Pronunciation for English speakers
You don't need a perfect accent. French people respond to the effort, and a clear "Bonjour" and "Merci" do more for you than fluent grammar. A few rules will get you most of the way.
How the respellings work
Every phrase on this page has a "Say it" column written in plain American spelling. Hyphens split the syllables, and the syllable in CAPS gets a little extra weight. In French, that's almost always the last syllable of a word or phrase, and the stress is much lighter than in English. Say every syllable evenly, then lift your voice slightly at the end.
- zh is the sound in "measure" (bonjour = bohn-ZHOOR).
- ew is the French u: say "ee" with your lips rounded tight as if to whistle.
- uh is a short, relaxed sound as in "the" (le, deux). Round your lips a little.
- ay is a clean "ay" with no glide into "ee." eh is the "e" in "bet."
- ahn, ohn, an, uhn are nasal vowels (below). Don't actually say the "n."
- r is the French throat r (below).
Nasal sounds
French has vowels that you push partly through your nose, and they are the biggest giveaway of an English accent. The trick: start the vowel, let air flow through your nose, and stop before your tongue touches the roof of your mouth to make an "n." Pinch your nose while saying one, and you should feel it buzz.
| Spelling | Respelled | Sounds a bit like | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| an, am, en, em | ahn | "on" said with a wide-open mouth, no n | France (FRAHNSS), enfant (ahn-FAHN) |
| on, om | ohn | "own" with rounded lips, no n | bon (BOHN), non (NOHN) |
| in, ain, ein, im | an | "an" in "can't," no n | vin (VAN), pain (PAN) |
| un, um | uhn | "uh" through the nose; many French people now say it like in | un (UHN), lundi (luhn-DEE) |
When the n is followed by a vowel or a second n, there's no nasal: bonne is "bun," and Anne is "ahn" with a real n.
Silent endings
Most final consonants are silent: Paris is pah-REE, trop is TROH, petit is puh-TEE. A final -e is silent too, but it makes the consonant before it heard: petite is puh-TEET. The plural -s and the verb ending -ent are silent (ils parlent = eel PARL). Exceptions to remember with the word "CaReFuL": final c, r, f and l are often pronounced, as in avec (ah-VEK), bonjour, neuf (NUHF) and sel (SEL). The -er ending on verbs is an exception to the exception: parler is par-LAY.
The French "r"
The French r is made at the back of the throat, close to where you'd say "g" or gargle lightly. Try saying "k" and letting it soften into a breathy rasp. It's gentler than it sounds in movies. If it's not coming, a soft English r won't stop anyone understanding you.
"u" vs "ou"
This pair changes meanings, so it's worth practicing. ou is "oo" as in "food": tout (TOO, all), vous (VOO, you). u is "ew": say "ee," then round your lips without moving your tongue: tu (TEW, you, informal), rue (REW, street). Mix them up and dessus (on top) becomes dessous (underneath).
Liaison and elision
French runs words together. In a liaison, a normally silent final consonant is pronounced when the next word starts with a vowel or silent h, and it attaches to that word: vous avez is voo zah-VAY, les amis is lay zah-MEE, un grand hôtel is uhn grahn toh-TEL. An s or x in liaison sounds like "z." In elision, short words lose their vowel before another vowel and take an apostrophe: le hôtel becomes l'hôtel, je ai becomes j'ai. The respellings on this page show these links.
Other spellings to know
| Spelling | Sound | Example |
|---|---|---|
| é | ay | café (kah-FAY) |
| è, ê, ai | eh | très (TREH), fête (FET) |
| au, eau, ô | oh | eau (OH), château (shah-TOH) |
| oi | wah | moi (MWAH), soir (SWAHR) |
| eu, œu | uh | deux (DUH), sœur (SUHR) |
| ch | sh | chocolat (shoh-koh-LAH) |
| gn | ny, as in "canyon" | champagne (shahn-PAH-nyuh) |
| j, and g before e or i | zh | jour (ZHOOR), gîte (ZHEET); gare keeps a hard g (GAR) |
| ille (usually) | ee-yuh | fille (FEE-yuh), but ville is VEEL |
| qu | k | quai (KAY) |
| ç, and c before e or i | s | ça (SAH), merci (mehr-SEE) |
| h | always silent | hôtel (oh-TEL) |
| th | t | thé (TAY) |
Insider tip
Google Translate and similar apps will read any phrase aloud in a French voice. Play the essentials a few times before your trip, and save the French versions offline for places without a signal. See phones and apps.
