Common French Phrases: 50 Basics Every Beginner Needs
🇫🇷 French · 50 cards · A1 · by Théo Marchand
These are the 50 phrases I'd hand a friend landing in Lyon or Montréal with no French at all: greetings, thank-yous, apologies, ordering food, finding the bathroom, asking someone to slow down. Two things trip beginners up. First, tu and vous: the same phrase changes shape (s'il te plaît / s'il vous plaît), so each card tells you which to use. Second, spoken French swallows the ne: people really say c'est pas grave, je sais pas. I give you the spoken version, because that's what you'll actually hear, with the full form in the note. Where France and Quebec differ, it's flagged. Say every phrase out loud before moving on.
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How to use this deck
Flip through the cards, then switch to Quiz. Tap the play button on any row to hear it. The full table below is there to read, print or copy into your own flashcard app.
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All 50 cards
| # | French | English | Example | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bonjour Used from morning until early evening. In Quebec shops you also hear it on the way out, as a goodbye. | Hello, good morning | Bonjour, une baguette, s'il vous plaît. Hello, one baguette, please. | |
| 2 | Bonsoir From roughly 6 p.m. onwards, said on arrival. | Good evening | Bonsoir, vous avez une table pour deux ? Good evening, do you have a table for two? | |
| 3 | Salut Informal: friends, family, colleagues you know well. Works for both hello and goodbye. | Hi, bye | Salut, ça fait longtemps ! Hi, it's been a while! | |
| 4 | Au revoir Neutral and always safe, with strangers or friends. | Goodbye | Au revoir madame, à la semaine prochaine. Goodbye madam, see you next week. | |
| 5 | À bientôt Vague timing: you expect to meet again but don't know when. | See you soon | Merci pour tout, à bientôt ! Thanks for everything, see you soon! | |
| 6 | À demain Same pattern with any time word: à lundi, à ce soir. | See you tomorrow | Je rentre, à demain au bureau. I'm going home, see you tomorrow at the office. | |
| 7 | À plus tard Informal. Often shortened to à plus, where the s is pronounced. | See you later | Je te rappelle, à plus tard. I'll call you back, see you later. | |
| 8 | Bonne journée Said when parting during the day. Reply: vous aussi / toi aussi. | Have a good day | Voilà votre monnaie, bonne journée ! Here's your change, have a good day! | |
| 9 | Bonne nuit Only when someone is going to bed. When leaving in the evening, say bonne soirée. | Good night | Bonne nuit, dors bien. Good night, sleep well. | |
| 10 | Comment ça va ? Works with both tu and vous. Most people just say ça va ? Formal: comment allez-vous ? | How are you? | Comment ça va depuis ton déménagement ? How have you been since your move? | |
| 11 | Ça va bien, merci Short answers are normal: ça va, or even just oui. | I'm fine, thanks | Oui, ça va bien, merci. Yes, I'm fine, thanks. | |
| 12 | Et toi ? Use et vous ? with strangers or anyone you address as vous. | And you? | Moi ça va, et toi ? I'm doing okay, and you? | |
| 13 | Comment vous appelez-vous ? Formal. Casually people say: tu t'appelles comment ? | What's your name? | Et comment vous appelez-vous, monsieur ? And what's your name, sir? | |
| 14 | Je m'appelle… Literally "I call myself". | My name is… | Je m'appelle Claire, et voici mon frère. My name is Claire, and this is my brother. | |
| 15 | Enchanté Women say enchantée (same pronunciation). Slightly formal; among young people a simple salut is enough. | Nice to meet you | Enchanté, on m'a beaucoup parlé de vous. Nice to meet you, I've heard a lot about you. | |
| 16 | Merci beaucoup Plain merci is perfectly polite on its own. | Thank you very much | Merci beaucoup pour ton aide. Thank you very much for your help. | |
