My first French “conversation” in France lasted about eight seconds. I was in a bakery in Lyon. The woman behind the counter said Bonjour /bɔ̃.ʒuʁ/ — hello, good day — and my brain froze so hard I almost ordered a table instead of a baguette. I managed a shy bonjour, grabbed my bread, and escaped before any actual conversation could happen.
A few weeks later, I knew just a handful of extra phrases: Ça va ? /sa va/ — how’s it going, je ne comprends pas /ʒə nə kɔ̃.pʁɑ̃ pa/ — I don’t understand, and merci /mɛʁ.si/ — thank you. Suddenly people weren’t just serving me; they were chatting with me. I was still a confused yak in a French-speaking world, but at least I was a talking yak.
This guide is your conversational French starter pack: greetings, small talk, reaction phrases, rescue lines when your brain crashes, and natural ways to end a chat. By the end, you’ll be able to start, survive, and gracefully escape a basic French conversation without needing Google Translate as your emotional support animal.
Conversation Kickoff: Greetings That Actually Sound French
Let’s start with the opening move. If you get the greeting right, everything else feels easier.
On first mentions:
- bonjour /bɔ̃.ʒuʁ/ — hello, good morning, good afternoon
- salut /sa.ly/ — hi, bye (informal)
- bonsoir /bɔ̃.swaʁ/ — good evening (greeting)
| French | IPA | English |
| Bonjour. | bɔ̃.ʒuʁ | Hello / good morning / good afternoon. |
| Bonjour, madame. | bɔ̃.ʒuʁ ma.dam | Hello, ma’am. |
| Bonjour, monsieur. | bɔ̃.ʒuʁ mə.sjø | Hello, sir. |
| Salut ! | sa.ly | Hi! / Bye! (informal) |
| Bonsoir. | bɔ̃.swaʁ | Good evening. |
When to use what:
- Bonjour: default daytime greeting for pretty much everything — shops, offices, strangers, your teacher, the person who just sat next to you on the train.
- Salut: only with people you’d call tu /ty/ — you (informal): friends, classmates, people your age you’re already comfortable with.
- Bonsoir: evening greeting once it feels like “night” (lights on, dinner time).
Tiny but important add-on:
- ça va ? /sa va/ — how’s it going
You can combine:
- Bonjour, ça va ? /bɔ̃.ʒuʁ sa va/ — Hello, how’s it going? (informal)
- Bonsoir, ça va ? /bɔ̃.swaʁ sa va/ — Good evening, how’s it going?
Small Talk Survival Kit: Asking And Answering “How Are You?”
The magic of French small talk is that you can do a lot with ça va and three facial expressions.
On first mentions:
- comment ça va ? /kɔ.mɑ̃ sa va/ — how are you, how’s it going
- comme ci, comme ça /kɔm si kɔm sa/ — so-so
| French | IPA | English |
| Ça va ? | sa va | How’s it going? / You okay? |
| Comment ça va ? | kɔ.mɑ̃ sa va | How are you? |
| Ça va. | sa va | I’m fine. / It’s okay. |
| Ça va bien. | sa va bjɛ̃ | I’m doing well. |
| Ça va très bien. | sa va tʁɛ bjɛ̃ | I’m doing very well. |
| Comme ci, comme ça. | kɔm si kɔm sa | So-so. |
| Ça ne va pas. | sa nə va pa | It’s not going well. |
A very simple intro exchange:
Bonjour, ça va ?
Oui, ça va et toi ? /wi sa va e twa/ — I’m good, and you?
You can adjust the ending:
- et toi ? /e twa/ — and you? (informal)
- et vous ? /e vu/ — and you? (formal or plural)
Add a bit more flavor with feelings (first mentions):
- je suis fatigué(e) /ʒə sɥi fa.ti.ɡe/ — I’m tired
- je suis stressé(e) /ʒə sɥi stʁe.se/ — I’m stressed
- je suis content(e) /ʒə sɥi kɔ̃.tɑ̃(t)/ — I’m happy, glad
Example:
Ça va ?
Oui, je suis un peu fatigué, mais ça va. /wi ʒə sɥi œ̃ pø fa.ti.ɡe mɛ sa va/
Yeah, I’m a bit tired, but I’m okay.
Usage tip: in French, ça va can mean “hi,” “how are you,” and “I’m fine,” depending on tone and context. It’s the duct tape of small talk.
Keeping The Chat Going: Questions, Opinions, And Reactions
Once you’ve survived hello + “how are you,” you need tools to keep the ball in the air.