Essentials and greetings
| English | French | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| Hello / Good day | Bonjour | bohn-ZHOOR |
| Good evening (from about 6 pm) | Bonsoir | bohn-SWAHR |
| Hi (with friends) | Salut | sah-LEW |
| Goodbye | Au revoir | oh ruh-VWAHR |
| Have a good day | Bonne journée | bun zhoor-NAY |
| Have a good evening | Bonne soirée | bun swah-RAY |
| See you soon | À bientôt | ah byan-TOH |
| Ma'am | Madame | mah-DAHM |
| Sir | Monsieur | muh-SYUH |
| Yes | Oui | WEE |
| No | Non | NOHN |
| Okay / Agreed | D'accord | dah-KOR |
| How are you? | Comment allez-vous ? | koh-mahn tah-lay-VOO |
| Fine, thank you. And you? | Bien, merci. Et vous ? | byan mehr-SEE. ay VOO |
| How's it going? (casual) | Ça va ? | sah VAH |
| My name is… | Je m'appelle… | zhuh mah-PEL |
| Nice to meet you | Enchanté / Enchantée | ahn-shahn-TAY |
| Do you speak English? | Parlez-vous anglais ? | par-lay-voo zahn-GLEH |
| I don't speak French | Je ne parle pas français | zhuh nuh parl pah frahn-SEH |
| I speak a little French | Je parle un peu français | zhuh parl uhn puh frahn-SEH |
| I don't understand | Je ne comprends pas | zhuh nuh kohm-prahn PAH |
| Could you speak more slowly, please? | Pouvez-vous parler plus lentement, s'il vous plaît ? | poo-vay-voo par-lay plew lahnt-MAHN, seel voo PLEH |
| Could you repeat that? | Pouvez-vous répéter ? | poo-vay-voo ray-pay-TAY |
| What does that mean? | Qu'est-ce que ça veut dire ? | kess-kuh sah vuh DEER |
| How do you say … in French? | Comment dit-on … en français ? | koh-mahn dee-TOHN … ahn frahn-SEH |
| I'm American (man / woman) | Je suis américain / américaine | zhuh swee zah-may-ree-KAN / zah-may-ree-KEN |
Different from home
"Bonjour" isn't small talk; it's the price of entry for any conversation. Say "Bonjour, Madame" or "Bonjour, Monsieur" before you ask anything, even "Parlez-vous anglais ?" Our etiquette page explains why.
Polite words
| English | French | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| Please | S'il vous plaît | seel voo PLEH |
| Thank you | Merci | mehr-SEE |
| Thank you very much | Merci beaucoup | mehr-see boh-KOO |
| You're welcome | De rien | duh RYAN |
| You're welcome (more formal) / Please, go ahead | Je vous en prie | zhuh voo zahn PREE |
| Excuse me (before a question) | Excusez-moi | ex-kew-zay-MWAH |
| Sorry / Pardon me | Pardon | par-DOHN |
| Sorry, may I get by? | Pardon, je peux passer ? | par-DOHN, zhuh puh pah-SAY |
| I'm very sorry | Je suis vraiment désolé / désolée | zhuh swee vreh-mahn day-zoh-LAY |
| No problem | Pas de problème | pahd proh-BLEM |
| With pleasure | Avec plaisir | ah-vek pleh-ZEER |
| That's very kind of you | C'est très gentil | seh treh zhahn-TEE |
| Enjoy your meal | Bon appétit | boh nah-pay-TEE |
| Cheers | Santé / À la vôtre | sahn-TAY / ah lah VOH-truh |
| Bless you | À vos souhaits | ah voh SWEH |
| Have a good trip | Bon voyage | bohn vwah-YAHZH |
"Excusez-moi" vs "Pardon"
Use Excusez-moi to get someone's attention before a question: "Excusez-moi, Madame, où est la gare ?" Use Pardon when you bump into someone, need to squeeze past on the Métro, or didn't catch what was said ("Pardon ?" with a rising tone means "Sorry, what?"). Both work as a quick apology. "Je suis désolé" is for real apologies.
