68 Fundamental and Practical French Sentences

The literal translation of this phrase is “What do you do,” but in conversation it means “What is your profession?” The informal version is Qu’est-ce que tu fais ?

Asking this question allows you to hear and use French job vocabulary such as:

Qu’est-ce que vous aimez faire pendant votre temps libre ? (What do you do in your free time?)

This phrase extends the small talk to what the person enjoys doing in their temps libre (free time). The informal version is Qu’est-ce que tu aimes faire pendant ton temps libre ? .

J’aime faire… (I like to do…)

Your response to the previous question will probably start with this phrase. However, the word faire , meaning “to make” or “to do,” can be replaced with any verb describing your preferred activity. For example, if you enjoy writing, you would say J’aime écrire (I like to write).

This phrase helps you practice vocabulary related to hobbies like:

Quel temps fait-il ? (How’s the weather?)

This phrase can also be translated as “What’s the weather like?” and allows you to use weather-related vocabulary such as:

Naturally, you'll also want to consider the seasons .

Demain, il fait… (Tomorrow, it will be…)

If you've checked the weather forecast, you can discuss the expected conditions for the next day using this sentence.

Depending on the forecast, you can follow il fait (it will be) with:

Est-ce que vous avez des frères et sœurs ? (Do you have siblings?)

This sentence, which literally means “Do you have brothers and sisters?,” initiates a conversation about family . In French, it's more common to ask if someone has brothers and sisters rather than using the word siblings.

The informal version would be Est-ce que tu as des frères et sœurs ?

Et tes/vos parents ? Qu’est-ce qu’ils font ? (And your parents? What do they do for a living?)

After inquiring about siblings, the next logical question is about the parents.

You could also talk about your own family, like:

Notice that you use the possessive adjective tes (your) for informal speech and vos (your) for formal speech.

Quel est ton film préféré ? / Quel est votre film préféré ? (What’s your favorite movie?)

This question lets you talk about a film you recently saw with a friend while practicing adjectives to describe either un mauvais film (a bad film) or un bon film (a good film).

You can discuss your own favorite movie by starting with Mon film préféré est… (My favorite film is…). Use the French title to practice your pronunciation!

You can also substitute “movie” for any other topic you wish to discuss, such as:

Est-ce que vous avez visité… ? (Have you visited… ?)

This sentence is excellent for discussing interesting places in your city. Simply add the noun at the end to ask, “Have you visited…?”

Some places you can talk about are:

With close friends and family, be sure to use the informal question Est-ce que tu as visité… ?

Conversely, if you want to ask your supervisor if they've been to Paris, you'd say Est-ce que vous avez visité Paris ? (Have you visited Paris?) Remember to limit this to discussions about places you've been.

When referring to visiting people , you'd use the verb rendre visite à , as in Je rends visite à mes parents ce week-end (I’m visiting my parents this weekend).

You can also share your own experiences here. For instance, if you recently visited the Louvre, you could say Récemment, j’ai visité le musée du Louvre. (Recently, I went to the Louvre.) This sentence can introduce a whole conversation about the beautiful artworks you saw at the famous museum.

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French Phrases for the Hospital or Injuries

This is a worst-case scenario, and one I hope you never face. But during your travels in France, you might need to communicate an injury or locate a doctor or hospital, and that's not the time for gestures or searching through a phrasebook or language app.

Before delving into those conversations, let's start with some specifics. With these phrases, you'll be able to communicate what's wrong and take a quick step toward resolving the issue!

J’ai mal… (My … hurts.)

This sentence literally translates to “I have badness…” but its actual meaning is “I hurt.” Complete the sentence with a body part, and you can say “My ____ hurts.”

To do this, you'll need to know body parts and some prepositions —admittedly not everyone's favorite aspect of French grammar , but you'll soon find it's quite straightforward!

J’ai mal is used with the à la/au/aux/à l’ series of prepositions. To choose the correct one, you need to know the gender and number of the noun.

Here are a few examples:

• Feminine, singular: J’ai mal à la tête. (I have a headache.)

• Masculine, singular: J’ai mal au pied. (My foot hurts.)

• Either gender, plural: J’ai mal aux dents. (My teeth hurt.)

• Either gender, singular, noun beginning with a vowel: J’ai mal à l’oreille. (My ear hurts.)

Here are some more body part words that can be used with this structure:

Je suis allergique à… (I am allergic to…)

Now that you know how to say what hurts, you can also easily state your allergies! Allergies use the same à la/au/aux/à l’ structure as the previous sentence. Moreover, many medications have the same or very similar names in French and English.

If your allergy isn't a medication, here are some common allergens in French:

Note: Gluten-free dining is relatively new in France. If gluten-free foods are essential for your health, it's a good idea to list the items you cannot eat on a card and give it to your server. Items on the list could include:

These sentences can help prevent a medical emergency, but if the situation is more serious, know that you have several options in France.

