Finding the Main Entrance | Learn French in English

French lesson set in a contemporary Paris everyday setting: Inside a station, one adult asks how to reach the main entrance and follows signs past the ticket gate..

EN → FR / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Finding the Main Entrance to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Excusez-moi, quel chemin mène à l'entrée principale ?

ehks-kew-ZAY MWAH, kel shuh-MEHN men ah lon-TRAY pran-see-PAHL? Excuse me, which way leads to the main entrance?
B

Suivez les panneaux jaunes vers le hall principal.

swee-VAY lay pah-NOH ZHOHN vair luh AHL pran-see-PAHL. Follow the yellow signs toward the main hall.
A

Dois-je prendre l'escalator après le portique de contrôle des billets ?

DWAHZH prahn-DR les-ka-la-TUR ah-PRAY luh por-TEEK duh kon-TROHL day bee-YAY? Should I take the escalator after the ticket gate?
B

Prenez l'escalator pour monter, puis tournez à droite.

pruh-NAY les-ka-la-TUR poor mohn-TAY, pwee toor-NAY ah DRWAHT. Take it upstairs, then turn right.
A

L'entrée principale est-elle loin d'ici ?

lon-TRAY pran-see-PAHL eh-TEL LWEHN dee-SEE? Is the main entrance far from here?
B

C'est à quelques pas de là.

say ah kelk PAH duh LAH. It is a short walk from there.
A

Cette station est un peu déroutante.

set stah-SYOHN ay-tuhn PUH day-roo-TAHNT. This station is a little confusing.
B

Les panneaux sont plus faciles à suivre à l'étage.

lay pah-NOH sohn PLEW fah-SEEL ah SWEE-vr ah lay-TAHZH. The signs are easier to follow upstairs.

