French Lessons for the American Tourist
Google Translate or DeepL are great for translating pictures too!
Pleasantries
Hello (before 5pm)
Hello (after 5pm)
Have a good day!
Have a good evening!
Goodbye
Thank you (Very much)
Please
Excuse me
Sorry
Bonjour (Bohn-zhoor)
Bonsoir (Bohn-swahr)
Bonne journée (bohn zhoor-nay)
Bonne soirée (Bonne swarh-ray)
Au revoir (oh ruh-vwahr)
Merci (beaucoup)
S'il vous plaît (seal voo pleh)
Excusez-moi (ex-ku-zay-mwah) or Pardon
Désolé (dez-ou-lay) or Pardon
Just like in America, always open a conversation with Bonjour and end with thank you or goodbye!
Helpful Sayings
Sorry, I don't speak French.
Do you speak English?
I don't understand.
Where is the restroom?
Désolé, je ne parle pas français.
(dez-ou-lay, zhuh nuh parl pah fran-say)
Vous parlez Anglais?
(Voo par-ley Ahn-glay?)
Je ne comprend pas.
(Zhuh nug kom-prahn pah)
Où sont les toilettes?
(oo son lay twah-let?)
Try harding at the restaurant
Hello, Bonjour (Bonsoir),
A table for (1, 2, 3, 4) une table pour (un, deux, trois, quatre)
inside, please à l'interieur, s'il vous plaît (ah-lan-ter-yeur)
outside, please en terrasse, s'il vous plaît (on teh-rass)
I would like Je voudrais ... (zhuh vu-dray)
Tap water une carafe d'eau (une carafe DOH)
Espresso un café (uhn cafeh)
with ice avec des glaçons (ah-vek deh glass-on)
This (while pointing at item) Ça (sah)
The check please L'addition, s'il vous plaît (la-dih-shion)
(They will either bring you the card reader or tell you to pay at the counter)
Rare Bleu (blue)
Medium-rare Saignant (sin-yont)
Rose colored Rosé (Rose-ey)
Medium A point (ah-pwont)
Medium well Bien cuit (byen kwee)
Well- done Trés cuit (tray kwee)
(If you order duck above "Rosé" just don't order duck, it's a culinary disgrace)
Navigation Tips
Trains
Trainline : 3rd party train app. Extremely easy user interface
SNCF: Official railway company
Navigo Easy Card
Can be purchased at the ticket machines which have an option for English. Good for loading multiple passes onto one card instead of carrying multiple tiny tickets. You can only have 1 per person though.
Navigation
CityMapper is best for Paris & Bordeaux.
Google is still pretty great for navigation. It is very accurate in showing the different metro lines etc. But, if you're driving, use waze. It has the location of all the radars and is more accurate with timing.
