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← Phrase guide ☏
Phrase guide

French phrases for your France trip

Content updated 1 Nov 2026 Facts last checked 1 Nov 2026
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The short answer

You do not need fluent French, but a handful of phrases changes the trip. Learn bonjour (hello) and merci (thank you) first, and the vegetarian sentence before you land. In Paris many people answer in English; outside the cities, these phrases do the heavy lifting. Every line below is written as it sounds, so you can say it, not just read it.

The five phrases that matter most

Bonjour
bohn-ZHOOR
Hello / good day
नमस्ते / हैलो
S'il vous plaît
seel voo PLEH
Please
कृपया
Merci
mehr-SEE
Thank you
धन्यवाद
Je ne comprends pas
zhuh nuh kohn-PRAHN pah
I don't understand
मैं समझा/समझी नहीं
Sans viande ni poisson, s'il vous plaît
sahn vee-AHND nee pwah-SOHN, seel voo PLEH
Without meat or fish, please
बिना मांस-मछली, कृपया

All the phrases

Greetings and thanks

EnglishLocal scriptHow to say itहिन्दी
Hello / good day Bonjour bohn-ZHOOR नमस्ते / हैलो
Good evening Bonsoir bohn-SWAHR शुभ संध्या
Goodbye Au revoir oh ruh-VWAHR अलविदा
Please S'il vous plaît seel voo PLEH कृपया
Thank you Merci mehr-SEE धन्यवाद
Thank you very much Merci beaucoup mehr-SEE boh-KOO बहुत-बहुत धन्यवाद
Excuse me / sorry Excusez-moi ex-kew-zay MWAH माफ़ कीजिए
Yes / no Oui / Non wee / nohn हाँ / नहीं

Getting help

EnglishLocal scriptHow to say itहिन्दी
Do you speak English? Parlez-vous anglais ? par-lay voo ahn-GLEH क्या आप अंग्रेज़ी बोलते हैं?
I don't understand Je ne comprends pas zhuh nuh kohn-PRAHN pah मैं समझा/समझी नहीं
Please speak slowly Parlez lentement, s'il vous plaît par-lay lahnt-MAHN, seel voo PLEH कृपया धीरे बोलिए

Food (vegetarian, Jain, allergies)

EnglishLocal scriptHow to say itहिन्दी
I am vegetarian Je suis végétarien / végétarienne zhuh swee vay-zhay-tah-ree-AHN मैं शाकाहारी हूँ
Without meat or fish, please Sans viande ni poisson, s'il vous plaît sahn vee-AHND nee pwah-SOHN, seel voo PLEH बिना मांस-मछली, कृपया
The bill, please L'addition, s'il vous plaît la-dee-SYOHN, seel voo PLEH बिल, कृपया
Some water, please De l'eau, s'il vous plaît duh LOH, seel voo PLEH पानी, कृपया
A table for two / four Une table pour deux / quatre ewn TAH-bluh poor duh / KAH-truh दो / चार के लिए टेबल

Directions and transport

EnglishLocal scriptHow to say itहिन्दी
Where is...? Où est... ? oo EH ...कहाँ है?
The metro station La station de métro la stah-SYOHN duh may-TROH मेट्रो स्टेशन
The toilets Les toilettes lay twah-LET शौचालय
Left / right / straight on Gauche / droite / tout droit gohsh / drwaht / too DRWAH बाएँ / दाएँ / सीधे
One ticket to..., please Un billet pour..., s'il vous plaît uhn bee-YEH poor, seel voo PLEH ...के लिए एक टिकट, कृपया

Shopping and numbers

EnglishLocal scriptHow to say itहिन्दी
How much does this cost? Combien ça coûte ? kohn-bee-YAHN sa KOOT यह कितने का है?

Emergency

EnglishLocal scriptHow to say itहिन्दी
Help! Au secours ! oh suh-KOOR मदद! / बचाइए!
I need a doctor J'ai besoin d'un médecin zhay buh-ZWAHN duhn mayd-SAHN मुझे डॉक्टर चाहिए

Save or print

Save the top phrases as a picture to send to your parents, or print the whole sheet.

The five phrases that matter most
Hello / good day / नमस्ते / हैलो
Bonjour (bohn-ZHOOR)
Please / कृपया
S'il vous plaît (seel voo PLEH)
Thank you / धन्यवाद
Merci (mehr-SEE)
I don't understand / मैं समझा/समझी नहीं
Je ne comprends pas (zhuh nuh kohn-PRAHN pah)
Without meat or fish, please / बिना मांस-मछली, कृपया
Sans viande ni poisson, s'il vous plaît (sahn vee-AHND nee pwah-SOHN, seel voo PLEH)

Trips to France

We have no open trip to France right now. Tell us your dates and we will help you find one.

Quick questions

Do I need to speak French to travel in France?

No, but a little French changes how France treats you. In Paris and the big sights, many people switch to English; in smaller towns, markets and restaurants, English is thinner. Starting every exchange with 'Bonjour' and ending with 'Merci' is the single biggest courtesy - the French read it as basic politeness, not language skill.

Which French phrases matter most?

The core six: Bonjour (hello), Merci (thank you), S'il vous plaît (please), Excusez-moi (excuse me), Parlez-vous anglais? (do you speak English?) and L'addition, s'il vous plaît (the bill, please). With those plus the vegetarian sentence, a family can handle most of a week in France.

How do I say I am vegetarian in French?

'Je suis végétarien' (a man speaking) or 'Je suis végétarienne' (a woman speaking) - say 'zhuh swee vay-zhay-tah-ree-AHN'. Follow with 'Sans viande, sans poisson, s'il vous plaît' (without meat, without fish, please), because 'végétarien' in France can still be understood to allow fish.

Is English enough in Paris?

For hotels, big museums and tourist restaurants, mostly yes. Where it thins out: local markets, smaller bistros, pharmacies, taxi drivers and anywhere outside the capital. The phrases on this page cover exactly those moments - show the line to staff if pronunciation fails you.

How do I ask for the bill in a French restaurant?

Say 'L'addition, s'il vous plaît' (la-dee-SYOHN, seel voo PLEH). French waiters will not bring the bill until you ask - waiting for it unasked reads as you wanting to linger, so do not sit waiting; ask. A hand raised with a small writing gesture works everywhere too.

Sources

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