30 Most Common British Idioms & Phrases
How many British idioms do you know? How many of them do you use? Idioms are an important part of the language.
6 minute read
Bonjour a tous!
Do you want to speak French easily?
And while speaking to the natives, you want them to be fascinated by how well you’ve learned French?
Well, for that, you need to dedicate a lot of time to the language.
Getting to a conversational level in French requires a rich vocabulary.
However, there is one way that can help you speak French with ease.
Those are some of the common French phrases that are used in everyday conversations.
And what is even better, you won’t have to search for them by yourself. We’ve already done that for you.
So, in the following lines, you will find the 100 most common French phrases to help you speak French right this moment.
But before we dive in, let’s not forget to mention that if you want to speak French like a native, French tutors from Justlearn are there to help you.
The 100 Most Common French Phrases
Like any other language, or at least most of them, French distinguishes formal and informal speech.
When you talk to strangers, people who are older than you, or with someone at work, you should use formal French expressions. Therefore, in French, you use the pronoun ‘Vous’ where it is needed.
When you are chatting with friends or family members, you can use an informal speech and use the pronoun ’Tu’.
The phrases we’ve listed are mainly formal, but we’ve made several exceptions and added some informal phrases.
Please note that in the following lines, you may find some of the most common French phrases. For more, look at our ‘List of the 100 Most Common French Phrases’ in PDF. French phrases with pronunciation and suitable English translation will be more than helpful.
You can save and download it on your device and take it with you wherever you go.
Common French Greetings
Greetings are the basics of every language.
Interestingly, they are a vital part of any conversation and relatively easy to remember.
No wonder beginners know all the phrases that concern salutation.
Over time, when you progress, you don’t pay much attention to these phrases, so not rarely, it takes some time to recall how to say ‘long time no see,’ for example.
So, no matter if you are a beginner or already on some more advanced levels, it is always useful to repeat and practice some of the basics.
In the following lines, you can find some of the greeting phrases in French.
| French | English |
| Salut | Hey |
| Bonjour | Hello/Good day |
| Comment ça va?/ Comment allez-vous? ? (form.) | How are you? |
| Ça va bien, merci. | I’m good, thanks. |
| Ça fait longtemps. | Long time no see. |
Being Polite
The French are known as a polite nation, always concerned about asking or answering the right, polite way.
In the following lines, you may find some of the phrases for being polite.
| French | English |
| S’il vous plaît (form.) | Please. |
| Merci beaucoup. | Thank you so much. |
| Excusez-moi (form.) | Excuse me. |
| Je suis desolé(e). | I’m sorry. |
| Merci pour votre temps. (form.) | Thank you for your time. |
Phrases For Starting a Conversation
Even though you can find many French words in English or vice versa, they are different languages.
Therefore, if you want to start a conversation, you have to learn those phrases.
Here are some of them.
| French | English |
| Quoi de neuf? | What’s new? |
| Quels sont vos plans ce week-end ? (form.) | What are your plans for this weekend? |
| Comment ça va votre famille ? (form.) | How is your family? |
| J’ai entendu que … | I heard that… |
| Dites-moi ce que vous pensez. (form.) | Tell me what you think. |
Phrases For Continuing A Conversation
After greeting a person, you usually continue talking to him. Here are some of the common phrases that can help you continue a conversation.
| French | English |
| Ça va? | How are you? |
| Ça roule? (informal) | How’s it going? |
| Ça va/je vais bien. Et toi? | I’m well. And you? |
| Ça va le travail( form.)/le boulot (inform.)/le taf (inform.)? | How’s work? |
| Ta mère va bien? | How's your mother? |
‘How Do You Say…’
Everyone knows to ask this famous question, ‘Parlez-vous français?’
However, that’s not the only phrase you should know. Some other, less famous but more common, you can find in the following lines.
| French | English |
| Comment dire ça en français? | How do you say that in French? |
| Je ne comprends pas. | I don’t understand. |
| Vous parlez de quoi? (form.) | What are you talking about? |
| Je ne sais pas. | I don’t know. |
| Pouvez-vous parlez plus lentement s’il vous plaît? | Can you speak more slowly, please? |
Exclamations And Important Answers
| French | English |
| Oui | Yes |
| Non | No |
| Peut-être | Maybe |
| Bien sûr | Of course |
| Ne vous inquiétez pas ! (form.) | Don’t worry! |
| Regardez (form.) | Look |
| Quelle horreur! | How horrible |
| Pas de problème! | No problem |
| C’est une bonne question. | That's a good question. |
Phrases For Finishing A Conversation
Now, when you know how to start and continue a conversation, it would be a pity not to know how to finish it.
That’s why in the following lines, you may find some useful phrases that can help you finish a conversation.
| French | English |
| J’ai beaucoup aimé parler avec vous. (form.) | I enjoyed speaking with you. |
| Je dois y aller. | I must go. |
| Restez en contact! (form.) | Keep in touch! |
| Au revoir | Goodbye |
| Je reviens tout de suite! | I'll be right back! |
Frequently Used Phrases
Some of the frequent phrases that are used in daily conversations, you can find here.
| French | English |
| Attendez-nous là. | Wait for us there. |
| Avez-vous faim? | Are you hungry (formal)? |
| C'est quoi? | What is it? |
| J'ai déjà dit que... | I have already said that... |
| Je serai à... | I will be at... |
| Je suis arrivé. | I have arrived (m). |
| Je suis perdu. | I'm lost. |
Special Occasions
During the year, we certainly have a lot of reasons to celebrate. Whether it’s New Year, Christmas, or your birthday, knowing these phrases will not only make you feel special but also prepare you for the upcoming holidays, such as the nearest Halloween.
Some of the phrases for special occasions you may find in the following lines.
| French | English |
| Bienvenue! | Welcome |
| Félicitations! | Congratulations! |
| Joyeux anniversaire! | Happy birthday. |
| Joyeux Noël! | Merry Christmas. |
| Bonne année! | Happy New Year. |
Ask A Question
Question words are helpful even if you don’t know much of a language.
Here are some of them.
| French | English |
| Qui? | Who? |
| Quoi? | What? |
| Comment? | How? |
| Pourquoi? | Why? |
| Où? | Where? |
Advanced French Phrases
You may find some of the phrases you can’t figure out by knowing all the words separately in the following lines.
Translating with programs isn’t possible due to Google translate fails.
However, it’s useful to get to know some of them.
| French | English |
| Prendre rendez-vous | To make an appointment |
| Se tirer d’affaire | To get out safe and sound |
| Être dans une affaire | To be involved in a case or situation |
| Se creuser la tête | To think hard |
| Ni queue ni tête | Making no sense |
Final Thoughts
Now you have the 100 most common French phrases and all of them in PDF!
You will be surprised by how much they can be useful and help you in many different situations.
Don’t forget to save and download the Vocabulary List on your device so that you can carry with yourself anywhere and take a look anytime.
The only thing that remains for you is to find a native speaker to talk to.
If you are nervous a bit, you can try practicing with French tutors on Justlearn.
And then you will be 100% ready for the French world!
