Travelling to non-speaking English country like France is like entering in a new world. If you fancy to travel to France then you should learn at least few terminologies to communicate with them. Majority of the locals living outside of Paris don’t speak English very well. Learning there basic phrases during your stay is very useful. If you smile they will smile back, if you say hello they will say salut.
I remember first time I was there. I'm starving and I want something to eat to fill my empty stomach. The only open is a boulangerie pâtisserie it's a bakery specialising in French pastry. Before I left the car I said to my husband "Bon jour Comment allez-vous? deux pan au cholat. S'il vous plaît merci" in English (Good Morning. How are you? 2 bread with chocolate please thank you). He was laughing to me and says, "I'm so proud of you." Is it right? He says yes! He speak French but he don't want to go out. I force to go out and speak the language so I can get my pan au chocolat. Honestly speaking I don't want to do sign language because God is given me a mouth to use to speak and I don't want to look like an idiot foreigner.
I remember first time I was there. I'm starving and I want something to eat to fill my empty stomach. The only open is a boulangerie pâtisserie it's a bakery specialising in French pastry. Before I left the car I said to my husband "Bon jour Comment allez-vous? deux pan au cholat. S'il vous plaît merci" in English (Good Morning. How are you? 2 bread with chocolate please thank you). He was laughing to me and says, "I'm so proud of you." Is it right? He says yes! He speak French but he don't want to go out. I force to go out and speak the language so I can get my pan au chocolat. Honestly speaking I don't want to do sign language because God is given me a mouth to use to speak and I don't want to look like an idiot foreigner.
English Pronunciation French
Hello sah-loo Salut
Good morning/good day bon-zhoor Bon jour
How are you? kom-mohn tah-lay voo Comment allez-vous?
Fine. Thanks and you? bee-ehn mer-see ay voo? Merci et vous?
My name is juh mah-pell Je m'appelle
What is your name? kom-mohn voo-za-peh-lay voo Comment vous appellez-vous?
Glad to meet you on-shohn-tay Enchanté
Pleased to meet you ohn--shahn-tay Enchanté(e)
Excuse me/sorry ex-koo-zay mwah Excusez-moi
Do you speak English? par-lay voo zon-glay Parlez-vous anglais?
Goodbye oh ruh-vwar Au revoir
Good evening bon-swar Bon soir
I don't understand jhuhn kom-prohn pah Je ne comprends pas
I'm sorry day-zoh-lay/pahr-dohn Desolé/Pardon
Pardon me pahr-dohn Pardon
Please seel voo play S'il vous plaît
Please speak slowly par-lay lehn-ta-mohn Parlez lentement
Thank you mare-see Merci
That's ok dah ree-ehn De rien
No nohn Non
You're welcome dah ree-ehn De rien
Ok dah-core d'accord
There lah Là
Very well treh bee-ehn Très bien
What? kom-mohn Comment?
Where oo Où
I really want to go back to France soon as possible, but before that I should learn more terminologies for me to travel the country with confidence. If you need Help just shout au secours!
Au revoir...
