Bonjour a tous!

Do you want to speak French easily?

And while speaking to the natives, you want them to be fascinated by how well you’ve learned French?

Well, for that, you need to dedicate a lot of time to the language.

Getting to a conversational level in French requires a rich vocabulary.

However, there is one way that can help you speak French with ease.

Those are some of the common French phrases that are used in everyday conversations.

And what is even better, you won’t have to search for them by yourself. We’ve already done that for you.

So, in the following lines, you will find the 100 most common French phrases to help you speak French right this moment.

The 100 Most Common French Phrases

Like any other language, or at least most of them, French distinguishes formal and informal speech.

When you talk to strangers, people who are older than you, or with someone at work, you should use formal French expressions. Therefore, in French, you use the pronoun ‘Vous’ where it is needed.

When you are chatting with friends or family members, you can use an informal speech and use the pronoun ’Tu’.

The phrases we’ve listed are mainly formal, but we’ve made several exceptions and added some informal phrases.

Common French Greetings 

Greetings are the basics of every language. 

Interestingly, they are a vital part of any conversation and relatively easy to remember.

No wonder beginners know all the phrases that concern salutation.

Over time, when you progress, you don’t pay much attention to these phrases, so not rarely, it takes some time to recall how to say ‘long time no see,’ for example.

So, no matter if you are a beginner or already on some more advanced levels, it is always useful to repeat and practice some of the basics.

In the following lines, you can find some of the greeting phrases in French.

French

English

Salut

Hey

Bonjour

Hello/Good day

Comment ça va?/ Comment allez-vous? ? (form.)

How are you?

Ça va bien, merci.

I’m good, thanks.

Ça fait longtemps.

Long time no see.

Being Polite 

The French are known as a polite nation, always concerned about asking or answering the right, polite way.

In the following lines, you may find some of the phrases for being polite.

French

English

S’il vous plaît (form.) 

Please.

Merci beaucoup.

Thank you so much.

Excusez-moi (form.)

Excuse me.

Je suis desolé(e).

I’m sorry.

Merci pour votre temps. (form.)

Thank you for your time.

Phrases For Starting a Conversation 

Even though you can find many French words in English or vice versa, they are different languages.

Therefore, if you want to start a conversation, you have to learn those phrases.

Here are some of them.

French

English

Quoi de neuf?

What’s new?

Quels sont vos plans ce week-end ? (form.)

What are your plans for this weekend?

Comment ça va votre famille ? (form.)

How is your family?

J’ai entendu que …

I heard that…

Dites-moi ce que vous pensez. (form.)

Tell me what you think.

Phrases For Continuing A Conversation

After greeting a person, you usually continue talking to him. Here are some of the common phrases that can help you continue a conversation.

French

English

Ça va?

How are you?

Ça roule? (informal)

How’s it going?

Ça va/je vais bien. Et toi?

I’m well. And you?

Ça va le travail( form.)/le boulot (inform.)/le taf (inform.)?

How’s work?

Ta mère va bien? 

How's your mother?

‘How Do You Say…’ 

Everyone knows to ask this famous question, ‘Parlez-vous français?’

However, that’s not the only phrase you should know. Some other, less famous but more common, you can find in the following lines.

French

English

Comment dire ça en français?

How do you say that in French?

Je ne comprends pas.

I don’t understand.

Vous parlez de quoi? (form.)

What are you talking about?

Je ne sais pas.

I don’t know.

Pouvez-vous parlez plus lentement s’il vous plaît?

Can you speak more slowly, please?

Exclamations And Important Answers 

French

English

Oui

Yes

Non

No

Peut-être

Maybe

Bien sûr

Of course

Ne vous inquiétez pas ! (form.)

Don’t worry!

Regardez (form.)

Look

Quelle horreur!

How horrible

Pas de problème!

No problem

C’est une bonne question.

That's a good question.

 Phrases For Finishing A Conversation 

Now, when you know how to start and continue a conversation, it would be a pity not to know how to finish it.

That’s why in the following lines, you may find some useful phrases that can help you finish a conversation.

French

English

J’ai beaucoup aimé parler avec vous. (form.)

I enjoyed speaking with you.

Je dois y aller.

I must go.

Restez en contact! (form.)

Keep in touch!

Au revoir

Goodbye

Je reviens tout de suite!

I'll be right back!

Frequently Used Phrases

Some of the frequent phrases that are used in daily conversations, you can find here.

French

English

Attendez-nous là.

Wait for us there.

Avez-vous faim?

Are you hungry (formal)?

C'est quoi?

What is it?

J'ai déjà dit que...

I have already said that...

Je serai à...

I will be at...

Je suis arrivé.

I have arrived (m).

Je suis perdu.

I'm lost.

Special Occasions

During the year, we certainly have a lot of reasons to celebrate. Whether it’s New Year, Christmas, or your birthday, knowing these phrases will not only make you feel special but also prepare you for the upcoming holidays, such as the nearest Halloween.

Some of the phrases for special occasions you may find in the following lines.

French

English

Bienvenue!

Welcome

Félicitations!

Congratulations!

Joyeux anniversaire!

Happy birthday.

Joyeux Noël!

Merry Christmas.

Bonne année!

Happy New Year.

Ask A Question

Question words are helpful even if you don’t know much of a language.

Here are some of them.

French

English

Qui?

Who?

Quoi?

What?

Comment? 

How?

Pourquoi?

Why?

Où?

Where?

Advanced French Phrases

You may find some of the phrases you can’t figure out by knowing all the words separately in the following lines.

Translating with programs isn’t possible due to Google translate fails.

However, it’s useful to get to know some of them.

French

English

Prendre rendez-vous

To make an appointment

Se tirer d’affaire

To get out safe and sound

Être dans une affaire

To be involved in a case or situation

Se creuser la tête

To think hard

Ni queue ni tête

Making no sense

Final Thoughts

Now you have the 100 most common French phrases.

You will be surprised by how much they can be useful and help you in many different situations.

The only thing that remains for you is to find a native speaker to talk to. 

And then you will be 100% ready for the French world!

If you're looking to enhance your vocabulary and improve your language skills, consider exploring these exciting options:

Dive into Babbel for engaging, interactive lessons that seamlessly fit into your daily schedule.

For a more comprehensive understanding of French, enroll in an extensive course on Udemy that covers from beginner to advanced topics.

Or, if personalized instruction resonates with you, Lingoda offers live classes with native speakers to sharpen your speaking abilities.

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What are some common French greetings?

Salut, Bonjour, Comment ca va

What are some good phrases to start conversations in French?

Quoi de neuf? Quels sont vos plans ce week-end ? Comment ça va votre famille ?

What are some frequently used phrases?

Attendez-nous la, C'est quoi? J'ai deja dit que...

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