Common French Words and Phrases for Beginners

Learning French can be exciting, and mastering some common words and phrases can greatly enhance daily communication. This guide will help beginners at CEFR levels A1-B1 navigate everyday situations in French with ease.

Basic Greetings

• Bonjour (Hello): Use this during the daytime to greet people in a friendly and polite manner.
• Bonsoir (Good evening): Switch to this greeting in the evening.
• Salut (Hi/Bye): A casual greeting for friends and family.

Common Verbs

• Avoir (to have) and Être (to be): These are essential verbs used in many contexts. For example:
  • J'ai un chat. (I have a cat.)
  • Elle est étudiante. (She is a student.)

Useful Questions

• Comment ça va? (How are you?): A common way to check in with someone.
• Où sont les toilettes? (Where is the bathroom?): Always useful in public places.

Everyday Phrases

• Merci (Thank you) and De rien (You're welcome): Always handy to express gratitude and politeness.
• Excusez-moi (Excuse me): Use this to get someone's attention politely.

Key Nouns

• La maison (the house) and L'école (the school): Useful when talking about places.
• Le chat (the cat) and Le chien (the dog): Common pets encountered in conversations.