French - Asking for Help

Lesson 10 of 159

Learner holding a phone and practicing French asking-for-help phrases; lesson about emergency and help requests.

Goal: Short, urgent phrases to get help fast

Free French lessons with guided practice, audio, and speaking support.

Welcome back! This lesson gives you quick, useful French questions and sentences to ask for help in everyday or urgent situations. Practice listening, repeating, and using these phrases so you can act fast when someone needs assistance.

Level A1: In this short, CEFR-aligned lesson you'll learn and practice seven common ways to ask for help in French — asking to use a phone, asking someone to call, saying there is an emergency, and asking people to come or look. You'll listen, repeat, do quick quizzes, and speak the phrases aloud.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Recognize and use seven basic phrases to ask for help in French (Level A1).
  • Ask to use a phone, ask someone to call, and say 'It's an emergency.'
  • Practice these phrases aloud so you can use them in real situations.
A street scene where a person asks a passerby for help in French; visual for asking to use a phone or to come along.

Ready? Let's go!

When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

Tu peux appeler ___ ?

Can you call ___?

Meaning: Can you call ___?

When to use: Ask someone to contact another person or a service right away.

Tip: Sometimes learners forget the object (who to call). Always say who or what after 'appeler'.

Tu peux appeler la police ?
Can you call the police?
Tu peux appeler ma sœur ?
Can you call my sister?

Je peux utiliser ton téléphone ?

Can I use your phone?

Meaning: Can I use your phone?

When to use: When your phone isn't working or you need to make a call and you want to borrow someone's phone.

Excusez-moi, je peux utiliser ton téléphone ?
Excuse me, can I use your phone?
Mon téléphone est vide. Je peux utiliser ton téléphone ?
My phone is dead. Can I use your phone?

Je dois faire quoi ?

What should I do?

Meaning: What should I do?

When to use: Ask for instructions or the next step when you're unsure.

Tip: Beginners sometimes use formal word order; this short form 'Je dois faire quoi ?' is very common in spoken French.

Mon sac est perdu. Je dois faire quoi ?
My bag is lost. What should I do?
La voiture ne démarre pas. Je dois faire quoi ?
The car won't start. What should I do?

C’est une urgence.

It's an emergency.

Meaning: It's an emergency.

When to use: Say this clearly when a situation needs urgent attention.

C’est une urgence, appelez quelqu’un !
It's an emergency, call someone!
Mon fils est tombé — c’est une urgence.
My son fell — it's an emergency.

Tu peux regarder ça ?

Can you look at this?

Meaning: Can you look at this?

When to use: Ask someone to inspect or pay attention to something you want them to check.

Tu peux regarder ça ? L'écran est noir.
Can you look at this? The screen is black.
Tu peux regarder ça, s'il te plaît ? J'ai un problème avec la carte.
Can you look at this, please? I have a problem with the map.

Tu peux venir avec moi ?

Can you come with me?

Meaning: Can you come with me?

When to use: Ask someone to accompany you when you need help or support.

Tu peux venir avec moi à l'hôpital ?
Can you come with me to the hospital?
Je ne connais pas la rue. Tu peux venir avec moi ?
I don't know the street. Can you come with me?

Tu peux aller chercher quelqu’un, s’il te plaît ?

Can you get someone, please?

Meaning: Can you get someone, please?

When to use: Ask the listener to find another person who can help — polite with s'il te plaît.

Tip: Remember to add 's'il te plaît' for extra politeness when asking a favor.

Tu peux aller chercher quelqu’un, s’il te plaît ? Mon ami est malade.
Can you get someone, please? My friend is sick.
Il y a un incident. Tu peux aller chercher quelqu’un, s’il te plaît ?
There is an incident. Can you get someone, please?

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Anna and David meet on a busy street where someone seems hurt.

Two people speaking briefly in French during an urgent moment; example of asking for help and asking someone to call.

What does Anna say about the situation?

Portrait of Anna in a French lesson dialogue

Anna

C’est une urgence.

It's an emergency.

Portrait of David in a French lesson dialogue

David

Tu peux appeler quelqu’un ?

Can you call someone?

Portrait of Anna in a French lesson dialogue

Anna

Je peux utiliser ton téléphone ?

Can I use your phone?

Portrait of David in a French lesson dialogue

David

Oui. Tu peux venir avec moi ?

Yes. Can you come with me?

Portrait of Anna in a French lesson dialogue

Anna

Tu peux aller chercher quelqu’un, s’il te plaît ?

Can you get someone, please?

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which French sentence means 'Can I use your phone?'

Which phrase would you say if you need urgent help?

How do you ask 'Can you come with me?' in French (informal)?

Which phrase asks for the next action: 'What should I do?'

My phone is dead. I say to a passerby: 'Can I use your phone?'

Mon téléphone est mort. Je n'ai pas de réseau. Je dis à un passant: '___'

There is blood and the person isn't moving. I shout: 'It's an emergency.'

Il y a du sang et la personne ne bouge pas. Je crie: '___'

The machine screen shows an error. I ask the technician: 'Can you look at this?'

L'écran de la machine affiche une erreur. Je demande au technicien: '___'

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice

Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).

Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.

Say this phrase out loud:

Tu peux appeler ___ ?

Can you call ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

Je peux utiliser ton téléphone ?

Can I use your phone?

Say this phrase out loud:

Je dois faire quoi ?

What should I do?

Say this phrase out loud:

C’est une urgence.

It's an emergency.

Say this phrase out loud:

Tu peux regarder ça ?

Can you look at this?

Say this phrase out loud:

Tu peux venir avec moi ?

Can you come with me?

Say this phrase out loud:

Tu peux aller chercher quelqu’un, s’il te plaît ?

Can you get someone, please?