Not very well-versed with the language of love? Fret not, as this comprehensive guide to common French terms will ensure you cover the basics. Even though you can technically get by on English in most locations across Paris, conversing in French will enhance your opportunity to talk to locals, gain new experiences, and add a personal touch to your Parisian adventure.

Before hopping on a plane to the City of Lights, join us in exploring some essential French terms and phrases and get your ‘Rrrs’ rolling.

From Normandy to the French Riviera, explore more with our selection of the most beautiful places in France.

Common French terms to know before travelling to France

Salutations in French

From personal experience, Parisians respond well to foreigners using French words for communicating. Even though you may find wait staff and store owners speaking a fair amount of English, starting with French greetings is always a good idea.

Bonjour – Hello
Pronunciation: bohn-zhoor

Au revoir – Goodbye
Pronunciation: oh-rev-vwha

Enchanté – Nice to meet you
Pronunciation: awn-shan-te

Salut – Hi/Bye
Pronunciation: sah-loo

Bon soir – Good evening
Pronunciation: bon-swahr

Au revoir – Goodbye
Pronunciation: oh-ray-vwah

Coucou – Hey there
Pronunciation: soo-soo

Allô – Hello
Pronunciation: ah-low

À plus – See you later.
Pronunciation: ah-ploo

Basic French terms for daily use

Oui – Yes
Pronunciation: we

Non – No
Pronunciation: noh

Excusez-moi – Excuse me
Pronunciation: ex-koo-say-mwa

S’il vous plaît – Please
Pronunciation: seel-voo-play

Merci beaucoup – Thank you very much.
Pronunciation: mer-sē-bō-kü

Pas de quoi – You’re welcome
Pronunciation: Pah-de-kwah

Au secours – Help
Pronunciation: oh-scoor

Parlez-vous anglais? – Do you speak English?
Pronunciation: par-lay-voo-ahn-glay

Je ne comprends pas – I don’t understand.
Pronunciation: zhe-ne-cohmp-ron pas

Je suis malade – I am sick.
Pronunciation: zhuh-swee-mah-lahd

Hier – Yesterday
Pronunciation: ee-ayr

Aujourd’hui – Today
Pronunciation: oh-jord-ooh-ee

Demain – Tomorrow
Pronunciation: du-man

Common French terms that help when travelling

These terms are going to be especially helpful for those planning an independent exploration of Paris, with no guides or audio tours to accompany them.

Check out our guide to some of the best free things to do in Paris.

Où est la gare? – Where is the train station?
Pronunciation: oo-eh-la-gahr?

Où sont les toilettes? – Where are the toilets?
Pronunciation: oo-son-les-twa-let?

Où est l’arrêt de bus? – Where is the bus stop?
Pronunciation: oo-e-la-reh-e-boos

Où est-ce que je peux trouver _? – Where can I find _?
Pronunciation: ooh-ehs-kuh-zhuh-puh-trooh-vey

Comment puis-je aller à _? – How do I get to _?
Pronunciation: come-pwee-zheu-lay-a

Quelle station de métro pour la tour eiffel? – Which metro station for the Eiffel Tower?
Pronunciation: kwel-le-station-d-meteo-poh-lah-tou-reiffel

I used Paris’s Metro/RER services while visiting The Eiffel Tower and highly recommend it for a different yet stunning viewing angle of the iconic structure.

Avez-vous…? – Do you have…?
Pronunciation: ah-vay-voo

Ideal for use at grocery stores and pharmacies, when you know you want something specific. Just add the name of the product at the end.

Quel temps fait-il? – What’s the weather like?
Pronunciation: kell-tomp-fay-teel

Shop the best travel experiences here

Combien ça coûte? – How much does it cost?
Pronunciation: cohm-by-en-sah-coot

Something caught your eye? Ask for the price using this phrase.

Qu’est-ce que vous recommandez/suggérez? – What would you suggest?
Pronunciation: kehs-kuh-vooh-ruh-koh-mahn-dey/sooh-zhey-rey?

Le menu, s’il vous plait – The menu, please.
Pronunciation: luh muh-new-seel-voo-play

Avez-vous L’addition? – Do you have the check?
Pronunciation: ah-vay-voo-ah-di-shyon

Use this phrase at a restaurant to ask for the check/bill after a meal.

Du sel/poivre – Some salt/pepper.
Pronunciation: dew-sehl/pwahv

Ask for extra condiments at eateries using this phrase.

