Transportation
Transportation | Les moyens de transport
Land transportation | Les transports terrestres
ambulance
bus
car, automobile
bicycle
truck
fire truck
coach
army tank
cart
horseback
tow-truck
construction equipment
van
jeep
limousine
subway
monorail
motorcycle
skates
rollerblades
skateboard
rickshaw
stroller
quad
scooter
tandem
taxi
dump truck
tractor
train
sleigh
high-speed train
streetcar, trolley
tricycle
BMX: bicycle motocross
moped
sport car
feet
Air transportation | Les transports aériens
plane
micro light airplane
blimp
rocket
helicopter
jet une montgol | jet
hot-air balloon
space shuttle
glider
flying saucer
Marine transportation | Les transports maritimes
barque
boat
canoe
freighter
galley
kayak
ship
steam ship
houseboat
oil tanker
windsurfer
raft
tugboat
submarine
ferry boat
yacht, sailboat
The prepositions À or EN | Les préposition À ou EN
* Many expressions with the preposition “à” and “en” before a means of transportation do not have exact translations.
EN
In French, the preposition en is used before a means of transportation in which one enters, when travelling, leaving, going or getting about.
For example:
aller en avion | to go by plane
Il est allé en Martinique en avion. | He went to Martinique by plane.
aller en bateau | to go by boat
La famille a fait une belle promenade en bateau sur le lac Huron. | The family took a beautiful boat ride on Lake Huron.
aller en train | to go by train
Nous voyageons à travers les montagnes rocheuses en train VIA Rail. | We travel through the rocky mountains by VIA Rail train.
aller en hélicoptère | to go by helicopter
Le patient a été transporté à l’hôpital en hélicoptère. | The patient was transported to the hospital by helicopter.
À
In French, the preposition à is used before a means of transportation in which one mounts, when travelling, leaving, going or getting about. The use of the preposition à is preferred because one does not travel in this means of transportation.
For example:
aller à cheval | to go on horseback
Nous allons en promenade à cheval au ranch. | We are going horseback riding at the ranch.
aller à moto | to go on a motorbike
Les amateurs de plein air aiment aller à moto plutôt qu’en voiture. | Outdoor enthusiasts enjoy motorcycling rather than driving.
aller à bicyclette | to go on a bike
Pour aider l’environnement, je vais au travail à bicyclette tous les jours. | To help the environment, I ride my bicycle to work everyday.
aller à scooter | to go on a scooter
Le dimanche, j’aime faire des balades à scooter. | Sundays, I like to take rides on my scooter.
When the means of transportation is on foot (walking), the preposition à is also used. For example:
aller à pied | to go on foot
L’élève va à l’école à pied puisqu’elle habite proche. | The student walks to school (on foot) since she lives nearby.
rentrer à pied | to walk back home
On doit rentrer à pied parce que le tramway est en retard. | We must walk back home because the streetcar is late.
venir à pied | to come on foot
Stationnez votre voiture et venez à pied! | Park your car and come on foot!
The preposition en is preferred when used before sporting equipment; however, the preposition à is equally accepted. For example:
aller en skis, aller en patins | on skis, on skates
Pierre-Oh et Pierrette ont fait une randonnée en ski dans le Parc de la Gatineau. |Pierre-Oh and Pierrette went for an excursion on skis through the Gatineau Park.
aller à skis, aller à patins | to go skiing (on skis), to go skating (on skates)
Pierre-Oh et Pierrette vont à patins sur la patinoire du canal Rideau. | Pierre-Oh et Pierrette go skating on the Rideau Canal Skateway.
The preposition en is used before the words luge and traîneau (sporting equipment in which one enters). For example:
aller en luge | to go by toboggan
Les enfants adorent aller en luge sur des pistes escarpées. | The children love to go sledding on steep slopes.
aller en traîneau | to go by sleigh
Grand-maman regarde les photographies de notre promenade en traîneau dans la forêt. | Grandma looks at the photographs of our sleigh-ride in the forest.