Word by Word

Excusez-moi The expression "Excusez-moi" is used to politely get someone's attention before asking a question. "Excusez" means "excuse," and "moi" identifies the speaker as the person asking to be excused. Use "Excusez-moi" before a polite request or question.
quel In "quel chemin mène à l'entrée principale", "quel" asks which one. It comes directly before the noun it identifies, as in "quel chemin". Use "quel" + a noun when choosing or asking about one option.
chemin Here "chemin" means a way or path for reaching a destination. In "quel chemin mène à l'entrée principale", it is the route being asked about. Use it after a word such as "quel" when asking which way to go.
mène In "quel chemin mène à l'entrée principale", "mène" means leads and describes where the path goes. It is followed by "à" and the destination. Use the pattern "[route] mène à [destination]" when explaining where a way goes.
à Here "à" introduces the destination in "mène à l'entrée principale". It corresponds to "to" after an expression describing movement or direction. Use "à" before a place or destination.
l'entrée In "à l'entrée principale", "l'entrée" means the entrance. The form "l'" is the article attached before "entrée". Use it after a destination marker such as "à" when referring to the entrance.
principale Here "principale" means main and describes "l'entrée". Its form matches the feminine noun "entrée". Use "entrée principale" to identify the main entrance.
Suivez The form "Suivez" gives the instruction to follow something, here the signs. It comes before its object in "Suivez les panneaux jaunes". Use "Suivez" + a thing or route when giving directions.
les In "les panneaux jaunes", "les" means the and refers to plural signs. It comes before the noun "panneaux". Use "les" before a specific plural group.
panneaux Here "panneaux" means signs, specifically the signs that give directions in the station. It is the object of "Suivez" in "Suivez les panneaux jaunes". Use it when referring to directional signs.
jaunes Here "jaunes" means yellow and describes the plural noun "panneaux". It follows the noun in "les panneaux jaunes". Use a color after a noun when identifying it by appearance.
vers In "vers le hall principal", "vers" means toward and introduces the direction of travel. It comes before the destination. Use "vers" + a place when movement is in that direction.
le Here "le" means the before the singular noun "hall" in "le hall principal". It identifies a specific hall. Use "le" before this masculine singular noun when referring to that hall.
hall Here "hall" means the main hall of the station. It is the destination after "vers" in "vers le hall principal". Use it for a large entrance or central interior area.
principal Here "principal" means main and describes "hall". Its form matches the masculine noun "hall". Use "hall principal" to identify the main hall.
Dois In "Dois-je prendre l'escalator", "Dois" helps ask whether the speaker should or must do something. It is followed by "je" and an infinitive in this question. Use "Dois-je" + an infinitive when asking what action is required or advisable.
je Here "je" means I and refers to the person asking for directions. In "Dois-je prendre", it appears after "Dois" because the question uses inversion. Use "je" when speaking about your own action or situation.
prendre In "prendre l'escalator", "prendre" means to take the escalator. It follows "Dois-je" as the action being considered. Use "prendre" + a transport option or route element when saying what you will take.
l'escalator Here "l'escalator" means the escalator. The form "l'" is the article attached before "escalator". Use it as the object of an action such as "prendre" when referring to the escalator.
après In "après le portique de contrôle des billets", "après" means after and places the action in relation to the ticket-control gate. It comes before the noun phrase that marks the reference point. Use "après" + a place or event when something comes later.
portique Here "portique" means the gate or barrier used for ticket control. The full phrase is "le portique de contrôle des billets". Use "portique" with a following description when identifying a particular gate.
de In "portique de contrôle", "de" links the gate with the type of activity carried out there. It can introduce a noun that describes or specifies another noun. Use "de" in a noun combination such as "portique de contrôle".
contrôle Here "contrôle" means inspection or checking, as part of "portique de contrôle des billets". It identifies what the gate is used for. Use it after "de" to describe a checking or inspection function.
des In "contrôle des billets", "des" means of the and links the inspection to the tickets being checked. It introduces the plural noun "billets". Use "des" when specifying what a control or inspection concerns.
billets Here "billets" means tickets, specifically the tickets checked at the station gate. It follows "des" in "des billets". Use it for the tickets that allow or confirm travel.
Prenez The form "Prenez" gives the instruction to take the escalator. It comes before its object in "Prenez l'escalator". Use "Prenez" + a route element when giving someone a direction.
pour In "pour monter", "pour" introduces the purpose of taking the escalator: to go up. It comes directly before the infinitive "monter". Use "pour" + an infinitive to explain the purpose of an action.
monter Here "monter" means to go up, referring to going upstairs by escalator. It follows "pour" in "pour monter". Use "pour monter" when explaining that an action is intended to take someone upward.
puis Here "puis" means then and marks the next step after taking the escalator. It introduces "tournez à droite". Use "puis" to connect ordered instructions.
tournez The form "tournez" gives the direction to turn. In "tournez à droite", it is followed by the direction "à droite". Use "tournez" + a direction when telling someone how to continue.
droite In "à droite", "droite" identifies the right-hand direction. The preposition "à" and the noun together form the direction phrase. Use "à droite" when giving a direction to turn or move.
est In "L'entrée principale est-elle loin d'ici ?", "est" means is and links the entrance with its distance from here. It appears before "elle" because the question uses inversion. Use it to ask or state where something is or how it is situated.
elle Here "elle" refers to "l'entrée principale", so it means it in the question. In "est-elle", it follows "est" to form the yes-or-no question. Use this inverted pattern when asking whether a feminine-named thing has a certain property or location.
loin In "loin d'ici", "loin" means far and describes the distance of the main entrance. It is followed by the reference point introduced by "d'ici". Use "loin de" + a place when asking or saying that something is far away.
d'ici Here "d'ici" means from here and gives the point from which distance is measured. It completes the phrase "loin d'ici". Use it after a distance expression when referring to the speaker's current location.
C'est In "C'est à quelques pas de là", "C'est" means it is and introduces the answer about distance. It is followed by the location expression "à quelques pas de là". Use "C'est" to state where something is or how far away it is.
quelques In "quelques pas", "quelques" means a few and indicates a small plural number. It comes before the plural noun "pas". Use "quelques" + a plural noun for a small, unspecified number.
pas Here "pas" means steps in the expression "à quelques pas de là", describing a short walking distance. In this dialogue it is a noun, not the negative word used in a negative construction. Use "à quelques pas de" to say that a place is only a few steps away.
là In "de là", "là" means there and refers to the place mentioned as the reference point. Together, "de là" means from there. Use it after "de" when pointing back to a previously identified place.
Cette Here "Cette" means this and identifies the station being discussed. It comes before the feminine noun "station" in "Cette station". Use "cette" before a feminine noun when pointing out a particular thing.
station Here "station" means the station where the speakers are standing. It is the subject of "Cette station est un peu déroutante". Use it when referring to a railway, subway, or other transport station.
un In the quantity expression "un peu", "un" contributes the meaning of a small amount, giving "a little". It comes directly before "peu". Use "un peu" before an adjective to soften a description, as in "un peu déroutante".
peu In "un peu déroutante", "peu" means little and makes the description less strong. It follows "un" in the expression "un peu". Use "un peu" before an adjective when describing something as slightly or a little so.
déroutante Here "déroutante" means confusing and describes "Cette station". Its form matches the feminine noun "station". Use it after a linking verb such as "est" to describe a station or situation that is difficult to understand.
sont In "Les panneaux sont plus faciles à suivre", "sont" means are and links the signs with their description. It agrees with the plural subject "Les panneaux". Use it before an adjective phrase to describe plural things.
plus In "plus faciles à suivre", "plus" makes the comparison that the signs are easier to follow upstairs. It comes before the adjective "faciles". Use "plus" + an adjective when comparing one situation with another.
faciles Here "faciles" means easy and describes the signs as easy to follow. It is plural because it describes "Les panneaux". Use "faciles à" + an infinitive to describe something that is easy to do.
suivre In "faciles à suivre", "suivre" means to follow the signs. It comes after "à" and completes the expression describing what is easy. Use "facile à suivre" or "faciles à suivre" when something can be followed without difficulty.
l'étage In "à l'étage", "l'étage" means the upper floor or upstairs area. The form "l'" is the article attached before "étage". Use "à l'étage" when giving a location on an upper floor.

