The vocabulary of travel is used to talk about any movement, from the daily commute to holidays. It covers the means of transport, the starting place, the destination, the ticket, the schedule and the problems on the road. To complete this lexical field, Directions et Localisations helps to understand how to locate a place and explain a journey. These words serve anywhere one moves, in the city, between two cities or in another country, and they are very useful for talking about the Lieux.

In French, one very often uses the car, the train, the metro, the bus, the tram, the plane, the boat and the bicycle. The car is used for individual or family trips. The train connects cities and the metro runs underground in large cities. The bus and the tram serve urban transport. The plane allows travel far, the boat crosses a sea or a river, and the bicycle is suitable for short trips or leisure.

trainbusmétroavionvélotramvoiturebateau

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Un train urbain pour aller vite sous la villeUn véhicule public pour faire des trajets en villeUn véhicule pour se déplacer sur l eauUn transport sur rails pour circuler dans la villeUn moyen de transport pour voyager dans le cielUn transport sur rails pour voyager entre les villesUn deux roues pour se déplacer avec les jambesUn véhicule privé pour se déplacer sur la route

Everyday Means of Transport

Word	Definition
voiture	A private vehicle to get around on the road.
train	A rail transport to travel between cities.
métro	An urban train to get around the city quickly.
bus	A public vehicle to make journeys in the city.
tram	A rail transport to move around in the city.
avion	A means of transport to travel in the sky.
bateau	A vehicle to move on the water.
vélo	A two-wheeler to get around with your legs.

Scramble

To talk about an urban trip, one says to take the metro, to take the bus or to take the tram. One can to change lines when switching from one itinerary to another. One to get off at the stop to exit the bus or the tram, and one to get off at the station for the metro. When the distance is short, one to walk to the destination. In a city, these verbs describe the journey more naturally than the simple name of the transport.

prendre le métroarrêtlignestationmarchercorrespondancedescendre à l arrêtchanger de ligne

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Un lieu où les transports s arrêtentQuitter le bus ou le tram pour arriver au bon endroitPasser d une ligne à une autre pour continuer son trajetUn changement de transport pour continuer le voyageUtiliser le métro pour faire un trajet en villeUn trajet fixe qui relie plusieurs stations ou arrêtsUn endroit où le bus ou le tram s arrêteAvancer à pied pour aller d un lieu à un autre

Vocabulary of urban trips

Word	Definition
prendre le métro	Use the metro to make a trip in the city.
changer de ligne	Switch from one line to another to continue your journey.
descendre à l arrêt	Leave the bus or tram to arrive at the right place.
marcher	Move on foot to go from one place to another.
station	A place where transports stop.
arrêt	A place where the bus or tram stops.
ligne	A fixed journey that connects several stations or stops.
correspondance	A change of transport to continue the journey.

Scramble

A long trip is described with words like departure, arrival, connection, delay, ticket and platform. The departure is the moment when one leaves a place, and the arrival the moment when one reaches the destination. A connection is a change of train, plane or bus during the journey. A delay means that the transport leaves later than planned. The platform is the place where one waits for the train, and the ticket is the document that gives the right to travel.

quaicorrespondancearrivéebilletdépartdestinationhoraireretard

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Le lieu où l on veut allerL endroit où on attend le trainUn changement de transport pour aller plus loinUn temps d attente quand le transport ne part pas à l heureL heure prévue pour un départ ou une arrivéeLe moment où le voyage commenceLe moment où le voyage se termineUn document qui prouve le droit de voyager

Vocabulary for long trips

Word	Definition
départ	The moment when the journey begins.
arrivée	The moment when the journey ends.
correspondance	A change of transport to go further.
retard	A waiting time when the transport does not leave on time.
billet	A document that proves the right to travel.
quai	The place where one waits for the train.
horaire	The time scheduled for a departure or arrival.
destination	The place where one wants to go.

