French phrases to know when traveling

When traveling to a French-speaking country, these phrases will be helpful! Bonjour – Hello.Merci – Thank you.S’il vous plaît – pleaseComment allez-vous ? – How are you?Je vais bien/ ça va – I am fine. Je m’appelle… – My name is…Je ne comprends pas – I don’t understand.Je ne sais pas – I don’t know.Que veut dire ___ ? – What does ___ mean?Où est … ? – Where is …?Pouvez-vous m’aider? – Can you help me?Je voudrais… – I would like…

Why are subject pronouns repeated in French sentences?

Subject pronouns in French are usually repeated to add emphasis. Check the example below: English: I like pizzasFrench: Moi j‘aime les pizzas Moi = MeJ’/je= I

How do you make French sentences plural?

To make sentences plural, you must make nouns, verbs, and adjectives plural. You can do so by adding an -s to their singular form. If the singular form of a noun already ends in -s, -x or -z, there is no need to add -s. And if the noun ends in -eau or -eu add an -x.

How do you say some very basic French words?

To make sentences plural, you must make nouns, verbs, and adjectives plural. You can do so by adding an -s to their singular form. If the singular form of a noun already ends in -s, -x or -z, there is no need to add -s. And if the noun ends in -eau or -eu add an -x. How do you say some very basic French words? Bonjour /boh·zhoor/ (Hello or good morning)Adieu /a·dyoe/ (Farewell)Oui /wee/ (Yes)Merci /mehr·see/ (Thank you)Non /nõ/ (No)Fille /fiy/ (Girl)Garçon /gar·son/ (Boy)Femme /fam/ (Woman)Homme /om/ (Man)Amour /a·mour/ (Love)Mademoiselle (Miss, unmarried woman)Madame /ma·dam/ (Married woman, older woman)Beau /bo/ (Handsome)Belle /bel/ (Beautiful)

How do you say some common French phrases?

Here are common French phrases with audio!Au revoir. (Goodbye)Pardon, excusez-moi. (Pardon, excuse me.) Je vous en prie or De rien. (You’re welcome.)Parlez-vous anglais? (Do you speak English?)Je ne parle pas français. (I do not speak French.)À tout à l’heure! (See you later!)Je ne comprends pas. (I don’t understand.)S’il vous plaît. (Please.)Je m’appelle… (My name is…)Pardon or Excusez-moi. (Excuse me.)

50 Common French Phrases With Audio (What French People Really Say)

By Frederic Bibard Published: March 19, 2019

Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Frederic Bibard · 10 min read

The 50 French phrases you’ll actually use in France, grouped by situation, with audio, the register of each one and what French people really say.

On this page

The short answer Greetings and goodbyes Politeness: please, thank you, sorry When you don’t understand (or need help)Getting around At the café or restaurant Shopping Small talk Two short dialogues Mistakes to avoid Quick quiz FAQ Keep going

The short answer

The most common French phrases are bonjour (hello), merci (thank you), s’il vous plaît (please), excusez-moi (excuse me), je voudrais… (I’d like…), je ne comprends pas (I don’t understand), vous parlez anglais ? (do you speak English?) and au revoir (goodbye). In France, always start with bonjour.

Below are all 50, sorted into the seven situations where you’ll need them: greetings, politeness, not understanding, getting around, the café, shopping and small talk. Each phrase has its English meaning, a register tag and a simple pronunciation hint. Tap Listen to hear it.

How to read the tables. Register: formal for strangers, older people and official settings; everyday is safe almost anywhere; casual is for friends. In the pronunciation hints, õ, ã and ẽ are nasal vowels (don’t pronounce the n), zh is the “s” in “measure” and ü is “ee” said with rounded lips. For the full system, see the French pronunciation guide.

1. Greetings and goodbyes (8 phrases)

Start and end every exchange with one of these. If you only learn one table, learn this one.

French	English	Register	Say it
Bonjour	Hello / Good morning (all day until evening)	everyday	bõ-zhoor
Bonsoir	Good evening (from about 6 pm)	everyday	bõ-swar
Salut !	Hi! / Bye! (friends, family)	casual	sa-lü
Ça va ?	How are you? / All good?	everyday	sa va
Comment allez-vous ?	How are you? (polite, to a stranger or someone older)	formal	ko-mã ta-lay voo
Au revoir	Goodbye	everyday	oh-ruh-vwar (fast: oh-rvwar)
Bonne journée !	Have a nice day!	everyday	bon zhoor-nay
À tout à l’heure !	See you later (today)!	everyday	a too ta lur

Say it like a native

Comment allez-vous ? is the textbook version. With people you know, French speakers just say Ça va ? and answer Ça va, et toi ? (or et vous ?).
Switch from bonjour to bonsoir in the evening, and from bonne journée to bonne soirée when you leave someone after about 6 pm.
Salut works for hello and for bye, but only with friends. In a shop, it is always bonjour and au revoir.

