Introductions vocabulary covers key words and phrases used to introduce yourself, ask someone’s name, and share basic information in French. This includes pronouns, common verbs, question words, and polite expressions.
Pronouns
French personal pronouns are used to indicate who is performing the action. Here are the subject pronouns you’ll most commonly use in introductions.
| French Pronoun | English Pronoun | French Example | English Example | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | I | Je m’appelle Marie. | I’m called Marie. | Used for talking about yourself. |
| tu | you (informal) | Tu t’appelles comment ? | What’s your name? | Used with friends, family, or peers. |
| il | he | Il s’appelle Paul. | He’s called Paul. | Talking about a male person. |
| elle | she | Elle s’appelle Sophie. | She’s called Sophie. | Talking about a female person. |
| nous | we | Nous sommes étudiants. | We are students. | Used when talking about a group including yourself. |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | Vous vous appelez comment ? | What’s your name? | Formal or when speaking to multiple people. |
| ils | they (m.) | Ils sont amis. | They are friends. | Talking about a group of males or mixed gender. |
| elles | they (f.) | Elles sont étudiantes. | They are students. | Talking about a group of females. |
Common Verbs
These verbs are essential for self-introduction because they help you say your name, say where you’re from, and describe yourself.
| French Verb | English Verb | French Example | English Example | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| s’appeler | to be called | Je m’appelle Claire. | My name is Claire. | Reflexive verb used for stating your name. |
| être | to be | Je suis français(e). | I am French. | Used for nationality, profession, etc. |
| venir | to come | Je viens de Canada. | I come from Canada. | Used to say where you’re from. |
| habiter | to live | J’habite à Paris. | I live in Paris. | Talking about where you live. |
| avoir | to have | J’ai 20 ans. | I am 20 years old. | Used for age (literal: I have 20 years). |
| faire | to do/make | Je fais des études. | I am studying. | Describing what you do. |
| parler | to speak | Je parle anglais. | I speak English. | Talking about languages you speak. |
| étudier | to study | J’étudie la biologie. | I study biology. | Talking about your field of study. |
| aimer | to like | J’aime voyager. | I like traveling. | Describing your interests. |
| rencontrer | to meet | Enchanté de vous rencontrer. | Nice to meet you. | Used in polite introductions. |
Key Question Words
These question words let you ask for someone’s name, age, origin, and other basic information during introductions.
| French Question | English Question | French Example | English Example | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| comment | how / what (used for names) | Comment tu t’appelles ? | What’s your name? | Common informal question for names. |
| qui | who | Qui est-ce ? | Who is it? | Ask about someone’s identity. |
| où | where | Tu viens d’où ? | Where do you come from? | Asking about origin or location. |
| quel / quelle | which / what | Quelle est ta nationalité ? | What is your nationality? | Matches gender: quel (m.), quelle (f.). |
| pourquoi | why | Pourquoi tu étudies le français ? | Why are you studying French? | Asking reasons or motivations. |
| quand | when | Quand est ton anniversaire ? | When is your birthday? | Asking about dates. |
| combien | how many / how much | Tu as combien de frères ? | How many brothers do you have? | Asking quantities or amounts. |
| est-ce que | (no direct translation) | Est-ce que tu es étudiant ? | Are you a student? | Used to form yes/no questions. |
| de qui | from whom | Tu parles de qui ? | Who are you talking about? | Asking about the person involved. |
| avec qui | with whom | Tu viens avec qui ? | Who are you coming with? | Asking about companions. |
Useful Introductory Phrases
Here are some complete phrases you can use right away to introduce yourself and others politely.
| French Phrase | English Phrase | French Example | English Example | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Je m’appelle… | My name is… | Je m’appelle Luc. | My name is Luc. | Standard way to say your name. |
| Je suis… | I am… | Je suis étudiante. | I am a student. | Used for profession or description. |
| Je viens de… | I come from… | Je viens de Belgique. | I come from Belgium. | Talking about your country. |
| J’habite à… | I live in… | J’habite à Lyon. | I live in Lyon. | Stating your city of residence. |
| Enchanté(e) | Nice to meet you | Enchantée de faire votre connaissance. | Nice to meet you. | Polite greeting when meeting someone. |
| Tu t’appelles comment ? | What’s your name? | - | - | Informal way to ask someone’s name. |
| Comment ça va ? | How’s it going? | - | - | Casual way to ask how someone is. |
| D’où viens-tu ? | Where do you come from? | - | - | Informal question about origin. |
| Quel âge as-tu ? | How old are you? | - | - | Informal question about age. |
| À bientôt ! | See you soon! | - | - | Friendly way to end a conversation. |
Fill in the blank: Je viens _____ Belgique. (I come from Belgium.)
de
Use “de” before country names starting with a vowel or consonant (Belgique).