Café and restaurant
| English | French | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| A table for two, please | Une table pour deux, s'il vous plaît | ewn tah-bluh poor DUH, seel voo PLEH |
| I have a reservation in the name of… | J'ai une réservation au nom de… | zhay ewn ray-zehr-vah-syohn oh nohm DUH |
| Do you have a table for tonight? | Vous avez une table pour ce soir ? | voo zah-vay ewn tah-bluh poor suh SWAHR |
| Inside / On the terrace | À l'intérieur / En terrasse | ah lan-tay-RYUHR / ahn teh-RAHSS |
| The menu, please | La carte, s'il vous plaît | lah KART, seel voo PLEH |
| Do you have a menu in English? | Vous avez une carte en anglais ? | voo zah-vay ewn kart ahn nahn-GLEH |
| What do you recommend? | Qu'est-ce que vous me conseillez ? | kess-kuh voo muh kohn-say-YAY |
| What's the dish of the day? | Quel est le plat du jour ? | kel eh luh plah dew ZHOOR |
| I'd like… | Je voudrais… | zhuh voo-DREH |
| I'll have the set lunch | Je vais prendre la formule | zhuh vay prahn-druh lah for-MEWL |
| As a starter / As a main course | En entrée / En plat | ahn nahn-TRAY / ahn PLAH |
| For dessert | En dessert | ahn deh-SEHR |
| Rare / Medium-rare / Well done | Saignant / À point / Bien cuit | seh-NYAHN / ah PWAN / byan KWEE |
| A carafe of tap water, please | Une carafe d'eau, s'il vous plaît | ewn kah-rahf DOH, seel voo PLEH |
| Sparkling water / Still water | De l'eau gazeuse / De l'eau plate | duh loh gah-ZUHZ / duh loh PLAHT |
| With ice, please | Avec des glaçons, s'il vous plaît | ah-vek day glah-SOHN, seel voo PLEH |
| A glass of red / white / rosé | Un verre de rouge / de blanc / de rosé | uhn vehr duh ROOZH / duh BLAHN / duh roh-ZAY |
| A small pitcher of house wine | Un pichet de vin de la maison | uhn pee-SHEH duh van duh lah meh-ZOHN |
| A small draft beer | Un demi | uhn duh-MEE |
| An espresso | Un café | uhn kah-FAY |
| A coffee with milk | Un café crème | uhn kah-fay KREM |
| A decaf | Un déca | uhn day-KAH |
| To go, please | À emporter, s'il vous plaît | ah ahn-por-TAY, seel voo PLEH |
| I'm vegetarian (man / woman) | Je suis végétarien / végétarienne | zhuh swee vay-zhay-tah-RYAN / vay-zhay-tah-RYEN |
| Is there meat or fish in it? | Il y a de la viande ou du poisson dedans ? | eel yah duh lah vyahnd oo dew pwah-sohn duh-DAHN |
| Excuse me (to call the server) | S'il vous plaît ! | seel voo PLEH |
| It was delicious | C'était délicieux | say-teh day-lee-SYUH |
| I've had plenty, thank you | J'ai très bien mangé, merci | zhay treh byan mahn-ZHAY, mehr-SEE |
| The check, please | L'addition, s'il vous plaît | lah-dee-SYOHN, seel voo PLEH |
| Can we pay separately? | On peut payer séparément ? | ohn puh peh-yay say-pah-ray-MAHN |
| Can I pay by card? | Je peux payer par carte ? | zhuh puh peh-yay par KART |
| Can I take the rest home? | Je peux emporter le reste ? | zhuh puh ahn-por-tay luh REST |
| Where are the restrooms? | Où sont les toilettes ? | oo sohn lay twah-LET |
"Je voudrais" vs "Je veux"
Je veux means "I want" and sounds blunt, like a child at the counter. Je voudrais ("I would like") is the polite standard for ordering anything. At a restaurant, Je vais prendre… ("I'll have…") is just as natural. Finish with s'il vous plaît and you're set.
For a full menu decoder, steak terms and how service works, see our French food guide. For ordering wine, see wine and spirits.
