Useful French Phrases for Tourists: The Ones That Actually Get Things Done

If I had a penny for every time I’ve felt completely helpless when I’ve gone into a shop in France because I’ve not known what to say, I’d be rich. It’s the same with phone calls, reservations, and bookings. 

If you don’t know the correct phrases, you feel like an absolute idiot. Not to mention ignorant because of the expectation they’ll speak English. Why should they?

They’re French, and they’re in France. We don’t speak French to them when they come to our country, so why should they speak English when we go to theirs?

Easy To Learn French Phrases For Tourists

You already know bonjour, merci and s’il vous plaît, so I’m not going to waste your time with those. What actually rescues a trip to France is the next tier up, the phrases that get you a table by the window, a train ticket to the right town, a size up in the shop, or a pharmacist’s help when your stomach turns. 

First, the One Rule You Already Know

Before each phrase below, say bonjour. I know you know it. I’m repeating it because it’s the frame every one of these phrases hangs in. Walk up to a waiter, a ticket clerk, or a pharmacist and open cold with your question, and you’ll get a cooler response than you were expecting.

The other habit worth getting into is vous, not tu, with anyone serving you. 

Every phrase here is already in the polite form, so you don’t need to think about it. Just lead with bonjour, then the line you need.

How Do You Ask for a Table in a French Restaurant?

To ask for a table, the phrase you want is une table pour deux, s’il vous plaît, or the fuller avez-vous une table? 

• Avez-vous une table pour deux? (ah-vay voo oon tabl poor duh): Do you have a table for two?
• Une table en terrasse, s’il vous plaît. (oon tabl on teh-rass): A table outside, please.
• Nous avons réservé au nom de… (noo za-von ray-zair-vay oh non duh): We have a booking under the name…
• Nous n’avons pas réservé. (noo na-von pah ray-zair-vay): We haven’t booked.
• Est-ce que vous servez encore? (ess-kuh voo sair-vay on-kor): Are you still serving?

French kitchens often shut between lunch and dinner, roughly two until seven. And meal times in France are sacred, so rolling up at half past three expecting lunch will get you a shake of the head.

Ordering, Allergies, and Asking for the Bill

Once you’re seated, these phrases will help, from ordering to paying.

• Qu’est-ce que vous recommandez? (kess-kuh voo ruh-com-on-day): What do you recommend?
• Quel est le plat du jour? (kel ay luh plah doo zhoor): What’s today’s special?
• Je vais prendre… (zhuh vay prond): I’ll have…
• Je suis allergique aux… (zhuh swee za-lair-zheek oh): I’m allergic to… (noix, nuts; fruits de mer, shellfish; gluten).
• Une carafe d’eau, s’il vous plaît. (oon ca-raf doh): A jug of tap water, please.
• L’addition, s’il vous plaît. (la-dee-syon): The bill, please.
• Est-ce que je peux payer par carte? (ess-kuh zhuh puh pay-yay par cart): Can I pay by card?

Two things worth knowing. The bill won’t come until you ask for it, because lingering is the whole point of the meal, not a nuisance, and tipping works differently here too, with service already included in the price. 

And when you’ve eaten well, c’était délicieux (say-tay day-lee-syuh), “that was delicious,” earns you a few brownie points.

Phrases for Shops and Markets

The single most useful phrase in any French shop is je regarde, merci. It politely tells a hovering assistant you’re just browsing, and it works like a charm.

• Je regarde, merci. (zhuh ruh-gard, mair-see): I’m just looking, thanks.
• Je voudrais celui-ci. (zhuh voo-dray suh-lwee-see): I’d like this one. (point as you say it)
• Avez-vous ça dans une autre taille? (ah-vay voo sa don zoon oh-truh tie): Do you have this in another size?
• Je vous dois combien? (zhuh voo dwah com-bee-an): How much do I owe you?
• C’est tout, merci. (say too, mair-see): That’s everything, thanks.

