France is one of the most popular countries in the world for tourism for a reason. With dazzling museums in Paris, gorgeous beaches in Nice, and the culinary culture of Lyon, there’s plenty to see no matter what’s on your itinerary.
Though you technically can get by on English in tourist-heavy areas, knowing some French before you go can add deeper context to your visit and lead to more opportunities to chat with locals. There’s no need to wait to go until you’ve mastered every verb tense, but knowing some useful French phrases for travel can take you far. Below, we’ll show you the most essential words and phrases to know for:
- Greetings
- Asking for directions
- Dining
- Accommodations
- Sightseeing and attractions
- Shopping
- Transportation
- Beach and recreation
- Emergencies
- Health and wellness
Planning a trip? Check out our basic French phrases guide with more essentials to help you connect with new people, navigate public transportation, and more. And if you want to feel even more confident speaking French, Rosetta Stone’s immersive, bite-sized lessons are the perfect way to prepare.
Greetings and basic phrases
Let’s start with the building blocks of conversations. Greeting people, asking how they’re doing, and saying goodbye in French are small ways to show courtesy and respect. In most regions of the United States, we can be casual with strangers outside of specific settings.
That is not the case in France. Using tu (informal form of “you”) when someone is expecting a vous (formal form of “you”) can be a major faux pas. Even in a casual setting, you’ll want to use vous for people you’re meeting for the first time. After you’ve gotten to know the person, ask if you can use tu when conversing with them.
| French | English |
| Bonjour! | Hello! |
| Salut! | Hi! |
| Coucou! | Hey! |
| Allô! | Hello (answering the phone)! |
| Bonsoir. | Good evening. |
| Enchanté(e). | Nice to meet you. |
| Comment allez-vous? | How are you? (formal) |
| Comment ça va? | How are you? (semi-formal) |
| Comment vas-tu? | How are you? (informal) |
| Ça roule? | How’s it going? (slang) |
| Quoi de neuf? | What’s new? (slang) |
| Merci. | Thank you. |
| s’il vous plaît | please |
| Excusez-moi. | Excuse me. |
| Au revoir! | Goodbye! |
| À bientôt! | See you soon! |
| À plus tard! | See you later! |
| À demain! | See you tomorrow! |
Asking for directions
Whether you want the quickest route to the Louvre or just want to find the bathroom, here are a few words and phrases that will help you ask for and receive directions in French. Even if you are in Paris or another area where locals speak English well and are used to tourists, not everyone you meet will know how to point you in the right direction in English.
Always remember to be polite and use vous when asking strangers for directions. These phrases will help you figure out where you’re going and better navigate the many charming streets of France.
| French | English |
| à côté de | next to |
| en face de | across from |
| à droite | to the right |
| à gauche | to the left |
| tout droit | straight |
| derrière | behind |
| devant | to the front |
| sur | on |
| au-dessus | above |
| sous | under |
| dans | in |
| près de | near |
| loin de | far |
| au coin de | at the corner of |
| traversez la rue | (you) cross the street |
| Tournez à droit. | Turn right. |
| Prenez à gauche. | Take a left. |
| continuez | continue |
| suivez | follow |
| Où est le musée? | Where is the museum? |
| Savez où est le musée? | Do you know where the museum is? |
Dining
French culture is famous for their food and dining. Ordering food and interacting with restaurant staff in French shows respect for the cultural institution and will probably impress your friends. Always remember to say s’il vous plaît (please) and merci (thank you) to the staff to show them the respect they deserve.
Note that the United States and France have different cultural attitudes about customer service workers. Restaurant service in France is highly valued and is seen as a career that people can master. They also see chefs as experts and consider it rude to ask them to change a dish.
| French | English |
| le menu | the menu (formal) |
| la carte | the menu (informal) |
| une table | a table |
| une table pour deux | a table for two |
| en terrace | on the terrace |
| Que me recommandez-vous? | What do you recommend? |
| Installez-vous. | Take a seat. |
| Avez-vous reservé? | Do you have a reservation? |
| Je voudrais… | I would like… |
| Je vais prendre… | I will have… |
| Je n’ai pas encore choisi. | I haven’t chosen yet. |
| apéritif | a drink and/or appetizer served at the beginning of a meal |
| hors d’oeuvres | finger food appetizers |
| l’entrée | the appetizer |
| le plat | the main dish |
| le dessert | the dessert |
| Bon appétit! | Enjoy! |
| Santé! | Cheers! |
Accommodations
Where you stay is just as important for your trip as what you see. Whether you’re staying at a hotel, a hostel, or a vacation rental, make it a safe and pleasant one. Like anywhere else, remember your check-in and check-out times, keep your valuables in a safe, and get familiar with the area nearby. Here are a few words and phrases to help you make a reservation and enjoy your stay.
| French | English |
| l’hôtel | the hotel |
| le logement | the accommodation / lodging |
| Je voudrais une chambre. | I would like a room. |
| le couloir | the hallway |
| la rez-de-chaussée | the ground floor |
| service de chambre | room service |
| le bureau d’information | the information desk |
| l’ascenseur | the elevator |
| les toilettes | the restrooms |
| les escaliers | the stairs |
Sightseeing and attractions
It would be unwise to visit France without checking out the museums, monuments, and other attractions that the country has to offer. Now that you can ask how to get there, enjoy the sights. Here are a few helpful words and names of popular French tourist attractions.
| French | English |
| le centre-ville | downtown |
| le musée | the museum |
| l’office du tourisme | the tourism office |
| le monument | the monument |
| le château | the castle |
| le bâtiment | the building |
| le jardin | the garden |
| la Tour Eiffel | the Eiffel Tower |
| le Musée du Louvre | the Louvre Museum |
| le Château Versailles | the Versailles Palace |
| la côte d’azur | the French Riviera |
| la cathédrale | the cathedral |
Shopping
Whether it’s a designer shopping spree or just picking up your daily groceries, shopping in French is an absolute essential. It’s common in Europe to go on several smaller grocery trips throughout the week and buy only what you can carry home as opposed to purchasing a weekly haul. Sales taxes are included in prices.
