Manquer vs. rater vs. louper
In French, the verbs 'manquer', 'rater', and 'louper' can all convey the sense of missing a scheduled event or form of transportation. However, they are not entirely interchangeable and can carry slightly different connotations.
Manquer
'Manquer' is a more formal verb often used to imply missing an appointment, bus, train, or plane due to being late. It can also mean to miss in a broader sense, such as missing a person or lacking something.
J'ai manqué mon train ce matin parce que je me suis réveillé en retard.
(I missed my train this morning because I woke up late.)
Si tu ne pars pas maintenant, tu vas manquer ton vol.
(If you don't leave now, you're going to miss your flight.)
Rater
'Rater' is a common and versatile verb that means to miss or fail at something. When related to transportation, it suggests failing to catch a bus or train regardless of the reason.
J'ai raté le bus, donc je dois attendre le prochain.
(I missed the bus, so I have to wait for the next one.)
Il a raté son examen de conduite trois fois déjà.
(He has failed his driving test three times already.)
Louper
'Louper' is a more colloquial term similar to 'rater'. It suggests missing something due to an oversight or mistake and is often used informally when talking about missing transportation or opportunities.
Zut ! J'ai loupé mon arrêt de métro !
(Darn! I missed my metro stop!)
Elle a loupé sa chance de voir la célébrité parce qu'elle n'a pas tourné la tête à temps.
(She missed her chance to see the celebrity because she didn't turn her head in time.)
Summary
Overall, while 'manquer', 'rater', and 'louper' can all be used in the context of missing transportation such as a bus, train, or plane, 'manquer' is more formal and broad, 'rater' is common and reflects a failure to catch something without specifying the reason, and 'louper' carries an informal tone with implications of overlooking or making an error leading to missing out on something. Understanding the nuances of these verbs can help in choosing the most appropriate one based on context and formality level desired.