French For Dummies

From French For Dummies by Dodi-Katrin Schmidt, Michelle M. Williams, Dominique Wenzel

You’ll feel more confident when traveling to a French-speaking country if you know some basic questions, expressions, and emergency phrases in French. Learning the French calendar and number system will help travel more relaxed by keeping tabs on your plans and money.

Useful Questions in French

If you’re in a French speaking country and you’re hungry, lost, trying to buy something, or just need to know the time, these French phrases will help, so practice their pronunciation:

Do you speak English? Parlez-vous anglais? (pahr-lay-voo ang-lay)
How are you? Comment ça va? (kohmahN-sah vah)
Can you help me please? Pouvez-vous m’aider s’il vous plaît? (poo-vay voo may-day seel-voo-pleh?)
What’s your name? Comment vous appellez-vous? (koh-mahN voo sah-pleh-ay voo)
What time is it? Quelle heure est-il? (kel ur ay teel)
What’s the weather like? Quel temps fait-it? (kel tahmp fay teel)
How much (does this cost)? Combien coute? (kohN-byaN coot)
Where is . . . ? Où est . . . ? (Eu eh)
Where is the bathroom? Où sont les toilettes? (oo sohn leh twah-leht)
When? Quand? (kahN)
Why? Pourquoi? (poor-kwa)

French Phrases for Emergencies

If you find yourself in an emergency situation and need assistance, or someone else does, learn these French phrases to get the help you need:

Help! À l’aide! (ah lehd) or Au secours! (oh suh-koor)
Police! Police! (poh-lees)
Fire! Au feu! (oh fuh)
I’m Ill. Je suis malade. (shuh swee mah-lahd)
Look Out! Attention! (ah-tehN-see-ohn)
I’m Lost. Je me suis perdu(e). (zhuh me swee pehr-dew)
Get a doctor. Appélez un medecin. (ahp-el-ay-uhn maydsehN)

The French Calendar

Familiarize yourself with the days and months of the French calendar so you can keep tabs on travel plans, meetings, and even French holidays. Use this chart for help with pronunciation:

Days (Les Jours)	Months (Les Mois)
Monday: lundi (luhn-dee)	January: janvier (jahN-vee-ay)
Tuesday: mardi (mahr-dee)	February: février (feh-vree-ay)
Wednesday: mercredi (mehr-cre-dee)	March: mars (mahrs)
Thursday: jeudi (joo-dee)	April: avril (ay-vreel)
Friday: vendredi (vahN-dre-dee)	May: mai (may)
Saturday: samedi (sahm-dee)	June: juin (joon)
Sunday: dimanche (dee-mahNsh)	July: juillet (joo-ee-yay)
	August: aoûte (ah-oot)
	September: septembre (sep-tahm-bruh)
	October: octobre (ok-toh-bruh)
	November: novembre (no-vahm-bruh)
	December: décembre (day-sem-bruh)

French Numbers

Learning numbers in French will help you with things like transportation, money, and dining. This list of basic numbers in French, and their pronunciation, will help get you started:

1. un (uhn)	19. dix neuf (dees-nuhf)
2. deux (duh)	20. vingt (vaN)
3. trois (trwah	21. vingt-et-un (vaN-tay-aN)
4. quatre (kahtr)	22. vingt-deux (vahNt-duh)
5. cinq (sank)	23. vingt-trois (vahNt-trwa) and so on . . .
6. six (sees)	30. trente (trahNt)
7. sept (seht)	31. trente-et-un (trahN-tay-aN) and so on . . .
8. huit (weet)	40. quarante (kah-rahNt)
9. neuf (nuhf)	50. cinquante (saN-kahNt)
10. dix (dees)	60. soixante (swa-sahNt)
11. onze (ohnz)	70. soixante-dix (swa-sahNt-dees)
12. douze (dooz)	80. quatre-vingts (kah-truh vaN)
13. treize (trehz)	90. quatre-vingt dix (kah-truh-vaN-dees)
14. quatorze (kahtorz)	100. cent (sahN)
15. quinze (kanz)	1,000. mille (meel)
16. seize (sehz)	1,000,000. un million (aN mee-lyohN)
17. dix-sept (dees-seht)	1,000,000,000. un milliard (aN mee-lyahr)
18. dix huit (dees-weet)

Useful Expressions in French

Speaking in French when you greet or say goodbye to someone is appreciated by the locals, as well as being polite, even if it’s just using a few words. Practice your pronunciation of these helpful expressions: