✅💳🖥️❌

How to Say ‘Yes, but my card machine isn't working.’ in French

Oui, mais mon terminal ne marche pas.

wee meh mohn tair-mee-NAHL nuh marsh pah

[wee meh mohn tair-mee-NAHL nuh marsh pah]

🇫🇷 In France: A "broken" card machine is a classic excuse for getting cash. Asking the driver to try again often makes it suddenly work.

Phrase Breakdown

Oui, mais mon terminal

wee meh mohn tair-mee-NAHL

Yes, but my card machine

This acknowledges something and then adds a problem. Say 'wi, mè mon tèr-mi-nal'.

Example

Oui, mais mon terminal est vieux.

Yes, but my card machine is old.

Words in this phrase

Oui

[wee]

Yes

Affirmative response or agreement.

Example

Oui, c'est vrai.

Yes, that's true.

mais

[meh]

But

Used to introduce a contrast.

Example

Il est petit mais fort.

He is small but strong.

mon

[mohn]

Possessive adjective, first person singular.

Example

Mon livre est ici.

My book is here.

terminal

[tair-mee-NAHL]

card terminal

The payment machine used to pay by card.

Example

Le terminal accepte le sans contact.

The terminal accepts contactless.

ne marche pas.

nuh marsh pah

isn't working.

This is a negation with 'ne… pas'. Keep it light: 'neu marsh pa'.

Example

Mon téléphone ne marche pas.

My phone isn't working.

Words in this phrase

[nuh]

(negation) not

Negation particle used with another negative word (ne… rien). In speech, it can be dropped, but it’s standard in writing.

Example

Ne me raconte rien sur l’anime, je veux garder la surprise.

Don’t tell me anything about the anime, I want to keep the surprise.

marche

[marsh]

works

To function or operate as expected.

Example

L'appareil télécommande, ça marche souvent sans problème.

The remote control device often works without issues.

pas

[pah]

not

Used with 'ne' to form a negative.

Example

Je ne comprends pas.

I do not understand.

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.

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