Mission: get what you need at the hotel desk
Polite requests with je voudrais, j'aimerais, pourriez-vous and est-ce que je pourrais.
FrenchA2 · Plans and favoursAbout 4 min: 2 reading, 2 practiceUpdated
- Ask for things politely with je voudrais and j'aimerais
- Ask someone to do something with pourriez-vous / tu pourrais + infinitive
- Ask permission with est-ce que je pourrais
- Thank and respond politely
Plans and favours: lesson 2 of 5
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Level Level A2 (around the DELF A2 exam). Real French: asking a hotel receptionist for help.
What it is
Your mission: you're staying at a small hotel in Bordeaux. At the desk, ask Monsieur Faure for three things: a later check-out, a taxi for tomorrow morning, and a restaurant recommendation, all politely.
French softens requests with the conditionnel (the "would" form). You only need a handful of forms at A2:
| Polite form | Meaning |
|---|---|
| je voudrais + noun / infinitive | I would like |
| j'aimerais + infinitive | I would like (to) |
| pourriez-vous + infinitive ? | could you …? (vous) |
| tu pourrais + infinitive ? | could you …? (tu) |
| est-ce que je pourrais + infinitive ? | could I …? |
| ce serait possible de + infinitive ? | would it be possible to …? |
They're built like the futur simple (same stems: voudr-, aimer-, pourr-, ser-) with the imparfait endings (-ais, -ait, -iez): je voudrais, vous pourriez, ce serait.
Quick check
Tap an answer to check it.
"Could you call me a taxi?" (to the receptionist)
- This asks whether he is calling a taxi
- This asks whether he would like to
Show answer
Pourriez-vous m'appeler un taxi ?. pourriez-vous + infinitive is the most polite way to ask.
Why it matters
In France, how you ask matters as much as what you ask. Je veux une chambre sounds blunt; Je voudrais une chambre, s'il vous plaît sounds normal and polite. These few forms get you through hotels, shops, offices and restaurants, and they're what a real receptionist will notice.
Worked example
At the hotel desk:
- You: Bonjour, monsieur. Est-ce que je pourrais partir un peu plus tard demain ?
- M. Faure: Oui, bien sûr, jusqu'à midi.
- You: Merci. Pourriez-vous aussi m'appeler un taxi pour 8 h ?
- M. Faure: Pas de problème. C'est pour aller où ?
- You: À la gare. Et j'aimerais dîner dans un bon restaurant ce soir. Vous avez une adresse ?
- M. Faure: Allez au Café du Port, c'est excellent.
- You: Merci beaucoup, c'est très gentil.
Real French: Je pourrais avoir… ? (Could I have…?) is one of the most common ways to ask for something in a café or shop: Je pourrais avoir l'addition, s'il vous plaît ? And c'est gentil (that's kind) is the warm way to thank someone for a favour.
Common mistake
Using je veux in a shop or hotel: wrong: Je veux un café sounds like a demand. Use je voudrais or je pourrais avoir.
And after these verbs, the second verb is an infinitive: Pourriez-vous appeler …?, not wrong: pourriez-vous appelez.
Quick check
Tap an answer to check it.
Which is the polite way to ask for the bill?
- Grammatical but blunt
- An order, not a request
Show answer
Je pourrais avoir l'addition, s'il vous plaît ?. je pourrais avoir … is the natural polite request.
Key terms
- je voudrais
- I would like
- j'aimerais
- I would like (to)
- pourriez-vous … ? / tu pourrais … ?
- could you …?
- est-ce que je pourrais … ?
- could I …?
- ce serait possible de … ?
- would it be possible to …?
- je pourrais avoir … ?
- could I have …?
- c'est (très) gentil
- that's (very) kind
Practise the key terms
Tap a card to turn it over. 7 cards.
| Front | Back |
|---|---|
| je voudrais | I would like |
| j'aimerais | I would like (to) |
| pourriez-vous … ? / tu pourrais … ? | could you …? |
| est-ce que je pourrais … ? | could I …? |
| ce serait possible de … ? | would it be possible to …? |
| je pourrais avoir … ? | could I have …? |
| c'est (très) gentil | that's (very) kind |
Practice
Sort it
Polite or blunt?
Je voudrais une chambre.
conditionalShow answer
Polite. conditional
Je veux une chambre.
present of vouloirShow answer
Blunt. present of vouloir
Pourriez-vous m'aider ?
conditionalShow answer
Polite. conditional
Aidez-moi !
an order (fine in an emergency)Show answer
Blunt. an order (fine in an emergency)
Est-ce que je pourrais payer par carte ?
conditionalShow answer
Polite. conditional
Quick quiz
Tap an answer to check it.
Asking a friend: "Could you lend me your bike?"
- vous form with a tu possessive (ton): mixed registers
- The second verb stays in the infinitive
Show answer
Tu pourrais me prêter ton vélo ?. tu pourrais + infinitive, with ton for a friend.
Build the sentence
Build "I would like to book a table for two."
Show answer
Je voudrais réserver une table pour deux.. je voudrais + infinitive.
Practise speaking
Studyfern has no voice tools of its own. To practise out loud, copy this prompt into a voice-capable AI assistant and talk with it.
Mission role-play. You are Monsieur Faure, the friendly receptionist of a small hotel in Bordeaux. Speak naturally but clearly, at level A2, using vous. Start with « Bonjour, je peux vous aider ? ». I will ask for things; answer helpfully, sometimes with a small problem (for example, check-out only until noon) so I have to ask again. After each of my requests, tell me in English what kind of mistake I made, if any, and let me try again; watch je voudrais / pourriez-vous + infinitive and avoid je veux. When I have made three different polite requests and thanked you with « c'est gentil » or similar, say « Mission accomplie ! » and give me one tip. Keep every reply under 3 sentences.
Listen too. Listen to native speakers before and after: see the free listening and shadowing links.
Good to know. AI feedback on pronunciation is hit and miss, so check yourself against native recordings. Many assistants turn your speech into text first, so a vowel or liaison you got wrong may be silently “heard” as the right word. Don't share personal details: use a made-up name and town.
New to this? Read Practising speaking with an AI.
In short
- Soften requests with the conditional: je voudrais, j'aimerais, pourriez-vous, tu pourrais, je pourrais.
- Always + infinitive after them.
- Je pourrais avoir … ? is the everyday polite request.
- Avoid je veux with strangers; thank with c'est gentil.
Mastery check
Answer without looking back. Score 80% or more and the lesson is marked done. Your result is kept only in this browser.
Check yourself
Answer in your head first, then open the answer. Nothing is saved.
Ask the waiter politely for some water.
Show answer
Je pourrais avoir de l'eau, s'il vous plaît ? (or: Je voudrais de l'eau, s'il vous plaît.)
"Would it be possible to change rooms?"
Show answer
Ce serait possible de changer de chambre ?
Which form for a friend: pourriez-vous or tu pourrais?
Show answer
tu pourrais.
Further reading
- TV5MONDE, Apprendre le français: A2 exercises at the hotel, in shops and restaurants.
- RFI, Journal en français facile, daily news in simple French.
Finished? Mark it done to fill in your leaf on the French map.