Checking out and getting help with a bag | Learn French in English

French lesson set in a contemporary Paris everyday setting: At a hotel reception desk, a guest checks out, returns the room key, and asks for help with a bag..

EN → FR / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Checking out and getting help with a bag to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Je voudrais faire le check-out, s'il vous plaît.

zhuh voo-DRAY fair luh chek-OWT, seel voo PLAY. I'd like to check out, please.
B

Avez-vous la clé de votre chambre avec vous ?

ah-vay-VOO lah CLAY duh VOH-truh SHAHM-bruh ah-VEK VOO? Do you have your room key with you?
A

Oui, la voici.

wee, lah vwah-SEE. Yes, here it is.
B

Je vais faire votre départ maintenant.

zhuh vay fair VOH-truh day-PAR meh-tuh-NAHN. I'll check you out now.
A

Est-ce que quelqu'un pourrait m'aider avec mon sac ?

ess kuh kel-KUN poo-RAY may-DAY ah-VEK mohn SAK? Could someone help me with my bag?
B

Je peux demander à quelqu'un de vous rejoindre à la réception.

zhuh puh duh-mahn-DAY ah kel-KUN duh VOO ruh-ZHWAN-druh ah lah ray-sep-SYON. I can ask someone to meet you at the desk.
A

La chambre était très confortable.

lah SHAHM-bruh ay-TAY tray kohn-for-TAH-bluh. The room was very comfortable.
B

Ça me fait plaisir de l'entendre.

sah muh fay pleh-ZEER duh lon-TAHN-druh. I'm glad to hear that.
B

Bon voyage, et faites attention à vous.

bohn vwah-YAHZH, ay fet ah-tahn-SYON ah VOO. Have a safe trip.

