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Ils se déplaceront en trottinette au lieu de prendre le bus.

Ils se déplaceront en trottinette au lieu de prendre le bus.
They will get around by kick-scooter instead of taking the bus.
From Lesson 233:Alternatives (au lieu de)·French

Questions & Answers about Ils se déplaceront en trottinette au lieu de prendre le bus.

Why is it au lieu de prendre and not au lieu de prenant?
In French, prepositions like de are almost always followed by the infinitive form of a verb (prendre). In English, we use the '-ing' form ('instead of taking'), which often trips learners up!
Why do we need the se in Ils se déplaceront?
The verb se déplacer is reflexive and literally means 'to move oneself.' While in English we just say 'to get around' or 'to travel,' French requires the reflexive pronoun se to show that they are moving themselves from one place to another.
Why do we use en before trottinette?
We use the preposition en for most modes of transport. Traditionally, French used à for things you ride on top of (like à vélo or à cheval), but en trottinette is very common and widely accepted in everyday spoken French today.
Does trottinette mean a manual scooter or an electric one?
It can mean both! Originally it meant a manual kick-scooter, but today it is the standard word for the electric scooters (trottinettes électriques) that are popular in many cities.

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