Zoe Erotopoulos

Article / Updated 05-30-2024

Knowing some common French greetings and good-byes will be indispensable when traveling in French-speaking countries. Saying hello and good-bye in French will quickly become second nature because you'll use them day in and day out with everyone you come across. In most French-speaking countries it's considered good manners to greet everyone. So, whether you're speaking to a clerk, a waiter, or just bumping into someone on the street, take the time to say a polite bonjour before you proceed. This also means that when step on the bus or train you should say a quick bonjour to anyone within hearing distance. The most common conversational ways to greet someone in French are: Salut. (Hello; Hi. [Informal]) Bonjour. (Hello; Good morning.) Bonsoir. (Good evening.) You might think that you can use good afternoon (bon après-midi) as a greeting the way you can in the United States, but in most French-speaking countries, bon après-midi should only be used to as a form of goodbye. Greeting with a cheek kiss Cheek kissing is another common type of greeting in most French-speaking countries. However, the rules for cheek kisses can be complicated matter. The rules change depending on the country you're in and even the region of the country. For example, in Belgium, it's customary to greet everyone in your generation or younger with one kiss, but anyone that's a generation or more older than you should be given three kiss (right cheek-left-then right again). In Paris, most people stick to a four-kiss rule, but in most of the rest of France, two kisses is the norm. If you think that's confusing, you're right. The good news is that when you meet someone for the first time, you can usually just shake hands. Then just watch how other people interact. Because it's such a common practice, you should quickly be able to determine what the standard is where you're staying. How are you? How's it going? Asking how someone is doing is a common greeting in the U.S. How many times a day do we hear or say these brief greetings at the beginning of our conversations? So many times, in fact, that half the time, we don't even pay attention. These pleasantries are common in French-speaking countries as well. The most common ways to ask how someone is doing are: Comment ça va? (How’s it going?) Comment vas-tu? (How are you? [Informal]) Comment allez-vous? (How are you? [Formal]) Ça va? (How’s it going? [Informal]) As you'd expect, when someone asks you how you're doing, there are many possible responses. Ça va bien. It’s going well.) Tout va bien. (Everything is going well.) Je vais bien, merci. (I’m fine, thank you.) Je vais très bien. (I’m very well.) Je ne vais pas très bien. (I’m not doing very well.) Je vais comme-ci, comme-ça. (I’m so-so.) Once you've said that you're fine, or good, or so-so, it is customary to ask how the other person is doing. You can do this easily by saying Et toi? (And you? [informal]) or Et vous? (And you? [formal]). Saying good-bye As many ways as there are to greet someone, you'll find plenty of ways say goodbye, as well. Au revoir. (Good-bye.) Salut. (Good-bye. [Informal]) À bientôt. (See you soon.) À tout de suite. (See you in a minute.) À plus tard. (See you later.) À la prochaine. (Until next time.) À demain. (See you tomorrow.) À la semaine prochaine. (See you next week.) À lundi. (See you on Monday.) Bonne journée! (Have a good day!) Bonne chance! (Good luck!) Bonne nuit. (Good night. Used only when someone is going to sleep or retiring for the evening.) Aside from a few exceptions, final consonants aren’t pronounced in French. Pronounce a final consonant only if it’s followed by a vowel.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 01-19-2022

Whether you’re planning a trip to France or to a French-speaking country or you just want to learn a little French, knowing a few helpful expressions can make you feel more comfortable with the language. In this handy Cheat Sheet, you'll find basic French expressions, questions for gathering information or asking for help, and phrases to use in a restaurant. You'll also find the dates and numbers in French.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

