#113 Specifying a Hairstyle at the Hair Salon｜French Daily-Life Phrases
Izumi French Garden
#156 Reserving a Book｜French Everyday Life Phrases
Izumi
When the book you are looking for is not available on the shelves, you may need to ask a bookstore to reserve or order it for you.
When reserving a book in French, communication becomes smoother if you can clearly explain which book you are looking for and ask about availability, delivery schedules, and reservation options.
In this article, I explain useful French expressions for reserving a book at a bookstore, along with conversation examples and key grammatical points.
Contents
Dialogue
Bonjour. Je cherche un livre, mais je ne le trouve pas en rayon.
（Hello. I am looking for a book, but I cannot find it on the shelves.）
De quel livre s’agit-il ?
（Which book are you looking for?）
C’est un roman de Haruki Murakami, traduit en français.
（It is a novel by Haruki Murakami, translated into French.）
Il n’est pas en stock pour le moment, mais nous pouvons le commander.
（It is not currently in stock, but we can order it for you.）
D’accord. Est-ce que je peux le réserver ?
（I see. May I reserve it?）
Bien sûr. Il arrivera d’ici une semaine environ.
（Of course. It should arrive in about a week.）
Parfait. De quoi avez-vous besoin pour la réservation ?
（That would be great. What information do you need for the reservation?）
Votre nom et un numéro de téléphone, s’il vous plaît.
（Your name and a telephone number, please.）
1. Saying That You Are Looking for a Book
When reserving a book, you first need to explain that you are looking for a specific title but cannot find it.
Example
- Je cherche un livre, mais je ne le trouve pas en rayon.
（I am looking for a book, but I cannot find it on the shelves.）
“Je cherche” means “I am looking for,” and “en rayon” refers to items displayed on the store shelves.
Related Expressions
- Je voudrais savoir si vous avez ce livre en magasin.
（I would like to know if you have this book in the store.） - Je n’arrive pas à mettre la main sur ce livre.
（I just cannot seem to find this book.）
2. Giving Specific Information About the Book
The more information you provide, the easier it is for the staff to locate the book. It is therefore important to clearly mention the author, genre, or other identifying details.
Example
- C’est un roman de Haruki Murakami, traduit en français.
（It is a novel by Haruki Murakami that has been translated into French.）
Words such as “roman” (novel) and “traduit en français” (translated into French) are especially useful when looking for books by foreign authors.
Related Expressions
- C’est un auteur japonais très connu.
（He is a very well-known Japanese author.） - Le livre est assez populaire.
（The book is quite popular.） - Il est sorti il y a quelques années.
（It was published a few years ago.）
3. Discussing the Situation When the Book Is Not in Stock
Even if a book is not available in the store, many bookstores can still order it for you.
Example
- Il n’est pas en stock pour le moment, mais nous pouvons le commander.
（It is not currently in stock, but we can order it.）
The expression “en stock” means “in stock” and is commonly used not only in bookstores, but also in clothing stores and electronics shops.
Related Expressions
- Est-ce qu’il est en stock ?
（Is it in stock?） - Est-ce que vous pouvez le commander ?
（Can you order it?）
4. Asking to Reserve the Book
Once you know that the book can be ordered, you can ask for a reservation.
Examples
- Est-ce que je peux le réserver ?
（May I reserve it?） - Serait-il possible de le réserver ?
（Would it be possible to reserve it?） → more polite
It is also a good idea to ask about the expected arrival date.
Examples
- Quand est-ce qu’il arrivera ?
（When will it arrive?） - Il devrait arriver d’ici une dizaine de jours.
（It should arrive in about ten days.）
The expression “d’ici ～” indicates an approximate time frame, meaning “by” or “within.”
5. Confirming the Information Needed for the Reservation
When reserving a book, you will need to provide contact details so the store can reach you.
Example
- De quoi avez-vous besoin pour la réservation ?
（What information do you need for the reservation?）
The structure “De quoi avez-vous besoin pour ～ ?” means “What do you need for ～?” and can be used in many situations involving applications, registrations, or reservations.
Example
- Votre nom et un numéro de téléphone, s’il vous plaît.
（Your name and a telephone number, please.）
Understanding expressions such as “votre nom” (your name) and “un numéro de téléphone” (a phone number) will help you handle reservations calmly and confidently.
Related Expressions
- Nous vous appellerons dès que le livre sera arrivé.
（We will call you as soon as the book arrives.） - Pouvez-vous me laisser vos coordonnées ?
（Could you leave your contact details?）
Summary
Key French Phrases
- Je cherche un livre.
→ Used to say that you are looking for a specific book. - C’est un roman de Haruki Murakami, traduit en français.
→ Used to describe the author and characteristics of the book. - Il n’est pas en stock, mais nous pouvons le commander.
→ Indicates that the book can be ordered even if it is not in stock. - Est-ce que je peux le réserver ?
→ A common phrase for reserving a book. - De quoi avez-vous besoin pour la réservation ?
→ Used to ask what information is required for the reservation.
