Basic French phrases
Bonsoir: Good evening
Merci: Thank you
S’il vous plaît: Please
Je suis désolé: I am sorry.
Madame/Monsieur/Mademoiselle: Mrs. /Mr. /Miss
Excusez-moi: Excuse me.
Je ne comprends pas: I don't understand
Je voudrais...: I would like...
Non, pas du tout: No, not at all
French phrases for information and direction
Où sommes-nous?: Where are we?
Pourriez-vous m’aider?: Can you help me?
Répétez s'il vous plaît.: Please repeat.
Où puis-je trouver un bon restaurant/café/la plage/le centre-ville?: Where is a good restaurant/a good café/the beach/city center?
Je cherche cette adresse.: I am looking for this address.
French phrases for accommodations
J'ai besoin d'une chambre double..: I need a double room.
Je voudrais annuler ma réservation.: I would like to cancel my reservation.
French phrases for shopping
Où est la boutique duty-free?: Where are the duty-free shop?
Comment puis-je vous aider?: How may I help you?
Je cherche des chaussures.: I’m looking for shoes.
C’est combien?: How much is it?
C’est trop cher!: It’s too expensive!
We have prepared a list of common French expressions that will help you have a basic conversation in French in no time. Let's dig in!
If you find yourself in Paris it is always polite to say “Hi” every morning because French speakers are really sociable. “Good morning” in French is "Bonjour".
Now enjoy being greeted by a native speaker:
But what if it's later in the day and you want to greet someone from Canada? Well, “Good afternoon” in French is "Bonne après-midi".
Now listen to how a French speaker would pronounce it:
Let's say your name is Mondly, you are traveling to Paris and meet someone on the street. To introduce yourself you can say "Je m'appelle Mondly" which means "My name is Mondly" in French.
Listen to how a person from France would pronounce this phrase:
Now that you have introduced yourself, a French speaker would respond "Je suis ravie de vous rencontrer" which means "I'm pleased to meet you" in French.
Listen to a native French speaker saying that exact sentence to you right now:
At this point, it might be polite to ask the person you are having a conversation with "How are you?" in French.
It’s really easy to pronounce. Here's how to say it:
If, on the other hand, a French speaker asks you first how are you doing, this is how you can answer politely. Apply the unspoken rule of politeness everywhere you go and many doors shall joyously open in your path.
Here's a native speaker showing you how to say it:
And because you might find yourself in a bar when visiting France you might have to learn how to order a beer in French.
Let a native French speaker show you how it's done:
There are times when what you ordered is out of stock, so a bartender might say "Je suis désolé" which means "I'm sorry" in French.
Listen to how it's pronounced:
This is a good way of saying "See you soon" in French to a co-worker from Canada that you are probably going to see the next day.
Delight your senses with a French speaker saying the phrase:
Let's end with the best way to end a pleasant conversation politely. This is another way of saying "Goodbye" in French.
Here's how a person from Paris would pronounce it:
Qu’avez-vous mangé?:What did you eat?
Je te rencontre au café.: I meet you at the café.
Répétez s'il vous plaît.: Please repeat.
Quand voulez-vous voyager?: When do you want to travel?
Avec qui avez-vous pris un rendez-vous?: With whom did you make an appointment?
Que faisons-nous?: What are we doing?
Tu comprends?: Do you understand?
Où sont les toilettes?: Where is the toilet?
Immersion is one of the most effective ways of learning a new language and not having the means to travel to a French-speaking country shouldn’t keep you from experiencing it. Using Mondly, you’ll immerse yourself in French from day 1 with real French conversations.
Once you learn a few basic sentences in French, you will have the knowledge to start your first French conversation. That’s why, at Mondly, we’ve created experiences that simulate real-life conversations to get you speaking French in no time.
Starting with the basics, we quickly lay a foundation for you to learn more complex French phrases and sentences. We gradually build your French knowledge so you get fluent faster than you could imagine.
Every language experience should start gradually, from the easiest to the more complex concepts. Starting with the easiest and most common French phrases, you will feel confident in your ability to learn a new language. That’s one of the core principles Mondly is built on.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Join over 1 million people enjoying our occasional language tips, special offers and more.
The email address is not valid
Subscribe
Site Languages