100 Common French Phrases for Everyday Conversation
The most useful French phrases for greetings, travel, restaurants, and small talk — with pronunciation tips and when to use each one.
Why phrases matter more than single words
When you start learning French, it's tempting to memorize lists of isolated words. But conversation doesn't happen one word at a time — it happens in chunks. Learning whole phrases gives you working sentences from day one, and trains your ear to recognize how French actually flows.
The 100 phrases below cover the situations beginners encounter first: greetings, polite requests, ordering food, asking directions, and small talk. Learn ten a day for two weeks and you'll handle most everyday encounters in France.
Greetings and goodbyes
Start every interaction with a greeting — French speakers consider it borderline rude to skip this step, even in shops.
- Bonjour — Hello / Good morning · Used until evening
- Bonsoir — Good evening · From around 6pm
- Salut — Hi / Bye · Informal, friends only
- Au revoir — Goodbye
- À bientôt — See you soon
- À demain — See you tomorrow
- Bonne journée — Have a good day
- Bonne soirée — Have a good evening
- Bonne nuit — Good night · Only before sleep
- Enchanté(e) — Pleased to meet you
Polite essentials
These five phrases will get you further in France than a thousand vocabulary words.
- S'il vous plaît — Please (formal)
- S'il te plaît — Please (informal)
- Merci — Thank you
- Merci beaucoup — Thank you very much
- De rien — You're welcome
- Je vous en prie — You're welcome (formal)
- Excusez-moi — Excuse me (formal)
- Pardon — Sorry / Excuse me
- Désolé(e) — Sorry
Small talk
Once you've said bonjour, these phrases keep the conversation going.
- Comment ça va ? — How are you?
- Ça va bien, merci — I'm well, thanks
- Et vous ? — And you? (formal)
- Et toi ? — And you? (informal)
- Comment vous appelez-vous ? — What's your name? (formal)
- Je m'appelle… — My name is…
- D'où venez-vous ? — Where are you from?
- Je viens de… — I'm from…
- Quel âge avez-vous ? — How old are you?
- J'ai … ans — I'm … years old
When you don't understand
These are the phrases that save every beginner. Use them shamelessly.
- Je ne comprends pas — I don't understand
- Pouvez-vous répéter ? — Can you repeat?
- Parlez plus lentement, s'il vous plaît — Speak more slowly, please
- Parlez-vous anglais ? — Do you speak English?
- Comment dit-on … en français ? — How do you say … in French?
- Qu'est-ce que ça veut dire ? — What does that mean?
- Je ne sais pas — I don't know
- Je ne parle pas bien français — I don't speak French well
At a restaurant or café
French restaurants follow a specific script. These phrases follow it too.
- Une table pour deux, s'il vous plaît — A table for two, please
- La carte, s'il vous plaît — The menu, please
- Qu'est-ce que vous recommandez ? — What do you recommend?
- Je voudrais… — I would like…
- Je vais prendre… — I'll have…
- Un café, s'il vous plaît — A coffee, please
- Une carafe d'eau — A pitcher of (tap) water
- L'addition, s'il vous plaît — The bill, please
- C'était délicieux — It was delicious
Shopping and money
From boulangeries to markets — these are the workhorses.
- Combien ça coûte ? — How much does it cost?
- C'est combien ? — How much is it?
- C'est trop cher — It's too expensive
- Je voudrais celui-ci — I'd like this one
- Vous acceptez la carte ? — Do you accept card?
- Je regarde, merci — I'm just looking, thanks
- Avez-vous… ? — Do you have…?
Directions and travel
Lost in Paris? These will get you home.
- Où est… ? — Where is…?
- Où sont les toilettes ? — Where are the toilets?
- Comment aller à… ? — How do I get to…?
- C'est loin ? — Is it far?
- C'est près d'ici — It's near here
- À gauche — On the left
- À droite — On the right
- Tout droit — Straight ahead
- Je suis perdu(e) — I'm lost
How to actually remember these
Don't try to memorize all 100 at once. Pick the 10 phrases you'd use most in the next week and rehearse them out loud until they feel automatic. Then add 10 more.
The fastest way to lock phrases in is to use them in context — read French passages where these phrases appear in real situations. Each phrase you encounter twice in a story is worth ten flashcard reviews.