French - Taxi Rides

Lesson 111 of 159

A taxi at a city curb with a learner reading French taxi phrases — practical French learning for travel.

Goal: Useful French phrases for getting around by taxi

Free French lessons with guided practice, audio, and speaking support.

Ready for a short, practical lesson about taxis? We'll practice real phrases you can use with a driver—quick and useful for travel. Listen, repeat, and then try speaking aloud to build confidence.

Level A2: In this short lesson you will learn polite, practical taxi phrases in French for checking your car, sharing the plate number, changing destinations, and asking for stops or the meter. This CEFR-aligned pack focuses on 10 ready-to-use lines you can repeat and use right away.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Recognize and use common taxi phrases at A2 level
  • Politely confirm the correct vehicle and ask the driver to start the meter
  • Change your destination, request stops, and ask about extra charges
A friendly scene of a passenger checking a taxi — ideal for French learners practicing Taxi Rides vocabulary.

Ready? Let's go!

When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

C'est bien la voiture pour moi ?

Is this car for me?

Meaning: Is this car for me?

When to use: Use this to confirm at pickup that you are getting into the correct vehicle when the driver or app shows your ride.

Tip: Learners sometimes drop « bien » and lose the nuance of confirming; « C'est la voiture pour moi ? » is understandable but less natural.

Excusez-moi, c'est bien la voiture pour moi ?
Excuse me, is this car for me?
C'est bien la voiture pour Monsieur Martin ?
Is this the car for Mr. Martin?

Vous pouvez me donner le numéro de la plaque ?

What's the license plate number?

Meaning: What's the license plate number?

When to use: Ask this to confirm vehicle identity or for safety—use the polite 'vous' with a driver.

Bonjour, vous pouvez me donner le numéro de la plaque ?
Hello, can you give me the license plate number?
J'ai noté le numéro de la plaque : est-ce correct ?
I wrote down the plate number: is it correct?

Suivez le GPS, s'il vous plaît.

Please follow the map.

Meaning: Please follow the map.

When to use: Say this when you want the driver to follow the GPS or mapping app route.

Suivez le GPS, s'il vous plaît, nous allons éviter les travaux.
Please follow the GPS; we'll avoid the roadworks.
Si possible, suivez le GPS, s'il vous plaît.
If possible, please follow the GPS.

Je dois changer la destination pour ___.

I need to change the destination to ___.

Meaning: I need to change the destination to ___.

When to use: Use this during a ride when your destination must be changed—say the new place after 'pour'.

Tip: Some learners say 'changer la destination en ...' — 'pour' or 'à' are more natural in this phrase.

Je dois changer la destination pour l'aéroport.
I need to change the destination to the airport.
Je dois changer la destination pour la gare centrale.
I need to change the destination to the central station.

Je voudrais faire un arrêt à ___, s'il vous plaît.

I need to make one stop at ___.

Meaning: I need to make one stop at ___.

When to use: Ask this when you want a short additional stop during the trip (e.g., pharmacy, ATM).

Je voudrais faire un arrêt à la pharmacie, s'il vous plaît.
I'd like to make a stop at the pharmacy, please.
On peut faire un arrêt à la banque, s'il vous plaît ?
Can we stop at the bank, please?

Vous pouvez me déposer à ___, s'il vous plaît ?

Drop me off at ___, please.

Meaning: Drop me off at ___, please.

When to use: Use this to tell the driver exactly where you want to be dropped off at the end of the ride.

Vous pouvez me déposer à l'hôtel, s'il vous plaît ?
Could you drop me off at the hotel, please?
Vous pouvez me déposer à la porte principale, s'il vous plaît ?
Can you drop me off at the main entrance, please?

J'ai oublié quelque chose dans la voiture.

I left something in the car.

Meaning: I left something in the car.

When to use: Say this after the ride if you realize you've forgotten an item in the taxi.

J'ai oublié quelque chose dans la voiture : ma veste.
I left something in the car: my jacket.
Après la course, j'ai dit : 'J'ai oublié quelque chose dans la voiture.'
After the ride, I said: 'I left something in the car.'