Shopping and markets
| English | French | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| I'm just looking, thanks | Je regarde, merci | zhuh ruh-GARD, mehr-SEE |
| I'm looking for… | Je cherche… | zhuh SHEHRSH |
| Do you have…? | Vous avez… ? | voo zah-VAY |
| How much is it? | C'est combien ? | seh kohm-BYAN |
| It's too expensive | C'est trop cher | seh troh SHEHR |
| Can I try it on? | Je peux l'essayer ? | zhuh puh leh-seh-YAY |
| Do you have it in a bigger / smaller size? | Vous l'avez en plus grand / en plus petit ? | voo lah-vay ahn plew GRAHN / ahn plew puh-TEE |
| I'll take it | Je le prends | zhuh luh PRAHN |
| That's all, thank you | C'est tout, merci | seh TOO, mehr-SEE |
| Do you take cards? | Vous prenez la carte ? | voo pruh-nay lah KART |
| A bag, please | Un sac, s'il vous plaît | uhn SAHK, seel voo PLEH |
| It's a gift. Could you wrap it? | C'est pour offrir. Vous pouvez faire un paquet cadeau ? | seh poor oh-FREER. voo poo-vay fehr uhn pah-keh kah-DOH |
| Can I have a tax refund form? | Je peux avoir un bordereau de détaxe ? | zhuh puh ah-vwahr uhn bor-duh-roh duh day-TAX |
| What time do you close? | Vous fermez à quelle heure ? | voo fehr-may ah kel UHR |
| A traditional baguette, please | Une tradition, s'il vous plaît | ewn trah-dee-SYOHN, seel voo PLEH |
| Well baked / Not too baked | Bien cuite / Pas trop cuite | byan KWEET / pah troh KWEET |
| Two croissants, please | Deux croissants, s'il vous plaît | duh krwah-SAHN, seel voo PLEH |
| A kilo (about 2 lb) of tomatoes | Un kilo de tomates | uhn kee-loh duh toh-MAHT |
| Half a kilo (about 1 lb) | Une livre | ewn LEE-vruh |
| A slice / A piece of that | Une tranche / Un morceau de ça | ewn TRAHNSH / uhn mor-soh duh SAH |
| For tonight / For tomorrow | Pour ce soir / Pour demain | poor suh SWAHR / poor duh-MAN |
| Can I taste it? | Je peux goûter ? | zhuh puh goo-TAY |
| Is it raw-milk cheese? | C'est au lait cru ? | seh toh leh KREW |
| Vacuum-packed, please | Sous vide, s'il vous plaît | soo VEED, seel voo PLEH |
Shopping etiquette, including when not to touch the produce, is on our etiquette page. VAT refunds are explained in shopping and US customs.
Directions and transport
| English | French | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| Where is…? | Où est… ? | oo EH |
| Where is the Métro station? | Où est la station de métro ? | oo eh lah stah-syohn duh may-TROH |
| Where is the train station? | Où est la gare ? | oo eh lah GAR |
| Is it far? | C'est loin ? | seh LWAN |
| Can I walk there? | On peut y aller à pied ? | ohn puh ee ah-lay ah PYAY |
| On the left / On the right | À gauche / À droite | ah GOHSH / ah DRWAHT |
| Straight ahead | Tout droit | too DRWAH |
| Next to / Across from | À côté de / En face de | ah koh-TAY duh / ahn FAHSS duh |
| Can you show me on the map? | Vous pouvez me montrer sur le plan ? | voo poo-vay muh mohn-tray sewr luh PLAHN |
| I'm lost | Je suis perdu / perdue | zhuh swee pehr-DEW |
| A ticket to Lyon, please | Un billet pour Lyon, s'il vous plaît | uhn bee-yeh poor lee-OHN, seel voo PLEH |
| One-way / Round-trip | Aller simple / Aller-retour | ah-lay SAN-pluh / ah-lay ruh-TOOR |
| Which platform? | Quel quai ? | kel KAY |
| Is this the train to Paris? | C'est bien le train pour Paris ? | seh byan luh tran poor pah-REE |
| What time does the train leave? | Le train part à quelle heure ? | luh tran par ah kel UHR |
| Is this seat free? | Cette place est libre ? | set plahss eh LEE-bruh |
| I think this is my seat | Je crois que c'est ma place | zhuh krwah kuh seh mah PLAHSS |
| The train is late / canceled | Le train est en retard / annulé | luh tran eh tahn ruh-TAR / eh tah-new-LAY |
| Is there a strike? | Il y a une grève ? | eel yah ewn GREV |
| Where do I change lines? | Où est-ce que je change ? | oo ess-kuh zhuh SHAHNZH |
| Which stop for the Louvre? | C'est quel arrêt pour le Louvre ? | seh kel ah-reh poor luh LOO-vruh |
| To this address, please | À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît | ah set ah-DRESS, seel voo PLEH |
| How long does it take? | Ça prend combien de temps ? | sah prahn kohm-byan duh TAHN |
| I'd like to rent a car | Je voudrais louer une voiture | zhuh voo-dreh loo-ay ewn vwah-TEWR |
| Fill it up, please | Le plein, s'il vous plaît | luh PLAN, seel voo PLEH |
| Unleaded / Diesel | Sans plomb / Gazole | sahn PLOHN / gah-ZOHL |
Watch out
At the pump, gazole (also gasoil) is diesel, even though it sounds like "gasoline." Gasoline is sans plomb (SP95, SP98 or E10). Putting the wrong fuel in a rental car is a common and expensive mistake. See driving in France and trains.
