30 Everyday French Expressions
Textbook French is correct, but it often sounds stiff. These thirty expressions, grouped by situation, are what French speakers actually say, with examples and a note on when to use each.
In this guide
There is a moment in every learner's journey when your French is correct but still sounds like a textbook. The grammar is fine; what is missing are the small, ready-made expressions that native speakers use without thinking. Learning these chunks is the fastest way to sound natural, in conversation and in speaking exams alike.
Why chunks beat word-by-word translation
Native speakers do not build every sentence from scratch. They rely on chunks: fixed expressions they reuse constantly. When you translate word by word from English, you produce sentences that are grammatically correct but that no French speaker would say. Learning chunks lets you skip translation entirely.
Textbook vs natural: quick swaps
| Textbook | Natural | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Je suis très content. | Je suis ravi(e) ! | I'm delighted. |
| C'est très bien. | C'est top ! / C'est génial ! | That's great. |
| Je ne sais pas. | Aucune idée. | No idea. |
| Je suis d'accord. | Ça marche. | Sounds good / OK. |
| Je suis très fatigué. | Je suis crevé(e). (familier) | I'm exhausted. |
| Ce n'est pas important. | C'est pas grave. | Never mind. |
Reacting in conversation
- Ah bon ? · Really? (surprise) · — Il a démissionné. — Ah bon ?
- Sans blague ! · No kidding!
- C'est pas vrai ! · I can't believe it!
- Tant mieux. · So much the better. · Il fait beau demain ? Tant mieux !
- Tant pis. · Too bad / oh well. · Le magasin est fermé ? Tant pis.
- Ça dépend. · It depends.
- Bof. · Meh. · — Le film t'a plu ? — Bof…
Agreeing and accepting
- Ça marche ! · Sounds good!
- Volontiers. · Gladly. · — Un café ? — Volontiers !
- Avec plaisir. · With pleasure.
- Carrément ! · Absolutely! (familier)
- C'est clair. · Totally / for sure. (familier)
Talking about feelings and states
- J'ai hâte ! · I can't wait!
- J'en ai marre. · I'm fed up. (familier)
- Ça me saoule. · That's getting on my nerves. (familier)
- J'ai la flemme. · I can't be bothered. (familier)
- Avoir un coup de barre · to hit a wall of tiredness
- Ça me tente. · I'm tempted / I feel like it.
Keeping a conversation flowing
- Du coup… · So… / as a result…
- En fait… · Actually…
- Bref… · Anyway… / to cut a long story short…
- Tu vois ? · You see? / you know?
- C'est-à-dire ? · Meaning? / what do you mean?
- Au fait… · By the way…
Everyday life
- Ça te dit ? · Do you fancy it? · On va au cinéma, ça te dit ?
- On se voit quand ? · When shall we meet?
- Je passe te prendre. · I'll come and pick you up.
- Faire le pont · to take a long weekend around a public holiday
- Il fait un froid de canard. · It's freezing cold.
- C'est la galère. · It's a real hassle. (familier)
Register: when to use familiar expressions
Expressions marked familier are perfect with friends, colleagues you know well and in informal role-plays. In a formal situation, such as a job interview, an email to an institution or the vous role-play in an exam, choose neutral alternatives: je suis épuisé(e) rather than crevé(e), c'est compliqué rather than c'est la galère.
How to make these expressions stick
- Learn five per week, not thirty at once.
- Notice them in series, podcasts and YouTube videos.
- Use each one in a real sentence about your own life the same day.
- Review them on Sunday with a quick self-quiz, or let The Chic French Note bring you one every week.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use familiar expressions in TEF or TCF Canada?
In informal role-plays with a friend, a few natural expressions can make you sound fluent. Avoid them in formal situations and in writing.
What does « du coup » mean?
It means *so* or *as a result*. It is very common in spoken French, sometimes overused as a filler.
Is « c'est pas » wrong?
In speech, dropping *ne* is normal and natural. In formal writing, keep *ce n'est pas*.