🇫🇷 First Steps in French: Greetings and Politeness
The Magic Key to French Hearts 🗝️
Imagine you have a magic key that opens doors to friendship in France. This key isn’t made of gold—it’s made of words! When you say the right words, French people smile, help you, and become your friends.
Let’s learn this magic together!
🌅 Greetings and Farewells
Saying Hello
Think of greetings like choosing the right clothes for the weather:
- Morning clothes = Bonjour (bohn-ZHOOR) — “Good day”
- Evening clothes = Bonsoir (bohn-SWAHR) — “Good evening”
Simple Examples:
| Time | What to Say | Sounds Like |
|---|---|---|
| ☀️ Morning/Afternoon | Bonjour! | bohn-ZHOOR |
| 🌙 After 6 PM | Bonsoir! | bohn-SWAHR |
| 👋 Casual “Hi” | Salut! | sah-LU |
💡 Magic Tip: “Salut” is like saying “Hey!” to friends. Use “Bonjour” with adults and strangers.
Saying Goodbye
| Situation | French | Sounds Like |
|---|---|---|
| See you later! | À bientôt! | ah bee-YEN-toh |
| See you tomorrow! | À demain! | ah duh-MAN |
| Goodbye (formal) | Au revoir! | oh ruh-VWAHR |
| Bye! (casual) | Salut! | sah-LU |
| Goodnight! | Bonne nuit! | bun NWEE |
Story Time:
Little Marie leaves her grandma’s house after dinner. She says “Bonne nuit, Mamie! À demain!” (Goodnight, Grandma! See you tomorrow!). Grandma smiles and waves.
👋 Introducing Yourself
Meeting someone new? Here’s your magic spell:
Je m'appelle [your name].
(zhuh mah-PEL)
= My name is...
The Introduction Recipe 🍰
- Say hello: Bonjour!
- Give your name: Je m’appelle Sophie.
- Ask their name: Comment tu t’appelles? (casual)
- Nice to meet you: Enchanté(e)!
Full Example:
🧒 “Bonjour! Je m’appelle Lucas. Comment tu t’appelles?”
👧 “Salut Lucas! Je m’appelle Emma. Enchantée!”
| Phrase | Meaning | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Je m’appelle… | My name is… | Always works! |
| Comment tu t’appelles? | What’s your name? | Friends, kids |
| Comment vous appelez-vous? | What’s your name? | Adults, formal |
| Enchanté(e) | Nice to meet you | After introductions |
💡 Add -e to “Enchanté” if you’re a girl: Enchantée
🎭 Tu vs Vous: The Friendship Meter
This is super important in French!
Think of it like a friendship meter:
graph TD A["Meeting Someone"] --> B{How well do you know them?} B -->|Friend, Family, Child| C["Use TU 👋"] B -->|Stranger, Teacher, Boss| D["Use VOUS 🎩"] C --> E["Informal & Friendly"] D --> F["Formal & Respectful"]
Quick Guide
| Use TU with… | Use VOUS with… |
|---|---|
| 👧 Children | 👨🏫 Teachers |
| 🐕 Pets | 👮 Police officers |
| 👨👩👧 Family | 🏪 Shopkeepers |
| 🧑🤝🧑 Friends | 👴 Elderly people |
| 📱 Texting friends | 💼 At work (first time) |
Example Sentences:
- Tu: Tu veux jouer? (Do you want to play?)
- Vous: Vous désirez quelque chose? (Do you want something, sir/madam?)
⚠️ Warning: Using “tu” with a stranger can seem rude! When in doubt, use vous.
✨ Polite Expressions
French people love politeness. These words are like magic dust—sprinkle them everywhere!
The Big Three
| French | English | Use It When… |
|---|---|---|
| S’il vous plaît | Please (formal) | Asking adults |
| S’il te plaît | Please (casual) | Asking friends |
| Merci | Thank you | Someone helps you |
| De rien | You’re welcome | Someone thanks you |
More Magic Words
| French | Sounds Like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Pardon | par-DON | Sorry/Excuse me |
| Excusez-moi | ex-koo-zay-MWAH | Excuse me (formal) |
| Je vous en prie | zhuh voo zon PREE | You’re very welcome |
| Avec plaisir | ah-VEK play-ZEER | With pleasure |
Story Time:
Tom bumps into a lady at the market.
Tom: “Oh, pardon, madame!”
Lady: “De rien, ce n’est pas grave!” (It’s nothing, no problem!)
🆘 Asking for Help
Lost? Confused? Need something? Here’s how to ask for help!
The Magic Phrase
Pouvez-vous m'aider?
(poo-vay VOO may-DAY)
= Can you help me?
