French Driving Vocabulary
Useful vocabulary for anyone planning to drive in France
If you're going to drive in France, there's some special vocabulary you need to know. Also see phrases for renting a car.
| French | English | Notes |
| un accélérateur | gas pedal | |
| à droite | to the right | |
| à gauche | to the left | |
| une auto | car | apocope of automobile |
| une autoroute | highway | |
| l'auto-stop (m) | hitchhiking | faire de l'auto-stop - to hitchhike |
| une bicyclette | bicycle | |
| un champignon | accelerator | informal |
| circuler | to go, move | in reference to cars and traffic |
| le clignotant | turn signal | |
| un conducteur | driver | false cognate of conductor |
| conduire | to drive | |
| doubler | to pass | |
| un embouteillage | traffic jam | |
| en panne | broken-down | être/tomber en panne - to break down |
| en route | on the way | French expressions in English |
| de l'essence (f) | gas, petrol | |
| essence ordinaire | regular gas | du super - premium gas |
| les essuie-glaces | windshield wipers | |
| une excursion | trip | excursionner - to go on walks, trips |
| faire le plein | to fill it up | (with gas/petrol) |
| le feu rouge | stop light | le feu vert - green light |
| les feux de route | high beams | |
| le feux de stop | brake lights | |
| les freins | brakes | |
| une moto | motorbike | apocope of motocyclette |
| un pare-brise | windshield | |
| un péage | toll | une autoroute à péage - toll road |
| les phares | headlights | |
| rouler | to drive | |
| la rue | street | |
| une station-service | gas station | |
| stationner | to park | |
| tourner | to turn | |
| tout droit | straight ahead | |
| le transport | transportation | |
| traverser | to cross | |
| un vélo | bike | apocope of vélocipède (archaic) |
| une voiture | car | |
| le volant | steering wheel |
You are here: Learn French --> French for Beginners --> French Vocabulary --> Travel --> Transportation --> Driving --> Renting a Car
| French for Beginners - Email Course Try my free, weekly email course to learn basic French grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation: Subscribe here |
The free, twice-weekly About French Language newsletter keeps you informed about changes to this site, including new lessons, learning tips, and forum discussions. Subscribe today!
|
