France is notorious for its etiquette rules and, if you’re not aware of them, you could find yourself in a very tight spot. Helping you to separate your tu from your vous, and to spot the correct greeting for any situation, the Lonely Planet guide can be an invaluable tool to use. Saying “hello” and “goodbye” to people in official settings is essential in France, and something that you might not naturally do.

The Lonely Planet French phrasebook’s 3,500-word dictionary is the perfect compact companion to take along, and will make translation and comprehension a walk in the park. An apéritif is a beverage one drinks before eating—typically something alcoholic like whiskey, vodka or pastis, for example. Je voudrais… (I would like…) What's the time? Quelle heure est-il? ( kel euhr et-EEL?); hour heure ( eur) minute minute ( mee-NUUT) From 1 minute past to 30 minutes past the hour [hour] + [number of minutes] Example: 10:20 or "twenty past ten" = 10h20; "dix heures vingt" ( deez eur va(n)) For 31 minutes past to 59 minutes past the hour [next hour] + moins ( mwa(n)) Example: 10:40 or "twenty to eleven" = 10h40; "onze heures moins vingt" ( onz eur mwa(n) va(n)) quarter past [hour] et quart ( ay kahr) Example: 07:15 or "quarter past seven" = 7h15; "sept heures et quart" ( set eur eh kahr) quarter to [hour] moins le quart ( mwa(n) luh kahr) Example: 16:45 or "quarter to five" = 16h45; "dix sept heures moins le quart" ( dee-set eur mwan luh kahr) half-past et demie ( eh duh-MEE); et demi (after midnight or noon, eh duh-MEE) Example: 10:30 or "half past ten" = 10h30; "dix heures et demie" ( deez eur eh duh-MEE) Example: 12:30 or "half past twelve" = 12h30; "douze heures et demi" ( dooz eur eh duh-MEE) 1AM, 01:00 1h00; une heure du matin ( uun eur duu ma-TAN) 2AM, 02:00 2h00; deux heures du matin ( dooz eur duu ma-TAN) noon, 12:00 12h00; midi ( mee-DEE) 1PM, 13:00 13h00; treize heures ( traiyz er) une heure de l'après-midi ( uun eur duh la-preh-mee-DEE) 2PM, 14:00 14h00; quatorze heures ( KAH-torz er) deux heures de l'après-midi ( duz er duh la-preh-mee-DEE) 6PM, 18:00 18h00; dix-huit heures ( deez-weet ER) six heures du soir ( seez er duu SWAR) 7:30PM, 19:30 19h30; dix-neuf heures trente ( DEE-znuf er TRAHNT) sept heures et demie ( SET er eh duh-MEE) midnight, 00:00 0h00; minuit ( mee-NWEE) Duration [ edit ] Abbaye de Fontevraud _____ minute(s) _____ minute(s) ( mee-NOOT) _____ hour(s) _____ heure(s) ( eur) _____ day(s) _____ jour(s) ( zhoor) _____ week(s) _____ semaine(s) ( suh-MEN) _____ month(s) _____ mois ( mwa) _____ year(s) _____ an(s) ( ahng), année(s) ( ah-NAY) hourly horaire ( oh-RAIR) daily quotidien / quotidienne ( ko-tee-DYAN / ko-tee-DYEN) weekly hebdomadaire ( eb-doh-ma-DAIYR) monthly mensuel / mensuelle ( mang-suu-WEL) seasonal saisonnier / saisonnière ( SEH-zon-ee-ay / SEH-zon-ee-air) yearly annuel / annuelle ( ah-nuu-WEL) How long is your vacation? Combien de temps restez-vous en vacances? ( com-bee-AN duh ton res-TAY voo on VAH-kons); I am in France for ten days Je reste en France pendant dix jours. ( zhuh rest on frons pon-don dee zhoor) How long is the journey? Combien de temps le voyage dure-t-il? ( com-bee-AN duh ton luh vwoi-YAHZH dyoor-TEEL) It takes an hour and a half Cela dure une heure et demie. ( suh-LAH dyoor uun er ay duh-MEE) Days [ edit ] today aujourd'hui ( oh-zhoor-DWEE) yesterday hier ( yare) tomorrow demain ( duh-MAN) this week cette semaine ( set suh-MEN) last week la semaine dernière ( lah suh-MEN dehr-NYAIR) next week la semaine prochaine ( lah suh-MEN pro-SHEN) the weekend le week-end (France) / la fin de semaine (Canada) ( luh week-end / lah fah(n) duh suh-MEN)A final e is also usually silent if the word has more than one syllable, except in parts of southern France and when singing or reciting poetry, when it can appear as a schwa or é sound (see below). It is not always easy to tell at a glance which gender a noun is but, in general, if it ends in a consonant, or by the letter combinations -age, -au, -é, -ège, ème, or -isme / -iste, or is a foreign (particularly English) loanword, it's likely to be masculine. On the other hand, if a noun ends in -ace, -ance / -ence, -ée, -elle / -erre / -esse / -ette, -ie, -ice, -ine, -ise, -que, or -tion / sion, it's probably feminine. There are plenty of exceptions, however! You’ll likely benefit from some further directional guidance while traveling around France. These phrases will come in handy.

