Dialogue
French dialogue before a coach journey: putting luggage in the hold
Talk to a coach driver in French: showing your ticket, putting your suitcase in the hold, getting a luggage tag and asking where to get off. Practise your part.
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In short
On a long-distance coach (un car or un autocar), the driver puts big bags in la soute (the hold). You'll hear Vous descendez où ? (Where are you getting off?) and get une étiquette (luggage tag) for your suitcase.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn
- Chauffeur
Bonjour ! Votre billet, s'il vous plaît.
English
Hello! Your ticket, please.
- You
Bonjour. Voilà, je vais à Annecy.
Show your ticket and say you're going to Annecy.
English
Hello. Here you are, I'm going to Annecy.
- Chauffeur
Très bien. Vous avez des bagages pour la soute ?
English
Fine. Do you have luggage for the hold?
- You
Oui, une grande valise. Je garde mon sac à dos avec moi.
Say you have one suitcase and you'll keep your backpack.
English
Yes, one big suitcase. I'm keeping my backpack with me.
- Chauffeur
D'accord. Vous descendez à Annecy, c'est le terminus ?
English
OK. You're getting off at Annecy, the last stop?
- You
Oui, c'est ça. On arrive à quelle heure ?
Confirm and ask the arrival time.
English
Yes, that's right. What time do we arrive?
- Chauffeur
Vers quinze heures dix, s'il n'y a pas de bouchons.
English
Around ten past three, if there's no traffic.
- You
La valise est fragile. Vous pouvez la mettre au-dessus ?
Say the case is fragile and ask him to put it on top.
English
The suitcase is fragile. Could you put it on top?
- Chauffeur
Pas de problème. Voici l'étiquette : gardez le talon.
English
No problem. Here's the tag: keep the stub.
- You
Merci. Il y a une pause pendant le trajet ?
Ask if there's a break during the trip.
English
Thanks. Is there a break during the journey?
- Chauffeur
Oui, vingt minutes à Lyon. Vous pouvez descendre.
English
Yes, twenty minutes in Lyon. You can get off.
- You
Parfait. Je m'assois n'importe où ?
Ask if you can sit anywhere.
English
Perfect. Can I sit anywhere?
- Chauffeur
Oui, le placement est libre. Bon voyage !
English
Yes, seating is unreserved. Have a good trip!
- You
Merci, à tout à l'heure !
Thank him.
English
Thanks, see you later!
What vocabulary do you need for a coach journey in French?
| French | English |
|---|---|
| le car / l'autocar | coach |
| la soute | luggage hold |
| l'étiquette (f.) | luggage tag |
| le talon | stub, counterfoil |
| le terminus | last stop |
| les bouchons (m.) | traffic jams |
| le placement libre | unreserved seating |
In everyday French, le bus runs in town and le car goes between towns. Long-distance coaches are often called les cars Macron after the law that opened the market. Un bouchon is a traffic jam (literally a cork), and Bison Futé is the service that forecasts them.