Every basic French phrases list looks the same. Bonjour. Merci. Je m'appelle. And then you use them with a real French speaker and something feels off. They respond faster than expected, with words you don't recognise, in a rhythm nothing like what you practised.

That's because most phrase lists teach you textbook French. Correct, formal, written-for-clarity French. The kind nobody actually speaks.

This list is different. For every basic phrase, we show you two versions — the textbook version you may already know, and the real version native speakers actually use. No grammar rules. Just the French that works in real life.

How to use this list: Read through once. Then pick one section per day and say each phrase out loud — both versions. The real version may feel awkward at first. Say it anyway. That's how your mouth learns.

Greetings

The first thing out of your mouth. Textbook French greets formally. Real French greets warmly and fast.

Textbook Bonjour, comment allez-vous ? Hello, how are you? (formal)
Real French Salut, ça va ? Hey, you good? Use with anyone you're not addressing formally
Textbook Je suis très bien, merci. I am very well, thank you.
Real French Ça va, merci. Et toi ? Good, thanks. And you? Always bounce it back — it's natural
Textbook Enchanté(e) de faire votre connaissance. Pleased to make your acquaintance.
Real French Enchanté(e). Nice to meet you. Just the one word — everything else is implied
Textbook Au revoir. Goodbye.
Real French Allez, à bientôt ! Right, see you soon! "Allez" as a filler softens the goodbye — very French

Politeness & gratitude

French people are polite — but not in the stiff way textbooks suggest. Real politeness is warm and quick.

Textbook Merci beaucoup. Thank you very much.
Real French Merci bien ! Thanks a lot! Lighter and more natural than "beaucoup"
Textbook De rien. You're welcome.
Real French Pas de souci. No worries. Much more commonly used in everyday conversation
Textbook Je suis désolé(e). I am sorry.
Real French Oups, pardon ! Oops, sorry! For small everyday mistakes — simple and natural

When you don't understand

The phrases you will need most as a beginner — and the ones that make the biggest difference to how a conversation goes.

Textbook Je ne comprends pas. I do not understand.
Real French Je comprends pas. I don't get it. Dropping "ne" is standard in spoken French
Textbook Pouvez-vous parler plus lentement, s'il vous plaît ? Could you speak more slowly, please?
Real French Tu peux répéter, plus doucement ? Can you repeat that, slower? Shorter, warmer, still completely polite
Textbook Parlez-vous anglais ? Do you speak English?
Real French Tu parles anglais ? You speak English? The rising intonation makes it a question — no inversion needed
Textbook Comment dit-on cela en français ? How does one say that in French?
Real French Ça se dit comment en français ? How do you say that in French? Flips the sentence structure — much more natural

Everyday situations

The phrases that get you through daily life — shops, transport, and the street.

Textbook Où se trouve la station de métro ? Where is the metro station located?
Real French Le métro, c'est où ? The metro — where is it? Topic first, question after — the natural spoken order
Textbook Combien coûte cet article ? How much does this item cost?
Real French C'est combien ? How much is it? Three words. Does the job every time.
Textbook Je voudrais acheter ceci. I would like to purchase this.
Real French Je prends ça. I'll take this. Direct, clear, and what everyone actually says
Textbook Pourriez-vous m'aider, s'il vous plaît ? Could you help me, please?
Real French Vous pouvez m'aider ? Can you help me? Still polite with "vous" — just less stiff

Reactions & conversation fillers

These are the words that make you sound fluent even when you're not. Native speakers use them constantly — and they are almost never taught.

Textbook C'est incroyable ! That's incredible!
Real French C'est ouf ! That's wild / That's mad! "Ouf" is backslang for "fou" (crazy) — very common
Textbook Je ne sais pas. I don't know.
Real French Chais pas. Dunno. Contracted from "Je ne sais pas" — said in fast speech constantly
Textbook D'accord. Agreed. / Okay.
Real French Ça marche. That works. / Sounds good. The go-to casual agreement in everyday French
Textbook Bien sûr. Of course.
Real French Carrément. Absolutely. / Definitely. Stronger and more enthusiastic than "bien sûr"
Textbook Bonne chance ! Good luck!
Real French Bon courage ! Keep going! / You've got this! More commonly used than "bonne chance" — implies solidarity

What comes next

Knowing these phrases is a start. Using them confidently — without freezing, without translating in your head first — is what actually gets you belonging in French-speaking spaces.

That gap between knowing a phrase and owning it is closed through one thing: speaking it out loud, repeatedly, with real French audio aid to guide your pronunciation. It's the same gap that trips up even qualified French speakers — and it has nothing to do with grammar.

If you are preparing to move somewhere French is spoken — whether for immigration, relocation, or work — these phrases are your immediate survival kit. But survival French and belonging French are different things. Our free course takes you from these basics to 1,000+ real words and phrases, with native speaker audio aid on every single one.

Want to know where your conversational French actually stands right now? Take the free test — it takes less than 5 minutes and the result will tell you more than any grammar score ever has.

1,000+ more phrases where these came from.

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