100 Essential French Words and Phrases to Start Learning

If you are starting French from scratch, the good news is that you do not need a giant dictionary and a dramatic scarf to begin. You need the right words first: the ones you will actually hear, say, read, text, and accidentally mispronounce in public.

This beginner-friendly guide gives you 100 essential French words and phrases that show up everywhere: greetings, politeness, yes/no answers, question words, survival travel French, and everyday chat. Learn these first, and French starts feeling a lot less like elegant chaos.

We will stick to standard France French by default, with simple pronunciation help and practical examples that sound like real life, not a robot ordering 17 croissants.

If you want to keep building after this list, you can explore more lessons in Learn French.

Table of Contents

How To Use This List

Each item includes the French word or phrase, easy pronunciation help, the English meaning, a simple example sentence, the English translation, and a quick learner note when useful. The goal is not to memorize everything in one heroic sitting. The goal is to start recognizing and using the most common building blocks.

Start with what people say every day. Fancy vocabulary can wait its turn.

Essential Greetings And Polite Basics

French	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
bonjour	bohn-ZHOOR	hello / good morning	Bonjour, Madame.	Hello, Madam.	The safest all-purpose daytime greeting.
salut	sah-LUU	hi / bye	Salut, ça va ?	Hi, how are you?	Casual. Use with friends, not formal situations.
bonsoir	bohn-SWAR	good evening	Bonsoir, vous avez une table ?	Good evening, do you have a table?	Use in the evening.
au revoir	oh ruh-VWAR	goodbye	Au revoir et merci.	Goodbye and thank you.	Neutral and polite.
à bientôt	ah byan-TOH	see you soon	À bientôt, Lucie.	See you soon, Lucie.	Friendly and common.
s’il vous plaît	seel voo PLAY	please	Un café, s’il vous plaît.	A coffee, please.	Polite form. Very useful.
merci	mehr-SEE	thank you	Merci pour votre aide.	Thank you for your help.	Basic survival word.
merci beaucoup	mehr-SEE boh-KOO	thank you very much	Merci beaucoup, c’est gentil.	Thank you very much, that’s kind.	Warmer and stronger than just merci.
de rien	duh ree-AHN	you’re welcome	— Merci ! — De rien.	— Thanks! — You’re welcome.	Very common reply.
excusez-moi	eks-kew-zay MWAH	excuse me	Excusez-moi, où est la gare ?	Excuse me, where is the station?	Useful for getting attention politely.
pardon	par-DOHN	sorry / pardon	Pardon, je n’ai pas compris.	Sorry, I didn’t understand.	Short and versatile.
oui	wee	yes	Oui, je suis prêt.	Yes, I’m ready.	Do not pronounce it like English “oo-ee.”
non	nohn	no	Non, merci.	No, thank you.	Short, simple, essential.

Introducing Yourself

French	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
je m’appelle…	zhuh mah-PELL	my name is…	Je m’appelle Emma.	My name is Emma.	Very standard introduction.
moi, c’est…	mwah say	I’m… / me, it’s…	Moi, c’est Daniel.	I’m Daniel.	More casual than je m’appelle.
comment tu t’appelles ?	koh-mahn tew tah-PELL	what’s your name? (informal)	Salut, comment tu t’appelles ?	Hi, what’s your name?	Use tu with friends, kids, peers.
comment vous vous appelez ?	koh-mahn voo zoo zah-PLAY	what’s your name? (formal/plural)	Bonjour, comment vous vous appelez ?	Hello, what’s your name?	Polite or plural form.
je suis…	zhuh swee	I am…	Je suis américain.	I am American.	Use for nationality, profession, description.
j’habite à…	zhah-beet ah	I live in…	J’habite à Lyon.	I live in Lyon.	The je becomes j’ before a vowel.
enchanté(e)	ahn-shahn-TAY	nice to meet you	Enchanté, Pierre.	Nice to meet you, Pierre.	Add final e in writing if the speaker is female.
ça va ?	sah VAH	how are you? / you okay?	Salut, ça va ?	Hi, how are you?	Extremely common and casual.
ça va	sah VAH	I’m fine / it’s going okay	Oui, ça va.	Yes, I’m fine.	The same phrase can be a question or an answer.
très bien	tray byan	very well	Aujourd’hui, je vais très bien.	Today, I’m doing very well.	Useful positive answer.
comme ci, comme ça	kom see kom sah	so-so	— Ça va ? — Comme ci, comme ça.	— How are you? — So-so.	A classic learner phrase; understood everywhere.
et vous ?	ay voo	and you? (formal)	Je vais bien, et vous ?	I’m fine, and you?	Polite follow-up question.

Essential Question Words

If you know the basic question words, you can survive a lot. You can ask who, what, where, when, why, and how, which is honestly most of life.

