utiliser les toilettes
To use the bathroom in French is utiliser les toilettes.
The phrase utiliser les toilettes is used to express the act of using a toilet to urinate or defecate. While this is a grammatically correct way to say it, native speakers more frequently use the phrase aller aux toilettes to express the need to go to the toilet.
How does it change in a sentence?
When referring to the room or the facility, the word for toilet is almost always used in the plural form les toilettes.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use la salle de bains to mean a toilet. In French, la salle de bains specifically refers to a room containing a bathtub or shower, rather than the toilet facility itself.
When do people say it?
A colloquial way to refer to the bathroom is Le petit coin, which literally translates to "the little corner".
Did you know?
- In France, you will often see the word WC written on doors. This is an abbreviation of the English 'water closet' and is more common in signage than the word toilettes.
- French has a specific word, les cabinets, which is an older term for the toilet. It literally means 'the small rooms' or 'cabinets', reflecting a time when toilets were small private closets.
- While les toilettes is the standard term, using the singular la toilette refers to the entire process of washing and grooming oneself, such as brushing hair and applying makeup.
Examples in context
- Excusez-moi, pourriez-vous m'indiquer les toilettes, s'il vous plaît ?Excuse me, could you please show me where the restroom is?
- Je suis désolé(e), mais pourriez-vous me dire où se trouvent les toilettes ?I'm sorry, but could you tell me where the toilets are?
- Excuse-moi, où sont les toilettes ?Excuse me, where are the bathrooms?
- Est-ce que je peux aller aux toilettes ?Can I go to the bathroom?
- Où sont les toilettes, s'il vous plaît ?Where is the bathroom, please?
- Où puis-je utiliser les toilettes ?Where can I use the bathroom?
- Je dois utiliser les toilettes rapidement.I need to use the bathroom quickly.
- Elle veut utiliser les toilettes du restaurant.She wants to use the restaurant's bathroom.
Example conversation
Hugo and Emma are at a restaurant.
- HugoExcuse-moi, je dois utiliser les toilettes.Excuse me, I need to use the bathroom.
- EmmaElles sont juste là, au bout du couloir.They are right there, at the end of the hallway.
- HugoMerci, je reviens tout de suite.Thanks, I'll be right back.
- EmmaD'accord, je t'attends ici.Okay, I'll wait for you here.
