Useful French Phrases for Travellers: Travelling to
As you prepare for your vacation to France, it’s important that you learn basic French. After all, you’re going to be put in certain situations where people might not speak English.
Here are some useful French phrases for travellers to know. These popular French phrases will help you navigate throughout France with ease.
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Some Useful French Phrases for Travellers
English | French | Pronunciation |
---|---|---|
Greetings | ||
Hello | Salut | sah-loo |
Good morning | Bonjour | bohn-jur |
Good evening | Bonsoir | bohn-swah |
Good night | Bonne nuit | bohn nwee |
Goodbye | Au revoir | oh rev-war |
How are you? | Comment allez-vous? | kohm-mohn ahl-leh-voo |
I’m well, and you? | Ça va bien, et vous? | sa va byen, eh voo |
Good, thanks | Ça va bien, merci | sa va byen, mer-see |
Essentials | ||
Please | S’il vous plaît | sil voo pleh |
Thank you | Merci | mer-see |
You’re welcome | De rien | deh ree-en |
Yes | Oui | wee |
No | No | noh |
Excuse me | Pardonnez-moi | par-don-eh-mwah |
I’m sorry | Je suis désolé | jeh swee deh-zol-leh |
I don’t understand | Je ne comprends pas | jehn kom-pron pah |
Do you speak English? | Parlez-vous anglais? | par-leh-voo on-gleh |
Questions | ||
How much is…? | Combien coûte? | kohm-byen koot |
Where is…? | Où c’est? | oo seht? |
When? | Quand? | kohn |
May I please have…? | Est-ce que je pourrais avoir…? | es-kerh jeh poo-ray av-war |
Eating Out | ||
Beer | Bière | byair |
Wine | Vin | vahn |
Water | Eau | oh |
I don’t eat… | Je ne mange pas de…. | jehn monj pah |
I’m a vegetarian | Je suis végétarien (masc.) / végétarienne (fem.) | je swee ve-jeh-tair-ree-an / ve-jeh-tair-ree-en |
the bill, please | L’addition, s’il vous plaît | lah-dee-zyon, sil voo pleh |
Getting Around | ||
Left | Gauche | gawsh |
Right | Droite | drwah |
Straight ahead | Tout droite | too dwat |
Turn left | Tournez à gauche | tor-ney ah gawsh |
Turn right | Tournez à droite | tor-ney ah drwat |
Bus stop | Arrêt de bus | ah-ret deh boos |
Train station | Gare | gaar |
Airport | Aéroport | ah-eh-ro-por |
Entrance | Entrée | ohn-treh |
Exit | Sortie | sor-tee |
Numbers | ||
1 | un | uhn |
2 | deux | durh |
3 | trois | twah |
4 | quatre | kahtre |
5 | cinque | sahnk |
6 | six | sees |
7 | sept | set |
8 | huit | weet |
9 | neuf | nurf |
10 | dix | dees |
20 | vingt | vahn |
30 | trente | tront |
40 | quarante | ka-ront |
50 | cinquante | sank-ont |
60 | soixante | swa-sont |
70** | soixante-dix | swa-sont-dees |
80** | quatre-vingt | kahr-ra-vahn |
90** | quatre-vingt-dix | kahr-ra-vahn-dees |
100 | cent | sohn |
Days | ||
Monday | lundi | luhn-dee |
Tuesday | mardi | mahr-dee |
Wednesday | mercredi | mehr-kruh-dee |
Thursday | jeudi | zhuh-dee |
Friday | vendredi | vahn-druh-dee |
Saturday | samedi | sahm-dee |
Sunday | Dimanche | dee-mahnsh |
Emergencies | ||
Help! | À l’aide! | ah led |
I need a doctor | J’ai besoin d’un médicin | jay bez-wahn dohn meh-deh-sahn |
I don’t feel well | Je ne me sens pas bien | jeh neh meh sahn pah byen |
Call the police! | Appelez la police! | ap-leh lah po-lees |
Fire! | Au Feu! | au fur |
**There are a few places that use unique words for the numbers 70 (septante) and 90 (nonante), such as Belgium and Switzerland. With the numbers 80 to 89, combine the number 4, the number 20, and the ones.
