First French Phrases to Start Conversations TodayStarting a conversation in French can feel both exciting and intimidating. Whether you’re traveling to a French-speaking country, meeting French-speaking friends, or simply practicing a new language, having a set of reliable phrases on hand makes it much easier to break the ice. This article gives you practical, everyday expressions, pronunciation tips, cultural notes, and quick practice exercises so you can begin speaking with confidence today.
Why start with phrases, not just words?
Phrases give you ready-made building blocks that work in real situations. While vocabulary is important, phrases help you:
- Sound natural and avoid awkward literal translations.
- Manage conversation flow — greetings, polite responses, and follow-up questions.
- Express politeness, which is especially important in French-speaking cultures.
Basic greetings and polite expressions
These are the most essential phrases to begin any interaction.
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Bonjour — Hello / Good morning
Pronunciation tip: BON-zhoor (the “r” is soft, almost at the back of the throat). Use until late afternoon. -
Bonsoir — Good evening
Use from late afternoon/night. Pronunciation: bon-SWAR. -
Salut — Hi / Bye (informal)
Friendly and casual. Pronunciation: sah-LOO. -
Ça va? — How are you? / Are you okay?
Very common; can be used formally or informally depending on tone. Pronunciation: sah vah? -
Ça va bien, merci. — I’m fine, thanks.
Pronunciation: sah vah byan, mehr-see. -
S’il vous plaît / S’il te plaît — Please (formal / informal)
Formal: seel voo pleh. Informal: seel tuh pleh. -
Merci / Merci beaucoup — Thank you / Thank you very much
Pronunciation: mehr-see / mehr-see boh-koo. -
Excusez-moi / Pardon — Excuse me / Sorry (formal)
Formal: ex-kew-zay mwah. Pardon is also very common for “sorry” or “excuse me.”
Introductions: saying your name and asking theirs
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Je m’appelle [Name]. — My name is [Name].
Pronunciation: zhuh mah-pell [Name]. -
Comment vous appelez-vous? / Comment tu t’appelles? — What is your name? (formal / informal)
Formal: koh-mohn voo zah-peh-lay voo? Informal: koh-mohn too tah-pell? -
Enchanté(e). — Nice to meet you.
Pronunciation: on-shon-tay. Add the extra “e” sound at the end if you’re female and want to reflect gender in writing/intonation (pronunciation generally stays the same). -
D’où venez-vous? / Tu viens d’où? — Where are you from? (formal / informal)
Formal: doo vuh-nay voo? Informal: too vee-ahn doo? -
Je viens de [Country/City]. — I’m from [Country/City].
Pronunciation: zhuh vee-ahn duh [Place].
Small talk starters
Small talk helps conversations flow beyond introductions.
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Qu’est-ce que vous faites dans la vie? / Tu fais quoi dans la vie? — What do you do for a living? (formal / informal)
Formal: kes kuh voo feht dahn lah vee? Informal: too feh kwah dahn lah vee? -
Quel âge avez-vous? / Tu as quel âge? — How old are you? (formal / informal)
Formal: kel ahzh ah-vay voo? Informal: too ah kel ahzh? -
Vous aimez la ville? / Tu aimes la ville? — Do you like the city?
Pronunciation: voo zem lah veel? / too em lah veel? -
Il fait beau aujourd’hui, non? — It’s nice weather today, isn’t it?
Pronunciation: eel feh boh oh-zhoor-dwee, nohn?
Asking for help or information
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Où est…? — Where is…?
Pronunciation: oo eh? Example: Où est la gare? — Where is the train station? -
Pouvez-vous m’aider? / Tu peux m’aider? — Can you help me? (formal / informal)
Formal: poo-vay voo meh-day? Informal: too puh may-day? -
Combien ça coûte? — How much does it cost?
Pronunciation: kohm-byen sah koot? -
Parlez-vous anglais? / Tu parles anglais? — Do you speak English? (formal / informal)
Formal: par-lay voo ahn-glay? Informal: too parl ahn-glay? -
Je ne comprends pas. — I don’t understand.
Pronunciation: zhuh nuh kom-prahnd pah.
Dining and shopping phrases
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La carte, s’il vous plaît. — The menu, please.
Pronunciation: lah kart, seel voo pleh. -
L’addition, s’il vous plaît. — The check, please.
Pronunciation: lah-dee-syon, seel voo pleh. -
Je voudrais… — I would like…
Pronunciation: zhuh voo-dray… -
C’est délicieux! — It’s delicious!
Pronunciation: say day-lee-syu. -
Avez-vous ceci en taille [S/M/L]? — Do you have this in size [S/M/L]?
Pronunciation: ah-vay voo suh-see ahn tie?
Politeness and formality: when to use vous vs. tu
French distinguishes formal (vous) and informal (tu). Use vous with strangers, older people, or in professional contexts. Use tu with friends, family, or people who invite you to use it. If unsure, start with vous — it’s safer and shows respect.
Pronunciation quick tips
- The final consonant is often silent: “parlez” sounds like par-lay (not par-lez).
- Nasal vowels (an, on, un) are pronounced by letting air resonate in the nose: “bonjour” has a nasal “on.”
- The French “r” is guttural and produced at the back of the throat — don’t worry if it’s soft at first.
Practice mini-dialogue (beginner level)
Person A: Bonjour!
Person B: Bonjour. Ça va?
Person A: Ça va bien, merci. Et vous?
Person B: Très bien, merci. Comment vous appelez-vous?
Person A: Je m’appelle Anna. Enchantée.
Person B: Enchanté. Vous venez d’où?
Person A: Je viens des États-Unis. Et vous?
Person B: Je viens de France.
Quick practice exercises
- Replace the names and countries in the mini-dialogue with your own details; say it aloud five times.
- Walk through a pretend café order: greet, ask for the menu, order, ask for the check.
- Record yourself saying three greetings and one question, then play it back and compare to a native speaker (use an app like Forvo or a language tool).
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using tu too soon — stick with vous in formal settings until invited to use tu.
- Translating word-for-word from English — French has its own idioms and structure.
- Ignoring accents — accents change meaning (e.g., “ou” vs “où”).
Final tips to build confidence quickly
- Learn 10–15 phrases and use them every day. Repetition beats perfection.
- Practice aloud; speaking trains muscle memory.
- When you make mistakes, keep going — most French speakers appreciate the effort.
Bold fact: Bonjour is a safe, universally appropriate greeting to start most French conversations.
Good luck — say one phrase aloud right now and you’ve already started.