Où est l’hôpital ? (Where is the hospital?)

If you need to reach the hospital but don't require an ambulance, a simple question about the hospital's location might suffice.

That said, taxis are legally prohibited from transporting passengers during a medical emergency. If you have travel insurance, ambulance transport is usually covered.

Il me faut une ambulance. (I need an ambulance.)

Use this sentence to request an ambulance. Again, remember that you are not legally permitted to take a taxi during medical emergencies.

J’ai besoin d’un médecin. (I need a doctor.)

Of course, some medical issues are better handled by a doctor or physician rather than a hospital. For these cases, use the sentence above.

You can modify this sentence in several ways. Simply replace the general word médecin to ask for a specific type of doctor:

If you prefer an English-speaking doctor, simply add the word anglophone (English-speaking) at the end of the sentence.

For more medical vocabulary, check out this post .

French Phrases for Non-medical Emergencies

When visiting a foreign country, the last thing you want is to be a victim of theft or other emergencies. Should you find yourself in such a situation, you need to convey your needs quickly and clearly.

Quelqu’un m’a pris… (Someone took (from me)…)

Since prendre is a transitive verb , you only need to follow this sentence with the noun of the stolen object, preceded by the correct form of “my”—specifically ma , mon , or mes :

• Feminine, singular: Quelqu’un m’a pris ma valise. (Someone took my suitcase.)

• Masculine, singular: Quelqu’un m’a pris mon téléphone. (Someone took my phone.)

• Either gender, plural: Quelqu’un m’a pris mes sacs. (Someone took my bags.)

• Feminine, singular, beginning with a vowel: Quelqu’un m’a pris mon oreillette Bluetooth. (Someone took my Bluetooth earpiece.)

Here are a few other words that can be used with this structure:

J’ai une assurance voyage. (I have traveler’s insurance.)

After reporting the stolen item at the local police préfecture (prefecture) , you may need to inform them about your insurance.

Make sure to request a simple translation of your policy's terms and conditions. This way, you can show them to the relevant parties and quickly return to your otherwise wonderful vacation!

J’ai perdu / On m’a volé mon passeport. Où est le consulat… ? (I lost/Someone stole my passport. Where is the consulate?)

Losing your passport in a foreign country can lead to serious issues, including having to replace it to return home. To do this, you'll need to visit l’ambassade (the embassy) or le consulat (the consulate) of your home country, meaning you'll need to know the French adjective for your homeland. Here are a few:

Je sens… (I smell…)

There are some things you don't think about saying until you need them—like strange odors, for instance.

And I'm not just referring to smells in les toilettes (the restrooms). If you detect gas or smoke coming from somewhere nearby, keep these phrases handy:

Au secours ! (Help!)

Sometimes, for various reasons, you can't explain the exact help you need. Perhaps it's too complex and requires many details. Or maybe the situation is unfolding, and you just want to get someone's attention for assistance. For these scenarios (and many others when you're too flustered to recall all the standard phrases above), a general “Help!” will suffice.

How to Memorize and Practice Survival French Phrases

• Practice regularly. I can't emphasize enough that the more you practice these French sentences, the easier it will be to smoothly pronounce some of the more challenging words in the French language. Even if you find yourself in a situation where you're unsure what to say, you won't be at a loss for words if you have a good repertoire of French sentences ready.
• Use the “Goldlist Method” for memorization. This technique was developed by polyglot David James. It involves 20-minute study sessions where words are handwritten in the target language on paper, with translations on the opposite page. Twenty-five words are written at a time and then read aloud—the entire process ideally taking about 20 minutes. Afterward, be sure to give your brain an immediate break to absorb the information subconsciously. With sentences, you might need to do slightly fewer than 25, as it's important not to overload yourself. Otherwise, retention becomes more difficult.
• Immerse yourself in French before and after your trip. If you're reading this, you likely have internet access. The advantage of this modern technology is that you can use it to surround yourself with French. You could listen to these excellent French singers or play some French music on your commute, while cooking dinner, or during workouts.
• Use flashcards and sticky notes. If you prefer writing out words or sentences and seeing them regularly, put them on flashcards or sticky notes. Then, label items around your home in places you frequently see.
• Don’t hesitate to practice what you've learned with native French speakers. One of the joys of foreign travel—besides new sights and experiences—is the genuine cultural exchange. It can be daunting to use your new French skills, but most people will appreciate your efforts. If someone doesn't speak your native language, you'll quickly see how essential these French sentences are. Most individuals are proud of their heritage, customs, and language, and will be happy to help you with any words you might be missing.

Here are a few more ways to start a French conversation:

From a coffee shop chat to a quick catch-up on the metro, these brief conversations can happen anytime—and these phrases will help you make the most of them!