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Lesson 173 of 240

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The wrong train in French

Sam and Inès leave Friday evening for Lyon, as they planned. At the station a train looks right, and they step aboard through the open door.

A staff member just inside the doorway tells them it does not go to Lyon.

By the end, you'll name a wrong train, check a stop, get off at the next station, and ask staff for the change and the next one.

Inès is already shaping the story she'll tell later.

By the end of this lesson

Deal with a wrong train and ask station staff for help.

  • On a pris le mauvais train.We got the wrong train.
  • Est-ce que ce train s'arrête à Lyon Part-Dieu ?Does this train stop at Lyon Part-Dieu?
  • On descend à la prochaine gare.We'll get off at the next station.
  • Pouvez-vous nous indiquer la correspondance ?Could you tell us how to change trains?
  • On a encore le temps ?Do we still have time?
  • Le prochain pour Lyon, c'est à quelle heure ?When's the next one to Lyon?

Scene — the open door

Friday evening at Gare de Lyon, after work. Sam has his mustard backpack on one shoulder.

Inès has her green crossbody bag. They step aboard a train with the doors still open.

A staff member stands just inside the doorway. Nearby boards show no readable writing.

Sam and Inès hurry down a Gare de Lyon platform toward a train with open doors while station staff waits in the doorway.

Learn — the wrong train

Six lines cover a wrong train, a stop check, getting off, a polite change request, time, and the next train.

You keep vous with station staff.

  1. Inès and Sam step through the open train doors as station staff stops them in the aisle.

    On a pris le mauvais train.

    We got the wrong train.

    When to use it: Say this when you boarded a train that does not go where you need.

    On here means we, the usual spoken form in Paris.

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

  2. Sam asks station staff in the doorway about the train while Inès leans in beside him.

    Est-ce que ce train s'arrête à Lyon Part-Dieu ?

    Does this train stop at Lyon Part-Dieu?

    When to use it: Ask this to check a stop before you sit down.

    Est-ce que makes a yes-or-no question and keeps the usual word order.

    Say it: The t in Est is silent.

  3. Inès reacts after realizing they got the wrong train.

    On descend à la prochaine gare.

    We'll get off at the next station.

    When to use it: Say this when the plan is to get off at the next station.

    On descend states the plan for we, not an order to someone else.

  4. Sam and Inès ask station staff how to change trains, already turning as if to get off.

    Pouvez-vous nous indiquer la correspondance ?

    Could you tell us how to change trains?

    When to use it: Ask station staff this, with vous, when you need to change trains.

    Pouvez-vous is a fixed polite inversion; keep vous for staff.

    Say it: The z in Pouvez links into vous as a z sound.

  5. Sam looks up at a blank glowing board and checks whether they still have time.

    On a encore le temps ?

    Do we still have time?

    When to use it: Ask this when you need to know if you can still make it.

    The words stay in statement order; a rise in the voice makes it a question.

  6. Inès turns toward Sam in the carriage and starts shaping the story of boarding too fast.

    Le prochain pour Lyon, c'est à quelle heure ?

    When's the next one to Lyon?

    When to use it: Ask staff this after you miss a train and need the next one.

    C'est à quelle heure asks for the clock time, not the day.

    Say it: The t in c'est links into à as a t sound.

Story — it does not go there

Watch Sam and Inès board a train that looks right. Staff just inside stops them before they sit down.

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

  1. They hurry toward an open door and start to get on.
  2. InèsAllez, on monte. C'est celui-là.Come on, we're getting on. That's the one.
  3. They step aboard. Staff stops them in the aisle before they sit.
  4. SamBonjour monsieur. Est-ce que ce train s'arrête à Lyon Part-Dieu ?Hello, sir. Does this train stop at Lyon Part-Dieu?
  5. StaffNon. Ce train ne va pas à Lyon.No. This train does not go to Lyon.
  6. Inès looks at Sam, then at a blank board.
  7. InèsOn a pris le mauvais train.We got the wrong train.
  8. SamExcusez-moi. Pouvez-vous nous indiquer la correspondance ?Excuse me. Could you tell us how to change trains?
  9. StaffVous descendez à la prochaine, et vous changez.You get off at the next one, and you change.
  10. SamOn descend à la prochaine gare.We'll get off at the next station.
  11. InèsOn a encore le temps ?Do we still have time?
  12. StaffOui, vous avez largement le temps.Yes, you have plenty of time.
  13. SamLe prochain pour Lyon, c'est à quelle heure ?When's the next one to Lyon?
  14. StaffDans une demi-heure, quai neuf.In half an hour, platform nine.
  15. Inès is already shaping the story she will tell later.
  16. InèsAttends. Déjà, on monte trop vite ; ensuite, je vais encore exagérer.Wait. First we get on too fast, then I'll exaggerate it again.

Practice — ask at the door

Ten short exercises wait here. You will listen, pick a line, fill a gap, swap a word, and build one.

They stay short, so the round moves fast.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What does it mean?

    On a pris le mauvais train.

  3. What do you say?

    This train is gone. Ask staff when the next one to Lyon is.

  4. Fill the gap

    We'll get off at the next station.

    On descend à la ____ gare.

  5. Pick the reply

    Staff says:

    Vous changez dans quinze minutes.

    You change in fifteen minutes.

    And you reply with:

  6. Build the line

    Could you tell us how to change trains?

    -  ?

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Swap the word

    You boarded a train that does not go where you need. Name that mistake.

    On a pris le ____ train.

  8. Find the mistake

  9. What do you say?

    You walk up to a male member of station staff to start the exchange.

  10. What does it mean?

    Excusez-moi.

Say it — say it to staff

Now you're Sam on the busy platform 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. InèsAllez, on est dans le train. C'est celui-là.Come on, we're on the train. That's the one.
  2. Sam (you)Ask if this train stops at the Lyon station you need.

    Est-ce que ce train s'arrête à Lyon Part-Dieu ?

    Does this train stop at Lyon Part-Dieu?

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
On a pris le mauvais train.We got the wrong train.
Est-ce que ce train s'arrête à Lyon Part-Dieu ?Does this train stop at Lyon Part-Dieu?
On descend à la prochaine gare.We'll get off at the next station.
Pouvez-vous nous indiquer la correspondance ?Could you tell us how to change trains?
On a encore le temps ?Do we still have time?
Le prochain pour Lyon, c'est à quelle heure ?When's the next one to Lyon?
Next: lesson 174The famous snack

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