Common Nouns for Introductions
These nouns frequently come up when talking about yourself, your family, or your background during introductions.
| French Noun | English Noun | French Example | English Example | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| le prénom | first name | Quel est ton prénom ? | What is your first name? | Used for given names. |
| le nom | last name | Quel est ton nom de famille ? | What is your last name? | Used for family names. |
| la nationalité | nationality | Quelle est ta nationalité ? | What is your nationality? | Asking about country citizenship. |
| la ville | city | Quelle est ta ville ? | What is your city? | Asking about where someone lives. |
| le pays | country | Je viens d’un autre pays. | I come from another country. | Talking about country of origin. |
| la famille | family | J’ai une grande famille. | I have a big family. | Talking about family members. |
| l’ami / l’amie | friend | C’est mon ami Paul. | This is my friend Paul. | ‘Ami’ (m.), ‘amie’ (f.). |
| le frère | brother | J’ai un frère aîné. | I have an older brother. | Common family member. |
| la sœur | sister | J’ai une sœur cadette. | I have a younger sister. | Common family member. |
| l’âge (m.) | age | Quel est ton âge ? | What is your age? | Asking or stating age. |
Fill in the blank: Quel est ton _____ ? (What is your first name?)
prénom
“Prénom” means “first name.”
Useful Adjectives
These adjectives help you describe yourself or others in a simple way during introductions.
| French Adjective | English Adjective | French Example | English Example | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| français / française | French | Je suis française. | I am French. | Matches gender (m./f.). |
| étranger / étrangère | foreign | Elle est étrangère. | She is foreign. | Matches gender. |
| étudiant / étudiante | student | Je suis étudiante. | I am a student. | Matches gender. |
| gentil / gentille | kind | Il est très gentil. | He is very kind. | Matches gender. |
| grand / grande | tall / big | Je suis grande. | I am tall. | Matches gender. |
| petit / petite | small / short | Elle est petite. | She is short. | Matches gender. |
| content / contente | happy | Je suis contente de te voir. | I’m happy to see you. | Matches gender. |
| jeune | young | Je suis jeune. | I am young. | Same form for m./f. |
| nouveau / nouvelle | new | Je suis nouvelle ici. | I am new here. | Matches gender. |
| sympathique | nice / friendly | Il est sympathique. | He is nice. | Same form for m./f. |
Common Expressions for Polite Conversation
These expressions help you be polite and friendly at the start and end of an introduction.
| French Expression | English Expression | French Example | English Example | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bonjour | Hello / Good morning | Bonjour, comment ça va ? | Hello, how are you? | Formal or informal greeting. |
| Salut | Hi | Salut, ça va ? | Hi, how’s it going? | Informal greeting. |
| Enchanté(e) | Nice to meet you | Enchanté de vous rencontrer. | Nice to meet you. | Add -e for females. |
| Merci | Thank you | Merci beaucoup. | Thank you very much. | Polite expression. |
| S’il vous plaît | Please | Comment vous appelez-vous, s’il vous plaît ? | What is your name, please? | Formal; use ‘-te’ form for informal. |
| Excusez-moi | Excuse me | Excusez-moi, vous êtes… ? | Excuse me, you are… ? | Formal polite phrase. |
| À bientôt | See you soon | Merci, à bientôt ! | Thanks, see you soon! | Friendly way to conclude. |
| Bonne journée | Have a good day | Bonne journée à tous ! | Have a good day, everyone! | Polite farewell. |
| De rien | You’re welcome | — | — | Casual reply to “Merci.” |
| Au revoir | Goodbye | Au revoir et bonne soirée ! | Goodbye and have a nice evening! | Standard farewell. |
Fill in the blank: _____ de vous rencontrer. (Nice to meet you.)
Enchanté(e)
“Enchanté(e)” is a polite expression used when meeting someone.
Fill in the blank: Merci _____ ! (Thank you very much!)
beaucoup
“Merci beaucoup” means “Thank you very much.”
Summary
This completes our French introductions vocabulary. You should now have a solid toolkit for introducing yourself, asking simple questions, and chatting politely in French.
Flashcards (1 of 68)
- Notes: Used for talking about yourself.
- English Pronoun: I
- English Example: I’m called Marie.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
