Dialogue
French airport dialogue: reporting a missing checked bag
Practise a 20-line A2 French baggage-desk dialogue: describe your suitcase, show the baggage tag, give contact details and ask for the report reference.
- A2
- 20 lines
- Practice mode
- Learn this in the A2 notebook →
In short
Start with Ma valise n’est pas arrivée. Then give the flight, show l’étiquette bagage and describe the suitcase. Before leaving the desk, ask for the report reference and check the contact details recorded.
- Agente
Bonjour, quel est le problème ?
English
Hello, what is the problem?
- You
Bonjour. Ma valise n’est pas arrivée.
Say hello and explain that your suitcase has not arrived.
English
Hello. My suitcase hasn’t arrived.
- Agente
Vous arrivez de quelle ville ?
English
Which city are you arriving from?
- You
De Madrid, sur le vol AB 214.
Give Madrid and flight AB 214.
English
From Madrid, on flight AB 214.
- Agente
Vous avez attendu jusqu’à l’arrêt du tapis ?
English
Did you wait until the carousel stopped?
- You
Oui. Tous les autres bagages sont sortis.
Confirm that you waited and all the other bags came out.
English
Yes. All the other bags came out.
- Agente
Vous avez votre étiquette bagage ?
English
Do you have your baggage tag?
- You
Oui, la voici, avec ma carte d’embarquement.
Show the baggage tag and your boarding pass.
English
Yes, here it is, with my boarding pass.
- Agente
Pouvez-vous décrire votre valise ?
English
Can you describe your suitcase?
- You
C’est une grande valise bleue avec quatre roues et un ruban rouge.
Describe a large blue suitcase with four wheels and a red ribbon.
English
It’s a large blue suitcase with four wheels and a red ribbon.
- Agente
À quel nom est-elle enregistrée ?
English
What name is it checked in under?
- You
Au nom de Camille Martin.
Give the name Camille Martin.
English
Under the name Camille Martin.
- Agente
À quelle adresse séjournez-vous ?
English
At what address are you staying?
- You
À l’hôtel du Parc, au 8, rue des Lilas, à Nantes.
Give the hotel name and its address: 8 rue des Lilas, Nantes.
English
At the Hôtel du Parc, at 8 rue des Lilas in Nantes.
- Agente
Et votre numéro de téléphone ?
English
And your phone number?
- You
C’est le 06 14 22 38 50. Vous pouvez me le relire ?
Give 06 14 22 38 50 and ask the agent to read it back.
English
It’s 06 14 22 38 50. Can you read it back to me?
- Agente
Oui : zéro six, quatorze, vingt-deux, trente-huit, cinquante.
English
Yes: zero six, fourteen, twenty-two, thirty-eight, fifty.
- You
C’est bien ça. Vous pouvez me donner le numéro du dossier ?
Confirm the number and ask for the report reference.
English
That’s right. Can you give me the report reference?
- Agente
Oui, il est sur ce document. Gardez-le pour suivre votre dossier.
English
Yes, it’s on this document. Keep it to follow your report.
- You
Merci. Je garde le document et j’attends de vos nouvelles.
Thank the agent and confirm that you will keep the document.
English
Thank you. I’ll keep the document and wait to hear from you.
Recognise the things at the desk
Find:
| Purpose | French pattern | Change this |
|---|---|---|
| State the problem | Ma valise n’est pas arrivée. | Keep this for a bag missing on arrival. |
| Describe it | C’est une grande valise bleue avec un ruban rouge. | Size, colour and a visible detail |
| Give a contact address | Je séjourne à l’hôtel du Parc. | Your accommodation |
| Check the number | Vous pouvez me le relire ? | Use after giving a phone number. |
Un bagage is a piece of luggage; une valise is a suitcase. The tag identifies the checked item, while the description helps distinguish it from similar bags. In Gardez-le, le refers to the document the agent has just handed over.
Try a second report
- Hide your turns. Report a small black suitcase with two wheels and a yellow ribbon: une petite valise noire avec deux roues et un ruban jaune.
- Give a different accommodation address, then ask the agent to read your phone number back. End by requesting the report reference.