More ways to say it: 9 ways to say hello in French, 15 ways to say “How are you?” and how to say goodbye like a native.

The bonjour rule

In France, always say bonjour before anything else: when you walk into a shop, a bakery or a waiting room, and before you ask a stranger a question.

Skipping it and going straight to “Où est la gare ?” sounds rude, even if the rest of your French is perfect. Bonjour, excusez-moi… opens almost every door. And say au revoir (or merci, au revoir) when you leave.

2. Politeness: please, thank you, sorry (7 phrases)

French politeness runs on a few short words. Use them more than you would in English.

French	English	Register	Say it
Merci beaucoup	Thank you very much	everyday	mehr-see boh-koo
S’il vous plaît	Please (to a stranger; with friends: s’il te plaît)	everyday	seel voo pleh
De rien	You’re welcome	everyday	duh ryẽ
Je vous en prie	You’re welcome / Please, go ahead	formal	zhuh voo zã pree
Excusez-moi	Excuse me (to get someone’s attention)	everyday	ex-kü-zay mwa
Pardon	Sorry! / Excuse me (when you bump into someone or need to pass)	everyday	par-dõ
Je suis désolé(e)	I’m sorry (a real apology)	everyday	zhuh swee day-zo-lay

Say it like a native

In shops and cafés, staff often answer your merci with je vous en prie or avec plaisir. Between friends, de rien or pas de souci is enough.
Pardon is the quick one: you bumped into someone, or you want to get past on the metro. Excusez-moi comes before a question: Excusez-moi, où sont les toilettes ?
In speech, je suis désolé often sounds like chuis désolé. You don’t need to copy it, but you will hear it.

This 17-second Short shows how the tone of “excuse me” changes in French, from polite to rude:

Go further: the guide to French politeness, how to say thank you, 12 ways to say you’re welcome and 17 ways to say sorry.

3. When you don’t understand (or need help) (8 phrases)

These are the phrases that keep a conversation going when you get lost. Nobody minds you using them.

French	English	Register	Say it
Je ne comprends pas	I don’t understand	everyday	zhuh nuh kõ-prã pa
Je ne sais pas	I don’t know	everyday	zhuh nuh say pa
Vous pouvez répéter, s’il vous plaît ?	Can you repeat that, please?	everyday	voo poo-vay ray-pay-tay, seel voo pleh
Plus lentement, s’il vous plaît	More slowly, please	everyday	plü lãt-mã, seel voo pleh
Vous parlez anglais ?	Do you speak English?	everyday	voo par-lay ã-gleh
Qu’est-ce que ça veut dire ?	What does that mean?	everyday	kes-kuh sa vuh deer
Pouvez-vous m’aider ?	Can you help me?	formal	poo-vay voo meh-day
J’ai besoin d’un médecin	I need a doctor	everyday	zhay buh-zwẽ dẽ mayd-sẽ

Say it like a native

Spoken French drops the ne: you will hear J’comprends pas and Chais pas (je ne sais pas) all the time. Write the full form; recognize the short one.
A simple Pardon ? with a rising voice also means “Sorry, what did you say?”
Pouvez-vous m’aider ? is the polite written form. Out loud, most people say Vous pouvez m’aider ?
In an emergency, call 112 (works anywhere in the EU) or 15 for medical help in France.

Practise the answers too: basic French questions and answers. Travelling? Read emergencies in France: what to do and what to say.

4. Getting around (6 phrases)

Start with Excusez-moi, ask your question, and listen for the answer words in the last row.

French	English	Register	Say it
Où sont les toilettes ?	Where are the toilets?	everyday	oo sõ lay twa-let
Où est la gare ?	Where is the train station?	everyday	oo eh la gar
C’est loin ?	Is it far?	everyday	seh lwẽ
Je suis perdu(e)	I’m lost	everyday	zhuh swee pehr-dü
Un billet pour Lyon, s’il vous plaît	A ticket to Lyon, please	everyday	ẽ bee-yeh poor lee-õ, seel voo pleh
Tout droit, puis à gauche	Straight ahead, then left	everyday	too drwa, pwee a gohsh

Say it like a native

The shortest way to ask is the place plus s’il vous plaît: Excusez-moi, la gare, s’il vous plaît ? It is perfectly polite.
Learn the answer words as well as the questions: à gauche (left), à droite (right), tout droit (straight ahead), à côté (next to it).

