?
Qu’est-ce que vous en pensez? | What do you think?

To agree or disagree with what other people say, use je suis d’accord or je ne suis pas d’accord.

I agree…

Je suis d’accord. | I agree.
Je suis d’accord avec Nigel. | I agree with Nigel.
Je ne suis pas d’accord avec cette décision. | I don’t agree with this decision.
Je ne suis pas tout à fait d’accord avec Claire. | I don’t completely agree with Claire.
Je suis entièrement de ton avis! | I entirely agree with you!

You’re right…

Tu as raison! | You’re right!
Je pense que vous avez raison. | I think you’re right.
C’est Matthieu qui a raison. | Matthieu’s right.
Je crois que tu as tort. | I think you’re wrong.
Tu as tort de ne pas l’écouter. | You’re wrong not to listen to her.

BON À SAVOIR!

Where we use the verb to be in English in the phrases to be right or to be wrong, French speakers use avoir (to have): avoir raison (to be right), avoir tort (to be wrong).

TALKING ABOUT YOUR PLANS

When talking to your colleagues and friends you will want to tell them about your plans. In French, as in English, the present is very often used to talk about plans, especially for things that have been arranged and that are definite. For more on the present tense, see here.

I’m seeing…

Je vois Philippe jeudi. | I’m seeing Philippe on Thursday.
Je la vois cet après-midi. | I’m seeing her this afternoon.
On va au cinéma ce soir. | We’re going to the cinema tonight.
Nous allons déjeuner ensemble vendredi prochain. | We’re going for lunch next Friday.

In English, when we talk about the future we often say I’m going to. French works the same way. To say that you’re going to do something, use je vais (I’m going to) or on va (we’re going to) before a verb in the infinitive. vais and va come from the verb aller. For more information on aller, see here.

I’m going to…

Je vais lui téléphoner. | I’m going to phone him.
Je vais le prévenir que je ne peux pas venir. | I’m going to let him know I can’t come.
Je vais leur dire de venir un peu plus tard. | I’m going to tell them to come a little later.
On va sortir au restaurant demain soir. | We’re going to go out for dinner tomorrow night.
On va se revoir. | We’re going to see each other again.

Are you going to…?

Est-ce que tu vas lui annoncer la nouvelle aujourd’hui? | Are you going to tell him the news today?
Est-ce que vous allez le revoir? | Are you going to see him again?
Tu vas aller à cette soirée? | Are you going to go to this party?
Tu vas acheter une maison? | Are you going to buy a house?

When talking about what you intend to do, you can use j’ai l’intention de or je compte (I intend to) followed by a verb in the infinitive.

I intend to…

J’ai l’intention de l’inviter à prendre un verre. | I intend to ask her out for a drink.
J’ai l’intention d’aller les voir cet été. | I intend to go and see them this summer.
On a l’intention de l’inviter pendant les vacances. | We intend to invite him during the holidays.
Je compte régler ce problème le plus vite possible. | I intend to sort out this problem as quickly as possible.

Do you intend to…?

Est-ce que tu as l’intention d’aller au mariage d’Yves et Julie? | Do you intend to go to Yves and Julie’s wedding?
Est-ce que vous avez l’intention de les contacter? | Do you intend to get in touch with them?
Qu’est-ce que vous avez l’intention de dire? | What do you intend to say?
Tu comptes rester dans la région? | Do you intend to stay in this area?
Comment est-ce que tu comptes lui annoncer la nouvelle? | How do you intend to tell him the news?

MAKING ARRANGEMENTS

When making arrangements with someone, use Est-ce que ça vous va si…? or Est-ce que ça te va si…? to ask someone if something suits them. va comes from the verb aller. For more information on aller, see here.

Will it suit you if…?

Est-ce que ça te va si on dîne à neuf heures? | Does it suit you if we have dinner at nine?
Est-ce que ça vous va si je vous appelle la semaine prochaine? | Will it suit you if I phone you next week?
Ça t’irait comme arrangement? | Would this arrangement suit you?

To ask somebody if they would prefer something, use Est-ce que tu préférerais que…? or Est-ce que vous préféreriez que…? (Would you prefer it if…?), which comes from the verb préférer in the conditional. The conditional is very useful to make polite requests or offers. You can find out more about it here. For more information on -er verbs like préférer, see here.

Would you prefer it if…?

Est-ce que tu préférerais qu’on se donne rendez-vous en ville? | Would you prefer it if we met in town?
Est-ce que vous préféreriez qu’on se retrouve au restaurant? | Would you prefer it if we met at the restaurant?
Tu préférerais que je passe te chercher? | Would you prefer it if I came to collect you?

Is it better to…?

Est-ce qu’il vaut mieux inviter aussi les conjoints? | Is it better to invite partners as well?
Est-ce qu’il vaut mieux t’appeler le soir? | Is it better to ring you in the evening?
Est-ce qu’il vaut mieux vous prévenir avant de passer? | Is it better to let you know before we call in?

If you want to confirm an arrangement with somebody, you can use Est-ce qu’on est d’accord sur…? (Are we agreed on…?).

Are we agreed on…?

Est-ce qu’on est d’accord sur la date? | Are we agreed on the date?
Est-ce qu’on est d’accord sur le lieu du rendez-vous? | Are we agreed on where to meet?
Tu es d’accord? | Do you agree?
D’accord! | Agreed!

BON À SAVOIR!

D’accord is used to accept offers or to agree: On y va ensemble? – D’accord! (Shall we go together? – OK!).

SAYING WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO

When you want to say that you have to do something in French, you use il faut que (I have to) followed by the subjunctive. For more information on the subjunctive, see here.

I have to…

Il faut que je passe un coup de fil. | I have to make a phone call.
Il faut que je reste chez moi ce soir. | I have to stay in tonight.
Il faut qu’on y soit à huit heures pile. | We have to be there at eight o’ clock sharp.
Je suis obligé de sortir dîner avec mes collègues. | I have to go out to dinner with my colleagues.
Tu n’es pas obligé de loger à l’hôtel. | You don’t have to stay at the hotel.

BON À SAVOIR!

To say that you don’t have to do something, use je ne suis pas obligé de, not il ne faut pas que je which means I mustn’t.

To say what you have to do, you can also use je dois (I must) and then the verb in the infinitive. dois comes from devoir which you can find out about here.

I must…

Je dois finir avant cet après-midi. | I must finish before this afternoon.
Je dois les prévenir. | I must warn them.
Je dois le rembourser cette semaine. | I must pay him back this week.
Tu ne dois pas oublier de signer le contrat. | You mustn’t forget to sign the contract.
Vous ne devez en parler à personne. | You mustn’t tell anyone.

When you want to say that you should or ought to do something, use il faudrait que (I should) and then the verb in the subjunctive. Like faut, faudrait comes from the verb falloir, but faudrait is the conditional. To find out more about the conditional and the subjunctive, see here.

I should…

Il faudrait que j’appelle Anne. | I should call Anne.
Il faudrait que tu nous rendes visite. | You should come and visit us.
Il faudrait que je te donne mon numéro de portable. | I should give you my mobile number.