By mastering the basics of conversation in French, you put yourself and the person you're talking to at ease. Everyone should learn essential French conversational words and phrases before traveling to a French-speaking country. These words and expressions are sure to come up in most everyday conversations. Basic courtesies Being polite is important anywhere you go, here or abroad, because it shows respect for the person and the culture. The following words and phrases cover most of the pleasantries required for polite conversation. After all, learning to say the expressions of common courtesy in French is just good manners. oui (yes) non (no) S’il te plaît. (Please. [informal]) S'il vous plaît. (Please. [formal]) Merci. (Thank you.) Merci beaucoup. (Thank you very much.) Je t’en prie. (You’re [informal] welcome.) Je vous en prie. (You’re [formal] welcome.) Il n’y a pas de quoi. (It’s nothing.) Excusez-moi. (Excuse me.) Once you've mastered the common pleasantries, the next important thing to learn is how to refer to people politely. When meeting people in French-speaking countries, be sure to use the appropriate formal title. A man would be called Monsieur, which is the same as Mr. or Sir. An older or married woman is called Madame and a young lady is called Mademoiselle. Gender and personal pronouns The next most common way we refer to people is by using personal pronouns. In French, the pronouns (you and they) are complicated by gender and formality. You'll use slightly different variations of these words depending on who you are referring to and how well you know them. je (I) Use j’ instead of je if the verb begins with a vowel or a mute h. il (he) elle (she) nous (we) tu (you [singular/informal]) vous (you [singular/formal or plural]) ils (they [masculine or mixed group]); elles (they [feminine]) Use tu with people you know well, like members of your family, friends, children, and peers. Vous, on the other hand, is more formal and you'll want to use that with people you don’t know well and with your superiors, like your boss, your teacher, or elders. Although vous can mean the plural of you, it can also refer to one person when used formally. It is also helpful to know the correct vocabulary term for referring to people based on their age, gender, or relationship to you. The indefinite articles (a and an) in French are un (masculine) and une (feminine): un homme (a man) une femme (a woman) un garçon (a boy) une fille (a girl) un enfant (M); une enfant (F) (a child) un père (a father) une mère (a mother) un fils (a son) une fille (a daughter) un frère (a brother) une sœur (a sister) un mari (a husband) un époux (a spouse) (M) une femme (a wife) une épouse (a spouse) (F) un ami (a friend) (M) une amie (a friend) (F) Phrases for travelers There are some phrases that are particularly helpful to international travelers. Below are several phrases that might come in handy during your stay in a French-speaking country. Je ne comprends pas. (I don’t understand.) Pouvez-vous répéter? (Can you repeat that?) Répétez, s’il vous plaît. (Please repeat.) Pouvez-vous parler plus lentement? (Could you speak slower?) Je ne parle pas bien français. (I don’t speak French very well.) Pouvez-vous traduire pour moi? (Can you translate for me?) Parlez-vous anglais? (Do you speak English?) Oui, je parle anglais. (Yes, I speak English.) Est-ce que je peux vous aider? (May I help you?) Oui, merci. (Yes, thank you.) De quoi avez-vous besoin? (What do you need?) J’ai besoin de renseignements. (I need some information.) Je suis perdu. (I’m lost.) Où est l’hôtel? (Where is the hotel?) Où allez-vous? (Where are you going?) Je ne sais pas. (I don’t know.) Je voudrais du café. (I would like some coffee.) Avec plaisir. (With pleasure.) Quel temps fait-il? (What’s the weather like?) Il fait chaud. (It’s hot.) Je rentre. (I’m going home.) Les toilettes sont à votre droite. (The restroom is on your right.) Ces places-là sont prises. (Those seats are taken.) Most of the people in French-speaking countries have learned at least a little English. When you travel to their country, they expect you to have done the same with their language. If you can demonstrate that you've learned basic words and phrases, most people will be more willing to help you.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Traveling in French-speaking countries can be confusing if you can't read the signs or understand the instructions you're given. Learn some useful travel-related words and phrases in French before you begin your trip. You'll save time and reduce your frustration level. Here are a few general travel-related terms that everyone should know. passeport [m] (passport) valise [f] (suitcase) une valise (suitcase) coffre [m] (trunk) un sac à dos (backpack) un sac (bag) des bagages (baggage) un billet (uhn bee-yeh) (ticket) une réservation (reservation) Making travel arrangements While traveling in a French-speaking country, you often need