70 Conversational French Phrases

Achieving proficiency in French goes beyond just grammar and vocabulary—it's about communicating with confidence. Being able to converse is key for everyday situations, forming relationships, and grasping the language's subtleties.

However, learners often have trouble finding the correct phrases to begin practicing. To help you feel more ready and at ease in French-speaking settings, I've compiled a list of 70 essential conversational phrases below.

You’ll also come across many of these expressions in this narrative-based lesson on our YouTube channel:

French Greetings and Introducing Yourself

Learning to introduce yourself and others in French is crucial; without this confidence, continuing a conversation becomes challenging. Knowing the appropriate greetings for different times of day is also a key aspect of French manners. Let's begin by examining French greetings.

Greetings

Introducing yourself

*This literally translates to “I am,” but it can also be used to say “my name is” when you introduce yourself. For example, “Je suis Jennifer” or “Je m’appelle Jennifer” means “My name is Jennifer.”

Asking what someone’s name is

Introducing someone else

French Conversational Pleasantries

Once you've mastered the basic greetings, you can move on to the key phrases needed for daily French conversation across various events and occasions.

Learning expressions like "have a nice day," "enjoy your meal," and "how are you?" are just a few examples of everyday pleasantries you must know. In French culture, saying "have a nice day" is a standard part of saying goodbye. Omitting it can be seen as impolite, making it an essential phrase.

The French also have a deep appreciation for food, so saying "enjoy your meal" is a must before eating. There are many more phrases to learn as you start your language journey, so let's begin!

*These three phrases are used to say “how are you?” They differ depending on who you’re speaking to. Comment allez-vous is the formal way of saying “how are you?” whereas ça va and comment ça va are informal, used for friends, family and people you know well.

Getting to Know Someone and Making Small Talk

When learning a new language, mastering the art of small talk with native speakers is vital. You can use these questions and phrases to learn more about someone or simply to keep a conversation flowing.

Whatever your reason, be sure to learn these expressions!

Asking for Help

Being able to ask for help in various situations is a fundamental skill in French. Perhaps you didn't understand and need someone to repeat themselves, or maybe you're lost and can't find something. No matter the scenario, knowing how to ask for assistance is always important.

For this reason, learning the "vous" form (the polite form) in French is also crucial, as you'll often be asking strangers for help. French etiquette requires using "vous" with people you don't know. Knowing how to ask for help can be incredibly useful when traveling in French-speaking countries.

Click here to see our guide to asking questions in French.

Basic French Travel Phrases

If you plan to use your language skills abroad by visiting a French-speaking country, knowing some basic travel phrases is essential for getting around and communicating with locals.

Whether you need to ask for the time or purchase a ticket, here are some of the most common French travel phrases.

At the Doctor’s Office or the Pharmacy

It's a common occurrence: your long-awaited vacation arrives, and you fall ill. When this happens in a French-speaking country, you'll find yourself in an unfamiliar place, trying to describe your symptoms to a doctor in a language you're still learning.

Learning some basic expressions is essential so you can explain how you feel if this situation arises. Knowing these phrases is critical for receiving proper medical care abroad. It's also useful for understanding the symptoms of French speakers and offering them advice or assistance.

You can find more essential medical vocabulary plus common phrases here .

Bonus: The Slang You Need to Know

Some slang terms are now part of the daily vocabulary for French people and have become embedded in the culture.

Knowing certain popular slang words is important, as you'll frequently hear them in conversations with native speakers. Understanding slang will help you follow discussions more easily and advance your speaking abilities. Here are a few examples to start with:

For more must-know French slang, check out this post .

How Conversational French Phrases Improve Your French

As language learners, we sometimes underestimate the importance of speaking, often reverting to old habits of focusing solely on books. I can confirm that this isn't the most effective method for learning to speak French. As a bilingual person, I strongly advocate for starting to speak from the very beginning of your language learning journey.

Speaking is essential for learning French (or any language) because it's how your brain actively uses and solidifies its knowledge.

All the information you've read or heard on French radio shows will be quickly forgotten if you don't put it into practice.

Admittedly, speaking practice can be daunting at first. Therefore, the best way to ease those nerves and start talking is to learn more conversational French phrases and vocabulary. This preparation will help you feel more confident when it's time to speak. Furthermore, learning a good range of conversational phrases opens up a world of new opportunities.

Learning basic phrases is the first major step in acquiring a new language. It helps any learner speak more fluently and naturally. Consequently, you'll quickly build confidence and feel more comfortable during conversations.

By learning to express yourself in French and also knowing how to ask for clarification or help, you unlock a new dimension of language learning. With these phrases at your disposal, every native speaker you meet becomes a potential teacher, encouraging you to speak more and introducing you to new expressions.

How and Where to Practice Your New French Phrases

The internet provides vast access to websites and downloadable apps that can help you learn and practice phrases. Some even allow you to record your voice and compare it to a native speaker's, which is a fantastic tool for improving pronunciation.

Websites and apps

Babbel

Available on: iOS | Android

Babbel offers a comprehensive system for learning French, with a focus on vocabulary acquisition and picking up grammar naturally along the way. It features numerous lessons tailored to different proficiency levels.

You'll find that several lessons are free in each category, but typically only the first lesson is free. After that, a membership is required to access the full range of lessons. A membership also grants access to additional games and podcasts.

You can read our full review of Babbel here .

Lingflix

Available on: Browser | iOS | Android

Busuu

Available on: iOS | Android

Busuu is a large social network for language learning that provides structured courses. These courses include speaking exercises, writing assignments, and multiple-choice questions. You can use it for free with a basic membership or upgrade to a premium subscription for more features and content (premium pricing is comparable to Babbel).

Click here to read our Busuu review.

WordPower

Available on: iOS

This is a free, phrasebook-based learning tool that offers over 100 French words for daily use, along with sample sentences and free audio lessons.

For more information on applications and websites you can use check out our blog about online French lessons.

Language exchange

Finding a language exchange partner is relatively straightforward, whether you live in the UK, the US, or Europe. I tried language exchange when I first moved to Paris five years ago and highly recommend it. Even though I was in a French city, opportunities to practice weren't always abundant. Many people spoke English, and I also worked for an American company with many native English speakers.

So there I was, in Paris, finding it difficult to speak French and looking for the best way to learn basic phrases. That's when I discovered Tandem. There are also several websites where you can find and schedule lessons with a private French tutor, such as italki.

One of the most effective ways to improve is to have a practice partner, making language exchange or one-on-one tutoring an ideal solution! I can't recommend private tutoring enough—not only does it guarantee immersive practice and quality feedback, but a tutor can also guide you through your entire French learning experience and significantly accelerate your progress.

Traveling

When you vacation in a French-speaking country, you have a perfect opportunity to practice the language. You can practice speaking, listening, and reading in a variety of real-life situations. The key is to practice your basic phrases before your trip and ensure you have a good phrasebook with you! I highly recommend "The Lonely Planet French Phrasebook & Dictionary"; it's an excellent resource for travelers!

You can also take a look at more basic phrases for survival in a French-speaking country here.

So, now you're fully equipped with a variety of conversational French phrases. Begin practicing them!

You'll soon notice how rapidly your French language skills progress and how much you can learn from just a few fundamental phrases.