swisshiker

I need to send an email to the owner of an apartment we've rented in France, notifying them of our anticipated arrival time.

Below is my English text and also the French translation thru a website.

Sometimes I find these translations not to be accurate. So before I send this off, would a kind-hearted French-speaking soul please check it for accuracy.

Thanks very much.

English text:

We hope to arrive between 16:00 and 18:00 on 19 April. We will be driving from Chamonix. Is this agreeable with you?

French translation:

Nous espérons arriver entre 16:00 et 18:00 19 avril. Nous conduirons par Chamonix. Est-ce que c'agréable est avec vous ?

baldrick

Monsieur,
Nous espérons arriver le 19 avril entre 16 et 18 heures. Nous arriverons en voiture depuis Chamonix. Est-ce que cet horaire vous convient?

I hope to 'agreeable' means 'convenient' for you. If not, tell me.

swisshiker

Hello baldrick

Yes, "convenient" is a better choice of words.

Thank you very much.

dawnnoelm

Aren't these boards rockin?

Swisshiker you must be getting excited! Remind me - are you getting to Switzerland while there??

swisshiker

Hi dawn

No, this is a France only trip.

Switzerland will have to wait until July.

dawnnoelm

Well darlin' not cryin' for ya then - July is around the corner

Looking forward to hearing about your trip!! Where is your apartment?

sheila

Could I sharpen this up a wee bit, please? Coco, HELP!

Nous espérons d'arriver le 19 avril entre 16 et 18 heures. Nous arriverons en voiture de Chamonix. Cette heure vous commode?

hanl

Sheila, I'm not Coco so hope you don't mind me stepping in...

There's no "de" required before "arriver". So "nous espérons arriver" is correct.
Also, I'm not sure that "commoder" is a verb - "convenir" is what I would use.

So Baldrick's translation actually seems fine to me.

cocofromdijon

Hanl is right Sheila. No "de" after espérer (nous espèrons aller, nous espèrons vous voir)

Commoder doesn't exist( well done hanl and baldrick with convenir) but incommoder(disturb) does.
If you want to use incommoder you can say "j'espère que cet horaire ne vous incommode pas trop (or ne vous ennuie, or ne vous dérange pas)"

swisshiker

I have now sent off the email to our gite owner. If I have trouble translating her response, I will be sure to ask for your help again.

Many thanks, one and all!

baldrick

Hey folks, after 25 years of speaking french and writing letters and reports in french for all kinds of authorities, although my mother tongue is dutch, the difficulty of some elementary phrases as these 'ne m'incommode pas'... ;-)