Blue Jellyfish Press. Learn French. Francais. Français. Free learning page. The bare necessities, essential phrases, minimum. Beginners. For travellers. For tourists.

Essential French Phrases
Sometimes you don't have time to learn long lists of words and phrases.
All you want to know are the bare essentials for communicating to get
what you need, or where you need to go.
Here are the bare minimum of French words and phrases you need
to know to survive.
Learn the Top 10 Phrases if you only have time for the barest minimum.
If you need or want more, then take a look at the Top 20 Phrases,
Top 30 Phrases and the Extra Phrases.

Here are ten easy phrases to get you started ...
The Top 10 ...

Bonjour.
Hello.
Au revoir.
Goodbye.
Parlez-vous anglais?
Do you speak English?
Je ne comprends pas.
I don't understand.
Un peu.
A little.
Oui. Non.
Yes. No.
C'est combien?
How much is it?
Trop cher. D'accord.
Too expensive. OK.
S'il vous plaît.
Please.
Merci (beaucoup).
Thank you (very much).

Here are ten more phrases that will help you
make new friends and ask for directions.
The Top 20 ...

Comment vous appelez-vous?
What is your name?
Je m'appelle ...
My name is ...
Comment allez-vous?
How are you?
Bien. Et vous?
Fine. And you?
Où est ...?
Where is ...?
Où sont les toilettes? Messieurs/Dames
Where is the toilet? Men/Women
Pardon. Excusez-moi.
Sorry. Excuse me.
Pas de problème.
Sans problème.
No problem.
Je veux ...
I want ...
Je ne veux pas ...
I don't want ...

Here are another ten phrases to help you make a
little more conversation and to get around.
The Top 30 ...

Vous venez d'où?
Where are you from?
Je viens d'Australie.*
I am from Australia.
L'addition, s'il vous plaît.
The bill, please.
Je me suis perdu. (man)
Je me suis perdue. (woman)
I am lost.
Arrêtez-vous! Attendez!
Stop! Wait!
Ici, là, là-bas.
Here, there, over there.
Taxi. Hôtel. Aéroport. Gare.
Taxi. Hotel. Airport. Station.
J'aime ...
I like ...
Je n'aime pas ...
I don't like ...
un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq.
one, two , three, four, five.
six, sept, huit, neuf, dix.
six, seven, eight, nine, ten.
*Or choose your country:
d'Amérique - from America
du Canada - from Canada
d'Angleterre - from England
d'Irlande - from Ireland
de Nouvelle-Zélande - from New Zealand

Here are some extra words and phrases you might find useful,
especially if you have dietary needs or allergies.
Useful extras ...

À la vôtre!
Cheers!
bon / mauvais
good / bad
grand / petit
big / small
proche / loin
near / far
moins / plus
less / more
encore un / assez
another / enough
Je suis végétarien. (man)
Je suis végétarienne. (woman)
I am vegetarian.
Je ne mange pas de viande.
I don't eat meat.
... poulet.
... chicken.
... poisson.
... fish.
Je suis allergique aux fruits secs.
I am allergic to nuts.
... aux cacahuètes.
... to peanuts.
... au poisson.
... to fish.
... aux fruits de mer.
... to seafood.
... aux œufs.
... to eggs.