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Navigating the Paris Metro: A Story for Beginners

A1 · Beginner60 sentences·

Follow Lucas on his first Metro ride in Paris as he buys a ticket, struggles with the gate, and gets help from a kind stranger. Through this simple story, you’ll learn essential Metro vocabulary, directions, and phrases for asking for help.

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The lesson

Tap any word for its meaning
60 sentences · 86 new words
  • 01première · first
    première .
    loo-KAH eh ta pah-REE poor lah pruh-MYEHR fwah
    Lucas is in Paris for the first time.
  • 02content · happy
    content.
    eel eh treh kohn-TAHN
    He is very happy.
  • 03aller · to go
    aller .
    eel vuh ah-leh ah lah toor eh-FEL
    He wants to go to the Eiffel Tower.
  • 04arrive · to arrive
    arrive .
    eel ah-REEV ah lah stah-SYOHN reh-poo-BLEEK
    He arrives at République station.
  • 05grande · big
    grande.
    lah stah-SYOHN eh treh grahnd
    The station is very big.
  • 06monde · people
    monde.
    eel yah boh-KOO duh mohnd
    There are a lot of people.
  • 07panneau · sign
    panneau.
    loo-KAH ruh-GAHRD luh pah-NOH
    Lucas looks at the sign.
  • 08lignes · lines
    lignes.
    eel yah boh-KOO duh leen-yuh
    There are many lines.
  • 09comprend · to understand
    comprend .
    loo-KAH nuh kohm-PRAHN pah
    Lucas doesn't understand.
  • 10plan · map
    plan .
    eel prahn luh plahn doo meh-TROH
    He takes the metro map.
  • 11compliqué · complicated
    compliqué.
    luh plahn eh treh kohm-plee-KAY
    The map is very complicated.
  • 12inquiet · worried
    inquiet.
    loo-KAH eh tan-KYEH
    Lucas is worried.
  • 13machine · machine
    machine .
    eel vah ah lah mah-SHEEN ah tee-KEH
    He goes to the ticket machine.
  • 14acheter · to buy
    acheter.
    eel nuh seh pah kel tee-KEH ahsh-TAY
    He doesn't know which ticket to buy.
  • 15bouton · button
    bouton.
    eel ah-PWEE soor un boo-TOHN
    He presses a button.
  • 16bon · right
    bon .
    suh neh pah luh bohn tee-KEH
    It's not the right ticket.
  • 17recommence · to start again
    recommence.
    eel ah-NOOL eh ruh-koh-MAHNS
    He cancels and starts again.
  • 18attendent · to wait
    attendent .
    deh zhahn ah-TAHND deh-RYEHR lwee
    People are waiting behind him.
  • 19stressé · stressed
    stressé.
    loo-KAH eh treh streh-SAY
    Lucas is very stressed.
  • 20achète · to buy
    , achète .
    ahn-FAN, eel ah-SHET un tee-KEH
    Finally, he buys a ticket.
  • 21respire · to breathe
    respire.
    eel reh-SPEER
    He breathes.
  • 22portillon · gate
    portillon.
    eel vah oh por-tee-YOHN
    He goes to the gate.
  • 23ouvre · to open
    ouvre .
    luh por-tee-YOHN nuh soovr pah
    The gate doesn't open.
  • 24essaie · to try
    essaie .
    eel eh-SEH ahn-KOR oon fwah
    He tries once more.
  • 25fermé · closed
    fermé.
    luh por-tee-YOHN rest fehr-MAY
    The gate stays closed.
  • 26troisième · third
    troisième .
    loo-KAH eh-SEH oon twah-ZYEM fwah
    Lucas tries a third time.
  • 27Rien · nothing
    Rien.
    ree-AN
    Nothing.
  • 28bouge · to move
    bouge .
    eel nuh boozh pah
    It doesn't move.
  • 29passe · to pass
