60 Useful French Phrases for Everyday Life and Travel
The most useful French phrases are the polite ones: bonjour (hello), s'il vous plaît (please), merci (thank you), excusez-moi (excuse me) and je voudrais (I would like). Add je ne comprends pas (I don't understand) and parlez-vous anglais ? (do you speak English?) and you can handle most everyday situations in France. Below are 60 useful French phrases grouped by situation, with a simple guide to how each one sounds and when to use it.
How to read this list
The Say it like column is a rough guide using English sounds. Capital letters show where to put a little weight. French stress is light and usually falls at the end of a word or group of words, so do not punch it too hard. On and an are nasal sounds: say them through your nose and do not pronounce the n.
French has a polite you (vous) and a casual one (tu). Every phrase here uses the polite form, which is the safe choice with anyone you do not know.
Greetings and goodbyes
| French | English | Say it like | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonjour | Hello / Good morning | bon-ZHOOR | Use it all day until early evening, and every time you walk into a shop, café or office. |
| Bonsoir | Good evening | bon-SWAHR | The greeting from early evening onwards. It also works as a goodbye. |
| Salut | Hi / Bye | sa-LOO | Casual. For friends, not for shop staff. |
| Au revoir | Goodbye | oh ruh-VWAHR | Polite goodbye that works everywhere. |
| Bonne journée | Have a good day | bun zhoor-NAY | Said as you leave during the day. The reply is Vous aussi (you too). |
| Bonne soirée | Have a good evening | bun swa-RAY | Said as you leave in the evening. Bonsoir works for hello and goodbye, but bonne soirée is only for goodbye. |
| À bientôt | See you soon | ah byan-TOH | Friendly goodbye when you expect to meet again. |
| Comment allez-vous ? | How are you? | ko-mon ta-lay VOO | Polite. Use it with people you do not know well. |
| Ça va ? / Ça va bien, merci. | How's it going? / I'm fine, thanks. | sa VA / sa va BYAN, mair-SEE | Everyday and casual. Ça va works as the question and the answer. |
Please, thank you and sorry
| French | English | Say it like | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| S'il vous plaît | Please | seel voo PLEH | Polite. With friends and children, say s'il te plaît. |
| Merci / Merci beaucoup | Thank you / Thank you very much | mair-SEE / mair-SEE boh-KOO | Merci on its own is never rude. |
| De rien | You're welcome | duh RYAN | The everyday reply to merci. |
| Je vous en prie | You're welcome / Please, go ahead | zhuh voo zon PREE | More formal. Also used when you hold a door or let someone go first. |
| Excusez-moi | Excuse me | ex-kew-zay MWAH | To get someone's attention before you ask a question. |
| Pardon | Sorry / Excuse me | par-DON | When you bump into someone or need to get past. |
| Je suis désolé / désolée | I'm sorry | zhuh swee day-zo-LAY | For a real apology. Add the extra e in writing if you are a woman; it sounds the same. |
When you don't understand
| French | English | Say it like | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Je ne comprends pas | I don't understand | zhuh nuh kom-pron PAH | Say it calmly and people will usually slow down or rephrase. |
| Pouvez-vous répéter, s'il vous plaît ? | Could you repeat that, please? | poo-vay VOO ray-pay-TAY, seel voo PLEH | The most useful question for any beginner. |
| Pouvez-vous parler plus lentement ? | Could you speak more slowly? | poo-vay VOO par-LAY plew lont-MON | Add s'il vous plaît to be extra polite. |
| Parlez-vous anglais ? | Do you speak English? | par-lay voo zon-GLEH | Start with bonjour first. It makes a big difference. |
| Je parle un peu français | I speak a little French | zhuh parl uhn puh fron-SEH | People are often happy to help when they hear you try. |
| Comment dit-on … en français ? | How do you say … in French? | ko-mon dee-TON … on fron-SEH | Point at the thing if you do not know the word. |
| Qu'est-ce que ça veut dire ? | What does that mean? | kess kuh sa vuh DEER | Useful for menus, signs and new words. |
Introducing yourself and small talk
| French | English | Say it like | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Je m'appelle … | My name is … | zhuh ma-PELL | Literally I call myself. |
| Enchanté / Enchantée | Nice to meet you | on-shon-TAY | Add the extra e in writing if you are a woman. |
| Vous êtes d'où ? | Where are you from? | voo zet DOO | Casual but polite. With friends: Tu viens d'où ? |
| Je viens de … | I'm from … | zhuh vyan duh | Je viens d'Angleterre, je viens des États-Unis, je viens du Canada. |
