Keep conversation going with French phrases and questions that help you respond naturally and maintain fluent, engaging dialogues.
Keeping a conversation going is all about showing interest, asking questions, and responding naturally. These phrases will help you react to what someone says and gently steer the dialogue forward. Whether you want to express surprise, agree, ask for more details, or change the topic, these sentence stems will make your French sound smooth and conversational.
. Showing Interest and Encouragement
These phrases let the other person know you’re listening and encourage them to share more. They’re great for keeping the conversation warm and inviting.
| French Phrase | English Translation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ah bon ? | Really? | Ah bon ? Tu habites à Paris ? | Really? You live in Paris? |
| Vraiment ? | Really? | Vraiment ? Tu aimes la musique classique ? | Really? You like classical music? |
| C’est intéressant ! | That’s interesting! | C’est intéressant ! Tu fais quel métier ? | That’s interesting! What’s your job? |
| Dis-moi en plus. | Tell me more. | Ton voyage en Italie ? Dis-moi en plus. | Your trip to Italy? Tell me more. |
| Ah, je vois. | Ah, I see. | Tu travailles de nuit ? Ah, je vois. | You work at night? Ah, I see. |
. Asking for Clarification or More Detail
If you don’t understand something or want to know more, these polite questions keep the conversation clear and flowing.
| French Phrase | English Translation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qu’est-ce que tu veux dire ? | What do you mean? | Qu’est-ce que tu veux dire par “différent” ? | What do you mean by “different”? |
| Tu peux répéter ? | Can you repeat? | Tu peux répéter ? Je n’ai pas entendu. | Can you repeat? I didn’t hear. |
| Comment ça se passe ? | How is it going? | Ton nouveau boulot, comment ça se passe ? | Your new job, how is it going? |
| Depuis quand ? | Since when? | Depuis quand tu apprends le français ? | Since when have you been learning French? |
| Pourquoi ? | Why? | Pourquoi tu aimes ce film ? | Why do you like this movie? |
. Agreeing and Adding Your Opinion
Agreeing shows connection, and adding your own thought keeps the dialogue balanced and natural.
| French Phrase | English Translation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moi aussi. | Me too. | J’adore le chocolat. – Moi aussi ! | I love chocolate. – Me too! |
| C’est vrai. | That’s true. | Les montagnes sont belles. – C’est vrai. | The mountains are beautiful. – That’s true. |
| Je pense que... | I think that... | Je pense que Paris est magique la nuit. | I think Paris is magical at night. |
| À mon avis... | In my opinion... | À mon avis, voyager élargit l’esprit. | In my opinion, traveling broadens the mind. |
| Tu as raison. | You’re right. | Tu as raison, il faut se reposer. | You’re right, you need to rest. |
. Changing the Topic Gently
Sometimes you need to steer the conversation to a new subject. These phrases do it smoothly without sounding abrupt.
| French Phrase | English Translation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Au fait... | By the way... | Au fait, tu as vu le nouvel épisode ? | By the way, did you see the new episode? |
| Sinon... | Otherwise... / So... | Sinon, tu as des projets ce week-end ? | So, do you have plans this weekend? |
| À propos de... | Speaking of... | À propos de livres, tu lis quoi en ce moment ? | Speaking of books, what are you reading right now? |
| Changeons de sujet. | Let’s change the subject. | Changeons de sujet, parlons de voyages. | Let’s change the subject, let’s talk about travel. |
| En parlant de ça... | Speaking of that... | En parlant de ça, je connais un bon resto. | Speaking of that, I know a good restaurant. |
How do you say 'So, do you have plans this weekend?' in French?
Sinon, tu as des projets ce week-end ?
'Sinon...' can mean 'Otherwise...' or 'So...' and is often used to gently shift the conversation to another topic.
. Ending the Conversation Politely
When it’s time to wrap up, these phrases help you leave the chat on a polite note without sounding rude.
| French Phrase | English Translation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Il faut que j’y aille. | I have to go. | Il faut que j’y aille, mais c’était sympa. | I have to go, but it was nice. |
| On se reparle bientôt ? | Shall we talk again soon? | On se reparle bientôt ? J’ai plein de choses à raconter. | Shall we talk again soon? I have lots to tell. |
| Bonne soirée ! | Have a good evening! | Bonne soirée et à demain ! | Have a good evening and see you tomorrow! |
| Merci pour la conversation. | Thanks for the chat. | Merci pour la conversation, à plus ! | Thanks for the chat, see you! |
| On se tient au courant. | Let’s keep in touch. | On se tient au courant par message. | Let’s keep in touch by message. |
With these simple phrases, you’ll feel more confident managing any conversation in French—showing interest, asking questions, sharing your thoughts, shifting topics, and ending chats smoothly. The key is to stay curious and relaxed, just like you would in your own language.
How do you say 'Shall we talk again soon?' in French?
On se reparle bientôt ?
'On se reparle bientôt ?' is a friendly way to suggest continuing the conversation at a later time.
Flashcards (1 of 25)
- English Translation: Really?
- English Example: Really? You live in Paris?
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