To ask what someone has to do or when, how, why or where they have to do it, put qu’ (what), quand (when), comment (how), pourquoi (why), où (where) and so on at the beginning of the sentence, before est-ce qu’il faut que (do you have to). Remember that the verb after il faut que is in the subjunctive. To find out more about the subjunctive, see here.

Do you have to…?

Est-ce qu’il faut que tu leur donnes une réponse aujourd’hui? | Do you have to give them an answer today?
Est-ce qu’il faut que tu partes tout de suite? | Do you have to go right now?
Est-ce qu’il faut amener quelque chose? | Do we have to bring something?
Qu’est-ce qu’il faut que tu fasses? | What do you have to do?
Quand est-ce qu’il faut que ce soit fini? | When does it have to be finished?
Où est-ce qu’il faut que je m’assoie? | Where do I have to sit?

LISTEN OUT FOR

Here are some key phrases which you are likely to hear in conversation.

Vous êtes déjà allé à Lille? | Have you ever been to Lille?
Vous restez combien de temps à Rouen? | How long are you staying in Rouen?
Ça vous plaît, Rouen? | How do you like Rouen?
Vous apprenez le français depuis combien de temps? | How long have you been learning French?
Ça va, tu arrives à suivre? | Are you following the conversation?
Vous parlez bien français. | Your French is very good.
Est-ce que je parle trop vite? | Am I speaking too fast?
Vous préférez que je parle anglais? | Would you prefer it if I spoke English?
Vous voulez que je répète? | Would you like me to say it again?
Vous voulez que je parle moins vite? | Do you want me to speak more slowly?
Tu peux me tutoyer. | You can call me tu.
On se tutoie? | Shall we call each other tu?
Vous êtes marié? | Are you married?
Vous avez des enfants? | Have you got any children?
Tu viens souvent ici? | Do you come here often?

Lifestyle Tips

• The polite you (vous) is used to address people whom you don’t know. It’s also a way of showing respect to someone who’s older than you, or, at work, to someone who’s higher up in the hierarchy. People who work together on a daily basis usually say tu to each other, (se tutoyer – to say tu to each other) but it is safer to wait a little before taking that step. Many people do not like to be addressed as vous, because they think it’s too formal. They will usually suggest you call them tu, saying tu peux me tutoyer or on peut se tutoyer. You can make the first move and ask On se tutoie?, if you think that the other person will be more comfortable using the tu form.

• When meeting someone for the first time, you usually shake hands (serrer la main à quelqu’un), whether it’s a man or a woman. In business relations, at business appointments or at negotiations, shaking hands is very common. Men who are on friendly terms usually shake hands, while women kiss on both cheeks (se faire la bise). Men also kiss female friends and in some cases other men, for instance when they belong to the same family. Bear in mind that habits may be different depending on where you are in France, which is why French people themselves often get confused; for instance, the number of kisses you give someone to say hello varies from one area to another!

• The words ami and copain (and the feminine forms amie and copine) can either mean friend or boyfriend/girlfriend. If someone uses mon copain for instance, they could be either be talking about a male friend or their boyfriend. The expressions petit(e) ami(e) and petit(e) copain/copine can also be used to mean boyfriend and girlfriend. To say my partner, use mon compagnon for a man and ma compagne for a woman.

• French people socialize in cafés and restaurants as British people do, but it is probably more common in France than in Britain to invite people, be it for coffee (pour prendre le café), for the apéritif (pour prendre l’apéritif or, more informally l’apéro) or for dinner (pour le dîner). Traditionally, le café or l’apéritif are ways of getting to know people more, while le dîner (and lunch, le déjeuner) are an opportunity for people who already know each other well, or families, to spend time together.

Getting there
Bon voyage! – Have a good trip!

If you’re going to be travelling to and around French-speaking countries and cities, the phrases in this unit will help you ask for directions, find out how to get to places and buy tickets in easy, everyday French.

TALKING ABOUT YOUR PLANS

When you’re travelling around, you will probably want to talk about what you’re going to do. Use je vais (I’m going to) or on va (we’re going to) before the verb. These come from the verb aller. For more information on aller, see here.

I’m going to…

Je vais passer une journée à Avignon. | I’m going to spend a day in Avignon.
Je vais prendre le train de sept heures. | I’m going to take the seven o’clock train.
On va passer deux nuits à Argelès. | We’re going to spend two nights in Argelès.
Ensuite, on va aller à Grenoble. | Then we’re going to go to Grenoble.
Normalement, on va d’abord à Strasbourg. | If all goes well, we’ll be going to Strasbourg first.

BON À SAVOIR!

Use normalement or si tout va bien (if all goes well) at the beginning of a sentence to talk about a plan that might have to be changed.

I’ll…

Je vais t’emmener à la gare. | I’ll take you to the station.
Ne t’en fais pas, je vais prendre le bus. | Don’t worry, I’ll get the bus.
On va t’appeler un taxi. | We’ll call you a taxi.
On va venir te chercher à la gare. | We’ll come and pick you up at the railway station.

If you want to talk about what your plans are, you can use j’ai l’intention de (I’m planning to).

I’m planning to…

J’ai l’intention de louer une voiture. | I’m planning to hire a car.
J’ai l’intention d’aller au Maroc. | I’m planning to go to Morocco.
On a l’intention de suivre la route côtière. | We’re planning to drive along the coast.
Je compte passer deux jours à Santiago. | I intend to spend two days in Santiago.

I hope to…

J’espère aller en Alsace cette année. | I hope to go to Alsace this year.
J’espère voir la Bibliothèque François Mitterrand. | I hope to see the François Mitterrand Library.
On espère pouvoir tout visiter. | We hope we can visit everything.

SAYING WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO

If you want to say that you have to do something in French, such as buy a ticket, catch a train and so on, you use il faut que (I have to) or il faudrait que (I ought to) followed by the subjunctive. For more information on the subjunctive, see here.

I have to…

Il faut que j’achète mon billet demain. | I have to buy my ticket tomorrow.
Il faut d’abord que je prenne le Train Express Régional jusqu’à Niort. | I have to take the local train to Niort first.
Il faut qu’on y soit avant 8 heures. | We have to be there by 8 o’clock.

I ought to…

Il faudrait que je fasse le plein. | I ought to fill up the tank.
Il faudrait que je confirme mon vol. | I ought to confirm my flight.
Il faudrait qu’on soit à la gare à sept heures. | We ought to be at the station at seven.
Il faudrait qu’on prenne plus de carburant. | We ought to get some more petrol.

Another way of saying what you have to do is to use je dois (I must) followed by the infinitive.

I must…

Je dois aller chercher la voiture avant trois heures. | I must collect the car before three.
Je dois prendre le bus à 5h30 demain matin. | I must catch the bus at 5.30 tomorrow morning.
Vous devez présenter votre permis de conduire. | You must show your driving licence.
Vous devez imprimer votre billet électronique. | You must print out your e-ticket.

