Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Things You’ll Need:
- French Dictionaries
- French Phrase Books
Step1
Use "bonjour" (pronounced "bohn-ZHOOR") for "hello" and "au revoir" (oh ruh-VWAR) for "goodbye."
Step2
Introduce yourself by saying "Je m'appelle" (zhuh muh-PELL) and then your name.
Step3
Make copious use of "s'il vous plaît" (see voo PLAY) and "merci" (mehr-SEE) to say "please" and "thank you."
Step4
Say "oui" (WEE) for "yes" and "non" (NOH) for "no." Of course, nodding or shaking your head works, too.
Step5
If you're looking for something, say "où" (OOH), which means "where."
Step6
You can use "je voudrais" (zhuh voo-DRAY), which means "I would like," in many situations. Just point to whatever you want, remembering to tack on a "s'il vous plaît" at the end.
Step7
If all of the above fails, ask "Parlez-vous anglais?" (PAHR-lay voo zahn-GLAY), or "Do you speak English?" If your new French-speaking friend doesn't, he or she can probably find someone who does.
Comments
Anonymous said
on 8/8/2006 To say 'Where is...', you would say, 'Ou est...' which can be pronounced as, 'Oo ay...'.
Anonymous said
on 8/8/2006 Some of the phrases put up by others would probably illicit some smiles, smirks, maybe even a snicker or two from French folks on the street. Case in point: the word "Tabernac" -- this is used in French-speaking Canada - not in France. Also, "Je suis bien" means "I'm comfortable", NOT "I'm okay". You'll want to say "Je vais bien" for that.
Want to get someone's attention? Make sure you use "S'il vous plaýt" up front, followed by "Monsieur" or "Madame" or "Mademoiselle".
Vocabulary is good - keep a list for a day or two of things you do, say and/or use in English, then learn those phrases and/or vocabulary words. Use post-its around the house for every-day items you may want to learn and make sure you practice every time you see it or use it.
Also, learning the conjugations of the "fab-five" of irregular verbs (ýtre, avoir, aller, faire, and prendre) is useful to have under your belt. A large portion of French expressions are made up of these verbs.
Take a look at various web sites (do a search for "French expressions") which can help you with pronunciation guides and/or with pronunciation audio files.
Anonymous said
on 6/30/2006 To say 'Where is...', you would say, 'Ou est...' which can be pronounced as, 'Oo ay...'.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 English / French translation
I need help / Aidez-moi
I don't speak French / Je ne parle pas francais.
Where is my hotel? / Ou est mon hotel.
I'm thirsty / J'ai soif
Go away / Allez-vous!
Come here / Venez-ici.
Thank you / Merci
Good one to add is "Parlez-vous anglaise?"
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 It's great to be able to say that you don't speak French, if you're in a situation where you can't get by with basic expressions.
Say "Je ne parle pas francais." It's usually accepted with a nod, and they may start speaking English to you. I had 2 women come up to me, vigorously trying to get me to answer them. I think they might have been asking for directions. I was able to use the phrase to get them to stop trying.