French Phrases Book

What makes this 14-page phrase guide different is the short note under every phrase. Instead of listing Est-ce que le service est compris? on its own, it explains that service is usually included in French restaurant bills; instead of just Combien ça coûte?, it mentions that small shops may prefer cash or set a minimum for card payments. The phrases come with English translations and are organised around the situations a visitor meets in the first days in France.

Seven situations, from bonjour to the hospital

Politeness is part of the vocabulary

Many phrases appear in formal and informal pairs, and the guide is clear about which to use with strangers: s'il vous plaît rather than s'il te plaît, je vous en prie as a polite "you're welcome", excusez-moi to get someone's attention, and Comment allez-vous? rather than ça va.

The cultural tips go further than language. The first mistake on the list is forgetting to say Bonjour when entering a shop or speaking to staff, and the guide also recommends using vous until you are invited to switch to tu, and always closing an exchange with Au revoir.

Useful phrases that phrasebooks often miss

Several entries solve small but real problems for travellers:

• Excusez-moi, vous descendez? to get past someone on a crowded bus or metro.
• Pouvez-vous me prévenir? to ask the driver or a passenger to tell you when to get off.
• Je suis rassasié(e) to say you have had enough to eat, more natural than a literal "I am full".
• J'ai mal à... to describe pain, completed with a body part: j'ai mal à la tête.

Three dialogues to complete

The practice section offers three short scenes with gaps to fill: ordering at a café, buying croissants and a baguette at a boulangerie, and asking the way to the station. There is no answer key, but every missing phrase appears earlier in the guide.

A good way to use them is to complete each dialogue, then act it out aloud with the other role, and finally change one detail: order a different item, pay in cash instead of by card, or ask for a different destination.

Who it is for

The guide is designed for travellers and beginners who need practical French quickly. It focuses on polite, standard phrases rather than grammar, and the notes on French etiquette make it useful even for learners who already know some vocabulary but are preparing for a first trip.