Pardon your French. Applaud your intentions.
French conversation etiquette for beginners starts with a greeting, a polite request and a willingness to listen. You can practice all three before your grammar feels particularly impressive.
Perhaps you have rehearsed your coffee order twelve times. The person behind the counter says something unexpected. Your carefully prepared French leaves the building without you.
Give yourself a smaller job: open the conversation kindly, ask your question and work through the reply. Here is a way to practice before your next trip or lesson.
Start with the greeting
For a daytime interaction with someone you do not know, “Bonjour” is a useful opening. Add your request afterward rather than launching straight into what you want.
You might practice:
- “Bonjour. Un café, s’il vous plaît.” — Hello. A coffee, please.
- “Bonjour. Où est la gare, s’il vous plaît ?” — Hello. Where is the train station, please?
- “Merci. Bonne journée !” — Thank you. Have a good day!
These examples are short on purpose. Once they feel comfortable, your teacher can help you expand them for the places you are actually visiting.
Choose a form of address for the situation
French uses both “tu” and “vous.” In an unfamiliar adult interaction in France, “vous” is generally a useful starting point. Friends and people who agree to speak informally may use “tu.” Customs vary across relationships and French-speaking places; your teacher can explain the context you need.
TV5MONDE’s guide to tu and vous provides examples of how familiarity and setting affect that choice.
You do not need a seminar on social etiquette before buying a sandwich. You do need a few phrases you can retrieve when hungry.
Rehearse the part after your opening line
Ask your teacher to play the other person in three situations:
| Situation | Your goal | Ask your teacher to vary |
|---|---|---|
| Ordering a drink | Greet, order and say thank you | Size, temperature or whether it is to go |
| Asking directions | Ask where somewhere is | The first turn or a nearby landmark |
| Meeting a friend’s relative | Introduce yourself and ask a simple question | Their name, hometown or interests |
Try the exchange once with notes and once with fewer prompts. Ask for feedback on politeness and whether your meaning was clear. Save detailed grammar corrections for the end if interruptions make it hard to finish.
Give your lesson a purpose beyond the perfect sentence
At Nattive, paid French lessons also help fund free group English classes for learners in developing countries who cannot afford private language education.
We are working toward 100,000 hours of live English teaching. Your French can be a work in progress while your bookings contribute to that goal.
Choose a teacher who suits your level and the conversations you want to have. The café performance can wait until you have practiced the follow-up question.