French Driving Phrases and Road signs

Car / Driving

Call an ambulance - appelez une ambulance

Can you send a mechanic / breakdown van ? - Pouvez vous envoyer un mécanicien / une dépanneuse ?

Can you tow me to a garage ? - Pouvez vous me remorquer jusqu’à une garage ?

car - Voiture

Car registration papers - Carte Grise

deposit (usually for a fine) - amende forfaitaire

driver's licence - Permis de Conduire

Fill the tank - faire le plein

Green light - feu vert

I’ve a flat tyre - J’ai un pneu crevé

I’ve had an accident - J’ai eu une accident

I’ve run out of petrol - Je suis en panne d’essence

Inflate the tyres - gonfler les pneus

My car has broken down - Ma voiture est en panne

Oil - Huile

Petrol (lead free) - essence (sans plomb)

red light - feu rouge

road map - carte routière

roundabout - rond point

The battery is flat - La batterie est vide

The engine is overheating - Le moteur surchauffe

The windscreen is shattered - Le pare-brise est cassé

There is a leak in the petrol tank / in the radiator - Il y a une fuite dans le réservois d’essence / dans le radiateur

There is a problem with the brakes - Il y a un problème de freins

to break down - tomber en panne

tyres - pneus

Road signs (French to English)

à droite - to the right

à gauche - to the left

Accoutement non Stabilize - Soft shoulder

Allumez vos Phares - Turn on headlights

Arret Interdit - No stopping

Attention - Caution

Au Pas - Slow

Autres Directions- Through traffic

Bifurcation - Junction

Carrefour - Crossroad

Cédez le passage - give way

Centre Ville - Centre of town

Chantier - Road Construction

Chaussée déformée - Uneven road, temporary surface.

Chute de Pierres - Falling rocks

Circuit Touristique- Scenic route

Circulation Interdite - No thoroughfare

Dépannage - repair

Descente dangereuse - Steep hill

Déviation - Diversion

Douane - Customs

Entrée Interdite - No Entrance

Fin d'Interdiction - End of restriction

Fin de Limitation de Vitesse - End of speed restriction

Gravillons - Loose gravel

Halte - Stop

Hauteur Limitée - Low clearance

Impasse - Dead-end road (Cul-de-sac)

Interdiction de Doubler - No passing

Interdiction de Stationner- No parking

Itineraire Bis- Alternative Route

Limitation de Vitesse - Speed-restriction

Location de Voitures - Car rental (Hire)

Nids de Poules- Potholes

Parking gratuit - free parking

Parking payant- parking with charge

Passage à Niveau - level crossing

Passage Interdit- Entry forbidden, no thoroughfare

Passage protege - Right-of-way at intersection ahead

Péage - Toll

Pente Dangereuse- Steep Incline

Pietons - Pedestrians

Piste Reservée aux Transports Publics - Lane reserved for public transport

Poids Lourds- Truck (lorry) route

Priorité à droit- Give way to traffic on the right

Priorité à gauche - Give way to traffic on the left

Priorité aux piétons - give way to pedestrians

Ralentissez - reduce speed

Rappel - Restriction continues

Reservée aux Pietons - Pedestrians have the right of way

Route Barrée - Road closed

Route Étroite - narrow road

Route Glissante - Slippery road

Sans Interdit - Wrong direction

Sauf (Seulement) Riverains - Private road for residents only

Sens unique - One way

Serrez à droite / à gouche - Keep right / left

Sortie - Exit

Sortie de Camions - Truck Crossing

Stationnement interdit - no parking

Tenez vos Distances - Keep your distance

Tout droit- straight ahead

Toutes Directions - All directions

Travaux - Road work

Vehicules lents - Slow vehicles

Verglas - Slippery road

Virages - Curves ahead

Voie de Degagement - Private entrance

Voie Unique - Single-lane traffic

Voiture a Louer - Car hire

Vous n’avez pas la priorité - Give way, traffic on roundabout has priority

Zone Rouge - Tow away zone

Translate English to French / French to English

Walk and Talk - Waymark Holidays have a special walking holiday which is combined with learning French - more

Useful Outside links

 - Publishers of Audio Magazines on CD and cassette for intermediate-to-advanced speakers of French, Spanish, German, and Italian. www.champs-elysees.com

 - Linguaphone. www.linguaphone.co.uk

- Concorde French. "La Vie autres Manche". www.concordefrench.com

- Alliance Francaise. Find a course throughout France. www.alliancefr.org

- Wordchamp. A very useful resource, we found translations for some words we needed here. Speaks the words as well! www.wordchamp.com

Babelfish. Useful internet translation service, we like this service provided. Babelfish.altavista.com

Reverso. This one worked well too. www.reverso.net

Free Translation. You might like to try this one as well. www.freetranslation.com

M-W. French to English. www.merriam-webster.com

Dictionary. English to French. www.dictionary.com

Pourre. French dictionary of colours. pourpre.com/chroma

French Linguistics. French-English translations. www.french-linguistics.co.uk/dictionary

- Lingo 24. www.lingo24.com

More useful links for learning French and translation