Hotel
| English | French | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| I have a reservation | J'ai une réservation | zhay ewn ray-zehr-vah-SYOHN |
| Do you have a room for tonight? | Vous avez une chambre pour ce soir ? | voo zah-vay ewn shahm-bruh poor suh SWAHR |
| For two nights | Pour deux nuits | poor duh NWEE |
| With a double bed / With two beds | Avec un grand lit / Avec deux lits | ah-vek uhn grahn LEE / ah-vek duh LEE |
| Is breakfast included? | Le petit-déjeuner est compris ? | luh puh-tee day-zhuh-nay eh kohm-PREE |
| What time is breakfast? | Le petit-déjeuner est à quelle heure ? | luh puh-tee day-zhuh-nay eh tah kel UHR |
| What time is checkout? | Il faut libérer la chambre à quelle heure ? | eel foh lee-bay-ray lah shahm-bruh ah kel UHR |
| Can I leave my bags here? | Je peux laisser mes bagages ici ? | zhuh puh leh-say may bah-gahzh ee-SEE |
| What's the Wi-Fi password? | Quel est le code wifi ? | kel eh luh kohd wee-FEE |
| What's the door code? | Quel est le code de la porte ? | kel eh luh kohd duh lah PORT |
| Is there an elevator? | Il y a un ascenseur ? | eel yah uhn nah-sahn-SUHR |
| Is there air conditioning? | Il y a la climatisation ? | eel yah lah klee-mah-tee-zah-SYOHN |
| The … doesn't work | Le / La … ne marche pas | luh / lah … nuh marsh PAH |
| There's no hot water | Il n'y a pas d'eau chaude | eel nyah pah doh SHOHD |
| Could I have another towel? | Je pourrais avoir une autre serviette ? | zhuh poo-reh ah-vwahr ewn oh-truh sehr-VYET |
| The room is too noisy | La chambre est trop bruyante | lah shahm-bruh eh troh brwee-YAHNT |
| Could I have the bill? | Je peux avoir la note ? | zhuh puh ah-vwahr lah NOHT |
Remember that the French first floor (premier étage) is the American second floor, and the ground floor is rez-de-chaussée (ray-duh-shoh-SAY). More hotel quirks are on our etiquette page and in where to stay.
Emergencies and health
In an emergency, call 112 (works from any phone, with English-speaking operators available), 15 for medical emergencies (SAMU), 17 for police and 18 for the fire service. Deaf and hard-of-hearing callers can use 114 by text. See safety, health and the US Embassy.
