Before you enter France, it is a good idea to learn how to say "how are you" in French, along with other basic conversation terms. Learning the meaning of the French words and phrases mentioned in this article, will make your stay easier and more enjoyable.
If France is your next holiday destination, or you are moving there, then you are probably feeling both excited and anxious at the same time. Moving to a new country is a huge step, though even visiting one takes a fair deal of courage. While the experience is sure to be rewarding, not knowing the national language can be a fairly big hindrance in enjoying the holiday or getting settled. While trying to learn French overnight is not advised, picking up a few words and phrases everyday is an easy way to start learning the language. You can start by learning to say ‘how are you’ in French, which will allow you to be polite as well as give you a simple conversation starter. These basic words and phrases will also give you the chance to move around and accomplish basic chores, till you become well versed in the language.
Common French Words and Phrases
| English Phrase | French Equivalent |
| How are you? | Comment allez-vous? |
| How is it going? (informal) | Ça va? |
| I’m fine | Je vais bien |
| Hi/bye | Salut |
| Hello/good day/good morning | Bonjour |
| Good evening | Bonsoir |
| Good night (only before going to bed) | Bonne nuit |
| Please (formal/informal) | S’il vous plaît/s’il te plaît |
| Thank you (very much) | Merci (beaucoup) |
| You’re welcome | De rien |
| I’m sorry | Je suis désolé(e) |
| Yes/no | Oui/non |
| Nice to meet you | Enchanté(e) |
| Mister, Missus, Miss | Monsieur, Madame, Mademoiselle |
| What? Pardon | Comment? |
| Where is … /where are … ? | Où est … /où sont …? |
| Hey/here (formal/informal) | Tenez/tiens |
| I know | Je sais |
| Congratulations! | Félicitations! |
| Bless you! (formal/informal) | A vos souhaits !/a tes souhaits! |
| What’s your name? (formal) | Comment vous appelez-vous? |
| What’s your name? (informal) | Tu t’appelles comment? |
| My name is… | Je m’appelle… |
| Where are you from? (formal) | Vous êtes d’où? |
| I am from… | Je suis de…/je viens de… |
| Where do you live? (formal) | Où habitez-vous? |
| I live in… | J’habite à… |
| Do you speak French? (formal) | Parlez-vous français? |
| I speak English | Je parle anglais |
| How old are you? (formal) | Quel âge avez-vous? |
| Do you understand? (formal/informal) | Comprenez-vous?/tu comprends? |
| I understand/I don’t understand | Je comprends/je ne comprends pas |
| Could you speak slower? | Pouvez-vous parler plus lentement |
| How do you say ____ in French? | Comment dit-on ____ en français? |
| Do you speak English? | Parlez-vous anglais? |
| Can you translate for me? | Pouvez-vous traduire pour moi? |
| I don’t speak much French | Je ne parle pas beaucoup de francais |
| Can you help me please? | Pouvez-vous m’aider, s’il vous plait? |
| I need some information | J’ai besoin d’informations |
| Can I have the menu, please? | J’ai besoin de renseignements |
| I would like… | Je voudrais… |
| I would like some coffee | Je voudrais du café |
| See you in a little while | A tout à l’heure |
| See you later | À tout à l’heure |
| See you soon | A bientôt |
| See you tomorrow | A demain |
| What’s happening? | Qu’est-ce qui se passe? |
| It’s no problem/it’s alright | Ce n’est pas grave |
| I must go | Je dois y aller |
| I love you (formal & plural/informal) | Je vous aime/je t’aime |
| I miss you (informal) | Tu me manques |
| This is my mother and my father | C’est ma mère et mon père |
While asking someone, ‘how are you’ in French’ is easy, saying it with the right pronunciation is not. The right way of saying how are you in French is ‘kom-mohn tah-lay voo’. You will need to practice this a little, before you get it to roll off your tongue just right. These phrases should see you through your first week in France, and allow you to embrace the change, and enjoy all that the new experience has to offer.
