Louer une voiture
Renting a car · a free French immersion capsule
Useful sentences · 10
Phrases you'll actually use today. Tap Explain for the why behind each one.
Bonjour, je voudrais louer une voiture pour trois jours.
Hello, I would like to rent a car for three days.
Literal Hello, I would-like to-rent a car for three days.
A polite way to open a rental transaction using 'je voudrais' (conditional of vouloir) to make a request.
- 'je voudrais' is the conditional form of 'vouloir', used for polite requests
- 'pour + duration' expresses a time span
Quels types de véhicules avez-vous disponibles ?
What types of vehicles do you have available?
Literal What types of vehicles have-you available?
An interrogative question using inversion (avez-vous) to ask about available options at the rental counter. The adjective 'disponibles' follows the noun directly without 'de', which requires the clitic 'en' if used.
- Inversion 'avez-vous' is a formal question structure
- 'quels' agrees with the plural masculine noun 'types'
- 'disponibles' is a predicate adjective modifying 'véhicules'; 'de disponibles' would require the clitic pronoun 'en' replacing the noun, so here the adjective follows the full noun phrase directly
Le tarif journalier pour une berline compacte est de cinquante euros.
The daily rate for a compact sedan is fifty euros.
Literal The rate daily for a sedan compact is of fifty euros.
States a price using 'est de + price', a common structure for expressing cost.
- 'est de + price' is the standard structure for stating a cost in French
- Adjectives 'journalier' and 'compacte' follow the noun they modify
Est-ce que l'assurance est incluse dans le prix ?
Is insurance included in the price?
Literal Is-it that the-insurance is included in the price?
'Est-ce que' is the neutral question marker used to form yes/no questions without inversion.
- 'Est-ce que' turns any statement into a question without changing word order
- 'incluse' agrees with the feminine noun 'assurance'
Nous proposons une couverture complète qui protège contre tous les dommages.
We offer full coverage that protects against all damage.
Literal We offer a coverage complete that protects against all the damages.
Uses a relative clause with 'qui' as the subject to describe what the insurance covers.
- 'qui' introduces a relative clause where it acts as the subject ('couverture' protects)
- 'tous les dommages' uses the masculine plural form of 'tout'
Si vous gardez le véhicule plus longtemps, nous pouvons vous offrir une réduction.
If you keep the vehicle longer, we can offer you a discount.
Literal If you keep the vehicle more long-time, we can you offer a reduction.
A conditional 'si' clause using present tense in both clauses to express a real possibility.
- Present tense is used in both clauses of a real conditional with 'si'
- 'vous offrir' = indirect object pronoun + infinitive
Pouvez-vous m'expliquer la politique concernant le carburant ?
Can you explain the fuel policy to me?
Literal Can-you me-explain the policy concerning the fuel?
A polite request using inverted question form with a modal verb followed by an infinitive.
- Inversion 'pouvez-vous' signals a polite formal question
- 'm'expliquer' = 'me expliquer', indirect object pronoun attached before the infinitive
Je voudrais aussi un GPS et un siège enfant, s'il vous plaît.
I would also like a GPS and a child seat, please.
Literal I would-like also a GPS and a seat child, if-it you pleases.
Extends the initial request with additional equipment using 's'il vous plaît' for politeness.
- 'aussi' adds to a previous request
- 's'il vous plaît' is the formal register of 'please'
Avant de partir, nous devons inspecter le véhicule ensemble.
Before leaving, we need to inspect the vehicle together.
Literal Before of to-leave, we must inspect the vehicle together.
Uses 'avant de + infinitive' to express an action that happens before another.
- 'avant de + infinitive' means 'before doing something'
- 'devoir' (devons) expresses obligation or necessity
Veuillez signer ici pour confirmer que vous avez lu les conditions de location.
Please sign here to confirm that you have read the rental terms.
Literal Please-will sign here to confirm that you have read the conditions of rental.
'Veuillez + infinitive' is a formal imperative used in professional and written contexts.
