100+ Popular French Phrases Every Learner Should Know

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On my first week in Paris, I survived on exactly three phrases: bonjour /bɔ̃.ʒuʁ/, pardon /paʁ.dɔ̃/, and the panicked désolé /de.zɔ.le/ I yelled every time I bumped into someone on the métro.

Then one day a baker smiled and said:

Ça marche ? /sa maʁʃ/ — “Sound good?”

I had no idea what he meant, so I just repeated it back like a confused parrot. He laughed, gave me an extra piece of baguette, and that was the moment I realised: real-life French is built on a small toolbox of super common phrases that go way beyond textbook dialogues.

This guide gives you 100+ popular French phrases you’ll hear all the time in France: greetings, small talk, cafés, trains, awkward apologies, and those little fillers that make you sound human, not like a phrasebook robot.

Quick Primer: Tu, Vous, And French Politeness

Before you start throwing phrases around, two small but important points.

tu /ty/ vs vous /vu/:

  • tu — singular “you”, informal (friends, kids, people your age in casual settings)
  • vous — formal “you” OR plural “you all”

In shops, offices, and with strangers, start with vous. Some people will later say: On peut se tutoyer ? /ɔ̃ pø sə ty.twa.je/ — “Can we use tu?” That’s your signal to relax.

Also, French loves polite “padding”:

  • s’il vous plaît /sil vu plɛ/ — please (formal)
  • s’il te plaît /sil tə plɛ/ — please (informal)
  • bonjour /bɔ̃.ʒuʁ/ almost always comes before any request.

With those basics in your pocket, the rest of the phrases drop into place.

Everyday Greetings And Basic Phrases

These are the first words out of people’s mouths all day long.

French | IPA | English
Bonjour | /bɔ̃.ʒuʁ/ | hello, good morning/afternoon
Salut | /sa.ly/ | hi, bye (informal)
Bonsoir | /bɔ̃.swaʁ/ | good evening
Bonne nuit | /bɔn nɥi/ | good night (before sleeping)
Au revoir | /o ʁə.vwaʁ/ | goodbye
À bientôt | /a bjɛ̃.to/ | see you soon
À plus tard | /a ply taʁ/ | see you later
À demain | /a də.mɛ̃/ | see you tomorrow
Enchanté(e) | /ɑ̃.ʃɑ̃.te/ | nice to meet you
Comment ça va ? | /kɔ.mɑ̃ sa va/ | how are you? (neutral)
Ça va ? | /sa va/ | you good? / how’s it going?
Ça va bien, merci. | /sa va bjɛ̃ mɛʁ.si/ | I’m fine, thank you.
Et toi ? | /e twa/ | and you? (informal)
Et vous ? | /e vu/ | and you? (formal)

Usage note:
Ça va ? is incredibly flexible. With the right tone it can mean “How are you?”, “Everything okay?” or “You sure about this?” You’ll hear it constantly.

Polite Essentials: Please, Thank You, Sorry

These keep you alive in bakeries, trains, and crowded bars.

French | IPA | English
S’il vous plaît. | /sil vu plɛ/ | please (formal)
S’il te plaît. | /sil tə plɛ/ | please (informal)
Merci. | /mɛʁ.si/ | thank you
Merci beaucoup. | /mɛʁ.si bo.ku/ | thank you very much
De rien. | /də ʁjɛ̃/ | you’re welcome (literally “of nothing”)
Avec plaisir. | /a.vɛk ple.ziʁ/ | my pleasure / gladly
Pardon. | /paʁ.dɔ̃/ | excuse me / sorry (small things)
Excusez-moi. | /ɛk.sky.ze mwa/ | excuse me (formal)
Je suis désolé(e). | /ʒə sɥi de.zɔ.le/ | I’m sorry
Pas de problème. | /pa də pʁɔ.blɛm/ | no problem
Ce n’est pas grave. | /sə nɛ pa ɡʁav/ | it’s not a big deal
Merci pour votre aide. | /mɛʁ.si puʁ vɔ.tʁ‿ɛd/ | thanks for your help
Je vous en prie. | /ʒə vu zɑ̃ pʁi/ | you’re welcome (formal/polite)
Je t’en prie. | /ʒə tɑ̃ pʁi/ | you’re welcome (informal)

Usage note:
To squeeze past people on the métro or in a café, a polite Pardon plus a half-smile works better than any advanced grammar.

Small Talk And Getting To Know People

These phrases carry you through light conversations without feeling stuck.

