Polite phrases in French, including essential vocabulary and expressions for everyday courteous conversation.
Polite phrases are essential in French to show respect and kindness in everyday interactions. They help you navigate social situations smoothly, from greeting someone to thanking them or apologizing. This page covers the most common polite expressions, along with example sentences to see how they’re used in context.
Common Polite Words
These are some of the most basic polite words in French that you’ll use again and again in conversation.
| French Singular | French Plural | English Singular | English Plural | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| un monsieur | des messieurs | a gentleman | gentlemen | Bonjour, un monsieur est arrivé. | Hello, a gentleman has arrived. |
| une dame | des dames | a lady | ladies | Une dame attend à la porte. | A lady is waiting at the door. |
| un ami / une amie | des amis / des amies | a friend (m/f) | friends | J’ai invité une amie. | I invited a friend (female). |
| s’il vous plaît | — | please | — | Passer le sel, s’il vous plaît. | Pass the salt, please. |
| merci | — | thank you | — | Merci pour votre aide. | Thank you for your help. |
| pardon | — | excuse me / sorry | — | Pardon, je suis en retard. | Excuse me, I’m late. |
| excusez-moi | — | excuse me | — | Excusez-moi, où sont les toilettes ? | Excuse me, where is the bathroom? |
| de rien | — | you’re welcome | — | — | — |
___ signifie 'thank you' en français.
How do you say 'thank you' in French?
merci
'merci' is the French word for 'thank you'. 'pardon' means 'excuse me/sorry', 's'il vous plaît' means 'please', and 'de rien' means 'you're welcome'.
Polite Greetings
These phrases will help you greet people politely in various situations, whether you’re meeting someone for the first time or seeing a colleague.
| French Phrase | English Phrase | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonjour | Hello / Good morning | Bonjour, comment allez-vous ? | Hello, how are you? |
| Bonsoir | Good evening | Bonsoir, madame Dupont. | Good evening, Mrs. Dupont. |
| Salut (informal) | Hi/Hey | Salut, ça va ? | Hi, how’s it going? |
| Enchanté(e) | Nice to meet you | Enchantée, je m’appelle Sophie. | Nice to meet you, my name is Sophie. |
| Comment allez-vous ? | How are you? (formal) | Bonjour, comment allez-vous ? | Hello, how are you? |
| Ça va ? | How are you? (informal) | Salut, ça va ? | Hi, how’s it going? |
Saying Thank You
Expressing gratitude is important in any language. Here are the most common ways to say thank you in French.
| French Phrase | English Phrase | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merci | Thank you | Merci pour le cadeau. | Thank you for the gift. |
| Merci beaucoup | Thank you very much | Merci beaucoup pour votre aide. | Thank you very much for your help. |
| Merci bien | Thanks a lot | Merci bien, je suis satisfait. | Thanks a lot, I’m satisfied. |
| Je vous remercie | I thank you (formal) | Je vous remercie pour votre temps. | I thank you for your time. |
| C’est gentil | That’s kind | C’est gentil de votre part. | That’s kind of you. |
Apologizing Politely
Knowing how to apologize politely is crucial, whether you’ve made a mistake or need to get someone’s attention.
| French Phrase | English Phrase | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pardon | Excuse me / Sorry | Pardon, je n’ai pas entendu. | Sorry, I didn’t hear. |
| Excusez-moi | Excuse me / Sorry | Excusez-moi, je suis en retard. | Excuse me, I’m late. |
| Je suis désolé(e) | I am sorry | Je suis désolée pour le retard. | I am sorry for the delay. |
| Désolé(e) | Sorry | Désolé, je ne peux pas venir. | Sorry, I can’t come. |
| Ce n’est pas grave | It’s not a big deal | - | - |
Polite Conversation Starters
These phrases will help you start a conversation politely and smoothly, especially with someone you don’t know well.
| French Phrase | English Phrase | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puis-je vous aider ? | Can I help you? | Puis-je vous aider ? | Can I help you? |
| Comment puis-je vous aider ? | How can I help you? | Comment puis-je vous aider aujourd’hui ? | How can I help you today? |
| Puis-je vous poser une question ? | May I ask you a question? | Puis-je vous poser une question ? | May I ask you a question? |
| Auriez-vous un moment ? | Would you have a moment? | Auriez-vous un moment pour parler ? | Would you have a moment to talk? |
| Je voudrais vous demander... | I would like to ask you... | Je voudrais vous demander un renseignement. | I would like to ask you for information. |
Closing a Polite Conversation
Here are some common ways to end a conversation politely, whether you’re leaving a meeting or saying goodbye to a friend.
| French Phrase | English Phrase | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Au revoir | Goodbye | Au revoir, à bientôt ! | Goodbye, see you soon! |
| Bonne journée | Have a nice day | Bonne journée à vous. | Have a nice day. |
| À bientôt | See you soon | À bientôt, prenez soin de vous. | See you soon, take care. |
| Je vous souhaite une bonne soirée | I wish you a good evening | Je vous souhaite une bonne soirée. | I wish you a good evening. |
| Merci pour votre temps | Thank you for your time | Merci pour votre temps aujourd’hui. | Thank you for your time today. |
Politeness is key to building good relationships in any language, and these French phrases will help you navigate social situations with confidence and respect.
___ signifie 'Have a nice day' en français.
How do you say 'Have a nice day' in French?
Bonne journée
'Bonne journée' means 'Have a nice day'. 'Bonne soirée' means 'Have a good evening', 'À bientôt' means 'See you soon', and 'Au revoir' means 'Goodbye'.
Flashcards (1 of 34)
- English Singular: a gentleman
- English Plural: gentlemen
- English Example: Hello, a gentleman has arrived.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