Vous pouvez mettre le compteur, s'il vous plaît ?

Could you turn on the meter, please?

Meaning: Could you turn on the meter, please?

When to use: Use this at the beginning of a taxi ride if the driver hasn't started the taximeter.

Tip: Don't use the English 'meter'—'compteur' is the correct French term for the taximeter.

Avant de partir, vous pouvez mettre le compteur, s'il vous plaît ?
Before leaving, could you turn on the meter, please?
Le chauffeur a oublié de mettre le compteur au départ.
The driver forgot to start the meter at the departure.

Il y a un supplément pour ___ ?

Is there an extra charge for ___?

Meaning: Is there an extra charge for ___?

When to use: Ask this when you want to know if there is an extra fee (for luggage, pets, waiting time, etc.).

Il y a un supplément pour les bagages ?
Is there an extra charge for luggage?
Il y a un supplément pour chien à bord ?
Is there an extra charge for a dog on board?

Vous pouvez ralentir un peu, s'il vous plaît ?

Please slow down a little.

Meaning: Please slow down a little.

When to use: Use this politely if you want the driver to drive more slowly for comfort or safety.

Excusez-moi, vous pouvez ralentir un peu, s'il vous plaît ?
Excuse me, could you slow down a bit, please?
C'est possible de ralentir un peu ? J'ai le mal de voiture.
Could you slow down a bit? I'm feeling carsick.

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Checking the taxi and asking for changes during the ride

Two people speaking near a stopped taxi, showing the kind of short French conversation in this lesson.

What does Anna first ask about when she arrives at the taxi?

Portrait of Anna in a French lesson dialogue

Anna

Bonjour, c'est bien la voiture pour moi ?

Hello, is this the car for me?

Portrait of David in a French lesson dialogue

David

Oui, c'est bien. Vous pouvez me donner le numéro de la plaque ?

Yes, that's correct. Can you give me the license plate number?

Portrait of Anna in a French lesson dialogue

Anna

Bien sûr, c'est 12AB34. Vous pouvez mettre le compteur, s'il vous plaît ?

Sure, it's 12AB34. Could you turn on the meter, please?

Portrait of David in a French lesson dialogue

David

D'accord. Suivez le GPS, s'il vous plaît.

Okay. Please follow the GPS.

Portrait of Anna in a French lesson dialogue

Anna

Je dois changer la destination pour l'aéroport.

I need to change the destination to the airport.

Portrait of David in a French lesson dialogue

David

Très bien. Je vais ralentir un peu.

Very well. I'll slow down a bit.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which French phrase asks the driver to turn on the taximeter?

How do you ask if there's an extra charge for luggage?

Which phrase politely requests an additional short stop?

Which sentence asks the driver to follow navigation?

Before leaving, could you turn on the meter, please?

Avant de partir, pouvez-vous ___, s'il vous plaît ?

Anna looks at the car and asks: 'Is this the car for me?'

Anna regarde la voiture et demande : '___'

On the way, Anna says: 'I need to change the destination to the airport.'

En route, Anna dit : 'Je dois changer la destination pour ___.'

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice

Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).

Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.

Say this phrase out loud:

C'est bien la voiture pour moi ?

Is this car for me?

Say this phrase out loud:

Vous pouvez me donner le numéro de la plaque ?

What's the license plate number?

Say this phrase out loud:

Suivez le GPS, s'il vous plaît.

Please follow the GPS.

Say this phrase out loud:

Je dois changer la destination pour ___.

I need to change the destination to ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

Je voudrais faire un arrêt à ___, s'il vous plaît.

I need to make a stop at ___, please.

Say this phrase out loud:

Vous pouvez me déposer à ___, s'il vous plaît ?

Drop me off at ___, please.

Say this phrase out loud:

J'ai oublié quelque chose dans la voiture.

I left something in the car.

Say this phrase out loud:

Vous pouvez mettre le compteur, s'il vous plaît ?

Could you turn on the meter, please?

Say this phrase out loud:

Il y a un supplément pour ___ ?

Is there an extra charge for ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

Vous pouvez ralentir un peu, s'il vous plaît ?

Please slow down a little.