French	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
qui ?	kee	who?	Qui est là ?	Who is there?	Short and sharp.
quoi ?	kwah	what?	Quoi ? Je répète ?	What? Should I repeat?	Very casual alone; can sound abrupt.
que / qu’est-ce que	kuh / kes-kuh	what	Qu’est-ce que tu fais ?	What are you doing?	Qu’est-ce que is very common in spoken French.
où ?	oo	where?	Où sont les toilettes ?	Where are the toilets?	Do not confuse with ou without accent, meaning “or.”
quand ?	kahn	when?	Quand part le train ?	When does the train leave?	The final letters are mostly silent.
pourquoi ?	poor-KWAH	why?	Pourquoi tu ris ?	Why are you laughing?	Answer often begins with parce que.
comment ?	koh-MAHN	how? / what?	Comment ça s’écrit ?	How is that spelled?	Also used when you did not hear something.
combien ?	kohm-byan	how much / how many?	Combien ça coûte ?	How much does it cost?	Very useful when shopping.
quel ?	kel	which? / what?	Quel jour sommes-nous ?	What day is it?	Changes form: quel, quelle, quels, quelles.
lequel ?	luh-KEL	which one?	Tu préfères lequel ?	Which one do you prefer?	More specific than quel.

Small But Mighty Everyday Words

French	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
et	ay	and	J’aime le thé et le café.	I like tea and coffee.	Very common connector.
ou	oo	or	Tu veux du thé ou du café ?	Do you want tea or coffee?	No accent here.
mais	may	but	Je veux venir, mais je travaille.	I want to come, but I’m working.	Looks fancy, acts simple.
parce que	pars-kuh	because	Je suis fatigué parce que je dors mal.	I’m tired because I sleep badly.	Very common explanation phrase.
avec	ah-VEK	with	Je voyage avec ma sœur.	I travel with my sister.	Final c is pronounced.
sans	sahn	without	Je prends un café sans sucre.	I’ll have a coffee without sugar.	Great in cafés and restaurants.
pour	poor	for / in order to	C’est pour vous.	It’s for you.	Very frequent little word.
ici	ee-SEE	here	Vous pouvez attendre ici.	You can wait here.	Useful for directions.
là	lah	there	Le bus est là.	The bus is there.	Accent matters in writing.
maintenant	mant-nah-NAHN	now	Je pars maintenant.	I’m leaving now.	Common time word.

Core Verbs You Need Early

French verbs can get a bit dramatic later, yes. For now, these are the workhorses. Learn them early and your sentences suddenly stop wobbling.

French	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
être	etr	to be	Je suis prêt.	I am ready.	One of the most important verbs in French.
avoir	ah-VWAR	to have	J’ai une idée.	I have an idea.	Notice the elision in j’ai.
aller	ah-LAY	to go	Nous allons au cinéma.	We are going to the cinema.	Au means à + le.
faire	fehr	to do / to make	Qu’est-ce que tu fais ?	What are you doing?	Extremely common in daily speech.
venir	vuh-NEER	to come	Tu peux venir demain ?	Can you come tomorrow?	Useful for invitations and plans.
vouloir	voo-LWAR	to want	Je voudrais un thé.	I would like a tea.	Je voudrais is polite and common.
pouvoir	poo-VWAR	can / to be able to	Je peux aider.	I can help.	Very practical modal verb.
devoir	duh-VWAR	must / to have to	Je dois partir.	I must leave.	Useful for obligation.
savoir	sah-VWAR	to know	Je ne sais pas.	I don’t know.	Different from connaître.
prendre	prahndr	to take	Je vais prendre le menu.	I’m going to take the set menu.	Common in restaurants and travel.

