French Politeness Basics
A small amount of French politeness goes further than a large vocabulary. These habits make every other phrase work better.
Always start with bonjour
| English | French | Say it like |
|---|---|---|
| Hello, madam | Bonjour, madame | bon-ZHOOR, ma-DAM |
| Hello, sir | Bonjour, monsieur | bon-ZHOOR, muh-SYUH |
| Good evening | Bonsoir | bon-SWAHR |
Greet before you ask. Walking into a shop, a bakery or a ticket office and saying “Bonjour” first is expected, and skipping it can make the rest of the exchange cooler. Switch to “Bonsoir” from late afternoon.
Vous and tu
| English | French | Say it like |
|---|---|---|
| Do you speak English? (polite) | Parlez-vous anglais ? | par-lay voo on-GLAY |
| Excuse me (polite) | Excusez-moi | ex-kew-zay MWAH |
French has two words for “you”. Use “vous” with anyone you don't know, including shop staff and waiters. “Tu” is for friends, family and children. Every phrase on this site uses the polite form.
Trying first
| English | French | Say it like |
|---|---|---|
| Sorry, my French is basic | Désolé, mon français est basique | day-zo-LAY, mon fron-SAY ay ba-ZEEK |
Opening in French, even badly, is usually appreciated, and many people will switch to English once you have tried.