B2 · 50 words
Planning a city and its traffic in French
Land use, network, walking, noise — the words a city argues in when it rebuilds itself.
Practise this list
From these 50 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list
The words a city argues in when it rebuilds itself. In the middle sits le riverain, and it is built on la rive, a bank or a shore — but it has stopped needing water. In French les riverains are the people who live along a particular street or road, and the word is on signs everywhere: interdit sauf riverains, circulation réservée aux riverains, l’avis des riverains. It has become an administrative category. English kept its cognate in the water: « riparian » belongs to law and ecology — « riparian rights », « riparian vegetation » — and never to a residents’ meeting. So English has to say it the long way round: « local residents », « the people living on the street », and in planning documents « frontagers ». One French word on a metal sign against an English phrase that will not fit on one.
The words
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Verb (5)
piétonniserto pedestrianiseVerbB2
On piétonnise la rue le samedi.The street is pedestrianised on Saturdays.
desservirto serve (a place)VerbB2
La ligne dessert huit communes.The line serves eight municipalities.
fluidifierto ease the flow ofVerbB2
Le nouveau plan fluidifie le carrefour.The new scheme eases the flow at the junction.
saturerto reach saturationVerbB2
Le parking sature dès neuf heures.The car park reaches saturation by nine.
réaménagerto remodelVerbB2
La place a été réaménagée en deux étapes.The square has been remodelled in two stages.
Phrase (5)
à piedon footPhraseB2
Un tiers des trajets se fait à pied.A third of all journeys are made on foot.
en centre-villein the town centrePhraseB2
En centre-ville, la vitesse est limitée à trente.In the town centre the speed limit is thirty.
aux heures creusesat off-peak timesPhraseB2
Aux heures creuses, le tarif baisse.At off-peak times the fare comes down.
sur les axes principauxon the main routesPhraseB2
Sur les axes principaux, rien n’a changé.On the main routes nothing has changed.
à termein the long runPhraseB2
À terme, la ligne ira jusqu’à l’hôpital.In the long run the line will go as far as the hospital.
Noun (m) (19)
Grammar for these: Definite article: le, la, les · Indefinite article: un, une
l’urbanismetown planningNoun (m)B2
L’urbanisme des années soixante misait tout sur la voiture.Town planning in the nineteen-sixties staked everything on the car.
le plan local d’urbanismethe local development planNoun (m)B2
Le plan local d’urbanisme sera révisé l’an prochain.The local development plan will be reviewed next year.
le zonagezoningNoun (m)B2
Le zonage sépare l’habitat de l’industrie.Zoning keeps housing apart from industry.
l’étalement urbainurban sprawlNoun (m)B2
L’étalement urbain allonge chaque trajet.Urban sprawl makes every journey longer.
le trottoir élargithe widened pavementNoun (m)B2
Le trottoir élargi permet enfin de se croiser.The widened pavement means two people can finally pass each other.
l’apaisement de la circulationtraffic calmingNoun (m)B2
L’apaisement de la circulation passe par la vitesse, pas par les panneaux.Traffic calming works through speed, not through signs.
le ralentisseurthe speed humpNoun (m)B2
Un ralentisseur a été posé devant l’école.A speed hump has been laid outside the school.
le carrefour giratoirethe roundaboutNoun (m)B2
Le carrefour giratoire remplace deux feux.The roundabout replaces two sets of traffic lights.
le stationnementparkingNoun (m)B2
Le stationnement en surface deviendra payant.On-street parking will become chargeable.
le réseau de transportthe transport networkNoun (m)B2
Le réseau de transport a été redessiné entièrement.The transport network has been redrawn from scratch.
le pôle d’échangesthe interchangeNoun (m)B2
Le pôle d’échanges réunit train, tram et bus.The interchange brings together train, tram and bus.
le site proprethe segregated right of wayNoun (m)B2
Le site propre met le tram à l’abri des bouchons.A segregated right of way keeps the tram out of the traffic jams.
le fluxthe traffic flowNoun (m)B2
Le flux du matin va tout entier vers le centre.The morning flow runs entirely towards the centre.