to make or change your travel arrangements. Whether you are scheduling a flight or a train trip, the following words can help you with the reservation and ticket-buying process. aller-retour [m] (round trip ticket) aller-simple [m] (one-way ticket) siège [m] (syezh) (seat) gare [f] (train station) train [m] (train) vol [m] (flight) aéroport (airport) The following phrases are some of the most common questions that you might need to ask when making travel arrangements in French-speaking countries. Je voudrais réserver un billet (I would like to reserve a ticket.). J’aimerais prendre le vol de sept heures. (I would like to take the 7:00 flight.) Je voudrais acheter deux billets pour New York. (I would like to purchase two tickets to New York.) A quelle heure faut-il arriver? (What time should I arrive?) Combien coûte le billet? (How much does the ticket cost?) Nous avons trois valises et deux sacs à main. (We have three suitcases and two handbags.) Est-ce que je peux prendre ce sac en cabine avec moi? (Can I take this bag as a carry-on?) Avez-vous un rabais pour étudiants? (Do you have any discounts for students?) At the hotel Although many of the larger hotels in French-speaking countries have English-speaking staff, you rarely find that in the smaller hotels and in the smaller towns. The following phrases can help you make or change your hotel reservations. Quelles chambres avez-vous de disponible? (What rooms do you have available?) Je voudrais une chambre pour deux. (I’d like a double room.) Est-ce que la chambre a la climatisation? (Does the room have air conditioning?) Je voudrais une chambre avec douche et WC. (I'd like a room with a private shower and toilet.) Je voudrais avoir un lit à une place. (I’d like to have a twin-size bed.) Nous voulons annuler notre réservation. (We want to cancel our reservation.) Service en chambre, s’il vous plaît. (Room service, please.) Quel hôtel est moins cher? (Which hotel is cheaper?) Est-ce que l’hôtel est loin de la gare? (How far is the hotel from the train station?) Vous devez régler la note avant midi. (You need to check out by 12:00.) Travel-related verbs When talking about traveling in French-speaking countries, it helps to know the right verbs to express what you want to do. The following are common French travel-related verbs. voyager (to travel) rester (to stay) voir (vwahr) (to see) réserver (to reserve) annuler (to cancel) arriver (to arrive) partir (to leave) chercher quelqu’un (to pick up someone [from the airport, for example])

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Develop a French shopping vocabulary to gain a new cultural experience when traveling. Whether you're shopping for clothes, food, or souvenirs, you can use the following phrases in any French-speaking country to help you find just the right thing. The following phrases will be useful no matter what kind of shopping you plan on doing. J’aime celui-là. (I like that one.) Merci, je ne fais que regarder. (No thank you, I’m just looking.) Il n’arrive pas à se décider à ce qu’il va acheter. (He can’t decide what to buy.) Combien? (How much?) Payons à la caisse. (Let’s pay at the cash register.) In most French-speaking countries, it is customary to greet the store clerk with a polite Bonjour when entering a store. It's considered rude not to do so. The following words can be used in a variety of shopping situations. argent (ahr-zhahn) [m] (money) caisse (kehs) [f] (the cash register) carte de crédit (kahr-tuh duh cray-dee) [f] (credit card) cher (shehr) (expensive) grand (grahNd) (big; tall; large) large (lahrzh) (large) marchand (mahr-shan) [m] (vendor) petit (puh-teet) (small; short) porte-monnaie (pohrt-moh-neh) [m] (wallet) sac (sahk) [m] (bag) The first step to a successful shopping expedition is to know where to shop. In most French-speaking countries, there are open-air street markets (called marché) where you can buy anything from fruits and vegetables to antiques and collectibles. But if you need to go to a specific kind of store, the following terms can help. boucherie (boo-shree) [f] (butcher shop) boulangerie (boo-lahn-zhree) [f] (bakery) épicerie (ay-pees-ree) [f] (grocery store; general store) pâtisserie (pah-tees-ree) [f] (pastry shop) supermarché (sew-pehr-mahr-shay) [m] (supermarket) Shopping for food In most French-speaking countries, people go grocery shopping every day to take advantage of the freshest produce and meats. Shopping for food can sound more exciting if you say: Je dois faire les provisions. (I have to go grocery shopping.) Il nous faut du lait, des oeufs, et du pain. (We