Photo by Atikh Bana on Unsplash
In this post we’ll look at some basic greetings, courtesy expressions, and survival expressions in French.
Bonjour ! Hello! The Basics
Let’s start with basic greetings.
- Bonjour. Hello. Good morning.
- Salut. Hi.
- Bon après-midi. Bonjour. Good afternoon.
- Bonsoir. Good evening.
- Bonne nuit. Good night.
- Au revoir.. Good-bye.
À bientôt ! See You Soon!
Here are a few more friendly expressions that you might want to be able to use.
- À bientôt. See you soon.
- À plus tard. See you later.
- À demain. See you tomorrow.
- Enchanté(e). Nice to meet you.
- Dors bien ! Dormez bien ! Sleep well! (informal, formal)
Comment vas-tu ? How Are You?
Let’s see a few expressions that you can use when you meet someone, as well as a few more general courtesy and basic expressions.
- Ça va ?
How’s it going? - Comment vas-tu ? Comment allez-vous ?
How are you? (informal, formal) - Ça va. Je vais bien.
I’m fine. - Merci.
Thank you. - Je vous en prie./ De rien.
You’re welcome. - S’il te plaît. S’il vous plaît.
Please. (informal, formal) - Excuse-moi. Excusez-moi.
Excuse me. (informal, formal) - Désolé(e) !
Sorry! - Comment t’appelles-tu ? Comment vous appelez-vous ?
What is your name? (informal, formal) - Je m’appelle…
My name is… - D’où es-tu ? D’où êtes-vous ?
Where are you from? (informal, formal) - Je suis de…
I’m from…
Je ne comprends pas. I Don’t Understand.
Now let’s turn to some helpful survival expressions that you can use as you learn the language.
- Je ne parle pas français.
I don’t speak French. - Parlez-vous anglais ?
Do you speak English? - Je ne comprends pas.
I don’t understand. - Je parle un peu français.
I speak a little French. - J’apprends le français.
I’m learning French. - Je comprends un peu le français.
I understand a little French. - Répétez s’il vous plaît.
Please repeat. - Écrivez ça s’il vous plaît.
Please write that. - Comment dites-vous… en français ?
How do you say… in French?
Do you want to learn French?
Check out our other posts on French language, culture, and more. And if you’re looking for convenient and affordable live French lessons with a real teacher, check out The Language Garage. Our lessons are given online in a virtual classroom, so it doesn’t matter where you live or work. We can come to you. And we have flexible options, with a free trial so that you can decide if there’s a fit. Check us out!
