Travel & Transportation
Get around a French-speaking city with confidence: transport vocabulary, buying tickets, and asking for directions.
Introduction
Moving to a new city means using buses, trains, and the metro from day one. This lesson gives you the words for each mode of transport, the phrases for buying a ticket, and the questions you need to ask when you are lost. Focus on a few phrases you can say without thinking — those are the ones that help under pressure.
Modes of Transport
Learn the common ways to get around. Notice the article (le / la / l’) for each noun — it tells you the gender, which you need for the rest of the sentence. "Prendre" (to take) is the verb you use with almost all of them: je prends le bus, je prends le métro, je prends le train.
- l'avion — airplane (lah-vyohn)
- prendre l'avion — to take the plane (prahn-druh lah-vyohn)
- l'aéroport — airport (lay-roh-por)
- l'embarquement — boarding (lahn-bar-kuh-mahn)
- le train — train (luh tran)
- la gare — train station (lah gar)
- le métro — subway/metro (luh may-troh)
- le bus — bus (luh boos)
- le taxi — taxi (luh tahk-see)
- la voiture — car (lah vwah-toor)
- louer une voiture — to rent a car (loo-ay oon vwah-toor)
- le vélo — bicycle (luh vay-loh)
Asking for Directions
When you need directions, start with "Pardon" or "Excusez-moi" to get someone’s attention politely, then ask your question. Listen for the key words: à gauche (left), à droite (right), tout droit (straight ahead), and près / loin (near / far).
- où est... — where is... (oo ay)
- comment aller à... — how to get to... (koh-mahn tah-lay ah)
- tout droit — straight ahead (too drwah)
- à gauche — to the left (ah gohsh)
- à droite — to the right (ah drwaht)
- tourner — to turn (toor-nay)
- continuer — to continue (kohn-tee-noo-ay)
- s'arrêter — to stop (sah-ray-tay)
Useful Travel Phrases
These full sentences cover buying tickets, checking schedules, and confirming you are going the right way. Practise saying them out loud until they feel automatic.
- Excusez-moi — Excuse me (ek-skoo-zay mwah)
- Parlez-vous anglais ? — Do you speak English? (par-lay voo ahn-glay)
- Je ne comprends pas — I don't understand (zhuh nuh kohn-prahn pah)
- Pouvez-vous m'aider ? — Can you help me? (poo-vay voo may-day)
- Merci beaucoup — Thank you very much (mair-see boh-koo)
- De rien — You're welcome (duh ryan)
- S'il vous plaît — Please (seel voo play)
- Bonjour — Hello/Good morning (bon-zhoor)
- Bonsoir — Good evening (bon-swar)
- Au revoir — Goodbye (oh ruh-vwar)
Practice: Getting Around
Work through real situations you will meet on public transport.
Review
You now have the core language for getting around a French-speaking city. **What you learned:** ✓ Transport vocabulary (le bus, le métro, le train, le taxi, la gare) ✓ "Prendre" + transport: je prends le métro ✓ Direction words: à gauche, à droite, tout droit, près, loin ✓ Buying tickets and asking about schedules **Key phrases to keep:** • Un billet pour …, s’il vous plaît. • Excusez-moi, je cherche … • À quelle heure part le prochain … ? • C’est loin d’ici ? **Practice tip:** Next time you plan a trip across your city, say the route to yourself in French: "Je prends le bus, puis le métro, et je descends à …"