Ask when the next bus or train leaves, then check that you understood the reply. Practise both clock times and a wait measured in minutes. A separate fictional bus-to-Lyon dialogue adds an arrival-time question, with a 14:30 departure and 17:00 arrival. These times are teaching examples, not a current timetable; use the recordings to rehearse questions and interpret the answers.
Asking the departure question
The core question is «À quelle heure part le prochain bus ?» for a bus, or «À quelle heure part le prochain train ?» for a train. Both mean “What time does the next bus or train leave?” The word «prochain» means “next.” The verb «part» means “leaves.” Keep the question short and clear. In a recorded dialogue, speaker A asks «Bonjour, à quelle heure part le prochain bus pour Lyon ?» — “Hello, what time does the next bus to Lyon leave?” Speaker B answers with a specific time. Your job is to ask the question and recognize the reply.
Understanding simple time replies
A reply can give a clock time or a time from now. «Le bus part à huit heures.» means “The bus leaves at eight o’clock.” «Le train part dans dix minutes.» means “The train leaves in ten minutes.” Notice «à» before a clock time and «dans» before a duration. In the Lyon dialogue, speaker B says «Le prochain bus part à quatorze heures trente.» — “The next bus leaves at 2:30 p.m.” Then speaker A asks «Et il arrive à quelle heure à Lyon ?» — “And what time does it arrive in Lyon?” Speaker B replies «Il arrive à dix-sept heures.» — “It arrives at 5 p.m.” The Lyon departure and arrival belong to the same fictional exchange. The earlier eight-o'clock bus and ten-minutes-from-now train examples are separate; they are not additional services in that exchange. Ten minutes here is the wait until departure, not the journey length.
Keeping speaker roles clear
When you practice alone, say both parts. First be speaker A: ask the departure question. Then be speaker B: give the recorded time. In the Lyon dialogue, speaker A asks about departure and arrival. Speaker B gives the bus departure time and the arrival time. The bus leaves at 2:30 p.m. and arrives at 5 p.m. in that recorded exchange. The train example «Le train part dans dix minutes.» is separate: it means the train leaves ten minutes from now. Do not treat the bus clock time and the train duration as the same schedule. This keeps your practice accurate and your roles clear.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
À quelle heure part le prochain bus ?
What time does the next bus leave?
ah kel uhr pahr luh pro-shan booss
À quelle heure part le prochain train ?
What time does the next train leave?
ah kel uhr pahr luh pro-shan tran
Le bus part à huit heures.
The bus leaves at eight o'clock.
luh booss pahr ah wee tuhr
Le train part dans dix minutes.
The train leaves in ten minutes.
luh tran pahr dahn dee mee-noot
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
Bonjour, à quelle heure part le prochain bus pour Lyon ?
Hello, what time does the next bus to Lyon leave?Le prochain bus part à quatorze heures trente.
The next bus leaves at 2:30 p.m.Merci. Et il arrive à quelle heure à Lyon ?
Thank you. And what time does it arrive in Lyon?Il arrive à dix-sept heures.
It arrives at 5 p.m.Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided departure exchange
Use the recorded question «À quelle heure part le prochain bus ?» and the recorded reply «Le bus part à huit heures.» Play both roles alone.
Your task: As A, ask «À quelle heure part le prochain bus ?». As B, answer «Le bus part à huit heures.». For a separate train example, ask «À quelle heure part le prochain train ?» and answer «Le train part dans dix minutes.». Explain each answer in English.
Choose the right question or interpret the reply
You hear or read «Le prochain bus part à quatorze heures trente.» and «Il arrive à dix-sept heures.» from the Lyon dialogue.
Your task: Decide whether each sentence answers a departure question or an arrival question. Then say the matching question for each: «À quelle heure part le prochain bus pour Lyon ?» or «Et il arrive à quelle heure à Lyon ?»
Recall with correct speaker roles
Without looking at the text, recall the Lyon dialogue. Speaker A asks about the bus to Lyon. Speaker B gives the departure time. Speaker A then asks about arrival. Speaker B gives the arrival time.
Your task: Say the four lines in order, keeping speaker A and speaker B roles correct. Use the recorded phrases «Bonjour, à quelle heure part le prochain bus pour Lyon ?», «Le prochain bus part à quatorze heures trente.», «Merci. Et il arrive à quelle heure à Lyon ?», and «Il arrive à dix-sept heures.»
Common questions
Does «Le bus part à huit heures.» mean the bus leaves in eight hours?
No. «Le bus part à huit heures.» means the bus leaves at eight o’clock, a clock time. To say “in eight hours,” French would use «dans», as in the recorded example «Le train part dans dix minutes.» — the train leaves in ten minutes.
How do I keep departure and arrival times separate in the Lyon example?
In this fictional daytime example, «Le prochain bus part à quatorze heures trente.» gives the 14:30 departure, and «Il arrive à dix-sept heures.» gives the 17:00 arrival. Match each answer to its question. The train leaving in ten minutes belongs to a different example.
Sources and further reading
- french: ask about departure timeChecked September 2026
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