| English | French | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| Help | Au secours ! | oh suh-KOOR |
| Call an ambulance | Appelez une ambulance ! | ah-play zewn ahn-bew-LAHNSS |
| Call the police | Appelez la police ! | ah-play lah poh-LEESS |
| Stop, thief | Au voleur ! | oh voh-LUHR |
| It's an emergency | C'est une urgence | seh tewn ewr-ZHAHNSS |
| I need a doctor | J'ai besoin d'un médecin | zhay buh-zwan duhn mayd-SAN |
| Where is the nearest hospital? | Où est l'hôpital le plus proche ? | oo eh loh-pee-tahl luh plew PROHSH |
| Where is a pharmacy? | Où est la pharmacie ? | oo eh lah far-mah-SEE |
| I'm sick | Je suis malade | zhuh swee mah-LAHD |
| It hurts here | J'ai mal ici | zhay mahl ee-SEE |
| I have a fever | J'ai de la fièvre | zhay duh lah FYEH-vruh |
| Something for a headache, please | Quelque chose contre le mal de tête, s'il vous plaît | kel-kuh shohz kohn-truh luh mahl duh TET, seel voo PLEH |
| I take this medication | Je prends ce médicament | zhuh prahn suh may-dee-kah-MAHN |
| I'm diabetic | Je suis diabétique | zhuh swee dyah-bay-TEEK |
| I'm pregnant | Je suis enceinte | zhuh swee zahn-SANT |
| I'm allergic to… | Je suis allergique à… | zhuh swee zah-lehr-ZHEEK ah |
| I have a severe allergy to peanuts | J'ai une allergie grave aux arachides | zhay ewn ah-lehr-zhee grahv oh zah-rah-SHEED |
| … to tree nuts | … aux fruits à coque | oh frwee zah KOHK |
| … to shellfish | … aux crustacés et aux fruits de mer | oh krew-stah-say ay oh frwee duh MEHR |
| … to milk / to eggs / to sesame | … au lait / aux œufs / au sésame | oh LEH / oh ZUH / oh say-ZAHM |
| I have celiac disease (no gluten) | Je suis cœliaque (sans gluten) | zhuh swee say-LYAHK (sahn glew-TEN) |
| Is there any … in this? | Est-ce qu'il y a du / de la … dedans ? | ess-keel yah dew / duh lah … duh-DAHN |
| Even a trace can make me very ill | Même une trace peut me rendre très malade | mem ewn trahss puh muh rahn-druh treh mah-LAHD |
| I carry an epinephrine pen | J'ai un stylo d'adrénaline | zhay uhn stee-loh dah-dray-nah-LEEN |
| I've lost my passport | J'ai perdu mon passeport | zhay pehr-dew mohn pahss-POR |
| My bag was stolen | On m'a volé mon sac | ohn mah voh-lay mohn SAHK |
| Where is the police station? | Où est le commissariat ? | oo eh luh koh-mee-sah-RYAH |
| I need to contact the US Embassy | Je dois contacter l'ambassade des États-Unis | zhuh dwah kohn-tahk-tay lahm-bah-sahd day zay-tah-zew-NEE |
Watch out
Spoken allergy phrases are a backup, not a plan. For a serious allergy, carry the written allergy card from our food guide and hand it to your server, so the kitchen gets every detail.
Numbers, days and time
| English | French | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | zéro | zay-ROH |
| 1 | un / une | UHN / EWN |
| 2 | deux | DUH |
| 3 | trois | TRWAH |
| 4 | quatre | KAH-truh |
| 5 | cinq | SANK |
| 6 | six | SEESS |
| 7 | sept | SET |
| 8 | huit | WEET |
| 9 | neuf | NUHF |
| 10 | dix | DEESS |
| 12 | douze | DOOZ |
| 20 | vingt | VAN |
| 50 | cinquante | san-KAHNT |
| 70 | soixante-dix | swah-sahnt-DEESS |
| 80 | quatre-vingts | kah-truh-VAN |
| 90 | quatre-vingt-dix | kah-truh-van-DEESS |
| 100 | cent | SAHN |
| 1,000 | mille | MEEL |
| Monday | lundi | luhn-DEE |
| Tuesday | mardi | mar-DEE |
| Wednesday | mercredi | mehr-kruh-DEE |
| Thursday | jeudi | zhuh-DEE |
| Friday | vendredi | vahn-druh-DEE |
| Saturday | samedi | sahm-DEE |
| Sunday | dimanche | dee-MAHNSH |
| Today / Tomorrow / Yesterday | Aujourd'hui / Demain / Hier | oh-zhoor-DWEE / duh-MAN / ee-YEHR |
| This morning / This afternoon / Tonight | Ce matin / Cet après-midi / Ce soir | suh mah-TAN / set ah-preh-mee-DEE / suh SWAHR |
| What time is it? | Quelle heure est-il ? | kel uhr eh-TEEL |
| At 8 pm | À vingt heures | ah van TUHR |
| Quarter past / Half past | Et quart / Et demie | ay KAR / ay duh-MEE |
| Are you open on Sunday? | Vous êtes ouvert le dimanche ? | voo zet oo-vehr luh dee-MAHNSH |
Different from home
The French write times on the 24-hour clock (20h or 20h30 for 8 or 8:30 pm), dates day-first (11/12 is December 11), and decimals with a comma: 12,50 € is twelve euros fifty, and 1.000 can mean one thousand. Numbers 70 to 99 are built from older counting: 70 is "sixty-ten," 80 is "four twenties" and 90 is "four twenties ten." When in doubt about a price, ask the seller to write it down or show it on the card terminal.
