Discussing rebooking after a possible missed connection | Learn French in English

Sentence explanations

1. Je risque de rater ma correspondance à cause de ce retard.

   I might miss my connection because of this delay.

   Je risque de

   I might

   rater

   miss

   ma

   my

   correspondance

   connection

   à cause de

   because of

   ce

   this

   retard

   delay

   More detail

   Je risque de combines je (“I”) with the present-tense form risque of risquer and de plus an infinitive. Here it expresses a possibility: “I might …”. The subject is je; risque is the first-person singular present form. The useful pattern is Je risque de + infinitive, as in Je risque d’arriver tard. — “I might arrive late.” Before a vowel, de is written d’. rater is the infinitive meaning “to miss” here. In this travel context, rater une correspondance means “to miss a connection.” Its present forms include je rate, tu rates, and il/elle rate; the infinitive remains rater after de in the pattern above. ma means “my” before a singular feminine noun. It agrees with the noun it determines, not with the speaker: mon is used before a singular masculine noun, and mes before plural nouns. In this sentence, ma identifies correspondance as the possessed noun. correspondance is a feminine noun meaning “connection” in the travel sense: a transfer between services or vehicles. In another context it can have other meanings, but the fixed translation establishes the travel meaning here. une correspondance means “a connection”; des correspondances means “connections.” à cause de is a fixed prepositional construction meaning “because of,” typically introducing a cause with an unfavorable or problematic effect. For example, Le train est annulé à cause de la neige. means “The train is canceled because of the snow.” ce is the masculine singular demonstrative determiner meaning “this” here. It agrees with the following masculine singular noun retard; the feminine singular form is cette, and the plural forms are ces. This is a determiner, so it directly accompanies a noun. retard is a masculine noun meaning “delay.” The phrase ce retard means “this delay,” with ce marking the noun as masculine singular and indicating a specific delay in the situation. Together, Je risque de rater ma correspondance means “I might miss my connection.” Adding à cause de ce retard gives the cause: “because of this delay.” The complete utterance is therefore: “I might miss my connection because of this delay.”

2. Le service d'assistance peut vérifier d'autres itinéraires dès que le retard est confirmé.

   The service desk can check other routes once the delay is confirmed.

   service

   service

   assistance

   assistance

   peut

   can

   vérifier

   check

   d'autres

   other

   itinéraires

   routes

   dès que

   as soon as

   retard

   delay

   confirmé

   confirmed

   More detail

   service means a service or department. Here, Le service d'assistance is the help desk/service desk. Service is a masculine noun, so the article is le. Example: un service client — “a customer-service department.” assistance means help or assistance. In service d'assistance, d'assistance specifies the service's function: assistance/help. The preposition de appears as d' before the vowel at the start of assistance. peut is the third-person singular present form of pouvoir (“to be able to, can”). It expresses ability or possibility here. The subject is Le service, and peut is followed by the infinitive vérifier. Form chain: je peux, il/elle/on peut, ils/elles peuvent. Example: Le service peut répondre. — “The service can answer.” vérifier is the infinitive “to check” or “to verify.” After a conjugated form of pouvoir, the following verb stays in the infinitive: peut vérifier — “can check.” Example: Nous pouvons vérifier l'horaire. — “We can check the schedule.” d'autres means “other” in the plural expression d'autres itinéraires. It is written with an apostrophe because de becomes d' before the vowel of autres. Autre agrees in number: un autre itinéraire means “another route,” while d'autres itinéraires means “other routes.” itinéraires means “routes” or “itineraries.” It is the plural of the masculine noun itinéraire; the singular is un itinéraire. Here it is the object of vérifier: the service can check other routes. Example: Nous cherchons un itinéraire différent. — “We are looking for a different route.” dès que is a conjunction meaning “as soon as.” It introduces the condition or time at which the checking can occur: dès que ... — “as soon as ...”. Example: Appelez-moi dès que vous arrivez. — “Call me as soon as you arrive.” retard means “delay.” It is a masculine noun: un retard, “a delay.” In this sentence, le retard refers to the delay mentioned in the fixed context. Example: Le retard est important. — “The delay is significant.” confirmé means “confirmed” here. It is the past participle of confirmer, and it appears with est to form the passive construction est confirmé, “is confirmed.” Because retard is masculine singular, the participle has the form confirmé; with a feminine singular noun, the form would be confirmée, as in la réservation est confirmée — “the reservation is confirmed.” Putting the sentence together: Le service d'assistance is the service desk, peut vérifier says that it can check, and d'autres itinéraires identifies the other routes. Dès que le retard est confirmé gives the time condition: “as soon as the delay is confirmed.” The complete meaning is: “The service desk can check other routes once the delay is confirmed.”