More for your trip: French travel phrases with videos.

5. At the café or restaurant (7 phrases)

Ordering is where these phrases pay off the most. Each one is short enough to say without thinking.

French	English	Register	Say it
Une table pour deux, s’il vous plaît	A table for two, please	everyday	ün tabl poor duh, seel voo pleh
Je vais prendre…Je vais prendre le plat du jour. (I’ll have the dish of the day.)	I’ll have…	everyday	zhuh vay prãdr
Je voudrais…Je voudrais un croissant, s’il vous plaît.	I would like…	everyday	zhuh voo-dreh
Un café, s’il vous plaît	An espresso, please	everyday	ẽ ka-fay, seel voo pleh
Une carafe d’eau, s’il vous plaît	A jug of tap water, please (free)	everyday	ün ka-raf doh, seel voo pleh
L’addition, s’il vous plaît	The bill, please	everyday	la-dee-syõ, seel voo pleh
C’était très bon, merci	It was very good, thank you	everyday	say-teh treh bõ, mehr-see

Say it like a native

Je voudrais is always polite. At the counter, people more often say Je vais prendre un café or Pour moi, ce sera un café.
Un café is a small espresso. For coffee with milk, ask for un crème (or un café crème).
The waiter will not bring the bill until you ask. Catch their eye and say L’addition, s’il vous plaît ! To call them, say Monsieur !, Madame ! or S’il vous plaît !

Why je veux sounds rude when you order, and eight phrases to use instead:

Next step: ordering food in France like a local, how to read a French menu and polite requests with je voudrais.

6. Shopping (7 phrases)

Shop assistants in France usually greet you as you come in. These phrases cover the rest of the visit.

French	English	Register	Say it
C’est combien ?	How much is it?	everyday	seh kõ-byẽ
Je regarde, merci	I’m just looking, thanks	everyday	zhuh ruh-gard, mehr-see
Vous avez ça en plus grand ?	Do you have this in a bigger size?	everyday	voo za-vay sa ã plü grã
Je peux l’essayer ?	Can I try it on?	everyday	zhuh puh leh-say-yay
Je le prends	I’ll take it	everyday	zhuh luh prã
Je peux payer par carte ?	Can I pay by card?	everyday	zhuh puh peh-yay par kart
C’est tout, merci	That’s all, thank you	everyday	seh too, mehr-see

Say it like a native

When the assistant asks Je peux vous aider ? (Can I help you?) and you are browsing, Je regarde, merci is the polite answer.
At the bakery or the market you will hear Et avec ceci ? (Anything else?). Answer C’est tout, merci.
L’ in Je peux l’essayer ? works for any single item: le pull, la robe, even le pantalon (trousers are singular in French). For shoes or anything plural, say Je peux les essayer ?

Food shopping? See 112 words for the supermarket.

7. Small talk (7 phrases)

Once the practical part is done, these phrases help you have a real chat. Note which ones use tu.

French	English	Register	Say it
Je m’appelle…Je m’appelle Julie.	My name is…	everyday	zhuh ma-pel
Enchanté(e)	Nice to meet you	everyday	ã-shã-tay
Tu viens d’où ?	Where are you from?	casual	tü vyẽ doo
Je parle un peu français	I speak a little French	everyday	zhuh parl ẽ puh frã-seh
Quoi de neuf ?	What’s new?	casual	kwa duh nuhf
Ça te dit ?Un ciné ce soir, ça te dit ? (Cinema tonight, are you up for it?)	Do you fancy it? / Are you up for it?	casual	sat dee
Pas de souci	No worries / No problem	everyday	pad soo-see

Say it like a native

With someone you don’t know, use vous: Vous venez d’où ? Switch to tu when the other person does, or when everyone is young and relaxed.
Enchanté and enchantée sound exactly the same. The extra e is only for writing, when you are a woman.
Answer Quoi de neuf ? with Pas grand-chose, et toi ? (Not much, you?).

Keep the chat going: how to introduce yourself in French, a quick guide to small talk and how French people actually talk in 2026.

Two short dialogues

Here are 13 of the phrases in context. Listen to each line, then read it out loud.

Dialogue 1: at a café

ServeurBonjour ! Qu’est-ce que je vous sers ?Hello! What can I get you?

VousBonjour ! Je vais prendre un café, s’il vous plaît. Et une carafe d’eau.Hello! I’ll have an espresso, please. And a jug of water.

