Navigate France like a local

1. Greetings and Pleasantries

Starting conversations with a warm greeting can open doors and leave a great impression. Here are some basics to get you started:

• Hello — Bonjour

• Good evening — Bonsoir

• Goodbye — Au revoir

• Excuse me — Excusez-moi

• Yes — Oui

• No — Non

• Please — S’il vous plaît

• Thank you — Merci

• You’re welcome — De rien

• My name is... — Je m’appelle...

Here's an example of a basic conversation in French when you first meet someone:

• How are you? — Ça va ?

• How’s it going? — Ça roule ?

• How are you? — Comment vas-tu/comment tu vas ? Comment allez-vous ?

• I’m well — Ça va/je vais bien

• And you? — Et toi ?

2. Asking questions in French

French question words to form sentences.

• What? — Quoi ?

• When? — Quand ?

• Who? — Qui ?

• How? — Comment ?

• How many? — Combien ?

• Where? — Où ?

• Why? — Pourquoi ?

• Which? — Quel(le) ?

Questions to get to know someone:

• What’s your name? — Comment tu t’appelles ?/Tu t’appelles comment ?

• How old are you? — Quel âge as-tu ?/T’as quel âge ?

• What’s the time? — Quelle heure est-il ?/Il est quelle heure ?

• How much is it? — C’est combien ?/Ça coûte combine ?

• Where do you come from?/Where are you from? — Tu viens d’où ?/T’es d’où ?

3. Asking for Help

Even with preparation, you might need assistance. These phrases will help you ask for what you need:

• Can you help me? — Pouvez-vous m’aider ?

• Do you speak English? — Parlez-vous anglais ?

• The bathroom, please? — Les toilettes, s’il vous plaît ?

• I’m sorry, I don’t understand. — Je suis désolé(e), je ne comprends pas.

• I’m lost. — Je suis perdu(e).

Ready to take your language learning to the next level? 🚀

Learning these phrases before you go can help you feel more confident and independent on your travels. Practice a little each day, and you'll be surprised how naturally they start to flow!

If you're looking for an engaging and effective way to build your French skills, check out my new book: Beginners French Language Learning Story: A Hitchhiking Adventure. Tailored for beginner and intermediate learners, it's designed to make learning immersive, fun, and practical.

Follow Vincent and Amélie as they hitchhike from Paris to Switzerland, encountering inspiring characters, real-life conversations, and plenty of useful vocabulary along the way.

If you're planning a trip to a French-speaking country, learning a few key phrases can make all the difference to help you connect with locals and navigate with ease.