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Lesson 171 of 240

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Planning a weekend trip in French

Sam and Inès sit at Café des Tilleuls with phones out. They want a weekend in Lyon, where she grew up.

He looks up the high-speed train and a small hotel near the centre. She already knows what they should eat.

By the end, you'll plan the train, the nights, the food, a light bag, and when you leave.

Gaspard leans in from the next table and asks, quite seriously, if yaks need a ticket.

By the end of this lesson

Plan a weekend trip: the high-speed train, a hotel, and what to eat.

  • On prend le TGV jusqu'à Lyon ?Shall we take the high-speed train to Lyon?
  • On réserve deux nuits près du centre ?Shall we book two nights near the centre?
  • Tu veux qu'on mange quoi, là-bas ?What do you want us to eat there?
  • Je veux goûter un truc typique.I want to try something typical.
  • On voyage léger, d'accord ?We travel light, agreed?
  • On part vendredi soir après le boulot.We leave Friday evening after work.

Scene — phones on the table

Thursday evening at Café des Tilleuls. Sam and Inès share a round table, phones out, planning a weekend in Lyon.

Odile moves behind the zinc counter. Gaspard sits on two chairs at the next table, café crème untouched.

His Navigo pass hangs on its cord. The window table still has its blank brass sign.

A wide evening view of Café des Tilleuls with Sam and Inès at a round table with phones and Gaspard on two chairs beside an untouched café crème.

Learn — train, hotel, food

Six lines cover the train, two nights near the centre, what to eat, packing light, and a Friday evening start.

You and Inès use tu. On is the everyday we for making the plan together.

  1. A medium two-shot of Sam proposing the high-speed train while Inès listens across the round table.

    On prend le TGV jusqu'à Lyon ?

    Shall we take the high-speed train to Lyon?

    When to use it: Suggest the high-speed train when you plan a trip with a friend.

    On is the everyday we here, and prend stays the same.

    Say it: Jusqu'à drops the e of jusque before à.

  2. A close-up of Inès’s hands paused on a phone as if booking a stay near the centre.

    On réserve deux nuits près du centre ?

    Shall we book two nights near the centre?

    When to use it: Suggest booking two nights near the centre, not far out.

    Du is de plus le before a masculine noun like centre.

    Say it: The t in nuits is silent.

  3. An over-the-shoulder view past Inès toward Sam, who leans across the table with open hands as if asking what they should eat.

    Tu veux qu'on mange quoi, là-bas ?

    What do you want us to eat there?

    When to use it: Ask a friend what they want you both to eat there.

    Tu is for Inès. Qu'on is que plus on, with on as we.

    Say it: In qu'on, que loses its e before on.

  4. A close-up of Inès sitting back with a small tasting gesture as if wanting something typical.

    Je veux goûter un truc typique.

    I want to try something typical.

    When to use it: Say you want to try a typical local dish.

    Truc is a casual word for thing, fine with a friend.

    Say it: The e at the end of typique is silent.

  5. A high-angle view of Sam agreeing to travel light beside an empty tote, with Odile moving behind the zinc.

    On voyage léger, d'accord ?

    We travel light, agreed?

    When to use it: Check that you both pack light for the trip.

    Léger here means with little luggage, not a light person.

  6. A profile of Inès turned toward the dusk window, phone face-down, settled on leaving Friday evening after work.

    On part vendredi soir après le boulot.

    We leave Friday evening after work.

    When to use it: Say you leave Friday evening, after work.

    Boulot is casual for work, fine with a friend, not a boss.

    Say it: The t in part is silent.

Story — does a yak need a ticket

Watch Sam and Inès lock in the Lyon weekend at the café. The highlighted words are the lines you just learned.

Turn on Show English if you need it.

  1. The lamps are warm. Inès has a map of Lyon open on her phone.
  2. SamOn prend le TGV jusqu'à Lyon ?Shall we take the high-speed train to Lyon?
  3. InèsOui, c'est direct, et ça va vite.Yes, it's direct, and it's quick.
  4. SamOn réserve deux nuits près du centre ?Shall we book two nights near the centre?
  5. InèsBonne idée. Pas trop loin des traboules.Good idea. Not too far from the traboules.
  6. SamTu veux qu'on mange quoi, là-bas ?What do you want us to eat there?
  7. InèsJe veux goûter un truc typique.I want to try something typical.
  8. SamD'accord, je te fais confiance.Okay, I trust you on that.
  9. InèsLaisse-moi gérer la bouffe. Je connais.Let me handle the food. I know the place.
  10. SamOn voyage léger, d'accord ?We travel light, agreed?
  11. InèsÇa marche pour moi. Un petit sac.That works for me. One small bag.
  12. SamOn part vendredi soir après le boulot.We leave Friday evening after work.
  13. InèsParfait. Je prends le même train.Perfect. I'll take the same train.
  14. Gaspard turns on his two chairs. The window table stays empty.
  15. GaspardLes yaks, ils ont besoin d'un billet, ou pas ?Do yaks need a ticket, or not?
  16. SamBah, je pense que oui, Gaspard.Well, I think so, Gaspard.
  17. GaspardD'accord. Je demandais, juste.Okay. I was only asking.
  18. Odile wipes the zinc counter and listens.
  19. OdileVous partez loin, les enfants ?Are you two going far?
  20. InèsLyon, Odile. Je lui montre un peu.Lyon, Odile. I'm showing him a bit.
  21. OdileBon week-end, alors.Have a good weekend, then.

Practice — lock the plan

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

They stay on the Lyon plan, so the round still moves fast.

0 of 9 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What do you say?

    You and a friend need a room in Lyon. Suggest two nights near the centre.

  3. Fill the gap

    What do you want us to eat there?

    Tu veux qu'on mange ____, là-bas ?

  4. Pick the reply

    Inès says:

    Tu veux qu'on mange quoi, là-bas ?

    What do you want us to eat there?

    And you reply with:

  5. Build the line

    We travel light, agreed?

    ,  ?

    Tap the words in order.

  6. Swap the word

    You and Inès leave on Friday, after work.

    On part ____ soir après le boulot.

  7. What does it mean?

    Bonne idée.

  8. True or false?

    You say this when a plan works for you.

  9. What does it mean?

    Bon week-end.

Say it — say the plan

Now you're Sam at the café table with Inès. 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. InèsBon, ce week-end, on se cale ?Right, shall we lock in this weekend?
  2. Sam (you)Suggest the high-speed train to Lyon.

    On prend le TGV jusqu'à Lyon ?

    Shall we take the high-speed train to Lyon?

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
On prend le TGV jusqu'à Lyon ?Shall we take the high-speed train to Lyon?
On réserve deux nuits près du centre ?Shall we book two nights near the centre?
Tu veux qu'on mange quoi, là-bas ?What do you want us to eat there?
Je veux goûter un truc typique.I want to try something typical.
On voyage léger, d'accord ?We travel light, agreed?
On part vendredi soir après le boulot.We leave Friday evening after work.
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want these trip lines on your phone? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A short Yak Cards round keeps the train, the hotel, and the food ready for Friday.

Open Yak Cards