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 (Id like) with the infinitive. This comes from the verb vouloir. For more information on vouloir, see here.
Id like to
Je voudrais louer un vélo.Id like to hire a bike.Je voudrais prendre le train.Id 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 dont want to travel first class.If you want to say that you feel like doing something, say jai envie de (I feel like). This is slightly stronger than jai bien envie de (I quite fancy). ai comes from the verb avoir. For more information on avoir, see here.
I feel like
Jai envie de passer par Annecy.I feel like going via Annecy.Jai envie de faire le voyage en plusieurs fois.I feel like breaking the journey.On na pas envie de passer six heures dans le train.We dont feel like spending six hours on the train.Jai bien envie daller 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 Quest-ce que tu en dis? or Quest-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 laéroport, 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 youre 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 quon sarrête ici?Would you like to stop here?Another way of making suggestions in French is to ask Pourquoi ne pas? (Why dont?), which is often shortened to Pourquoi pas? in spoken French.
Why dont?
Pourquoi ne pas louer une voiture?Why dont we hire a car?Pourquoi ne pas prendre le métro?Why dont we take the underground?Pourquoi pas demander au chauffeur?Why dont 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 someones attention in order to ask them a question. To do this you can use either excusez-moi or pardon.
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 someones attention in order to ask them a question. To do this you can use either excusez-moi or pardon.
Im looking for
Excusez-moi, je cherche la gare maritime, sil vous plaît.Excuse me, Im looking for the harbour station.Excusez-moi, je cherche lécomusée du Beaujolais, sil vous plaît.Excuse me, Im looking for the Beaujolais heritage centre.Pardon, le bureau des réclamations, sil vous plaît?Excuse me, Im looking for the complaints office.BON À SAVOIR!
Remember to say merci or merci beaucoup when you get the information. If someone hasnt 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 Cest? or Est-ce que cest? (Is it?).
Is it?
Cest par là?Is it this way?Cest près dici?Is it near here?Est-ce que cest loin, sil vous plaît?Is it far?Est-ce que cest le train pour Angoulême?Is this the train for Angoulême?Est-ce que cest le bon arrêt pour le musée, sil 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 dici, sil vous plaît?Is there a petrol station near here, please?Il y a une station de métro près dici?Is there an underground station near here?Il y a des restaurants près dici?Are there any restaurants around here?Est-ce quil 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?Wheres the left-luggage office?Où est la station de taxis la plus proche, sil vous plaît?Wheres the nearest taxi rank, please?Où sont les toilettes?Where are the public toilets?Which?
Je dois prendre quelle ligne, sil 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, cest quelle direction pour Brest, sil vous plaît?Excuse me, which way do I go for Brest, please?Cest quelle direction pour aller au Stade de France, sil 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 quon arrive à Bruxelles?What time do we get to Brussels?Le départ est bien à sept heures?The departure is at seven, isnt it?Le bus arrive bien à neuf heures trente?The bus arrives at nine thirty, doesnt it?BON À SAVOIR!
When youre 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 quon peut? (Can we?) to ask whether you can do something. These are from the verb pouvoir. For more information on pouvoir, see here.