10 Important French Words Every Tourist Must Know

Planning a trip to Paris? Receive a warm welcome by learning some basic French words and phrases before you take off. Connect easily with the locals with commonly used words and phrases Besides booking a Paris tour package, your knowledge of local lingo will make your travel experience a lot immersive. Interacting with the local people is among the most interesting things to do in Paris. Here’s a list of 10 important French words and phrases every tourist must know: –

1. Bonjour (bohn-zhoor)

“Bonjour” is the French equivalent of “Hello” in English. The French love it when tourists greet them in their native language. You will receive warmer smiles when you greet them with a “Bonjour” as opposed to a “Hi” or “Hello”. The French are very particular about greetings, so make sure you use “Bonjour generously. Whether you walk into a boutique or restaurant, don’t forget to greet them with an enthusiastic “Bonjour!”

2. Oui / Non (Yes – we / No – nohn) 

Learning to say “yes” and “no” in French can be very useful. While Oui corresponds to yes, Non corresponds to no. Pepper your sentences with a little bit of oui or non to add French touches to your exchanges with the Parisians.

3. Je m’appelle (zhuh mah-pehl)

This is the equivalent of “My Name Is”. Use this at the beginning of a sentence right after Bonjour to introduce yourself to the opposite person.

4. Comment allez vous (kom-mohn tah-lay voo)

“How are you” translates to comment allez vous in French. It would be considered extremely polite to include this in the beginning of your conversation.

5. S’il vous plait (see voo play)

Please is considered as a golden word in any language and it is the same with French. “S’il vous plait” is the French word for “please”. It is a handy French phrase which can be used to sound extra polite and courteous.

6. Parlez-vous anglais? (pahr-lay voo ahng-leh)

To start a conversation in English with a local, you could politely ask them parlez vous anglais which means do you speak English?

Asking them in French will elicit a response in English. For any information that you require, you could politely begin your sentence with “Parlez-vous anglais”.

7. Merci (mehr-see)

Saying thank you is considered gracious in all cultures around the world. It is the same for France as well. Whenever you are done interacting with a person, don’t forget to thank them with a polite “Merci”. You will surely get many smiles in return for using this simple word.

8. Je ne parle pas français (zheu neu parl par fron-say) 

While it’s true that you may not know how to speak the language, it may be useful to convey that to the opposite person as well. If someone starts to speak in French with you, you can tell them “Je ne parle pas français” which means “I don’t speak French”.

9. Excusez-moi (ɛk.sky.ze.mwa)

Sometimes, you might need to draw the attention of a person for making an inquiry. Instead of using “excuse me”, you can use the French words “excusez moi” to draw the attention of someone politely.

10. Au revoir (oh-reu-vwar)

“Au revoir” is the French equivalent of “Goodbye” in English. Adding an Au Revoir at the end of a conversation will add a nice finishing touch to your conversation with a local.