French for Québec — the most important phrases
In Québec, French is the everyday language. In Montréal, you can get by well with English, but in Québec City and the countryside, French is primarily spoken. A few phrases open hearts and doors:
Basics
| German | French | Pronunciation (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjour | bohn-SCHUUR |
| Good evening | Bonsoir | bohn-SWAAR |
| Goodbye | Au revoir | oh-rö-WUAAR |
| Bye (informal) | Salut / Bye-bye | sa-LÜ / bai-bai |
| Yes / No | Oui / Non | wi / nohn |
| Please | S'il vous plaît | ßil wuh PLEH |
| Thank you (very much) | Merci (beaucoup) | mär-ßI (bo-KUH) |
| Excuse me | Excusez-moi | eks-kü-seh-MWA |
| Do you speak English? | Parlez-vous anglais? | par-leh-wuh ahn-GLEH |
| I don't understand | Je ne comprends pas | schö nö kohm-PRAHN pah |
| How much does it cost? | Combien ça coûte? | kohm-BJÄHN ßa KUHT |
| The bill, please | L'addition, s'il vous plaît | laddi-ßJOHN ßil wuh PLEH |
| Cheers! | Santé! | ßahn-TEH |
| It's nice/good | C'est beau/bon | ßeh BO / ßeh BOHN |
In the Restaurant
| German | French |
|---|---|
| A table for two, please | Une table pour deux, s'il vous plaît |
| What do you recommend? | Qu'est-ce que vous recommandez? |
| I would like... | Je voudrais... |
| Another beer, please | Une autre bière, s'il vous plaît |
| It was excellent | C'était excellent |
Québecois Specialties (Joual)
Québec French differs significantly from Parisian French — similar to how Bavarian differs from Standard German. Some typical expressions:
| Québécois | Standard French | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Tabarnac! | — (curse) | Comparable to "Damn!" (strong — use sparingly!) |
| Char | Voiture | Car |
| Dépanneur (Dep) | Épicerie du coin | Convenience store / Corner shop |
| Poutine | — (Québec invention) | Fries with cheese and gravy |
| Bienvenue! | De rien | You're welcome! (in response to "Merci") |
💡 Tipp
The golden rule in Québec: ALWAYS greet with "Bonjour!" — only then may you switch to English. The "Bonjour" is the linguistic key and shows respect for the culture. In Montréal, many people respond with "Bonjour-Hi!" — the perfect bilingual greeting.