Making introductions in French

Je m’appelle _ – My name is _.
Pronunciation: zhe-mah-pel

Monsieur/Madame – Sir/Madam
Pronunciation: m’syhur/mah-dam

Apart from addressing strangers, you can use this to call out to the restaurant wait staff. The oft-used word ‘garçon’, roughly translated to ‘waiter’, is considered somewhat of an insult.

Comment vous appelez-vous? – What is your name?
Pronunciation: coh-mon-vu-aple-vu

Explore more with the locals’ selection of the best things to do in Paris.

French slang words

These common French terms and words will help you navigate the world of French slang, which you will find aplenty in Paris.

Je ne sais quoi – I don’t know what.
Pronunciation: zhuh-nuh-say-kwah

Toubib – doctor
Pronunciation: two-bib

Ça baigne? – How are you?
Pronunciation: sah-benyuh

Ça march – Ok, it works.
Pronunciation: sah-mak-shh

Must-have mobile phone apps when visiting France

Duolingo

An ideal way to learn common French terms, Duolingo is a free language learning app that offers short lessons for more than 30 languages. It offers on-the-go language classes where you can even test your learning by taking online tests.

Download the Duolingo app on iOS and Google Play.

Bonjour RATP

Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens (RATP) is the official route-planning app for identifying and booking public transportation in Paris. It offers comprehensive information, including best routes, ticket prices, interactive maps, and real-time updates, about the public transit system of Paris, such as the RER trains, buses, metro, and trams. The app is free to download and use. Download the Bonjour RATP app on iOS and Google Play.

WeGo Trip

The perfect app for those looking to explore Paris on their own, WeGo Trip offers self-guided audio tours, skip-the-line tickets, special offers on tickets, offline access, and payment flexibility. The app is free to download and use, but payment is required for downloading audio tours and purchasing tickets. Download the WeGo Trip app for iOS and Google Play.

Citymapper

An easy-to-use public transit app, Citymapper offers transport options and related live details, with turn-by-turn directions, between any two destinations. All urban modes of transport are covered, including walking and cycling, making it easier to plan an itinerary for sightseeing in Paris. Download the Citymapper app for iOS and Google Play.

Here’s our suggested three-day Paris itinerary for your consideration.

Trainline

Trains are a preferred way to travel across France, and the Trainline app is the perfect go-to online platform for searching, comparing, and booking train tickets. A few years ago, I used this app in Paris and found it covered most routes extensively. Booking a train was easy, and my bookings remained at the tip of my finger all the time. Download the Trainline app for iOS and Google Play.

(Feature image credit: Florian Wehde/Unsplash)

Related: From Paris To Provence, These Are The Best Things To Do In France

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

-How do I ask for help or directions in French?
Puis-je avoir des directions pour _? (pronunciation: Pu-jeh-avo-deh-directions) — May I have the directions to _?

-What French words should I know for dining out in France?
A few phrases to help you when dining out include:

• Le menu, s’il vous plait (pronunciation: luh muh-new, seel voo play) — The menu, please.
• Qu’est-ce que vous recommandez/suggérez (pronunciation: kehs-kuh vooh ruh-koh-mahn-dey/sooh-zhey-rey?) — What would you suggest?

-How do I handle shopping and transactions in French?
For shopping and transactions in French, use the following:

• Combien ça coûte? (pronunciation: cohm-by-en sah coot) — How much does it cost?
• Jeveux acheter ça (pronunciation: jeh-veu-achetay-sa) — I want to buy this.

-What are some common French phrases for accommodation and travel?
You can include these common French terms for assistance during accommodation and travel bookings:

• Je voudrais une chamber (pronunciation: zhuh-voodre-u-ne-chyam-buh) — I would like a room.
• Où est la gare? (pronunciation: oo-eh-la-gahr) — Where is the train station?
• Où est l’arrêt de bus? (pronunciation: oo-e-la-reh-e-boos) — Where is the bus stop?
• Où est-ce que je peux trouver _? (pronunciation: ooh-ehs-kuh-zhuh-puh-trooh-vey) — Where can I find _?

-How can I express basic needs and emergencies in French?
For basic needs and emergencies, use the following:

• Au secours (pronunciation: oh-scoor) — Help
• Feu (pronunciation: fuh) — Fire
• Médecin (pronunciation: med-se) — Doctor

-Are there any tips for using French effectively while travelling?
If you don’t know the language, keep a guidebook or language translation app handy.

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