1. Home
  2. French for Kids
  3. Going to Town — Aller en ville
  4. Asking for Directions — Demander son chemin

Asking for Directions — Demander son chemin by Dawn-Michelle Baude, Ph.D.

Sometimes when you're going somewhere, you need a little help. Asking for directions is important in every language. How else will you find your way to the movie store for the first time? Or even find the bathroom the first time you visit a French friend's house?

Where — Où

You probably remember Où (“where”) from previous chapters. And you know the difference between est and sont is the difference between “is” and “are.” Est is singular, and sont is plural. Voilà! Two essential launch pads for direction questions:

<tgroup cols="2"> <colspec align="left" colname="col1" colnum="1" colsep="0" colwidth="50%"/> <colspec align="left" colname="col2" colnum="2" colsep="0" colwidth="50%"/> <thead> <tr> <td><p><B>English</B></p></td> <td><p><B>French</B></p></td> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td><p>Where is…</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Où est…</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Where are…</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Où sont…</emphasis></p></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <h2>Destination Targets — <emphasis>Destinations particulières</emphasis></h2> <p>There are so many places you can go, whether you're in a little town (<emphasis>un village)</emphasis> or a city (<emphasis>une ville</emphasis>). Let's list some of them:</p> <table frame="none" width="100%"> <title/> <tgroup cols="2"> <colspec align="left" colname="col1" colnum="1" colsep="0" colwidth="50%"/> <colspec align="left" colname="col2" colnum="2" colsep="0" colwidth="50%"/> <thead> <tr> <td><p><B>English</B></p></td> <td><p><B>French</B></p></td> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td><p>The store/the stores</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le magasin/les magasins</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>The bookstores</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>la librairie/les librairies</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>The library/the libraries</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>la bibliothèque/les bibliothèques</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>The movie store/the movie stores</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le magasin de film/les magasins de film</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>The toy store/the toy stores</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le magasin de jouets/les magasins de jouets</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>The department store/the department stores</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le grand magasin/les grands magasins</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>The grocery store/the grocery stores</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>l'épicerie/les épiceries</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>The bakery/the bakeries</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>la boulangerie/les boulangeries</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>The restaurant/the restaurants</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le restaurant/les restaurants</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>The bathroom</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>les toilettes/la salle de bains</emphasis></p></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <div class="npsb"> <h2>MISTAKES TO AVOID <emphasis>Fautes à éviter</emphasis></h2> <p>Be careful not to mix up la librairie (“bookstore”) and la bibliothèque (“library”). And note that “bathroom” is plural in French, <emphasis>les toilettes</emphasis>. If you say <emphasis>la toilette</emphasis>, you're talking about washing yourself! Another way to say “bathroom” is <emphasis>la salle de bains</emphasis>.</p> </div> <!--/gc--> <div id="pagination"><ul><li class="prev"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/going-to-town-aller-en-ville/transportation-les-transports.htm" title="Transportation — Les transports">Transportation — Les transports</a></li><li class="next"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/going-to-town-aller-en-ville/spending-money-dpenser-de-largent.htm" title="Spending Money — Dépenser de l'argent">Spending Money — Dépenser de l'argent</a> </li></ul></div></div> <div id="coda"> <div id="rel"><div class="n5">Related Articles</div><ul> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/going-to-town-aller-en-ville/asking-for-directions-demander-son-chemin.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Asking for Directions — Demander son chemin - French for Kids </a></li> <li><a href="http://worldfilm.about.com/library/weekly/aa021401a.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Can Netflix Keep What It Promises? - World Film </a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/time-and-dates-lheure-et-les-dates/parts-of-the-days-and-year-les-moments-de-la-journe-et-de-lanne.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Parts of the Days and Year — Les moments de la journée et d... </a></li> <li><a href="http://ipod.about.com/od/itunesmovierentals/ss/itunes_m_rental_3.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Using the iTunes Video Rentals Service - Accept the New Terms of Servi... </a></li> <li><a href="http://quotations.about.com/cs/inspirationquotes/a/Business39.