Word by Word

Je “Je” means “I” and is the subject form used by the speaker in “Je voudrais” and “Je vais”. It comes before the verb when the speaker describes their own request or action.
voudrais “Voudrais” expresses “would like” in the polite request “Je voudrais faire le check-out”. It is a form of “vouloir” followed here by the infinitive “faire”, and this pattern is useful for making a courteous request.
faire “Faire” means “to do” or “to carry out” in “faire le check-out”, referring to completing the hotel check-out. It is an infinitive after “voudrais”, and it combines with the noun “le check-out” to name the action.
le “Le” is the article used before the hotel term “check-out” in “le check-out”. It introduces that noun as the thing the guest wants to carry out.
check-out “Check-out” is the hotel term for leaving and completing the departure procedure in “faire le check-out”. It is used with “faire” to request that this procedure be completed at the reception desk.
s'il vous plaît “S'il vous plaît” means “please” and makes “Je voudrais faire le check-out” polite. In this expression, “vous” addresses the other person formally or addresses several people, while “s'il” and “plaît” contribute the idea of something pleasing; use the whole expression at the end of a polite request.
Avez “Avez” means “have” in the question “Avez-vous la clé de votre chambre avec vous ?”. It is the question form of “avoir” used with “vous”, and the pattern “Avez-vous ... ?” asks whether someone has something.
vous “Vous” refers to “you” in the polite question “Avez-vous ... ?” and in “avec vous”. It addresses a person formally or several people, and it also appears as the person being joined in “de vous rejoindre”.
la “La” appears as the article in “la clé” and as the pronoun in “la voici”. In “la clé”, it introduces the key; in “la voici”, it stands for the key being shown or handed over.
clé “Clé” means “key” in “la clé de votre chambre”. It identifies the room key the receptionist asks the guest to have with them.
de “De” expresses “of” in “la clé de votre chambre”, linking the key to the room. It also introduces the infinitive in “demander à quelqu'un de vous rejoindre”, a useful pattern after asking someone to do something.
votre “Votre” means “your” in “votre chambre”. It is used before the noun “chambre” to identify the room belonging to the person being addressed formally or to the people being addressed.
chambre “Chambre” means “room” in “la clé de votre chambre” and “La chambre était très confortable”. It is used with a possessive in the first expression and as the subject of a description in the second.
avec “Avec” means “with” in “avec vous”, asking whether the guest has the key with them. It introduces the person or thing accompanying someone or being in their possession in this expression.
Oui “Oui” means “yes” in “Oui, la voici”. It confirms the receptionist’s question before the speaker presents the key.
voici “Voici” means “here is” or “here it is” in “la voici”. Together with the pronoun “la”, it points out the key that the speaker is presenting; the pattern “voici” plus a noun or pronoun introduces something being shown.
vais “Vais” expresses “am going to” in “Je vais faire votre départ maintenant”. It is a form of “aller” followed by the infinitive “faire”, indicating an action the receptionist is about to carry out.
départ “Départ” means “departure” and refers to the guest’s check-out in “faire votre départ”. The phrase names the receptionist’s handling of the guest’s departure from the hotel.
maintenant “Maintenant” means “now” in “Je vais faire votre départ maintenant”. It places the check-out action at the present moment and can be used to specify when an action happens.
Est-ce que “Est-ce que” is a question marker in “Est-ce que quelqu'un pourrait m'aider avec mon sac ?”. “Est-ce” and “que” together introduce a question without changing the basic statement order, and the whole frame is useful for asking politely whether something is possible.
quelqu'un “Quelqu'un” means “someone” in “quelqu'un pourrait m'aider”. It identifies an unspecified person who might provide the requested help and functions as the person who could perform the action.
pourrait “Pourrait” expresses “could” in the polite request “quelqu'un pourrait m'aider”. It is a form of “pouvoir” that presents the request less directly, asking whether someone would be able or willing to help.
m'aider “M'aider” means “help me” in “pourrait m'aider avec mon sac”. It combines “m'”, the shortened form of “me” before “aider”, with the infinitive “aider”; the expression places the person receiving help before the thing being helped with.
mon “Mon” means “my” in “mon sac”. It comes before “sac” to identify the bag as belonging to the speaker.
sac “Sac” means “bag” in “m'aider avec mon sac”. It is the object the guest needs help with at the reception desk.
peux “Peux” means “can” in “Je peux demander à quelqu'un”. It is a form of “pouvoir” used to offer or state the possibility of asking another person for help.
demander “Demander” means “to ask” in “Je peux demander à quelqu'un de vous rejoindre”. The construction “demander à quelqu'un de ...” identifies the person being asked and the action they are asked to carry out.
à “À” means “to” in “demander à quelqu'un” and “at” in “à la réception”. It can introduce the person addressed in an asking construction or the place where someone is to meet another person.
rejoindre “Rejoindre” means “to meet” or “to join” in “de vous rejoindre à la réception”. It is an infinitive introduced by “de” after “demander à quelqu'un”, and “vous” identifies the person the helper will meet.
réception “Réception” means “reception desk” in “à la réception”. It identifies the hotel location where the helper will meet the guest.
était “Était” means “was” in “La chambre était très confortable”. It describes the room’s state during the guest’s stay and is followed here by the adjective “confortable”.
très “Très” means “very” in “très confortable”. It strengthens the adjective that describes the room, and it is placed directly before that adjective.
confortable “Confortable” means “comfortable” in “La chambre était très confortable”. It describes the room’s past condition after the guest has stayed there.
Ça “Ça” means “that” or “it” in “Ça me fait plaisir de l'entendre”. It refers to the positive information just given about the room and acts as the subject of the expression.
me “Me” means “to me” in “Ça me fait plaisir”. It identifies the person who experiences the pleasure, while the complete expression says that the information is pleasing to the speaker.
fait “Fait” means “makes” in “Ça me fait plaisir”. It is the verb form used in the expression “ça me fait plaisir”, where the information causes the speaker to feel pleased.
plaisir “Plaisir” means “pleasure” in “Ça me fait plaisir”. Together with “ça me fait”, it expresses that hearing the guest’s positive comment is pleasing to the receptionist.
l'entendre “L'entendre” means “to hear it” or “to hear that” in “de l'entendre”. The shortened pronoun “l'” refers to the guest’s comment about the room, and “entendre” names the act of hearing it.
Bon “Bon” means “good” in the wish “Bon voyage”. Together with “voyage”, it forms a common farewell wishing someone a good trip.
voyage “Voyage” means “trip” or “journey” in “Bon voyage”. The expression is used when someone is leaving and you want to wish them well on their journey.
et “Et” means “and” in “Bon voyage, et faites attention à vous”. It links the good-travel wish with the additional instruction to take care.
faites “Faites” means “take” or “pay” as part of the instruction “faites attention à vous”. It is a form of “faire” used to address the guest formally or address several people, and the whole expression means “take care” or “be careful”.
attention “Attention” means “care” or “attention” in “faites attention à vous”. Together with “faites”, it forms the instruction to be careful, while “à vous” indicates that the caution concerns the person being addressed.

Grammar Points

voudrais + infinitif

Je voudrais faire le check-out, s'il vous plaît.

zhuh voo-DRAY fair luh chek-OWT, seel voo PLAY.

I would like to check out, please.

The conditional form voudrais makes a request more polite; it is followed by the infinitive faire.

pourrait + infinitif

Quelqu'un pourrait m'aider ?

kel-KUN poo-RAY may-DAY?

Could someone help me?

The conditional form pourrait expresses a polite request or possibility, followed by the infinitive aider.

French Vocabulary

chambre noun
SHAHM-bruh room

votre chambre

clé noun
CLAY key

la clé de votre chambre

départ noun
day-PAR departure; check-out

faire votre départ

faire le check-out phrase
fair luh chek-OWT to check out

Je voudrais faire le check-out

m'aider verb
may-DAY help me
maintenant adv
meh-tuh-NAHN now
pourrait verb
poo-RAY could

quelqu'un pourrait m'aider

quelqu'un pron
kel-KUN someone
s'il vous plaît phrase
seel voo PLAY please
sac noun
SAK bag
voici adv
vwah-SEE here is

Oui, la voici

voudrais verb
voo-DRAY would like

Je voudrais faire le check-out

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Yes, here it is.

Show AnswerOui, la voici.

I'll check you out now.

Show AnswerJe vais faire votre départ maintenant.

The room was very comfortable.

Show AnswerLa chambre était très confortable.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

departure; check-out

Show Answerdépart

now

Show Answermaintenant

here is

Show Answervoici

room

Show Answerchambre