What to say when you miss a train in French
Le prochain train pour Bordeaux part à quelle heure ?
“What time does the next train to Bordeaux leave?”
When: At the desk or on the platform once things go wrong
The moment
Your TGV out of Gare Montparnasse is delayed and you miss your connection to Bordeaux. You go to the SNCF desk to find out what happened and get onto another train.
A2 · Unit 2 · Travel days
The lines
When does the next one leave?
One pattern rescues every delay: "Le prochain train pour Bordeaux part à quelle heure ?" Swap the destination, or say le prochain vol for flights.
Le prochain train pour Bordeaux part à quelle heure ?
“What time does the next train to Bordeaux leave?”
When to use it: At the desk or on the platform once things go wrong
What you’ll hear back: Dans quarante minutes, voie 9. (In forty minutes, platform 9.)
Getting put on another train
Say what happened, then ask to be moved: "J'ai raté ma correspondance. Vous pouvez me mettre sur le train suivant ?" Mettre quelqu'un sur is exactly what SNCF staff say back to you.
Vous pouvez me mettre sur le train suivant ?
“Can you put me on the next train?”
When to use it: At the SNCF desk after missing a connection
What you’ll hear back: Oui, je vous mets sur celui de 18h12. (Yes, I'll put you on the 6:12 one.)
Words for this scene
| French | Say it | English |
|---|---|---|
| à cause du retard | ah kohz dew ruh-TAR | because of the delay |
J'ai raté mon vol à cause du retard du train. I missed my flight because of the train delay. Tip: Use à cause de for bad causes, grâce à for good ones. | ||
| Le train est supprimé. | luh tran eh sew-pree-MAY | The train is cancelled. |
Le train de quatorze heures est supprimé, prenez celui de seize heures. The two o'clock train is cancelled, take the four o'clock one. Tip: SNCF says supprimé for cancelled trains; annulé is for flights. | ||
| Je peux me faire rembourser ? | zhuh puh muh fair ron-boor-SAY | Can I get a refund? |
Mon vol est annulé, je peux me faire rembourser mon billet ? My flight is cancelled, can I get my ticket refunded? Tip: Over 30 minutes late, SNCF often refunds part of the ticket. | ||
Your objective
Explain that you missed your connection, ask why it was late, and get yourself onto the next one.
- the missed connection
- why it was late
- a place on the next one
Lines that get it done
- J'ai raté mon vol à cause du retard du train. · I missed my flight because of the train delay.
- Vous pouvez me mettre sur le train suivant ?
In the live scene the objective stays on screen, and the Replay afterwards says whether you got it done.
Check yourself
1. Your train is cancelled and you need the next departure to Bordeaux. What do you ask?
- Le prochain train pour Bordeaux part à quelle heure ?
- Le train prochain pour Bordeaux part quelle heure ?
- Quand est-ce que Bordeaux part le prochain train ?
- Le prochain train pour Bordeaux est en retard ?
Show the answer
Le prochain train pour Bordeaux part à quelle heure ?
Prochain goes before the noun, and times need à quelle heure.
2. You want to explain that the delay is why you missed your connection. What do you say?
- J'ai raté ma correspondance à cause du retard.
- J'ai raté ma correspondance parce que le retard.
- J'ai raté ma correspondance pour le retard.
- J'ai perdu ma correspondance à cause de retard.
Show the answer
J'ai raté ma correspondance à cause du retard.
À cause de takes a noun and contracts to du before le retard; parce que needs a full clause.
3. The train is cancelled and you want your money back. What do you ask?
- Je peux me faire rembourser ?
- Je peux rembourser mon billet ?
- Je peux avoir un remboursé ?
- Vous me donnez l'argent du billet ?
Show the answer
Je peux me faire rembourser ?
Se faire rembourser means to be refunded; je peux rembourser would mean you are paying them back.