Basic Conversation Questions
On first mentions:
- et toi ? /e twa/ — and you? (informal)
- et vous ? /e vu/ — and you? (formal)
- où /u/ — where
- pourquoi /puʁ.kwa/ — why
- qu’est-ce que c’est ? /kɛs kə sɛ/ — what is it?
| French | IPA | English |
| Et toi ? | e twa | And you? (informal) |
| Et vous ? | e vu | And you? (formal / plural) |
| Tu fais quoi dans la vie ? | ty fe kwa dɑ̃ la vi | What do you do (in life)? (informal) |
| Vous faites quoi dans la vie ? | vu fɛt kwa dɑ̃ la vi | What do you do for a living? (formal) |
| Tu habites où ? | ty a.bit u | Where do you live? (informal) |
| Vous habitez où ? | vu.za.bi.te u | Where do you live? (formal) |
| Tu viens d’où ? | ty vjɛ̃ du | Where are you from? (informal) |
| Qu’est-ce que c’est ? | kɛs kə sɛ | What is it? |
| Pourquoi ? | puʁ.kwa | Why? |
You don’t need complex grammar to show interest. These short questions go a long way.
Talking About Yourself (Very Simply)
On first mentions:
- je suis /ʒə sɥi/ — I am
- j’habite /ʒa.bit/ — I live
- je viens de /ʒə vjɛ̃ də/ — I come from
| French | IPA | English |
| Je suis étudiant(e). | ʒə sɥi e.ty.djɑ̃(t) | I’m a student. |
| Je suis professeur. | ʒə sɥi pʁɔ.fɛ.sœʁ | I’m a teacher. |
| J’habite à Paris. | ʒa.bit a pa.ʁi | I live in Paris. |
| Je viens de Londres. | ʒə vjɛ̃ də lɔ̃dʁ | I come from London. |
| Je viens des États-Unis. | ʒə vjɛ̃ dez‿e.ta.zy.ni | I come from the United States. |
Combine with questions from above and you already have a real conversation skeleton.
Natural Reactions: “Really?”, “Cool”, “Oh No”
On first mentions:
- vraiment ? /vʁɛ.mɑ̃/ — really?
- c’est super /sɛ sy.pɛʁ/ — that’s great
- c’est génial /sɛ ʒe.njal/ — that’s awesome
- oh là là /o la la/ — wow / oh no / oh dear (context decides)
| French | IPA | English |
| Ah bon ? | a bɔ̃ | Oh really? |
| Vraiment ? | vʁɛ.mɑ̃ | Really? |
| C’est bien. | sɛ bjɛ̃ | That’s good. |
| C’est super. | sɛ sy.pɛʁ | That’s great. |
| C’est génial. | sɛ ʒe.njal | That’s awesome. |
| C’est intéressant. | sɛ.z‿ɛ̃.te.ʁɛ.sɑ̃ | That’s interesting. |
| Oh là là. | o la la | Wow / oh dear / “yikes” (multi-purpose). |
These little reactions make your French sound much more alive than just nodding like a polite statue.
Rescue Phrases: When Your French Brain Blue-Screens
Real conversations are messy. People talk quickly, use slang, and forget you’re not a native speaker. These phrases are your panic buttons.
On first mentions:
- je ne comprends pas /ʒə nə kɔ̃.pʁɑ̃ pa/ — I don’t understand
- vous pouvez répéter ? /vu pu.ve ʁe.pe.te/ — can you repeat? (formal)
- plus lentement, s’il vous plaît /ply lɑ̃.tə.mɑ̃ sil vu plɛ/ — more slowly, please
| French | IPA | English |
| Je ne comprends pas. | ʒə nə kɔ̃.pʁɑ̃ pa | I don’t understand. |
| Je ne comprends pas bien. | ʒə nə kɔ̃.pʁɑ̃ pa bjɛ̃ | I don’t understand well. |
| Vous pouvez répéter ? | vu pu.ve ʁe.pe.te | Can you repeat? (formal) |
| Tu peux répéter ? | ty pø ʁe.pe.te | Can you repeat? (informal) |
| Plus lentement, s’il vous plaît. | ply lɑ̃.tə.mɑ̃ sil vu plɛ | More slowly, please. |
| Qu’est-ce que ça veut dire ? | kɛs kə sa vø diʁ | What does that mean? |
| Comment on dit ça en français ? | kɔ.mɑ̃ ɔ̃ di sa ɑ̃ fʁɑ̃.sɛ | How do you say that in French? |
| Je parle un peu français. | ʒə paʁl œ̃ pø fʁɑ̃.sɛ | I speak a little French. |
| Je suis en train d’apprendre. | ʒə sɥi ɑ̃ tʁɛ̃ da.pʁɑ̃dʁ | I’m learning. |
On first mention:
- vous parlez anglais ? /vu paʁ.le ɑ̃.ɡlɛ/ — do you speak English?
| French | IPA | English |
| Vous parlez anglais ? | vu paʁ.le ɑ̃.ɡlɛ | Do you speak English? (formal) |
| Tu parles anglais ? | ty paʁl ɑ̃.ɡlɛ | Do you speak English? (informal) |
Usage tip: never be afraid to use these. In real life, French people often slow down and simplify when you show you’re trying.