Scramble

At the airport, one often finds the boarding, the security check, the baggage, the boarding gate, the flight and the suitcase. The flight is the journey by plane. Boarding is the moment when passengers board the plane. Security designates the verification of papers or baggage. The boarding gate is the place where one waits before entering the plane. The baggage is what one carries, and the suitcase is a very common type of baggage.

volpasseportcontrôleporte d embarquementembarquervaliseembarquementbagage

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Une valise ou un sac pour emporter ses affairesUn grand bagage rigide ou souple pour voyagerMonter dans un avion pour commencer le voyageLe moment où les passagers montent dans l avionLe document qui sert à voyager à l étrangerL endroit où on attend avant de monter dans l avionLa vérification de sécurité pour entrer dans la zone de départLe trajet d un avion pour aller d un lieu à un autre

Essential airport vocabulary

Word	Definition
embarquement	The moment when passengers board the plane.
contrôle	Security screening to enter the departures area.
bagage	A suitcase or bag to take your things.
porte d embarquement	The place where we wait before boarding the plane.
vol	The trip of a plane to go from one place to another.
valise	A large rigid or soft bag for traveling.
passeport	The document used for traveling abroad.
embarquer	To board a plane to begin the journey.

Scramble

At the station, people often talk about platform, track, direct train, ticket, schedule and round trip. The platform is the place where travelers wait for the train. The track is the line on which the train arrives or departs. A direct train goes from one point to another without changes. The ticket is used to travel, and the schedule gives the departure and arrival times. A round-trip ticket allows going there and back with the same journey.

quaialler retourtrain directvoiecompartimentguichethoraireticket

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Un espace fermé dans le train pour les voyageursUn train qui va sans changement jusqu à la destinationUn billet pour aller puis revenirL endroit où on attend le trainLa ligne de rail où le train passe ou s arrêteL heure prévue pour le départ ou l arrivéeUn titre de transport pour monter dans un trainL endroit où on achète ou demande un billet

Useful Station Vocabulary

Word	Definition
quai	The place where one waits for the train.
voie	The rail line where the train passes or stops.
train direct	A train that goes without changes to the destination.
ticket	A travel document to board a train.
horaire	The time scheduled for departure or arrival.
aller retour	A ticket to go and return.
guichet	The place where one buys or requests a ticket.
compartiment	A closed space in the train for the passengers.

Scramble

To talk about a car trip, one uses to drive, road, highway, gasoline, parking, GPS and traffic jam. One drives a car on a road or on a highway. One puts in some gasoline to make the vehicle run. One looks for a parking to park. The GPS indicates the route. A traffic jam forms when many cars advance very slowly or stay stopped.

GPSembouteillagecarburantessenceparkingconduireautorouteroute

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Le produit qui permet à un véhicule de roulerUn chemin pour faire circuler les véhiculesUne grande route pour aller vite sur une longue distanceUn appareil qui aide à trouver son chemin en voitureDiriger une voiture pour avancer sur la routeLe carburant pour faire avancer une voitureUn lieu pour garer une voitureUne circulation très lente parce que la route est trop remplie

Practical Car Trip Vocabulary

Word	Definition
conduire	Operate a car to move forward on the road.
route	A path to move vehicles.
autoroute	A big road to go fast over long distances.
essence	The fuel to make a car go.
parking	A place to park a car.
GPS	A device that helps to find your way by car.
embouteillage	Very slow traffic because the road is too busy.
carburant	The product that allows a vehicle to run.

Scramble

To ask for a direction, one often says Where is... ?, How to get to...? or Is it far?. To explain a journey, one uses verbs like to go straight ahead, to turn right, to turn left, to take the first street and to continue. When giving a destination, one specifies the exact place and adds known landmarks. These forms combine with Directions et Localisations, where one learns to locate a place precisely.

