French · Elementary (A2) · Chapter 9 of 12
Directions and transport
Prendre le train
Buy a train ticket, ask about platforms, delays and changes, and give and understand instructions with the imperative.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Buy a single or return ticket
- Understand delays, platforms and changes
- Give and understand instructions with the imperative
Listen
Lina, a student, is at the ticket office in Lyon Part-Dieu station. She wants to go to Annecy for the weekend. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Agent
Bonjour, madame.
Hello.
Lina
Bonjour. Je voudrais un aller-retour pour Annecy, s'il vous plaît. Je pars aujourd'hui.
Hello. I'd like a return ticket to Annecy, please. I'm leaving today.
Agent
Le prochain train part à quatorze heures dix. Il y a un changement à Aix-les-Bains.
The next train leaves at 2.10 pm. There's a change at Aix-les-Bains.
Lina
D'accord. Et pour le retour, dimanche soir ?
OK. And for the return journey, on Sunday evening?
Agent
Il y a un train direct à dix-huit heures trente. Ça fait soixante euros.
There's a direct train at 6.30 pm. That comes to sixty euros.
Lina
Parfait. Le train de quatorze heures dix part de quelle voie ?
Perfect. Which platform does the 2.10 train leave from?
Agent
Regardez l'écran, là-bas. Et attention : il a dix minutes de retard.
Look at the screen over there. And be careful: it's ten minutes late.
Lina
Alors, j'aurai le temps de changer de train à Aix-les-Bains ?
So will I have time to change trains at Aix-les-Bains?
Agent
Oui, ne vous inquiétez pas, vous aurez vingt minutes. Descendez à Aix-les-Bains et prenez le train pour Annecy.
Yes, don't worry, you'll have twenty minutes. Get off at Aix-les-Bains and take the train to Annecy.
Lina
Merci beaucoup. Bonne journée.
Thank you very much. Have a good day.
Agent
Bonne journée, madame. Bon voyage.
Have a good day. Have a good trip.
Understand
The imperative: giving instructions
To tell someone what to do, use the imperative: the verb without , or . You already know some from A1: , , .
For , use the present tense form: becomes . For , use the form, but -er verbs and drop the final s: becomes , becomes . The form means “let's”: (let's take the train). and have special forms.
| Infinitive | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| (to look) | |||
| (to go) | |||
| (to take) | |||
| (to get off) | |||
| (to do) | |||
| (to be) | |||
| (to have) |
Don't: the negative imperative
To tell someone not to do something, put ne… pas around the verb: (Don't take this train), (Don't forget your ticket).
Pronouns like , , and the reflexive pronouns change place. In a positive instruction, they come after the verb, with a hyphen: , , , and and become and : , . In a negative instruction, they stay before the verb: , . Before , gets its s back: (go on).
- Ne vous inquiétez pas.Don't worry.
- Attendez-moi, s'il vous plaît.Wait for me, please.
- Allons-y.Let's go.
- N'oublie pas ton billet.Don't forget your ticket.
At the station
At French stations, screens show each train's (the track number, which tells you the platform). Delays are shown as : (It's ten minutes late). A cancelled train is .
| French | English |
|---|---|
| ticket | |
| single ticket | |
| return ticket | |
| departure | |
| arrival | |
| track, platform (number) | |
| platform | |
| late | |
| on time | |
| connection | |
| cancelled |
More in the grammar: The imperative: giving instructions
New words
- l'aller-retourreturn ticket · masculine; : single ticket
- je parsI'm leaving · present of
- prochain / prochainenext
- le changementchange (of trains)
- le retourreturn, the journey back
- direct / directedirect
- la voietrack, platform (number)
- regardezlook (polite)
- l'écranscreen · masculine
- attentionbe careful, watch out
- avoir dix minutes de retardto be ten minutes late
- avoir le temps deto have time to
- ne vous inquiétez pasdon't worry (polite)
- descendreto get off, to go down
Practise
1.How do you tell a friend to look at the screen?
2.Complete the instruction (): “Get off at Aix-les-Bains.”
Get off at Aix-les-Bains.
3.Complete: “Don't worry.”
Don't worry.
4.The screen says “Retard 15 min”. What does it mean?
5.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.I'd like a return ticket to Annecy.
6.Match the French with the English.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
Je voudrais un aller-retour pour Lyon, s'il vous plaît.
I'd like a return ticket to Lyon, please.
Listen, then say it out loud, as close to the recording as you can.
Check
Five questions on this chapter. Then mark it as finished to add its words to your review deck.
0 of 5 answered.