Story: Un Voyage Épuisant (A Tiring Trip)

Language French – A story for learners of French who speak English
Level A1 (1 of 6) – Basic (Beginner) What's this?
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Fernand arrive en vacances. Il est très excité. Il veut voir la ville. Il veut faire du shopping. Mais il est très fatigué. Il s’endort dans sa chambre d’hôtel.

Ferdinand arrives on holiday. He is very excited. He wants to see the city. He wants to go shopping. But he is very tired. He falls asleep in his hotel room.

Fernand se lève et quitte la chambre. Mais il n’est pas réveillé. Il est en train de somnambuler !

Ferdinand gets up and leaves the room. But he is not awake. He is sleepwalking!

Il descend les escaliers et entre dans le hall. Ses yeux sont ouverts, mais il dort. C’est comme un rêve.

He walks down the stairs and into the lobby. His eyes are open, but he is asleep. It’s like a dream.

“Passez une bonne journée,” dit la femme derrière le bureau.

“Have a nice day,” says the woman behind the desk.

“Choux et pommes de terre !” dit Fernand. (Les gens disent des choses étranges quand ils rêvent.)

“Cabbages and potatoes!” says Ferdinand. (People say strange things when they are dreaming.)

Fernand sort. C’est une belle journée ensoleillée. Il entre dans une boutique de glaces.

Ferdinand goes outside. It is a beautiful, sunny day. He goes into an ice cream shop.

“Bonjour, monsieur,” dit le vendeur. “Quelle glace aimeriez-vous ?”

“Hello, sir,” says the seller. “Which ice cream would you like?”

“Choux et pommes de terre !” dit Fernand.

“Cabbages and potatoes!” says Ferdinand.

“Je suis désolé, monsieur, nous n’avons pas ce parfum. Essayez celle-ci. C’est du chocolat.”

“I’m sorry, sir, we don’t have that flavour. Try this one. It’s chocolate.”

Fernand prend la glace. “Combien ?” demande Fernand, lentement.

Ferdinand takes the ice cream. “How much?” Ferdinand asks, slowly.

“Cinq,” dit le vendeur.

“Five,” says the seller.

“Cinq…” dit Fernand, lentement.

“Five…” says Ferdinand, slowly.

Fernand donne son portefeuille au vendeur. Le vendeur prend l’argent du portefeuille et le rend.

Ferdinand gives the seller his wallet. The seller takes the money from the wallet, and gives it back.

Fernand mange sa glace pendant qu’il marche. Puis il voit une boutique de souvenirs. Il y entre. Il choisit un joli souvenir.

Ferdinand eats his ice cream while he walks. Then he sees a souvenir shop. He goes inside. He picks up a pretty souvenir.

“Combien ?” dit Fernand, lentement.

“How much?” Ferdinand says, slowly.

“Cinquante,” dit le commerçant.

“Fifty,” says the shopkeeper.

“Cinq…” dit Fernand.

“Five…” says Ferdinand.

“Non, c’est cinquante,” dit le commerçant.

“No, it’s fifty,” says the shopkeeper.

“Cinq !” dit Fernand.

“Five!” says Ferdinand.

“D’accord, trente,” dit le commerçant.

“Alright, thirty,” says the shopkeeper.

“Cinq !”

“Five!”

“D’accord !” dit le commerçant. “Vous, les touristes, vous devenez de plus en plus malins !”

“Fine!” says the shopkeeper. “You tourists are becoming so clever!”

Quelques heures plus tard… Fernand se réveille. Il est dans sa chambre d’hôtel. Il sourit. “Maintenant je peux faire du shopping,” pense Fernand. “Je dois acheter un souvenir. Ils sont très bon marché, ici.”

A few hours later… Ferdinand wakes up. He is in his hotel room. He smiles. “Now I can go shopping,” Ferdinand thinks. “I must buy a souvenir. They’re very cheap, here.”

Fernand se lève du lit. Il est surpris. Sa chambre est pleine de sacs de shopping. Il y a tellement de sacs de shopping qu’il ne peut pas bouger. Il regarde dans son portefeuille. Il est vide.

Ferdinand gets out of bed. He is surprised. His room is full of shopping bags. There are so many shopping bags, he can’t move. He looks in his wallet. It is empty.

Il y a un mot sur la table. Il indique, “Nous avons acheté toutes les choses que vous avez demandées.” Il vient du personnel de l’hôtel.

There is a note on the table. It says, “We bought all the things you asked for.” It is from the hotel staff.

Fernand regarde dans les sacs de shopping. Ils sont tous remplis de choux et de pommes de terre.

Ferdinand looks in the shopping bags. They are all full of cabbages and potatoes.

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