Checking in at a hotel | Learn French in English

About This Lesson

Use Checking in at a hotel to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

J'ai une réservation de chambre ici.

zhay ewn ray-zar-va-SYOHN duh SHAHM-br ee-SEE I have a room reservation here.

Puis-je voir votre passeport, s'il vous plaît ?

pwee-zhuh vwar VOH-tr pahs-POHR, seel voo PLEH Could I see your passport, please?

Le voici. Il est prêt.

luh vwah-SEE. eel eh PREH Here it is. I have it ready.

Pouvez-vous signer ici ?

poo-VAY voo seen-YAY ee-SEE Could you sign here?

Vous avez aussi besoin de ma signature sur ce formulaire ?

voo-zah-VAY oh-SEE buh-ZWAN duh mah seen-yah-TUR syoor suh for-myoo-LEHR Do you need my signature on this form too?

En bas de ce formulaire, c'est très bien.

ahn BAH duh suh for-myoo-LEHR, say treh BYEHN At the bottom of this form is fine.

Où est-ce qu'on sert le petit-déjeuner demain matin ?

oo ess-kohn sehr luh puh-TEE day-zhuh-NAY duh-MAN ma-TAN Where is breakfast served tomorrow morning?

Dans la salle à manger, près de la réception.

dahn lah SAHL ah mahn-ZHAY, preh duh lah ray-sep-SYOHN In the dining room near reception.

Word by Word

J'ai “J'ai” means “I have” in this dialogue and introduces the speaker’s room reservation. It is a common way to state possession or to say that you have something arranged, as in “J'ai une réservation”.

une “Une” means “a” before the feminine singular noun “réservation.” It introduces one unspecified item, and the pattern “une” + noun is used for presenting or mentioning one thing.

réservation “Réservation” means “reservation” or “booking” here, specifically the booking the guest has at the hotel. A useful pattern is “une réservation de” followed by what has been reserved, as in “une réservation de chambre”.

de In “une réservation de chambre,” “de” links the reservation to what it concerns: a room. The pattern “réservation de” + noun is useful when naming the type of reservation.

chambre “Chambre” means “room” in the hotel context. It is commonly used with “une” when referring to a hotel room, as in “une chambre”.

ici “Ici” means “here,” referring to the hotel or reception desk where the speaker is standing. Use “ici” to point to the current place, as in “J'ai une réservation de chambre ici.”

Puis-je “Puis-je” means “May I” or “Could I” and opens a polite request for permission. The reusable pattern is “Puis-je” + infinitive, as in “Puis-je voir” when asking to see something.

voir “Voir” means “see” in the request “Puis-je voir votre passeport.” It follows “Puis-je” and can be used with the thing someone wants to see, such as “voir votre passeport.”

votre “Votre” means “your” when speaking formally to one person or to several people, and it comes before “passeport.” The pattern “votre” + noun is useful when politely referring to another person’s document or object.

passeport “Passeport” means “passport,” the document requested at the hotel desk. It can follow a polite request such as “Puis-je voir votre passeport.”

s'il vous plaît “S'il vous plaît” is the complete polite expression meaning “please.” In it, “s'il” means “if it,” “vous” refers to “you,” and “plaît” means “pleases”; together they soften a request such as “Puis-je voir votre passeport, s'il vous plaît ?”

Le “Le” means “it” as a masculine object pronoun here, referring to the masculine noun “passeport” in “Le voici.” “Le voici” is a useful way to present or hand over a masculine object.

voici “Voici” means “here is” and presents something to the listener. It can be used with a noun or a pronoun, as in “Le voici” when showing the passport.

Il “Il” means “it” here and refers back to the masculine noun “passeport.” The pattern “Il est” + description is useful for describing the item being shown.

est “Est” means “is” and links “Il” with the description “prêt.” In “Il est prêt,” it states the condition of the passport that the guest has prepared.

prêt “Prêt” means “ready” in “Il est prêt,” describing the passport as ready to be shown. The expression “Il est prêt” is useful when confirming that an item is prepared for the next step.

Pouvez-vous “Pouvez-vous” means “Can you” or “Could you” and forms a polite request to a formal or plural “you.” A common pattern is “Pouvez-vous” + infinitive, as in “Pouvez-vous signer ici ?”

signer “Signer” means “sign,” referring to writing one’s signature on the form. It follows “Pouvez-vous” in the request and can be used with a place, as in “signer ici.”