    passe .
    too luh mohnd pahs veet
    Everyone passes quickly.
  • 30seul · alone
    seul.
    loo-KAH eh suhl
    Lucas is alone.
  • 31rouge · red
    rouge.
    eel eh roozh
    He is red (in the face).
  • 32partir · to leave
    partir.
    eel vuh pahr-TEER
    He wants to leave.
  • 33arrête · to stop
    , s'arrête.
    soo-DAN, oon dahm ah-ZHAY sah-RET
    Suddenly, an elderly lady stops.
  • 34regarde · to look at
    regarde .
    el ruh-GAHRD loo-KAH
    She looks at Lucas.
  • 35sourit · to smile
    sourit.
    el soo-REE
    She smiles.
  • 36besoin · need
    : besoin
    el dee doos-MAHN: too ah buh-ZWAN ded
    She says gently: "Do you need help?"
  • 37oui · yes
    oui.
    loo-KAH dee wee
    Lucas says yes.
  • 38ticket · ticket
    ticket.
    lah dahm ruh-GAHRD luh tee-KEH
    The lady looks at the ticket.
  • 39zone · zone
    zone.
    luh tee-KEH neh pah bohn poor set zohn
    The ticket is not right for this zone.
  • 40emmène · to take
    emmène .
    el ah-MEN loo-KAH ah lah mah-SHEEN
    She takes Lucas to the machine.
  • 41aide · to help
    aide .
    el led ah ahsh-TAY un bohn tee-KEH
    She helps him buy the right ticket.
  • 42retourne · to go back
    retourne .
    loo-KAH ruh-TOORN oh por-tee-YOHN
    Lucas goes back to the gate.
  • 43ouvre · to open
    ouvre !
    luh por-tee-YOHN soovr
    The gate opens!
  • 44sourit · to smile
    sourit.
    loo-KAH soo-REE
    Lucas smiles.
  • 45montent · to get on
    montent .
    eel mohnt dahn luh meh-TROH ahn-SAHMBL
    They get on the metro together.
  • 46direction · direction
    : « , direction . »
    lah dahm dee: leen-yuh sees, dee-rek-SYOHN nah-SYOHN
    The lady says: "Line 6, direction Nation."
  • 47descends · to get off
    : « descends . »
    el dee oh-see: too deh-SAHN ah beer-ah-KEM
    She also says: "You get off at Bir-Hakeim."
  • 48écoute · to listen
    écoute .
    loo-KAH eh-KOOT byan
    Lucas listens carefully.
  • 49note · to note
    note .
    eel noht soor sohn teh-leh-FON
    He writes it down on his phone.
  • 50merci · thank you
    merci .
    eel dee mehr-SEE ah lah dahm
    He says thank you to the lady.
  • 51sourit · to smile
    sourit.
    lah dahm soo-REE
    The lady smiles.
  • 52visite · visit
    : « visite ! »
    el dee: bon vee-ZEET
    She says: "Enjoy your visit!"
  • 53arrive · to arrive
    arrive .
    luh meh-TROH ah-REEV ah lah stah-SYOHN beer-ah-KEM
    The metro arrives at Bir-Hakeim station.
  • 54descend · to get off
    descend.
    loo-KAH deh-SAHN
    Lucas gets off.
  • 55devant · in front
    devant .
    eel ruh-GAHRD duh-VAHN lwee
    He looks in front of him.
  • 56voit · to see
    voit .
    eel vwah lah toor eh-FEL
    He sees the Eiffel Tower.
  • 57belle · beautiful
    belle.
    el eh treh grahnd eh treh bel
    It is very big and very beautiful.
  • 58photo · photo
    photo.
    loo-KAH prahn oon foh-TOH
    Lucas takes a photo.
  • 59magnifique · magnificent
    : « magnifique. »
    eel pahns: pah-REE eh mah-nyee-FEEK
    He thinks: "Paris is magnificent."
  • 60gentils · kind
    : « gentils. »
    eel pahns oh-see: leh zhahn sohn treh zhahn-TEE
    He also thinks: "People are very kind."
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