French A1 Starter — MintDeck

Note: Literally 'bon' (good) + 'jour' (day). Use it any time during the day; switch to 'bonsoir' once evening comes.

Note: Used as a greeting when arriving in the evening, roughly after 6 p.m. — not when leaving (that's 'bonne soirée').

Note: Informal and works for both hello AND goodbye, but only with friends, family, or peers — never with strangers or in formal settings.

Note: Literally 'until the re-seeing.' The 'r' in 'revoir' is pronounced, but the final 'r' of 'voir' is silent before a pause.

Note: Reserved for when someone is going to bed — not a general evening farewell. Use 'bonne soirée' if they're still out for the night.

Note: To say 'no thank you' politely, say 'non merci' — but a bare 'merci' when offered food can be read as a polite refusal.

Note: Literally 'of nothing,' like the Spanish 'de nada.' More formal alternatives are 'je vous en prie' and 'avec plaisir.'

Note: Literally 's'il' (if it) + 'vous plaît' (pleases you). Use 's'il te plaît' with someone you address as 'tu.'

Note: The informal twin of 's'il vous plaît,' for friends and family. Often abbreviated 'stp' in texting.

Note: Use to get a stranger's attention or to apologize lightly. The informal version is 'excuse-moi.'

Note: Quick all-purpose 'sorry,' also said when you bump into someone or didn't hear them. A false friend: it is NOT the verb 'to pardon.'

Note: Add an extra 'e' for a female speaker: 'désolée' (pronounced the same). It expresses genuine regret, stronger than a casual 'pardon.'

Note: To say 'yes' in answer to a NEGATIVE question ('Tu ne viens pas ?'), French uses 'si' instead of 'oui' — a feature English lacks.

Note: The final 'n' is not pronounced as a consonant; it nasalizes the 'o.' Say 'noh' through the nose, not 'non' with a hard n.

Note: Casual. The reply is usually 'ça va' (I'm fine), so the same two words ask and answer the question.

Note: The formal/polite version, built from the verb 'aller' (to go). Literally 'How do you go?' — French uses 'go' where English uses 'be.'

Note: Literally 'enchanted.' A woman says 'enchantée' (same sound). Said only at a first introduction.

Note: The 't' in 'bientôt' is silent. Compare 'à demain' (see you tomorrow) and 'à tout à l'heure' (see you later today).

Note: 'À + time' is the standard pattern for 'see you ___': à lundi, à ce soir, à plus tard.

Note: This two-word phrase is both a question and an answer depending on intonation — one of the most useful expressions in French.