Free French audio course
Learn by copying everyday conversations.
Hear a short scene, understand the useful phrases, copy them out loud, then try your own answers in the pauses.
Episode 1
Where is the métro?
French · A1 beginner · 10 minutes · No signup
Free to play, download, and read, with no account or email needed.
Voices are AI-generated. Camille, the teacher, and Sam, the learner, are fictional characters.
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How the lesson works
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1
Hear the scene
A visitor stops a local to ask for directions. First, you just listen for one word.
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2
Understand the useful phrases
Camille explains each phrase in English, only as much as helps your next try.
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3
Copy them out loud
Say each phrase in the pause after you hear it. Copy the sound and rhythm before worrying about grammar.
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4
Try your answers
Answer from memory, swap in a new place, then play the visitor. A spoken answer follows every pause, so you can compare.
Missed an answer? Keep listening. The words come back, and you don’t need to touch the screen once the episode is playing.
After this episode
You can stop someone politely, ask where something is, understand a simple answer, and end the conversation politely, even when the person can’t help.
Level A1. Written for adult English speakers starting French. You don’t need any French to begin.
Phrases you’ll say
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Excusez-moi, monsieur.
Excuse me, sir.
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Où est le métro ?
Where is the métro?
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Où est le restaurant ?
Where is the restaurant?
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Ah oui, merci.
Oh yes, thank you.
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D'accord. Merci. Au revoir !
Okay. Thank you. Goodbye!
Phrases you’ll recognize
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Le métro est là-bas. Vous voyez ?
The métro is over there. Do you see?
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Je ne sais pas, désolé.
I don't know, sorry.
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Bonne journée !
Have a nice day!
Listening with your screen off
The download is the most reliable way. Save the MP3 and play it offline in any audio app. Your browser puts it with your other downloads (on iPhone, in the Files app).
Playing from this page can keep going when you lock your phone, depending on your phone and browser. Some pause when you switch apps or close the tab. If yours does, use the download.
On YouTube, the app normally stops when you lock your screen unless you have YouTube Premium.
The speaking pauses are optional. If you’re driving, keep your attention on the road: just listen, or skip the speaking parts. The episode says the same.
Prefer to watch?
The same episode is on YouTube, with the words on screen as you listen.
Open it on YouTubeYouTube loads only after you choose Play.
Transcript
Every word of Episode 1. Choose a time to play from there. “Your turn” marks a pause for you to speak; French is in bold.
Welcome
Sam: I have a map. I have a ticket. I have absolutely no idea where the métro is.
Camille: Then you're in the right lesson. Welcome to Copycat Cafe. I'm Camille.
Sam: And I'm Sam. Apparently, I'm walking.
Camille: By the end, you'll have a short French exchange to practise: stop someone politely, ask where the métro is, and thank them. Listen first. Copy the sound. Then try the words for yourself. We'll leave space for you to speak. If your surroundings need your attention, just listen and practise aloud another time.
Camille: If you miss an answer, let it go. You'll hear the words again. You don't need to rewind or look at a screen. If you're driving, keep your attention on the road and skip the speaking exercises.
The street scene
Camille: Here's the whole scene. Sam is the visitor. I'm the local. Just listen for the word métro.
Sam: Excusez-moi, monsieur. Où est le métro ?
Camille: Le métro est là-bas. Vous voyez ?
Sam: Ah oui, merci. Et l'Hôtel de France ?
Camille: Je ne sais pas, désolé.
Sam: D'accord. Merci. Au revoir !
Camille: Bonne journée !
Get someone's attention
Sam: The métro, yes. The hotel, still a mystery.
Camille: One destination at a time. First, get someone's attention. Excusez-moi. Excuse me. It's a polite way to stop a stranger. Hear it as one little movement: excusez-moi. Copy me.
Your turn · 4-second pause
Camille: Excusez-moi. Once more. Let the sounds run together.
Your turn · 4-second pause
Camille: Sam added monsieur, sir, because she's speaking to a man. You can also just say excusez-moi. Try Sam's version: excusez-moi, monsieur.
Your turn · 5-second pause
Ask where
Camille: Now the question. Où est le métro ? Where is the métro? You don't need to build the grammar from scratch. Borrow the whole question. Listen again. Où est le métro ? Your turn.
Your turn · 5-second pause
Camille: Let's build it from the end. Le métro. The subway. Copy just that: le métro.
Your turn · 4-second pause
Camille: Où est le métro ? Where is the subway? Listen to the beginning: où est. Two little sounds flowing into the rest. Copy the whole question: où est le métro ?
Your turn · 5-second pause
Sam: Excusez-moi, monsieur. Où est le métro ?
Camille: That's our opening. Now you try both parts. Get a man's attention, then ask where the métro is.
Your turn · 9-second pause
Understand the answer
Camille: Here's the model again. Excusez-moi, monsieur. Où est le métro ? Now, the answer: le métro est là-bas. The métro is over there. The useful bit to catch is là-bas. Over there. Copy it: là-bas.
Your turn · 4-second pause
Camille: Le métro est là-bas. Copy the full answer.
Your turn · 5-second pause
Sam: Over there. The entrance I just walked past?
