French - France: Quick Check-ins

Lesson 142 of 159

Learner practicing casual French greetings and check-ins — France-specific expressions for small talk.

Goal: Casual ways to ask how someone is and react — common in France

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

Welcome! This short lesson focuses on friendly, everyday French you hear in cafés and on the street. It's relaxed — we learn short phrases you can use right away.

Level A1: In this lesson you'll practice 11 France-specific conversational chunks for checking in (Comment ça se passe ?, Ça roule ?), short replies (Pas mal., Bof., Comme d'habitude.), asking someone to wait briefly, and quick permissions (Vas-y.). This CEFR-aligned set is perfect for small talk and casual encounters in France.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Recognize and respond to casual check-ins like "Comment ça se passe ?" and "Ça roule ?"
  • Use short replies: "Pas mal.", "Bof.", "Comme d'habitude."
  • Ask someone to wait politely and say you'll be right back
  • Practice giving quick permission: "Vas-y." — all at A1 level
Two friends in a Paris café using quick check-ins like "Comment ça se passe ?" and quick replies.

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.

Comment ça se passe ?

How's it going? / How is it going?

Meaning: How's it going? / How is it going?

When to use: Ask about someone's situation, day, work, or a trip in neutral, friendly contexts.

Comment ça se passe au travail ?
How's it going at work?
Comment ça se passe avec ton nouveau projet ?
How's it going with your new project?

Ça roule ?

Everything good?

Meaning: Everything good?

When to use: Use as a very casual check-in with friends or people your age.

Tip: Don't use with strangers or in formal situations.

Salut, ça roule ?
Hi, everything good?
Tu viens ce soir ? Ça roule ?
You're coming tonight? All good?

Comme d'habitude.

Same as usual.

Meaning: Same as usual.

When to use: Short answer when nothing special is happening or life is the same as normal.

Comment va ta semaine ? — Comme d'habitude.
How's your week? — Same as usual.
Il travaille beaucoup, comme d'habitude.
He's working a lot, same as usual.

Pas mal

Not bad.

Meaning: Not bad.

When to use: A common short reply to say things are okay or fairly good.

Ça va ? — Pas mal.
How are you? — Not bad.
Le film était pas mal.
The movie was not bad.

Bof

Meh. / Not great.

Meaning: Meh. / Not great.

When to use: Casual, slightly negative short reaction when things are disappointing.

Tu vas mieux ? — Bof.
Feeling better? — Meh.
Le concert ? Bof, pas terrible.
The concert? Meh, not great.

Et toi ?

And you?

Meaning: And you?

When to use: Use after answering a question to ask the other person the same thing. For vous in formal situations say "Et vous ?"

Tip: Remember to use "Et vous ?" with people you should address formally.

Je suis fatigué. Et toi ?
I'm tired. And you?
J'aime ce livre. Et toi ?
I like this book. And you?

Je reviens tout de suite.

I'll be right back.

Meaning: I'll be right back.

When to use: Say this when leaving for a very short time (to the restroom, to grab something).

Attendez ici, je reviens tout de suite.
Wait here, I'll be right back.
Je reviens tout de suite, je prends mes clés.
I'll be right back, I'm grabbing my keys.

Attends deux secondes.

Wait two seconds.

Meaning: Wait two seconds.

When to use: Casual way to ask someone to wait briefly among friends. For polite/formal: "Attendez deux secondes."

Tip: Don't use with strangers; it's informal and may sound abrupt.

Attends deux secondes, je finis ce message.
Wait two seconds, I'm finishing this message.
Attends deux secondes, j'arrive.
Wait two seconds, I'm coming.

Une seconde, s'il te plaît.

One second, please.

Meaning: One second, please.

When to use: A slightly softer, polite request to ask someone to wait briefly. For formal use: "Une seconde, s'il vous plaît."

Une seconde, s'il te plaît, je cherche mon billet.
One second, please, I'm looking for my ticket.
Une seconde, s'il te plaît, je vérifie le prix.
One second, please, I'll check the price.

Bonne idée.

Good idea.

Meaning: Good idea.

When to use: Short positive reaction to accept or agree with a suggestion.

On prend un café ? — Bonne idée.
Shall we get a coffee? — Good idea.
Partir tôt demain ? Bonne idée.
Leave early tomorrow? Good idea.

Vas-y

Go ahead.

Meaning: Go ahead.

When to use: Use to let someone speak, start, enter, or take their turn. Formal: "Allez-y."

Tu veux parler ? Vas-y.
Do you want to speak? Go ahead.
Ouvre la porte, vas-y.
Open the door, go ahead.

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Two friends meet and check in quickly

Anna and David having a short, casual chat using phrases such as "Pas mal.", "Bof.", and "Je reviens tout de suite."

Who says they'll be right back?

Portrait of Anna in a French lesson dialogue

Anna

Comment ça se passe ?

How's it going?

Portrait of David in a French lesson dialogue

David

Bof

Meh.

Portrait of Anna in a French lesson dialogue

Anna

Pas mal. Et toi ?

Not bad. And you?

Portrait of David in a French lesson dialogue

David

Attends deux secondes.

Wait two seconds.

Portrait of Anna in a French lesson dialogue

Anna

Je reviens tout de suite.

I'll be right back.

Portrait of David in a French lesson dialogue

David

Ça roule ?

Everything good?

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

How do you say "Not bad." in French?

Which phrase is a casual way to ask "Everything good?"

If you need to leave for a moment, which phrase fits?

Which is the polite soft request to ask someone to wait one moment?

— Any news about the project? — Same as usual.

— Tu as des nouvelles du projet ? — ___.

I'm in a hurry, can you wait? — Wait two seconds.

Je suis pressé, peux-tu attendre ? — ___

You can start the presentation. Go ahead.

Tu peux commencer la présentation. ___

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:

Comment ça se passe ?

How's it going?

Say this phrase out loud:

Ça roule ?

Everything good?

Say this phrase out loud:

Comme d'habitude.

Same as usual.

Say this phrase out loud:

Pas mal

Not bad.

Say this phrase out loud:

Bof

Meh. / Not great.

Say this phrase out loud:

Et toi ?

And you?

Say this phrase out loud:

Je reviens tout de suite.

I'll be right back.

Say this phrase out loud:

Attends deux secondes.

Wait two seconds.

Say this phrase out loud:

Une seconde, s'il te plaît.

One second, please.

Say this phrase out loud:

Bonne idée.

Good idea.

Say this phrase out loud:

Vas-y

Go ahead.