| Je suis ici en vacances | I'm here on holiday | zhuh swee ee-SEE on va-KONSS | For work, say pour le travail. |
| J'apprends le français | I'm learning French | zha-PRON luh fron-SEH | A good way to explain why you are speaking slowly. |
At the café or restaurant
| French | English | Say it like | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Une table pour deux, s'il vous plaît | A table for two, please | ewn TAH-bl poor DUH | Change the number as you need: trois, quatre. |
| Je voudrais … | I would like … | zhuh voo-DREH | The polite way to order anything. Je veux (I want) sounds blunt. |
| Un café, s'il vous plaît | A coffee, please | uhn ka-FAY, seel voo PLEH | Un café is a small black espresso. For milk, ask for un café crème. |
| La carte, s'il vous plaît | The menu, please | la KART | Le menu usually means a set menu at a fixed price. |
| Qu'est-ce que vous me conseillez ? | What do you recommend? | kess kuh voo muh kon-say-YAY | A friendly question that waiters like. |
| Je suis végétarien / végétarienne | I'm vegetarian | zhuh swee vay-zhay-ta-RYAN / vay-zhay-ta-RYEN | Use the second form if you are a woman. |
| Une carafe d'eau, s'il vous plaît | A jug of tap water, please | ewn ka-RAF DOH | Tap water is free with a meal in French restaurants. |
| L'addition, s'il vous plaît | The bill, please | la-dee-SYON, seel voo PLEH | Waiters rarely bring the bill until you ask. |
| C'était délicieux | It was delicious | say-TEH day-lee-SYUH | A nice thing to say as you pay. |
Shopping and paying
| French | English | Say it like | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| C'est combien ? | How much is it? | say kom-BYAN | Point at the item as you ask. |
| Je regarde, merci | I'm just looking, thanks | zhuh ruh-GARD, mair-SEE | The answer when a shop assistant offers help. |
| Vous avez … ? | Do you have …? | voo za-VAY | Vous avez une plus grande taille ? (Do you have a bigger size?) |
| Je le prends | I'll take it | zhuh luh PRON | Use je la prends for a feminine word, such as la robe. |
| Je peux payer par carte ? | Can I pay by card? | zhuh puh pay-YAY par KART | Some small shops and markets prefer cash. |
Getting around and asking the way
| French | English | Say it like | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Où est … ? | Where is …? | oo EH | Où est la gare ? (Where is the station?) |
| Où sont les toilettes ? | Where are the toilets? | oo son lay twa-LET | Toilettes is always plural in France. |
| C'est loin ? | Is it far? | say LWAN | The answer might be C'est tout près (it's very close). |
| À gauche / À droite / Tout droit | Left / Right / Straight on | ah GOHSH / ah DRWAHT / too DRWAH | Listen for these three in every set of directions. |
| Un billet pour …, s'il vous plaît | A ticket to …, please | uhn bee-YEH poor … | For a return ticket, ask for un aller-retour. |
| À quelle heure part le train ? | What time does the train leave? | ah kel UHR par luh TRAN | Swap train for bus or le prochain métro (the next metro). |
| Je suis perdu / perdue | I'm lost | zhuh swee pair-DEW | Add the extra e in writing if you are a woman. |
Everyday reactions
| French | English | Say it like | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| D'accord | OK | da-KOR | The most common way to agree. |
| Bien sûr | Of course | byan SEWR | Friendly and polite. |
| Pas de problème | No problem | pad pro-BLEM | Casual and very common. |
| Ce n'est pas grave | It doesn't matter / Don't worry | suh neh pah GRAV | In speech you will hear c'est pas grave. |
| Je ne sais pas | I don't know | zhuh nuh seh PAH | In fast speech it can sound like chais pas. |
Help and health
| French | English | Say it like | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Au secours ! | Help! | oh suh-KOOR | For emergencies. The number 112 works across France and the rest of Europe. |
| Pouvez-vous m'aider ? | Can you help me? | poo-vay VOO meh-DAY | For everyday help, like finding an address. |
| Je ne me sens pas bien | I don't feel well | zhuh nuh muh son pah BYAN | Pharmacists in France can give advice for small problems. |
| Où est la pharmacie ? | Where is the pharmacy? | oo eh la far-ma-SEE | Look for the green cross. |
| Appelez une ambulance ! | Call an ambulance! | a-play ewn om-bew-LONSS | In France you can also call 15 for medical emergencies. |
Five mistakes English speakers make
- Skipping bonjour. In France you greet people before you ask anything, in shops, on buses and when you ask the way. Starting with a question can come across as rude.