need milk, eggs, and bread.) Will these items be on your grocery list? banane (ba-naN) [f] (banana) boeuf (buhf) [m] (beef) bière (byehr) [f] (beer) eau (lo) [f] (water) fromage (fro-mazh) [m] (cheese) fruits (lay frwee) [m] (fruit) glace (glahs) [f] (ice cream) légumes (lay-gewm) [m] (vegetables) pain (pan) [m] (bread) poisson (pwa-sohn) [m] (fish) pomme (pohm) [f] (apple) pommes de terre (pohm duh tehr) [f] (potatoes) porc (pohr) [m] (pork) poulet (poo-leh) [m] (chicken) tomate (to-maht) [f] (tomato) viande (vyahnd) [f] (meat) vin (van) [m] (wine) Shopping for clothes The French are known for their sense of style. So much so that many people travel to France just to shop for clothes. Clothing stores are generally called magasin (mah-gah-zan [m]) and department stores are called grand magasin (grahN mah-gah-zanN [m]). Here are some phrases to help you shop for clothing in French-speaking countries. Ces montres sont chères. (These watches are expensive.) Je voudrais acheter ces chaussures. (I would like to purchase these shoes.) Combien coûte cette chemise? (How much is this shirt?) Je cherche une jupe rouge. (I’m looking for a red skirt.) Est-ce que ce pantalon est en solde? (Are these pants on sale?) Puis-je retourner cet article? (May I return this item?) Puis-je payer comptant ou par carte de crédit? (Can I pay cash or credit?) Put these items of clothing in your suitcase: chapeau (shap-oh) [m] (hat) chemise (ewn shuh-meez) [f] (shirt) chemisier (shuh-mee-zyay) [m] (blouse) costume de bains (kohs-tewm duh ban) [m] (bathing suit) cravate (krah-vaht) [f] (tie) imperméable (an-pehr-may-ahbl) [m] (raincoat) jean (dzheen) [m] (jeans) jupe (zhewp) [f] (skirt) manteau (mahN-to) [m] (coat) pantalon (pahN-tah-lohN) [m] (slacks) pull (pewl) [m] (sweater) robe (rohb) [f] (dress) slip (sleep) [m] (underpants) sweat (sweet) [m] (sweatshirt) veste (vehst) [f] (jacket) baskets (bahs-keht) [f] (sneakers) pointure (pwan-tewr) [f] (shoe size) bottes (boht) [f] (boots) Which of these colors appear most in your clothes closet? blanc (blahn) (white) bleu (bluh) [m] (blue) jaune (zhon) (yellow) marron (mah-rohN) (brown) noir (nwahr) [m] (black) orange (or-ahnzh) [f] (orange) rouge (roozh) (red) vert (vehr) (green)

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Exploring French-speaking countries can be quite an adventure, but you need to know how to ask for directions in French and to understand what you're told. After all, if you don't understand the directions, you might miss the very things you hoped to see. The first thing you need is to know how to ask for directions. To get help, you can say Est-ce que je peux vous demander mon chemin? (May I ask you for directions?); or Pouvez-vous me dire où ça se trouve? (Can you tell me where that is?). If you're really having a hard time finding a place, you might ask the person to show you where to go by saying Pouvez-vous me montrer où ça se trouve? (Can you show me where that is?) When someone in a French-speaking country shows you where to go, they will often say Le/la voilà (Here/there it is) when you find the place. The following words can be used when asking for or receiving directions in French-speaking countries. nord (north) sud (south) ouest (west) est (east) tournez à droite (turn right) tournez à gauche (turn left) tout droit (straight) à droite (on the right) à gauche (on the left) une carte (map) au coin de (at the corner of) centre (center) derrière (in back of) devant (in front of) la prochaine rue (the next street) là-bas (over there) le centre-ville (downtown) rue [f] (street à côté de (next to) Here's some typical dialogue that shows how to ask for and give directions in French: Julie: Où est l’hôtel? (Where is the hotel?) Jean Paul: L’hôtel est à côté de la gare. (The hotel is next to the train station.) Julie: Dans quelle rue se trouve le cinéma? (What street is the movie theater on?) Jean Paul: Le cinéma est à votre droite. (The movie theater is on your right.) Julie: Est-ce que l’école est loin d’ici? (Is the school far from here?) Jean Paul: L’école est au centre de la ville. Allez tout droit et vous le trouverez. (The school is in the center of town. Go straight and you’ll find it.) Julie: Comment est-ce que je vais au musée? (How do I get to the museum?) Jean Paul: Le musée est à peu près un kilomètre et demi d’ici. (The museum is about 1 kilometer and a half from here.) Julie: Où est la banque la plus proche? (Where is the nearest bank?) Jean Paul: Tournez à droite et c’est la première rue à votre gauche. (Turn right, and it’s the first street on your left.)

