Your first conversation
Say your name and where you live, ask a polite question, and request repetition.
Start with a greeting and a name
Use bonjour when greeting someone during the day and bonsoir in the evening. Salut is informal and suits people you already know. Je m’appelle introduces your name; keep the whole expression together rather than translating each word. With a name beginning with a vowel, the written phrase still stays je m’appelle. Add one simple fact with j’habite to say where you live.
Choose how to address someone
Tu addresses one person informally. Vous addresses one person politely or more than one person. With an unfamiliar adult, vous is a useful starting point; people may agree to use tu later. The verb changes too: tu habites becomes vous habitez. In a first exchange, ask one question and leave space for the answer. Et vous ? returns a question politely; et toi ? is the informal version.
Make room for a slower conversation
You can participate before you understand every word. Say that you are learning, then ask for one practical adjustment: repetition or slower speech. Pouvez-vous is a polite way to ask whether someone can do something. Je ne comprends pas means that you do not understand; je ne sais pas means that you do not know. These are different problems, so choose the phrase that fits.
Your turn.
Choose an answer, then check why it works. You can try again.
Make it yours.
Spend three minutes writing a four-line exchange: greet someone, give your name and city, ask their name with vous, and ask for repetition. Read both parts aloud twice, then replace the name and city without looking.
Self-practice · kept in this tab. A teacher can give personal feedback.
Audio is your device’s French speech voice. Read the examples aloud too; pronunciation feedback requires a teacher.