French Phrases for Beginners: 10 Useful Everyday Sentences
Updated July 2, 2026
The most useful French phrases for beginners include comment ça va for how are you and c'est combien for how much is it. Here are ten everyday sentences you will use from day one.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| comment ça va ? | how are you? (casual)formal: comment allez-vous ? |
| comment tu t'appelles ? | what is your name? (casual)formal: comment vous appelez-vous ? |
| je ne comprends pas | I do not understand |
| c'est combien ? | how much is it? |
| où sont les toilettes ? | where are the toilets? |
| s'il vous plaît | please |
| c'est délicieux | it is delicious |
| on y va | let us goalso allons-y |
| attends | wait (casual)formal: attendez |
| à plus tard | see you lateroften shortened to à plus |
Want these to stick? Hear them in real context: LingoBinge surfaces words like these while you watch French shows on Netflix, and saves them for spaced review.
Hear them in: The Hook Up Plan, Notre-Dame.
Frequently asked questions
- What are the most useful French phrases for travel?
- Start with c'est combien ? (how much is it), où sont les toilettes ? (where are the toilets), and s'il vous plaît (please). Adding bonjour before any request is expected politeness in France.
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