SAYING WHAT YOU WANT TO DO

When you are using some kind of transport in France, you may well need to say what you would like to do in French. You can use je voudrais (I’d like) with the infinitive. This comes from the verb vouloir. For more information on vouloir, see here.

I’d like to…

Je voudrais louer un vélo. | I’d like to hire a bike.
Je voudrais prendre le train. | I’d like to take the train.
Mon ami voudrait signaler la perte de ses bagages. | My friend would like to report his luggage missing.

The most direct way of saying what you want to do is using je veux (I want) or je souhaite (I wish) with the infinitive. veux is from the verb vouloir and souhaite is from the verb souhaiter. For more information on vouloir and -er verbs like souhaiter, see here and here.

I want to…

Je veux aller à Marseille. | I want to go to Marseilles.
Je veux descendre à Nancy. | I want to get off at Nancy.
On veut partir demain matin. | We want to leave tomorrow morning.
Je souhaite échanger mon billet. | I want to change my ticket.
Je ne souhaite pas voyager en première classe. | I don’t want to travel first class.

If you want to say that you feel like doing something, say j’ai envie de (I feel like). This is slightly stronger than j’ai bien envie de (I quite fancy). ai comes from the verb avoir. For more information on avoir, see here.

I feel like…

J’ai envie de passer par Annecy. | I feel like going via Annecy.
J’ai envie de faire le voyage en plusieurs fois. | I feel like breaking the journey.
On n’a pas envie de passer six heures dans le train. | We don’t feel like spending six hours on the train.
J’ai bien envie d’aller à Port-Vendres. | I quite fancy going to Port-Vendres.

MAKING SUGGESTIONS

You may wish to make a suggestion to your colleagues or friends in French. One way of doing this is to use on pourrait (we could). This comes from the verb pouvoir. For more information on pouvoir, see here.

We could…

On pourrait y aller demain. | We could go there tomorrow.
On pourrait faire étape à Agen. | We could break our journey at Agen.
On peut y aller à pied, si tu préfères. | We can walk, if you prefer.

BON À SAVOIR!

If you want to ask someone what they think of a particular suggestion, use Qu’est-ce que tu en dis? or Qu’est-ce que vous en dites? (What do you say?).

I can… if you like

Je peux te déposer, si tu veux. | I can give you a lift, if you like.
Je peux te retrouver à l’aéroport, si tu veux. | I can meet you at the airport, if you like.
On peut demander au contrôleur, si vous voulez. | We can ask the ticket inspector, if you like.

If you want to ask someone if they would like to do something, use Tu veux…?, or Tu voudrais…? (Would you like…?) if you know the person well or Vous voulez…? if you’re talking to several people. These all come from the verb vouloir. For more information on vouloir, see here.

Would you like to…?

Tu veux aller te baigner? | Would you like to go for a swim?
Tu veux te reposer un peu? | Would you like to have a little rest?
Est-ce que tu veux prendre le volant? | Would you like to drive?
Vous voulez y aller à pied? | Would you like to walk there?
Est-ce que vous voulez qu’on s’arrête ici? | Would you like to stop here?

Another way of making suggestions in French is to ask Pourquoi ne pas…? (Why don’t…?), which is often shortened to Pourquoi pas…? in spoken French.

Why don’t…?

Pourquoi ne pas louer une voiture? | Why don’t we hire a car?
Pourquoi ne pas prendre le métro? | Why don’t we take the underground?
Pourquoi pas demander au chauffeur? | Why don’t we ask the driver?

How about…?

Et si on prenait par la petite route? | How about taking the B road?
Et si on prenait le bateau pour y aller? | How about going there by boat?
Et si on passait par Biarritz? | How about going via Biarritz?

ASKING FOR INFORMATION

When you are travelling around in a French-speaking country or city, you will often need to find out some information to help you get to where you want to go. When you are asking for information you may need to get someone’s attention in order to ask them a question. To do this you can use either excusez-moi or pardon.

I’m looking for…

Excusez-moi, je cherche la gare maritime, s’il vous plaît. | Excuse me, I’m looking for the harbour station.
Excusez-moi, je cherche l’écomusée du Beaujolais, s’il vous plaît. | Excuse me, I’m looking for the Beaujolais heritage centre.
Pardon, le bureau des réclamations, s’il vous plaît? | Excuse me, I’m looking for the complaints office.

BON À SAVOIR!

Remember to say merci or merci beaucoup when you get the information. If someone hasn’t been able to help you, you can still thank them by saying merci quand même (thanks all the same).

If you want to ask a general question in French, you can use C’est…? or Est-ce que c’est…? (Is it…?).

Is it…?

C’est par là? | Is it this way?
C’est près d’ici? | Is it near here?
Est-ce que c’est loin, s’il vous plaît? | Is it far?
Est-ce que c’est le train pour Angoulême? | Is this the train for Angoulême?
Est-ce que c’est le bon arrêt pour le musée, s’il vous plaît? | Is this the right stop for the museum?
Est-ce que cette place est libre? | Is this seat free?

Is there…?

Il y a une station-service près d’ici, s’il vous plaît? | Is there a petrol station near here, please?
Il y a une station de métro près d’ici? | Is there an underground station near here?
Il y a des restaurants près d’ici? | Are there any restaurants around here?
Est-ce qu’il y a des tarifs étudiants? | Is there a student discount?

BON À SAVOIR!

You can see that both there is and there are are il y a in French.

In order to get more specific information, you may want to ask, for example, Où…? (Where…?), Quel…? (Which…?), or À quelle heure…? (What time…?).

Where…?

Où est la consigne? | Where’s the left-luggage office?
Où est la station de taxis la plus proche, s’il vous plaît? | Where’s the nearest taxi rank, please?
Où sont les toilettes? | Where are the public toilets?

Which…?

Je dois prendre quelle ligne, s’il vous plaît? | Which line do I take, please?
Quels bus vont en centre-ville? | Which buses go to the town centre?
De quel quai part le train pour Sarlat? | Which platform does the train for Sarlat leave from?
Excusez-moi, c’est quelle direction pour Brest, s’il vous plaît? | Excuse me, which way do I go for Brest, please?
C’est quelle direction pour aller au Stade de France, s’il vous plaît? | Which way is it to the Stade de France, please?

What time…?

On embarque à quelle heure? | What time are we boarding?
Le train part à quelle heure? | What time does the train leave?
À quelle heure est-ce qu’on arrive à Bruxelles? | What time do we get to Brussels?
Le départ est bien à sept heures? | The departure is at seven, isn’t it?
Le bus arrive bien à neuf heures trente? | The bus arrives at nine thirty, doesn’t it?

BON À SAVOIR!

When you’re not sure about something, you can ask for confirmation by adding bien after the verb in your question.

If you want to ask how often something happens, how long it takes or how much it costs, you can use a phrase with combien.

How often…?

Il y a un bus pour Genève tous les combien? | How often is there a bus for Geneva?
Il y a un vol pour Londres tous les combien? | How often is there a flight to London?
Il faut faire le plein tous les combien de kilomètres? | How often do you have to fill up the tank?

How long…?

