Learning a handful of everyday phrases is the quickest way to start speaking French with confidence. These twenty expressions cover greetings, good manners, getting help and small talk. Say each one out loud, and try to use at least one new phrase every day.

Greetings and goodbyes

• Bonjour : Hello / Good morning
• Bonsoir : Good evening
• Salut : Hi / Bye (informal, with friends)
• Au revoir : Goodbye
• À bientôt : See you soon

Good manners

• S'il vous plaît : Please (formal) · S'il te plaît : Please (informal)
• Merci beaucoup : Thank you very much
• De rien : You're welcome
• Excusez-moi : Excuse me
• Pardon : Sorry / Pardon me

Getting to know someone

• Comment ça va ? : How are you?
• Ça va bien, et toi ? : I'm fine, and you?
• Je m'appelle… : My name is…
• Enchanté(e) : Nice to meet you
• Je viens de… : I come from…

When you need help

• Je ne comprends pas : I don't understand
• Pouvez-vous répéter, s'il vous plaît ? : Can you repeat, please?
• Parlez-vous anglais ? : Do you speak English?
• Où sont les toilettes ? : Where is the washroom?
• Combien ça coûte ? : How much does it cost?

Tu or vous?

French has two ways to say "you". Use tu with friends, family and children, and vous with people you don't know well, older adults, teachers and in shops or offices. Vous is also the plural "you". If in doubt, start with vous; people will tell you when it's fine to switch to tu.

How to make these phrases stick

• Write each phrase on a flash card with the English on the back.
• Practise with a partner and act out short scenes, like ordering at a café.
• Listen to native speakers in songs, videos and podcasts, and repeat after them.
• Learn five phrases a week rather than all twenty at once.

Keep learning with Toyo

Toyo Educational Training & Counseling runs live online French classes for children, youth and adults, where you can practise phrases like these with a teacher. Watch our free online videos or book a free consultation to get started.