The Ultimate Survival French Phrases for Travel from a Tourist turned Expat
I wish I had a nifty list just like this of essential French travel phrases when I was on my first trip to France back in 2015. It would have been so useful to pull it out in the scenario I needed because I barely knew a lick of French. Did it make me nervous? Absolutely. Did I let that stop me from trying? Nope! Learning a language is like working out a muscle or training to be a runner. The key is practice, not perfection. I hope this handy list of French travel phrases is useful to you!
Now that I call France home, I run into more of these new opportunities to learn more often than I’d like. But, c’est la vie, non? The sense of accomplishment I feel from just trying is a hit of dopamine. And when I get it right, I am over the moon! While in the zone and in the flow of a short conversation with a French person, I’m just like, “Omg holy moly, I am doing it.”
I want you to help you feel that same sense of self-pride and confidence boost. Learning key phrases and practicing them out in the wild enhances your travel experience by pulling you closer to the culture through appreciation. Despite the awkward fumbles that are inevitable (and totally acceptable), you never know the connection or new friend you’ll make from just saying bonjour.
Before we dive in, be sure to grab your free printable guide to these essential French phrases! It includes phonetic pronunciations, and it’s organized by situation for easy-finding. Just submit your email below, and I’ll send it to your inbox.
This post is all about the Ultimate Survival French Phrases for Travel to know. All original illustrations are by Le Rouge Fox Travel.
The Basics
Introduce the most common phrases every traveler should know:
Bonjour (bohn-zhoor) – Good morning/Hello
Bonsoir (bohn-swahr) – Good evening
Merci (mehr-see) – Thank you
Excusez-moi (ehk-skew-zay mwah) – Excuse me
S’il vous plaît (seel voo pleh) – Please
Comment ça va ? (koh-mah(n) sah vah?) – How’s it going?
Je m’appelle… (zhuh mah-pehl…) – My name is…
Au revoir (oh ruh-vwahr) – Goodbye
Tip: In France, always say ‘Bonjour’ before asking a question or entering a store. It’s considered rude to skip this step. So start every interaction with bonjour/bonsoir! It’s good manners. I’ve personally been corrected (lol), even if I had started the inquiry with Excusez-moi? To be honest, “Tip” doesn’t even emphasize how important this is. It’s nearly imperative.
At the Café or Restaurant
Phrases for ordering food and drinks:
Je voudrais… (zhuh voo-dreh) – I would like…
L’addition, s’il vous plaît. (lah-dee-syohn, seel voo pleh) – The check, please.
Est-ce que vous avez un menu en anglais ? (ehs-kuh voo zah-vay uh meh-nyoo ahn ahng-glay?) – Do you have a menu in English?
Un verre de vin rouge/blanc, s’il vous plaît. (uh(n) vehr duh veh(n) roo-zh/blahn seel voo pleh) – A glass of red/white wine, please.
Quel est le plat du jour ? (kehl eh luh plah dew zhoor?) – What’s the dish of the day?
Un café allongé, s’il vous plaît. (uh(n) kah-fay ah-loh(n)-zhay, seel voo pleh) – A black coffee, please.
Puis-je voir le menu ? (pwee-zh vwar luh meh-nyoo?) – May I see the menu?
Bonus tip for traveling with your dog in France: I often have Momo with me. Although most places have been dog-friendly, but I still like to ask because I have had a couple of places tell me no.
Est-ce que les chiens sont autorisés? (ehs-kuh lay shya(n) soh(n) toh-toh-ree-zay? – Are dogs allowed?
Directions and Getting Around
Help readers navigate France:
Où est… ? (oo eh) – Where is…?
Combien coûte un billet pour… ? (kohm-byah(n) koot uh(n) bee-yay poor…?) – How much is a ticket to…?
À quelle heure est le prochain train ? (ah kehl uhr eh luh proh-shah(n) trah(n)?) – What time is the next train?
Où se trouve l’arrêt de bus ? (oo suh troov lah-ray duh boos?) – Where is the bus stop?
À quelle heure arrive le prochain métro ? (ah kehl uhr ah-reev luh proh-sha(n) meh-troh?) – What time does the next metro arrive?
Est-ce que ce train va à… ? (ehs-kuh suh trah(n) vah ah…?) – Does this train go to…?
Shopping and Markets
C’est combien ? (say kohm-byah(n)?) – How much is this?
Combien ça coûte ? (kohm-byah(n) sah koot?) – How much does it cost?
Avez-vous… ? (ah-vay voo…?) – Do you have…?
Puis-je essayer ? (pwee-zh eh-say-yay?) – Can I try it on?
Acceptez-vous la carte bancaire ? (ahk-sehp-tay voo lah kart bah(n)-kair?) – Do you accept credit cards?
Pouvez-vous me faire un prix ? (poo-vay voo muh fair uh(n) pree?) – Can you give me a discount?
Pouvez-vous m’aider à trouver ___, s’il vous plaît ? (poo-vay voo meh-day ah troo-vay ___, seel voo pleh?) – Can you please help me find…?
Polite Phrases and Manners
Being polite goes a long way in France:
Désolé(e), je ne parle pas très bien français. (day-zoh-lay, zhuh nuh pahrl pah tray byah(n) frahn-say) – Sorry, I don’t speak French very well.
Parlez-vous anglais ? (pahr-lay voo ahn-glay?) – Do you speak English?
C’était délicieux ! (say-tay day-lee-syuh) – It was delicious!
Je suis désolé(e). (zhuh swee day-zoh-lay) – I’m sorry.
C’est très gentil. (say tray zhahn-tee) – That’s very kind.
Puis-je vous aider ? (pwee-zh voo zay-day?) – Can I help you?
Bonus Freebie – Downloadable Cheat Sheet!
Want to take these phrases on the go? Download a free printable phrase guide, optimized to view on your phone and complete with phonetic pronunciations. Simply enter your email below, and voilà—it’s yours!
And if you’re looking for even more resources to help you practice French phrases, here are just a few of my favorite French-learning Instagram accounts that I literally check in on, on the daily:
Why you should practice French phrases even if it’s embarrassingly bad at first
Taking these French travel phrases out for a spin will make your French vacation richer and more memorable, I swear. It’s uncomfortable to try new things, and it’s downright scary to look/sound stupid while speaking a language that’s not your own. But everyone starts somewhere when trying anything new. I hope you find comfort in that reality while you’re being brave just by trying!
In conclusion, I challenge you to do this
If you’re up for a challenge, choose five of these essential travel phrases to practice each day before your trip. And make it fun by weaving it naturally into your day-to-day. Say bonjour to yourself in the mirror in the morning. Say C’était délicieux after a meal. Say (to yourself while in line) Je voudrais un cappuccino, s’il vous plaît.
So go ahead and be bad and be great and brave all at the same time. By doing so, you’ll transform these everyday moments into meaningful cultural exchanges and experiences. It’s better done than perfect. Bon voyage et bonne chance! (bohn vwah-yahzh ay bohn shahns – Have a great trip and good luck!) 😉
If you’re looking for more French phrases to learn, check out this post on 9 Easy Romantic Phrases in French—it includes audio pronunciation to help you a bit more!
This post was all about The Ultimate Survival French Phrases for Travel from a Tourist turned Expat.