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Know how to ask for help in French before you have an actual emergency. Save valuable time in a crisis by knowing simple French words and phrases to cover emergencies with illness or theft. The simplest way to ask for assistance is Au secours!, which means Help! You can also use the phrases: Est-ce que vous pourrez m’aider? (Will you help me?) and Aidez-moi s’il vous plaît! (Please help me!) Of course, you might need different kinds of help depending on the situation. For example, if you're experiencing a legal emergency of some kind, you want to ask for the police, which is spelled the same in French and pronounced poh-lees. The following phrases might also come in handy. On vient de me voler. (I’ve just been robbed.) Nous avons besoin de parler à un agent de police. (We need to speak to a police officer.) *Où est le consulat? (Where is the consulate?) Most emergencies that happen in foreign countries, however, are medical. The most efficient way to get the help you need is to know how to ask for the right kind of help and to be able to explain what's wrong. The following vocabulary words can help you get to the right person to assist you. To ask for a doctor say médecin or docteur (dohk-tuhr). To ask for a hospital say l’hôpital. To get medicine as for la pharmacie. To ask for a nurse say infirmier. Once you are able to talk to the right person, you can use the following words to explain what's wrong. urgence (emergency) accident (accident) grippe (flu) maladie (illness) la santé (health) l’aspirine (aspirin) des médicaments (medication) un mal de tête (headache) un mal de ventre (stomachache) une blessure (injury) une douleur (pain) une infection (infection) The following phrases might come in handy when describing medical emergencies. Elle est tombée dans l’escalier et elle a besoin d’un médecin. (She fell down the stairs and needs a doctor.) Il se sent malade et il a de la fièvre. (eel seh sahNt mah-lahd eh-teel ah deh lah fyeh-vr ) (He’s feeling sick and has a fever.) Où est l’hôpital? (Where is the hospital?) The following words can help you to describe what part of your body is injured. épaule (ay-pohl) [f] (shoulder) figure (fee-gewr) [f] (face) main (mahn) [f] (hand) nez (nay) [m] (nose) œil (uhy) [m] (eye) oreille (oh-rehy) [f] (ear) pied (pyeh) [m] (foot) poitrine (pwah-treen) [f] (chest) bras (brah) [m] (arm) doigt (dwah) [m] (finger) The [m] and [f] delineate masculine and feminine nouns.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

How do you ask basic questions in French? Well, French interrogative words mean the same as they do for English: who, what, when, where, why, and how. By knowing basic French interrogatives, you'll be able to express your questions, even without an extensive vocabulary. For example, say you're at a French street market and you want find a beautiful antique clock. You can ask the vendor Combien est cette horloge antique? (How much is this antique clock?). But if you don't know enough vocabulary, you can simply point to the clock and say Combien? (How much?) and the seller will understand that you want to know the price. Know how to ask questions with these interrogatives: Qui? (kee) (Who?) Qu’est-ce que? (kehs-kuh) (What?) Quand? (kahN) (When?) Où? (oo) (Where?) Pourquoi? (poor-kwah) (Why?) Comment? (koh-mahN) (How?) Combien? (kohm-biahN) (How much? How many?) Quelle? (kehl) (Which?) Y a-t-il? (yah-teel) (Is there? Are there?) Take a look at some different ways to put these interrogatives into some useful phrases. À quelle heure le restaurant ferme? (What time does the restaurant close?) Où habite ta fille? (Where does your [informal] daughter live?) Quand est la réunion? (When is the meeting?) Comment est-ce que je vais au bureau? (How do I get to the office?) Où est le distributeur automatique? (Where is the ATM?) Quand faut-il régler la note? (When is checkout time?) The following questions show how you can use these interrogative words in a variety of ways. Jean Paul: Qui est cet homme? (Who is that man?) Francois: C’est le gérant. (He’s the manager.) Jean Paul: Qui sont ces gens? (Who are these people?) Francois: Ce sont des étudiants. (They’re students.) Jean Paul: Où vas-tu? (Where are you [informal] going?) François: Je vais au musée. (I’m going to the museum.) Jean Paul: Où sont les billets? (Where are the tickets?) Francois: Ils sont dans le tiroir. (They’re in the drawer.) Jean Paul: Où se trouve le Louvre? (Where is the Louvre located?) François: Dans le premier arrondissement. (In the first district.) Jean Paul: Quand partons-nous? (When do we leave?) François: Nous partons demain matin. (We leave tomorrow morning.) Jean Paul: Combien de valises avez-vous? (How many suitcases do you have?) François: J’ai deux valises. (I have two suitcases.) Jean Paul: Qu’est-ce que tu fais? (What are you [informal] doing?) François: Je fais la cuisine. (I’m cooking.) By changing the form of the word you from tu to vous and using the corresponding verb form, you change the question from informal to formal. Qu’est-ce que tu veux? (What do you [informal] want?) Qu’est-ce que vous voulez? (What do you [formal] want?)