Ça prend combien de temps? | How long does it take?
Ça prend combien de temps pour aller à la gare? | How long does it take to get to the railway station?
Ça prend combien de temps pour aller de Lille à Paris? | How long does it take to get from Lille to Paris?
Le voyage prend combien de temps? | How long does the journey take?
On va mettre combien de temps pour y aller? | How long will it take us to get there?

How much is…?

Combien coûte un ticket pour Lyon? | How much is a ticket to Lyon?
Combien coûte le péage entre Paris et Orléans? | How much is the motorway toll between Paris and Orléans?
Combien est-ce que ça coûte de laisser une valise à la consigne? | How much does it cost to leave a case in left-luggage?
Combien est-ce que ça coûterait de louer une voiture pour deux jours? | How much would it cost to hire a car for two days?

Use Est-ce que je peux…? (Can I…?) or Est-ce qu’on peut…? (Can we…?) to ask whether you can do something. These are from the verb pouvoir. For more information on pouvoir, see here.

Can I…?

Est-ce que je peux payer par carte bleue? | Can I pay by debit card?
Est-ce que je peux louer une voiture pour la journée? | Can I hire a car for the day?
Est-ce qu’on peut fumer dans le train? | Is smoking allowed on the train?
Est-ce qu’on peut y aller à pied? | Can you walk there?
Est-ce qu’il est possible de changer son billet par Internet? | Can you change your ticket online?

ASKING FOR THINGS

When asking for something, you can use Est-ce que je peux avoir…? (Can I have…?) or Est-ce que je pourrais avoir…? (Could I have…?). These come from the verb pouvoir. For more information on pouvoir, see here.

Can I have…?

Est-ce que je peux avoir un plan du métro, s’il vous plaît? | Can I have a map of the underground, please?
Est-ce que je peux avoir une carte à la semaine, s’il vous plaît? | Can I have a weekly pass, please?
Est-ce que je pourrais avoir les horaires des trains, s’il vous plaît? | Could I have a train timetable, please?

When you want to find out if something is available or if someone has something, use Est-ce que vous avez…? or Vous avez…? (Do you have…?). avez comes from the verb avoir. For more information on avoir, see here.

Do you have…?

Est-ce que vous avez les horaires des bus? | Do you have any bus timetables?
Vous avez un plan d’accès, s’il vous plaît? | Do you have a map that shows how to get there, please?
Vous avez des voitures plus petites en location? | Do you have smaller cars to hire?
Est-ce qu’il vous reste des places côté couloir? | Do you have any aisle seats left?

When you ask for something, you can simply name what you want, but make sure you finish your question with s’il vous plaît, or your request might sound rather like an order!

A…, please

Un aller simple, s’il vous plaît. | A single, please.
Une place côté fenêtre, s’il vous plaît. | A window seat, please.
Trois billets retours pour Montréal, s’il vous plaît. | Three returns to Montreal, please.

If you are asking someone if they can do something for you, you should use Est-ce que vous pouvez…? (Can you…?).

Can you…?

Est-ce que vous pouvez nous emmener à l’hôtel Saint-Antoine, s’il vous plaît? | Can you take us to the Saint-Antoine hotel, please?
Est-ce que vous pouvez me prévenir quand on arrivera à l’arrêt du musée? | Can you tell me when we’re near the museum stop?
Vous pouvez me déposer ici, s’il vous plaît? | Can you drop me here, please?
Vous pouvez nous montrer où ça se trouve sur la carte? | Can you show us where it is on the map?

Would you mind…?

Est-ce que ça vous dérangerait de m’écrire l’adresse? | Would you mind writing down the address for me?
Est-ce que ça vous dérangerait de me déposer à mon hôtel? | Would you mind dropping me at my hotel?
Est-ce que ça vous dérangerait de nous montrer où c’est? | Would you mind showing us where it is?

SAYING WHAT YOU LIKE, DISLIKE, PREFER

You will want to be able to discuss what you like and dislike with your French-speaking acquaintances. To say what you like, use j’aime bien (I like), which is not as strong as j’aime (I love). To say what you don’t like, just use je n’aime pas (I don’t like). These come from the verb aimer. For more information on aimer, see here.

I like…

J’aime bien ces routes de campagne. | I like these country roads.
J’aime bien voyager en train. | I like travelling by train.
J’aime beaucoup cette voiture. | I like this car a lot.
J’aime l’avion. | I love flying.

I don’t like…

Je n’aime pas les voitures automatiques. | I don’t like automatics.
Je n’aime pas conduire à droite. | I don’t like driving on the right.

Do you like…?

Tu aimes bien cette région? | Do you like this area?
Tu aimes bien voyager seul? | Do you like travelling by yourself?
Est-ce que vous aimez conduire de nuit? | Do you like driving at night?
Est-ce que vous aimez bien les voyages organisés? | Do you like package tours?

If you want to say what you prefer, use je préfère (I prefer) or je préférerais (I’d prefer). These come from the verb préférer. For more information on -er verbs like préférer, see here.

I prefer to…

Je préfère dormir à l’hôtel. | I prefer to sleep in a hotel.
Je préfère prendre l’autoroute. | I prefer to take the motorway.
Je préférerais ne pas laisser ma voiture ici. | I’d prefer not to leave my car here.

I’d rather…

J’aimerais mieux faire le voyage par beau temps. | I’d rather make the journey in good weather.
J’aimerais mieux être assise côté fenêtre. | I’d rather sit next to the window.
On aimerait mieux faire la route de jour. | We’d rather drive in the daytime.

LISTEN OUT FOR

Here are some key phrases you are likely to be hear when you’re travelling around.

Prochain arrêt:… | Next stop:…
Le train pour Nice part du quai numéro trois. | The train for Nice leaves from platform three.
Votre billet, s’il vous plaît. | Ticket, please.
Je peux m’asseoir ici? | Do you mind if I sit here?
Continuez tout droit jusqu’aux feux. | Go straight on till you get to the traffic lights.
Prenez la deuxième à gauche. | Take the second turning on the left.
C’est en face de la cathédrale. | It’s opposite the cathedral.
C’est tout près. | It’s very near.
On peut y aller à pied. | It’s within walking distance.
C’est à trois arrêts d’ici. | It’s three stops from here.

Lifestyle Tips

• If you’re behind the wheel of a car, be ready to produce your driving licence if asked for it by the police. If you’ve left it behind, you may well be fined. The police officer might ask you: votre permis de conduire, s’il vous plaît (your driving licence, please). French drivers also have to be able to produce their carte grise (car registration document) and their attestation d’assurance (car insurance certificate).

• Motorways are not free in France. When you go onto the motorway, you get a ticket de péage or ticket d’entrée. When you come off the motorway this will show how many kilometres you’ve driven and how much you have to pay.

• At motorway tolls, some toll booths are manned, some are automatic (using bank cards), and some are reserved for drivers using the télépéage system which makes it possible to pay the toll via a sensor inside the car (with monthly bills sent to your address). It is best to stay clear of these lanes which are marked with a yellow “T” sign, as the drivers equipped with such sensors don’t take kindly to tourists holding up their fast lane!

