French Travel Phrases

Traveling to a French-speaking country is exciting - but it can also feel a little intimidating if you don’t speak the language. The good news is, you don’t need to be fluent to have a great trip. Learning just a few polite and practical phrases can completely change how people respond to you. A friendly “Bonjour” or a simple “S’il vous plaît” shows locals that you’re making an effort, and that small gesture often leads to warmer, more helpful interactions.

These phrases cover the most common situations travelers face: greeting someone, asking for directions, ordering food, buying tickets, and solving little problems that come up on the road. They are easy to learn, quick to use, and can save you time, money, and stress — especially when you’re in a hurry, in a busy station, or in a small town where English isn’t widely spoken.

Think of them as your essential travel toolkit. With just these words and a smile, you can ask for what you need, show respect for the local culture, and feel more confident as you explore France or any French-speaking region.

Basic French Travel Phrases (with pronunciation)

French	English	Pronunciation (simplified)
Bonjour	Hello / Good morning	bohn-zhoor
Bonsoir	Good evening	bohn-swahr
Salut	Hi (informal)	sah-loo
Au revoir	Goodbye	oh ruh-vwar
S’il vous plaît	Please	seel voo pleh
Merci	Thank you	mehr-see
Merci beaucoup	Thank you very much	mehr-see boh-koo
De rien	You’re welcome	duh ree-ehn
Excusez-moi	Excuse me	eks-kew-zay mwah
Désolé(e)	Sorry	day-zo-lay
Parlez-vous anglais ?	Do you speak English?	par-lay voo ahn-gleh?
Je ne parle pas bien français	I don’t speak French well	zhuh nuh parl pah byehn frahn-say
Pouvez-vous m’aider ?	Can you help me?	poo-veh voo meh-day?
Combien ça coûte ?	How much does it cost?	kohm-byen sah koot?
Où est … ?	Where is … ?	oo eh … ?
Où sont les toilettes ?	Where is the bathroom?	oo sohn lay twa-let?
Je voudrais …	I would like …	zhuh voo-dray …
L’addition, s’il vous plaît	The bill, please	lah-dee-syon seel voo pleh
Un billet pour …, s’il vous plaît	A ticket to …, please	uh bee-yeh poor … seel voo pleh
À quelle heure ?	At what time?	ah kel uhr?
C’est combien ?	How much is it?	say kohm-byen?
Je ne comprends pas	I don’t understand	zhuh nuh kohm-prahn pah
Oui	Yes	wee
Non	No	nohn

Tip for pronunciation:

• “on” sounds like “ohn” through the nose (soft nasal)

• “é” sounds like “ay” (like in “say”)

• “oi” sounds like “wah” (as in “moi” → “mwah”)