A guide to saying it like a local
How to Say "I missed my bus" in French
Say 'J'ai raté mon bus' to tell someone you missed your bus in France.
J'ai raté mon bus.
zhay rah-TAY mohn boosneutral
French TTS · 0:01
Use this when you arrive at the bus stop and realize the bus has already left. It's also useful if you're explaining to someone why you're late for a meeting or appointment.
Alternatives
- Mon bus est parti.This is a simpler way to state the fact, focusing on the bus's action.
- Je n'ai pas eu mon bus.This is a less common, slightly more formal way to express the same idea.
Ways to get it wrong
Pronouncing 'raté' like 'rah-TAY'
The final 'é' in 'raté' is pronounced like the 'ay' in 'say', not 'tay'.
Saying 'J'ai manqué mon bus'
'Manquer' can mean 'to miss' but 'rater' is more common for transportation.
A small cultural note
In France, public transport is generally reliable, so missing a bus might be seen as a bit unusual, but people will understand.
The same phrase in other languages
Frequently asked
How to say I missed the train in French?
You would say 'J'ai raté mon train.' The structure is the same as for the bus.
What if I missed my connection?
You can say 'J'ai raté ma correspondance.' This specifically refers to missing a connecting journey.
How to ask for the next bus?
You can ask 'C'est quand le prochain bus ?' which means 'When is the next bus?'