Like we covered in the dining section, always remember to use vous when addressing retail staff along with s’il vous plaît (please) and merci (thank you).
| French | English |
| le magasin | the store |
| le marché | the market |
| le supermarché | the supermarket |
| l’hypermarché | the hypermarket |
| le distributeur de billets | the ATM |
| la banque | the bank |
| faire du shopping | to go shopping |
| acheter | to buy |
| une caisse | a cashier |
| l’argent | money |
Transportation
Getting where you’re going can require some interaction with other people. Whether you’re navigating a city or traveling between cities, move forward with confidence with these phrases. Since French cities are much older than American cities, keep in mind that they are not designed on a grid, but in a circular pattern!
Vehicle transport is fine, but we recommend that you take advantage of the affordable, convenient public transit that’s available in most French cities. France also has an expansive inter-city train network that connects with train lines in other European countries. The TGV, France’s famous high-speed rail, is relatively affordable and fast enough to compete with domestic flights.
| French | English |
| à pied | by foot |
| en train | by train |
| en bus | by bus |
| en ferry | by ferry |
| en voiture | by car |
| en avion | by airplane |
| un piéton | a pedestrian |
| la gare | the bus / train station |
| l’aeroport | the airport |
| le metro | the metro |
| un taxi | a taxi |
| le TGV (train de grand vitesse) | the high speed train |
| la rue | the street |
| l’avenue | the avenue |
| le boulevard | the boulevard |
| une intersection/ Une croisement | an intersection |
| un passage piéton | a crosswalk |
Beach and recreation
Vacations aren’t just about seeing the sights. Taking some time to unwind is an essential ingredient. From the French Riviera to New Caledonia, the Francophone world offers beautiful beaches for soaking up the sun. Going to the park, swimming in a pool, watching a film at the cinema, and checking out the nightlife may also be part of your vacation plans. Here are a few words for things you might do on vacation that aren’t sightseeing and navigating.
| French | English |
| la plage | the beach |
| la sable | the sand |
| la mer | the sea |
| nager | to swim |
| la piscine | the pool |
| le sport | sport |
| le parc | the park |
| le cinéma | the cinema |
| la discotheque | the club |
Emergencies
As much as we’d all like everything on our vacations to go smoothly, emergencies happen. Not knowing the local language can make a dangerous situation especially stressful. These words and phrases will help you more effectively explain what happened and what you need from those that can help. We hope you won’t need to use them on your trip.
Side note: You may want to consider traveler’s insurance. Though hospital bills in France aren’t nearly as high as they can be in the United States, the insurance can still make a difference for your costs. If you lose your passport or need other assistance from the US State Department, there is a United States Embassy in Paris and Consulates in Marseilles, Bordeaux, Lyon, Rennes, and Strasbourg.
| French | English |
| Aidez-moi! | Help me! |
| Emmenez-moi à l’hôpital. | Take me to the hospital. |
| Appelez les pompiers! | Call the fire department! |
| Appelez la police! | Call the police! |
| Je suis blessé(e). | I’m injured. |
| Je suis perdu(e). | I’m lost. |
| Il y a eu une accident. | There’s been an accident. |
| Avez-vous un téléphone? | Do you have a telephone? |
| J’ai perdu mon passeport. | I’ve lost my passport. |
| Emmenez-moi à l’ambassade. | Take me to the embassy. |
Health and wellness
Taking care of your health is important! Going to the pharmacy or seeing a doctor could be part of your trip, even in non-emergency situations, and there’s no need to be intimidated. These words and phrases will help you take care of non-emergency health and wellness needs in French.
| French | English |
| la pharmacie | the pharmacy |
| la clinique | the clinic |
| le santé | health |
| le médecin | the doctor |
| l’infirmier / l’infirmière | the nurse |
| J’ai besoin de voir un médecin. | I need to see a doctor. |
| Je suis malade. | I’m sick. |
| J’ai mal à… | My…hurts |
| l’aspirine | the aspirin |
| les pansements | the bandages |
Perfect your French with Rosetta Stone
Now that you know French travel phrases for a variety of situations, why not build on that knowledge? Real life doesn’t follow flashcards. To speak French in real life, you’ll need to improvise and adapt. A deeper knowledge of French requires immersion as well as cultural and historical context.
That’s why Rosetta Stone goes above and beyond with real-world, culturally relevant exercises. Our Dynamic Immersion method helps students of all ages learn efficiently, letting them explore more in less time. Plus, our TruAccent speech recognition helps you sound convincing based on data from thousands of native speakers. What are you waiting for?
Written by Luca Harsh
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