Learn Basic French Words and Phrases – Perfect for Beginners
Welcome to the easiest way to learn basic French words and phrases! Whether you’re starting your language-learning journey or brushing up on your basics, this guide will teach you everything you need to know. Let’s start with greetings, polite phrases, and common expressions to help you converse confidently in French.
Why Learn Basic French Words and Phrases?
Learning basic French words and phrases is the foundation for fluency. These essential phrases help you navigate everyday conversations, whether you’re traveling in Paris, talking to a French-speaking friend, or exploring French culture.
Greetings and Farewells
| French Word/Phrase | English Translation | Pronunciation | Punjabi | Hindi | Where to Use | Example Sentence | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bonjour | Hello/Good morning | Bon-zhoor | ਬੋਂ-ਜੂਰ | बॉन-जूर | Formal morning greeting | Bonjour, Madame ! | Hello, Madam! |
| Bonne journée | Have a nice day | Bon-zhoor-nay | ਬੋਨ ਜੂਰਨੇ | बॉन जूर्ने | Wishing a good day | Bonne journée à vous aussi. | Have a nice day to you too. |
| Bonsoir | Good evening | Bon-swar | ਬੋਨ-ਸੁਆਰ | बॉन-स्वार | Formal evening greeting | Bonsoir, Monsieur ! | Good evening, Sir! |
| Bonne soirée | Have a nice evening | Bon-swar-ay | ਬੋਨ-ਸੁਆਰੇ | बॉन-स्वारे | Wishing a nice evening | Bonne soirée, à bientôt ! | Have a nice evening, see you soon! |
| Au revoir | Bye | Oh ruh-vwar | ਓ ਰੂਹ-ਵਾਰ | ओ रू-व्वार | Saying goodbye formally | Au revoir, mes amis ! | Goodbye, my friends! |
| À bientôt | See you soon | Ah byan-too | ਆ ਬਿਆਂ-ਟੂ | आ ब्यान-टू | Casual goodbye | À bientôt, Paul ! | See you soon, Paul! |
| À demain | See you tomorrow | Ah duh-mahn | ਆ ਦੁਹ-ਮਾਂ | आ दुह-मान | Goodbye until tomorrow | À demain, Sophie ! | See you tomorrow, Sophie! |
Polite Expressions
| French Word/Phrase | English Translation | Pronunciation | Punjabi | Hindi | Where to Use | Example Sentence | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merci | Thank you | Mehr-see | ਮੇਰਸੀ | मर्सी | Basic thank you | Merci pour votre aide. | Thank you for your help. |
| Merci beaucoup | Thank you so much | Mehr-see boo-koo | ਮੇਰਸੀ ਬੂਕੂ | मर्सी बूकू | Expressing deep gratitude | Merci beaucoup pour tout. | Thank you so much for everything. |
| S’il vous plaît | Please (formal) | Seel voo play | ਸੀਲ ਵੂ ਪਲੇ | सील वू प्ले | Polite requests (formal) | S’il vous plaît, passez le sel. | Please pass the salt. |
| S’il te plaît | Please (informal) | Seel tuh play | ਸੀਲ ਤੁ ਪਲੇ | सील तू प्ले | Polite requests (informal) | S’il te plaît, aide-moi. | Please help me. |
| De rien | You’re welcome (informal) | Duh ree-ehn | ਦੁਹ ਰੀਐਨ | दुह रीयन | Casual response to “Merci” | De rien, c’était rien. | You’re welcome, it was nothing. |
| Je vous en prie | You’re welcome (formal) | Zhuh voo zohn pree | ਜ਼ਹੁ ਵੂ ਜ਼ੌਂ ਪ੍ਰੀ | झु वू ज़ों प्री | Formal response to “Merci” | Je vous en prie, Madame. | You’re welcome, Madam. |
| Bienvenu | Welcome | Byan-vuh-noo | ਬਿਆਂਵੂ-ਨੂ | ब्यानवू-नू | Welcoming someone | Bienvenu chez moi ! | Welcome to my home! |
| D’accord | Okay | Dah-kor | ਦਾਕੋਰ | डाकोर | Agreement or understanding | D’accord, je vais le faire. | Okay, I will do it. |
Common Daily Words
| French Word | English Translation | Pronunciation | Punjabi | Hindi | Where to Use | Example Sentence | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demain | Tomorrow | Duh-mahn | ਦੁਹ ਮਾਂ | दुह मान | Talking about the next day | Je vais partir demain. | I will leave tomorrow. |
| Aujourd’hui | Today | Oh-zhoor-dwee | ਓਜੂਰਦਵੀ | ओजुर्दवी | Talking about the current day | Aujourd’hui, il fait beau. | Today, it is sunny. |
| Maintenant | Now | Man-ten-on | ਮਾਂ-ਤੈ-ਨੋਂ | मां-तै-नौं | Talking about the present moment | Fais-le maintenant, s’il te plaît. | Do it now, please. |
| Rien | Nothing | Ree-ehn | ਰੀਐਨ | रीयन | Expressing absence of something | Il n’y a rien ici. | There’s nothing here. |
Practice Conversations
Here’s a simple example to practice:
Person 1: Bonjour, comment ça va ?
