Basic French Words for Everyday Conversation

These French words and expressions will help you build connections with French people and make French conversation easier.

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=== MORE ABOUT THIS LESSON ===

Building positive connections in France can be a rewarding experience. When learning French, it helps to know a few phrases that will help maintain the conversation or nurture your connections with French people.

Learn some essential French expressions to use, particularly when responding to good news, when you want to say "just kidding!", when greeting or meeting a person, and when saying goodbye.

We'll also learn how to politely ask a person to repeat what they said, how to express agreement or motivation and most importantly how to manage when you're caught in conversations that lead to either being right or wrong.

Find the free EXTENDED LESSON and ask me questions about this French lesson on the Comme une Française blog. It includes a full written lesson, with all the French expressions, more specific vocabulary you can use, and extra resources.

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=== ABOUT GÉRALDINE ===

Bonjour ! I’m Géraldine Lepère, the founder of Comme une Française (= “Like a French woman”) and your new French best friend. :)

Each Tuesday, I share a fun, fresh and bite-sized lesson on French language and French culture–from how to avoid embarrassing mistakes to must-know pop-cultural references!

Since 2012, with more than 7 million views from students in more than 56 countries, I’ve been helping people just like you gain the confidence to really talk in French. I help you go way beyond your “textbook” French from high school, and learn to speak real, practical everyday French.

[Rahufalcons]

I can see the passion and compassion in you’re teaching . Really heartwarming to be in your class . Je suis content

[ChrisKardiake]

The best one when you're lost in a conversation is: "C'est pas faux" and it match with the "tu as raison" too.

Perceval approved. ;)

[rinskegemen]

This all is so helpful and great! 👍 🙏

[xz]

À Paris last month, I just started avec bonjour, I toujours got nice response and the help I needed:) Bonjour et au revoir are magic words.

[skater_scott]

I just started to learn French on my 2 hour commute with with an app. I like to watch videos like this also. Yours is the only one I have subscribed to!

[terrencejayatilaka]

Thanks Géraldine. I'm still with you. Your videos motivate me. Keep them coming.

[jordan.newsom]

This video is so good! And you are a fantastic teacher!

[conniefoss]

So practical and helpful! Thank you so much. You're my favorite teacher!

[L.M]

I like this woman’s style of dressing, with the white collars on her dresses. I may have to be in a more conducive surrounding to begin slowly absorbing these lessons properly, but I would gladly learn from such a person, she is very friendly, and kind, so easy to learn from.

God bless

[timbinder]

Bonjour Géraldine, une expression qui me fait marrer est "Je pète le feu" pour "Je vais bien.

[mariereid]

Bonsoir I love to watch these videos over and over again as the videos that Geraldine post a very easy to understand merci Geraldine

[susanmacaluso]

You are the best French teacher, ever!

[magsasaka]

Merci beaucoup Madame Geraldine, c'est super basic leçon français

[byronroberts]

Can i just say how wonderful you are. I have always wanted to learn a language and been one of those men who said i wish i knew French. This comes from when i lived with my mother and we met a English lady who had been living in france for 10 years and 2 weeks before my gcse in French helped me to learn the basics but more than this she installed a love for the French language as i saw the passion she had for it. Now i am 41 and made the decision to actually put the effort in and commit. i am using duo lingo at the same time as i discovered this before you. Can i just also say how well structured your lessons are and how fantastic you are as a teacher. I think what you have done is amazing and you have made my learning so much fun and i am committed to your learning too. You make sense, make things easy and have a great smile :) Thank you for producing all your videos and lessons from Byron (Leicester England)

[danielcastilo]

Merci! Votre video ma plus Aidé.
Merci

[nrjnnh]

Merci, madamme. Je comprend facilement! Vous etes tres bien!

[erichzann]

The Francophone world says “goodbye” in many different ways; I knew some African French speakers who would leave by saying, “Moins un”.

Thank you for all the work you put into these videos.

[deaddogproductions]

i love your channel. it is very helpful. you're fantastique!!!

[khamikos]

bonjour de la Grece.on vous remercie bien pour l'aide que vous faites a nous aider parler meilleur le francais. c'est genial. bisous

[earlprinsloo]

if you get super lost in conversation, just smile :-) then say "ouais"