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Car Trouble: A French Story for Garage Vocabulary

A2 · Elementary50 sentences·

Learn 50 useful French words for car trouble and garage situations, each with a short example sentence. Covers common breakdowns, car parts, repairs, prices, and payment phrases for talking to a mechanic.

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The lesson

Tap any word for its meaning
50 sentences · 50 new words
  • 01CREVÉ · flat (tire)
    crevé.
    mɔ̃ pnø ɛ kʁəve
    My tire is flat.
  • 02GARAGE · garage
    garage.
    ʒə ʃɛʁʃ œ̃ ɡaʁaʒ
    I am looking for a garage.
  • 03MÉCANICIEN · mechanic
    mécanicien .
    lə mekanisjɛ̃ ʁepaʁ la vwatyʁ
    The mechanic is fixing the car.
  • 04HUILE · oil
    l'huile.
    il fo ʃɑ̃ʒe lɥil
    We need to change the oil.
  • 05BATTERIE · battery
    batterie .
    la batʁi ɛ mɔʁt
    The battery is dead.
  • 06PLEIN · full (tank)
    plein, .
    ʒə fɛ lə plɛ̃ sil vu plɛ
    Fill it up, please.
  • 07RÉPARATION · repair
    réparation ?
    kɔ̃bjɛ̃ kut la ʁepaʁasjɔ̃
    How much does the repair cost?
  • 08MOTEUR · engine
    moteur .
    lə mɔtœʁ fɛ dy bʁɥi
    The engine is making noise.
  • 09FREIN · brake
    freins ?
    vu puve veʁifje le fʁɛ̃
    Can you check the brakes?
  • 10PANNE · breakdown
    panne.
    ma vwatyʁ ɛ tɑ̃ pan
    My car has broken down.
  • 11RECHARGER · to recharge
    recharger .
    ʒə dwa ʁəʃaʁʒe la batʁi
    I need to recharge the battery.
  • 12PRÊT · ready
    prête .
    la vwatyʁ ɛ pʁɛt dəmɛ̃
    The car will be ready tomorrow.
  • 13RENDEZ-VOUS · appointment
    rendez-vous.
    ʒə pʁɑ̃ œ̃ ʁɑ̃de vu
    I'm making an appointment.
  • 14PARE-BRISE · windshield
    pare-brise .
    lə paʁ bʁiz ɛ kase
    The windshield is broken.
  • 15VÉRIFIER · to check
    vérifie .
    il veʁifi le pnø
    He checks the tires.
  • 16VIDANGE · oil change
    vidange .
    la vidɑ̃ʒ kut vɛ̃t øʁo
    The oil change costs twenty euros.
  • 17ATTENDRE · to wait
    J'attends .
    ʒatɑ̃ dɑ̃ la sal
    I wait in the waiting room.
  • 18KLAXON · horn
    klaxon .
    lə klaksɔ̃ nə maʁʃ pa
    The horn doesn't work.
  • 19REMPLACER · to replace
    remplace .
    il ʁɑ̃plas la ʁu
    He replaces the wheel.
  • 20ESSUIE-GLACE · windshield wiper
    L'essuie-glace .
    lesɥi ɡlas ɛ tyze
    The windshield wiper is worn out.
  • 21PRENDRE · to take
    prend .
    la ʁepaʁasjɔ̃ pʁɑ̃ dø zøʁ
    The repair takes two hours.
  • 22DEVIS · quote / estimate
    devis ?
    vu zave œ̃ dəvi
    Do you have a quote?
  • 23PAYER · to pay
    paie .
    ʒə pɛ paʁ kaʁt
    I pay by card.
  • 24FERMÉ · closed
    fermé .
    lə ɡaʁaʒ ɛ fɛʁme lə dimɑ̃ʃ
    The garage is closed on Sundays.
  • 25COFFRE · trunk / boot
    coffre .
    lə kɔfʁ nə fɛʁm pa
    The trunk doesn't close.
  • 26BOUGIE · spark plug
    bougies.
    ʒə dwa ʃɑ̃ʒe le buʒi
    I need to change the spark plugs.
  • 27RADIATEUR · radiator
    radiateur .
    lə ʁadjatœʁ fɥi
    The radiator is leaking.
  • 28POMPE · pump
    pompe ?
    vu zave yn pɔ̃p a ɛʁ
    Do you have an air pump?
  • 29CARBURANT · fuel
    carburant .
    lə kaʁbyʁɑ̃ ɛ tʁo ʃɛʁ
    The fuel is too expensive.
  • 30FILTRE · filter
    filtre .
    il ʃɑ̃ʒ lə filtʁ a ɥil
    He is changing the oil filter.
  • 31CEINTURE · belt / seatbelt
    ceinture .
    la sɛ̃tyʁ də sekyʁite ɛ kase
    The seatbelt is broken.
  • 32PHARE · headlight
    phare .
    lə faʁ goʃ nə fɔ̃ksjɔn pa
    The left headlight doesn't work.
  • 33REMORQUER · to tow
    remorquer .
    ʒə dwa ʁəmɔʁke la vwatyʁ
    I need to tow the car.
  • 34ACCÉLÉRATEUR · accelerator / gas pedal
    L'accélérateur .
    lakseleʁatœʁ ɛ blɔke
    The accelerator is stuck.
  • 35LIVRER · to deliver
    - livrer ?
    puve vu livʁe la vwatyʁ
    Can you deliver the car?
  • 36TRANSMISSION · transmission / gearbox
    transmission .
    la tʁɑ̃smisjɔ̃ a œ̃ pʁɔblɛm
    The transmission has a problem.
  • 37CAPOT · hood (of a car)
    capot .
    lə kapo ɛ uvɛʁ
    The hood is open.
  • 38NIVEAU · level
    niveau .
    ʒə veʁifi lə nivo do
    I check the water level.
  • 39ABÎMER · to damage
    abîmée.
    la supap ɛ abime
    The valve is damaged.
  • 40PIÈCE · part / spare part
    pièces.
    il ɛ̃stal le nuvɛl pjɛs
    He installs the new parts.
  • 41SERRER · to tighten / to apply
    serré.
    lə fʁɛ̃ a mɛ̃ ɛ seʁe
    The handbrake is on.
  • 42GONFLER · to inflate
    gonfler ?
    vu puve ɡɔ̃fle le pnø
    Can you inflate the tires?
  • 43DIRECTION · steering
    direction .
    la diʁɛksjɔ̃ ɛ dyʁ
    The steering is stiff.
  • 44COURROIE · belt (drive belt)
    courroie.
    ʒə dwa ʃɑ̃ʒe la kuʁwa
    I need to change the belt.
  • 45VOYANT · warning light / indicator
    voyant .
    lə vwajɑ̃ ʁuʒ salym
    The red warning light comes on.
  • 46DIAGNOSTIC · diagnostic
    diagnostic ?
    puve vu fɛʁ œ̃ djagnostik
    Can you run a diagnostic?
  • 47GARANTIE · warranty / guarantee
    garantie .
    la ɡaʁɑ̃ti dyʁ si mwa
    The warranty lasts six months.
  • 48RÉCUPÉRER · to pick up / to recover
    récupère .
    ʒə ʁekypɛʁ ma vwatyʁ sə swaʁ
    I pick up my car this evening.
  • 49PARE-CHOCS · bumper
    pare-chocs .
    lə paʁ ʃɔk ɛ t‿abime
    The bumper is damaged.
  • 50FACTURE · bill / invoice
    facture .
    ʒə ʁɛɡl la faktyʁ mɛ̃tnɑ̃
    I pay the bill now.
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