Do you know your “mange-tout’s” from your “Chateau Neuf du Pape’s”?
Communicating in a different language can be challenging at the best of times and getting into a pickle is easily done.
To avoid these embarrassing situations, Communique Communications and their team of professional translators and interpreters have put together a few helpful phrases and expressions to help you through meeting and greeting your French counterparts whether it may be for business or pleasure.
10 useful French phrases:
- Hello: Bonjour
- Goodbye: Au Revoir
- How are you?: Comment-allez-vous (polite form)
- Thank you: Merci
- Please: S’il vous plait
- Excuse me: Excusez-moi ( polite form)
- Welcome: Bienvenue
- You are welcome: De rien
- I’m looking for…: Je cherche…
- Sorry/ Excuse me: Pardon
Don’t forget that if you are doing business in France or with a French native, using the polite form of French is best practice. Unlike the UK, most continental countries don’t do business on a first name basis. Using “Monsieur”, “Madame” or “Mademoiselle” and their surname will be better received. Greetings, small talk and etiquette are paramount and if any of these can be done in French, all the better. This will demonstrate an interest in developing a long term relationship.
Communique Communications provide professional translation and interpreting services from and into French and over 100 other languages to help you with your meetings and international relations. If you would like to read more on this subject or for other news on the translation industry, please subscribe to our blog. You can also follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook to receive future updates.