French course

Lesson 112 of 240

New here? This is lesson 112 of a free 240-lesson French course.

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Making an appointment in French

Sam needs a follow-up with Dr. Roche, across from the café. He calls the practice and a receptionist answers.

You'll ask which slots are free, take one, and confirm the day and time.

At the desk later, you'll say you're here for the appointment.

Clinic staff get vous. Créneau is the everyday word for a slot.

By the end of this lesson

Make an appointment and ask which times are free.

  • Je voudrais prendre rendez-vous.I'd like to make an appointment.
  • Quels créneaux sont disponibles ?What times are available?
  • Vous avez de la place ___ ?Do you have any openings ___?
  • Je vais prendre ___, s'il vous plaît.I'll take ___, please.
  • Vous pouvez me confirmer la date et l'heure ?Can you confirm the date and time?
  • Je suis là pour mon rendez-vous.I'm here for my appointment.

Scene — the follow-up call

Sam is in his fourth-floor walk-up on rue des Tilleuls. He calls Dr. Roche's practice, above the pharmacy across from the café.

A receptionist picks up. Later that week he will walk in under the green cross for the slot he books.

Sam holds a phone to his ear in his walk-up while Gaspard sits across a pair of chairs by the table.

Learn — book a time

Six lines cover booking, asking which times are free, taking a slot, and confirming.

You'll also say you're here when you arrive.

  1. Sam stands at the apartment window with a phone to his ear, leaning in to start the booking.

    Je voudrais prendre rendez-vous.

    I'd like to make an appointment.

    When to use it: Call a clinic when you need to book a time.

    Voudrais is the polite I'd like, softer than je veux.

    Say it: The s at the end of voudrais is silent.

  2. Sam looks down across the street toward the pharmacy’s glowing green cross while on the phone.

    Quels créneaux sont disponibles ?

    What times are available?

    When to use it: Ask staff which appointment times they still have.

    Créneau is the everyday word for a free time slot.

  3. Sam sits at the table with a phone to his ear, free hand hovering over a blank notepad.

    Vous avez de la place ___ ?

    Do you have any openings ___?

    When to use it: Ask if they have an opening on a day you name.

    Here de la place means a free slot, not a café seat.

  4. Sam sits on a kitchen stool with a phone tucked up, one hand tapping the counter as he settles on a time.

    Je vais prendre ___, s'il vous plaît.

    I'll take ___, please.

    When to use it: Choose one of the times the receptionist just offered.

    Staff get s'il vous plaît; a friend would get s'il te plaît.

  5. Sam stands in the apartment doorway holding the phone with both hands as he waits for confirmation.

    Vous pouvez me confirmer la date et l'heure ?

    Can you confirm the date and time?

    When to use it: Ask staff to say the day and time back to you.

    Heure is feminine: la heure becomes l'heure because the h is silent.

    Say it: The h in heure is silent, so la becomes l'.

  6. Sam steps into the clinic under the glowing green cross and faces Odile at a bare counter.

    Je suis là pour mon rendez-vous.

    I'm here for my appointment.

    When to use it: Say this at the desk when you arrive for the slot.

    Là means you are on the spot, not a time like then.

    Say it: The final s in rendez-vous is silent here.

Story — thursday at ten

Watch Sam call the practice and take Thursday. Then he walks in and says he's here.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned. Turn on Show English if you need it.

  1. Sam holds the phone. Down in the street, the pharmacy cross is on.
  2. ReceptionistBonjour.Hello.
  3. SamBonjour. Je voudrais prendre rendez-vous.Hello. I'd like to make an appointment.
  4. ReceptionistOui, je vous écoute.Yes, I'm listening.
  5. SamQuels créneaux sont disponibles ?What times are available?
  6. ReceptionistJ'ai jeudi matin ou vendredi.I have Thursday morning or Friday.
  7. SamVous avez de la place jeudi ?Do you have any openings on Thursday?
  8. ReceptionistOui, à dix heures.Yes, at ten.
  9. SamJe vais prendre jeudi matin, s'il vous plaît.I'll take Thursday morning, please.
  10. ReceptionistTrès bien.Very good.
  11. SamVous pouvez me confirmer la date et l'heure ?Can you confirm the date and time?
  12. ReceptionistJeudi dix heures.Thursday at ten.
  13. SamVous pouvez répéter ?Can you say that again?
  14. ReceptionistJeudi, à dix heures.Thursday, at ten.
  15. Thursday morning. He pushes the glass door under the green cross.
  16. ReceptionistBonjour.Hello.
  17. SamJe suis là pour mon rendez-vous.I'm here for my appointment.

Practice — slots and the desk

Eleven short exercises wait here. You'll listen, match, fill a gap, swap a word, and build a line.

They stay on the call and the desk.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What does it mean?

    Quels créneaux sont disponibles ?

  3. What do you say?

    You want Thursday. Ask the receptionist if they have any openings then. Complete with the weekday only.

  4. What do you say?

    The receptionist offers Thursday morning at ten. Take Thursday morning, and say please. Complete with Thursday morning only.

  5. Swap the word

    You just booked. Ask the receptionist to confirm the day and time, not to change them.

    Vous pouvez me ____ la date et l'heure ?

  6. Build the line

    I'm here for my appointment.

    -.

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Pick the reply

    Receptionist says:

    Jeudi matin, à dix heures.

    Thursday morning, at ten.

    And you reply with:

  8. True or false?

    Say this when the receptionist picks up.

  9. Match the pairs

    French

    Je voudrais prendre rendez-vous.Drop the English here
    Quels créneaux sont disponibles ?Drop the English here
    Je suis là pour mon rendez-vous.Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its French, or tap one and then the other.

  10. Put the chat in order

    1. SamWhat comes first?
    2. Receptionist…
    3. Sam…
    4. Receptionist…

    Tap the line that comes next, or drag it into the chat.

  11. Fill the gap

    I'd like to make an appointment.

    Je voudrais ____ rendez-vous.

Say it — take the slot

Now you're Sam on the phone, then at the desk. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap ▶ first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. ReceptionistBonjour.Hello.
  2. Sam (you)Ask to book a time at the clinic.

    Je voudrais prendre rendez-vous.

    I'd like to make an appointment.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
Je voudrais prendre rendez-vous.I'd like to make an appointment.
Quels créneaux sont disponibles ?What times are available?
Vous avez de la place ___ ?Do you have any openings ___?
Je vais prendre ___, s'il vous plaît.I'll take ___, please.
Vous pouvez me confirmer la date et l'heure ?Can you confirm the date and time?
Je suis là pour mon rendez-vous.I'm here for my appointment.
Next: lesson 113Change or check an appointment

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep these booking lines handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps your booking lines ready for the clinic.

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