• Over the past years, covoiturage (car sharing) has become quite popular in France. It can be a cheap and convenient way of getting around, especially for short distances. There are many places where you can find offers for covoiturage, but local papers, and ad boards in shops are probably your best bet.

• If you’re asked to produce your titre de transport on the bus, the train or the underground, it means that you have to show your ticket to the inspector.

• Make sure you punch your ticket before you get on the train or bus. If you have forgotten to do so, it is advisable to go and see le contrôleur (the ticket inspector) as soon as possible or you might be fined.

• If you’re in a hurry, you can hop on the train and buy a ticket for a small amount extra directly from a ticket inspector - go and see him or her as soon as you’re on the train or you might be suspected of resquillage (fare-dodging).

• Queues tend to be informal in French-speaking countries. So if you’re trying to get to an information desk and don’t know if it’s your turn, just ask C’est à moi? or C’est mon tour? (Am I next?). If you want to let someone in before you, you can say après vous (after you).

Home from home
Dors bien! – Sleep well!

If you’re going to stay in a French-speaking country, the phrases in this unit will provide you with the language you need to help you find the sort of accommodation you want (hotel, hostel, self-catering accommodation or a flat to rent) and ensure that everything is to your satisfaction when you’re there. We’ll also give you a few tips on what the receptionist or your landlord or landlady may say to you.

ASKING FOR THINGS

To say what kind of accommodation you want in French, use je voudrais or je souhaite (I’d like). voudrais comes from the verb vouloir and souhaite comes from the verb souhaiter. For further information on vouloir and -er verbs like souhaiter, see here and here.

I’d like…

Je voudrais une chambre avec un balcon. | I’d like a room with a balcony.
Je voudrais réserver une chambre double pour deux nuits. | I’d like to book a double room for two nights.
On voudrait un dortoir de six personnes. | We’d like a six-bed dorm.
Je souhaite rester trois nuits. | I’d like to stay three nights.
Je souhaite louer votre gîte pendant deux semaines. | I’d like to book your gîte for two weeks.

je veux is a slightly more direct way of saying what you want.

I want…

Je veux un appartement bien éclairé. | I want a well-lit flat.
Je veux changer de chambre; celle que vous m’avez donnée est humide. | I want to change rooms; the one you gave me is damp.
Je veux qu’on me rembourse. | I want a refund.
On ne veut pas de chambre côté rue. | We don’t want a room overlooking the road.

Use je tiens à to say that you insist on something. tiens comes from the verb tenir.

I insist on…

Je tiens vraiment à avoir vue sur la mer. | I absolutely insist on having a view of the sea.
Je tiens à ne pas être dérangé. | I insist on not being disturbed.
On tient à être dans le centre-ville. | We insist on staying in the centre of town.

When you want to find out if something is available, use Est-ce que vous avez…? (Do you have…?) or Est-ce que vous auriez…? (Would you have…?). These come from the verb avoir. For more information on avoir, see here.

Do you have…?

Est-ce que vous avez des informations sur le logement? | Do you have any information about accommodation?
Est-ce que vous avez des chambres de libre? | Have you got any rooms free?
Vous avez Internet? | Have you got internet access?
Est-ce que vous auriez des serviettes, s’il vous plaît? | Would you have any towels, please?

Can I have…?

Est-ce que je peux avoir la clé de ma chambre, s’il vous plaît? | Can I have the key to my room, please?
Est-ce que je peux avoir un reçu, s’il vous plaît? | Can I have a receipt, please?
Est-ce qu’on peut avoir une liste des logements disponibles? | Can we have a list of available accommodation?
Est-ce que je pourrais avoir deux serviettes en plus? | Could I have two more towels?

If you are asking someone whether they can do something for you, use Est-ce que pouvez…? (Can you…?) and Est-ce que vous pourriez…? (Could you…?). They both come from the verb pouvoir. For more information on pouvoir, see here.

Can you…?

Est-ce que vous pouvez me confirmer la réservation par e-mail? | Can you confirm the booking by email?
Est-ce que vous pouvez m’appeler pour me réveiller à sept heures, s’il vous plaît? | Can you give me an alarm call at seven o’clock, please?
Est-ce que vous pourriez changer les serviettes, s’il vous plaît? | Could you change the towels, please?
Vous pourriez me montrer la chambre, s’il vous plaît? | Could you show me the room, please?

Would you mind…?

Est-ce que ça vous dérangerait de me montrer comment marche la cuisinière? | Would you mind showing me how the cooker works?
Est-ce que ça vous dérangerait de m’appeler un taxi? | Would you mind calling a taxi for me?
Ça vous dérangerait de monter mes valises à ma chambre? | Would you mind taking my suitcases up to my room?

TALKING ABOUT YOURSELF

When you are enquiring about somewhere to stay you will need to give information about yourself. Use je suis (I am) to talk about yourself and on est (we are) to include the people who are with you. These come from the verb être. For more information on être, see here.

I’m…

Je suis étudiante. | I’m a student.
Je suis canadien. | I’m Canadian.
Je suis du sud de l’Angleterre. | I’m from the south of England.
On est en vacances. | We’re on holiday.
Nous sommes les propriétaires. | We’re the owners.

My name is…

Je m’appelle Brian Gallagher. | My name is Brian Gallagher.
Je m’appelle Olivia Gauthier. | My name is Olivia Gauthier.
Je m’appelle Madame Smith. J’ai réservé une chambre double pour cette nuit. | My name is Mrs Smith. I’ve booked a double room for tonight.
Mon nom de famille c’est Morris… | My surname is Morris…
…et mon prénom c’est Emma. | …and my first name is Emma.
Ça s’écrit M-O-R-R-I-S. | It’s spelt M-O-R-R-I-S.

BON À SAVOIR!

Remember that the French alphabet is pronounced differently from the English alphabet. For more information on how to say letters of the alphabet in French, see here.

ASKING FOR INFORMATION

When you want to obtain some information about your accommodation, an easy way to ask questions is just to put est-ce que before what you want to know. Alternatively, you can simply make your voice go up at the end of the sentence. This sounds more informal than using est-ce que.

Is it…?

Est-ce que c’est cher? | Is it expensive?
Est-ce que c’est un hôtel moderne? | Is it a modern hotel?
C’est loin? | Is it far?
Le petit déjeuner est inclus dans le prix? | Is breakfast included in the price?
Est-ce que toutes les charges sont comprises dans le loyer? | Are all the bills included in the rent?

You can use Il y a…? in French to ask both Is there…? or Are there…?.

Is there…?

Est-ce qu’il y a un endroit où manger près d’ici? | Is there anywhere near here where we can get something to eat?
Est-ce qu’il y a un interphone? | Is there an intercom?
Est-ce qu’il y a vue sur la mer? | Is there a sea view?
Est-ce qu’il y a le chauffage central dans l’appartement? | Is there central heating in the apartment?
Il y a des toilettes handicapés? | Are there any disabled toilets?

Use je cherche (I’m looking for) or on cherche (we’re looking for) to ask where something is. cherche comes from the verb chercher. For more information on -er verbs like chercher, see here.