Grammar Points

Suivez / tournez : l’impératif de politesse

Suivez les panneaux jaunes.

swee-VAY lay pah-NOH ZHOHN

Follow the yellow signs.

The formal or plural imperative uses the present-tense vous form without the subject pronoun.

facile à + infinitif

faciles à suivre

fah-SEEL ah SWEE-vr

easy to follow

French uses à plus an infinitive after facile to describe something that can be done easily.

French Vocabulary

après prep
ah-PRAY after

Dois-je prendre l'escalator après le portique de contrôle des billets ?

entrée principale phrase
AHN-tray pran-see-PAHL main entrance

Quel chemin mène à l'entrée principale ?

escalator noun
es-ka-la-TUR escalator

Dois-je prendre l'escalator après le portique de contrôle des billets ?

Excusez-moi intj
ehks-kew-ZAY MWAH Excuse me

Excusez-moi, quel chemin mène à l'entrée principale ?

hall principal phrase
AHL pran-see-PAHL main hall

Suivez les panneaux jaunes vers le hall principal.

jaune adj
ZHOHN yellow jaunes

Suivez les panneaux jaunes vers le hall principal.

mener verb
muh-NAY to lead mène

Quel chemin mène à l'entrée principale ?

panneau noun
pah-NOH sign panneaux

Suivez les panneaux jaunes vers le hall principal.

prendre verb
prahn-DR to take

Dois-je prendre l'escalator après le portique de contrôle des billets ?

quel chemin phrase
kel shuh-MEHN which way

Excusez-moi, quel chemin mène à l'entrée principale ?

suivre verb
SWEE-vr to follow Suivez

Suivez les panneaux jaunes vers le hall principal.

vers prep
vair toward

Suivez les panneaux jaunes vers le hall principal.

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Is the main entrance far from here?

Show AnswerL'entrée principale est-elle loin d'ici ?

It is a short walk from there.

Show AnswerC'est à quelques pas de là.

This station is a little confusing.

Show AnswerCette station est un peu déroutante.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

yellow

Show Answerjaunes

sign

Show Answerpanneaux

to lead

Show Answermène

toward

Show Answervers