How to Ask to Sit Down Politely on French Public Transport
Learn French phrases for asking to sit, pass, or move on buses and trains, with pronunciation, register notes, and a realistic dialogue.
By LiamCulture & nuance · Yapr Learn
On French buses, metros, and trains, a short polite phrase is usually enough to get a seat, pass someone, or ask someone to move. The key is to begin with a soft attention-getter such as excusez-moi, then use a short question with je peux or vous permettez. This lesson gives you five reliable phrases, shows how the polite pattern works, and warns you about the most common English-influenced mistake.
By the end, you can…
- ask politely whether I may sit in an empty seat on a bus, metro, or train.
- ask someone to move or let me pass in a crowded carriage without sounding rude.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Excusez-moi, je peux m'asseoir ici ?
Excuse me, may I sit here?
ehk-skew-zay-mwah, zhuh puh mah-swahr ee-see
Standard polite way to ask about an empty seat. Use with a stranger of any age. In very informal speech you may hear Excuse-moi, je peux m'asseoir ici ?, but excusez-moi is safer with strangers.
Pardon, vous permettez ?
Excuse me, may I? / Do you mind?
par-dohn, voo per-meh-tay
A short, very common formula when you want to pass, reach past someone, or take an adjacent seat. It works alone and does not need a full sentence.
Est-ce que je peux m'asseoir là ?
May I sit there?
ess-kuh zhuh puh mah-swahr lah
Use when pointing to a specific seat a little farther away. Est-ce que makes the question clearly polite and is standard in both France and Quebec.
Vous descendez ?
Are you getting off?
voo day-sohn-day
Asked near a metro or bus door when someone is blocking your exit. It is normal and not rude on public transport, but keep your tone light and add pardon if you like.
Excusez-moi, je peux passer ?
Excuse me, may I get past?
ehk-skew-zay-mwah, zhuh puh pah-say
Use in a crowded aisle or when someone stands between you and the door. In Quebec, you may also hear the same phrase with a slightly different rhythm, but the wording is standard.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is Excusez-moi or Pardon + je peux + infinitive. Je peux means 'I can' or 'may I' in a question, and the infinitive follows directly: je peux m'asseoir ('sit down'), je peux passer ('get past'), je peux prendre cette place ('take this seat'). To make it softer, add a question tag or use Est-ce que: Est-ce que je peux m'asseoir ici ? Both forms are correct. Do not translate English 'Can I sit here?' word for word with puis-je in casual speech; puis-je is grammatically correct but sounds formal or literary on a bus.
When to use it
Use Excusez-moi, je peux m'asseoir ici ? when a seat is clearly free and you want to check before sitting. Use Pardon, vous permettez ? when you only need to squeeze past or reach for a strap. Use Vous descendez ? at a station stop when someone blocks the door; a simple non or oui is the normal reply. If someone is sitting in a seat reserved for older or disabled passengers, do not challenge them directly; ask a controller or simply move on. In France, a quiet tone and a short phrase are more important than long polite sentences.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Excusez-moi, je peux m'asseoir ici ?
Excuse me, may I sit here?ehk-skew-zay-mwah, zhuh puh mah-swahr ee-seeOui, bien sûr, je descends à la prochaine.
Yes, of course, I'm getting off at the next stop.wee, byan sewr, zhuh day-sohn ah lah pro-shenMerci. Vous descendez ? Je peux passer ?
Thank you. Are you getting off? May I get past?mehr-see. voo day-sohn-day? zhuh puh pah-sayOui, je descends. Pardon, laissez-moi passer.
Yes, I'm getting off. Excuse me, let me through.wee, zhuh day-sohn. par-dohn, leh-say-mwah pah-sayA little context goes a long way
In France, public transport politeness is usually brief: one Excusez-moi or Pardon plus a short question is enough. Long apologies can sound excessive. In Quebec, the same phrases are understood, though Bonjour may open an exchange more often than in Paris. In both regions, tutoiement with strangers on transport is uncommon; use vous unless the person is clearly a child or a close friend.
One thing to watch for
Saying Je peux asseoir ici ? without the reflexive pronoun m'.
Try this instead: The verb s'asseoir needs the reflexive pronoun: je peux m'asseoir ici ? Without m', the sentence is not correct French. Compare je peux m'asseoir ('I can sit down') with j'asseois l'enfant ('I sit the child down'), which has a different meaning.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1You are on a crowded metro and need to get past someone standing in the aisle. What do you say?
Show a sample answer
Excusez-moi, je peux passer ?
This uses the polite attention-getter Excusez-moi plus je peux passer. Pardon, je peux passer ? is also correct and equally polite.
2You want to sit in a free seat next to a stranger. Which phrase is the safest standard choice?
Show a sample answer
Excusez-moi, je peux m'asseoir ici ?
This is polite, clear, and uses vous-style excusez-moi. Excuse-moi is possible in informal settings, but excusez-moi is safer with strangers.
3Someone is blocking the bus door and the bus has stopped. What short question can you ask?
Show a sample answer
Vous descendez ?
This asks whether the person is getting off. Adding Pardon, vous descendez ? makes it even softer. A simple non or oui is the expected reply.
Start with Excusez-moi or Pardon, then use a short je peux + infinitive question. Keep it brief, use vous with strangers, and remember m'asseoir, not asseoir, for sitting down.
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