Dialogue
French bike hire dialogue: choosing and adjusting an e-bike
Hire an electric bike in French: battery range, saddle height, the lock, the deposit and returning it. A complete dialogue with practice mode.
- A2
- 13 lines
- Practice mode
- Learn this in the A2 notebook →
In short
Ask about l'autonomie (battery range): La batterie tient combien de kilomètres ? Ask to adjust la selle (saddle), check le cadenas (lock) and le casque (helmet), and confirm la caution (deposit) and the return time.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learnRed watch out
- Loueur
Bonjour ! Vous voulez louer un vélo ?
English
Hello! Would you like to hire a bike?
- You
Bonjour. Oui, un vélo électrique pour la journée, s'il vous plaît.
Ask for an electric bike for the day.
English
Hello. Yes, an electric bike for the day, please.
- Loueur
Très bien. Vous mesurez combien ?
English
Fine. How tall are you?
- You
Un mètre soixante-cinq. La batterie tient combien de kilomètres ?
Give your height; ask about the battery range.
English
One sixty-five. How many kilometres does the battery last?
- Loueur
Environ soixante kilomètres en mode normal. Moins en mode turbo.
English
About sixty kilometres in normal mode. Less in turbo mode.
- You
Parfait. Vous pouvez baisser un peu la selle ?
Ask them to lower the saddle a bit.
English
Perfect. Could you lower the saddle a bit?
- Loueur
Voilà. Essayez… Ça va comme ça ?
English
There you go. Try it… Is that OK?
- You
Oui, c'est très bien. Il y a un cadenas et un casque ?
Say it's fine; ask about a lock and helmet.
English
Yes, that's great. Is there a lock and a helmet?
- Loueur
Oui, les deux sont compris. Il faut une caution de deux cents euros, par empreinte de carte.
English
Yes, both are included. There's a two-hundred-euro deposit, as a card hold.
- You
D'accord. Je dois le rendre à quelle heure ?
Agree and ask what time to return it.
English
OK. What time do I have to bring it back?
- Loueur
Avant dix-neuf heures. Si la batterie est vide, ce n'est pas grave, je la recharge.
English
Before seven. If the battery's flat, no problem, I'll recharge it.
- You
Super. Vous me conseillez un itinéraire ?
Ask for a route suggestion.
English
Great. Can you recommend a route?
- Loueur
Prenez la piste cyclable le long du canal, c'est plat et très joli.
English
Take the cycle path along the canal, it's flat and very pretty.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| la selle | saddle |
| le guidon | handlebars |
| les freins (m.) | brakes |
| le cadenas / l'antivol | lock |
| l'autonomie (f.) | battery range |
| une crevaison | a puncture |
| la piste cyclable | cycle path |
French cities and tourist areas have many hire schemes, and long routes like La Loire à Vélo or ViaRhôna are popular with e-bikes. If something goes wrong: J'ai crevé (I've got a puncture), Les freins ne marchent pas bien (the brakes aren't working well).