A guide to saying it like a local
How to Say "Twenty minutes by car" in French
Say 'twenty minutes by car' in French to estimate travel time for your next road trip.
vingt minutes en voiture
van mee-NOOT ahn vwah-TOORneutral
French TTS · 0:01
Use this when asking for or giving an estimated travel time by car. For example, when planning a meeting or coordinating a pickup.
Alternatives
- vingt minutes de routeSlightly more general, can also imply walking or cycling time.
- vingt minutes d'ici en voitureEmphasizes the starting point is 'here'.
Ways to get it wrong
Pronouncing the 't' in 'vingt'
The 't' in 'vingt' is silent; it sounds like 'van'.
Mispronouncing 'voiture'
The 'oi' sounds like 'wah', and the final 'r' is soft, not a hard English 'r'.
The same phrase in other languages
Frequently asked
how to say 20 minutes by car in french
The most common way is 'vingt minutes en voiture'. This is understood everywhere in France.
is vingt minutes en voiture formal or informal
It's a neutral phrase, so you can use it in most situations. It's not overly casual or stiff.
what does vingt minutes en voiture mean
It literally translates to 'twenty minutes in car'. It's used to give an estimated travel time by automobile.
