#3 Useful Phrases for Buying Train Tickets｜Practical French Expressions
Izumi French Garden
#111 Picking Up Clothes at a Dry Cleaner｜French Daily-Life Phrases
Izumi
When traveling or staying abroad for work, you may leave clothing at a dry cleaner and return on the designated day to pick it up.
To ensure a smooth pickup in French, it is helpful to know expressions related to confirming the finished items and completing the payment.
In this lesson, I will explain useful French expressions for picking up clothes at a dry cleaner, along with grammatical notes and practical usage tips.
Contents
Dialogue
Bonjour, je viens récupérer les vêtements que j’ai laissés lundi dernier.
（Hello, I’m here to pick up the clothes I left last Monday.）
Avez-vous votre ticket de dépôt ?
（Do you have your deposit ticket?）
Oui, le voici.
（Yes, here it is.）
Merci. Voilà votre chemise et votre veste. Elles ont été repassées et nettoyées comme convenu.
（Thank you. Here are your shirt and jacket. They have been ironed and cleaned as requested.）
Merci. Est-ce que je peux vérifier rapidement ?
（Thank you. May I check them quickly?）
Bien sûr, prenez votre temps.
（Of course, take your time.）
Tout est en ordre. Combien je vous dois ?
（Everything looks fine. How much do I owe you?）
Cela fait 17 euros au total.
（That will be 17 euros in total.）
Je paie par carte.
（I’ll pay by card.）
Merci beaucoup. Bonne journée !
（Thank you very much. Have a nice day!）
1. Stating That You Are Here to Pick Up Your Clothes
When you arrive to collect your clothes, it is helpful to mention when you dropped them off.
- Je viens récupérer les vêtements que j’ai laissés lundi dernier.
(I’m here to pick up the clothes I left last Monday.)
The verb “récupérer” means “to collect” or “to retrieve,” and is commonly used when picking up items previously left with someone.
Adding a specific time, such as “que j’ai laissés ～” (that I left ～), helps the staff locate your items more easily.
- Je viens chercher ce que j’ai déposé hier.
(I’m here to pick up what I dropped off yesterday.)
2. Presenting the Deposit Ticket
Most dry cleaners will ask for a deposit ticket (ticket de dépôt) at pickup.
- Avez-vous votre ticket de dépôt ?
(Do you have your deposit ticket?)
When handing it over, use:
- Le voici. / Le voilà.
(Here it is.)
These expressions are versatile phrases used frequently when handing something to someone.
3. Checking the Condition of the Finished Items
If you wish to verify whether stains were removed or if the cleaning was done properly, you can ask:
- Est-ce que je peux vérifier rapidement ?
(May I check them quickly?)
Adding “rapidement” (quickly) shows consideration and signals that you will not take much of the staff’s time.
Other useful expressions:
- Je voudrais vérifier s’il n’y a pas de taches.
(I’d like to check that there are no stains.) - Tout semble en bon état.
(Everything seems in good condition.)
The phrase “en bon état” is a standard expression meaning “in good condition.”
4. Confirming the Price and Stating Your Payment Method
After confirming the items, ask about the price:
- Combien je vous dois ?
(How much do I owe you?)
Then indicate your payment method:
- Je paie par carte.
(I will pay by card.) - Je paie en espèces.
(I will pay in cash.)
These expressions are practical not only at dry cleaners but also in many other everyday situations.
Summary
- Je viens récupérer les vêtements…
→ Useful expression for stating you are here to pick up your clothes. - Avez-vous votre ticket de dépôt ? / Le voici.
→ Handy phrases for exchanging the deposit ticket. - Est-ce que je peux vérifier rapidement ?
→ Polite request when checking the condition of finished items. - Combien je vous dois ?
→ Standard way to ask the price. - Je paie par carte / en espèces.
→ Simple phrases for stating your payment method.
