French Conversation · Level 124
58 words
French word
quai
Pronunciation
IPA/kɛ/
Meaning
- masculine nounplatform
Example
Je t'attends sur le quai.
I am waiting for you on the platform.
More examples
Le train arrive au quai 3.
The train arrives at platform 3.
Core concept
A raised working edge running alongside water or railway tracks, giving people and cargo a place to board, leave, or transfer.
Common phrases
sur le quai
on the platform
au quai 3
at platform 3
le quai de la gare
the station platform
Similar words
arrêt: A place where buses or trams stop for passengers to board or leave.
gare: A facility where trains arrive and depart and passengers use the railway.
port: A place where ships dock and cargo or passengers enter or leave.
Definition in French
Bord aménagé le long d'une voie d'eau, d'un port ou d'une voie ferrée, destiné à l'embarquement, au débarquement ou aux opérations de chargement.
Word origin
The French noun quai developed from Old French kai, with a Germanic origin often linked to Dutch kaai and kade.
Usage tips
- French normally uses sur le quai for a location, as in Je t'attends sur le quai, rather than a direct English-style preposition choice.
Other meanings
- wharfnoun