- Saying je suis plein for I'm full. It sounds odd, and it can mean drunk. Say j'ai bien mangé or je n'ai plus faim.
- Saying je suis excité for I'm excited. It often has a sexual meaning. Say j'ai hâte (I can't wait).
- Calling garçon ! to a waiter. It is old-fashioned and rude. Catch their eye and say s'il vous plaît or excusez-moi.
- Saying bonne soirée when you arrive. Bonne soirée only means goodbye. When you arrive in the evening, say bonsoir.
A short conversation at a café
| Who | What they say | In English |
|---|---|---|
| Waiter | Bonjour ! Qu'est-ce que je vous sers ? | Hello! What can I get you? |
| You | Bonjour. Je voudrais un café et un croissant, s'il vous plaît. | Hello. I'd like a coffee and a croissant, please. |
| Waiter | Très bien. Je vous apporte ça. | Very good. I'll bring that over. |
| Waiter | Voilà. Bon appétit ! | Here you are. Enjoy! |
| You | Merci. | Thank you. |
| You | L'addition, s'il vous plaît. | The bill, please. |
| Waiter | Ça fait cinq euros. | That's five euros. |
| You | Je peux payer par carte ? | Can I pay by card? |
| Waiter | Bien sûr. | Of course. |
| You | Merci, bonne journée ! | Thank you, have a good day! |
| Waiter | Merci, vous aussi. | Thank you, you too. |
Quick quiz
Try to answer before you open each one.
You walk into a bakery at 10 am. What do you say first?
Show the answer
Bonjour. Then ask for what you want, for example Je voudrais une baguette, s'il vous plaît.
How do you ask for the bill?
Show the answer
L'addition, s'il vous plaît.
Someone says merci. What do you answer?
Show the answer
De rien, or the more formal je vous en prie.
How do you say I don't understand?
Show the answer
Je ne comprends pas.
You arrive at a restaurant at 8 pm. Bonsoir or bonne soirée?
Show the answer
Bonsoir. Bonne soirée is only for leaving.
How to remember these phrases
Reading a list once is a good start, but most of it will be gone in a few days. Three habits make phrases stick:
- Say them out loud. Hearing a phrase and repeating it helps your mouth learn the sounds, not just your eyes.
- Learn a few at a time. Five to ten phrases a day is plenty. Start with greetings and the café section.
- Review them just before you forget. Come back to each phrase after a day, then a few days, then a week. Each review makes the next one easier.
LanguaCards does the last part for you: it brings each phrase back at the right time, with audio on every card. For single words and phrases explained in more depth, see the LanguaCards French dictionary, and for the words behind these phrases, start with the most common French words.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most useful French phrases?
Bonjour (hello), s'il vous plaît (please), merci (thank you), excusez-moi (excuse me), je voudrais (I would like), je ne comprends pas (I don't understand) and parlez-vous anglais ? (do you speak English?). With these you can handle most everyday situations in France.
How do you say hello in French?
Bonjour during the day and bonsoir in the evening. Salut means hi, but it is casual, so keep it for friends.
Is it rude not to say bonjour in France?
It can be. In France you are expected to greet people before you ask them anything, including shop staff and bus drivers. A quick bonjour makes every conversation go more smoothly.
What is the difference between excusez-moi and pardon?
Use excusez-moi to get someone's attention before a question. Use pardon when you bump into someone, need to get past, or did not hear what someone said.
Should I use tu or vous in French?
Use vous with anyone you do not know, anyone older or more senior, and staff in shops and restaurants. Use tu with friends, family, children and people who use tu with you first.