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Quotes: Motivation and Business </a></li> </ul></div> <div id="sec"><div class="n5">Read More Going to Town — Aller en ville</div><ul><ul class="col1"><li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/going-to-town-aller-en-ville/transportation-les-transports.htm">Transportation — Les transports</a></li> <li class="btO">Asking for Directions — Demander son chemin</li> <li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/going-to-town-aller-en-ville/spending-money-dpenser-de-largent.htm">Spending Money — Dépenser de l'argent</a></li> </ul><ul class="col2"><li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/going-to-town-aller-en-ville/keeping-your-money-safe-garder-son-argent-en-securit.htm">Keeping Your Money Safe — Garder son argent en securité</a></li> <li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/going-to-town-aller-en-ville/asking-for-help-demander-de-laide.htm">Asking for Help — Demander de l'aide</a></li> <li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/going-to-town-aller-en-ville/activities-activits.htm">Activities — Activités</a></li> </ul></ul></div> </div> <script>if(zSbL<1)zSbL=3;zSB(2);zSbL=0</script> </div> <div id="widgets"><script type="text/javascript">if(z336>0){w('<div id="adB">'+ap[0]+at[4]+as[0]);adunit('','','about.com',ch,gs,336,280,'1','bb',3);w('</div>')}if(z155>0){w('<div id="adP">'+ap[0]+at[4]+as[0]);adunit('','','about.com',ch,gs,336,155,'1','ps',4);w('</div>')}</script> <div id="pg" class="pane"><div class="n3">Shopping</div><div class="cntnr"><a href="http://shop.everything.com/product/the-everything-kids-learning-french-book"><img src="http://0.tqn.com/d/np/kids-french/Cover.jpg"></a><h4><a href="http://shop.everything.com/product/the-everything-kids-learning-french-book">THE EVERYTHING KIDS' LEARNING FRENCH BOOK</a></h4><p><a href="http://shop.everything.com/product/the-everything-kids-learning-french-book">By Dawn-Michelle Baude, Ph.D.</a></p><div id="fp"><a href="http://shop.everything.com/product/the-everything-kids-learning-french-book">Buy This Book</a></div></div></div> <div id="toc" class="pane"><div class="n3">French for Kids Sections</div><ul><li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/lets-get-started-allons-y/">Let's Get Started! — Allons-y!</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/time-and-dates-lheure-et-les-dates/">Time and Dates — L'heure et les dates</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/all-about-me-tout-sur-moi/">All About Me — Tout sur moi</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/social-life-la-vie-sociale/">Social Life — La vie sociale</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/what-should-we-do-quest-ce-quon-va-faire/">What Should We do? — Qu'est-ce qu'on va faire?</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/im-hungry-jai-faim/">I'm Hungry! — J'ai faim!</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/going-to-town-aller-en-ville/">Going to Town — Aller en ville</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/lets-go-outdoors-allons-dehors/">Let's Go Outdoors — Allons dehors</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/getting-along-bien-sentendre/">Getting Along — Bien s'entendre</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/appendix-a-english-french-dictionary/">English-French Dictionary</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/appendix-b-glossary/">Glossary</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/appendix-c-puzzle-answers/">Puzzle Answers</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/appendix-d-exercise-answers/">Exercise Answers</a></li> </ul></div></div> <script type="text/javascript">zCi();validateForms();</script> <div id="abf" style="padding-right:0"><ol class="crumbtrail"><li class="home"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/">Home</a></li><li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/">French for Kids</a></li><li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/going-to-town-aller-en-ville/">Going to Town — Aller en ville</a></li><li>Asking for Directions — Demander son chemin</li></ol></div> <div id="aboutinfo" class="hlist"><div id="morefrom"><h6>Visit other About.com sites:</h6><ul><li><a href="http://caloriecount.about.com/" rel="nofollow">Calorie Count</a></li><li><a href="http://www.consumersearch.com/" rel="nofollow">ConsumerSearch</a></li><li class="last"><a href="http://www.allexperts.com/" rel="nofollow">Allexperts.com</a></li></ul></div> <ul id="siteinfo"><li><a href="http://spiderbites.about.com/sitemap.htm">SiteMap</a></li><li><a href="http://www.about.com/gi/pages/hc.htm" rel="nofollow">Help</a></li><li><a href="http://www.about.com/gi/pages/mprivacy.htm" rel="nofollow">Privacy Policy</a></li><li><a href="http://www.about.com/gi/pages/mprivacy.htm#adchoices" rel="nofollow">Your Ad Choices</a></li><li class="last"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/pform.htm" rel="nofollow">Contact Us</a></li></ul> <ul id="companyinfo"><li class="last"><a href="http://shop.everything.com/ " rel="nofollow">Buy Books</a></li></ul><div id="disclaimer"><p>Netplaces.com, a part of <a href="http://www.nytco.com/">The New York Times Company</a>.</p><p>All rights reserved.</p></div></div></div> <script type="text/javascript"><!-- zPxA[zPxC]=new Image();zPxA[zPxC++].src="http://b.scorecardresearch.com/p?c1=2&c2=6036459&c7=http%3a%2f%2fwww%2enetplaces%2ecom%2fkids%2dfrench%2fgoing%2dto%2dtown%2daller%2den%2dville%2fasking%2dfor%2ddirections%2ddemander%2dson%2dchemin%2ehtm&c8=Asking%20for%20Directions%20%26%238212%3b%20Demander%20son%20chemin&c9=&cv=2.0&cj=1"; adclose() //--> </script> <script type="text/javascript">(function(){var po=document.createElement('script');po.type='text/javascript';po.async=true;po.src='https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js';var s=document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(po,s)})();</script> </body></html>