Why Should You Learn French?
French is a beautiful language and a pretty common one to learn as a second language. Over 275 million people speak the language. As a matter of fact, one source says that by 2050, French will be the most spoken language in the world. So yes, learning to speak French as a second language is a good idea. Language learning, especially to fluency, can take quite some time. French is categorized as an easy language to learn and you should be able to master it in 24-30 weeks. You don’t have to start with the conjugation just yet. You can actually start building your vocabulary and confidence with some basic French phrases. Here are the best french phrases we think you should learn first.
Greeting People in French
- Bonjour/Salut- Learning how to greet people is a great first step in learning a language. Bonjour means ‘good morning’ or ‘hello’ and salut is typically used to say hi.
- Je m’appelle- If you’d like to tell someone our name, this is the best phrase to use. It means ‘My name is’.
- Ça va– The cedilla, also known as the little thing under the c, indicates that you use an ‘s’ sound when you pronounce the word. Ça va means “How is it going”. The great thing about this phrase is that you can use it again as a response because it also means ‘it’s okay’, or ‘everything is going fine’. The French do not typically say things like AWESOME! Because that is a truly extreme emotion, so ‘ca va’ is as exciting as it might get as a response.
- Ça fait longtemp- This translate to “It’s been a long time” or “long time no see”.
- Enchanté(e)– This is a simple way of telling some it was nice to meet them. It translates to “it’s nice to meet you”.
Saying Good-bye in French
- A demain- This is how you say “see you tomorrow”.
- Au revoir– This is used as a farewell, it means “good-bye” This is a more formal way of saying goodbye.
- Tchao– This is how you say goodbye to family and friends.
- À bientôt– This is pronounced (Ah bee on toe) and it means ‘see you soon’.
Learn Your Manners in French
- S’il vous plaît- Manners are important in any language, if you make a request in French, follow it up with ‘s’il vous plaît’ which means “please”.
- Merci– When your request is granted you can respond with “merci” which means thank you. You also add the word “beaucoup” and say “merci beaucoup” which means “Thanks a lot”
- De rein– This simply means “you’re welcome”.
Directions in French
- C’est proche/c’est loin– C’est proche means “it’s nearby” and “c’est loin” means “it’s far”. These phrases come in handy if you’re giving directions in French or asking for directions in French.
- Où sont les toilettes?- This phrase may come in handy in almost any setting and it means “Where is the bathroom?”
Showing Emotions in French
- Dommage – C‘est dommage – This means ‘that’s too bad’ or ‘what a bummer.’
- Genial – This means ‘great!’ Or ‘super!’
- Ce soir/Ce matin– Ce soir means ‘tonight’ and ce matin means ‘this morning’
- D’accord– This means “okay”.
- Pardon/ Exusez-moi– These mean “excuse me” and will come in very handy if you need to get someone’s attention or make your way through a crowd.
- Il est quelle heure/ quelle heure est-il– If you want to know the time, you can use either of those two phrases.
French, just like any other language, learning French takes commitment and consistent practice. The pronunciation differs quite a bit from English but you can get your ear used to it by watching French shows on Netflix or listening to French speakers on other platforms.
If you’ve chosen to learn French, let us help you. You don’t have to learn French alone. We have qualified tutors who understand your needs and are here to guide you through your language learning journey. We are here to guide you on this new and inspiring path. Feel free to contact us!