For example, in French 80 is four 20s, 81 is four 20s plus 1, and so forth. (Unlike most French-speaking countries, Switzerland actually has a word for the number 80. It’s
Useful French Phrases for Conversation
- Bonjour! (Good morning, hello)
- Bienvenue. (Welcome.)
- Madame/Monsieur/Mademoiselle (Mrs. /Mr. /Miss)
- Pardon,
excusez –moi . (Pardon, excuse me.) - Parlez-vous
anglais ? (Do you speak English ?) - Je
ne parle pas français. (I do not speak French.) - À tout Ã
l’heure ! (See you later !) - Merci/Merci beaucoup. (Thank you/Thank you very much.)
- Au revoir! (Goodbye !)
- De
rien . (You’re welcome.)
Useful French Phrases for Information
- Pourriez-
vous m’aider ? (Can you help me?) - Pourriez-
vous prendre ma photo/notre photo? (Are you able to take my photo/our photo?) - Je
ne comprends pas. (I do not understand.) - Parlez
lentement ,s’il vous plaît. (Speak slowly, please.) - Répétez,
s’il vous plait. (Repeat, please.) - Où
sont des toilettes? (Where are the toilets?) - Où est un
bon restaurant/unbon café? (Where is a good restaurant/a good café). - Où est la plage/le centre-
ville ? (Where is the beach/city centre.) - Je
cherche le métro/le gare/l’aéroport. (I am searching for the metro/train station/airport.) - Je
cherche l’hôtel/l’hôpital/labanque . (I am searching for the hotel/hospital/bank.) - Useful French Phrases for Directions
- Où
sommes -nous? (Where are we?) - C’est à gauche. (It’s to the left.)
- C’est Ã
droite . (It’s to the right.) - C’est tout
droit . (It’s straight ahead.) - Est-
ce que c’est loin/proche ? (Is it far/close?)
Useful French Phrases for Transportation
- Où est le
guichet ? (Where is the ticket window ?) - Je
voudrais regarderl’horaire . (I would like to look at the schedule.) - Je
voudrais réserver un billet. (I would like to reserve a ticket.) - Je
voudrais acheter un billetaller simple/aller –retour pour Paris. (I would like to purchase a one-way ticket/a round-trip ticket.) - À
quelle heure faut -il arriver? (What time should it arrive ?)
Useful French Phrases for Accommodations
- Quelles chambres
avez –vous dedisponible ? (What rooms do you have available ?) - Est-
ce qu’il y a de climatisation? (Is there air conditioning ?) - Je voudrais une chambre pour
deux . (I would like a double room.) - Je
voudrais annuler ma réservation. (I would like to cancel my reservation.) - À
quelle heure est-ce qu’il faut régler la note? (At what time should we check out?)
Useful French Phrases for Shopping
- Où
sont les magasins ? (Where are the shops?) - Où est le centre-commercial? (Where is the mall?)
- Est-
ce que je peux payeravec une carte de crédit? (Can I pay with a credit card?) - À
quelle heure est-ce que s’est ouvert? (At what time is it open?) - À
quelle heure est-ce que s’est fermé? (At what time is it closed?) - Je
cherche un sac/une cartepostale /un livre. (I am searching for a bag/a postcard/a book.) - Combien ça coûte? (How much does it cost?)
- C’est
trop cher ! (It’s too expensive!) - C’est
bon marché! (It’s a great deal!) - C’est
bon /mal/terrible. (It’s good/bad/terrible.)
Useful French Phrases for Dining
- La carte/le menu,
s’il vous plaît. (The menu/fixed-price menu, please.) - Je
voudrais un café. (I would like a coffee.) - Je
voudrais unverre . (I would like a glass.) *usually a glass of beer - Je
voudrais del’eau . (I would like some water.) - L’addition,
s’il vous plaît. (The bill, please.)
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Familiarize yourself with these popular French phrases before your big trip to France. The best way to immerse yourself in the French travel experience is to fully immerse yourself in conversations with locals and fellow tourists.