Log inSign up

Il vaut mieux se déplacer sur la piste cyclable.

Il vaut mieux se déplacer sur la piste cyclable.
It is better to get around on the bike lane.
From Lesson 233:Alternatives (au lieu de)·French

Questions & Answers about Il vaut mieux se déplacer sur la piste cyclable.

Why do we use il vaut mieux instead of c'est mieux here?
Il vaut mieux (from the verb valoir, meaning 'to be worth') is the standard way to say 'it is better to [do something]' when giving advice. Unlike c'est mieux, which usually stands alone or refers back to a specific noun, il vaut mieux connects directly to an infinitive verb like se déplacer without needing an extra preposition.
Why use the reflexive verb se déplacer just to say 'get around'?
In French, se déplacer literally means 'to move oneself' from one place to another. It is the most natural way to translate 'getting around' or 'commuting' in a city. If you just used déplacer without the reflexive pronoun se, it would mean moving a physical object, like moving a piece of furniture.
Why is it sur la piste and not dans la piste?
We use sur (on) because a piste (track or lane) is considered a flat, open surface that you travel on top of. Just like you drive sur la route (on the road) or walk sur le trottoir (on the sidewalk), you ride your bike sur la piste cyclable (on the bike lane).
Since this lesson is about alternatives, how would I add 'instead of the road' to the end of this sentence?
You would use the phrase au lieu de (instead of) followed by the noun. The extended sentence would simply become: Il vaut mieux se déplacer sur la piste cyclable au lieu de la route.

Learn Il vaut mieux se déplacer sur la piste cyclable and more in French

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
  • ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free
Start learning French →