In this workshop you will practice a short, realistic taxi phone call in French. You will practice saying you need a taxi, asking for one to be sent, asking how soon it will arrive, and understanding a simple time answer. The practice uses short recorded lines so you can hear the rhythm and repeat them. You will practice the customer role with the dispatcher lines provided, then answer comprehension questions, and finally recall the lines from memory. Keep your voice calm and clear, and focus on the key words: taxi, besoin, envoyer, combien de temps, and minutes.
Starting the call with recorded lines
A taxi call often starts with a greeting and a simple request. The recorded line «J'ai besoin d'un taxi pour aller à...» means 'I need a taxi to go to...'. You can use it when you call a taxi company or speak to a dispatcher. After the phrase, add your destination. For example, the recorded line «Bonjour, j'ai besoin d'un taxi pour aller à la gare, s'il vous plaît.» means 'Hello, I need a taxi to go to the train station, please.' Notice the polite 's'il vous plaît' at the end. If you want the taxi to come to you, the recorded line «Pouvez-vous m'envoyer un taxi ?» means 'Can you send me a taxi?' This is a polite question and works well on the phone. Practice saying both lines slowly, then a little faster. Pay attention to the link between words, especially 'un taxi' and 'm'envoyer'.
Asking about arrival time with recorded lines
After you ask for a taxi, you often want to know how long it will take. The recorded question «Dans combien de temps arrive le taxi ?» means 'How soon does the taxi arrive?' Use it to ask for the estimated arrival time. A recorded answer is «Le taxi sera là dans dix minutes.», which means 'The taxi will be there in ten minutes.' The word 'dans' here means 'in' for future time. In the recorded dialogue, the dispatcher first asks where you are. The line «D'accord. Où êtes-vous ?» means 'Okay. Where are you?' You can answer with the recorded line «Je suis à l'hôtel Ibis, rue de la République.», which means 'I am at the Ibis hotel, rue de la République.' Then the dispatcher confirms with «Très bien. Le taxi sera là dans dix minutes.», which means 'Very well. The taxi will be there in ten minutes.' Listen for the number and the word 'minutes' to understand the timing.
Practicing polite tone with recorded lines
Speaking on the phone in a new language can feel stressful, but short polite phrases help. Use a friendly 'Bonjour' at the start. The phrase 's'il vous plaît' makes your request polite. When you give your location, speak slowly and clearly. If you need to repeat, you can say the same line again. The recordings show a simple, calm exchange. Try to copy the melody of the voices. In «Bonjour, j'ai besoin d'un taxi pour aller à la gare, s'il vous plaît.», the speaker says the destination and then 's'il vous plaît'. In «Très bien. Le taxi sera là dans dix minutes.», the dispatcher gives a clear time. Practice pausing slightly between the greeting, the request, and the destination. This makes it easier for the other person to understand you.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
J'ai besoin d'un taxi pour aller à...
I need a taxi to go to...
zhay buh-zwan dun tahk-see poor ah-lay ah
Pouvez-vous m'envoyer un taxi ?
Can you send me a taxi?
poo-vay voo mahn-vwah-yay un tahk-see
Dans combien de temps arrive le taxi ?
How soon does the taxi arrive?
dahn kom-byen duh tahn ah-reev luh tahk-see
Le taxi sera là dans dix minutes.
The taxi will be there in ten minutes.
luh tahk-see suh-rah lah dahn dee mee-noot
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
Bonjour, j'ai besoin d'un taxi pour aller à la gare, s'il vous plaît.
Hello, I need a taxi to go to the train station, please.D'accord. Où êtes-vous ?
Okay. Where are you?Je suis à l'hôtel Ibis, rue de la République.
I am at the Ibis hotel, rue de la République.Très bien. Le taxi sera là dans dix minutes.
Very well. The taxi will be there in ten minutes.Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided exchange: practice the customer role with recorded lines
Imagine you are calling a taxi company. You need a taxi to go to the train station. You will play the customer. The dispatcher's lines are provided from the recordings.
Your task: Say the customer's first line from «Bonjour, j'ai besoin d'un taxi pour aller à la gare, s'il vous plaît.». Then listen to the dispatcher's question «D'accord. Où êtes-vous ?» and answer with the recorded location line «Je suis à l'hôtel Ibis, rue de la République.». Finally, listen to the dispatcher's confirmation «Très bien. Le taxi sera là dans dix minutes.» and repeat the time phrase you hear.
Reply comprehension: understand the recorded arrival time
You hear the dispatcher say a line about the taxi's arrival. You need to understand how soon the taxi will come.
Your task: Listen to «Le taxi sera là dans dix minutes.» and «Très bien. Le taxi sera là dans dix minutes.». Both lines give the same arrival time. After listening, repeat the recorded sentence «Le taxi sera là dans dix minutes.» to confirm the time.
Recall and role-play: practice the recorded lines from memory
Now try the full call without looking at the lines. You will play both roles. Use the recordings as a model, but try to remember the key phrases.
Your task: Start as the customer: say the recorded line «Bonjour, j'ai besoin d'un taxi pour aller à la gare, s'il vous plaît.». Then switch to dispatcher: say the recorded line «D'accord. Où êtes-vous ?». Switch back to customer: say the recorded line «Je suis à l'hôtel Ibis, rue de la République.». Switch to dispatcher: say the recorded line «Très bien. Le taxi sera là dans dix minutes.». Use the lines from the recordings as your guide.
Common questions
What does 'J'ai besoin d'un taxi pour aller à...' mean?
It means 'I need a taxi to go to...'. You use it when you call a taxi company or speak to a dispatcher. After the phrase, add your destination, such as 'la gare' for the train station.
How do I ask how soon the taxi will arrive?
Use the question from «Dans combien de temps arrive le taxi ?», which means 'How soon does the taxi arrive?' You can also listen for the answer «Le taxi sera là dans dix minutes.», which means 'The taxi will be there in ten minutes.' The word 'dans' means 'in' for future time.
Sources and further reading
- french: ask for a taxiChecked September 2026
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Take today's French into a conversation with a Yapr AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr