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Stuff Every Traveler Should Say in French

Useful French phrases for travel, one card at a time.

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SESK practice exam: 50 questions, 50 minutes, pass with 40 right (80%).

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  1. How do you say 'Hello' to a shopkeeper in France during the day?
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    Bonjour. Bonjour works all day, from morning through afternoon. Bonsoir is for the evening, and bonne nuit is said when someone is going to bed.

  2. You walk into a restaurant in Lyon at 8 PM. Which greeting means 'Good evening'?
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    Bonsoir. Bonsoir is the evening greeting when you arrive somewhere. Bonne nuit means good night, said when someone heads to bed, and bonjour is the daytime hello.

  3. How do you say 'Thank you very much' in French?
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    Merci beaucoup. Merci means thank you, and beaucoup adds 'a lot'. De rien is the reply, you're welcome, and s'il vous plaît means please.

All 51 practice questions

The first 50 are free, with the answer, why it's right and the official sources. The other 1 (🔒) are for SESK members. Or play them as a game and track what you've learned.

Show all 51 questions
  1. How do you say 'Hello' to a shopkeeper in France during the day?
  2. You walk into a restaurant in Lyon at 8 PM. Which greeting means 'Good evening'?
  3. How do you say 'Thank you very much' in French?
  4. Ordering a croissant from a stranger, how do you politely say 'please' in French?
  5. You need to ask a stranger a question in Paris. What polite phrase gets their attention first?
  6. You bump into someone on the Paris metro. What quick French word says 'Sorry!'?
  7. Someone says 'Merci !' to you. What is the usual French reply meaning 'You're welcome'?
  8. Leaving a shop in France, what do you say for 'Goodbye'?
  9. Talking to a hotel clerk you just met in France, which word for 'you' should you use?
  10. How do you say 'My name is Sam' in French?
  11. Someone introduces you to their friend in France. How do you say 'Pleased to meet you!'?
  12. How do you politely ask an adult 'How are you?' in French?
  13. In France, how do you say the number 70?
  14. In France, what number is quatre-vingts?
  15. In Belgium and Switzerland, what simpler French word is used for 70?
  16. At a market stall in France, how do you ask 'How much is it?'
  17. Someone giving you directions says 'Tournez à gauche'. What should you do?
  18. A local says 'C'est tout droit.' Which way do you go?
  19. How do you ask 'Where is the bathroom?' in a French café?
  20. A museum sign in France says 'Fermé le mardi'. Which day is mardi?
  21. In the Paris metro you see a sign that says SORTIE. What does it mean?
  22. A museum door in France has a sign saying ENTRÉE. What does it mean?
  23. A shop door in France says FERMÉ. What does it mean?
  24. A door in France says POUSSEZ. What should you do?
  25. What is the difference between la carte and le menu in France?
  26. How do you ask for the check in French?
  27. How do you ask for a free pitcher of tap water in a French café?
  28. What does 'service compris' on a French restaurant bill mean?
  29. How do you say 'I would like...' when ordering in French?
  30. How do you ask if a hotel has a room available?
  31. How do you say 'I would like to book a room for two nights'?
  32. What does 'À quelle heure est le petit-déjeuner ?' mean?
  33. What is the hotel front desk called in French?
  34. How do you ask for a round-trip train ticket to Paris?
  35. How do you ask what time the train leaves?
  36. How do you ask which metro line goes to the Eiffel Tower?
  37. How do you ask someone to call a taxi for you?
  38. How do you ask the price in a French shop?
  39. What does 'Quelle taille faites-vous ?' mean in a clothing shop?
  40. How do you ask for a bigger size in French?
  41. How do you say 'It's too expensive' in French?
  42. How do you ask where the pharmacy is?
  43. What does 'Au secours !' mean in an emergency?
  44. How do you say 'Call the police!' in French?
  45. What is the single European emergency number to call in France?
  46. How do you ask someone to speak more slowly in French?
  47. In France, how do you say the number 90?
  48. How do you ask 'What time is it?' in French?
  49. How do you ask 'Where is the train station?' in French?
  50. How do you ask 'Can I pay by card?' in French?
  51. How do you say 'I don't understand' in French? 🔒