Checking into a Hotel
Checking into a hotel · a free French immersion capsule
Useful sentences · 10
Phrases you'll actually use today. Tap Explain for the why behind each one.
Bonjour, j'ai une réservation au nom de Martin.
Hello, I have a reservation under the name Martin.
Literal Hello, I have a reservation in the name of Martin.
A standard check-in opener for giving your reservation name at the front desk.
- 'j'ai' is first-person singular of 'avoir' (to have)
- 'au nom de' = 'under the name of'
Pourriez-vous me donner une chambre calme, s'il vous plaît ?
Could you give me a quiet room, please?
Literal Could you to me give a room calm, if it pleases you?
A polite request using the conditional of 'pouvoir' to ask for a specific room type.
- 'Pourriez-vous' is the conditional of 'pouvoir' — used for polite requests
- Inversion marks this as a formal question
Je voudrais une chambre avec vue sur la mer.
I would like a room with a sea view.
Literal I would-like a room with view on the sea.
'Je voudrais' is the conditional of 'vouloir', used for polite requests rather than demands.
- 'Je voudrais' (conditional) is more polite than 'je veux' (present)
- 'avec vue sur' = 'with a view of'
À quelle heure est le petit-déjeuner ?
What time is breakfast?
Literal At what hour is the small-lunch?
A practical question about meal times using 'à quelle heure' (at what time).
- 'à quelle heure' = 'at what time'
- 'le petit-déjeuner' = breakfast (literally 'small lunch')
Est-ce que le Wi-Fi est inclus dans le tarif ?
Is Wi-Fi included in the rate?
Literal Is it that the Wi-Fi is included in the rate?
'Est-ce que' introduces a yes/no question in a natural, conversational way.
- 'Est-ce que' is a common spoken question marker
- 'inclus dans' = 'included in'
Le parking est-il disponible pour les clients de l'hôtel ?
Is parking available for hotel guests?
Literal The parking is-it available for the clients of the hotel?
Uses subject-verb inversion with 'est-il' to form a formal question.
- 'est-il' = inversion question form with masculine subject
- 'les clients de l'hôtel' = hotel guests
Voici votre clé de chambre et votre carte de bienvenue.
Here is your room key and your welcome card.
Literal Here-is your key of room and your card of welcome.
A receptionist's handover phrase using 'voici' to present items to a guest.
- 'voici' = 'here is/are'
- 'votre' is the formal possessive adjective (your)
Ce serait possible d'avoir une chambre à un étage plus élevé ?
Would it be possible to have a room on a higher floor?
Literal This would-be possible to-have a room at a floor more elevated?
Uses the conditional 'ce serait' to make a polite, tentative request about room preference.
- 'Ce serait possible de + infinitive' = polite conditional request
- 'un étage plus élevé' = a higher floor
Le check-out est à midi, mais vous pouvez laisser vos bagages à la réception.
Check-out is at noon, but you can leave your luggage at the front desk.
Literal The check-out is at noon, but you can leave your bags at the reception.
Practical hotel information about check-out time and the luggage storage option.
- 'vous pouvez + infinitive' = you can (present tense of pouvoir)
- 'laisser' = to leave / to let
Acceptez-vous les cartes de crédit ou seulement les espèces ?
Do you accept credit cards or only cash?
Literal Accept-you the cards of credit or only the cash?
An important payment question using subject-verb inversion for a direct formal question.
- Inversion 'Acceptez-vous' = formal question structure
- 'les espèces' = cash
New words · 10
Themed vocabulary, each with an example you can borrow.
la réservation
the reservation
J'ai une réservation pour deux nuits.
I have a reservation for two nights.
la chambre
the room
La chambre est au troisième étage.
The room is on the third floor.
la clé
the key
Voici votre clé de chambre.
Here is your room key.
la réception
the front desk
Laissez vos bagages à la réception.
Leave your luggage at the front desk.
l'étage
the floor / storey
Nous sommes au cinquième étage.
We are on the fifth floor.
Ground floor is 'le rez-de-chaussée'; étage 1 = US 2nd floor
inclus
included
Le petit-déjeuner est inclus dans le prix.
Breakfast is included in the price.
Je voudrais
I would like
Je voudrais une chambre tranquille.
I would like a quiet room.
Conditional of 'vouloir'; more polite than 'je veux'
le tarif
the rate / price
Quel est le tarif pour une nuit ?
What is the rate for one night?
les bagages
the luggage
Pouvez-vous garder mes bagages ?
Can you keep my luggage?
disponible
available
Est-ce que la piscine est disponible ?
Is the swimming pool available?
Short reading
A tiny story stitched from today's words. Translation is hidden, tap to peek.
Sophie arrive à l'hôtel après un long voyage. Elle s'approche de la réception et dit : « Bonjour, j'ai une réservation au nom de Dupont. » Le réceptionniste sourit et répond : « Oui, madame. Je vous confirme votre réservation au quatrième étage. Le Wi-Fi est inclus, et le parking est disponible. » Sophie demande : « Ce serait possible d'avoir une chambre plus calme ? » Il répond : « Bien sûr, voici votre nouvelle clé. »
Sentence by sentence
après un long voyage
after a long journey
'après' (after) + 'un long voyage' — adjective precedes noun in this common phrase
Elle s'approche de la réception
She approaches the front desk
's'approcher de' is a reflexive verb meaning 'to approach'
au nom de Dupont
under the name Dupont
'au nom de' = 'in the name of / under the name of'
Je vous confirme votre réservation
I confirm your reservation
Present tense 'je confirme' states a fact directly; 'vous' is the indirect object; the conditional 'je voudrais' would sound tentative and is avoided here
Ce serait possible d'avoir
Would it be possible to have
'Ce serait possible de + infinitive' = conditional polite request structure, appropriate for a guest making a request
Pattern of the day
One grammar move, explained once, that unlocks dozens of sentences.
Polite Requests with 'Je voudrais' and 'Pourriez-vous'
In French, the conditional mood makes requests polite. 'Je voudrais' (I would like) and 'Pourriez-vous' (Could you) are essential hotel phrases that sound courteous rather than demanding.
Je voudrais + [noun/infinitive] | Pourriez-vous + [infinitive] + ?
Je voudrais une chambre avec vue.
I would like a room with a view.
Pourriez-vous m'apporter des serviettes supplémentaires ?
Could you bring me extra towels?
Je voudrais régler la note demain matin.
I would like to settle the bill tomorrow morning.
Pourriez-vous nous indiquer où se trouve le restaurant ?
Could you show us where the restaurant is?
Mini practice · 5
Low-pressure, never graded. Just enough to make it stick.
Translate to French: 'I would like a quiet room.'
Hint Use 'Je voudrais' for polite requests
Translate to English: 'Est-ce que le Wi-Fi est inclus dans le tarif ?'
Complete the sentence: 'Voici votre ___ de chambre et votre carte de bienvenue.'
Hint It's something you use to enter your room
Which is the most polite way to request a higher floor?
Rewrite more politely: 'Je veux une chambre avec vue sur la mer.'
That’s today’s phraseberry.
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