Monter dans, descendre de = To get on, off transportation (prepositions)

In: Level A2, Prepositions & Conjunctions, Préposition
Questions: 15

Look at these sentences:

Je monte dans le train.
I'm getting on the train.

Aurélie descend de l'avion.
Aurélie is getting off the plane.

Allez, monte dans la voiture!
Come on, get in the car!

Les enfants descendent de la voiture.
The kids are getting out of the car.

 

Note that you use:

- monter dans to describe getting on or in + [a mode of transport]

- descendre de to describe getting off or out of + [a mode of transport]

ATTENTION: 

de becomes du or des when followed by le or les, and d' in front of un/une:

Ils descendaient tous des voitures garées là.
They were all getting out of the cars parked there.

Alana est descendue du train juste à temps.
Alana got off the train just in time.

J'ai vu Sharon Stone descendre d'une limousine.
I saw Sharon Stone get out of a limo.

Learn more about these related French grammar topics

Préposition

Examples and resources

Les passagers descendirent du Titanic, sains et saufs.
The passengers got off the Titanic, safe and sound.

Allez, monte dans la voiture!
Come on, get in the car!

Alana est descendue du train juste à temps.
Alana got off the train just in time.

Les enfants descendent de la voiture.
The kids are getting out of the car.

Ils descendaient tous des voitures garées là.
They were all getting out of the cars parked there.

J'ai vu Sharon Stone descendre d'une limousine.
I saw Sharon Stone get out of a limo.

Nous sommes descendus de la montgolfière.
We got off the air balloon.

dans

Je monte dans le train.
I'm getting on the train.

de

Aurélie descend de l'avion.
Aurélie is getting off the plane.

Q&A Forum 7 questions, 8 answers

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FahadC1Kwiziq community member

Do we also use and for horses, bicycles, and other smaller means of transport? Or only for transport we get inside of?

Asked 9 months ago
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MarieKwiziq team member

Hi Fahad!

 

To express that one is getting on a horse, a bicycle, a scooter and any form of transports that you don't get inside of, the correct preposition to use is "sur". 

 

For example: "Il monte sur son cheval" (He gets on his horse).

 

However, when one is getting off a horse, bicycle, etc, you would still say "descendre de" as for a bus, a car, a train...

 

For example: "Elle va descendre de son vélo" (She's going to get off her bicycle)

Like29 months ago
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Fahad asked:View original

Do we also use and for horses, bicycles, and other smaller means of transport? Or only for transport we get inside of?

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RobinA2Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

débarque?

I am wondering why in a lesson of monter dans and descendre de that a quiz question is using débarque?  Thanks.  (Rose débarque du bateau" means:)

Asked 1 year ago
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Robin asked:View original

débarque?

I am wondering why in a lesson of monter dans and descendre de that a quiz question is using débarque?  Thanks.  (Rose débarque du bateau" means:)

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Julianne B2Kwiziq community member

why is 'du' used for Alana est descendu du train juste a temps?

the instructions prior says 'de' becomes 'du' when followed by le or les - neither of which occurs in this example. is it because train is masculine? and the du train replaces 'de le train'? It's a bit unclear given de l' is used in the example with masculine noun l'avion - 'Aurelie descend de l'avion'. thank you
Asked 1 year ago
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ChrisC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

Hi Julianne,

Yes, your hunch is correct: it is because "de+le train" turns into "du train".

-- Chris (not a native speaker).

Like01 year ago
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Julianne B2Kwiziq community member
many thanks! This could be better explained with a phrase using descendre du [a male gendered form of transport] that doesnt start with a vowel in the first few examples of the lesson - to add to l'avion and la voiture. 
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Julianne asked:View original

why is 'du' used for Alana est descendu du train juste a temps?

the instructions prior says 'de' becomes 'du' when followed by le or les - neither of which occurs in this example. is it because train is masculine? and the du train replaces 'de le train'? It's a bit unclear given de l' is used in the example with masculine noun l'avion - 'Aurelie descend de l'avion'. thank you

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JillC1Kwiziq community member

Button not working

I've revisted this quiz several times and each time I try to click on the "next" button nothing happens.  All of the rest of my quizes are fine.
Asked 1 year ago
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AurélieKwiziq team member

Bonjour Jill !

Thanks for reporting a technical issue.
In this case, we need you to use the Report button linked to the specific test you're mentioning, so that we can see it specifically, and look into it for you.

Thank you very much!

Like01 year ago
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Jill asked:View original

Button not working

I've revisted this quiz several times and each time I try to click on the "next" button nothing happens.  All of the rest of my quizes are fine.

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GerryA2Kwiziq community member

Using etre for the passe compose of descendre

Asked 1 year ago
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ChrisC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
Please repost your question here. -- Chris.
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Gerry asked:View original

Using etre for the passe compose of descendre

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StevenC1Kwiziq community member

Bonjour. Le fichier audio est incorrect pour "Nous sommes descendus de la montgolfière."

Il dit <> :)
Asked 3 years ago
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StevenC1Kwiziq community member
For some reason the rest of my comment was truncated. Should be "Il dit 'Nous avons debarqué de l'avion.'"
Like03 years ago
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AurélieKwiziq team member
Bonjour Steven ! Thank you very much for letting us know ! The bad sound files have now been replaced :) Merci et bonne année !
Like03 years ago
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Steven asked:View original

Bonjour. Le fichier audio est incorrect pour "Nous sommes descendus de la montgolfière."

Il dit <> :)

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Mysterious StrangerKwiziq community member

On a écrit: "Allez, monte dans la voiture!"

mais je me demande si cela devrait être "Allez, montez ..."?
Asked 3 years ago
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AurélieKwiziq team member
Bonjour zizi ! You are not wrong here, as both sentences would be perfectly correct: "monte" would address one person in an informal way, and "montez" would address either several people, or one person in an formal way. The use of "allez" here is colloquial, and doesn't necessarily match the number of people spoken to. This is just the way to say "Come on!". I hope that's helpful! Bonnes Fêtes et à bientôt !
Like23 years ago
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Mysterious Stranger asked:View original

On a écrit: "Allez, monte dans la voiture!"

mais je me demande si cela devrait être "Allez, montez ..."?

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