Phrases for asking directions

Usage	Explanation
Ask for a destination	Use this phrase to find out how to get to a specific place.
Check the distance	Use it to ask whether a place is far or near.
Understand the orientation	Use it to know where to turn or continue.
Confirm the itinerary	Use it to check that you have understood the route.
Politely ask for help	This phrase is used to politely speak to a stranger.
Indicate a street	Use it to name a landmark or a street.
Give a duration	Use it to answer with an estimated time.

While traveling, several expressions come up often: miss your train, be late, be broken down and get lost. One misses their train when one arrives too late to catch it. One is late when one arrives or departs after the scheduled time. A vehicle is broken down when it no longer functions. One gets lost when one can’t find one’s way. In a conversation, these expressions help quickly explain a problem or ask for help.

panneattendrese perdremanquer son trainannulationêtre en pannerater une correspondanceavoir du retard

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Ne pas arriver à temps pour prendre le train prévuUne situation où un véhicule ne marche plusNe pas prendre le prochain transport parce que l on est arrivé trop tardLe fait qu un transport soit supprimé et ne parte pas du toutArriver plus tard que prévu parce que le trajet prend plus de tempsNe plus fonctionner pour un véhicule ou une machineNe plus savoir où l on est pour trouver son cheminRester sur place jusqu à ce que le transport arrive ou reparte

Expressions for small problems

Word	Definition
manquer son train	Not arriving in time to catch the planned train.
avoir du retard	Arriving later than planned because the trip takes longer.
être en panne	No longer functioning for a vehicle or a machine.
se perdre	No longer knowing where you are to find your way.
rater une correspondance	Fail to take the next transport because you arrived too late.
attendre	Stay in place until the transport arrives or departs.
annulation	The fact that a transport is cancelled and does not depart at all.
panne	A situation where a vehicle no longer works.

Scramble

According to the countries and Francophone cities, some words change. Metro remains very common, but tram can also be written tramway in more formal contexts. For transport, ticket and billet are not always distributed in the same way depending on the places. In some regions, people spontaneously choose billet for the train or the plane, and ticket for a small local transport ticket. These usages vary, but the logic remains the same: talk about the means of transport and the right to travel.

autobushorairemétrotrain directmétrotramticketbillet

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En Belgique, tram est très courant pour le transport urbain sur railsEn Suisse, horaire s emploie souvent pour le programme des départs et arrivéesEn France, ticket s utilise souvent pour un petit titre de transport ou d accèsAu Canada, métro peut aussi désigner le transport urbain rapide de la villeEn Suisse, billet est très fréquent pour un titre de transportEn Belgique, train direct est compris comme un train sans changementAu Canada, autobus est une forme courante pour parler du busEn France, métro désigne souvent le transport urbain souterrain

Francophone Variants of the Transport Vocabulary

Region	Variant	Definition	Example
France	métro	In France, métro often refers to the underground urban transport.	À Paris, le métro est très pratique.In Paris, the métro is very convenient.
Belgique	tram	In Belgium, tram is very common for urban rail transport.	À Bruxelles, le tram passe près du marché.In Brussels, the tram passes by the market.
Canada	métro	In Canada, métro can also refer to the city's rapid urban transport.	À Montréal, le métro est simple à utiliser.In Montreal, the métro is easy to use.
Suisse	billet	In Switzerland, billet is very common for a travel ticket.	J ai acheté un billet pour Lausanne.I bought a billet for Lausanne.
France	ticket	In France, ticket is often used for a small travel or access ticket.	Le ticket de bus est dans mon sac.The ticket for the bus is in my bag.
Canada	autobus	In Canada, autobus is a common way to talk about the bus.	L autobus arrive à l arrêt.The autobus arrives at the stop.
Belgique	train direct	In Belgium, train direct is understood as a train without changes.	Je prends le train direct pour Namur.I take the train direct to Namur.
Suisse	horaire	In Switzerland, horaire is often used for the schedule of departures and arrivals.	L horaire du train est affiché en gare.The train horaire is posted at the station.

Scramble