Polite Exit Strategies: Ending A Conversation Without Awkward Moonwalks
You’ve talked, you’ve smiled, your brain is tired. Now you need an exit that doesn’t feel like “ok bye I run now.”
On first mentions:
- bonne journée /bɔn ʒuʁ.ne/ — have a good day
- bonne soirée /bɔn swa.ʁe/ — have a good evening
- à tout à l’heure /a tu.ta.lœʁ/ — see you later (same day)
| French | IPA | English |
| Bon, je dois y aller. | bɔ̃ ʒə dwa j‿a.le | Right, I have to go. |
| À bientôt. | a bjɛ̃.to | See you soon. |
| À tout à l’heure. | a tu.ta.lœʁ | See you later (same day). |
| À plus. | a ply(s) | See you. (informal) |
| À demain. | a də.mɛ̃ | See you tomorrow. |
| Bonne journée. | bɔn ʒuʁ.ne | Have a good day. |
| Bonne soirée. | bɔn swa.ʁe | Have a good evening. |
| Bonne nuit. | bɔn nɥi | Good night (going to sleep). |
A classic polite exit:
Bon, je dois y aller. Bonne journée ! /bɔ̃ ʒə dwa j‿a.le bɔn ʒuʁ.ne/
Okay, I have to go. Have a good day!
With someone you tutoyer:
Bon, je dois y aller. À plus ! /bɔ̃ ʒə dwa j‿a.le a ply/
Okay, I’ve got to go. See you!
Region Notes: France, Québec, And “Salut” Everywhere
We’re aiming at France French, but you’ll hear a few variations depending on where you are.
In France:
- Bonjour is almost mandatory when entering a shop or starting an interaction.
- Salut is friendly but strictly for people you’d call tu.
- Ça va ? is the default casual “how’s it going?”
- À plus /a ply/ is very common among friends.
In Québec and some other regions:
- You’ll hear bye /baj/ as a casual goodbye.
- Some people say Allô /a.lo/ as hello on the phone or in person.
In most francophone places:
- Showing effort with bonjour, merci, and a few conversation phrases buys you a lot of goodwill.
- People are used to switching to English with tourists; if you say je parle un peu français, many will happily slow down instead of abandoning French completely.
As a learner, if you stick to the phrases in this guide, you’ll be understandable and polite basically anywhere.
Mini Dialogues: Your Essential Phrases In Action
Each line: French, then IPA, then English.
1. Meeting Someone At A Party
Salut, je m’appelle Max.
/sa.ly ʒə ma.pɛl maks/
Hi, my name is Max.
Enchantée, moi c’est Chloé.
/ɑ̃.ʃɑ̃.te mwa sɛ klo.e/
Nice to meet you, I’m Chloé.
Ça va ?
/sa va/
How’s it going?
Ça va bien, merci, et toi ?
/sa va bjɛ̃ mɛʁ.si e twa/
I’m good, thanks, and you?
Ça va, je suis un peu fatigué.
/sa va ʒə sɥi œ̃ pø fa.ti.ɡe/
I’m okay, I’m a bit tired.
2. Small Talk In A French Class
Bonjour, je m’appelle Anna.
/bɔ̃.ʒuʁ ʒə ma.pɛl a.na/
Hello, my name is Anna.
Bonjour, enchanté, je suis Lucas.
/bɔ̃.ʒuʁ ɑ̃.ʃɑ̃.te ʒə sɥi ly.ka/
Hello, nice to meet you, I’m Lucas.
Tu viens d’où ?
/ty vjɛ̃ du/
Where are you from?
Je viens d’Australie, et toi ?
/ʒə vjɛ̃ dos.tʁa.li e twa/
I’m from Australia, and you?
Je viens de France, de Lyon.
/ʒə vjɛ̃ də fʁɑ̃s də ljɔ̃/
I’m from France, from Lyon.
3. At A Café, When You Don’t Understand
Bonjour, vous avez des sandwichs végétariens ?
/bɔ̃.ʒuʁ vu za.ve de sɑ̃d.witʃ ve.ʒe.ta.ʁjɛ̃/
Hello, do you have vegetarian sandwiches?
Oui, bien sûr, on a fromage-tomate, chèvre-miel, et…
/wi bjɛ̃ syʁ ɔ̃ na fʁɔ.maʒ to.mat ʃɛvʁə mjɛl e…/
Yes, of course, we have cheese-tomato, goat cheese and honey, and…
Pardon, je ne comprends pas bien.
/paʁ.dɔ̃ ʒə nə kɔ̃.pʁɑ̃ pa bjɛ̃/
Sorry, I don’t really understand.
Vous pouvez répéter, plus lentement, s’il vous plaît ?
