Some expressions to know before your arrival in France

So, you’re going to France soon. I hope you find these words and phrases helpful! They’re ones that caught me off guard when I was confronted with them or that I found myself needing the most.

Les transactions aux magasins, cafés, et restaurants

Eating out and shopping are two activities you won’t be able (or want) to avoid during your stay. Here are several expressions and words used in this environment that will help your conversations with cashiers and servers go smoothly:

Un ticket (de caisse) = a receipt

Une carte bancaire/carte bleue = a credit card

Sur place ou à emporter = for here or to go

À l’intérieur ou en terrasse = indoor or outdoor seating

L’addition = the check

Remember if you’re eating at a sit-down restaurant that you may have to ask the server for the check, instead of waiting for them to bring it. However, at cafés and most restaurants I have been to in Rennes so far, you pay at the counter. When in doubt, try to watch what other customers do.

Une carafe d’eau = a pitcher/bottle of water for the table

Comment voulez-vous votre steak/burger ?/À quelle cuisson ? = How would you like that cooked?

Be prepared for the server to ask this if you order a steak or burger. The responses are “saignant” (rare), “à point” (medium), or “bien cuit” (well done).

Merci ! Bonne journée ! Au revoir !

I’ve gotten used to saying these in succession as I leave a shop or café. Bonjour/bonsoir is used as a greeting, and bonne journée/bonne soirée as a goodbye, or “have a good day.”

La politesse

In general, the French really do value being polite, and if you don’t have the vocabulary to do so you may come across as rude.

S’il vous plaît/S’il te plaît = please

De rien/Je vous en prie/Je t’en prie/Aucun problème/Pas de problème = you’re welcome

You can use “tu” with people your own age or younger, though if you’re a customer and they’re working, err on the side of using “vous.” Be sure to use “vous” with your professors and strangers who are older than you.

If you bump into someone or need to move past them, “pardon” is used more often than “excusez-moi” and it’s less serious of an apology than “désolé.” If you need someone to repeat something, say “Pardon ?” or “Comment ?” (not “Quoi ?”).

Veuillez : You may not have run into the imperative form of “vouloir” before, but I did run into it on paperwork or instructions, so it’s good to be able to recognize. It basically means “please.”

Sujets divers

C'est tout/c'est bon/ça marche/ça va aller/ça ira/ça va = That’s good/that’s okay/that’s enough

Où : This little word is easy to lose track of in questions like “D’où venez-vous ?” in conversation.

L'arrêt de bus = the bus stop

La station de métro = the metro/subway station

Vouloir dire/signifier : These both mean “to mean.”

Un rendez-vous/une réunion = a meeting

Retrouver = to meet

Le sens = direction/meaning/sense

Rendre = to turn in (an assignment)

Faux amis

Actuellement : Remember that this means “currently” and not “actually”

              If you want to say “actually,” you could say “vraiment,” “en fait,” or “en réalité.”

Avoir hâte de faire qqch = to be excited to do sth/to look forward to doing sth

You may have been told before not to say you’re “excité(e)” (aroused), but then were never given a replacement to say what you really mean!

Raissasié(e) = full (after eating)

Don’t say “Je suis plein(e),” because that would mean you’re an animal who’s pregnant. You could also say “Je n’ai plus faim.”

Mot d'adieu

Here is my final advice for you:

First, if you want to be extra prepared, think of what sort of activities you’ll want to do while over here and words you use a lot in those contexts. For example, I played cards with my host family several times, so I found it helpful to know phrases like “un tas de cartes” (a pile of cards).

Second, remember that a confidently-spoken sentence with many errors will be easier for a French person to understand than a perfect sentence that you mumble and cut off short. This is easier said than done.

Finally, don’t stress too much about having to memorize all these words before you go. Being “on the scene” and using trial and error is really the best way to learn the necessary vocabulary. Words you heard in classes years ago will finally be reinforced. For example, now that I’ve had the flu while over here, I definitely won’t forget the words “la grippe” or “tousser.”

Bon courage!

Nancy Herschberger 

Iowa State University