French | IPA | English
Comment tu t’appelles ? | /kɔ.mɑ̃ ty ta.pɛl/ | what’s your name? (informal)
Comment vous vous appelez ? | /kɔ.mɑ̃ vu vu za.pə.le/ | what’s your name? (formal)
Je m’appelle… | /ʒə ma.pɛl/ | my name is…
Tu viens d’où ? | /ty vjɛ̃ du/ | where are you from? (informal)
Vous venez d’où ? | /vu və.ne du/ | where are you from? (formal)
Je viens de Londres. | /ʒə vjɛ̃ də lɔ̃dʁ/ | I’m from London.
Tu fais quoi dans la vie ? | /ty fe kwa dɑ̃ la vi/ | what do you do (for a living)? informal
Vous faites quoi dans la vie ? | /vu fɛt kwa dɑ̃ la vi/ | what do you do (formal-ish)
Je suis étudiant(e). | /ʒə sɥi e.ty.djɑ̃, e.ty.djɑ̃t/ | I’m a student.
Je travaille dans le marketing. | /ʒə tʁa.vaj dɑ̃ lə maʁ.kə.tiŋ/ | I work in marketing.
Tu habites où ? | /ty a.bit u/ | where do you live? (informal)
J’habite à Paris. | /ʒa.bit a pa.ʁi/ | I live in Paris.
Ça fait combien de temps que… ? | /sa fɛ kɔ̃.bjɛ̃ də tɑ̃ kə/ | how long have you…?
Enchanté(e) de faire ta connaissance. | /ɑ̃.ʃɑ̃.te də fɛʁ ta kɔ.nɛ.sɑ̃s/ | nice to meet you (informal, longer)
Ravi(e) de vous rencontrer. | /ʁa.vi də vu ʁɑ̃.kɔ̃.tʁe/ | delighted to meet you (formal)

Usage note:
Tu fais quoi dans la vie ? is standard small talk; it literally means “What do you do in life?” and sounds much more natural than a direct “What is your job?”

Out And About: Travel, Directions, Shopping

You’ll use these in metros, stations, shops, and whenever you are gloriously lost.

French | IPA | English
Où est la gare ? | /u ɛ la ɡaʁ/ | where is the train station?
Où sont les toilettes ? | /u sɔ̃ le twa.lɛt/ | where is the bathroom?
Je suis perdu(e). | /ʒə sɥi pɛʁ.dy/ | I’m lost.
Vous pouvez m’aider ? | /vu pu.ve m‿e.de/ | can you help me?
Je cherche… | /ʒə ʃɛʁʃ/ | I’m looking for…
C’est loin ? | /sɛ lwɛ̃/ | is it far?
C’est près ? | /sɛ pʁɛ/ | is it close?
À droite. | /a dʁwat/ | to the right
À gauche. | /a ɡoʃ/ | to the left
Tout droit. | /tu dʁwa/ | straight ahead
C’est combien ? | /sɛ kɔ̃.bjɛ̃/ | how much is it?
Vous acceptez la carte ? | /vu za.kɛp.te la kaʁt/ | do you take card?
Je regarde seulement. | /ʒə ʁə.ɡaʁd sœl.mɑ̃/ | I’m just looking.
Je voudrais ça, s’il vous plaît. | /ʒə vud.ʁɛ sa sil vu plɛ/ | I’d like this, please.
Vous avez une autre taille ? | /vu za.ve yn otʁə taj/ | do you have another size?
Vous avez une autre couleur ? | /vu za.ve yn otʁə ku.lœʁ/ | do you have another colour?
Je le prends. | /ʒə lə pʁɑ̃/ | I’ll take it.

Usage note:
If you’re not sure how to pronounce something, you can point and say Ça, s’il vous plaît. Works for pastries, clothes, and dangerous cheeses.

Eating And Drinking: Cafés, Restaurants, Bars

Ordering food is where most learners fall in love with France.

