Survival Phrases in French
While speaking some French will be very useful if you plan to visit the Eiffel Tower, it is also widely spoken in countries scattered across the globe - places to which you might travel on a mission trip one day! For example, did you know that French is an official language of such diverse locations as Burkina Faso, Belgium, Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, Chad, Guinea, Haiti, Madagascar, Mali, Monaco, Niger, Rwanda, Togo, the Canadian province of Quebec, French Polynesia, and Vanuatu? Just finding all of those places on amap could be a geography lesson in itself!GREETINGS AND GOODBYESHello (informal) | Salut! | sah-LOOHello (formal) | Bonjour! | bohn-ZJHOORHow are you? (informal) | Ça va? | sah-VAHHow are you? (formal) Comment allez-vous? | cohm-ehn-tahl-eh-VOOI'm fine, thank you. | Ça va, merci. | sah VAH mehr-SEEMy name is ______ | Je me'appelle ______ | jzhuh mah-PEHLWhat is your name? | Comment vous appelez-vous? | coh-mahn vooz ah pehl ae VOOPleased to meet you! Au plaisier! or Enchanté! | oh plae-SEER / ahn-shahn-TAEGoodbye (informal) | Salut! | sah-LOOGoodbye (formal) | Ah revior | aur-reh-VWAHRGod bless you | Dieu vous bénisse | DEE-uh voo-behn-EESETIQUETTENote: in the following two phrases, you barely say the L, so it comes out more like "see voo PLAE," but the L is still there...Please (informal) |S'il te plait | seel teh PLAEPlease (formal) |S'il vous plait | seel voo PLAEThank you | Merci | mehr-SEEThank you very much | Merci beaucoup | mehr-SEE boe-COOYou're welcome | De rien | deh ree-EHNExcuse me (informal) |Excuse moi | ex-coos MWAHExcuse me (formal) | Excusez moi | ex-coos-ae MWAHI'm sorry | Pardon | pahr-DOHNSHOPPINGHow much does this cost? | Combien ça coûte? | cohm-bee-EHN sah coh-OOTOTHER USEFUL PHRASESYes | Oui | weeNo | Non | NohHelp! | Au secours! | oh seh-COORWhere is the bathroom? | Où sont les toilettes? | ooh sohn leh tawh-LEHTI don't understand. | Je ne comprends pas. | jzheh neh cohm-prahn PAHHow old are you? | Quel âge as tu? | kehl ahge ah TOO?I am __ years old. | J'ai __ ans. | jzhay __ ahnI'm from the United States | Je viens des Etats-Unis | jzheh vee-ehn DEZ eh-TAHZ-oon-EEAre you a Christian (m) | Êtes-vous Chrétien? | eh-tae-voo creh-tee-AHN?Are you a Christian (f) | Êtes-vous Chrétienne? | eh-tae-voo creh-tee-EHN?How do you say _____ in French? | Comment dites-vous ____ en Français? | cohm-ehn dee-tae-voo ___ ahn frahn-SAYWhat is your favorite color? | Quelle est ta couleur préferée? | kehl eh cool-uhr preh-fehr-EH?What is your favorite sport? | Quel est ton sport préferé? | kehl eh tohn spohr preh-fehr-EH?