This is a wonderful vintage French TV commercial for the Renault 4 Chevaux (4CV). This was a popular car in France during the 1950s. In addition to showing some fun views of Paris, the commercial offers a ton of car vocabulary, such as “le volant” (steering wheel) and verbs such as “garer” to park. The commercial is very easy to understand and would be a great listening aid for beginners and intermediates.
text and translation
- Bonjour! Voulez-vous venir avec moi?
Hello! Would you like to come with me? - Je vais vous présenter une petite merveille, la Quatre Chevaux Renault.
I’m going to show you a little wonder, the 4 Chevaux Renault. - Voulez-vous monter.
Want to hop it? - Comfortablement installé?
Comfortably in your place? - Alors, allons-y!
So, let’s go! - C’est la voiture maniable, facile à dégager – la voiture idéale pour la ville.
It’s a manoeuvrable car, easy to clear [through traffic], ideal for the city. - Regardez comme elle est facile à garer. Et voilà.
Look how it’s easy to park! There! - Au volant d’une Quatre Chevaux on est tout de suite à son aise.
At the steering wheel of a 4 Chevaux, you feel at ease right away. - Il n’y a pas au monde de voitures plus feminine plus facile à conduire.
In the world of cars, there’s no other more feminine car or car that’s easy to drive. - C’est aussi la voiture de l’homme d’affaires qui n’a pas de temps à perdre.
It’s also the ideal car for the business man who has no time to waste. - Quel démarrage! Quelle accélération! Quelle sécurité!
What a start-up! What acceleration! What safety! - Elle grimpe remarquablement et en chauffe pas en montagne.
It climbs remarkably and doesn’t overheat in the mountains. - Je vous passe le volant.
I’ll hand you the steering wheel. - Alors, bonne route! Je suis sûre que la Quatre Chevaux vous étonnera – et seulement six litres au cent kilomètres!
So, have a good trip! I’m sure the 4 Chevaux will surprise you – and at just six liters per hundred kilometres!
vocabulary and grammar of interest
- présenter qqch à qqn – to show somebody something.
- installé – looks like installed but means in your seat. From the verb s’installer which means to take your seat among other meanings.
- être à son aise – to feel comfortable, at ease.
- perdre le temps = gaspiller le temps or to waste time.
- Quel démarrage Quel + noun = what + noun!
- Elle grimpe – Two points here. We refer the the car as “elle” as there’s no word for “it” in French. Grimper means to climb.
- Je vous passe le volant – great usage of the verb passer. Here it’s passer qqch à qqn.
