🚧🌊🛣️

How to Say ‘There's roadwork along the river.’ in French

Il y a des travaux sur les quais.

eel ee ah day tra-VOH sur leh KAY

[eel ee ah day tra-VOH sur leh KAY]

Phrase Breakdown

Il y a des travaux

eel ee ah day tra-VOH

There is roadwork / there's construction

'Il y a' is often said quickly as 'ya'. 'Travaux' ends in an 'o' sound, and the 'x' is silent.

Example

Il y a des travaux dans ma rue.

There's construction on my street.

Words in this phrase

[eel]

there

At or in that place.

Example

Il y a une surprise pour toi.

There is a surprise for you.

[ee]

there

In or at that place.

Example

Y a-t-il une solution?

Is there a solution?

[ah]

Third person singular present of be.

Example

C'est un bon film.

It is a good movie.

des

[day]

some / plural indefinite article

Plural article used before nouns when speaking generally about unspecified people or things.

Example

Des profils polyvalents sont très recherchés aujourd'hui.

Versatile profiles are highly sought after today.

travaux

[tra-VOH]

roadworks

Plural of « travail »; here construction work on the road.

Example

Les travaux bloquent la rue.

The roadworks block the street.

sur les quais.

sur leh KAY

on the embankments

Say 'sur' with rounded lips, like 'ee' with pursed lips. 'Quais' sounds like 'kay'.

Example

Les bouquinistes sont sur les quais.

The booksellers are on the embankments.

Words in this phrase

sur

[sur]

Indicates position in relation to a surface.

Example

Nous avançons sur ce chemin en ton absence.

We proceed on this path in your absence.

les

[leh]

the

Used before plural nouns to denote particularity.

Example

Les années passent vite.

The years pass quickly.

quais

[KAY]

embankments

Riverside roads, e.g. along the Seine.

Example

On roule sur les quais.

We drive along the embankments.

Guides for French learners

Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.Hello in French: Greetings, Good Evening and How to Answer "How Are You?"How to say hello in French, when to switch to good evening, how to ask how are you and what to answer, with tu vs vous and native audio.

Get the Full Learning Experience

This lesson is just a preview. Download PrettyFluent to practice pronunciation, roleplay conversations, and master vocabulary with spaced repetition.

Pronunciation Feedback

AI-powered feedback on what you say out loud

Spaced Repetition

Retain vocabulary long-term with smart practice

Immersive Roleplaying

Practice real conversations with AI partners

Lessons for Your Situation

Request lessons tailored to your specific needs

Get Full Lesson

What Learners Are Saying

“Moved to Lyon for a culinary apprenticeship. The food and restaurant lessons were exactly what I needed — my French colleagues were genuinely impressed.”

Tom H., 38, Chef

“Studying in Paris and the academic French I learned in school was useless for daily life. This app filled the gap in weeks, not months.”

Nina W., 29, Graduate Student

“Learning a language has never been as immediately impactful. Now I can charm the locals and navigate the food scene like a boss.”

Alex M., 42, Software Engineer