| 17 | De rien Je vous en prie is more formal. In Quebec you'll hear bienvenue, which surprises visitors from France. | You're welcome | De rien, ça m'a fait plaisir. You're welcome, it was my pleasure. | |
| 18 | S'il vous plaît Use s'il te plaît with someone you call tu. | Please | Un verre d'eau, s'il vous plaît. A glass of water, please. | |
| 19 | Excusez-moi The best way to open a question to a stranger. Informal: excuse-moi. | Excuse me | Excusez-moi, je cherche la sortie. Excuse me, I'm looking for the exit. | |
| 20 | Pardon For small bumps and squeezing past people. With a rising tone, Pardon ? means "what did you say?" | Sorry, excuse me | Pardon, je ne vous avais pas vu. Sorry, I didn't see you. | |
| 21 | Je suis désolé Women say and write désolée (same pronunciation). Désolé on its own is very common. | I'm sorry | Je suis désolé, mon train a eu du retard. I'm sorry, my train was delayed. | |
| 22 | C'est pas grave Informal spoken form of ce n'est pas grave; the ne disappears in speech. T'inquiète = ne t'inquiète pas. | It's okay, no worries | T'inquiète, c'est pas grave. Don't worry, it's no big deal. | |
| 23 | D'accord OK is just as common in both France and Quebec. | Okay, agreed | D'accord, on se retrouve à midi. Okay, let's meet at noon. | |
| 24 | Bien sûr | Of course | Bien sûr, prends ma voiture. Of course, take my car. | |
| 25 | Peut-être Before a clause, add que: peut-être qu'il… | Maybe, perhaps | Peut-être qu'il va pleuvoir demain. Maybe it'll rain tomorrow. | |
| 26 | Pas de problème | No problem | Pas de problème, je m'en occupe. No problem, I'll take care of it. | |
| 27 | Ça marche Informal, used everywhere in France and Quebec. Literally "it works". | Sounds good, that works | Ça marche, je t'envoie l'adresse. Sounds good, I'll send you the address. | |
| 28 | Je ne sais pas In speech: je sais pas, often crushed to chais pas. | I don't know | Je ne sais pas encore, on verra. I don't know yet, we'll see. | |
| 29 | Je ne comprends pas Spoken: je comprends pas. | I don't understand | Attendez, je ne comprends pas bien. Wait, I don't really understand. | |
| 30 | Vous parlez anglais ? A rising tone turns the statement into a question; no need for est-ce que. | Do you speak English? | Vous parlez anglais ? Je parle très mal français. Do you speak English? My French is very poor. | |
| 31 | Je parle un peu français No article before the language after parler. | I speak a little French | Je parle un peu français, mais pas très bien. I speak a little French, but not very well. | |
| 32 | Pouvez-vous répéter, s'il vous plaît ? Informal version: tu peux répéter ? | Can you repeat that, please? | Pouvez-vous répéter, s'il vous plaît ? Je n'ai pas bien entendu. Can you repeat that, please? I didn't hear you properly. | |
| 33 | Parlez plus lentement, s'il vous plaît Also heard: moins vite, s'il vous plaît. Informal: parle plus lentement. | Please speak more slowly | Parlez plus lentement, s'il vous plaît, je débute en français. Please speak more slowly, I'm a beginner in French. | |
| 34 | Comment dit-on … en français ? Casual alternative: ça se dit comment en français ? | How do you say … in French? | Comment dit-on « spoon » en français ? How do you say "spoon" in French? | |
| 35 | Qu'est-ce que c'est ? Very common spoken version: c'est quoi ? | What is it?, what's that? | Qu'est-ce que c'est, ce bruit ? What's that noise? | |
| 36 | Je voudrais… The polite way to order. Je veux sounds blunt to a shopkeeper. | I would like… | Je voudrais deux croissants, s'il vous plaît. I'd like two croissants, please. | |
| 37 | Combien ça coûte ? C'est combien ? is shorter and even more frequent. | How much does it cost? | Il est joli, ce sac. Combien ça coûte ? This bag is nice. How much does it cost? | |
| 38 | L'addition, s'il vous plaît In Quebec restaurants you'll also hear la facture, s'il vous plaît. | The bill, please | L'addition, s'il vous plaît, on est un peu pressés. The bill, please, we're a bit in a hurry. | |
