French · A1 · Learning tips & comparisons
Your First French Conversation: A Beginner’s Roadmap
Begin with an exchange you can finish. Say bonjour, give your name, ask a short question and close with merci. Practise the same exchange in different situations before adding more vocabulary. This gives every new word a job and leaves you with a conversation you can use outside practice.
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Examples
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Bonjour, je m’appelle Nina. | Hello, my name is Nina. |
| Et vous ? | And you? (polite) |
| Merci, bonne journée ! | Thanks, have a good day! |
Build a four-turn exchange
Use Bonjour, je m’appelle Nina to introduce yourself. If the other person answers with a name, say Enchanté if you are male or Enchantée if you are female. The two spellings sound the same. With someone you have just met, Et vous ? is an easy way to return the question.
Keep a recovery line ready
The moment you miss a word, ask Vous pouvez répéter, s’il vous plaît ? You can use it with a waiter, a neighbour or someone at a ticket window. Practise hearing a reply as well as asking. Record your own introduction and check whether the whole sentence is clear before polishing individual sounds.
Try it
Introduce yourself, ask the other person’s name back, then say goodbye.
Show answer
Bonjour, je m’appelle Alex. Et vous ? Merci, au revoir !
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