Common French Phrases

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The following some common French phrases which help you master one of the most beloved languages on earth. Also known as the language of love and romance, French is spoken in about 30 countries worldwide! Learning French is an asset whether you need the language to communicate with French-speaking relatives, friends, and clients, or whether you're preparing for a long-awaited dream trip to Paris.

Let's begin with common French phrases that you're likely to use on an everyday basis and when you're meeting or greeting people:

Bonjour/Salut = Hello
Bonsoir = Good evening
Oui = Yes
Non = No
Merci = Thank you
S'il vous plait = Please
Excusez moi = Excuse me
De rien = You're welcome
Je m'appelle = My name is...
Comment allez vous? = How are you?
Comment ca va? = How are you/How's it going?
Ca va bien, merci, et vous? = Fine thanks and you?
J'ai faim = I'm hungry
J'ai soif = I'm thirsty
Desolé = I'm sorry
A plus tard = See you later
Au revoir = Goodbye

If you find yourself a little lost and don't understand what people are saying to you, or if you just don't have a broad enough French vocabulary to express yourself properly, the good news is the most French-speaking people also know a little bit of English. Here is a small set of common French phrases which can help you out if you're in a jam:

Je ne parle pas français = I don't speak French
Je parle très peu français = I speak very little French
Parlez-vous anglais? = Do you speak English?
Je ne comprends pas = I don't understand
Pouvez-vous répéter cela, s'il vous plait? = Could you repeat that, please?
Je ne sais pas - I don't know

Asking questions in French is easy if you've done your homework. Be sure to master the following basic 'querying' common French phrases:

Qu'est ce que = What?
Quand = When?
Où = Where?
Qui = Who?
Pourquoi = Why?
Comment = How?
Quelle heure est-il? = What time is it?
Où est? = Where is...?
C'est combien? = How much does this cost?
Quelles temps fait-il? = What's the weather like?

Did you know that many everyday English expressions are actually adopted from the French language? This is good news since you may already know more common French phrases than you realize! See how many of the following English/French expressions you familiar with:

Avant garde
Bon appetit
Bon voyage
Carte blanche
C'est la vie
Deja vu
RSVP (respondez s'il vous plait)

common french phrases Je t'aime de tout mon coeur

Finally, the French language figures prominently in matters of the heart. If you're thinking of romancing someone in the language of love, be sure to memorize the following common French phrases of affection: