French Phrases for Talking About Cars

In this lesson, we learn some phrases for talking about cars and car breakdowns in French.

Watch the video as many times as you need, until you feel you can give the French translations as we go!

Now we can see what we’ve learned. Look at the English and see if you can provide the French for the following:

Part 1:

I’d like to hire an electric car.	Show Je voudrais louer une voiture électrique.
My car won’t start.	Show Ma voiture ne démarre pas.
I ran out of petrol.	Show Je suis tombé en panne d’essence.
My car runs on diesel.	Show Ma voiture roule au diesel.
The horn doesn’t work.	Show Le klaxon ne fonctionne pas.

Part 2:

The windscreen wipers don’t work properly.	Show Les essuie-glace ne fonctionnent pas correctement.
What’s the speed limit?	Show Quelle est la limite de vitesse?

Motorway Driving in France

The French motorway network is largely administered by private companies who operate the motorways as toll roads.
Together, these operators are members of ASFA, the Association of French Motorway and Toll-road Concession-holders and Operators.

ASFA runs a website with all the vital information about driving on French motorways, as well as real-time traffic information.

More Lessons

---