By Bridget Castner ✔ Reviewed by travel expert Ben Braude
Are you planning a trip to France and are looking for some useful phrases to use during your travels? It's always a good idea to learn some basic phrases of the destination, so to help make your vacation a bit easier, here are some helpful French phrases!
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Main Phrases and Greetings
This list should get you through some main phrases and greetings from “hello”, and “goodbye”, to introducing yourself, and asking someone if they speak English.
Bonjour (bohn-zhoor)
Hello!
Au Revoir (oh-rev-vwha)
Goodbye!
Excusez-Moi (ex-koo-say-mwa)
Excuse me
Je ne parle pas Francais (zhe ne parl pah frahn-say)
I don't speak French
Parlez-vous Anglais? (par-lay boo ahn-glay)
Do you speak English?
S'il vous plait (seel-voo-play)
Please
Je ne comprends pas (je ne cohmp-ron pas)
I don't understand
Merci (mare-see)
Thank you
Oui (we)
Yes
Non (noh)
No
Bien sûr (byehn sur)
Of course
Je m'appelle (zhe mah-pel)
My name is
Pas de quoi (pah-de-kwah)
You're welcome
Comment allez-vous (koh-moh allay-voo)
How are you?
Comment vous appelez-vous? (koh-moh vooh-zah-play-voo)
What is your name?
C'est une belle journée (seht uh-nuh bel zhoo-r-nay)
It's a beautiful day
Bonsoir (bawn-swahr)
Good evening
Asking for Clarification Phrases
These French phrases will be helpful when you need someone to speak slower, or if you need someone to repeat something.
Pourriez-vous répéter, s'il vous plaît? (puri-ay voo reh-peh-aty, seel voo play)
Could you repeat that please?
Pourriez-vous parler plus lentement (puri-yay voo par-lay plu lontamon)
Could you speak more slowly please?
Est-ce que je peux vous poser une question? (ess-kuh-shuh-puh-voo po-zy uh-nuh kes-tyohn)
Can I ask you a question?
Phrases to Help When Asking for Directions
Make sure you address whomever you are speaking to as “Madame” or “Monsieur” out of respect. Here are some helpful phrases when asking for directions in French.
Gauche (goosh)
Left
Droitee (drwat)
Right
Direct (dee-rec)
Straight
Le train (lu tron)
The train
Le bus (lu boos)
The bus
L'aeroport (l-aero-po)
The airport
Ou se trouve (oo-ce troove)
Where is
Ou est la gare (oo eh la gahr)
Where is the train station?
Ou sont les toilettes (oo son les twa-let)
Where are the toilets?
Je suis perdu(e) (shuh swee pair-doo)
I'm lost
Je veux aller a (shuh vuh uh-lay ah)
I want to go to
Common Phrases When Eating at a Restaurant
Je prendrai (zhe prawn-dry)
I'll have
Ave-vous (ah-vey voo)
Do you have?
L'addition (lah-di-shyon)
The check
Une tasse (oon tahs)
A cup
Un verre (oon ver)
A glass
Une fourchette (oon foor-shet)
A fork
Une cuillre (oon kuy-ehr)
A spoon
Un couteau (uhn koo-toh)
A knife
Du sel (dew sehl)
Salt
Du poivre (dew pwavr)
Pepper
Les desserts (lay day-ser)
Dessert
Je suis vegetarien (ju suee vegetarien)
I'm a vegetarian
Je suis vegetalien (je suee veg-ge-talian)
I am vegan
Une table pour deux s'il vous plaît (uh-nuh ta-bluh pour duh seel voo pleh)
A table for two please
Je voudrais un café s'il vous plaît (shuh voo-dray uh-nuh kah-fay seel voo pleh)
I would like some coffee please
Phrases to use When Shopping
Je voudrais (zhe voo-dray)
I would like
Combien ca coute (cohn-by-en sah coot)
How much is it?
Puis-je l'essayer (pweez he leh-say-ay)
May I try it on?
Le magasin (le mah-gah-ahn)
The store
Je le prendrai (zhe le prawn-dray)
I'll take it!
Je regarde seulement, merci (shuh ruh-gard suh-luh-mahn mehr-see)
I'm just looking, thank you
Quelle taille? (kwel-le tai)
What size?
*Please note that although there are many countries who use the French language, this guide is specifically for France as French grammar and pronunciation differs within each French-speaking country.
Now that you know some basic French phrases to help on your trip, check out our affordable France vacation packages and prepare to use them in real life!
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