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Learning the proper way to make introductions in French can help you get off to the right start. The French language tends to be a bit more formal than American English. Consequently, introductions in French follow more of a pattern than they sometimes do in the United States. Don't worry, it’s not complicated — just good manners. Introducing yourself First impressions are important — they can start a friendship or set the tone for your interaction with someone. Start with a greeting. The simplest greeting is Bonjour, which means Hello or Good Morning. Introduce yourself. The two most common ways to introduce yourself are to say Je m’appelle Name (My name is Name) or Je suis Name (I'm Name). Since you are meeting the person for the first time, you should use the formal form of you. When you’re meeting someone for the first time, it’s always more polite to use the vous, which is more formal. Of course, you can use the tu form when speaking to children even if you’re meeting them for the first time. The following questions are posed in both the tu and vous forms. Comment t’appelles-tu? (What’s your name? [Informal]) Comment vous appelez-vous? (What’s your name? [Formal]) After they tell you their name you should respond. It’s customary to acknowledge the introduction by making an expression of pleasure. Common ways to express this are: Enchanté (Delighted). Enchanté de faire votre connaissance. (Delighted to make your acquaintance.) C’est un plaisir de vous rencontrer. (It’s a pleasure to meet you.) If they’ve beaten you to the punch and said one of these lines to you first, the appropriate response is De meme (Likewise). Where are you from? Don't stop at basic introductions. You could also talk about where each of you is from or introduce someone else. If you're from the United States, you can tell them where you're from, by saying Je suis des États-Unis. (I’m from the United States.) To ask where the person is from, you can say: De quel pays es-tu? (What country are you from? [Informal]) De quel pays êtes-vous? (What country are you from? [Formal]) If you want to talk about where you live on the other hand, you can use the verbs habiter or vivre, both of which mean to live: J'habite à Chicago. (I live in Chicago.) Je vis à Chicago. (I live in Chicago.) The second most common type of introduction is to introduce someone else, such as your spouse, child, or friend: Je vous présente Fabienne, ma femme. (Let me introduce you my wife, Fabienne). Voici Jean Paul, mon ami. (My friend, Jean Paul.)

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Making small talk in French is just the same as in English. Touch on familiar topics like jobs, sports, children — just say it in French! Small talk describes the brief conversations that you have with people you don't know well. Small talk is where friendships are made. If you know how to make small talk in French you'll be able to "break the ice" and get to know some of the people you meet during your trip. Small talk generally consists of greetings and introductions and descriptions of personal information and interests. If you are able to hold your own in each of these areas, you'll be able to handle most small talk situations. Greetings and introductions Although the French are often more formal than we are in America, you don't need to wait around to be introduced to someone. Take the initiative to walk up to someone and say hello (salut or bonjour). Introductions don't have to be complicated or stuffy. The following phrases are all you need to get a conversation started. Je m’appelle . . . (My name is . . .) Comment vous appelez-vous? (What’s your name? [Formal]) Je vous présente Fabienne, ma femme. (Let me introduce you my wife, Fabienne). Greetings and introductions are usually accompanied by a Comment allez-vous? (How are you? [Formal]) There are many possible responses, but the most common would be to say I'm doing well (Ça va bien) or I'm so-so (Je vais comme-ci, comme-ça.). Personal information After the necessary introductions, small talk is really just a question of asking the other person questions about themselves and sharing information about yourself. The following phrases will come in handy when you're chitchatting with someone new. Je suis de . . . (I am from . . .) D’où venez-vous? (Where are you from? [Formal]) Quel est votre métier? (What is your profession? [Formal]) Quel âge avez-vous? (How old are you? [Formal]) Où habitez-vous? (Where do you live? [Formal]) Je suis étudiant/étudiante. (I’m a student. [M/F]) Combien d’enfants avez-vous? (How many children do you have?) J’ai trois enfants. (I have three children.) Personal Interests Many friendships are forged on the bond of common interests. You can use the following phrases to compare interests when making small talk. Qu’est-ce que tu aimes faire pour t’amuser? (What do you like to do for fun? [Informal]) À quoi joues-tu? (What do you play? [Informal]) Je joue au golf. (I play golf.) Je joue au football. (I play soccer.) Je joue au football américain. (I play football.) Je joue au tennis. (I play tennis.) Je suis un grand supporter de sport. (I’m a big sports fan.) That's it. By mastering these simple sentence structures, you'll soon be able to make small talk with everyone you meet.