You’ve bought your plane tickets, done your hours of research, and planned your itinerary. You’re just about ready to go, but there’s one thing missing: You don’t speak French. Whether you’re heading off to Paris for some art and culture, Brittany for a breath of fresh Atlantic air, or Bordeaux for the wine tour you’ve always dreamed of, you’ll enjoy it even more if you have a bit of the language under your belt. But where should you begin? Luckily for you, here at Babbel, we have tons of courses to teach you everything you’ll need for your trip.
Learning some French words for your vacation will make it easier for you to get around, to order exactly what you want to eat or drink in a restaurant or café, and to really experience the culture by making connections with the local people. Here’s a little timeline we put together to get you speaking confidently in just a couple weeks!
Greetings and Polite Basic French Phrases
There are some pretty standard phrases every traveler should know how to say in the local language when traveling to a foreign country. They are also the most logical place to start when you learn French for any reason. Here are just a few:
- Hello
- How are you?
- Good morning / afternoon / evening
- Please
- Thank you
- Yes
- No
- Sorry: Desole
- I don’t understand
- How much is _______?:
To master these things in French, we suggest you start with our French beginner’s courses. They teach topics that range from introducing yourself and asking simple questions, all the way to booking a hotel and finding your way around a busy Parisian train station! You’ll also find a number of lessons focused on pronunciation, so you won’t have to worry about being misunderstood when you speak.
Hello/Good Day — Bonjour
Hello/Good Evening — Bonsoir
Please — S’il vous plaît
Thank you — Merci
Yes — Oui
No — Non
Sorry — Desolé
I don’t understand — Je ne comprende pas
Order Food in France
Ratatouille, bœuf bourguignon, crêpes, quiche … the list goes on! France is a veritable wonderland of food and flavor, and you’ll most likely be spending a fair amount of time in restaurants and cafés. That being said, you should plan to brush up on some useful words and phrases for dining out.
Here are some basic French phrases that will keep you from asking for an English menu:
The menu — le menu/la carte
I would like — Je voudrais
Do you have an available table? — Avez-vous une table disponible ?
I would like to make a reservation — Je voudrais faire une reservation
With — Avec
Without — Sans
Enjoy your meal! — Bon appetit !
It’s delicious — C’est delicieux
Learn French: Key Phrases for Getting Around
Getting lost in a place where you speak the language is bad enough. Now imagine being lost somewhere where you can’t communicate with anyone! Knowing how to ask for help will definitely lower your stress levels if you get turned around. Here are a few phrases to use to navigate in a French-speaking country.
I’m looking for — Je cherche
Where is? — Où est ?
The exit — La Sortie
Next to — À côté de
Across from — En face de
To the right — À droite
To the left — À gauche
Tout droit — Straight
Cross the street — Traversez la rue
At the corner of — Au coin de
Sightseeing in France
Whether you’re exploring the museums of Paris, the castles in the countryside, or the beaches of the Riviera, there’s so much to see and do on your trip to France. Learning a few key phrases for sightseeing will go a long way.
Downtown — Le centre-ville
The museum — Le musée
The castle — Le château
The cathedral — Le cathédrale
How much does it cost? — Ça coûte combien ?
Tickets — Les billets
What are the hours? — Quels sont les horaires ?
The Eiffel Tower — La Tour Eiffel
The French Riviera — La côte d’azur
Get Ready for an Unforgettable Travel Experience
With just a few days left before you leave, you’ll want to review everything you’ve learned so far so that it’s fresh in your mind and ready to be used! This is where the Babbel Review feature will come in handy. All of the core vocabulary and phrases you’ve picked up over the last two weeks have been stored there so you can easily go back over them and practice.
If you’re feeling confident with the basics, then now it’s time to have a little fun! We have a huge selection of courses with interesting cultural and linguistic content that you can find under the categories “Countries and Traditions” and “Specials.” With these lessons, you can get your French slang up to snuff (cimer !), find some ideas for sightseeing, learn a bit about true and false friends, and also pick up a few idioms to really impress the locals. We promise it won’t all be pour des prunes !
After these two weeks, you should be more than ready to communicate effectively during your next trip. Our final tip for you is, of course, to have fun!