Join Scott, our World Nomad as he comes to grips with rail travel in Paris and gets help with his French from Marie, a Parisian local. Will he make a complete fool of himself or pick up the local lingo with ease, find out and learn with him.

Our short French lesson won't teach you the language but contains enough of the most common travel phrases to help you get by.

We also provide an iPod phrasebook with 100 useful travel phrases that you can drop into your iPod's notes application giving you an instant electronic phrasebook to carry with you.

Click here to download and listen to the guide. To save it, right click and choose Save Target As (13.4MB).

Click here to download the phrase book (text only).

Click here to download the phrase book (text and audio).

For those of you keen to have a written version on the podcast, here is the script below

Scott: AHH Merde!

Marie: Excusez-moi, allez-vous être long?

Nomad: What?!?!?

Marie: Parlez-vous français ?

Scott: Ummmm I’ve no idea

Marie: I said, “excuse me, will you be long” then I asked if you spoke French

Scott: Ahh… to answer the first question, probably – as I can’t get this machine to give me a ticket and no, no French unfortunately – except of course merde!

Marie: First, I will help you with the ticket machine – then if you are travelling on the same line as I am I will help you with some French along the way

Scott: I’m pretty sure I’ll be on the same line – thank you!

Marie: Je vous en prie – you’re welcome. Metro ticket machines don’t take change – you will have to use your credit card, what kind of ticket are you buying?

Scott: I just want to go a few stops

Marie: Oui, but if you are using your credit card you might as well get a rail pass – you can get a Mobilis Pass for unlimited travel all day – or if you want to look more like a local you should buy a Carte Orange a weekly or monthly pass, but for this you will also need a passport photo for an ID card.

Scott: Ok, lets start with a Mobilis Pass for today. What is your name?

Marie: Je m’appelle Marie. Et vous? And you?

Scott: Scott and how do I ask a persons name in French?

Marie:Non, no… French now…. Je m’appelle Scott. Comment vous appellez-vous?

Scott: So, Je m’appelle Scott. Comment vous appellez-vous?

Marie:Oui, bon, good. Come, I am going to the Musee du Lourve, from here we take line 7.

Scott: Amazing – so am I! How do I say train ticket?

Marie:billet de train

Scott: What about bus, taxi and boat?

Marie: You will find these hard to remember, bus, taxi, bateau

Scott: Oui

Marie:When the train arrives you must pull the door handle up for the doors to open, and I forgot to tell you that your train ticket is also valid on the RER and buses.

Scott: Marie, I need some pretty basic language – can you help me with some greetings….

Marie: I’m sure you have heard these before – Bonjour – Good Day, Bonsoir, Good evening, Au revoir – good bye – we also say Salut – which is informal, like Hi

Scott: ahh yes, now you mention it… bonjour, bonsoir, au revoir, salut

Marie:You have not been to Paris before?

Scott: No, this is my first time.

Marie:Well, as you now have a day pass for the Metro there are a few stops you should see – my stop, Lourve is full of beautiful replicas of art works, Varenne on Line 13 has exhibits from the Rodin Museum and Abbessess on Line 12 has incredible murals along its spiral staircase and also one of the best Art Nouveau entrances. And of course there are all the buskers to entertain you along the way.

Scott: Sounds like a cheap day out! How do I say something like “too expensive”

Marie: Trop cher

Scott: Trop cher. What about “I like this” and “I don’t like this”

Marie: J’aime bien ça, je n’aime pas ça

Scott: So, J’aime bien ça, je n’aime pas ça

Marie:Oui, bon.

Scott: Ok, I have an easy one – which is metro related – how do I count to ten?

Marie:un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq, six, sept, huit, neuf, dix

Scott: un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq, six, sept, huit, neuf, dix

Marie: You really don’t know any French do you?! Where are you staying?

Scott: In a small hotel in Marais, but I will be moving to another hotel soon. How do I ask “Have you a room” and “How much is it”

Marie: Marais, very nice! Vous reste-t-il une chambre libre? Pour combien?

Scott: So, “Vous reste-t-il une chambre libre? Pour combien?”

Marie: If you would like to look at the room you say “Puis-je la voir?”
And remember to be polite – say excusez-moi, s’il vous plait – please and merci – thank you.

Scott: Right, excusez-moi, s’il vous plait, merci!
What about some directions like “Where is” et “Which way to”

Marie: Où se trouve..? Dans quelle direction se trouve…?

Scott: So, “Où se trouve..? and Dans quelle direction se trouve…?” What about today, tomorrow, yesterday and now

Marie:Oui, aujourd'hui, demain, hier, maintenant

Scott: aujourd’hui, demain, hier, maintenant

Marie: Bon. Have you heard of greves, strikes in Paris? If you see everyone leaving the metro after an announcement, you will know that there is a strike on and the metro will close. This happens sometimes. You should also be careful of pickpockets, in Paris men carry their wallets in their jacket pocket and women hold their purses in their hand rather than over their shoulder.

Scott: Right, check. Hey what if I need the police – how do I say “stop thief” or “police”

Marie:“arrêtez le voleur” et “Police”

Scott: Arretez le voleur – police! At least I’ll remember the police bit – what about hospital and doctor?

Marie:hôpital et docteur – I hope you will not be needing these while you are here!

Scott: Oui – but if I need them I can at least ask for them now. I’ve noticed that the French speak very quickly, how do I ask someone to speak more slowly?

Marie: “Parlez plus lentement, s’il vous plait?” This is please speak slower or you could say “Je ne comprends pas” I don’t understand. My stop is coming up next.

Scott: Ok, so “Parlez plus lentement, s’il vous plait” or “Je ne comprends pas” On your recommendation I will get out at this stop to see the exhibits. But, I have one last question – if I get into trouble, real trouble – how do I say “Don’t shoot – these drugs aren’t mine!”

Marie: (laughing loudly) Scott, I don’t know what you are planning to do in Paris, you look like a nice man, but just in case “Ne tirez pas, ces drogues ne sont pas à moi”. Come, this is our stop.

Scott: well, you just never know…. Marie – merci for your help and maybe I will see you on the Metro again??

Marie: Oui, peut-être plus tard – maybe later. Au revoir Scott.

Scott: Ahh, au revoir Marie.