Useful Survival Phrases

French	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
je ne comprends pas	zhuh nuh kohm-prahn pah	I don’t understand	Désolé, je ne comprends pas.	Sorry, I don’t understand.	The ne…pas pattern makes negation.
je comprends	zhuh kohm-prahn	I understand	Oui, je comprends maintenant.	Yes, I understand now.	Very useful classroom phrase.
je ne sais pas	zhuh nuh say pah	I don’t know	Je ne sais pas où il est.	I don’t know where he is.	A phrase you will use more than your ego prefers.
parlez-vous anglais ?	par-lay voo ahn-GLAY	do you speak English?	Excusez-moi, parlez-vous anglais ?	Excuse me, do you speak English?	Polite and practical.
je parle un peu français	zhuh parl uh puh frahn-SAY	I speak a little French	Je parle un peu français, mais je débute.	I speak a little French, but I’m a beginner.	Great confidence-saving phrase.
pouvez-vous répéter ?	poo-vay voo ray-pay-TAY	can you repeat?	Pouvez-vous répéter, s’il vous plaît ?	Can you repeat, please?	Polite and extremely useful.
plus lentement, s’il vous plaît	ploo lahn-tuh-MAHN seel voo PLAY	more slowly, please	Pouvez-vous parler plus lentement, s’il vous plaît ?	Can you speak more slowly, please?	A lifesaver for beginners.
comment dit-on… en français ?	koh-mahn dee-tohn ahn frahn-SAY	how do you say… in French?	Comment dit-on “ticket” en français ?	How do you say “ticket” in French?	Excellent learner phrase.
qu’est-ce que ça veut dire ?	kes-kuh sah vuh deer	what does that mean?	Qu’est-ce que ça veut dire, “fermé” ?	What does “fermé” mean?	Very natural spoken question.
je voudrais…	zhuh voo-DRAY	I would like…	Je voudrais un verre d’eau.	I would like a glass of water.	Politer than just je veux.
où sont les toilettes ?	oo sohn lay twa-LET	where is the bathroom?	Excusez-moi, où sont les toilettes ?	Excuse me, where is the bathroom?	Important, unless you enjoy panic.
combien ça coûte ?	kohm-byan sah koot	how much does it cost?	Combien ça coûte, ce livre ?	How much does this book cost?	Every traveler needs this one.

Numbers, Time, And Schedule Basics

French	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
un	uhn	one / a	J’ai un frère.	I have one brother.	Also the masculine indefinite article.
deux	duh	two	Je prends deux cafés.	I’m taking two coffees.	The final x is silent.
trois	trwah	three	Nous sommes trois.	There are three of us.	Common beginner number.
aujourd’hui	oh-zhoor-DWEE	today	Aujourd’hui, il fait beau.	Today, the weather is nice.	Very common everyday word.
demain	duh-MAHN	tomorrow	Je travaille demain.	I’m working tomorrow.	Useful for plans.
hier	ee-AIR	yesterday	Hier, je suis resté à la maison.	Yesterday, I stayed at home.	Common past-time word.
maintenant	mant-nah-NAHN	now	On part maintenant.	We’re leaving now.	Worth repeating because it is everywhere.
tôt	toh	early	Je me lève tôt.	I get up early.	Accent matters in writing.
tard	tar	late	Le restaurant ferme tard.	The restaurant closes late.	Handy for schedules.
quelle heure est-il ?	kel ur eh-TEEL	what time is it?	Excusez-moi, quelle heure est-il ?	Excuse me, what time is it?	Classic and useful.

People, Places, And Everyday Nouns

French nouns come with gender, which means they are masculine or feminine. Yes, the table has a gender. No, it will not explain itself. Learn nouns with their article when you can: le, la, or l’.

French	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
la maison	lah meh-ZOHN	the house / home	Je suis à la maison.	I’m at home.	Feminine noun.
l’école	lay-KOL	school	L’école commence à huit heures.	School starts at eight o’clock.	Takes l’ before a vowel.
le travail	luh trah-VAI	work	Je suis au travail.	I’m at work.	Masculine noun.
la gare	lah gahr	train station	La gare est près d’ici.	The station is near here.	Travel essential.
le restaurant	luh res-toh-RAHN	restaurant	Ce restaurant est excellent.	This restaurant is excellent.	Looks familiar, sounds more French.
l’hôtel	loh-TEL	hotel	Notre hôtel est au centre-ville.	Our hotel is downtown.	The h is silent.
l’eau	loh	water	Je bois de l’eau.	I drink water.	Notice de l’ before a vowel.
le pain	luh pan	bread	Je prends du pain.	I’m having some bread.	A very French-looking word, naturally.
le café	luh kah-FAY	coffee / café	Je prends un café.	I’ll have a coffee.	Can mean the drink or a café depending on context.
l’ami / l’amie	lah-MEE	friend	Mon amie habite à Paris.	My friend lives in Paris.	Masculine ami, feminine amie.

Useful Adjectives And Descriptions

French	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
bon / bonne	bohn / bon	good	Ce café est bon.	This coffee is good.	Adjective changes with gender.
mauvais / mauvaise	moh-VAY / moh-VEHZ	bad	Ce n’est pas une mauvaise idée.	That’s not a bad idea.	Useful opposite of bon.
grand / grande	grahn / grahnd	big / tall	Paris est une grande ville.	Paris is a big city.	Final consonant often appears in feminine form.
petit / petite	puh-TEE / puh-TEET	small / little	J’ai un petit problème.	I have a small problem.	Very common adjective.
chaud / chaude	show / shohd	hot / warm	Le café est très chaud.	The coffee is very hot.	Good for food and weather.
froid / froide	frwah / frwahd	cold	L’eau est froide.	The water is cold.	Also used for weather and objects.
facile	fah-SEEL	easy	Ce livre est facile à lire.	This book is easy to read.	Same form for masculine and feminine.
difficile	dee-fee-SEEL	difficult	Le français n’est pas impossible, juste parfois difficile.	French is not impossible, just sometimes difficult.	Fair and accurate.
important	ahn-por-TAHN	important	C’est un mot important.	It’s an important word.	Looks close to English.
prêt / prête	preh / pret	ready	Je suis prêt.	I am ready.	Change ending if the speaker is female: prête.

