How to Ask About Guided Tours in English in French
Learn to ask 'Is there a guided tour in English?' in French, understand tour times, and distinguish a guided tour from an audio guide.
By SofiaGetting around · Yapr Learn
When you visit a museum, castle or historic site in a French-speaking region, you often need to know two things: whether a guided tour is available and whether it is offered in English. This lesson gives you the exact phrases to ask about guided tours, to ask about times, and to make clear that you do not want an audio guide. You will practise complete questions, not just single words, so you can use them at a ticket desk straight away.
By the end, you can…
- ask whether a guided tour is available and whether it is in English.
- ask what time the guided tour starts and how long it lasts.
- distinguish a guided tour from an audio guide and say which one I want.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Est-ce qu'il y a une visite guidée en anglais ?
Is there a guided tour in English?
ess keel yah ün vee-zeet gee-DAY on on-GLAY
The standard, polite way to ask at a ticket desk or information point. 'Est-ce qu'il y a' is the usual spoken form of 'is there'.
À quelle heure commence la visite guidée ?
What time does the guided tour start?
ah kel URR koh-MAHNS lah vee-zeet gee-DAY
Use this once you know a guided tour exists. 'Commence' is the third-person singular of 'commencer'.
La visite guidée dure combien de temps ?
How long does the guided tour last?
lah vee-zeet gee-DAY dür kom-byun duh ton
A natural way to ask about duration. You can also ask 'Elle dure combien de temps ?' if the tour has just been mentioned.
Je voudrais une visite guidée, pas un audioguide.
I would like a guided tour, not an audio guide.
zhuh voo-DREH ün vee-zeet gee-DAY, pah zün oh-dee-oh-GEED
'Je voudrais' is a polite way to say 'I would like'. This sentence makes the difference between a live guide and a recorded device explicit.
Est-ce que l'audioguide est disponible en anglais ?
Is the audio guide available in English?
ess kuh loh-dee-oh-GEED ay dee-spo-NEEBL on on-GLAY
Use this only if you actually want an audio guide. It is a separate service from a guided tour.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The question frame 'Est-ce qu'il y a ... ?' means 'Is there ... ?' and works for many services: 'Est-ce qu'il y a une visite guidée ?' (Is there a guided tour?), 'Est-ce qu'il y a un audioguide ?' (Is there an audio guide?). To ask about language, add 'en anglais' (in English), 'en français' (in French) or 'en espagnol' (in Spanish). Note that 'visite' is feminine, so you say 'une visite guidée', while 'audioguide' is masculine: 'un audioguide'.
When to use it
Use 'Est-ce qu'il y a une visite guidée en anglais ?' at the start, before buying a ticket. If the answer is yes, follow up with 'À quelle heure commence la visite guidée ?' and 'La visite guidée dure combien de temps ?'. If you prefer to walk around alone, say 'Je voudrais un audioguide, pas une visite guidée.' In more formal settings, such as a tourist office, you can also ask 'Pourriez-vous me dire s'il y a une visite guidée en anglais ?' (Could you tell me if there is a guided tour in English?).
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Bonjour, est-ce qu'il y a une visite guidée en anglais ?
Hello, is there a guided tour in English?bon-ZHOOR, ess keel yah ün vee-zeet gee-DAY on on-GLAYOui, il y a une visite guidée en anglais à quinze heures.
Yes, there is a guided tour in English at 3 p.m.wee, eel yah ün vee-zeet gee-DAY on on-GLAY ah kanz URRTrès bien. La visite guidée dure combien de temps ?
Great. How long does the guided tour last?tray byun. lah vee-zeet gee-DAY dür kom-byun duh tonElle dure une heure environ. Ce n'est pas un audioguide, c'est un guide.
It lasts about an hour. It is not an audio guide, it is a guide.el dür ün URR on-vee-RON. suh nay pah zün oh-dee-oh-GEED, say tün GEEDA little context goes a long way
In France, Belgium and Switzerland, 'visite guidée' normally means a live guide who speaks to the group, while 'audioguide' means a recorded device you carry yourself. Many sites offer guided tours only at fixed times, so asking about the time is as important as asking about the language. In Quebec, 'visite guidée' is also standard, and staff may use 'guide' alone. Politeness matters: start with 'Bonjour' before your question, and use 'Je voudrais' rather than 'Je veux' when asking for a ticket.
One thing to watch for
Using 'un visite guidée' or 'une audioguide'.
Try this instead: 'Visite' is feminine and 'audioguide' is masculine, so say 'une visite guidée' and 'un audioguide'. Example: 'Je voudrais une visite guidée, pas un audioguide.'
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How would you ask at a ticket desk whether there is a guided tour in English?
Show a sample answer
Est-ce qu'il y a une visite guidée en anglais ?
This uses the standard question frame 'Est-ce qu'il y a ... ?' plus 'une visite guidée' and 'en anglais'. You could also ask 'Y a-t-il une visite guidée en anglais ?' in a more formal register.
2You know a guided tour exists. How do you ask what time it starts?
Show a sample answer
À quelle heure commence la visite guidée ?
'À quelle heure' asks 'at what time', and 'commence' is the correct third-person singular form of 'commencer'. A valid alternative is 'La visite guidée commence à quelle heure ?'.
3How do you say you want a guided tour, not an audio guide?
Show a sample answer
Je voudrais une visite guidée, pas un audioguide.
'Je voudrais' is a polite request, and the contrast 'pas un audioguide' makes your preference clear. You could also say 'Je préfère une visite guidée à un audioguide.'
Ask 'Est-ce qu'il y a une visite guidée en anglais ?' first, then 'À quelle heure commence la visite guidée ?' and 'Elle dure combien de temps ?'. Remember: a 'visite guidée' is a live guide, an 'audioguide' is a device.
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