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French basics: greetings and essentials

Twenty-one essential French words and phrases for greetings, politeness and simple conversations, with example sentences and pronunciation hints.

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The cards, front and back

  1. 1
    Front

    Hello / Good day

    Back

    Bonjour

    Used until early evening. In France, say it when you enter a shop or greet anyone.

    Say: bohn-ZHOOR

  2. 2
    Front

    Good evening

    Back

    Bonsoir

    Example: Bonsoir, madame. (Good evening, madam.)

    Say: bohn-SWAHR

  3. 3
    Front

    Hi / Bye (informal)

    Back

    Salut

    Used with friends and people your age, both to say hello and goodbye.

    Say: sah-LOO

  4. 4
    Front

    Goodbye

    Back

    Au revoir

    Example: Au revoir et bonne journée ! (Goodbye and have a nice day!)

    Say: oh ruh-VWAHR

  5. 5
    Front

    See you soon

    Back

    À bientôt

    Also: À demain (see you tomorrow).

    Say: ah byan-TOH

  6. 6
    Front

    Please

    Back

    S'il vous plaît (formal) / S'il te plaît (informal)

    Example: Un croissant, s'il vous plaît.

  7. 7
    Front

    Thank you / Thank you very much

    Back

    Merci / Merci beaucoup

    Say: mair-SEE boh-KOO

  8. 8
    Front

    You're welcome

    Back

    De rien, or Je vous en prie (more formal)

    Say: duh RYAN

  9. 9
    Front

    Yes / No

    Back

    Oui / Non

    Say: WEE / nohn (nasal ending)

  10. 10
    Front

    Excuse me

    Back

    Excusez-moi, or Pardon

    Example: Excusez-moi, où est la gare ? (Excuse me, where is the station?)

  11. 11
    Front

    I'm sorry

    Back

    Je suis désolé (male speaker) / Je suis désolée (female speaker)

    Both sound the same: day-zoh-LAY.

  12. 12
    Front

    How are you?

    Back

    Comment allez-vous ? (formal) / Ça va ? (informal)

    Reply: Ça va bien, merci. Et toi ? (I'm fine, thanks. And you?)

  13. 13
    Front

    What's your name?

    Back

    Comment vous appelez-vous ? (formal) / Tu t'appelles comment ? (informal)

    Reply: Je m'appelle Léa.

  14. 14
    Front

    Nice to meet you

    Back

    Enchanté (male speaker) / Enchantée (female speaker)

    Say: ahn-shahn-TAY

  15. 15
    Front

    Where are you from?

    Back

    D'où venez-vous ? (formal) / Tu viens d'où ? (informal)

    Reply: Je viens du Canada. (I'm from Canada.)

  16. 16
    Front

    I don't understand

    Back

    Je ne comprends pas

    Say: zhuh nuh kohm-PRAHN pah

  17. 17
    Front

    Do you speak English?

    Back

    Parlez-vous anglais ?

    Say: par-lay VOO ahn-GLAY

  18. 18
    Front

    Could you speak more slowly?

    Back

    Pouvez-vous parler plus lentement, s'il vous plaît ?

    Say: plew lahnt-MAHN

  19. 19
    Front

    I would like...

    Back

    Je voudrais...

    Example: Je voudrais une baguette, s'il vous plaît. (I'd like a baguette, please.)

  20. 20
    Front

    How much is it?

    Back

    C'est combien ? or Combien ça coûte ?

    Example: C'est combien, ce livre ? (How much is this book?)

  21. 21
    Front

    Where is...? / Where are...?

    Back

    Où est...? / Où sont...?

    Example: Où sont les toilettes ? (Where are the toilets?)

  22. 22
    Front

    Tu and vous

    Back

    Tu is informal, for friends, family and children. Vous is formal, for strangers and at work, and is also the plural you for any group.

  23. 23
    Front

    Can you help me?

    Back

    Pouvez-vous m'aider ? (formal) / Tu peux m'aider ? (informal)

    Example: Excusez-moi, pouvez-vous m'aider, s'il vous plaît ? (Excuse me, can you help me, please?)

How to use this template

This deck covers the French you need for first conversations: greetings, polite expressions, introductions and survival phrases for when you do not understand. The English is on the front; the back gives the French, an example sentence and a simple pronunciation guide. It suits beginners at school, travellers to France, Belgium, Switzerland, Quebec or West Africa, and adult learners. Use Learn mode first and say each phrase out loud, then switch to Test mode so spaced repetition can bring back the phrases you find hardest. Print double-sided to practise anywhere.

Tips

  • Say every phrase out loud. French spelling hides many silent letters, so listening and speaking matter more than reading.
  • Practise linking: in vous appelez the s sounds like a z because the next word starts with a vowel.
  • Learn tu and vous forms together and picture who you would use each one with.
  • Greet people with bonjour before asking anything. In France, skipping it can come across as rude.
  • Record yourself and compare with a native speaker recording from a dictionary app.

Make it fit

  • Add words common where you will travel, such as bonjour used as goodbye in Quebec or local greetings in West Africa.
  • Teachers can add classroom phrases such as Je peux aller aux toilettes ?
  • For younger learners, start with the first ten cards and add numbers and colours.
  • Add a card with your own introduction: name, age, country and a hobby.

Updated October 28, 2026

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