Punjabi Pronunciation: ਬੋਂਜੂਰ, ਕਮਾਂ ਸਾ ਵਾ ?
Hindi Pronunciation: बॉन्जूर, कमां सा वा ?
Translation: Hello, how are you?
Person 2: Ça va bien, merci. Et vous ?
Punjabi Pronunciation: ਸਾ ਵਾ ਬਿਆਂ, ਮੇਰਸੀ। ਐਤ ਵੂ ?
Hindi Pronunciation: सा वा बियां, मर्सी। एत वू ?
Translation: I’m good, thank you. And you?
Test Your Knowledge: Basic French Words and Phrases
Let’s see how much you’ve learned! This test is designed to help you revise and reinforce what you’ve learned in this chapter. Answer all the questions to check your understanding.
Section 1: Match the Columns
Match the French words with their correct English translations.
| French Word | Options |
|---|---|
| 1. Bonjour | a. See you tomorrow |
| 2. Merci beaucoup | b. Good evening |
| 3. Bonne soirée | c. Hello |
| 4. À bientôt | d. Have a nice evening |
| 5. Demain | e. Thank you so much |
| f. See you soon |
Section 2: Fill in the Blanks
Complete the sentences with the correct French words.
- To greet someone in the morning, you say, “________.”
- When someone helps you, you say, “________ beaucoup.”
- If you’re leaving but will meet them the next day, you say, “À ________.”
- The word for “now” in French is “________.”
- To wish someone a nice day, you say, “________ journée.”
Section 3: Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs)
- What is the correct way to say “Please” in a formal manner?
a) S’il vous plaît
b) De rien
c) D’accord
d) À demain - How do you say “Goodbye” in French?
a) Bonjour
b) Au revoir
c) À bientôt
d) Bonne nuit - Which phrase would you use to say “Thank you so much”?
a) Merci beaucoup
b) S’il vous plaît
c) De rien
d) Bienvenu - What does “Aujourd’hui” mean?
a) Tomorrow
b) Today
c) Now
d) Evening - Which of these phrases is used to greet someone in the evening?
a) Bonjour
b) Bonne nuit
c) Bonsoir
d) Merci
Section 4: Translation Practice
Translate the following sentences into French:
- Hello, how are you?
- See you tomorrow!
- Have a nice evening.
- Thank you so much for your help.
- Welcome to my home!
Section 5: Pronunciation Practice
Write the Punjabi and Hindi pronunciations for the following French words:
- Bonjour
- Merci beaucoup
- Bonne soirée
- À demain
- S’il vous plaît
Section 6: Dialogue Practice
Fill in the blanks in this conversation:
Person 1: ________, comment ça va ?
Person 2: Ça va ________, merci. Et ________ ?
Person 1: Je vais ________. À ________ !
Section 7: Scenarios
Choose the best phrase to use in the following scenarios:
- You meet your teacher in the morning. What do you say?
- Bonsoir
- Bonjour
- Bonne soirée
- You are leaving a friend’s house and plan to meet them soon. What do you say?
- Au revoir
- À bientôt
- Merci
- You’re at a restaurant and want to politely ask for water. What do you say?
- S’il vous plaît
- De rien
- Bonne nuit
Answer Key
Section 1: Match the Columns
- Bonjour → c. Hello
- Merci beaucoup → e. Thank you so much
- Bonne soirée → d. Have a nice evening
- À bientôt → f. See you soon
- Demain → a. See you tomorrow
Section 2: Fill in the Blanks
- Bonjour
- Merci beaucoup
- À demain
- Maintenant
- Bonne journée
Section 3: Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs)
- a) S’il vous plaît
- b) Au revoir
- a) Merci beaucoup
- b) Today
- c) Bonsoir
Section 4: Translation Practice
- Bonjour, comment ça va ?
- À demain !
- Bonne soirée.
- Merci beaucoup pour votre aide.
- Bienvenue chez moi !
Section 5: Pronunciation Practice
- Bonjour → Punjabi: ਬੋਂਜੁਰ | Hindi: बोंजूर
- Merci beaucoup → Punjabi: ਮੈਰਸੀ ਬੋਕੂ | Hindi: मर्सी बोकू
- Bonne soirée → Punjabi: ਬੋਂ ਸਵਾਰੇ | Hindi: बों स्वारे
- À demain → Punjabi: ਆ ਦਮਾਂ | Hindi: आ दमान
- S’il vous plaît → Punjabi: ਸਿਲ ਵੂ ਪਲੇ | Hindi: सिल वू प्ले
Section 6: Dialogue Practice
Person 1: Bonjour, comment ça va ?
Person 2: Ça va bien, merci. Et vous ?
Person 1: Je vais bien. À bientôt !
Section 7: Scenarios
- Bonjour
- À bientôt
- S’il vous plaît
Conclusion
Mastering basic French words and phrases is the first step in learning this beautiful language. Use this guide as your go-to resource, practice daily, and you’ll be speaking French confidently in no time. Bonne chance (Good luck)!