Do you want to learn easy French words about transportation? A basic vocabulary about transport can benefit when going abroad for work or vacation. After all, everyone needs to buy a metro ticket, take a flight, or even a bus when getting by in the country, right? In this case, it is advantageous to know those words in French.
Generally, if you visit France or a French-speaking area, minimally, you have to know how to ask for a ticket to travel by train, metro, or bus to a location or how to take a taxi. Fortunately, most travel agents or airport workers speak more than one language. However, if you need help when in the city, it is better to know some basic words. Learn more about this below!
Basics French Words About Transportation
Planning to travel for the first time to Paris? The first thing to know is how to say the names of the most used places of transportation, such as train stations, bus stations, and airports, and how to tell the means of transport, such as cars, trains, etc.:
- L’aéroport – The airport
- Le bateau – The boat
- La gare – Train station
- Le train – Train
- Le taxi – Taxi
- La station de métro – Metro station
- L’avion – Airplane
- L’autobus – Bus
- L’arrêt de bus – Bus stop
- La voiture – Car
- Station de bus – Bus station
- Faire du covoiturage – Carpooling
- Covoiturage – Ride sharing
- Le vélo – Bicycle
- Un arrêt d’autobus – Bus stop
- Moto – Motorcycle or bike
Basics Vocabulary About Buying A Ticket
If you travel, sooner or later, you have to buy a ticket or ask questions about your destination. Here are some basic phrases and words you should know:
- Un billet – A ticket
- Siège – Seat
- Voyage – Trip
- Un distributeur automatique – Ticket machine
- Un carnet – Bundle of 10 tickets
- Un itinéraire – The route
- Acheter un ticket – To buy a ticket
- À l’heure – On-time
- En retard – Late
- Annulé – Cancelled
- Remboursement – Refund
- L’horaire – A timetable
- Le contrôleur – Ticket inspector
- Arriver – Arrive
- Partir – To depart or leave
- Rester – To stay
- Réserver – Make a reservation
- Annuler une réservation – Cancel a reservation
- Vacances – Holidays
- Voyage d’affaires – Business trip
- Bagage – Luggage
French Vocabulary To Know If You Travel By Plane
If you know you will travel by flight, then you can learn the most common words that are used in an airport in everyday life. Here are some of the most common words and phrases:
- Compagnie aérienne – Airline
- Aile – Wing
- Piste – Runway
- Pilote – Pilot
- Porte – Gate
- Passport – Passport
- Frais d’excédent de bagages – Excess baggage charge
- Équipage de cabinet – Cabin crew
- Agent de bord – Flight attendant
- Steward/hôtesse de l’air – Air steward/stewardess
- Sécurité – Security
- Turbulence – Turbulence
- Ceinture de sécurité – seatbelt
- Monter à bord – To board
It is also convenient to learn some common phrases to use when traveling by flight:
- Mettre des bagages en soute – To put luggage in the hold
- À bord de l’avion – To board the plane
- Préparez-vous au décollage – Prepare for take-off
- Préparez-vous à atterrir – Prepare for landing
- Attacher votre ceinture de sécurité – To fasten your seatbelt
French Vocabulary To Know If You Travel By Train
If you talk about traveling by train, you can discuss it with a friend using the following words and phrases:
- Quai – Platform
- Voie – Track
- Passage à niveau – Level crossing
- Locomotive – Locomotive
- Métro – Underground
- Aller-retour – Round-trip
- Simple billet – Single ticket
- Première/deuxième classe – First/second class
- Conducteur de train – Train driver
- Contrôleur de billets – Ticket inspector
- Salle d’attente – Waiting room
- Gardien – Guard
- Abonnement – Travelcard or season ticket
You should also understand the most common phrases used when traveling by train:
- Prendre un train – To catch a train
- Vérifier les horaires – To check the timetable
- Sur le quai – On the platform
- Voyager à travers le pays – To travel cross-country
- Monter dans le train – To get on the train
- Embarquer – To embark
- Descendre du train – To get off the train
French Vocabulary To Know If You Travel By Taxi
If your transportation is a taxi, here are some common words and sentences to know to get good car services:
- Tarif – Fare
- Station de taxi – Taxi rank
- Chauffeur de taxi – Taxi driver
- Pourboire – Tip
- Héler un taxi – To hail a taxi
- Payer le tarif – To pay the fare
French Vocabulary To Know If You Travel By Boat
Although less common, if your transport is a boat, you should add the following words to your vocabulary:
- Ferry – Ferry
- Bateau de croisière – cruise ship
- Port – Harbour
- Pont – Deck
- Mer – Sea
- Océan – Ocean
- Cabine – Cabin
- Capitaine – Captain
- Voile – Sail
- Mal de mer – Sea sickness
- Traversée – Crossing
- À bord – On board
- Gilet/bouée de sauvetage – Life belt/jacket
- Passager-pied – Foot passenger
- Embarquer or monter sur le bateau – To embark or to get on the boat
- Débarquer or descendre du bateau – To disembark or to get off the boat
Do you want to know more French words?
If you want to impress others with your French-speaking abilities, you can learn French adjectives and adverbs.
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