Start learning the most common French phrases
French is a fascinating and melodic language that is thought to be the most romantic language in the world. So, why not learn a few basic French phrases and expressions to enhance your general knowledge and become happier in the process?
There’s an infinite number of sentences in the French language that make learning French feel overwhelming. Let's stay optimistic. We have some good news: you only need to know a fraction of the total number of French sentences to be able to speak French fluently. For example, by knowing as little as 100 words you will understand 50% of any text in French. That's right! You don't have to know the ins and outs of French to have a real conversation with someone from France.
The secret is to learn French the smart way. Start with the most common French phrases and expressions and build from there. Learning sentence after sentence, you’ll feel one step closer to fluency. Then, to lock the knowledge in, use the French sentences you learned in real conversations. So, why not make the first step towards learning French today? Let’s go over some common sentences in French you can learn right now. These are just a fraction of the phrases spoken by native French speakers you can listen to on Mondly, our high rated language learning app loved by millions of people around the world.
Top 10 French phrases and sentences you need to know
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!
1. Bonjour. = Good morning.
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:
2. Bonne après-midi. = Good afternoon.
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:
3. Je m'appelle Mondly. = My name is Mondly.
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:
4. Je suis ravi de vous rencontrer. = I'm pleased to meet you.
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:
5. Comment ça va ? = How are you?
At this point it might be polite to ask the person you are having a conversation with "Comment ça va?" in French.
It’s really easy to pronounce. Here's how to say it:
6. Où es-tu ? = Where are you?
French speakers are known to be really friendly, so it wouldn't be unusual to make a French friend during your travels. But friends are sometimes late to meetings in which case you might have to call them and ask "Where are you?" in French.
Here's a native speaker showing you how to say it:
7. J'aimerais une bière. = I'd like a beer.
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:
8. Je suis désolé. = I'm sorry.
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:
9. A bientôt ! = See you soon!
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:
10. Au revoir. = Good-bye.
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:
Did you know?
Hundreds of French expressions and words have become extremely popular internationally. We often go to a “restaurant” to have an “omelette”, “olives”, “champagne” or a “dessert” from a “menu”. Maybe “vis-à-vis” to our table in the nice “café” we are in there’s a person that has that “je ne sais quoi”. Next thing we know we might have a “déjà vu”.
Even though the French have a wonderful language, they leave their gestures to do the talking. Depending on where you’re from you might find French greetings strange. French men usually greet each other by shaking hands which is not particularly surprising. However, women meeting men or other women in informal situations tend to kiss each other on the cheeks. Depending on the region you are in, the number of “bisous” can vary and people can even kiss 4 times on the cheeks just to say hello.
Going back to adorable French phrases, it would be lovely for you to learn one of most famous love quotes in French: “Je serai poète et toi poésie”. Signed by the famous French poet Fraçois Coppée, the phrases can be whispered to someone you love and it means “I’ll be a poet, and you’ll be my poetry”.
The benefits of learning the most common French phrases first
Get smarter day by day
Learning a new language is a perfect way to boost your IQ. In no time, your brain will make new connections and associations and you’ll feel that learning French was one of the best choices you ever made.
Have real conversations in French today
Once you start learning 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.
Become fluent in French quicker
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.
Feel how easy to learn the French language can be
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.
"The drag-and-drop and visuals make it a lot more fun and easy than just reading flashcards."
"Mondly uses games and gestures to help you learn new languages."
"On Mondly, users can interact using both text input or speech."
"Mondly encourages its users to practice in everyday scenarios, such as ordering food and drinks in a restaurant."