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
Examples and resources
Nous sommes descendus de la montgolfière.
We got off the air balloon.
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.
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
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
11/05/18
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!
Chris
Kwiziq community member
27/03/18
Steven
Kwiziq community member
9 January 2017
2 replies
Bonjour. Le fichier audio est incorrect pour "Nous sommes descendus de la montgolfière."
Il dit <Steven
Kwiziq community member
9/01/17
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
9/01/17
Thank you very much for letting us know !
The bad sound files have now been replaced :)
Merci et bonne année !
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
27/12/16
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 !
julianne
Kwiziq community member
21 June 2018
2 replies
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
Chris
Kwiziq community member
21 June 2018
21/06/18
Hi Julianne,
Yes, your hunch is correct: it is because "de+le train" turns into "du train".
-- Chris (not a native speaker).
julianne
Kwiziq community member
22 June 2018
22/06/18