French Travel Guide: Useful Expressions
French Conversation Guide for Travelers
Are you travelling to an French-speaking country soon but you are afraid that your level of French is not good enough? Don't panic! With this guide, learn useful phrases and essential words to help you during your trip.
Greetings in French
When you meet someone, you should includes goodbye. This is polite. So here are some expressions to greet someone:
Bonjour → Hello
Salut → Hi
Bonsoir → Good evening
Bonne nuit → Good night
Enchanté / ravi de vous rencontrer → Nice to meet you
Comment allez-vous ? → How are you?
Au revoir → Goodbye / Bye
À plus tard → See you later
A bientôt → See you soon
Finding your way
When you are in an unfamiliar place, it is likely that you will sometimes have trouble finding your way around:
Excusez-moi, savez vous où est la gare / le centre ville ? → Excuse me, do you know where the station / city center (UK) /center (US) is?
Où puis-je trouver les toilettes ? → Do you know where I can find a toilet?
Je veux aller à… → I want to go to...
Je recherche… → I am looking for …
C’est loin d’ici ? → Is it far from here ?
Sur la gauche → On the left
Sur la droite → On the right
Tout droit → Straight ahead
Important places
Being abroad, you will be moving around. Whether it is to find an ATM, go to the pharmacy, the supermarket or the train station, you will need to know the vocabulary of important places in order to find your way around.
Banque → bank
Distributeur automatique → ATM (Automated Teller Machines)
Pharmacie → pharmacy
Aéroport → airport
Gare → train station
Supermarché → supermarket
Centre ville → downtown (US) / city center (UK)
Commissariat → police station
Useful questions for conversation when traveling
Parlez-vous anglais ? → Do you speak French?
Pourriez-vous me dire… ? → Could you tell me...?
Pouvez-vous répéter s’il vous plaît ? → Can you repeat, please?
Pourriez-vous parler plus lentement, s’il vous plaît ? → Could you speak more slowly, please?
Combien ça coûte ? → How much is this?
Qu’est-ce que ça veut dire → What does it mean?
Expressing yourself
Sometimes, even if you know small phrases, it will be difficult for you to understand. In this case, you should express your problem and don't hesitate to say if you don't understand your interlocutor.
Je ne sais pas → I don't know
Je ne comprends pas → I don't understand
Je ne parle pas anglais → I don't speak French
J’ai besoin de... → I need ….
Je ne me sens pas bien → I don't feel very well
Signs to know
Although these signs are often accompanied by a small picture to show you the toilets or the exit, whether you are allowed to smoke or not, etc. it is always useful to know what they mean, if only to know which way to open a door.
Toilettes → Toilets
Pousser → Push
Tirer → Pull
Sortie → Exit
Sortie de secours → Emergency exit
Ne pas toucher → Do not touch
Ne pas fumer → No smoking
Passage interdit / ne pas entrer → No entry
Danger → caution
Réservé → reserved
Entrée libre → Free entrance
Entry → entrée
Ready to leave with confidence and enjoy an unforgettable trip ? Then take off with our flyer to fly and book a flight in French!