Français · 63 phrases · 7 categories

Basic French Phrases for Travelers

Hello in French is Bonjour, thank you is Merci, and the one to memorise before anything else is Au secours! — help. Below: all 63 phrases across 7 travel situations, each one tappable to copy.

Common in central Paris and at major sights. Expect much less in rural France and in francophone Africa, where French is the working language.

Bonjour is not optional. Say it before every request in a shop, bakery or ticket office — opening with a question instead reads as rude.

The French phrases to learn first

A greeting, a thank-you, an apology, a question, a price and an emergency — enough to get through a first day in Français.

Hello

Bonjour

Thank you

Merci

Please

S'il vous plaît

Excuse me / sorry

Excusez-moi

Do you speak English?

Parlez-vous anglais?

How much is this?

Combien ça coûte?

Where is...?

Où est...?

Help!

Au secours!

How French is written

Latin alphabet with accents (é è ê ç à) that change the sound, not just the spelling.

Where it gets you further

France, Belgium, western Switzerland, Quebec, and much of West and North Africa.

🇫🇷 French — 29 countries

Saying Français out loud

  • Final consonants are usually silent: Paris is pa-REE, beaucoup is boh-KOO.
  • R is made at the back of the throat — closer to a gargle than to an English r.
  • U as in tu has no English equivalent: say ee while rounding your lips.
  • Nasal vowels in bon, vin and blanc send the vowel through the nose; the n itself is not pronounced.
  • Liaison links a silent final consonant to the next word's vowel, so vous avez runs together as voo-za-VAY.

The mistake travelers make in French: Je suis plein means you are drunk, not full. After a meal say j'ai bien mangé.

All 63 French phrases, by situation

Yes

Oui

No

Non

Please

S'il vous plaît

Thank you

Merci

You're welcome

De rien

Excuse me / Sorry

Excusez-moi

I don't understand

Je ne comprends pas

Do you speak English?

Parlez-vous anglais?

I don't speak [lang]

Je ne parle pas français

A little

Un peu

Phrase guides in other languages

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Ready to Go?

You've got the phrases — now plan your full trip with costs, transport, and a day-by-day itinerary.

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