l’engorgementthe congestionNoun (m)B2
L’engorgement se déplace, il ne disparaît pas.Congestion moves; it does not go away.
l’îlot de chaleurthe heat islandNoun (m)B2
L’îlot de chaleur se forme là où il n’y a pas d’arbres.The heat island forms wherever there are no trees.
le riverainthe local residentNoun (m)B2
Les riverains ont déposé une pétition.Local residents have put in a petition.
l’aménagementthe layout schemeNoun (m)B2
L’aménagement du quai privilégie la marche.The layout of the quayside gives priority to walking.
le mobilier urbainthe street furnitureNoun (m)B2
Le mobilier urbain manque de bancs.The street furniture is short of benches.
le logement socialsocial housingNoun (m)B2
Le logement social représente un quart des permis.Social housing accounts for a quarter of the permissions.
Noun (f) (21)
Grammar for these: Definite article: le, la, les · Indefinite article: un, une
la densitéthe densityNoun (f)B2
La densité augmente sans que la rue s’élargisse.The density rises without the street getting any wider.
la frichethe derelict siteNoun (f)B2
La friche industrielle attend un projet depuis vingt ans.The derelict industrial site has been waiting twenty years for a scheme.
la requalificationthe redevelopmentNoun (f)B2
La requalification du quai a duré trois ans.The redevelopment of the quayside took three years.
l’emprisethe land takeNoun (f)B2
L’emprise de la route dépasse la chaussée.The land take of the road goes beyond the carriageway.
la voiriethe highways networkNoun (f)B2
La voirie relève de la commune.The highways network is the council's responsibility.
la chausséethe carriagewayNoun (f)B2
La chaussée sera rétrécie de deux mètres.The carriageway will be narrowed by two metres.
la piste cyclablethe cycle trackNoun (f)B2
La piste cyclable s’arrête au carrefour.The cycle track stops at the junction.
la zone piétonnethe pedestrian zoneNoun (f)B2
La zone piétonne a doublé de surface.The pedestrian zone has doubled in area.
la dessertethe service coverageNoun (f)B2
La desserte du quartier reste insuffisante le soir.The service coverage of the district is still inadequate in the evening.
la fréquence de passagethe service frequencyNoun (f)B2
La fréquence de passage tombe à un bus par heure.The service frequency drops to one bus an hour.
la voie réservéethe reserved laneNoun (f)B2
La voie réservée aux bus gagne dix minutes.The lane reserved for buses saves ten minutes.
l’heure de pointethe rush hourNoun (f)B2
À l’heure de pointe, le pont sature.At rush hour the bridge clogs up.
la nuisance sonorethe noise nuisanceNoun (f)B2
La nuisance sonore dépasse le seuil la nuit.The noise nuisance goes over the limit at night.
la pollution de l’airair pollutionNoun (f)B2
La pollution de l’air baisse le dimanche.Air pollution falls on Sundays.
la végétalisationthe greeningNoun (f)B2
La végétalisation de la place a coûté moins que prévu.Greening the square cost less than expected.
l’imperméabilisationthe sealing of the groundNoun (f)B2
L’imperméabilisation aggrave chaque orage.Sealing the ground makes every storm worse.
la concertationthe public consultationNoun (f)B2
La concertation a réuni deux cents habitants.The public consultation brought two hundred residents together.
l’enquête publiquethe public inquiryNoun (f)B2
L’enquête publique dure un mois.The public inquiry lasts a month.
l’accessibilitéaccessibilityNoun (f)B2
L’accessibilité des arrêts est encore partielle.Accessibility at the stops is still only partial.
la mixitéthe mix of usesNoun (f)B2
La mixité évite les quartiers vides le soir.A mix of uses stops districts emptying in the evening.
la gentrificationgentrificationNoun (f)B2
La gentrification a suivi la rénovation de la gare.Gentrification followed the refurbishment of the station.
Missing a word? Look it up in the dictionary
This list belongs to Buildings, cities and energy — three lists and 151 words that can also be practised as a whole.