French Articles And Tiny Grammar You Need Right Away

French articles matter a lot. English can be sloppy with “a,” “the,” or no article at all. French is less forgiving and more stylish about it.

French	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
un	uhn	a / an (masculine)	J’ai un livre.	I have a book.	Use with masculine singular nouns.
une	ewn	a / an (feminine)	J’ai une voiture.	I have a car.	Use with feminine singular nouns.
le	luh	the (masculine)	Le café est prêt.	The coffee is ready.	Masculine singular definite article.
la	lah	the (feminine)	La porte est ouverte.	The door is open.	Feminine singular definite article.
les	lay	the (plural)	Les enfants jouent.	The children are playing.	Before a vowel, liaison often appears: les amis sounds like lay-zah-mee.
l’	l	the before vowel sound	L’homme arrive.	The man is arriving.	Used before vowel or silent h.
du	dew	some / of the	Je veux du pain.	I want some bread.	Often used with food or uncountable things.
de la	duh lah	some / of the	Elle prend de la salade.	She is having some salad.	Feminine version of the partitive.
de l’	duh l	some / of the before vowel	Je bois de l’eau.	I drink water.	Used before vowel sound.
des	day	some / plural article	Nous avons des amis à Marseille.	We have friends in Marseille.	Can mean “some” or simply mark plural nouns.

Essential Pronouns And People Words

French	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
je	zhuh	I	Je travaille ici.	I work here.	Becomes j’ before a vowel: j’aime.
tu	tew	you (informal)	Tu habites où ?	Where do you live?	Use with friends, family, kids, peers.
vous	voo	you (formal/plural)	Vous êtes prêts ?	Are you ready?	Important for politeness and plural.
il	eel	he / it	Il est en retard.	He is late.	Common subject pronoun.
elle	el	she / it	Elle parle français.	She speaks French.	Also used for feminine nouns in grammar.
nous	noo	we	Nous allons partir.	We are going to leave.	In spoken French, people often use on instead.
on	ohn	one / we	On y va ?	Shall we go?	Very common spoken French word.
ils	eel	they (masculine/mixed)	Ils arrivent demain.	They are arriving tomorrow.	Final s is silent.
elles	el	they (feminine)	Elles travaillent ensemble.	They work together.	Used for all-female groups.
on y va	ohn ee vah	let’s go	Le bus arrive, on y va !	The bus is coming, let’s go!	Very natural everyday phrase.

A Few Pronunciation Notes That Actually Help

Final consonants are often silent: grand, vous, quand.
Elision happens when a word drops a vowel before another vowel sound: je aime becomes j’aime, le homme becomes l’homme.
Liaison links words together in some common phrases: les amis sounds like lay-zah-mee, vous avez sounds like voo-zah-vay.
Tu and u sounds are not the same as English “oo.” It takes practice. Your mouth will complain a bit, then improve.
R in French is usually made farther back in the throat than in English.

Common Beginner Mistakes To Avoid

Saying “je suis faim” for “I am hungry.” French says j’ai faim literally “I have hunger.”
Using tu with everyone. When in doubt, use vous. Better a little too polite than accidentally weird.
Skipping articles. Say je veux un café, not just je veux café.
Using je veux in every polite situation. Je voudrais is softer and more natural in shops and restaurants.
Pronouncing every final letter. French loves silent endings. It is part language, part trust exercise.

Quick Practice: 5 Tiny Sentences

Bonjour, je m’appelle Nina. — Hello, my name is Nina.
Je parle un peu français. — I speak a little French.
Où est la gare, s’il vous plaît ? — Where is the station, please?
Je voudrais un café et de l’eau. — I would like a coffee and some water.
Je ne comprends pas, pouvez-vous répéter ? — I don’t understand, can you repeat?

What To Learn Next

Once these 100 words and phrases start feeling familiar, the next step is to use them in conversation and test what actually sticks. You can check your level with the French placement test, see how many words you already know in the French vocabulary test, or keep going with conversational French and more popular French phrases.

If you want to revisit this list later, save this guide: 100 essential French words and phrases.

Yak Takeaway

You do not need perfect French to start speaking French. You need useful French. Learn these 100 essentials, use them badly, use them again, and let your confidence catch up afterward. That is how real progress works, even if your accent shows up wearing hiking boots.