3. Je préférerais faire un plan maintenant plutôt que de me dépêcher plus tard.

   I would rather make a plan now than rush later.

   Je préférerais

   I would rather

   faire

   to make

   un plan

   a plan

   maintenant

   now

   plutôt que de

   rather than

   me dépêcher

   to rush

   plus tard

   later

   More detail

   Je préférerais means “I would rather” here. The base verb is préférer (“to prefer”); préférerais is its first-person singular conditional form. The conditional presents the preference as a choice or inclination rather than a bare present statement. For example: Je préférerais attendre. — “I would rather wait.” faire is the infinitive of “to make” or “to do.” After préférerais, it names the action being preferred. The infinitive stays unchanged here; the subject is already expressed by je in Je préférerais. For example: Je préfère faire une pause. — “I prefer to take a break.” un plan means “a plan.” plan is a masculine noun, so the indefinite article is un. The phrase identifies the thing to be made; un does not by itself assert a numerical count in the English sense. For example: Nous avons un plan. — “We have a plan.” maintenant means “now,” locating the preferred action at the present time. It modifies the action expressed by faire, so faire un plan maintenant means “make a plan now.” plutôt que de introduces the alternative that is not preferred: “rather than.” In this pattern, de is followed by an infinitive. A reusable pattern is préférer [infinitive] plutôt que de [infinitive]: “to prefer [action] rather than [action].” me dépêcher means “to rush” or “to hurry.” It is the infinitive of the pronominal verb se dépêcher; me is the form used with the first-person subject je. The pronominal form is part of the verb, not an independent object meaning “me” in this construction. For example: Je dois me dépêcher. — “I have to hurry.” plus tard means “later,” placing the alternative action at a later time. Together with me dépêcher, it gives “rush later.” The utterance assembles as Je préférerais + faire un plan maintenant + plutôt que de + me dépêcher plus tard: “I would rather make a plan now than rush later.”

4. Alors, comparons les options, mais gardons à l'esprit qu'elles peuvent changer.

   Then let us compare the options, but keep in mind they may change.

   Alors

   then

   comparons

   let’s compare

   options

   options

   gardons à l'esprit

   let’s keep in mind

   qu'elles

   that they

   peuvent

   may; can

   changer

   change

   More detail

   Alors means “then” here and links the utterance to the current situation or a preceding step. It can also mean “so” in other contexts, but this sentence uses it as a transition. comparons is the first-person plural imperative form of comparer, “to compare.” It expresses a suggestion with nous: comparons = “let’s compare.” For example, Comparons les prix. means “Let’s compare the prices.” options is the plural of option, “option.” The singular is une option; the plural form is options: des options. The article les before it refers to the options under consideration here, without stating how many there are. gardons à l'esprit is a fixed expression meaning “let’s keep in mind” or “let’s bear in mind.” gardons is also the first-person plural imperative form of garder, “to keep.” In this expression, à l'esprit introduces information that should remain in consideration. For example, Gardons cela à l'esprit. means “Let’s keep that in mind.” qu'elles combines que (“that”) with elles (“they”), with elision of que before the vowel of elles. Here elles refers back to les options and is feminine plural because option is feminine and the noun is plural. The construction introduces the content to keep in mind. peuvent is the third-person plural present form of pouvoir, “can” or “may.” Here it expresses possibility: the options may change. It agrees with the plural subject elles. A useful present-tense chain is je peux, elle peut, elles peuvent; these forms differ in spelling, although some have the same pronunciation. changer is the infinitive “to change.” After a conjugated form of pouvoir, French uses the infinitive: elles peuvent changer = “they may change.” The infinitive does not itself show person or number; peuvent carries that information. For example, Les horaires peuvent changer. means “The schedules may change.” Together, Alors, comparons les options means “Then, let’s compare the options.” mais introduces a contrast, and gardons à l'esprit qu'elles peuvent changer means “but let’s keep in mind that they may change.” The complete utterance is therefore: “Then let’s compare the options, but keep in mind they may change.”

5. Pouvez-vous vérifier si un changement de réservation flexible est possible ici ?

   Can you check whether flexible rebooking is available here?

