41 key French travel words and phrases to master
Type of trip
City breaks
Nothing enhances travelling like learning the language – whether it's being able to interact with locals and chat to fellow customers in the queue of a Parisian boulangerie or simply finding your way around a foreign city. Not to mention the fact that trying to speak the native language is always a nice gesture when abroad, so you'll get an extra warm welcome.
For anyone dreaming of a holiday in France, we've come up with a list of key French words and phrases so that you can get the most out of your trip.
Learn a bit of the language to enhance your trip to France
Learn a bit of the language to enhance your trip to France
| Greeting words & phrases | |
|---|---|
| Hello! | Bonjour ! |
| Goodbye. | Au revoir ! |
| My name is [ ... ]. | Je m'appelle [ ... ]. |
| How are you? | Comment ça va ? |
| I'm well, and you? | Je vais bien, et vous ? |
| Please. | S'il vous plaît. |
| Thank you. | Merci. |
| You’re welcome. | De rien. |
| Good morning. | Bonjour ! |
| Have a good day! | Bonne journée ! |
| Good evening. | Bonsoir. |
| Good night. | Bonne nuit. |
| See you later! | À plus tard ! |
| Questions | |
|---|---|
| Excuse me, could you help me? | Excusez-moi, pouvez-vous m'aider ? |
| Do you speak English? | Parlez-vous anglais ? |
| I don't understand. Could you repeat, please? | Je ne comprends pas. Pouvez-vous répéter, s'il vous plaît ? |
| How much does it cost? | Combien ça coûte ? |
| May I have the bill? | Puis-je avoir l'addition ? |
| Where is the toilet? | Où sont les toilettes ? |
| How do you say [ ... ] in French? | Comment dit-on [ ... ] en français ? |
Order 'escargots' (snails) in French like a local
Order 'escargots' (snails) in French like a local
| Food & drink | |
|---|---|
| I’d like to have a beer. | Je voudrais une bière. |
| I’d like to have a bottle/glass of wine. | Je voudrais une bouteille/un verre de vin. |
| I’d like to have a glass of water. | Je voudrais un verre d'eau. |
| I’ll have a coffee, please. | Un café, s'il vous plaît. |
| I’ll have a tea, please. | Un thé, s'il vous plaît. |
| The menu, please. | La carte, s'il vous plaît. |
| I’m vegetarian. | Je suis végétarien/végétarienne. |
| I’m allergic to seafood/nuts/eggs. | Je suis allergique aux fruits de mer/fruits à coque/œufs. |
| I’m lactose/gluten intolerant. | Je suis intolérant(e) au lactose/gluten. |
| I don't drink alcohol. | Je ne bois pas d'alcool. |
| French food is the best in the world. | La cuisine française est la meilleure au monde. |
| Directions | |
|---|---|
| Where are we? | Où sommes-nous ? |
| I'm looking for [ ... ]. | Je cherche [ ... ]. |
| How do I get to the city centre/airport? | Comment faire pour me rendre au centre-ville/à l'aéroport ? |
| Is it far away? | Est-ce que c'est loin ? |
| Where is the nearest metro stop? | Où est la station de métro la plus proche ? |
| Where is the train station? | Où est la gare ? |
| Where is the bus station? | Où est la gare routière ? |
| Emergency | |
|---|---|
| Help! | Au secours ! |
| I am lost. | Je suis perdu(e). |
| Where is the nearest police station/hospital? | Où est le commissariat/l'hôpital le plus proche ? |
