#99 Using a Spa｜French Daily Life Phrases
Izumi French Garden
#162 Sending Luggage from a Hotel｜French Travel Phrases
Izumi
When traveling for an extended period, souvenirs and clothing tend to accumulate, and carrying all of your luggage can become burdensome.
In such situations, being able to check whether you can send your luggage from the hotel to your home or to your next destination can make traveling much easier.
In this article, I assume a situation at a hotel front desk where you request luggage shipping, and I explain useful French expressions in detail by following the natural flow of an actual conversation.
Contents
Dialogue
Bonjour. J’aimerais savoir s’il est possible d’envoyer un bagage depuis l’hôtel.
（Good morning. I would like to know whether it is possible to send a piece of luggage from the hotel.）
Oui, bien sûr. Où souhaitez-vous l’envoyer ?
（Yes, of course. Where would you like to send it?）
Je voudrais l’envoyer à mon domicile, au Japon.
（I would like to send it to my home in Japan.）
S’agit-il d’une valise ou d’un colis ?
（Is it a suitcase or a parcel?）
C’est une valise de taille moyenne.
（It is a medium-sized suitcase.）
D’accord. Le délai est d’environ une semaine, et le tarif dépend du poids.
（All right. The delivery time is approximately one week, and the fee depends on the weight.）
Pourriez-vous m’indiquer le prix approximatif ?
（Could you tell me the approximate cost?）
Oui, cela devrait être autour de 80 euros.
（Yes, it should be around 80 euros.）
Merci pour votre aide. Je vais remplir les documents nécessaires.
（Thank you for your assistance. I will fill out the necessary documents.）
1. Asking Whether Luggage Can Be Sent
Depending on the hotel, luggage shipping services may not always be available. For this reason, I recommend confirming whether shipping is possible at the beginning.
Example
- J’aimerais savoir s’il est possible d’envoyer un bagage depuis l’hôtel.
（I would like to know whether it is possible to send a piece of luggage from the hotel.）
The key point in this sentence is “j’aimerais savoir si …”, which literally means “I would like to know whether …”. It is a polite and commonly used expression in places such as hotels and public offices.
Related Expression
- Est-ce que je peux envoyer un bagage depuis l’hôtel ?
（Can I send a piece of luggage from the hotel?）
The meaning is the same, but this version sounds slightly more direct.
2. Clearly Stating the Destination
Once you know that shipping is possible, the next step is to clarify the destination.
Example
- Où souhaitez-vous l’envoyer ?
（Where would you like to send it?）
When answering this question, I recommend being as specific as possible.
Example
- Je voudrais l’envoyer à mon domicile, au Japon.
（I would like to send it to my home in Japan.）
The phrase “à mon domicile” means “to my home” and is commonly used when sending luggage to a private residence.
3. Explaining the Type and Size of the Luggage
For pricing and procedural reasons, hotel staff often ask about the type of luggage.
Example
- S’agit-il d’une valise ou d’un colis ?
（Is it a suitcase or a parcel?）
The expression “s’agir de …” means “to be / to concern” and is a formal phrasing frequently used in explanations and confirmations.
Example
- C’est une valise de taille moyenne.
（It is a medium-sized suitcase.）
When answering, it is helpful to mention the size briefly.
Related Expressions
- une grande valise
（a large suitcase） - un petit colis
（a small parcel）
4. Confirming the Estimated Delivery Time and Cost
When sending luggage internationally, it is important to know both the delivery time and the estimated cost in advance.
Example
- Le délai est d’environ une semaine.
（The delivery time is approximately one week.）
The word “délai” refers to a period or required time and is frequently used when explaining deliveries, procedures, or reservations.
Example
- Pourriez-vous m’indiquer le prix approximatif ?
（Could you tell me the approximate price?）
By using “approximatif,” the speaker shows consideration by indicating that an exact figure is not required.
Summary
Key French Phrases
- J’aimerais savoir s’il est possible d’envoyer un bagage depuis l’hôtel.
→ A polite expression for confirming whether luggage can be sent from the hotel. - Où souhaitez-vous l’envoyer ? / Je voudrais l’envoyer à ～
→ Phrases used to specify the destination. - S’agit-il d’une valise ou d’un colis ?
→ An expression for confirming or explaining the type of luggage. - Le délai est d’environ ～ / le prix approximatif
→ Useful wording for confirming delivery time and estimated cost.
