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Hailing a Taxi: A French Story for Getting Around Town

A1 · Beginner50 sentences·

Follow Lucas as he arrives at a Paris airport and tries to hail a taxi before his hotel closes. You'll learn essential French words and phrases for taking a taxi, telling time, and getting around town.

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The lesson

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50 sentences · 72 new words
  • 01sortir · to exit
    sort .
    Loo-kah sor duh lay-roh-por
    Lucas exits the airport.
  • 02valise · suitcase
    valise .
    Eel ah oon vah-leez ah lah man
    He has a suitcase in his hand.
  • 03nuit · night
    nuit.
    Eel fay nwee
    It is night.
  • 04froid · cold
    froid.
    Eel fay frwah
    It is cold.
  • 05montre · watch
    montre.
    Loo-kah ruh-gard sah mohntr
    Lucas looks at his watch.
  • 06être · to be
    19h30.
    Eel ay deez-nuhf er trahnt
    It is 7:30 PM.
  • 07fermer · to close
    ferme .
    Loh-tel fairm ah van tuhr
    The hotel closes at 8:00 PM.
  • 08taxi · taxi
    taxi .
    Loo-kah ah buh-zwan dun tak-see veet
    Lucas needs a taxi quickly.
  • 09regarder · to look
    regarde .
    Eel ruh-gard oh-toor duh lwee
    He looks around him.
  • 10panneau · sign
    panneau .
    Eel vwah un pah-noh tak-see
    He sees a "Taxi" sign.
  • 11personne · person
    personnes .
    May eel ee ah boh-koo duh pair-son kee ah-tahnd
    But there are many people waiting.
  • 12queue · line
    queue.
    Loo-kah ah-tahn dahn lah kuh
    Lucas waits in the line.
  • 13montre · watch
    montre .
    Eel ruh-gard sah mohntr ahn-kor
    He looks at his watch again.
  • 14taxi · taxi
    taxi .
    Un tak-see ah-reev
    A taxi arrives.
  • 15chauffeur · driver
    chauffeur .
    May luh shoh-fuhr suh-koo lah tet
    But the driver shakes his head.
  • 16réservé · reserved
    réservé.
    Suh tak-see ay day-zhah ray-zair-vay
    This taxi is already reserved.
  • 17français · French
    français.
    Loo-kah nuh parl pah boh-koo frahn-say
    Lucas does not speak much French.
  • 18demander · to ask
    demande :
    Eel duh-mahnd doos-mahn un tak-see seel voo play
    He asks softly: "A taxi, please?"
  • 19attention · attention
    attention .
    Pair-son nuh fay ah-tahn-syon ah lwee
    Nobody pays attention to him.
  • 20perdu · lost
    perdu.
    Loo-kah suh sahn tray pair-doo
    Lucas feels very lost.
  • 21être · to be
    19h50.
    Eel ay deez-nuhf er sahn-kahnt
    It is 7:50 PM.
  • 22minute · minute
    minutes !
    Eel rest suhl-mahn dee mee-noot
    Only ten minutes remain!
  • 23téléphone · phone
    téléphone.
    Loo-kah ruh-gard son tay-lay-fon
    Lucas looks at his phone.
  • 24réseau · network
    réseau.
    May eel nee ah pah duh ray-zoh
    But there is no network.
  • 25taxi · taxi
    , taxi .
    Ah suh moh-mahn un tak-see sah-ret
    At that moment, a taxi stops.
  • 26chauffeur · driver
    chauffeur .
    Luh shoh-fuhr oovr lah fuh-netr
    The driver opens the window.
  • 27demander · to ask
    demande :
    Eel duh-mahnd voo zah-lay oo
    He asks: "Where are you going?"
  • 28adresse · address
    adresse .
    Loo-kah dee veet lah-dres duh loh-tel
    Lucas quickly says the hotel address.
  • 29monter · to get in
    monte .
    Eel mohnt dahn luh tak-see
    He gets into the taxi.
  • 30chauffeur · driver
    chauffeur .
    Luh shoh-fuhr sah-pel Mark
    The driver's name is Marc.
  • 31conduire · to drive
    conduit .
    Mark kohn-dwee veet
    Marc drives fast.
  • 32route · road
    route .
    Eel shwah-zee oon root ploo koort
    He chooses a shorter road.
  • 33sourire · smile
    sourire.
    Mark parl ah Loo-kah ah-vek un soo-reer
    Marc speaks to Lucas with a smile.
  • 34détendre · to relax
    détendre.
    Loo-kah koh-mahns ah suh day-tahndr
    Lucas begins to relax.
  • 35Paris · Paris
    fenêtre.
    Eel ruh-gard Pah-ree par lah fuh-netr
    He looks at Paris through the window.
  • 36beau · beautiful
    beau.
    Pah-ree ay tray boh
    Paris is very beautiful.
  • 37taxi · taxi
    taxi l'.
    Luh tak-see sah-ret duh-vahn loh-tel
    The taxi stops in front of the hotel.
  • 38montre · watch
    montre.
    Loo-kah ruh-gard sah mohntr
    Lucas looks at his watch.
  • 39être · to be
    19h58.
    Eel ay deez-nuhf er sahn-kahnt weet
    It is 7:58 PM.
  • 40minute · minute
    minutes !
    Eel rest duh mee-noot
    Two minutes remain!
  • 41payer · to pay
    paie .
    Loo-kah pay Mark
    Lucas pays Marc.
  • 42Merci · Thank you
    : « Merci ! »
    Eel dee mair-see boh-koo
    He says: "Thank you very much!"
  • 43sourire · to smile
    sourit.
    Mark soo-ree
    Marc smiles.
  • 44chance · luck
    : « chance ! »
    Mark dee bun shahns ah Pah-ree
    Marc says: "Good luck in Paris!"
  • 45entrer · to enter
    entre .
    Loo-kah ahntr dahn loh-tel
    Lucas enters the hotel.
  • 46chambre · room
    chambre.
    Eel ruh-swah sah shahmbr
    He receives his room.
  • 47lit · bed
    lit.
    Eel sah-swah sewr luh lee
    He sits on the bed.
  • 48carte · card
    carte .
    Eel ruh-gard lah kart duh vee-zeet duh Mark
    He looks at Marc's business card.
  • 49sourire · to smile
    sourit.
    Loo-kah soo-ree
    Lucas smiles.
  • 50bien · well
    commence .
    Pah-ree koh-mahns tray byan
    Paris is off to a great start.
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