French Basics

Bonjour means "Hello" or "Good day." It is the most common French greeting used during daytime hours.

Au revoir means "Goodbye." It literally translates to "until we see each other again."

S'il vous plaît means "Please" (formal). Use s'il te plaît in informal situations. It literally means "if it pleases you."

Merci means "Thank you." You can say merci beaucoup for "thank you very much."

De rien means "You're welcome." It literally translates to "of nothing." Another common alternative is je vous en prie (formal).

Excusez-moi means "Excuse me" (formal). Use it to get someone's attention or to apologize for a minor inconvenience.

Bonsoir means "Good evening." Use it as a greeting when arriving somewhere in the evening, typically after 6 PM.

Bonne nuit means "Good night." It is used only when saying goodbye at night or before going to sleep, not as a greeting.

Comment allez-vous? means "How are you?" (formal). The informal version is Comment vas-tu? or simply Ça va?

Je vais bien means "I am doing well." A common response to Comment allez-vous? You can also say Ça va bien, merci.

Enchanté (masc.) / Enchantée (fem.) means "Nice to meet you." It literally means "enchanted" or "delighted."

Comment vous appelez-vous? The informal version is Comment tu t'appelles? Both use the reflexive verb s'appeler.