#91 Explaining Your Company’s Services｜French Business Phrases
Izumi French Garden
#118 Requesting Shoe Repairs｜French Everyday-Life Phrases
Izumi
In daily life, the soles of your shoes may wear down or the heel may come loose. In such situations, being able to explain the problem clearly and request the necessary repairs at a repair shop will give you peace of mind.
When requesting shoe repairs in French, the process typically involves several steps: describing the issue, confirming the repair details, and discussing the price and pickup time.
In this article, I introduce practical French expressions you can use when asking for shoe repairs.
Contents
Dialogue
Bonjour. J’aimerais faire réparer mes chaussures, s’il vous plaît.
（Hello. I would like to have my shoes repaired, please.）
D’accord. Quel est le problème exactement ?
（All right. What exactly is the problem?）
La semelle est un peu décollée et le talon est abîmé.
（The sole is a bit detached, and the heel is damaged.）
Nous pouvons tout à fait les réparer. Souhaitez-vous un renforcement supplémentaire ?
（We can certainly repair them. Would you like additional reinforcement?）
Oui, je préfère que ce soit plus résistant.
（Yes, I would prefer them to be more durable.）
Très bien. La réparation sera prête demain après-midi.
（Very well. The repair will be ready tomorrow afternoon.）
Combien cela va-t-il coûter ?
（How much will it cost?）
Ce sera 25 euros.
（It will be 25 euros.）
1. Requesting Repairs
When you arrive at the shop, begin by politely stating that you would like to have your shoes repaired.
- J’aimerais faire réparer mes chaussures.
（I would like to have my shoes repaired.）
A key point here is the structure “faire + infinitive”, which expresses the idea of having something done by someone else.
This pattern is useful not only for shoe repairs but also in many other situations:
- faire réparer：to have something repaired
- faire nettoyer：to have something cleaned
- faire remplacer：to have something replaced
2. Explaining the Damaged Areas
To request an appropriate repair, it is important to describe the damaged parts clearly.
- La semelle est décollée.
（The sole is coming off.） - Le talon est abîmé.
（The heel is damaged.）
Words such as “semelle” (sole) and “talon” (heel) frequently appear in shoe repair contexts.
Other useful vocabulary includes:
- couture：stitching
- cuir：leather
- bout de la chaussure：toe of the shoe
Knowing these terms helps you convey the situation accurately, allowing the repair shop to provide the appropriate service.
3. Responding to Repair Suggestions and Options
Repair shops may suggest additional reinforcement or replacement when necessary.
- Souhaitez-vous un renforcement supplémentaire ?
（Would you like additional reinforcement?）
Here, “renforcement” refers to strengthening the sole or heel to make the shoes more durable.
- Oui, je préfère que ce soit plus résistant.
（Yes, I would prefer them to be more durable.）
Using the word “résistant” (durable) clearly expresses your intention to make the shoes last longer.
If you want to make an additional request yourself, you can say:
- Est-il possible de changer la semelle ?
（Would it be possible to replace the sole?）
4. Confirming the Completion Time
When requesting repairs, it is essential to check when the work will be completed.
- Quand la réparation sera-t-elle prête ?
（When will the repair be ready?）
Possible responses include:
- La réparation sera prête demain après-midi.
（The repair will be ready tomorrow afternoon.）
Depending on the task, some repairs take only a short time:
- Ce sera prêt dans deux heures.
（It will be ready in two hours.） - Vous pourrez les récupérer ce soir.
（You will be able to pick them up this evening.）
5. Confirming the Repair Cost
Before agreeing to the repair, always confirm the price.
- Combien cela va-t-il coûter ?
（How much will it cost?）
A softer, more polite version is:
- Pourriez-vous me dire le prix, s’il vous plaît ?
（Could you tell me the price, please?）
Since the cost varies depending on the repair and materials used, it is best to confirm it beforehand.
Summary
- J’aimerais faire réparer mes chaussures.
→ Basic expression for requesting shoe repairs. - La semelle est décollée / Le talon est abîmé.
→ Describes the damaged areas clearly. - Souhaitez-vous un renforcement supplémentaire ?
→ Useful when confirming repair options or additional work. - Quand la réparation sera-t-elle prête ?
→ Polite way to ask about the completion time. - Combien cela va-t-il coûter ?
→ Essential for confirming the repair cost.