French | IPA | English
Une table pour deux, s’il vous plaît. | /yn tab.lə puʁ dø sil vu plɛ/ | a table for two, please
La carte, s’il vous plaît. | /la kaʁt sil vu plɛ/ | the menu, please
Vous avez des recommandations ? | /vu za.ve de ʁɛ.kɔ.mɑ̃.da.sjɔ̃/ | do you have any recommendations?
Je voudrais un café. | /ʒə vud.ʁɛ œ̃ ka.fe/ | I’d like a coffee.
Un café crème. | /œ̃ ka.fe kʁɛm/ | coffee with milk
Un verre de vin rouge. | /œ̃ vɛʁ də vɛ̃ ʁuʒ/ | a glass of red wine
C’était très bon. | /se.tɛ tʁɛ bɔ̃/ | it was very good
C’est délicieux. | /sɛ de.li.sjø/ | it’s delicious
L’addition, s’il vous plaît. | /la.di.sjɔ̃ sil vu plɛ/ | the bill, please
On partage ? | /ɔ̃ paʁ.taʒ/ | are we splitting (the bill)?
À votre santé ! | /a vɔ.tʁə sɑ̃.te/ | to your health! (cheers, formal/plural)
À la tienne ! | /a la tjɛn/ | cheers (informal)
Sans alcool, s’il vous plaît. | /sɑ̃z‿al.kɔl sil vu plɛ/ | without alcohol, please
C’est trop cher. | /sɛ tʁo ʃɛʁ/ | it’s too expensive
Vous avez quelque chose de végétarien ? | /vu za.ve kɛl.kə ʃoz də ve.ʒe.ta.ʁjɛ̃/ | do you have something vegetarian?

Usage note:
You usually don’t need to say je voudrais every time. Once you’re comfortable, just Un café, s’il vous plaît is perfect French.

Feelings, Reactions, And Filler Phrases

These are the phrases that make you sound natural and expressive.

French | IPA | English
Je suis fatigué(e). | /ʒə sɥi fa.ti.ɡe/ | I’m tired.
J’ai faim. | /ʒe fɛ̃/ | I’m hungry.
J’ai soif. | /ʒe swaf/ | I’m thirsty.
J’ai froid. | /ʒe fʁwa/ | I’m cold.
J’ai chaud. | /ʒe ʃo/ | I’m hot.
C’est génial. | /sɛ ʒe.njal/ | that’s great / awesome
C’est top. | /sɛ tɔp/ | that’s great (very colloquial)
C’est nul. | /sɛ nyl/ | that sucks / that’s lame
C’est pas mal. | /sɛ pa mal/ | not bad
C’est pas possible. | /sɛ pa pɔ.si.bl/ | that can’t be true / no way
Ça marche. | /sa maʁʃ/ | that works / sounds good
Ça ne me dérange pas. | /sa nə mə de.ʁɑ̃ʒ pa/ | I don’t mind
Je ne sais pas. | /ʒə nə sɛ pa/ | I don’t know
On verra. | /ɔ̃ ve.ʁa/ | we’ll see
Pas maintenant. | /pa mɛ̃.tnɑ̃/ | not now
Ça dépend. | /sa de.pɑ̃/ | it depends
On y va ? | /ɔ̃ i va/ | shall we go?
Allez ! | /a.le/ | come on! / let’s go!

Usage note:
Ça marche is extremely common in spoken French. You can use it to confirm plans, agree to suggestions, or show that you understood instructions.

Region Notes: France-Friendly, Widely Understood

Everything above works perfectly in France, especially in Paris and other big cities. A couple of quick notes:

  • In some other French-speaking regions, you might hear local variants or extra slang, but phrases like bonjour, s’il vous plaît, merci, ça va, l’addition, s’il vous plaît are universal.
  • Informal expressions like C’est top, C’est nul, On y va ?, Ça marche are very current in France and widely used among younger and middle-aged speakers.

If in doubt, lean on the more neutral forms; you can always upgrade to slang once your ear gets used to local French.

Mini Dialogues: Popular Phrases In Real Life

Dialogue 1: First Meeting

Salut, comment tu t’appelles ?
/sa.ly kɔ.mɑ̃ ty ta.pɛl/
Hi, what’s your name?

Je m’appelle Alex, et toi ?
/ʒə ma.pɛl a.lɛks e twa/
My name is Alex, and you?

Moi c’est Camille. Enchanté(e).
/mwa sɛ ka.mij ɑ̃.ʃɑ̃.te/
I’m Camille. Nice to meet you.

Enchanté(e), tu viens d’où ?
/ɑ̃.ʃɑ̃.te ty vjɛ̃ du/
Nice to meet you, where are you from?

Dialogue 2: In A Café

Bonjour, une table pour deux, s’il vous plaît.
/bɔ̃.ʒuʁ yn tab.lə puʁ dø sil vu plɛ/
Hello, a table for two, please.

Vous désirez ?
/vu de.zi.ʁe/
What would you like?

Je voudrais un café crème et un verre de vin rouge.
/ʒə vud.ʁɛ œ̃ ka.fe kʁɛm e œ̃ vɛʁ də vɛ̃ ʁuʒ/
I’d like a coffee with milk and a glass of red wine.

