Have you ever watched the movie “Home Alone”? Imagine the difficulty they encountered while staying in a French apartment/hotel and asking for information using a dictionary. It would be very bothersome if someone would travel to a country without prior knowledge requesting information. This is what we discussed three weeks ago in French class – how to request for information from a receptionist.
First, we use our favourite greeting: Bonjour (bonsoir, if it is already evening). Then, we add a question for reservation: “je voudrais une chambre pour mardi. C’est possible?” which means “I would like a room for Tuesday. Is it possible/ok?”
Notice that the word “une” indicates that “chambre” is feminine and is a quantifier for that word, meaning it can be replaced by numbers such as “deux” or “trois.”
The next few questions may vary in order depending on the responses of both parties:
Vous avez une chambre avec salle de bains? | Does your room have a bathroom? |
Quel est le prix? | What is the price? |
Vous acceptez les chiens? | Do you accept dogs? |
C’est loin de la gare? | Is it far from the station? |
Est-ce que le déjeuner est inclus dans le prix? | Is lunch included in the price? |
Notice that the last question used a different form, by adding the words “est-ce que,” which may literally mean “is it what.” Odd as it may seem, it is sometimes added to ask a question. But it may also be omitted, resulting to the form of the example: “Le déjeuner est inclus dans le prix?” Now, this sentence will still have the same meaning. The only difference is the way it is stated verbally – the former having a lower intonation “descendente” or stated as a declarative sentence while the later having a higher intonation “montante” or as an interrogative statement. Furthermore, such questions are always answered by yes or no - “oui o non.”
Finally, we end it with our well-known appreciative word/s: “Merci, meric beaucoup!”
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