đź’ˇ We will see several situations of communication in French, most of which will be informal or everyday situations. We will concentrate on vocabulary that is familiar, but very common. Very used by the French in the situations that we will see.

 

SITUATION 1 :

➡️ Let's imagine, it's Monday morning. You are at the office, you join your French colleagues at the coffee machine to discuss.
 

One of your French colleagues asks you: Comment ça va ? (=How are you doing?)
 

What do you answer?
 


 Basic French
 
Authentic French
 

Je vais bien. (= I'm fine)
 
Ça va. (= I'm fine.)
 

Je me sens bien. (= I'm feeling good)
 
Super bien (= Really great)
 

Je me sens mal. (= I feel bad.)
 
 Bof (= Meh)
 

Je suis fatigué(e). (= I'm tired)
 
Pas au top (= Not so good)
 
 
Comme un lundi * (= Like a Monday)
 

 

* Comme un lundi = It's Monday. And on Monday we often feel tired. We are a little sad that the weekend is over, so we have to get motivated.

 

 

SITUATION 2 :

➡️  You are at home with your French partner or just a friend. It doesn't matter. You have to go to the post office to mail an urgent letter.
 

What do you say in this situation?
 


 Basic French
 
Authentic French
 

C'est nĂ©cessaire que j’aille Ă  la poste. (= It's necessary that I go to the post office.)
 
Faut qu’j’aille Ă  la poste. (= Gotta go to the post office.)
 

Il est nĂ©cessaire que j’aille Ă  la poste.
(= It's necessary that I go to the post office.
 		  

 

This is totally spoken French: Faut qu’j’aille Ă  la poste.
 

Instead of saying: Il faut que j’aille Ă  la poste.
 

I remove the "il" at the beginning and I remove the "e" from "que".

 

If you have a little trouble understanding and mastering spoken French. This is the French that is spoken 80% of the time in France.
 

With, as here, many shortcuts, contractions and cut words, I invite you to download my free ebook “Master spoken French”.
 

You will learn how to understand a French person and speak like a French person.

 

 

SITUATION 3 :

➡️  You are texting with a French friend. You have to meet at the cafĂ©. Your friend sends you an SMS.
 

“Je suis dĂ©solĂ©e, je ne pourrai pas te retrouver au cafĂ© aujourd’hui. Ça te dĂ©range si on reporte Ă  demain ?” (= "I'm sorry, I won't be able to meet you at the cafĂ© today. Do you mind if we reschedule for tomorrow?")
 

Your friend can't make it today and suggests you go to the café tomorrow.
 

What do you answer?
 


  Basic French
 		 Authentic French

Non, ça ne me dérange pas.
On peut reporter Ă  demain.
(= No, I don't mind.
We can reschedule for tomorrow.)
 		 Ok, pas de souci ! T’inquiète pas,
on peut remettre ça à demain.
(= Okay, no worries! Don't worry,
we can do this again tomorrow.)

Je ne pourrais pas demain.
Ă€ quel autre moment es-tu libre ?
(= I can't tomorrow.
When else are you free?)
 		 Ah mince ! J’ai un truc demain.
Tu peux quand sinon ?
(= Oh crap! I have something tomorrow.
When else can you?)

 

 

SITUATION 4 :

➡️ You arrive at work and see a commotion. Your colleagues look a little panicked. You wonder what's going on, so you ask your colleague whom you know well and she tells you:
 

“Le patron a pĂ©tĂ© un câble, il a virĂ© le directeur marketing et financier sans raison” (= "The boss went nuts, he fired the marketing and finance director for no reason.")
 

What do you answer?
 


 Basic French
 		 Authentic French

Oh mon Dieu ! (= Oh my god!)
 		 Tu dĂ©connes lĂ  ?
(= Are you kidding me?)

Je suis très surpris(e) !
(=I am very surprised!)
 		 Tu rigoles ?
(=Are you kidding?)

C’est vrai ce que tu dis ?
(= Is it true what you say?)
 		 C’est une blague ?
(= Is this a joke?)
 
Mais non ?! T’es sĂ©rieux(euse) ?
(= But no?! Are you serious?)
 
 
Tu plaisantes ?!
(= Are you kidding?!)
 
 
Anh ! Merde (vulgaire) ! C’est vrai ?
(= Anh! Shit! Is it true?-
 
 
Oh purĂ©e ! C’est pas possible ?
(= Oh crap! It's true ?)
 

 

 

SITUATION 5 :

➡️  You speak with a knowledge of food, of your culinary preferences.
 

This person asks you: “Est-ce que tu aimes les sushis ?” (="Do you like sushi?")
 

Here are some basic answers that a Frenchman would not naturally say:
 

 
Basic French
 		 Authentic French

Oui, j’aime beaucoup les sushis. 
(= Yes, I really like sushi.)
 		 Ouais, j’adore ça !
(= Yeah, I love it!)

Oui, je les aime beaucoup.
(= Yes, I like them a lot.)
 		 Anh, j’en raffole !*
(=Anh, I love it!)

Non, je n’aime pas les sushis.
(=No, I don't like sushi.)
 		 Les sushis, c’est une tuerie.**
(= The sushi is a killer)

Non, je déteste les sushis.
(= No, I hate sushi.)
 		 Non, j’aime pas ça.
(= No, I don't like it.)

Non, je ne les aime pas.
(= No, I don't like them.)		 Non, c’est pas mon truc.
(= No, that's not my thing.)
 
Ah non, je trouve ça dégueu !
(= Oh no, I think it's gross!)

 

*Raffoler de quelque chose = is to really like something, usually food.
 

** Une tuerie = in a familiar context, it means it's too good.
 

 

By answering in a more authentic way, always in a rather informal, familiar setting, you will sound much more natural in French. This is the way the French speak.
 

If you use these expressions, you will go directly from the intermediate to the advanced level, because you will be closer to the French of the native French.
 

Don't forget to download my free ebook "Master Spoken French". It will allow you to go further and learn more about how the French really speak.
 

 

See you soon for new adventures in French of course! 🇫🇷