I’m looking for…

Excusez-moi, je cherche le camping. | Excuse me, I’m looking for the campsite.
Je cherche une chambre d’hôte pour ce soir. | I’m looking for a B&B for tonight.
On cherche l’hôtel du Nord. | We’re looking for the hôtel du Nord.

To get more specific information you may need to ask Quel…? (What…?), Où…? (Where…?) or À quelle heure…? (What time…?).

What…?

Quel est le nom de l’hôtel? | What’s the name of the hotel?
Quel est le numéro de l’agence immobilière? | What’s the number for the letting agency?
Quelle est l’adresse du propriétaire? | What’s the address of the landlord?
Quels sont vos tarifs? | What are your rates?

BON À SAVOIR!

Remember to use quel with a masculine word and quelle with a feminine word.

Where…?

Où est le bar? | Where’s the bar?
Où est la salle de fitness? | Where’s the gym?
Où sont les ascenseurs? | Where are the lifts?
Où est-ce que je peux brancher mon portable? | Where can I plug in my laptop?

What time…?

À quelle heure est le dîner? | What time’s dinner?
À quelle heure vous fermez les portes le soir? | What time do you lock the doors at night?
Il faut libérer la chambre avant quelle heure? | What time do we have to vacate the room by?
Vous servez le petit déjeuner jusqu’à quelle heure? | What time do you serve breakfast till?

You are very likely to want to ask how much something costs. To do this, use a phrase containing combien.

How much…?

C’est combien pour une nuit en chambre double? | How much is a double room per night?
C’est combien pour la pension complète? | How much is full board?
Combien ça coûterait de louer un gîte pour tout le mois de juillet? | How much would it be to rent a gîte for the whole of July?

How many…?

Il vous reste combien de chambres avec salle de bains? | How many en-suite rooms have you got left?
Il y a combien de lits dans la chambre familiale? | How many beds are there in the family room?

ASKING FOR PERMISSION

Often when you are staying in a hotel or other accommodation you will need to be able to ask whether you can do something or not. Use Est-ce que je peux…? (Can I…?) or Est-ce que nous pouvons…? (Can we…?) to ask if you can do something. These come from the verb pouvoir. For more information on pouvoir, see here.

Can I…?

Est-ce que je peux voir la chambre? | Can I see the room?
Est-ce que je peux laisser mes valises ici cinq minutes? | Can I leave my suitcases here for five minutes?
Est-ce que je peux fumer dans la chambre? | Can I smoke in the room?
Est-ce qu’on peut utiliser la piscine? | Can we use the pool?
Est-ce qu’on peut camper ici? | Can we camp here?

Do you mind if…?

Ça vous dérange si je gare ma voiture dehors un instant? | Do you mind if I park my car outside for a moment?
Ça vous dérange si je paye par carte de crédit? | Do you mind if I pay by credit card?
Ça te dérange si on prend la chambre du haut? | Do you mind if we take the upstairs bedroom?

If you want to ask someone if you may do something, use Vous permettez que…? (Am I allowed to…?) followed by a verb in the subjunctive. For more information on the subjunctive, see here.

Am I allowed to…?

Vous permettez que je reçoive des invités? | Am I allowed to have guests?
Vous permettez que je me serve de la machine à laver? | Am I allowed to use the washing machine?
Vous permettez qu’on utilise le téléphone? | May we use the phone?
On a le droit de se servir du barbecue? | Are we allowed to use the barbecue?
On a le droit d’emmener notre chien? | Are we allowed to bring our dog?

SAYING WHAT YOU LIKE, DISLIKE, PREFER

When talking about what you like, use j’aime bien (I like), which is not as strong as j’aime or j’adore (I love). To say what you don’t like, just use je n’aime pas (I don’t like). These come from the verb aimer. For more information on aimer, see here.

I like…

J’aime bien les petits hôtels. | I like small hotels.
J’aime bien les campings de montagne. | I like campsites in the mountains.
J’adore cette pension de famille. | I love this guest house.

I don’t like…

Je n’aime pas cet hôtel. | I don’t like this hotel.
On n’aime pas tout prévoir à l’avance. | We don’t like to plan everything in advance.
Je déteste cette décoration. | I hate this decor.

If you want to say what you prefer, use je préfère (I prefer) or je préférerais (I’d prefer). To say that you prefer A to B, use je préfère A à B. These come from the verb préférer. For more information on -er verbs like préférer, see here.

I prefer…

Je préfère cet hôtel. | I prefer this hotel.
Je préfère loger chez l’habitant. | I prefer to stay with a family.
Je préférerais ne pas attendre pour réserver un hôtel. | I’d prefer not to wait to book a hotel.
On préfère l’auberge de jeunesse au camping. | We prefer youth hostels to campsites.

I’d rather…

J’aimerais mieux être dans le centre ville. | I’d rather be in the town centre.
J’aimerais mieux être en colocation que de vivre seul. | I’d rather share a flat than live on my own.
On aimerait mieux vivre à la campagne que d’avoir un appartement en ville. | We’d prefer to live in the country than have a flat in town.

EXPRESSING OPINIONS

You may well be asked what you think of your accommodation. Whether it’s perfect or not up to scratch, you can use je trouve to say what you think. This comes from the verb trouver. For more information on -er verbs like trouver, see here.

I think…

Je trouve la chambre un peu petite. | I think the bedroom’s a bit small.
Je trouve la maison très accueillante. | I think the house is very welcoming.
J’ai trouvé le service excellent. | I thought the service was excellent.
Je trouve qu’il y a trop de bruit la nuit. | I find that there’s too much noise at night.

In my opinion…

À mon avis, c’est trop cher pour ce que c’est. | In my opinion, it’s too expensive for what it is.
À mon avis, c’est parfait pour ce dont on a besoin. | In my opinion, it’s perfect for our needs.
À mon avis, la chambre est trop petite. | In my opinion, the room is too small.
À mon avis, c’est complètement inacceptable. | In my view, it’s completely unacceptable.

MAKING SUGGESTIONS

If you would like to suggest that you do something, use je peux (I can) followed by the infinitive and si vous voulez (if you like) – or si tu veux for a person you know well – at the end. peux comes from the verb pouvoir. For more information on pouvoir, see here.

I can… if you like

Je peux confirmer les dates demain, si vous voulez. | I can confirm the dates tomorrow, if you like.
Je peux vous envoyer un acompte, si vous voulez. | I can send you a deposit, if you like.
On peut chercher un autre hôtel, si tu veux. | We can look for another hotel, if you like.

If you wish to ask what someone would like you to do, you can use Vous voulez que je…? (Would you like me to…?) followed by a verb in the subjunctive, which you can find out more about here.

Would you like me to…?

Vous voulez que je vous paye en liquide? | Would you like me to pay cash?
Vous voulez que je vous montre ma réservation? | Would you like me to show you my booking?
Tu veux que je prenne le lit du haut? | Would you like me to take the top bunk?
Est-ce que vous voulez qu’on vous laisse nos passeports? | Would you like to keep our passports?

