guichet
/ɡi.ʃɛ/
The English phrase ticket counter is guichet in French.
guichet refers specifically to the service window or counter where transactions occur, rather than the entire office or building.
Which one should you use?
While guichet refers to the specific window or counter, billetterie refers to the entire ticket office or the department responsible for selling tickets.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables and is pronounced /ɡi.ʃɛ/.
Did you know?
- The English word 'wicket' in cricket and tennis is a direct relative of guichet through Old Northern French.
- In French administrative language, a guichet unique is a 'one-stop shop'. It is a single point of contact designed to handle multiple different types of bureaucratic procedures.
- In the French theater world, the phrase guichet fermé means a show is sold out, literally meaning the 'counter is closed'.
Examples in context
- Où est le guichet ?Where is the ticket counter?Tatoeba #8080153 by Aiji, translation #6825708 by CK
- Excusez-moi, où est le guichet des billets?Excuse me, where is the ticket counter?
- Je voudrais acheter un billet. Où se trouve la caisse?I would like to buy a ticket. Where can I find the ticket counter?
- Pouvez-vous me diriger vers le bureau des billets, s'il vous plaît?Can you direct me to the ticket office, please?
- Il y a un guichet ouvert.There is an open ticket counter.
- Je vais au guichet pour acheter un billet.I am going to the ticket counter to buy a ticket.
Example conversation
Manon and Nathan are at the train station.
- ManonOn doit acheter les billets au guichet.We have to buy the tickets at the ticket counter.
- NathanC'est vrai, mais la file est très longue.That's true, but the line is very long.
- ManonOn peut utiliser la borne automatique.We can use the automatic machine.
- NathanD'accord, allons-y.Okay, let's go.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry guichet, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries guichet, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