Camille: A very thorough sightseeing tour. The local checks: vous voyez ? Do you see? You don't have to say this yet. Just recognise the question. Vous voyez ?
Sam: Ah oui, merci.
Camille: Oh yes, thank you. That's your reply. Copy this: ah oui, merci.
Your turn · 4.5-second pause
Your first exchange
Camille: Let's have a tiny conversation. You're the visitor. I'll be the local. First, get my attention and ask where the métro is. Use monsieur, as in the scene. When I answer, try replying: oh yes, thank you.
Your turn · 9-second pause
Camille: Le métro est là-bas. Vous voyez ?
Your turn · 5-second pause
Camille: You could answer: ah oui, merci. If you needed another moment, that's fine. These gaps are for practice, not a test.
Sam: Can I use the same question for somewhere else?
Camille: Yes. That's why we're borrowing a whole phrase. Le restaurant means the restaurant. Copy just the new piece: le restaurant.
Your turn · 4.5-second pause
Make the question your own
Camille: Où est le restaurant ? Where is the restaurant? Same beginning, different destination. Copy it.
Your turn · 5-second pause
Sam: Now we're asking the important questions.
Camille: Try it without hearing the French first. Ask where the restaurant is.
Your turn · 6-second pause
Camille: Où est le restaurant ? And now, back to the métro. Ask where it is.
Your turn · 5-second pause
Camille: Où est le métro ? You're practising one question with two destinations. That little switch matters: copying gives you a starting point you can change.
When someone doesn't know
Camille: In our scene, Sam also asks about her hotel.
Sam: Et l'Hôtel de France ?
Camille: And the Hôtel de France? Just listen to that line today. My answer is: je ne sais pas, désolé. I don't know, sorry.
Sam: Even the local can't help me?
Camille: Being French doesn't come with a built-in map. The bit to recognise is je ne sais pas. I don't know. You may hear the shorter je sais pas, too. Listen once more: je ne sais pas.
Your turn · 5-second pause
Camille: What does je ne sais pas tell you? Say the meaning in English.
Your turn · 4-second pause
Camille: I don't know. So that person can't give you the directions. You can still end the exchange politely. D'accord. Merci. Au revoir ! Okay. Thank you. Goodbye. Let's take the first piece: d'accord.
Your turn · 4-second pause
Leave politely
Camille: And the goodbye: au revoir. Copy it.
Your turn · 4-second pause
Camille: Now the whole ending. D'accord. Merci. Au revoir !
Your turn · 6-second pause
Camille: The local answers: bonne journée ! Have a nice day! Copy that: bonne journée !
Your turn · 4.5-second pause
Sam: Bonne journée !
Camille: You can say it back, too. A small phrase that gives the conversation a friendly ending.
Listen again
Camille: Let's hear the original scene again. No explanations this time. Notice which bits you recognise.
Sam: Excusez-moi, monsieur. Où est le métro ?
Camille: Le métro est là-bas. Vous voyez ?
Sam: Ah oui, merci. Et l'Hôtel de France ?
Camille: Je ne sais pas, désolé.
Sam: D'accord. Merci. Au revoir !
Camille: Bonne journée !
Your turn
Camille: Now you're the visitor again. Sam will stay quiet. Ask me where the métro is. When I tell you, reply: oh yes, thank you. Ready? Get my attention politely and ask your question.
Your turn · 9-second pause
Camille: Le métro est là-bas. Vous voyez ?
Your turn · 5-second pause
Camille: Now say goodbye.
Your turn · 4-second pause
Camille: Bonne journée !
Your turn · 4-second pause
Camille: Here's one version of your part: excusez-moi, monsieur. Où est le métro ? Then: ah oui, merci. Au revoir ! You can finish with bonne journée, too. Now imagine a different passer-by. Ask where the restaurant is. If they don't know, try: okay, thank you, goodbye. Start your question with excusez-moi.
Your turn · 9-second pause
Camille: Je ne sais pas, désolé.
Your turn · 6-second pause
Camille: A useful reply is: d'accord. Merci. Au revoir ! You can keep the exchange friendly even when the answer isn't the one you wanted.
Sam: We found the métro. We can ask about lunch. I'll call that progress.
Keep the question
Camille: One last question from memory. How would you ask where the métro is?
Your turn · 5-second pause
Camille: Où est le métro ? Keep that question. You heard it, copied it, and tried a different destination. You don't need every word from the scene today. Come back and try the gaps again. This is the free Copycat Cafe audio course. The optional paid app adds pronunciation feedback and conversations that respond to you. Today's matching lesson is Where is the subway? For now, bonne journée !
Sam: Au revoir ! And this time, I'm taking the métro.
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About this episode
Episode 1 of the free Copycat Cafe French audio course. It’s adapted from “Where is the subway?”, lesson 1 of our French course.
Camille and Sam are fictional characters with AI-generated voices. The music is original.
Want feedback on your pronunciation?
The free course gives you the phrases, the pauses, and an answer to compare with. It can’t hear you. The Copycat Cafe app is a paid app that adds a pronunciation score on every word you say, and conversations with Copy, your AI conversation partner, that respond to what you actually say. In the app, “Where is the subway?” uses the same scene.
See how Copycat works