ServeurTrès bien. … Voilà, un café et une carafe d’eau.Very good. … Here you are, an espresso and a jug of water.

VousMerci beaucoup !Thank you very much!

VousExcusez-moi ! L’addition, s’il vous plaît.Excuse me! The bill, please.

ServeurOui, tout de suite. Ça fait deux euros cinquante.Yes, right away. That’s two euros fifty.

VousJe peux payer par carte ?Can I pay by card?

ServeurBien sûr. … Merci, bonne journée !Of course. … Thank you, have a nice day!

VousMerci, vous aussi. Au revoir !Thanks, you too. Goodbye!

Dialogue 2: asking the way

VousBonjour madame, excusez-moi. Je suis perdu. Où est la gare, s’il vous plaît ?Hello, excuse me. I’m lost. Where is the train station, please?

PassanteLa gare ? Ce n’est pas loin. Vous allez tout droit, puis à gauche après la boulangerie.The station? It’s not far. You go straight ahead, then left after the bakery.

VousPardon, vous pouvez répéter plus lentement, s’il vous plaît ?Sorry, can you repeat that more slowly, please?

PassanteBien sûr ! Tout droit… puis à gauche, après la boulangerie.Of course! Straight ahead… then left, after the bakery.

VousC’est loin ?Is it far?

PassanteNon, cinq minutes à pied.No, five minutes on foot.

VousMerci beaucoup !Thank you very much!

PassanteJe vous en prie. Bonne journée !You’re welcome. Have a nice day!

Mistakes to avoid

These are the slips our teachers hear most often from English speakers.

Saying adieu for “bye”Adieu is a final farewell, the goodbye you say when you don’t expect to see someone again. For everyday goodbyes, say au revoir, or salut with friends. (In parts of southern France and Switzerland, older speakers still use adieu as a friendly greeting, but as a learner, avoid it.)

Saying je suis plein for “I’m full”It is not how French people say it, and it can be heard as “I’m drunk” (familiar). Pleine is also used for a pregnant animal. Say J’ai bien mangé (I’ve eaten well) or Je n’ai plus faim (I’m not hungry anymore).

Saying je veux to orderJe veux un café sounds blunt, like a child’s “I want”. Use je voudrais or je vais prendre.

Getting bon appétit wrongSay it once, just before people start eating, or to people eating as you pass their table. Don’t say it halfway through the meal. If someone says it to you, answer Merci, vous aussi (or toi aussi).

Mixing up excusez-moi and pardonUse excusez-moi before you ask a stranger something. Use pardon when you bump into someone, need to get past, or didn’t hear what they said.

Calling the waiter garçonIt is old-fashioned and sounds rude today. Say Monsieur !, Madame ! or simply S’il vous plaît !

Quick quiz

Three questions. Answer out loud before you open each one.

You walk into a bakery. What is the first thing you say?

Bonjour ! (or Bonjour madame / monsieur !). Then order.

A shop assistant asks Je peux vous aider ? and you are only browsing. What do you answer?

Je regarde, merci.

A friend texts you Un ciné ce soir, ça te dit ? What is she asking?

Whether you’d like to go to the cinema tonight.

FAQ about common French phrases

What are the 10 most common French phrases?

Bonjour (hello), merci (thank you), s’il vous plaît (please), excusez-moi (excuse me), pardon (sorry), au revoir (goodbye), je ne comprends pas (I don’t understand), vous parlez anglais ? (do you speak English?), je voudrais… (I would like…) and c’est combien ? (how much is it?).

How do you greet someone in French?

Say bonjour during the day and bonsoir in the evening. With friends, salut is fine. Adding madame or monsieur (Bonjour madame !) makes it more polite, which is common in shops.

What do French people say instead of “comment allez-vous” ?

In everyday life, they say Ça va ?, Comment ça va ? or Tu vas bien ? (Vous allez bien ? with someone you don’t know well). Comment allez-vous ? is correct but sounds formal.

Is it rude not to say bonjour in France?

Yes. Going straight to your question in a shop or with a stranger sounds rude in France. Say bonjour first, then ask. It changes how people answer you.

How do you say “you’re welcome” in French?

De rien is the everyday answer. Je vous en prie is more polite, and you will also hear avec plaisir, pas de souci and il n’y a pas de quoi.

Is it “excuse me” or “pardon” in French?

Both exist. Excusez-moi gets someone’s attention before a question. Pardon is for bumping into someone, passing, or asking them to repeat.

Keep going

25 essential phrases for everyday French conversations (video lesson)