Essential French - L'Essentiel

Learn basic French vocabulary and phrases.

  Even if you're just going to France for a week, you should know some survival French - a few essential words and phrases that you'll use over and over. This is a somewhat miscellaneous list of the basics, so be sure to follow the links at the end for even more essential French like "hello" and "please."

Je parle (un peu de) français
   I speak (a little) French.

Parlez-vous anglais ?
   Do you speak English?

Comment ?
   What?

Je ne comprends pas.
   I don't understand.

Que veut dire ___ ?
   What does ___ mean?

Répétez, s'il vous plaît.
   Repeat, please.

Plus lentement
   More slowly

Encore une fois
   One more time

Comment dit-on ___ en français ?
   How do you say ___ in French?


Je ne sais pas
   I don't know

J'ai une question
   I have a question

J'ai un problème
   I have a problem


oui     yes
non     no
si     yes (in reponse to a negative question)
d'accord     OK


et     and
ou     or


qui     who
quoi     what*
quand     when
où     where
pourquoi     why
comment     how

*Be careful, there are several ways to say "what" in French

Source:  http://french.about.com/od/vocabulary/a/essentialfrench.htm