It’s likely that the other person will want to expand on the topic, so having a few words ready about your future itinerary or your job wouldn’t go amiss. Questions You’ll Ask While Traveling in FranceUnlike in English, where we say “I am looking for…” the French don’t use a preposition (“for”) after the verb, and simply follow this phrase with what they’re searching for. For more options, you’ll want to explore Lonely Planetto see what’s available. There are French phrasebooks for every corner of the French-speaking world, and some have additional features like accompanying audio files, travel guides or apps. Research local customs Of course, just because you need help doesn’t mean you’re in trouble—you might just need directions. The above phrase can be used in those scenarios, too, and is a great way to identify people who are able to speak French and who know their way around town. Où est l’ambassade américaine ? (Where is the American Embassy?) This one will really impress people. This is some real français soutenu (formal French), and you’ll rarely hear a young French person say this. On prend l’apéro ensemble ? (Let’s have an apéritif together?) In this post, I’ll introduce you to 108 basic French phrases for travelers, as well as tips and cultural context so they’re easier to memorize ahead of time.

When you’re a traveler there might be specific information you need to get your hands on in a hurry and, if this is the case, you need look no further than Penguin. French calendars normally start on Monday. Unlike in English, the names of days are not capitalised in French: Pronunciation [ edit ] French is often called the "language of Molière". The Parisian playwright is celebrated in stone on the city hall of his hometown. French cuisine is famous around the world, so what better place to try it than in its country of origin? These French phrases will help you make the most of dining in France.

French spelling is not very phonetic. The same letter used in two different words can make two different sounds, and many letters are not pronounced at all. The good news, though, is that French generally has more regular pronunciation rules than English. This means that with sufficient practice, one can generally pronounce written French fairly accurately. However, the large number of homophones and silent letters make it such that attempting to write down spoken French often results in spelling mistakes, even for native speakers. Some rules are as follows: Again, travel French isn’t just about getting around, eating well and having fun. There are also French phrases to know in case of emergency. Don’t worry about seeming rude—French people are often willing to help learners with their language skills, and will likely have no problem adjusting their speed. Basic French Phrases for Shopping

If there are a group of you, replace ma photo (my photo) with notre photo (our photo). And to be polite, start your request with excusez-moi monsieur/madame.Learning some French vocabulary for weather is a great idea before you venture out—being able to understand what sun and rain are in French will help you to listen out for all the right words. Stress is fairly even in French, but the stress almost always falls on the last syllable. In words where the stress falls on an earlier syllable, it's not uncommon to hear the last syllable or sound of some words cut off or "swallowed." For example, Possible can sound like poss-EEB and hymne can sound like eem. This is particularly noticeable in Quebec, but exists in other accents too. You’re sure to exude a certain je ne sais quoi (“I don’t know what”) as well as an ease with pronouns. Going Hard(ish) in the Club If you’re planning a trip to France or Canada, or if you simply want to improve your conversational French, you’ll want to have this French phrasebook by your side! To give you an idea of the themes covered in our phrasebook, here are some of the topics you’ll be able to talk about with the help of this French travel guide: 🙋‍♀️ The Basics