Small talk
| English | French | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| Where are you from? | Vous venez d'où ? | voo vuh-nay DOO |
| I'm from Chicago | Je viens de Chicago | zhuh vyan duh shee-kah-GOH |
| It's my first time in France | C'est ma première fois en France | seh mah pruh-myehr fwah ahn FRAHNSS |
| We're on vacation | Nous sommes en vacances | noo sum zahn vah-KAHNSS |
| Do you live here? | Vous habitez ici ? | voo zah-bee-tay ee-SEE |
| I love this city | J'adore cette ville | zhah-dor set VEEL |
| It's beautiful | C'est magnifique | seh mah-nyee-FEEK |
| What should we see around here? | Qu'est-ce que vous nous conseillez de voir ? | kess-kuh voo noo kohn-say-yay duh VWAHR |
| I'm trying to learn French | J'essaie d'apprendre le français | zheh-seh dah-prahn-druh luh frahn-SEH |
| This is my husband / my wife | Je vous présente mon mari / ma femme | zhuh voo pray-zahnt mohn mah-REE / mah FAHM |
| The weather is nice / bad | Il fait beau / Il fait mauvais | eel feh BOH / eel feh moh-VEH |
| It's hot / It's cold | Il fait chaud / Il fait froid | eel feh SHOH / eel feh FRWAH |
| Me too | Moi aussi | mwah oh-SEE |
| Of course | Bien sûr | byan SEWR |
| May I take your photo? | Je peux vous prendre en photo ? | zhuh puh voo prahn-druh ahn foh-TOH |
| Have a good weekend | Bon week-end | bohn wee-KEND |
False friends to avoid
Don't say "Je suis plein" for "I'm full"; say "J'ai bien mangé" or "Je n'ai plus faim." "Je suis excité" has a sexual ring; say "J'ai hâte" (I can't wait). Préservatif means condom, not preservative. A librairie is a bookstore, and the library is a bibliothèque. Actuellement means "currently," and "actually" is en fait.
Signs you'll see
| French sign | Meaning | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| Entrée | Entrance | ahn-TRAY |
| Sortie | Exit | sor-TEE |
| Sortie de secours | Emergency exit | sor-tee duh suh-KOOR |
| Poussez / Tirez | Push / Pull | poo-SAY / tee-RAY |
| Ouvert / Fermé | Open / Closed | oo-VEHR / fehr-MAY |
| Fermeture annuelle | Closed for annual vacation | fehr-muh-tewr ah-new-EL |
| Toilettes / WC | Restrooms | twah-LET / vay-SAY |
| Dames / Hommes | Women / Men | DAHM / OHM |
| Libre / Occupé | Vacant / Occupied | LEE-bruh / oh-kew-PAY |
| Interdit | Forbidden | an-tehr-DEE |
| Défense de fumer | No smoking | day-fahnss duh few-MAY |
| Attention | Caution | ah-tahn-SYOHN |
| Hors service | Out of order | or sehr-VEESS |
| Soldes | Sale | SOHLD |
| Caisse | Checkout / Cashier | KESS |
| Accueil | Reception / Information desk | ah-KUHY |
| Complet | Full / No vacancy | kohm-PLEH |
| Quai / Voie | Platform / Track | KAY / VWAH |
| Correspondance | Transfer to another line | koh-res-pohn-DAHNSS |
| Validez votre titre | Validate your ticket | vah-lee-day voh-truh TEE-truh |
| Péage | Toll | pay-AHZH |
| Toutes directions | All directions (follow to leave town) | toot dee-rek-SYOHN |
| Centre-ville | Town center | sahn-truh-VEEL |
| Sens unique | One way | sahnss ew-NEEK |
| Stationnement interdit | No parking | stah-syohn-mahn an-tehr-DEE |
| Rappel | Reminder (the speed limit still applies) | rah-PEL |
| Baignade interdite | No swimming | beh-nyahd an-tehr-DEET |
| Pharmacie de garde | On-duty (after-hours) pharmacy | far-mah-see duh GARD |
For road signs and rules, see driving in France. For train station signs, see trains and Paris transport.
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