ASKING FOR SUGGESTIONS

You may want to ask for advice or a recommendation concerning your accommodation. To ask for advice, use Est-ce que vous me conseillez de…? (Would you advise…?). This comes from the verb conseiller. For more information on -er verbs like conseiller, see here.

Would you advise…?

Est-ce que vous me conseillez de réserver à l’avance? | Would you advise me to book in advance?
Est-ce que vous nous conseillez d’amener des sacs de couchage? | Would you advise us to bring sleeping bags?
Vous me conseillez d’amener de quoi manger? | Would you advise me to bring something to eat?

Would you recommend…?

Est-ce que vous recommandez cet hôtel? | Would you recommend this hotel?
Est-ce que vous recommandez cette agence immobilière? | Would you recommend this estate agency?
Est-ce que vous nous recommandez de louer à la semaine? | Would you recommend that we rent by the week?
Vous nous recommandez de prendre un appartement en ville? | Would you recommend us to take a flat in town?

SAYING WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO

If you want to say that you have to do something with regard to your accommodation in French, you use il faut que je (I have to) or il faudrait que je (I ought to) and then the verb in the subjunctive, which you can find out about here.

I have to…

Il faut que je passe à la réception pour payer. | I have to go to the reception to pay.
Il faut que je note l’adresse de l’hôtel. | I have to write down the address of the hotel.
Il faut qu’on parte à six heures demain matin. | We have to leave at six tomorrow morning.

I ought to…

Il faudrait que je fasse une lessive. | I ought to do a load of washing.
Il faudrait que je décharge la voiture. | I ought to unload the car.
Il faudrait qu’on se lève avant sept heures. | We ought to be up by seven am.
Il faudrait qu’on ait le double des clefs. | We ought to have a spare set of keys.

Alternatively, you can use je dois (I must), from the verb devoir. For more information on devoir, see here.

I must…

Je dois me lever tôt demain. | I must get up early tomorrow.
Je dois rendre les clés au propriétaire. | I must give the keys back to the owner.
On doit absolument trouver un logement avant la fin du mois. | We absolutely must find accommodation by the end of the month.

In French you can tell somebody what you need by using j’ai besoin de (I need).

I need…

J’ai besoin d’un lit d’enfant. | I need a cot.
J’ai besoin de téléphoner en Écosse. | I need to call Scotland.
Nous avons besoin d’une chambre au rez-de-chaussée. | We need a room on the ground floor.

You can use Est-ce qu’il faut que…? (Do I have to…?) followed by the verb in the subjunctive to ask about what you have to do. For more information on the subjunctive, see here.

Do I have to…?

Est-ce qu’il faut que je laisse la clef à la réception quand je sors? | Do I have to leave the key at the reception when I go out?
Est-ce qu’il faut qu’on emmène des sacs de couchage? | Do we need to bring sleeping bags?
Est-ce qu’il faut vous prévenir quand on quitte l’hôtel? | Do we have to let you know when we leave the hotel?
Qu’est-ce qu’il faut que j’emmène? | What do I need to bring?
Quand est-ce qu’il faut qu’on libère la chambre? | When do we have to vacate the room?

Alternatively, you can use Est-ce que je dois…? (Do I need to…?)

Do I need to…?

Est-ce que je dois faire le ménage dans l’appartement avant de partir? | Do I need to clean the flat before leaving?
Est-ce que je dois réserver? | Do I need to book?
Est-ce qu’on doit laisser un pourboire à la femme de chambre? | Do we need to leave a tip for the housekeeper?

TALKING ABOUT YOUR PLANS

When you are talking about your plans for where you’re going to stay, in French, as in English, the present tense is very often used to talk about things that have been arranged and are definite. For more on the present tense, see here.

I’m staying…

Je loge en auberge de jeunesse la première semaine. | I’m staying in a youth hostel the first week.
Je loge chez l’habitant le premier soir. | I’m staying with a host family the first night.
… ensuite je dors à l’hôtel. | … then I’m staying in a hotel.

Alternatively, you can use the future tense in French, as in English.

I’ll…

Je serai à l’hôtel à dix-sept heures. | I’ll be at the hotel at five pm.
Je paierai le loyer à l’avance. | I’ll pay the rent in advance.
On arrivera dans la soirée. | We’ll arrive in the evening.

In English we often say I’m going to to talk about the future. French works the same way. To say that you’re going to do something, put je vais (I’m going to) or on va (we’re going to) before the verb. vais and va come from the verb aller. For more information on aller, see here.

I’m going to…

Je vais loger à Biarritz. | I’m going to stay in Biarritz.
Je vais louer un chalet à la montagne. | I’m going to rent a chalet in the mountains.
On va faire du camping. | We’re going to camp.

If you want to say that you intend to do something, you can use j’ai l’intention de or je compte (I intend to).

I intend to…

J’ai l’intention de louer un appartement. | I intend to rent a flat.
J’ai l’intention de trouver un gîte. | I intend to find a gîte.
Je compte rester jusqu’à vendredi. | I intend to stay until Friday.
On compte partir demain après le petit déjeuner. | We intend to leave after breakfast tomorrow.

COMPLAINING

Unfortunately the service you get in your accommodation may not always be perfect. A very simple way of complaining is to say what the problem is using il y a, which means both there is and there are or il n’y a pas de which means there isn’t or there aren’t.

There’s…

Il y a trop de bruit. | There’s too much noise.
Il y a une fuite au plafond. | There’s a leak in the ceiling.
Il y a des cafards dans l’appartement. | There are cockroaches in the apartment.

There isn’t…

Il n’y a pas d’eau chaude. | There isn’t any hot water.
Il n’y a pas de serviettes propres dans la chambre. | There aren’t any clean towels in the room.
La chambre n’a pas de balcon. | The room doesn’t have a balcony.
L’appartement n’a pas la climatisation. | The apartment doesn’t have air-conditioning.

You can also use the verb être (to be) to describe what the problem is.

It’s…

L’appartement est sale. | The apartment’s dirty.
L’eau de la piscine n’est pas très propre. | The water in the swimming pool isn’t very clean.
Cet hôtel est trop bruyant. | This hotel’s too noisy.
Il fait trop chaud ici. | It’s too hot in here.

BON À SAVOIR!

Remember that in French to talk about the weather, you use the verb faire. For more information on this use of faire, see here.

LISTEN OUT FOR

Here are some phrases you are likely to hear when you’re looking for somewhere to stay.

Vous cherchez quel type de logement? | What type of accommodation are you looking for?
La réservation est à quel nom? | Whose name is the booking in?
Pour combien de nuits? | For how many nights?
Pour combien de personnes? | For how many people?
Le petit déjeuner est inclus dans le prix. | Breakfast is included in the price.
Je peux voir votre passeport, s’il vous plaît? | Can I see your passport, please?
Nous sommes complets. | We’re full.
Il y a une caution de 300 euros. | There’s a 300 euro deposit.
Vous êtes joignable à quel numéro? | What number can we contact you on?
Les chiens ne sont pas admis. | We don’t allow dogs.
Vous voulez régler comment? | How would you like to pay?
Remplissez ce formulaire, s’il vous plaît. | Please fill in this form.
Signez ici, s’il vous plaît. | Please sign here.
Vous pouvez épeler votre nom, s’il vous plaît? | Can you spell your name for me, please?

