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French Words and Phrases

French Words & Phrases For Travelers To Know

Bonjour! Are you planning a trip to France soon? You are more than likely to have a wonderful and enchanted time filled with delectable food and rich culture. However, knowing some basic words and phrases in French will help you get by your first visit, so note down the essentials in this article to make your next trip a little smoother!

Basic Greetings and Politeness

  1. Bonjour (bohn-zhoor) – Hello / Good morning
  2. Bonsoir (bohn-swahr) – Good evening
  3. Salut (sah-loo) – Hi / Bye (informal)
  4. Au revoir (oh ruh-vwahr) – Goodbye
  5. S’il vous plaît (seel voo pleh) – Please
  6. Merci (mehr-see) – Thank you
  7. Merci beaucoup (mehr-see boh-koo) – Thank you very much
  8. De rien (duh ree-ehn) – You’re welcome
  9. Excusez-moi (ehk-skew-zay mwah) – Excuse me

Essential Phrases for Navigation

  1. Où est…? (oo eh) – Where is…?
    • Example: Où est la gare? (oo eh lah gahr?) – Where is the train station?
  2. Je cherche… (zhuh sher-sh) – I am looking for…
    • Example: Je cherche un hôtel. (zhuh sher-sh uhn oh-tehl) – I am looking for a hotel.
  3. À gauche (ah gohsh) – To the left
  4. À droite (ah drwaht) – To the right
  5. Tout droit (too drwah) – Straight ahead
  6. Près de (preh duh) – Near
  7. Loin de (lwahn duh) – Far from

Dining and Ordering Food

  1. Je voudrais… (zhuh voo-dray) – I would like…
    • Example: Je voudrais un café. (zhuh voo-dray uhn kah-fay) – I would like a coffee.
  2. L’addition, s’il vous plaît. (lah-dee-syon, seel voo pleh) – The bill, please.
  3. Un verre de vin (uhn vehr duh vahn) – A glass of wine
  4. De l’eau (duh loh) – Some water
  5. Sans gluten (sahn gloo-tehn) – Gluten-free
  6. Végétarien / Végétarienne (veh-zhay-tah-ryehn / veh-zhay-tah-ryehn) – Vegetarian (male/female)
  7. Pouvez-vous recommander…? (poo-vay voo ruh-koh-mahn-day) – Can you recommend…?
    • Example: Pouvez-vous recommander un plat local? (poo-vay voo ruh-koh-mahn-day uhn plah loh-kahl?) – Can you recommend a local dish?

Shopping and Money

  1. Combien ça coûte? (kohm-byen sah koot) – How much does it cost?
  2. C’est trop cher. (seh troh shehr) – It’s too expensive.
  3. Avez-vous…? (ah-vay voo) – Do you have…?
    • Example: Avez-vous une carte de crédit? (ah-vay voo uhn kahrt duh cray-dee?) – Do you take credit cards?
  4. Je voudrais acheter… (zhuh voo-dray ah-shuh-tay) – I would like to buy…
    • Example: Je voudrais acheter ce souvenir. (zhuh voo-dray ah-shuh-tay suh soo-vuh-neer) – I would like to buy this souvenir.
  5. Un reçu, s’il vous plaît. (uhn ruh-syoo, seel voo pleh) – A receipt, please.

Emergencies and Help

  1. Aidez-moi! (eh-deh mwah) – Help me!
  2. J’ai besoin d’aide. (zhay buh-zwan dehd) – I need help.
  3. Appellez la police! (ah-pehl-ay lah poh-lees) – Call the police!
  4. Où est l’hôpital? (oo eh loh-pee-tal) – Where is the hospital?
  5. Je suis perdu(e). (zhuh swee pehr-doo) – I am lost.

Conversational Phrases

  1. Parlez-vous anglais? (par-lay voo ahn-glay?) – Do you speak English?
  2. Je ne parle pas bien français. (zhuh nuh parl pah byen frahn-say) – I don’t speak French well.
  3. Pouvez-vous répéter? (poo-vay voo ray-pay-tay?) – Can you repeat?
  4. Comment vous appelez-vous? (koh-mahn voo zah-peh-lay voo?) – What is your name?
  5. Je m’appelle… (zhuh mah-pehl) – My name is…
  6. Enchanté(e). (ahn-shahn-tay) – Nice to meet you.

Conclusion

While learning a few phrases may not make you fluent, it will certainly enhance your experience and help you feel more comfortable during your travels in France. Locals appreciate the effort and are often more willing to assist if they see you trying to speak their language. Bon voyage et amusez-vous bien! (Have a great trip and have fun!)