Finding your reserved seat when it's taken in French

1. 1
   place/plas/

   seatnoun

   The spot set aside for one seated person, in a vehicle or a room.
2. 2
   réservé/ʁezɛʁve/

   reservedadjective

   Kept in advance for someone.
3. 3
   occupé/ɔkype/

   takenadjective

   Already used by someone.
4. 4

   voituretrain car

5. 5

   billetticket

6. 6

   contrôleurticket inspector

7. 7

   erreurmistake

8. 8

   excuserto excuse

9. 9

   mauvaiswrong

10. 10

    asseoirto sit

The sentences3 of 10

1. Excusez-moi, je crois que c'est ma place.

   Excuse me, I think this is my seat.

2. J'ai réservé cette place pour tout le trajet.

   I reserved this seat for the whole journey.

3. Pardon, est-ce que ce siège est occupé ?

   Excuse me, is this seat taken?

Pronunciation

• réservé/ʁezɛʁve/

  The middle syllable is open, as in "mer", between two closed é sounds.

Good to know

place réservée

On TGV and Intercités trains, reservation is required and your ticket shows the car and the seat. The car number is often displayed on the platform and on the door.

contrôleur

A ticket inspector walks through the train to check tickets. If two people claim the same seat, he or she is the one to call.

composter

Some paper tickets, mostly on regional trains, must be validated in a yellow machine before you board. Digital tickets on your phone don't need it.

voiture

In France, a passenger train car is called a voiture. Cars are numbered, and you find your seat by car first, then by seat number.

Questions

How do I ask if a seat is taken in French?

Say "Pardon, est-ce que ce siège est occupé ?" Occupé means already taken by someone.