Phrasebook
Information or renseignement: what to say when asking for details
Ask for opening times, documents and course details in French. Practise information and renseignement with short exchanges and useful enquiry patterns.
- A2
- 12 phrases
- 3 situations
- Learn this in the A2 notebook →
In short
Une information is a piece of information; un renseignement is often a practical detail you ask someone for. At a desk, try Je voudrais un renseignement, s’il vous plaît. Both des informations and des renseignements work when asking about a course or service.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn
Ask about opening times
Find out about a course
Check a document before a visit
What is the difference between information and renseignement?
| Pattern | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| renseigner quelqu’un | L’agente me renseigne. | The officer gives me information. |
| se renseigner sur | Je me renseigne sur les cours. | I’m finding out about the classes. |
| demander des renseignements à | Je demande des renseignements à l’accueil. | I ask for information at reception. |
French counts individual facts: une information utile, deux informations utiles. In English, say “useful information” or “two useful pieces of information”. Information is feminine; renseignement is masculine.
Je cherche des informations sur cette formation.
I’m looking for information about this training course.
You can also say des renseignements here: both versions are natural.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Je regarde les informations. | I’m watching the news. |
| Merci pour ces renseignements. | Thank you for these details. |
| un service de renseignement | an intelligence service |