Très bien, l’addition sera au bar.
/tʁɛ bjɛ̃ la.di.sjɔ̃ sə.ʁa o baʁ/
Very good, the bill will be at the bar.

Dialogue 3: Asking For Help In The Street

Excusez-moi, vous pouvez m’aider ?
/ɛk.sky.ze mwa vu pu.ve m‿e.de/
Excuse me, can you help me?

Bien sûr, qu’est-ce que vous cherchez ?
/bjɛ̃ syʁ kɛs kə vu ʃɛʁ.ʃe/
Of course, what are you looking for?

Je cherche la gare, c’est loin ?
/ʒə ʃɛʁʃ la ɡaʁ sɛ lwɛ̃/
I’m looking for the station, is it far?

Non, c’est tout droit, puis à gauche.
/nɔ̃ sɛ tu dʁwa pɥi a ɡoʃ/
No, it’s straight ahead, then left.

Merci beaucoup !
/mɛʁ.si bo.ku/
Thank you very much!

De rien, bonne journée !
/də ʁjɛ̃ bɔn ʒuʁ.ne/
You’re welcome, have a nice day!

Quick Reference: High-Frequency French Phrases

French | IPA | English
Bonjour | /bɔ̃.ʒuʁ/ | hello
Salut | /sa.ly/ | hi, bye (informal)
Merci beaucoup. | /mɛʁ.si bo.ku/ | thank you very much
S’il vous plaît. | /sil vu plɛ/ | please (formal)
Excusez-moi. | /ɛk.sky.ze mwa/ | excuse me
Je suis désolé(e). | /ʒə sɥi de.zɔ.le/ | I’m sorry
Comment ça va ? | /kɔ.mɑ̃ sa va/ | how are you?
Ça va bien, merci. | /sa va bjɛ̃ mɛʁ.si/ | I’m fine, thanks
Je m’appelle… | /ʒə ma.pɛl/ | my name is…
Je viens de… | /ʒə vjɛ̃ də/ | I’m from…
Je travaille dans… | /ʒə tʁa.vaj dɑ̃/ | I work in…
Où sont les toilettes ? | /u sɔ̃ le twa.lɛt/ | where is the bathroom?
Je suis perdu(e). | /ʒə sɥi pɛʁ.dy/ | I’m lost
C’est combien ? | /sɛ kɔ̃.bjɛ̃/ | how much is it?
Je voudrais ça. | /ʒə vud.ʁɛ sa/ | I’d like this
L’addition, s’il vous plaît. | /la.di.sjɔ̃ sil vu plɛ/ | the bill, please
C’est génial. | /sɛ ʒe.njal/ | that’s great
C’est nul. | /sɛ nyl/ | that sucks
Ça marche. | /sa maʁʃ/ | that works / okay
On y va ? | /ɔ̃ i va/ | shall we go?

Five-Minute Practice Plan: Make The Phrases Automatic

  1. Morning Routine Drill
     Look in the mirror and say:
    • Bonjour.
    • Ça va ?
    • Ça va bien, merci.
       Three times each, out loud, even if your neighbours think you’re very polite to yourself.
  2. Café Roleplay
     Pretend you’re ordering at a French café. Say this sequence:
    • Bonjour.
    • Je voudrais un café, s’il vous plaît.
    • Merci beaucoup.
    • L’addition, s’il vous plaît.
  3. Mini Self-Introduction
     Out loud, in one go:
    • Bonjour, je m’appelle…
    • Je viens de…
    • Je travaille dans… or Je suis étudiant(e).
  4. Where/What/How Trio
     Practise these questions with different endings:
    • Tu habites où ?
    • Tu fais quoi dans la vie ?
    • C’est combien ?
       Change the noun each time (café, billet, robe, etc.).
  5. Reaction Sandwich
     For any piece of news (real or imaginary), react in French:
    • Good: C’est génial !
    • Meh: C’est pas mal.
    • Bad: C’est nul…
       Add On verra or Ça marche after to continue the thought.

Phrases As Your French Cheat Codes

These 100+ popular phrases are your fast track into everyday French life: you can greet people, order food, survive small talk, ask for help, and react like a real person instead of scrolling your internal dictionary every three seconds.

Once these feel natural in your mouth, everything else you learn has somewhere to plug in — and suddenly that bakery line doesn’t feel so scary when you know you can always fall back on a solid Bonjour, ça va ? and a confident Je prends ça, s’il vous plaît.