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A1French·30 cards

Everyday Spoken French Daily Phrases

30 short phrases for the routine moments of a French day — greetings, counters, small talk — in the form people actually say them.

Thirty phrases that run a French day, in day order: the greeting ladder (salut for friends, bonjour until dark, bonsoir after), the ça va exchange, the goodbye set (à plus, à demain, bonne journée), the politeness pair with its tu/vous split (s'il te plaît / s'il vous plaît), the survival kit (je comprends pas, tu peux répéter?, ça veut dire quoi?), the café transaction — and the states of being: j'ai faim, je suis fatigué.

Rustic 'Ouvert' sign welcoming visitors in Lyon, France.
Photo: Claudia Schmalz on Pexels
  1. 1

    Salut !

    Hi!

    Tip: Friends and colleagues. Use 'Bonjour' with strangers and in shops.

  2. 2

    Bonjour.

    Good morning. / Hello.

    Tip: The default greeting until early evening — and near-obligatory when entering a shop.

  3. 3

    Bonsoir.

    Good evening.

    Tip: Replaces 'Bonjour' from roughly 6pm.

  4. 4

    Ça va ?

    How's it going?

    Tip: Also the answer: 'Ça va.'

  5. 5

    Ça va, merci. Et toi ?

    Good, thanks. And you?

    Tip: 'Et vous ?' if you're on formal terms.

  6. 6

    À plus.

    See you later.

    Tip: Said 'a plooss' — the final S is pronounced here.

  7. 7

    À demain.

    See you tomorrow.

  8. 8

    Bonne journée !

    Have a good day!

    Tip: Standard sign-off when leaving a shop or a colleague.

  9. 9

    Bonne nuit.

    Good night.

    Tip: Only when someone is actually going to bed.

  10. 10

    S'il te plaît.

    Please.

    Tip: 'S'il vous plaît' with strangers, staff, and anyone you'd call 'vous'.

  11. 11

    Merci beaucoup.

    Thanks a lot.

  12. 12

    De rien.

    You're welcome.

    Tip: 'Je vous en prie' is the more formal version.

  13. 13

    Pardon !

    Sorry! / Coming through!

    Tip: For bumping into someone or squeezing past them.

  14. 14

    Excuse-moi.

    Sorry about that.

    Tip: Apologising to someone you know. 'Excusez-moi' when you're using 'vous'.

  15. 15

    Oui, ça marche.

    Yes, that works.

    Tip: The everyday way to agree to a plan.

  16. 16

    Pas de souci.

    No problem.

  17. 17

    Je sais pas.

    I don't know.

    Tip: Spoken French drops the 'ne' — the textbook form is 'je ne sais pas'.

  18. 18

    Je comprends pas.

    I don't understand.

    Tip: Again without 'ne', as people actually say it.

  19. 19

    Tu peux répéter ?

    Could you say that again?

    Tip: 'Vous pouvez répéter ?' with strangers.

  20. 20

    Ça veut dire quoi ?

    What does that mean?

    Tip: Question word at the end — very typical of spoken French.

  21. 21

    C'est combien ?

    How much is it?

  22. 22

    Je voudrais un café, s'il vous plaît.

    I'd like a coffee, please.

    Tip: A café is 'vous' territory.

  23. 23

    Je peux payer par carte ?

    Can I pay by card?

  24. 24

    Tiens.

    Here you go.

    Tip: Handing something over. 'Tenez' if you're using 'vous'.

  25. 25

    C'est pas grave.

    Never mind. / It's fine.

    Tip: Waves off an apology or a small mishap.

  26. 26

    J'ai faim.

    I'm hungry.

    Tip: French uses 'have' where English uses 'be'.

  27. 27

    Je suis fatigué.

    I'm tired.

    Tip: Add an -e if you're a woman: 'fatiguée'. Same sound.

  28. 28

    Il est quelle heure ?

    What time is it?

  29. 29

    Les toilettes, c'est où ?

    Where are the toilets?

    Tip: Fronting the topic like this is very spoken. Always plural.

  30. 30

    Enchanté.

    Nice to meet you.

    Tip: 'Enchantée' if you're a woman — pronounced the same.