🇫🇷 Essential French Phrases for Paris 🗼
💡 Audio Tip: Click the 🔊 icon next to each phrase to hear the pronunciation! Practice listening before your trip.
Basic Greetings & Politeness
| English | French | Pronunciation | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hello / Good day | Bonjour | (bone-ZHOOR) | 🔊 |
| Good evening | Bonsoir | (bone-SWAHR) | 🔊 |
| Please | S'il vous plaît | (see voo PLAY) | 🔊 |
| Thank you | Merci | (mer-SEE) | 🔊 |
| Excuse me | Excusez-moi | (ex-kew-zay MWAH) | 🔊 |
| I'm sorry | Je suis désolé(e) | (zhuh swee day-zo-LAY) | 🔊 |
| Goodbye | Au revoir | (oh ruh-VWAHR) | 🔊 |
Essential Communication
| English | French | Pronunciation | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Do you speak English? | Parlez-vous anglais? | (par-lay voo ahn-GLAY) | 🔊 |
| I don't speak French | Je ne parle pas français | (zhuh nuh parl pah frahn-SAY) | 🔊 |
| I don't understand | Je ne comprends pas | (zhuh nuh kom-prahn PAH) | 🔊 |
| Could you repeat? | Pouvez-vous répéter? | (poo-vay voo ray-pay-TAY) | 🔊 |
| Yes | Oui | (wee) | 🔊 |
| No | Non | (nohn) | 🔊 |
Getting Around
| English | French | Pronunciation | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where is...? | Où est...? | (oo AY) | 🔊 |
| The metro station | La station de métro | (lah sta-see-OHN duh may-TROH) | 🔊 |
| The bathroom | Les toilettes | (lay twa-LET) | 🔊 |
| How much does it cost? | Combien ça coûte? | (kom-bee-AHN sah KOOT) | 🔊 |
| Left | À gauche | (ah GOHSH) | 🔊 |
| Right | À droite | (ah DRWAHT) | 🔊 |
| Straight ahead | Tout droit | (too DRWAH) | 🔊 |
At Restaurants & Cafés
| English | French | Pronunciation | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| A table for two, please | Une table pour deux, s'il vous plaît | (oon TAH-bluh poor DUH see voo PLAY) | 🔊 |
| The menu, please | La carte, s'il vous plaît | (lah KART see voo PLAY) | 🔊 |
| I would like... | Je voudrais... | (zhuh voo-DRAY) | 🔊 |
| The check, please | L'addition, s'il vous plaît | (lah-dee-see-OHN see voo PLAY) | 🔊 |
| Water | L'eau | (LOH) | 🔊 |
| Coffee | Un café | (uhn kah-FAY) | 🔊 |
| Wine | Du vin | (doo VAHN) | 🔊 |
Shopping & Money
| English | French | Pronunciation | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| How much is this? | C'est combien? | (say kom-bee-AHN) | 🔊 |
| Too expensive | C'est trop cher | (say troh SHARE) | 🔊 |
| Do you accept credit cards? | Acceptez-vous les cartes de crédit? | (ak-sep-tay voo lay KART duh kray-DEE) | 🔊 |
| Can I try this on? | Puis-je l'essayer? | (pwee zhuh lay-say-YAY) | 🔊 |
| I'm just looking | Je regarde seulement | (zhuh ruh-GARD suhl-MAHN) | 🔊 |
Emergency & Help
| English | French | Pronunciation | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Help! | Au secours! | (oh suh-KOOR) | 🔊 |
| I need help | J'ai besoin d'aide | (zhay buh-ZWAHN DAYD) | 🔊 |
| Call the police | Appelez la police | (ah-play lah po-LEES) | 🔊 |
| Where is the hospital? | Où est l'hôpital? | (oo ay loh-pee-TAHL) | 🔊 |
| I'm lost | Je suis perdu(e) | (zhuh swee pair-DOO) | 🔊 |
🌟 Cultural Tips: Always say "Bonjour" when entering shops, and "Au revoir" when leaving. Parisians appreciate politeness and effort to speak French, even if imperfect!