Lifestyle Tips

• The proportion of propriétaires (homeowners) in France is much lower than it is in Britain. People tend to rent a lot more. Long-term rented accommodation is usually unfurnished; locataires (tenants) often even have to supply their own appareils ménagers (white goods) and meubles de cuisine (kitchen units).

• It is not as common for professionals to share a flat – être en colocation – in France as it is in Britain, although high rents have changed this over the past few years, especially in cities.

• If you’re flat-hunting in France, you will hear flats described as F1, F2, F3 and so on. These refer to the number of rooms in a flat, not including the bathroom and kitchen. A studio is a studio, an F1 is a one-room flat, an F2 is a two-room flat, and so on.

• One good way of getting to know an area and its locals is to stay in a gîte rural – a cottage or apartment in the country. Some offer self-catering facilities, but others give you the chance to stay in an apartment within the house of the host family.

• The equivalent of B&Bs in France are chambres d’hôte, usually a room in someone’s house. Some of these places also offer table d’hôte, which means that they will provide a meal using local produce, or even food grown on the farm. If there aren’t any vacancies you will see a “Complet” (“Full”) sign.

• When staying in a camping (campsite), you will have to pay des arrhes (a deposit) which is part of the full amount you will pay at the end of your stay. When renting accommodation you may also have to pay une caution (a security deposit).

Wining and dining
Bon appétit! – Enjoy your meal!

If you’re going out for a meal in France either in a local café or in a fancy restaurant, the phrases in this unit will give you the confidence to talk to the waiter and chat with your French friends in easy, natural French. We’ll also give you some tips on getting advice about what to order, and a few key phrases the waiters are likely to use.

MAKING ARRANGEMENTS

If you want to make arrangements such as where and when to meet when you go out for a meal with French-speaking people, you can ask Où est-ce que…? (Where…?) or À quelle heure…? (What time…?).

Where…?

Où est-ce qu’on se retrouve? | Where shall we meet?
Où est-ce que tu veux que je vienne te prendre? | Where do you want me to pick you up?
Où est-ce qu’on pourrait aller manger? | Where shall we go to eat?

What time…?

À quelle heure est-ce qu’on se retrouve? | What time shall we meet?
À quelle heure est-ce qu’elle va arriver? | What time is she going to get here?
Tu as réservé une table pour quelle heure? | What time did you book the table for?
Vous servez jusqu’à quelle heure? | What time do you serve till?
On peut arriver à partir de quelle heure? | How early can we come?

If you want to check that the arrangements suit your friends or colleagues, you can use Ça te va si…? or Ça vous va si…? (Will it be all right if…?).

Will it be all right if…?

Ça te va si on va au restaurant demain soir? | Will it be all right if we go to the restaurant tomorrow night?
Ça te va si on se retrouve à sept heures? | Will it be all right if we meet up at seven pm?
Ça vous va si on vous rejoint là-bas? | Will it be all right if we meet you there?

Is it better to…?

Est-ce qu’il vaut mieux réserver? | Is it better to book?
Est-ce qu’il vaut mieux arriver en avance? | Is it better to arrive early?
Est-ce qu’il vaudrait mieux changer notre réservation? | Would it be better to change our reservation?
Est-ce que ça t’irait mieux samedi soir? | Would Saturday evening suit you better?

It would suit me best to…

Ça m’arrangerait de vous retrouver sur place. | It’d suit me best to meet you there.
Ça m’arrangerait d’y aller à huit heures. | It’d suit me best to be there for eight.
Ça nous arrangerait d’y aller en voiture. | It’d be better for us to go there by car.

ASKING FOR INFORMATION

When you’re going out for a meal you’ll need to ask for various pieces of information, such as where things are and how much they cost. To ask where something is, you can use Où se trouve…? (Where is…?), and to ask how much it costs, use C’est combien…? (How much is…?).

Where’s…?

Où se trouve le restaurant? | Where is the restaurant?
Où se trouve le coin change-bébé? | Where’s the baby changing area?
Excusez-moi, où se trouvent les toilettes? | Excuse me, where are the toilets?

How much…?

C’est combien une bouteille de blanc du pays? | How much is a bottle of local white wine?
C’est combien une petite salade? | How much is it for a side salad?
Il est à combien, le menu? | How much is the set menu?

What…?

Qu’est-ce qu’il y a comme dessert? | What is there for dessert?
Qu’est-ce qu’il y a dans le cassoulet? | What is in a “cassoulet”?
Qu’est-ce qu’il y a comme garniture? | What does it come with?

Many of the questions you will be asking can be answered by yes or no. You can either put est-ce que before what you want to know or alternatively you can raise the tone of your voice at the end of the sentence – this will make you sound more informal.

Is it…?

Est-ce que c’est un plat typique de la région? | Is it a local dish?
Est-ce que c’est compris dans le menu à 15 euros? | Is it included in the 15 € set menu?
Est-ce qu’il est cher, ce restaurant? | Is it an expensive restaurant?
Ça convient aux végétariens? | Is it ok for vegetarians?

ASKING FOR THINGS

When you’re out in a French restaurant you will need to be able to ask for what you want. If you want to ask for something in French, use je voudrais (I’d like) or on voudrait (we’d like). voudrais and voudrait come from the verb vouloir. For more information on vouloir, see here.

I’d like…

Je voudrais du pain, s’il vous plaît. | I’d like some bread, please.
Je voudrais une carafe d’eau, s’il vous plaît. | I’d like a jug of water, please.
On voudrait une autre bouteille de vin. | We’d like another bottle of wine.
Une table pour deux personnes, s’il vous plaît. | A table for two, please.

When the waiter approaches and you want to say that you’re not ready to order, use je n’ai pas encore décidé. Alternatively, if your order has already been taken, you can say on a déjà commandé, merci (someone’s already taken our order, thanks).

I’ll have…

Comme entrée, je vais prendre la terrine de lapin. | As a starter, I’ll have the rabbit terrine.
Comme plat principal, je vais prendre le saumon. | For the main course, I’ll have salmon.
Je vais prendre la mousse au chocolat comme dessert. | For dessert, I’ll have the chocolate mousse.
Comme boisson, nous allons prendre une bouteille d’eau pétillante. | We’ll have sparkling water to drink.
Je ne sais pas quoi prendre. | I don’t know what to have.

When you want to find out if something is available, use Est-ce que vous avez…? or Vous avez…? (Have you got…?). avez comes from the verb avoir. For more information on avoir, see here.

Have you got…?

Est-ce que vous avez un menu enfants? | Have you got a children’s menu?
Est-ce que vous avez une table en terrasse? | Do you have a table outside?
Vous avez une carte des vins? | Do you have a wine list?
Vous avez une chaise pour bébé? | Have you got a high chair?

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