/vu pu.ve ʁe.pe.te ply lɑ̃.tə.mɑ̃ sil vu plɛ/
Can you repeat, more slowly, please?
Bien sûr. Fromage-tomate…
/bjɛ̃ syʁ fʁɔ.maʒ to.mat/
Of course. Cheese-tomato…
Quick Reference: Conversational Essentials Cheat Sheet
| French | IPA | English |
| Bonjour. | bɔ̃.ʒuʁ | Hello / good morning / good afternoon. |
| Salut ! | sa.ly | Hi! / Bye! (informal). |
| Bonsoir. | bɔ̃.swaʁ | Good evening. |
| Ça va ? | sa va | How’s it going? |
| Comment ça va ? | kɔ.mɑ̃ sa va | How are you? |
| Ça va (bien). | sa va (bjɛ̃) | I’m fine (good). |
| Comme ci, comme ça. | kɔm si kɔm sa | So-so. |
| Je m’appelle… | ʒə ma.pɛl | My name is… |
| Enchanté(e). | ɑ̃.ʃɑ̃.te | Nice to meet you. |
| Tu habites où ? | ty a.bit u | Where do you live? (informal) |
| Vous habitez où ? | vu.za.bi.te u | Where do you live? (formal) |
| Tu viens d’où ? | ty vjɛ̃ du | Where are you from? (informal) |
| Je viens de… | ʒə vjɛ̃ də | I’m from… |
| Je suis… | ʒə sɥi | I am… |
| Je suis fatigué(e). | ʒə sɥi fa.ti.ɡe | I’m tired. |
| Je ne comprends pas. | ʒə nə kɔ̃.pʁɑ̃ pa | I don’t understand. |
| Vous pouvez répéter ? | vu pu.ve ʁe.pe.te | Can you repeat? (formal) |
| Plus lentement, s’il vous plaît. | ply lɑ̃.tə.mɑ̃ sil vu plɛ | More slowly, please. |
| Qu’est-ce que ça veut dire ? | kɛs kə sa vø diʁ | What does that mean? |
| Je parle un peu français. | ʒə paʁl œ̃ pø fʁɑ̃.sɛ | I speak a little French. |
| Vous parlez anglais ? | vu paʁ.le ɑ̃.ɡlɛ | Do you speak English? |
| C’est bien. | sɛ bjɛ̃ | That’s good. |
| C’est super. | sɛ sy.pɛʁ | That’s great. |
| C’est génial. | sɛ ʒe.njal | That’s awesome. |
| Ah bon ? | a bɔ̃ | Oh really? |
| Vraiment ? | vʁɛ.mɑ̃ | Really? |
| Bon, je dois y aller. | bɔ̃ ʒə dwa j‿a.le | Okay, I have to go. |
| À bientôt. | a bjɛ̃.to | See you soon. |
| À tout à l’heure. | a tu.ta.lœʁ | See you later (same day). |
| Bonne journée. | bɔn ʒuʁ.ne | Have a good day. |
| Bonne soirée. | bɔn swa.ʁe | Have a good evening. |
Five-Minute Conversation Workout
You don’t need an hour. Five focused minutes can move your French from “frozen” to “functional.”
- Greeting Ladder (1 minute)
Say out loud, three times each:
Bonjour.
Bonsoir.
Salut, ça va ?
Then chain them:
Bonjour, ça va ? — Ça va, et vous ? - Mini-Intro Script (1 minute)
Build your own mini-introduction and repeat it three times:
Bonjour, je m’appelle [Name]. Je viens de [Country] et j’habite à [City]. - Small Talk Sandwich (1 minute)
Practice this pattern with different adjectives:
Ça va ? — Oui, ça va, je suis un peu [fatigué / stressé / content], et toi ? - Rescue Combo (1 minute)
Say your “panic line” three times:
Je ne comprends pas bien. Vous pouvez répéter, plus lentement, s’il vous plaît ?
Don’t rush; aim for smooth. - Roleplay In Your Head (1 minute)
Imagine you meet someone new. Out loud, play both roles: greeting, “how are you”, where you’re from, and a goodbye. Use only phrases from this article. If you get stuck, improvise with euh /ø/ (French “uhhh”) and keep going.
Bonus: next time you talk to a French speaker (or someone learning), use at least one of the rescue phrases and one polite ending. That’s real-world XP for your French conversation skills.
From Awkward Silence To Actual Conversation
“Conversational French” doesn’t start with perfect grammar; it starts with a handful of phrases you’re brave enough to say out loud. With bonjour, ça va, a couple of questions, and your rescue lines ready, you already have the bones of real conversations — the kind that happen in bakeries, classrooms, bars, and metro platforms, not just in textbooks.
Your job now is simple: pick a few of these phrases, use them badly, survive, use them again… and little by little, your French stops being quiet and starts being actually conversational — yak accent included.