Booking winter tires at the garage

The situation

You: It's mid-November. In Quebec, winter tires are mandatory from December 1st to March 15th.

Them: The receptionist at a garage near your work.

Goal: Book an appointment, ask the price, and ask about storing your summer tires.

The conversation (French & English)

Garage Lachance, bonjour !
Garage Lachance, hello!

Bonjour. Je voudrais prendre rendez-vous pour poser mes pneus d'hiver.
Hello. I would like to book an appointment to put on my winter tires.

Bien sûr. Je vous avertis, c'est la grosse période — le premier rendez-vous libre est jeudi prochain.
Of course. I warn you, it is the busy season — the first free appointment is next Thursday.

Jeudi, ça me va. Est-ce que vous avez mes pneus en entreposage chez vous ?
Thursday works for me. Do you have my tires in storage with you?

Quel est votre nom ? Je vais vérifier dans le système.
What is your name? I will check in the system.

Nadia Alami. A-L-A-M-I.
Nadia Alami. A-L-A-M-I.

Oui, vos quatre pneus d'hiver sont ici. La pose coûte soixante dollars, et l'entreposage des pneus d'été, c'est quatre-vingts dollars pour la saison.
Yes, your four winter tires are here. Installation costs sixty dollars, and storing the summer tires is eighty dollars for the season.

D'accord pour les deux. Ça prend combien de temps ?
OK for both. How long does it take?

Environ une heure. Vous pouvez attendre sur place, il y a du café.
About an hour. You can wait on site, there is coffee.

Parfait. À jeudi, alors. Merci !
Perfect. See you Thursday, then. Thanks!

Key vocabulary

les pneus d'hiver	winter tires
poser les pneus	to put on / install the tires
avertir	to warn
la grosse période	the busy season
l'entreposage	storage
la pose	the installation
la saison	the season
sur place	on site
ça me va	that works for me
à jeudi	see you Thursday

Grammar in this conversation — Spelling your name aloud — the French alphabet

On the phone you WILL be asked to spell your name. French letters that trip people up: E [euh], I [ee], J [jee], G [jé], W [double-vé], Y [i grec]. Practise spelling your own name until it's automatic.

• Alami : A-L-A-M-I.
• Mon nom s'écrit S-I-N-G-H.
• C'est K comme kilo, pas Q.

Phrases to practise aloud

Je voudrais prendre rendez-vous pour poser mes pneus d'hiver. — I would like to book an appointment to put on my winter tires.

Jeudi, ça me va. — Thursday works for me.

Est-ce que vous avez mes pneus en entreposage ? — Do you have my tires in storage?

Mon nom s'écrit A-L-A-M-I. — My name is spelled A-L-A-M-I.

Ça prend combien de temps ? — How long does it take?

Je vais attendre sur place. — I will wait on site.

Check your understanding

1. Why is the garage busy?
Answer: It's winter-tire season

2. How much does installation cost?
Answer: $60

3. What costs $80?
Answer: Storing summer tires for the season

4. How long will the work take?
Answer: About an hour

Your speaking challenge

Call a garage: book a winter-tire appointment, spell your name, ask the price and the duration.

Bonjour, je voudrais prendre rendez-vous pour poser mes pneus d'hiver. Jeudi, ça me va. Mon nom, c'est Sharma — S-H-A-R-M-A. Combien coûte la pose ? Et ça prend combien de temps ? Merci, à jeudi !
Hello, I would like to book an appointment to put on my winter tires. Thursday works for me. My name is Sharma — S-H-A-R-M-A. How much does installation cost? And how long does it take? Thanks, see you Thursday!