Updated 9 October 2026

Phrasebook

Escape room phrases in French: clues, hints and time left

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated 9 October 2026 · About the library

Ask for a hint, compare clues and share simple actions in a French escape room. Four team scenes, pictured puzzle objects and a short quiz.

A2
24 phrases
4 situations
Learn this in the A2 notebook →

In short

With teammates, use Tu as trouvé un indice ? (Have you found a clue?) and On essaie ce code ? (Shall we try this code?). Ask the game host On pourrait avoir un petit indice ? for a hint, and Il nous reste combien de temps ? to check the time left.

Two adult friends in a cosy escape room discover a simple brass key beneath a completely unlettered closed notebook on an old wooden desk. — A key under the notebook becomes un indice. Illustration: Atelier

1 · Get started together

These team exchanges use tu. The question to the game host uses vous.

YouOn commence par quoi ?What shall we start with?

Teammate or game hostJe vais regarder les livres. Tu regardes le bureau ?I’ll look at the books. Will you look at the desk?

YouD’accord. On met les objets trouvés sur la table.All right. Let’s put the objects we find on the table.

Teammate or game hostTu as trouvé quelque chose ?Have you found anything?

YouOui, une clé sous le carnet.Yes, a key under the notebook.

Teammate or game hostAttends, on va voir quelle serrure elle ouvre.Wait, let’s see which lock it opens.

2 · Compare a clue and a code

Un indice can be a clue you find or a hint the host gives. Une énigme is a puzzle to solve.

YouTu as trouvé un indice dans le livre ?Have you found a clue in the book?

Teammate or game hostOui, il y a quatre chiffres sur cette page.Yes, there are four digits on this page.

YouTu crois que c’est le code du cadenas ?Do you think it’s the padlock code?

Teammate or game hostPeut-être. Dans quel ordre on les met ?Maybe. What order do we put them in?

YouRegarde les couleurs : rouge, bleu, vert, jaune.Look at the colours: red, blue, green, yellow.

Teammate or game hostD’accord, on essaie dans cet ordre.All right, let’s try that order.

3 · Ask the host for a small hint

Ask for a small hint if you want to keep working out the answer yourselves.

YouExcusez-nous, on pourrait avoir un petit indice ?Excuse us, could we have a small hint?

Teammate or game hostSur quelle énigme êtes-vous bloqués ?Which puzzle are you stuck on?

YouOn ne comprend pas le lien entre l’horloge et la photo.We don’t understand the link between the clock and the photo.

Teammate or game hostRegardez ce que montre la petite aiguille.Look at what the hour hand is showing.

YouVous voulez dire qu’il faut lire l’heure ?Do you mean we need to read the time?

Teammate or game hostOui, commencez par là.Yes, start there.

4 · Share the last few actions

Il nous reste dix minutes means we have ten minutes left. Déjà helps avoid repeating a completed action.

YouIl nous reste combien de temps ?How much time do we have left?

Teammate or game hostDix minutes. Tu as déjà essayé cette clé ?Ten minutes. Have you tried this key yet?

YouOui, elle ouvre le tiroir, pas la porte.Yes, it opens the drawer, not the door.

Teammate or game hostAlors, lis le message pendant que je regarde le tiroir.Then read the message while I look in the drawer.

YouD’accord. Attends, j’ai trouvé le dernier chiffre !All right. Wait, I’ve found the last digit!

Teammate or game hostSuper, donne-le-moi et on essaie le code.Great, give it to me and we’ll try the code.

Name the puzzle objects

chercherto look for

Focus: the search

Je cherche le dernier chiffre.
I’m looking for the last digit.

trouverto find

Focus: the result

J’ai trouvé le dernier chiffre.
I’ve found the last digit.