   Pouvez-vous

   Can you

   vérifier

   check; verify

   si

   whether

   changement

   change

   réservation

   booking; reservation

   flexible

   flexible

   possible

   possible; available

   ici

   here

   More detail

   Pouvez-vous is the question form of pouvoir (“to be able to, can”) with vous (“you,” plural or formal singular). French places the subject pronoun after the verb with a hyphen in this formal question pattern: Pouvez-vous… ? Here it makes a polite request, “Can you…?” The following infinitive names the requested action. Example: Pouvez-vous attendre ? — “Can you wait?” vérifier is an infinitive meaning “to check” or “to verify.” After pouvoir, French uses the infinitive: pouvoir + vérifier, not a conjugated form after pouvoir. Example: Je peux vérifier. — “I can check.” The conjugated form peux belongs to pouvoir; vérifier remains unchanged. si introduces an indirect yes-or-no question and means “whether” here. The pattern vérifier si + clause means “check whether …”: Je vais vérifier si c'est possible. — “I’m going to check whether it is possible.” In this use, si introduces an embedded question rather than the conditional “if” use. changement is a masculine noun meaning “change.” Its useful base form is the noun itself; the plural is changements. In this sentence it refers to a change involving a reservation, not to change in the abstract. Example: Le changement est possible. — “The change is possible.” réservation is a feminine noun meaning “reservation” or “booking.” The phrase changement de réservation uses de to link the change with the reservation: literally, “change of reservation,” naturally “booking change” or “rebooking.” Its plural is réservations. Example: La réservation est confirmée. — “The booking is confirmed.” flexible is an adjective meaning “flexible.” In this sentence it helps describe the rebooking/change being considered. Its singular spelling is the same with a masculine or feminine noun; the plural form is flexibles. Example: une date flexible — “a flexible date.” possible is an adjective meaning “possible.” In this context, est possible expresses that the proposed rebooking is available or can be arranged. The adjective has the same singular spelling with masculine and feminine nouns; its plural form is possibles. Example: Cette modification est possible. — “This change is possible.” ici is an adverb meaning “here,” referring to the relevant place, service, or situation. It does not change for number or gender. Example: Vous pouvez réserver ici. — “You can book here.” Together, Pouvez-vous vérifier politely asks someone to check something. si un changement de réservation flexible est possible is the embedded question: whether a flexible rebooking is available. ici limits that availability to here or this situation. The complete utterance therefore means: “Can you check whether flexible rebooking is available here?”

6. Je peux demander, mais l'opérateur doit l'approuver.

   I can ask, but the operator has to approve it.

   Je peux

   I can

   demander

   ask

   mais

   but

   l'opérateur

   the operator

   doit

   has to

   approuver

   approve

   More detail

   Je peux uses pouvoir (“can, be able to”) in the present tense, first-person singular: je peux. The subject is Je, so this form means “I can”; it is not the infinitive pouvoir. demander is the infinitive “to ask” or “to request.” After a conjugated form of pouvoir, French normally puts the next verb in the infinitive: Je peux demander = “I can ask.” Example: Je peux vérifier. — “I can check.” mais means “but” and contrasts the two clauses. It does not itself add a condition or change the time reference. l'opérateur means “the operator.” opérateur is a masculine singular noun here, and le is elided to l' before the vowel sound: le opérateur is not used. The article identifies the operator as a specific participant in this utterance; it does not by itself state how many operators there are. doit is the third-person singular present form of devoir, “must” or “have to.” Its subject is l'opérateur, so l'opérateur doit means “the operator has to.” Compare the reusable pattern [subject] doit + infinitive: Elle doit répondre. — “She has to answer.” approuver is the infinitive “to approve.” It follows doit without an additional preposition: doit approuver = “has to approve.” The text actually contains l'approuver: the initial l' is a contracted direct-object pronoun meaning “it” here, while approuver is the verb itself. The fixed translation identifies that object as the thing being asked about or requested, without naming it. Together, Je peux demander states the speaker’s ability or permission to ask, while mais l'opérateur doit l'approuver adds the contrasting requirement that the operator approve it. The complete meaning is: “I can ask, but the operator has to approve it.”

7. Veuillez chercher des itinéraires avec assez de temps entre les correspondances.

   Please look for routes with enough time between transfers.

