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Common French Phrases for Kids

A parent- and teacher-friendly guide to the French phrases children aged 4–9 use most — with easy pronunciation you can read out loud straight away.

Greetings and goodbyes

Start every French lesson the French way — with a cheerful hello.

  • Bonjour— Hello / Good morningsay: bon-ZHOOR
  • Salut— Hi (to friends)say: sa-LOO
  • Bonsoir— Good eveningsay: bon-SWAHR
  • Au revoir— Goodbyesay: oh ruh-VWAHR
  • À demain— See you tomorrowsay: ah duh-MAN
  • Bonne nuit— Good nightsay: bun NWEE

Magic polite words

Les mots magiques — the phrases teachers ask for most often.

  • S'il te plaît— Please (to a friend)say: seel tuh PLEH
  • S'il vous plaît— Please (polite)say: seel voo PLEH
  • Merci— Thank yousay: mair-SEE
  • Merci beaucoup— Thank you very muchsay: mair-SEE bo-KOO
  • De rien— You're welcomesay: duh ree-EN
  • Pardon— Sorry / Excuse mesay: par-DON

Talking about me

The first little conversation every child can hold in French.

  • Je m'appelle…— My name is…say: zhuh ma-PELL
  • Comment tu t'appelles ?— What's your name?say: ko-MON too ta-PELL
  • J'ai six ans— I am six years oldsay: zhay see ZON
  • Ça va ?— How are you?say: sa VA
  • Ça va bien !— I'm good!say: sa va bee-EN
  • Je suis content / contente— I'm happysay: zhuh swee kon-TON(T)

Classroom phrases

Perfect for immersion time — post these on the wall and use them daily.

  • Écoute bien— Listen carefullysay: ay-KOOT bee-EN
  • Regarde— Looksay: ruh-GARD
  • Assieds-toi— Sit downsay: ah-see-ay TWA
  • Lève la main— Raise your handsay: lev la MAN
  • Je ne comprends pas— I don't understandsay: zhuh nuh kom-PRON pa
  • Est-ce que je peux… ?— May I…?say: es kuh zhuh PUH
  • Encore une fois— One more timesay: on-KOR oon FWAH
  • Très bien !— Very good!say: tray bee-EN

Feelings and needs

Young learners stay engaged when they can say how they feel.

  • J'ai faim— I'm hungrysay: zhay FAN
  • J'ai soif— I'm thirstysay: zhay SWAF
  • Je suis fatigué(e)— I'm tiredsay: zhuh swee fa-tee-GAY
  • J'ai chaud— I'm hotsay: zhay SHOW
  • J'ai froid— I'm coldsay: zhay FRWAH
  • J'aime ça !— I like it!say: zhem SA

Playtime and games

Use these while playing flashcard games so French feels like fun, not work.

  • On joue !— Let's play!say: on ZHOO
  • À toi— Your turnsay: ah TWAH
  • À moi— My turnsay: ah MWAH
  • J'ai gagné !— I won!say: zhay ga-NYAY
  • Bravo !— Well done!say: bra-VO
  • Encore !— Again!say: on-KOR

😄 How to say “have fun” and “for fun” in French

These are the translation questions children (and their grown-ups) ask most often — with kid-friendly pronunciation you can read out loud.

How do you say “have fun” in French?

Say « Amuse-toi bien ! » (ah-MOOZ twah bee-AN) to one child, or « Amusez-vous bien ! » (ah-moo-ZAY voo bee-AN) to a group. It literally means “amuse yourself well”, and it's what French parents and teachers call out as children run off to play.

How do you say “for fun” in French?

Use « pour le plaisir » (poor luh play-ZEER) — “for the pleasure of it”. A more playful, kid-friendly option is « pour rigoler » (poor ree-go-LAY), meaning “just for laughs”. Example: « On joue pour rigoler ! » — “We're playing just for fun!”

What is the French word for “fun”?

There is no single noun, so French uses phrases: « C'est amusant ! » (say ta-moo-ZON) for “That's fun!”, « C'est rigolo ! » (say ree-go-LO) for “That's funny/fun!”, and « s'amuser » (sa-moo-ZAY), the verb “to have fun”.

How do you say “I'm having fun” in French?

« Je m'amuse ! » (zhuh ma-MOOZ). Children can answer a teacher's « Tu t'amuses ? » (“Are you having fun?”) with a happy « Oui, je m'amuse bien ! »

What are the easiest French phrases for a 4-year-old to learn first?

Start with « Bonjour », « Merci », « S'il te plaît », « Au revoir » and « Bravo ! ». They're short, they get used many times a day, and each one is a single sound-shape a young child can copy instantly.

Practise them as flashcards: open the student games and play the flip and matching decks with the playtime phrases above.

🧠 How to practise at home or in class

Five minutes, every day

Short daily bursts beat one long session. Four- to nine-year-olds hold attention best for 5–10 minutes, so pick one section above and repeat it all week.

Sing it and move it

Attach a gesture to each phrase — wave for bonjour, rub your tummy for j'ai faim. Movement anchors vocabulary far better than reading alone.

Pictures before spelling

Children this age learn sound-to-meaning first. Show the picture, say the phrase, and only add the written word once they can say it confidently.

Celebrate every win

A star, a sticker or a loud « Bravo ! » keeps motivation high. Reward effort and repetition, not perfect accents.