| 39 | Où sont les toilettes ? Always plural: les toilettes. In Quebec, la salle de bain is very common, even in a restaurant. | Where are the toilets? | Pardon, où sont les toilettes ? Excuse me, where are the toilets? | |
| 40 | Où est la gare ? Swap in any place: où est la pharmacie / l'hôtel ? | Where is the train station? | Où est la gare ? C'est loin d'ici ? Where's the station? Is it far from here? | |
| 41 | Je suis perdu Women say je suis perdue (same pronunciation). | I'm lost | Je suis perdu, pouvez-vous m'aider ? I'm lost, can you help me? | |
| 42 | Au secours ! For real emergencies only. À l'aide ! is more formal and rare in speech. | Help! | Au secours ! Quelqu'un est tombé à l'eau. Help! Someone fell in the water. | |
| 43 | J'ai faim Literally "I have hunger": French uses avoir, not être. | I'm hungry | J'ai faim, on mange bientôt ? I'm hungry, are we eating soon? | |
| 44 | J'ai soif Same avoir pattern as j'ai faim. | I'm thirsty | Il fait chaud et j'ai soif. It's hot and I'm thirsty. | |
| 45 | Je suis fatigué Women: fatiguée (same pronunciation). Informal and stronger: je suis crevé. | I'm tired | Je suis fatigué, je vais me coucher. I'm tired, I'm going to bed. | |
| 46 | Quelle heure est-il ? Everyday spoken form: il est quelle heure ? | What time is it? | Quelle heure est-il ? J'ai oublié ma montre. What time is it? I forgot my watch. | |
| 47 | Bon appétit Said before eating, including to strangers at the next table. | Enjoy your meal | Bon appétit, tout le monde ! Enjoy your meal, everyone! | |
| 48 | Santé ! The standard toast; literally "health". Playful version: tchin-tchin. | Cheers! | Santé ! À ton nouvel appartement. Cheers! To your new apartment. | |
| 49 | C'est délicieux Also very common: c'est très bon. | It's delicious | C'est délicieux, tu me donnes la recette ? It's delicious, will you give me the recipe? | |
| 50 | Bonne chance Among friends you may hear merde ! as a superstitious good luck (vulgar literally, but standard before exams and on stage). | Good luck | Bonne chance pour ton examen demain ! Good luck for your exam tomorrow! |
Théo Marchand
Native French · Speaks English, Spanish
Born in Lyon, living in Montréal. I write the phrases the way people actually say them on both sides of the Atlantic and mark the difference when it matters.
Published
Questions about this deck
- Should I use tu or vous with these French phrases?
- Use vous with strangers, shop staff, officials and anyone older or senior: excusez-moi, s'il vous plaît, pouvez-vous répéter ?, comment vous appelez-vous ? Use tu with friends, family, children and usually colleagues your own age: s'il te plaît, et toi ?, tu peux répéter ? In Quebec people switch to tu faster than in France, but vous is never wrong at a first meeting.
- How do I answer merci in French?
- De rien is the everyday answer in France. Je vous en prie is more formal and typical in shops and hotels. In Quebec, bienvenue is the standard reply to merci, which puzzles European French speakers. Il n'y a pas de quoi and pas de problème work on both sides of the Atlantic.
- Why does this deck say c'est pas grave instead of ce n'est pas grave?
- In spoken French the ne of the negation is almost always dropped, and ce reduces to c'. So people say c'est pas grave, je sais pas, je comprends pas. The full forms with ne are correct and expected in writing and formal speech, but if you only learn those you won't recognise what you actually hear.
- Which of these phrases sound different in Quebec?
- Four to watch: bienvenue is used instead of de rien after merci; la facture often replaces l'addition in restaurants; la salle de bain is very common where France says les toilettes; and bonjour serves both when you walk into a shop and when you walk out. Everything else in this deck is understood the same way in France, Belgium, Switzerland and Canada.
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