French is a Romance language spoken fluently by around 175 million people around the world. Today it is used in countries around the world - Algeria, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Haiti, Lebanon, Madagascar, Martinique, Monaco, Morocco, Niger, Senegal, Tunisia, Vietnam, … - and is the official language in a total of 29 nations. It is often considered to be among the most beautiful and romantic in the world and, as a foreign language, it is the most frequently taught in the world after English.
Steps
Method 1 of 1: Speak Basic French
Step 1. Memorize a new sentence or two every day and use it as part of your daily conversation
Start by learning the most common and well-known words and phrases, including:
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Bonjour - bon-jshor
Hi good morning
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Bonsoir - bon-swarh
Good evening
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Bonne nuit - bon-nwee
good night
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Au revoir - ohr-vwah
Until we meet again
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Salut - sa-loo
Hi / See you later, See you [informal]
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S'il vous plaît - see voo play
Please [formal]
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S'il te plaît - see you play
Please [informal]
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Merci (beaucoup) - mair-see (boh-koo)
Thank you (thank you very much)
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Je vous en prie - zhuh voo zawn pree
Please [formal]
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De rien - duh ree-ahn
You're welcome / Not at all [informal]
Step 2. Learn to continue speaking after exchanging greetings in French
You can read some useful questions below. Note that informal phrases are the ones you will use when talking to friends, family and children; it would be better to use the formal ones when addressing someone older than you or you don't know, such as foreigners, teachers, parents of your friends and anyone else you would like to speak to very politely and respectfully.
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Comment allez-vous? - koh-mawn tahl-ay voo
How are you? [official]
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Ça va? - sah vah
How are you? [informal]
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(Très) bien - (treh) bee-ahn
(Very good
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(Pas) mal - (pah) mahl
(Not bad
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Malade - mah-lahd
Ill
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That age as-tu?
How old are you?
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J'ai (number) ans
I am (number) years old
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Comment vous appelez-vous? - koh-mawn voo zah-play voo
What is his name? [official]
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Tu t'appelles comment? - tew tah-pell koh-mawn
What's your name? What's your name? [informal]
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Où habitez-vous? - ooh ah-bee-tay voo
Where does he live? [official]
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Où habites-tu? - tew ah-beet ooh
Where do you live? [informal]
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Vous êtes d'où? - voo zet doo
Where from? [official]
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Tu es d'où? - tew ay doo
where are you from? [informal]
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Parlez-vous anglais? - par-lay voo on-glay
Speak English? [official]
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Tu parles anglais? - tew spoke on-glay
Do you speak English? [informal]
Step 3. Tell people about yourself
Here are some ways to answer some of the questions you just learned to ask:
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Je m'appelle _ - zhuh mah-pell
My name is _
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J'habite à _ - zhah-beet ah
I live in / a _
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Je suis de _ - zhuh swee duh
I'm from _
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l'Angleterre - lawn-gluh-tair
England
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le Canada - kah-nah-dah
Canada
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les États-Unis - ay-tah-zew-nee
The United States
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the Allemagne - lahl-mawn-yuh
Germany
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Je (ne) parle (pas) _ - zhuh (nuh) parl (pah)
(I do not talk _
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français - frahn-say
French
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anglais - on-glay
English
Step 4. Practice every day
Here is a collection of other questions and phrases that might be helpful if you travel to a French-speaking country.
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Comment? - kohm-mawn
What? Excuse me?
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Comprenez-vous? - kohm-pren-ay-voo
Understood? [official]
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Do you comprends? - tew kohm-prawn
Did you understand? [informal]
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Je (ne) comprends (pas) - zhuh (nuh) kohm-prawn (pah)
(I do not understand
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Comment dit-on _ en français? - kohm-mawn dee-tohn _ on frahn-say
How do you say it in French?
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Je ne sais pas - zhuhn say pah
I do not know
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What sont _? - ooh sohn
Where am I _?
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Voila! - vwah-lah
There
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Où east _? - ooh huh
Where is it _?
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Voici _ - vwah-see
Here there is _
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Qu'est-ce que c'est que ça? - kess kuh seh kuh sah
What is that?
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Qu'est-ce qu'il y a? - kess keel-ee-ah
What's the problem?
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Je suis malade. - zhuh swee mah-lahd
I'm sick
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Je suis fatigué (e) - zhuh swee fah-tee-gay (you must add 'e' if you are female - but pronounced the same way)
I am tired
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J'ai soif - zhay swahf
I'm thirsty
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J'ai faim - zhay fawn
I am hungry
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Qu'est-ce qui se passe? - kess kee suh pahs
What is happening?
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Je n'ai aucune idée - zhuh neh oh-kewn ee-day
I have no idea
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Tu m'attires - "too ma-teer"
I am attracted to you
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Tu es attirant (e) - too ey ah-teer-an (t) (if you're telling a girl, be sure to say the t at the end. Avoid saying the t if you're talking to a guy).
You are attractive
Step 5. Label the items around the house
Try writing the word in French on a flashcard with the pronunciation on the other side and simply attach it to the correct object; turn it upside down if you want to remember the pronunciation without becoming addicted to the "Englishized" spelling of words. Here are some ideas of objects to put the label on:
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l'étagère - lay-tah-zhehr
Shelf
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la fenêtre - fuh-neh-truh
Window
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la porte - port
Brings
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the chaise - shehzh
Chair
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the ordinateur - lor-dee-nah-tur
Computer
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la chaîne hi fi - shen-hi-fi
Stereo
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la télévision - tay-lay-vee-zee-ohn
Television
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le réfrigérateur - 'ray-gratis-zhay-rah-tir'
Fridge
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le congélateur - kon-zhay-lah-tur
Freezer
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la cuisinière - kwee-zeen-yehr
Heater
Advice
- If you find it difficult, you can start with "I don't speak French": "Je ne parle pas le français". It is pronounced Je = Jeuu; ne = neuu; speak = speak; pas = pa; le = leuu; français = fransay.
- Read books in French like Le Fantom de the work of Gaston Leroux. They will help you understand the language more.
- When asking a question, remember to stress your voice on each syllable: a French person will sense that you are asking a question and will likely be able to understand it better.
- The French language was designed to be spoken very quickly. Try renting or buying French movies or DVDs dubbed into French, so you can get used to hearing and understanding sentences even when they are spoken quickly.
- The subjects have articles like "a" or "une", which are masculine and feminine: "un garçon (a boy)" and "une fille (a girl)". The subjects are female or male. The articles "le" or "la" are definite: "la glace (ice cream, which is feminine in French)" and "le livre (the book)". If the subject is plural, use "les": "les garçons (the boys)". Use "l '" if the subject begins with a vowel: "l'école (the school)".
- Remember to use formal phrases when talking to people you want to show respect to, such as strangers, professors, executives, etc. Use informal phrases only when talking to children, friends or family members or others you want to be rude to.