   Veuillez

   please

   chercher

   look for

   itinéraires

   routes

   avec

   with

   assez de

   enough

   temps

   time

   entre

   between

   correspondances

   transfers

   More detail

   Veuillez is the vous imperative form of vouloir, but in the reusable pattern Veuillez + infinitive it functions as a polite request: “please …”. For example, Veuillez patienter. means “Please wait.” The following verb remains in the infinitive. chercher means “to look for” or “to search for.” It is the infinitive used after Veuillez; the request is therefore Veuillez chercher (“Please look for”), not a statement about what the speaker is searching for. itinéraires is the plural of the masculine noun itinéraire, “route” or “itinerary.” Here it refers to possible routes. The plural indicates more than one route, while des is the plural indefinite article; it does not by itself state an exact number. Example: Je compare des itinéraires. — “I am comparing routes.” avec introduces something included or associated with the routes and means “with.” Here it introduces the time condition attached to the routes. assez de is the quantity pattern “enough” before a noun. In assez de temps, de is required after assez, regardless of the noun’s gender or number. Example: Nous avons assez de temps. — “We have enough time.” temps is the masculine noun “time.” In this sentence it means a sufficient amount of available time, not a specific clock time. The expression assez de temps treats it as an amount or resource. entre means “between” and introduces the things that delimit an interval or relation. In this sentence, the interval is located between the transfers expressed by the following plural noun phrase. correspondances is the plural of the feminine noun correspondance. In this transport context, it means “transfers” or “connections”: changes from one vehicle or service to another. The same noun can have other meanings in other contexts, but the fixed translation establishes the transport meaning here. Together, Veuillez chercher des itinéraires means “Please look for routes.” The chunk avec assez de temps entre les correspondances specifies the desired property of those routes: they must provide enough time between transfers. The complete utterance is therefore: “Please look for routes with enough time between transfers.”

8. Je vais mettre ceux-là en priorité.

   I will put those first.

   Je vais

   I am going to

   mettre

   put

   ceux-là

   those (ones)

   en priorité

   first; as a priority

   More detail

   Je vais is a reusable near-future pattern: je vais + infinitive means “I am going to …” or “I will …”. vais is the first-person singular present form of aller; here it functions as an auxiliary-like future marker, while the following infinitive supplies the action. Example: Je vais appeler. — “I’m going to call.” mettre is the infinitive of “to put” or “to place”. It follows vais unchanged in this construction. Its present-tense forms include je mets, tu mets, and il/elle met; the infinitive is mettre, not a form derived from mets by a regular ending. Example: Je vais mettre le livre ici. — “I’m going to put the book here.” ceux-là is a demonstrative pronoun meaning “those ones”. It is masculine plural in form; the corresponding feminine plural form is celles-là. The pronoun stands for plural items rather than naming them again, and -là marks them as “those” rather than “these” (ceux-ci). In this utterance, the fixed translation identifies the selected items as “those”, without requiring a more specific noun to be supplied in the sentence. en priorité is a reusable adverbial expression meaning “as a priority” or, naturally in this sentence, “first”. It modifies the action of putting the selected items, expressing the order or priority in which they will be handled. Example: Traitez cette demande en priorité. — “Handle this request first.” Together, Je vais mettre expresses “I will put”, ceux-là identifies the items being put, and en priorité says that they will be handled first. The complete utterance therefore means: “I will put those first.”

9. Comme ça, nous ne courrons pas pour prendre le prochain train.

   So we are not running for the next train.

   Comme ça

   so / that way

   nous

   we

   ne … pas

   not

   courrons

   will run

   pour

   to / in order to

   prendre

   take / catch

   prochain

   next

   train

   train

   More detail

   Comme ça means “that way” or “so.” It links the sentence to a way of doing something and presents the result: “That way, …” In this utterance, it does not specify the action in detail; it refers generally to the relevant way of proceeding. nous is the subject pronoun “we.” It is the first-person plural form, used when the speaker includes themself with at least one other person. Example: Nous partons maintenant. — “We are leaving now.” ne ... pas is the standard French negation pattern around a conjugated verb. Here, ne comes before courrons and pas comes after it. In informal speech, ne is often omitted, but the full form shown here is standard and clear. courrons is the first-person plural future form of courir, “to run.” The future form nous courrons means “we will run”; it is different from the present form nous courons, “we run” or “we are running.” The doubled r belongs to this future form. Example: Nous courrons jusqu’à la gare. — “We will run to the station.” pour introduces a purpose here: “to” or “in order to.” With an infinitive, the pattern pour + infinitive commonly explains why an action is done. The subject of prendre is understood from the main clause as nous, so the meaning is “we will run in order to …” prendre is the infinitive “to take.” With transport such as a train, prendre can mean “to take” or “to catch.” Its infinitive form follows pour; it is not separately marked for person or tense here. Example: Nous partons tôt pour prendre le bus. — “We are leaving early to catch the bus.” prochain means “next” in the sense of the upcoming one. It is an adjective and agrees with the noun it describes. Here it is masculine singular because it describes train, which is masculine singular: le prochain train. Its feminine singular form is prochaine, as in la prochaine réunion — “the next meeting.” train means “train.” It is a masculine singular noun in French. In this sentence, le prochain train means “the next train”; le identifies the upcoming train relevant to the situation. Example: Le train arrive. — “The train is arriving.” Together, Comme ça gives the result or method: “That way.” nous ne courrons pas says that we will not run, using future-tense negation. pour prendre le prochain train gives the purpose that is being avoided: catching the next train. The complete meaning is: “That way, we will not run to catch the next train.”