Common French Words and Phrases

If you are just starting out on your French learning journey or need a quick refresher course, then this is the page for you!

Below you will find a number of categories to help you learn some basic French. These include: yes and no, please and thank you, do you speak English/French?, what is your name?, question words, and other useful questions/phrases.

Note: Words in bold added during the last update. You can also view this list of common words and phrases from English to French.

Yes and No:

Oui ➔ Yes

Non ➔ No

Please and Thank You:

S'il te plaît ➔ Please

S'il vous plaît ➔ Please

Merci (beaucoup) ➔ Thanks (a lot)

Je vous remercie ➔ I thank you

De rien ➔ You're welcome

Do You Speak English? / French?

Est-ce que vous parlez anglais? ➔ Do you speak English?

Est-ce que vous parlez français? ➔ Do you speak French?

Je parle le français un peu ➔ I speak French a little

Je parle un petit peut de français ➔ I speak a little bit of French

Je ne comprends pas. ➔ I don't understand.

Pourriez-vous répéter s'il vous plait? ➔ Could you repeat that please?

What is Your Name?

Comment t'appelles-tu? ➔ What's your name?

Comment vous appelez-vous? ➔ What is your name?

Tu t'appelle comment? ➔ What do you call yourself?

Je m'appelle (name) ➔ My name is (name)

Je suis (name) ➔ I am (name)

Question Words:

Who ➔ Qui

What ➔ Qu'est-ce que

When ➔ Quand

Where ➔ Où

Why ➔ Pourquoi

How ➔ Comment

English to French Comprehension:

Can you answer these questions about common French words and phrases?

1. What is the French translation of what is your name?

French to English Comprehension:

What about these basic questions starting with the French first? Can you translate them back into English?

1. What is the meaning of tu t'appelle comment in English?
2. What is je m'appelle in English?
3. What is the English translation of comment t'appelles-tu?
4. What is the English translation of comment ça va?
5. What is je vous remercie in English?

The Fine Print

I don't speak French myself, so there could be mistakes in the translations. Most of what is here is user-submitted, but I do try to check for accuracy and make corrections as I can. Thanks for your understanding.