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Lesson 44 of 240

New here? This is lesson 44 of a free 240-lesson French course.

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Metro and transit card in French

Sam needs the metro this morning. Two stops to the office, if he can find the line.

Gaspard is already at the gate, Navigo on a cord. The cord catches on the turnstile. Sam taps, walks through, and waits.

By the end, you'll say you're taking the metro, ask which line and which platform, tap your Navigo, and find the exit.

Keep it short at the gate. Staff will point if you ask.

By the end of this lesson

Enter the metro, tap a transit card, and find the exit.

  • Je prends le métro.I'm taking the metro
  • C'est quelle ligne ?Which line is it?
  • Je dois changer où ?Where do I change?
  • Je valide mon Navigo.I'm tapping my Navigo
  • Où est la sortie ?Where's the exit?
  • Quel quai ?Which platform?

Scene — the cord is stuck

Same morning on rue des Tilleuls. Sam walks to the metro a few blocks from the café.

Gaspard is already at the ticket gate, Navigo on a cord around his neck. The cord catches on the turnstile.

A staff member watches the gate, next to a wall map. The window table is back at the café, still empty.

On a clear morning on rue des Tilleuls, Sam walks toward the metro while the café window table stays empty behind.

Learn — metro and Navigo

Six short lines cover the metro, the line, a change, tapping your Navigo, the exit, and the platform.

Keep them as one piece at the gate.

  1. Sam steps down into the metro entrance on a clear morning.

    Je prends le métro.

    I'm taking the metro

    When to use it: Say this when the metro is how you will go.

    Learn it as one piece for your trip.

    Say it: The last letters in prends are silent.

  2. From behind Sam, a staff member points along a colored band on the station wall map.

    C'est quelle ligne ?

    Which line is it?

    When to use it: Ask this when you need the metro line.

    Learn it as one piece at the map.

    Say it: The e of ce drops, so you hear C'est.

  3. Gaspard's Navigo on a cord is caught on the turnstile while the gate stays shut.

    Je dois changer où ?

    Where do I change?

    When to use it: Ask this when you need a second line.

    Learn it as one piece before you ride.

  4. Sam taps a Navigo at the ticket gate and lifts Gaspard's caught cord free while a staff member watches.

    Je valide mon Navigo.

    I'm tapping my Navigo

    When to use it: Say this as you tap your pass at the gate.

    Learn it as one piece at the turnstile.

  5. From high above, Sam stands in a tiled metro corridor with one arm out, looking between two tunnel mouths.

    Où est la sortie ?

    Where's the exit?

    When to use it: Ask this when you need the way out.

    Learn it as one piece after the train.

  6. In profile, Sam leans forward on an empty metro platform and peers down the tracks.

    Quel quai ?

    Which platform?

    When to use it: Ask this when you need the right platform.

    Learn it as one piece on the tracks.

    Say it: The l in quel is pronounced; there is no liaison before quai.

Story — he waits

Watch Sam and Gaspard at the ticket gate. The cord on Gaspard's Navigo catches on the turnstile.

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

  1. The ticket gate beeps. Gaspard's cord catches on the turnstile.
  2. GaspardJe valide mon Navigo.I'm tapping my Navigo.
  3. The gate stays shut. The cord is caught on the turnstile.
  4. SamJe prends le métro.I'm taking the metro.
  5. Sam shows the office street on his phone, then turns to staff.
  6. SamExcusez-moi. C'est quelle ligne ?Excuse me. Which line is it?
  7. Staff taps the colored band for line 3 on the wall map.
  8. StaffLa ligne 3.Line 3.
  9. SamJe dois changer où ?Where do I change?
  10. Staff slides a finger to another station on the map.
  11. StaffC'est là-bas.It's over there.
  12. Gaspard's cord is still caught on the turnstile.
  13. SamJe valide mon Navigo.I'm tapping my Navigo.
  14. Sam walks through the gate and waits. He frees the cord from the turnstile.
  15. SamQuel quai ?Which platform?
  16. StaffC'est là-bas.It's over there.
  17. A train comes. Two stops later, Sam steps off.
  18. SamOù est la sortie ?Where's the exit?
  19. StaffC'est là-bas.It's over there.

Practice — line or platform

Ten quick exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, match, fill a gap, and build a line.

They stay tiny, so the round moves fast.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    French

    C'est quelle ligne ?Drop the English here
    Où est la sortie ?Drop the English here
    Quel quai ?Drop the English here

    English

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

  3. What do you say?

    The gate is in front of you. Tap your pass and say what you are doing.

  4. Fill the gap

    Where do I change?

    Je dois ____ où ?

  5. What does it mean?

    Quel quai ?

  6. Build the line

    I'm taking the metro

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Swap the word

    You are at the map. Ask which metro line it is.

    C'est quelle ____ ?

  8. What do you say?

    Staff is looking at a screen. Get their attention before you ask anything.

  9. True or false?

    This means it is here.

  10. Fill the gap

    It's here.

    C'est ____.

Say it — tap and go

Now you're Sam at the metro gate. 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. StaffBonjour.Hello.
  2. Sam (you)Tell them you are taking the metro.

    Je prends le métro.

    I'm taking the metro

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
Je prends le métro.I'm taking the metro
C'est quelle ligne ?Which line is it?
Je dois changer où ?Where do I change?
Je valide mon Navigo.I'm tapping my Navigo
Où est la sortie ?Where's the exit?
Quel quai ?Which platform?
Next: lesson 45Where I live

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

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A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps your metro lines ready for the gate.

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