Booking accommodation (Edexcel GCSE French): Revision Notes
Booking accommodation
When travelling to French-speaking countries, you'll need to know how to book and discuss accommodation. This topic covers essential phrases for making reservations, dealing with problems, and using emphatic pronouns correctly.
Essential reservation phrases
Learning key phrases for booking accommodation will help you communicate effectively with hotels, campsites, and other accommodation providers. These phrases form the foundation of successful accommodation bookings in French-speaking countries.
Making bookings
When you want to reserve a room or space, these phrases will be essential:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| réserver | to reserve/book |
| une chambre | a room |
| avec vue sur la mer | with a sea view |
| rester | to stay |
| pendant une semaine | for a week |
| complet | full |
| accessible | accessible |
| un ascenseur | a lift |
Booking Examples in Context:
Scenario 1: Making a reservation Je voudrais réserver une chambre avec vue sur la mer pour deux nuits. (I would like to reserve a room with a sea view for two nights.)
Scenario 2: Stating duration Je veux rester pendant une semaine. (I want to stay for a week.)
Scenario 3: When accommodation is unavailable Je suis désolé(e), le camping est complet. (I'm sorry, the campsite is full.)
Asking about facilities and location
You'll often need to enquire about practical matters during your stay. These phrases help you navigate the logistics of your accommodation:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| poser | to put |
| ma valise | my suitcase |
| ma tente | my tent |
| perdre | to lose |
| ma clé | my key |
| dangereux | dangerous |
| l'escalier | the stairs |
Facility and Location Inquiries:
About luggage: Où dois-je poser ma valise? (Where should I put my suitcase?)
Reporting a problem: J'ai perdu ma clé. (I've lost my key.)
Safety concern: L'escalier est dangereux. (The stairs are dangerous.)
Making complaints
When things aren't quite right with your accommodation, these phrases will help you express concerns professionally:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| inconfortable | uncomfortable |
| le lit | the bed |
| dormir | to sleep |
| les repas | meals |
| inclus | included |
| le prix | the price |
| louer | to hire |
| propre | clean |
| cher | expensive |
Common Complaint Scenarios:
Comfort issues: Le lit est trop inconfortable pour dormir. (The bed is too uncomfortable to sleep.)
Price inquiries: Les repas sont inclus dans le prix? (Are meals included in the price?)
Cleanliness concerns: Ma chambre n'est pas très propre. (My room isn't very clean.)
Cost complaints: L'hôtel est trop cher. (The hotel is too expensive.)
Emphatic pronouns
Emphatic pronouns are special pronouns used to add emphasis or after prepositions. They're different from the subject pronouns you might already know and are essential for natural-sounding French conversation.
Understanding Emphatic Pronouns
Emphatic pronouns serve a unique grammatical function in French. Unlike subject pronouns that simply indicate who performs an action, emphatic pronouns add stress, clarity, or are required in specific grammatical constructions.
The emphatic pronouns
| Emphatic pronoun | English | Subject pronoun |
|---|---|---|
| moi | me | je |
| toi | you | tu |
| lui | him/it | il |
| elle | her/it | elle |
| nous | us | nous |
| vous | you | vous |
| eux | them (masculine) | ils |
| elles | them (feminine) | elles |
Foundation Tier Note: You only need to know moi and toi for Foundation level.
When to use emphatic pronouns
Emphatic pronouns have three main uses that you must master:
-
To add emphasis:
- Moi, je pense que l'hôtel est excellent. (I think that the hotel is excellent.)
-
After a preposition:
- J'ai passé mes vacances avec elle. (I spent my holidays with her.)
-
For a double subject:
- Mon frère et moi sommes allés en France. (My brother and I went to France.)
Grammar Tip
Notice how emphatic pronouns change the rhythm and emphasis of sentences. In the first example, "Moi, je pense..." puts special emphasis on who is thinking, creating a contrast with what others might think.
Practice with emphatic pronouns
Translation Practice:
English to French: I shared a tent with my dad. → J'ai partagé une tente avec mon père.
French to English: Toi, tu préfères l'hôtel? → You, do you prefer the hotel?
Exam Strategy for Accommodation Topics
When listening to French conversations about accommodation bookings, pay attention to:
- Numbers for nights, rooms, and people
- Location words like "près de la mer" (near the sea) or "dans le centre" (in the centre)
- Types of accommodation such as hôtel, appartement, or camping
- Time phrases indicating duration of stay
In speaking tasks, develop your answers by adding reasons. For example, if asked "Quel logement as-tu choisi?" (What accommodation have you chosen?), don't just state your choice - explain why you picked it.
Key Points to Remember:
- Master basic reservation phrases like Je voudrais réserver and Je veux rester
- Learn to make complaints using phrases like Le lit est trop inconfortable
- Emphatic pronouns (moi, toi, etc.) are used for emphasis, after prepositions, and with double subjects
- Foundation tier students only need to know moi and toi
- Always listen carefully for key details like numbers of nights, location, and type of accommodation in exam listening tasks