Helpful Phrases
| Situation | Say This | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Need help | Pouvez-vous m’aider? | Can you help me? |
| Don’t understand | Je ne comprends pas | I don’t understand |
| Speak slower | Plus lentement, s’il vous plaît | Slower, please |
| Repeat please | Répétez, s’il vous plaît | Repeat, please |
| Where is…? | Où est…? | Where is…? |
Example Conversation:
🧑 “Excusez-moi, pouvez-vous m’aider? Où est la gare?”
👩 “Oui, bien sûr! C’est là-bas.” (Yes, of course! It’s over there.)
🧑 “Merci beaucoup!”
💝 Apologizing and Thanking
Saying Sorry
| Level | French | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Light | Pardon | Bumped someone |
| Medium | Excusez-moi | Interrupting |
| Strong | Je suis désolé(e) | Made a mistake |
| Very Strong | Je suis vraiment désolé(e) | Big mistake |
💡 Add -e if you’re a girl: “Je suis désolée”
Saying Thank You
| French | Meaning | Intensity |
|---|---|---|
| Merci | Thanks | Normal |
| Merci bien | Thanks a lot | Warm |
| Merci beaucoup | Thank you very much | Strong |
| Merci infiniment | Thanks infinitely | Very strong |
| C’est très gentil | That’s very kind | Appreciative |
Story Time:
Sophie forgot her friend’s birthday.
“Oh non! Je suis vraiment désolée, Marie! J’ai oublié ton anniversaire!”
Marie smiles: “De rien, ce n’est pas grave!” (It’s okay!)
🙏 Making Requests
Asking for something nicely opens all doors!
The Polite Formula
Je voudrais + [thing] + s'il vous plaît
(zhuh voo-DRAY)
= I would like...please
Request Phrases
| French | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Je voudrais… | I would like… | Je voudrais un café |
| J’aimerais… | I would love… | J’aimerais visiter Paris |
| Puis-je…? | May I…? | Puis-je m’asseoir? |
| Est-ce que je peux…? | Can I…? | Est-ce que je peux entrer? |
At a Café ☕
Je voudrais un croissant, s'il vous plaît.
= I would like a croissant, please.
Conversation Example:
🧑 “Bonjour! Je voudrais un jus d’orange, s’il vous plaît.”
👨🍳 “Bien sûr! Voilà.”
🧑 “Merci beaucoup!”
🎯 Common Avoir Expressions
“Avoir” means “to have,” but French uses it in magical ways!
Think of it like this: In English, we say “I am hungry.” But in French, they say “I have hunger”—as if hunger is a thing you’re carrying!
The Avoir Magic List
| French | Literal | Real Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| J’ai faim | I have hunger | I’m hungry 🍔 |
| J’ai soif | I have thirst | I’m thirsty 💧 |
| J’ai froid | I have cold | I’m cold 🥶 |
| J’ai chaud | I have hot | I’m hot 🥵 |
| J’ai peur | I have fear | I’m scared 😨 |
| J’ai sommeil | I have sleepiness | I’m sleepy 😴 |
| J’ai raison | I have reason | I’m right ✓ |
| J’ai tort | I have wrong | I’m wrong ✗ |
| J’ai…ans | I have…years | I’m…years old 🎂 |
| J’ai besoin de | I have need of | I need… |
| J’ai envie de | I have desire of | I feel like… |
Age Example
J'ai dix ans.
= I have ten years.
= I am 10 years old.
Story Time:
It’s summer. Pierre runs inside.
“Maman! J’ai très chaud et j’ai soif!”
Mom gives him lemonade: “Voilà, mon chéri!”
“Merci, maman! Maintenant j’ai faim aussi!” 😄
graph TD A["AVOIR = To Have"] --> B["Age: J'ai 10 ans] A --> C[Feelings: J'ai peur"] A --> D["Body: J'ai faim] A --> E[Needs: J'ai besoin de..."]
🌟 Quick Reference Summary
Daily Essentials
| 🌅 Morning | 🌙 Evening | 👋 Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Bonjour! | Bonsoir! | Salut! |
Politeness Champions
| Please | Thank You | Sorry |
|---|---|---|
| S’il vous plaît | Merci | Pardon |
| S’il te plaît | Merci beaucoup | Désolé(e) |
Tu vs Vous Quick Check
| 👋 TU | 🎩 VOUS |
|---|---|
| Friends | Strangers |
| Kids | Adults |
| Pets | Authority |
🎉 You Did It!
You now have the magic keys to:
- ✅ Greet people correctly
- ✅ Introduce yourself with confidence
- ✅ Choose between tu and vous
- ✅ Be polite like a true French person
- ✅ Ask for help when you need it
- ✅ Apologize and thank properly
- ✅ Make requests politely
- ✅ Use avoir expressions naturally
Remember: French people love when you try their language. Even if you make mistakes, your effort will make them smile!
🇫🇷 Bonne chance! (Good luck!)