AtelierLe journal · French, understood
English

Language

The course

Updated

Quiz

French public signs quiz: entrances, exits and access

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Ten real-world French signs: Poussez, Tirez, Sortie de secours, Accès interdit and more. Choose what you should do, with a short explanation each time.

In short

The signs you meet first are about doors and access: Poussez (push), Tirez (pull), Entrée (way in), Sortie (way out), Sortie de secours (emergency exit), Accès interdit (no entry) and Réservé au personnel (staff only).

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn

A visitor pushes open a glass entrance door.
The door makes the action in poussez concrete. Illustration: Atelier
  1. Question 1No account needed
    The door says Poussez. What do you do?

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Push it.. Poussez is the imperative of pousser, to push. Tirez means pull.

  2. Question 2No account needed
    A sign reads Sortie de secours – ne pas encombrer. It means…

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Emergency exit: keep clear.. Secours is help or rescue; ne pas encombrer means don't block it.

  3. Question 3No account needed
    At a museum: Accès interdit au public.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    No entry for visitors.. Interdit means forbidden. This area is not for visitors.

  4. Question 4No account needed
    Réservé au personnel on a door means…

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Staff only.. Le personnel is the staff, a classic false friend for "personal".

  5. Question 5No account needed
    In the métro, Correspondance points you to…

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    a connecting line. Une correspondance is a change to another line.

  6. Question 6No account needed
    A shop door says Fermé le lundi.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Closed on Mondays.. Le lundi means every Monday.

  7. Question 7No account needed
    Sonnez et entrez means…

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Ring and come in.. Sonnez is ring (the bell), entrez is come in.

  8. Question 8No account needed
    In a car park: Sortie piétons.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Pedestrian exit.. Un piéton is a pedestrian; sortie piétons is the way out on foot.

  9. Question 9No account needed
    On a lift: Hors service.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Out of order.. Hors service means out of order; take the stairs, l'escalier.

  10. Question 10No account needed
    On a gate: Propriété privée – défense d'entrer.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Private property: no entry.. Défense de + infinitive is a formal way to say something is forbidden.

What grammar do French signs use?

How signs give orders
PatternExampleTone
vous imperativePoussez. Tirez. Sonnez.direct instruction
infinitiveNe pas toucher. Ne pas fumer.neutral, very common on notices
interdit / défense deStationnement interdit. Défense de fumer.formal prohibition

French signs very often use the infinitive: Ne pas se pencher (do not lean out), Composter votre billet (validate your ticket). When you see ne pas + infinitive, read it as "do not…".

Keep these

  • Poussez / Tirez – push / pull
  • Entrée libre – free entry (also: just browsing welcome)
  • Issue de secours – emergency exit (another word for sortie)
  • Attention à la marche – mind the step

Keep going