- 'Veuillez + infinitive' is the polite imperative form of 'vouloir'
- 'avez lu' is passé composé of 'lire', indicating a completed action
New words · 10
Themed vocabulary, each with an example you can borrow.
louer
to rent
Je voudrais louer une voiture pour le week-end.
I would like to rent a car for the weekend.
Also means 'to praise'; context determines the meaning
véhicule
vehicle
Quel véhicule recommandez-vous ?
Which vehicle do you recommend?
tarif
rate / price
Quel est le tarif journalier ?
What is the daily rate?
assurance
insurance
L'assurance est incluse dans le prix.
The insurance is included in the price.
couverture
coverage
Nous avons une couverture complète.
We have full coverage.
Also means 'blanket' or 'book cover' in other contexts
carburant
fuel
La politique concernant le carburant est simple.
The fuel policy is simple.
dommage
damage
Il y a un dommage sur le pare-chocs.
There is damage on the bumper.
Also used as 'what a shame!' in everyday speech
réduction
discount / reduction
Puis-je avoir une réduction pour cinq jours ?
Can I have a discount for five days?
conditions
terms / conditions
Avez-vous lu les conditions de location ?
Have you read the rental terms?
disponible
available
Cette voiture n'est pas disponible ce week-end.
This car is not available this weekend.
Short reading
A tiny story stitched from today's words. Translation is hidden, tap to peek.
Sophie arrive au comptoir de location à l'aéroport et demande quels véhicules sont disponibles pour le week-end. L'agent lui propose une berline compacte qui coûte quarante euros par jour, avec une assurance complète incluse. Elle choisit d'ajouter un GPS dont elle a besoin pour explorer la région. Avant de prendre les clés, ils inspectent ensemble le véhicule et notent une petite égratignure sur le pare-chocs avant.
Sentence by sentence
Sophie arrive au comptoir de location
Sophie arrives at the rental counter
'au comptoir' = 'at the counter'; 'de location' = 'rental', functioning as a modifier
quels véhicules sont disponibles
what vehicles are available
Indirect question using 'quels' agreeing in gender and number with the noun
une berline compacte qui coûte quarante euros par jour
a compact sedan that costs forty euros per day
'qui coûte' is a relative clause with 'qui' as subject; 'par jour' = per day
un GPS dont elle a besoin
a GPS that she needs
'dont' replaces 'de' in 'avoir besoin de'; it links the noun to the clause smoothly
Avant de prendre les clés
Before taking the keys
'avant de + infinitive' expresses an action that precedes another
une petite égratignure sur le pare-chocs avant
a small scratch on the front bumper
'avant' here is an adjective meaning 'front', placed after the noun it modifies
Pattern of the day
One grammar move, explained once, that unlocks dozens of sentences.
Relative Clauses with qui, que, and dont
French relative clauses link extra information to a noun. 'Qui' replaces the subject, 'que' replaces the direct object, and 'dont' replaces a phrase using 'de'. They let you describe nouns in detail within a single flowing sentence.
[noun] + qui / que / dont + [clause]
Nous avons une couverture qui protège contre tous les dommages.
We have coverage that protects against all damage.
C'est le véhicule que je voudrais louer.
That is the vehicle that I would like to rent.
Voici le GPS dont vous avez besoin.
Here is the GPS that you need.
Le tarif dont nous avons parlé est de cinquante euros.
The rate that we discussed is fifty euros.
Mini practice · 5
Low-pressure, never graded. Just enough to make it stick.
What types of vehicles do you have available?
Hint Think about how to ask 'what types' in French.
La couverture _____ nous proposons protège contre tous les dommages. (Choose: qui, que, or dont)
Hint The coverage is the direct object—you protect it. Use 'que' for direct objects.
Si vous gardez le véhicule plus longtemps, nous pouvons vous offrir une réduction.
Hint Look for the key phrase 'plus longtemps' (longer).
Which sentence correctly asks about fuel policy?
Combine these two sentences using 'qui' or 'que': 'Je voudrais un GPS. Le GPS vous aide à naviguer.'
Hint The GPS is the subject of 'helps,' so use 'qui.'
That’s today’s phraseberry.
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