How to Say "How are You" in French

If France is your next holiday destination, or you are moving there, then you are probably feeling both excited and anxious at the same time. Moving to a new country is a huge step, though even visiting one takes a fair deal of courage. While the experience is sure to be rewarding, not knowing the national language can be a fairly big hindrance in enjoying the holiday or getting settled. While trying to learn French overnight is not advised, picking up a few words and phrases everyday is an easy way to start learning the language. You can start by learning to say 'how are you' in French, which will allow you to be polite as well as give you a simple conversation starter. These basic words and phrases will also give you the chance to move around and accomplish basic chores till you become well versed in French.

Common French Words and Phrases

English Phrase	French Equivalent
How are you?	Comment allez-vous?
How is it going? (informal)	Ça va?
I'm fine	Je vais bien
Hi/bye	Salut
Hello/good day/good morning	Bonjour
Good evening	Bonsoir
Good night (only before going to bed)	Bonne nuit
Please (formal/informal)	S'il vous plaît/s'il te plaît
Thank you (very much)	Merci (beaucoup)
You're welcome	De rien
I'm sorry	Je suis désolé(e)
Yes/no	Oui/non
Nice to meet you	Enchanté(e)
Mister, Missus, Miss	Monsieur, Madame, Mademoiselle
What? Pardon	Comment?
Where is ... /where are ... ?	Où est ... /où sont ...?
Hey/here (formal/informal)	Tenez/tiens
I know	Je sais
Congratulations!	Félicitations!
Bless you! (formal/informal)	A vos souhaits !/a tes souhaits!
What's your name? (formal)	Comment vous appelez-vous?
What's your name? (informal)	Tu t'appelles comment?
My name is...	Je m'appelle...
Where are you from? (formal)	Vous êtes d'où?
I am from...	Je suis de.../je viens de...
Where do you live? (formal)	Où habitez-vous?
I live in...	J'habite à...
Do you speak French? (formal)	Parlez-vous français?
I speak English	Je parle anglais
How old are you? (formal)	Quel âge avez-vous?
Do you understand? (formal/informal)	Comprenez-vous?/tu comprends?
I understand/I don't understand	Je comprends/je ne comprends pas
Could you speak slower?	Pouvez-vous parler plus lentement
How do you say ____ in French?	Comment dit-on ____ en français?
Do you speak English?	Parlez-vous anglais?
Can you translate for me?	Pouvez-vous traduire pour moi?
I don't speak much French	Je ne parle pas beaucoup de francais
Can you help me please?	Pouvez-vous m'aider, s'il vous plait?
I need some information	J'ai besoin d'informations
Can I have the menu, please?	J'ai besoin de renseignements
I would like...	Je voudrais...
I would like some coffee	Je voudrais du café
See you in a little while	A tout à l'heure
See you later	À tout à l'heure
See you soon	A bientôt
See you tomorrow	A demain
What's happening?	Qu'est-ce qui se passe?
It's no problem/it's alright	Ce n'est pas grave
I must go	Je dois y aller
I love you (formal & plural/informal)	Je vous aime/je t'aime
I miss you (informal)	Tu me manques
This is my mother and my father	C'est ma mère et mon père

While how to ask someone, 'how are you' in French' is easy, saying it with the right pronunciation is not. The right way of saying how are you in French is 'kom-mohn tah-lay voo'. You will need to practice this a little before you get it to roll off your tongue just right. These phrases should see you through your first week in France, and allow you to embrace the change, and enjoy all that the new experience has to offer.