At the market, where cheese and fruit are sold by weight, the phrase that stops you going home with a kilo of olives is juste un peu, s’il vous plaît (zhoost un puh), “just a little, please.” And the word for pound in weight in France is la livre; a book is le livre, in case you were wondering.

How Do You Buy a Ticket and Ask Directions?

For a ticket, say « un billet pour », then the place, then « s’il vous plaît ». For directions, the neat little formula is “pour aller à…,” which literally means “to go to…?” and translates as “how do I get to…?”

• Un billet pour Bordeaux, s’il vous plaît. (un bee-yay poor): A ticket to Bordeaux, please.
• Un aller-retour / un aller simple. (un a-lay ruh-toor / un a-lay sampl): A return / a single.
• À quelle heure part le prochain train pour…? (ah kel urr par luh pro-shan tran poor): What time’s the next train to…?
• Est-ce que ce train va à…? (ess-kuh suh tran va ah): Does this train go to…?
• Pour aller à la gare, s’il vous plaît? (poor a-lay ah la gar): How do I get to the station, please?
• C’est loin d’ici? (say lwan dee-see): Is it far from here?
• Où sont les toilettes? (oo son lay twa-let): Where are the toilets?

If the place name ties your tongue in knots, point at it on your phone and just say pour aller là, s’il vous plaît, “to get there, please.” 

Checking In: Phrases for Your Hotel or Gîte

Whether you’ve booked a hotel, a gîte or even a château, a few lines smooth the arrival and the stay.

• J’ai une réservation au nom de… (zhay oon ray-zair-va-syon oh non duh): I have a reservation under the name…
• À quelle heure est le petit-déjeuner? (ah kel urr ay luh puh-tee day-zhuh-nay): What time is breakfast?
• Quel est le code wifi? (kel ay luh cod wee-fee): What’s the wifi code?
• À quelle heure faut-il libérer la chambre? (ah kel urr foh-teel lee-bay-ray la shombr): What time is check-out?
• Pouvez-vous appeler un taxi? (poo-vay voo ap-lay un taxi): Could you call a taxi?

That taxi line is a good one to have, because in rural France you don’t flag a cab down or open an app; you ask someone to phone one for you.

When Something Goes Wrong: Help, Pharmacies, and Getting Unstuck

When you’re stuck, lost, or feeling rough, these are the phrases that get you sorted. The most valuable of the lot is pouvez-vous parler plus lentement, s’il vous plaît, because rapid French is what defeats most visitors, not the words themselves.

• Pouvez-vous m’aider, s’il vous plaît? (poo-vay voo may-day): Can you help me, please?
• Je suis perdu. (zhuh swee pair-doo): I’m lost. (a woman says perdue, same sound)
• Pouvez-vous parler plus lentement? (poo-vay voo par-lay ploo lont-mon): Could you speak more slowly?
• Pouvez-vous répéter, s’il vous plaît? (poo-vay voo ray-pay-tay): Could you say that again?
• Comment dit-on… en français? (com-mon dee-ton… on fron-say): How do you say… in French?

In the pharmacy, these phrases will help:

• J’ai mal à la tête / à la gorge / au ventre. (zhay mal ah la tet / ah la gorzh / oh vontr): I have a headache / a sore throat / a stomach ache.
• Avez-vous quelque chose pour…? (ah-vay voo kel-kuh shohz poor): Do you have something for…?
• Je ne me sens pas bien. (zhuh nuh muh son pah bee-an): I don’t feel well.

And for a real emergency, the one to memorize is appelez une ambulance (ap-lay oon om-boo-lons), “call an ambulance.” The European emergency number is 112.

Kylie’s top tip: if a French reply comes back too fast and you catch none of it, don’t switch to loud English. Just smile and say pouvez-vous parler plus lentement, s’il vous plaît. It works nearly every time, and it keeps the goodwill you earned with your bonjour.

And if you want to learn French, then I highly recommend Virginie and her French Booster course.