Vous “Vous” means “you” in the formal or plural form and is the subject of “Vous avez aussi besoin.” It is used when a hotel employee addresses a guest politely or addresses more than one person.

avez “Avez” means “have” in the expression “Vous avez aussi besoin de,” which asks whether someone needs something. The useful pattern is “avez besoin de” + noun, as in “avez besoin de ma signature.”

aussi “Aussi” means “also” or “too,” adding the question of whether the signature is required in addition to the earlier signature. In this dialogue it appears in “Vous avez aussi besoin de,” a useful pattern for asking about an additional need.

besoin “Besoin” means “need” in the fixed expression “avoir besoin de.” Use it with “avoir” and “de” before the needed thing, as in “avoir besoin de ma signature.”

ma “Ma” means “my” before the feminine singular noun “signature.” The pattern “ma” + noun is used when identifying something that belongs to or comes from the speaker.

signature “Signature” means “signature,” the writing the guest may need to add to the form. It can be used with “avoir besoin de,” as in “avoir besoin de ma signature.”

sur “Sur” means “on” here, indicating the place on the form where the signature should go. The pattern “une signature sur” + document is useful when talking about signing a form or paper.

ce “Ce” means “this” before the masculine singular noun “formulaire.” It points to a specific form in front of the speakers, as in “ce formulaire.”

formulaire “Formulaire” means “form,” the document the guest is signing. A useful pattern is “sur ce formulaire” when specifying where something should be written.

En “En” contributes the meaning “in” or “at” in the location expression “En bas de ce formulaire.” The reusable pattern is “en bas de” + noun when indicating the lower part of something.

bas “Bas” means “bottom” in “En bas de ce formulaire.” The expression “en bas de” is used to specify the lower part of a page, form, or other object.

c'est “C'est” means “it is” or “that is” and evaluates the suggested location as acceptable. The pattern “C'est” + description is used to approve a place or arrangement, as in “c'est très bien.”

très “Très” means “very” and strengthens “bien” in “c'est très bien.” It is commonly placed before a describing word or expression to make the evaluation stronger.

bien “Bien” means “fine” or “acceptable” here, confirming that signing at the bottom is suitable. In “c'est très bien,” it is useful for approving an arrangement or suggestion.

Où “Où” means “where” and asks for the location of the breakfast service. A common question pattern is “Où est-ce que” followed by the rest of the question.

est-ce “Est-ce” is part of the question marker in “Où est-ce qu'on sert,” helping form a neutral question. The pattern “Est-ce que” can introduce a question without changing the basic subject-verb order.

qu'on “Qu'on” combines “que” with “on” and links the question marker to the subject of “sert.” In “Où est-ce qu'on sert,” “on” refers generally to the people serving breakfast.

sert “Sert” means “serves” in “on sert le petit-déjeuner,” describing the hotel’s service of breakfast. A useful pattern is “on sert” + food or meal when asking or explaining what is served.

petit-déjeuner “Petit-déjeuner” is the complete expression for “breakfast.” “Petit” modifies “déjeuner,” and together they form the name of the morning meal; “servir le petit-déjeuner” is a useful hotel expression.

demain “Demain” means “tomorrow,” identifying the day when breakfast will be served. It commonly combines with a time of day, as in “demain matin.”

matin “Matin” means “morning” in the time expression “demain matin.” The pattern “demain matin” is useful when specifying that something will happen tomorrow morning.

Dans “Dans” means “in” and introduces the place containing the breakfast service. The pattern “dans” + place is used to say where something is located, as in “dans la salle à manger.”

la “La” means “the” before the feminine singular noun “salle.” It identifies the specific dining room being mentioned at the hotel.

salle “Salle” means “room” or “hall” here as part of “salle à manger,” the dining room. The expression is useful for identifying a room designated for eating.

à In “salle à manger,” “à” connects the room with its purpose, forming the expression for a dining room. This pattern can describe a place intended for the activity named after “à.”

manger “Manger” means “eat” in the expression “salle à manger,” literally identifying a room for eating. Here it is part of the fixed name of the hotel dining room rather than a separate action in the sentence.

près “Près” means “near” and describes the dining room’s location relative to reception. It is normally used in the pattern “près de” + place or person, as in “près de la réception.”

réception “Réception” means “reception” or “front desk” in this hotel context. The pattern “près de la réception” is useful for giving directions inside a hotel.

Grammar Points

près de + nom

près de la réception

preh duh lah ray-sep-SYOHN

near the reception desk

Use près de before a noun to express location: “near” or “close to.”

en bas de + nom

en bas du formulaire

ahn BAH dew for-myoo-LEHR

at the bottom of the form

Use en bas de to indicate a position at the lower part of something.

French Vocabulary

besoin noun

buh-ZWAN need

chambre noun

SHAHM-br room

en bas de phrase

ahn BAH duh at the bottom of

formulaire noun

for-myoo-LEHR form

passeport noun

pahs-POHR passport

prêt adj

PREH ready

réservation noun

ray-zar-va-SYOHN reservation

s'il vous plaît phrase

seel voo PLEH please

signature noun

seen-yah-TUR signature

signer verb

seen-YAY to sign

très bien phrase

treh BYEHN fine; very good

voici adv

vwah-SEE here is; here it is

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

I have a room reservation here.

Show Answer

J'ai une réservation de chambre ici.

Here it is. I have it ready.

Show Answer

Le voici. Il est prêt.

Could you sign here?

Show Answer

Pouvez-vous signer ici ?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

signature

Show Answer

signature

ready

Show Answer

prêt

passport

Show Answer

passeport

here is; here it is

Show Answer

voici