20 phrases you need to know to talk to a local in France

Knowing a few words in the local language goes a long way when you’re in a foreign country. Being able to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’, as well as being able to greet in the native tongue is appreciated by the locals. This is particularly true for visitors to France.

The French are deeply proud of their language and happy when they hear visitors to their country try to say a few words. We’ve prepared a handy phrases and pronunciation guide to help you have more of a 'je-ne-sais-quoi' to you than a 'je-ne-sais-pas' when you arrive in France!

From greeting your homestay host, to evening chat-up lines, we have the vocab to help you make the most of your time in France. The bold writing is French and the words in square brackets are a pronunciation guide, as French can at times look different to how it sounds. All that's left is to say is, bonne chance and get practicing.

1. Hello – Bonjour [bon-jure]
2. Goodbye – Au Revoir [o-rev-wah]
3. Yes – Oui [wee]
4. No – Non [non]
5. Please – S’il vous plaît [si vu play]
6. Thank you – Merci [mercy]
7. My address is... – Mon adresse est [ mon address ey]
8. How much is... – Combien coûte… [com-bien cou-te]
9. Can I please have... – S’il vous plait, donnez-moi… [si vu play, don-ay moi]
10. I would like a beer / water please – Je voudrais une bière/ d’eau s’il vous plait [je vu-dray oon bi-air/ d’oh si vu play]
11. I really like your house – J’aime bien votre maison [jaim bien votreh may-son]
12. France is a very beautiful country! – La France est un très beau pays [la Fronce et un tray bow pay-ee]
13. I can only speak a small bit of French – Je ne parle qu’un petit peu de français [je ne parl k’un pet-ee puh de fran-say]
14. What is the best part of the city for bars / restaurants? – Quel est le meilleur quartier de la ville pour les bars/ les restos? [kel ey le mey-eur kart-ee-ay de la vill pour lay bar/ lay resto]
15. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten – Un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq, six, sept, huit, neuf, dix [un, duh, twah, katre, cink, sis, set, wheat, nuf, dis
16. Do you come here often? – Vous venez souvent ici? [vu ven-ay su-vent ee-see?]
17. Is this seat taken? – Ce siège est-il occupé? [ce si-ejuh ate-il occ-oo-pay ?]
18. Help... I’m lost! – Je suis perdu (man) / Je suis perdue (woman) [je suiy per-du]
19. Where is the train station / bus station / toilet? – Où est la gare/ gare routière/ Où sont les toilettes ? [oo ey la gare/ gare rou-tee-air/ oo son lay toil-ette ?]
20. Have a nice day! – Bonne journée! [bonne jour-nay!]

Check out our homestays in France.

Photo courtesy of Môsieur J. [version 9.1].