A guide to saying it like a local
How to Say "Where are the dressing rooms" in French
Ask for fitting rooms in French clothing stores to try on clothes before buying.
Où sont les cabines d'essayage ?
oo sohn lay kah-BEEN dess-ay-YAHZHneutral
French TTS · 0:01
You'll need this when you're shopping for clothes in a French boutique or department store. Just approach a sales assistant and ask.
Alternatives
- Les cabines, s'il vous plaît ?Shorter and more direct, good if you've already made eye contact.
- Où puis-je essayer ça ?Use this if you're holding an item you want to try on.
Ways to get it wrong
Pronouncing 'cabines'
The 'b' is pronounced, and the 's' at the end is silent.
Silent 't' in 'essayage'
The final 't' in 'essayage' is silent, so it sounds like 'ess-ay-yazh'.
The same phrase in other languages
Frequently asked
How to ask for changing rooms in a small shop?
The phrase 'Où sont les cabines d'essayage ?' works everywhere. In a very small shop, you might also just point to an item and ask 'Je peux essayer ?' (Can I try this on?).
What if I want to try on multiple items?
You can say 'Je voudrais essayer plusieurs choses, où sont les cabines ?' (I would like to try on several things, where are the fitting rooms?).
Is 'vestiaire' the same as 'cabine d'essayage'?
Not really. 'Vestiaire' often refers to a cloakroom or a locker room, like at a gym or swimming pool, not typically for trying on clothes in a store.
