Which French phrases matter most here?

“Bonjour, madame.” (Hello, madam); “Je vous sers ?” (Can I help you); “Une baguette, s'il vous plaît.” (A baguette, please). The full list is above.

Can I hear how they sound?

Yes: press the speaker next to a phrase to hear it, recorded for the Frasa app.

How can I practise this conversation?

Press “Start the conversation” above to play it through and choose your replies, with a note on why some fit better in France. Frasa, an iPhone app, lets you save these phrases and rehearse them out loud.

French phrases for buying bread at the bakery in France

Say “Bonjour, madame” first, then order by item: “Une baguette, s'il vous plaît”. If you can’t name a pastry, point and ask “Comment ça s'appelle ?”. The baker asks “Et avec ça ?” and “Vous voulez un sac ?”, then you pay.

Try it · about two minutes

In a French bakery you greet the baker, buy a baguette and point at a pastry you can’t name.

Sound on: the baker speaks French. You choose what to say back, and Frasa tells you why it works.

How does the conversation usually go?

The shop smells of warm bread. It’s your turn at the counter, and the baker looks up.
You
Bonjour, madame.
Hello, madam.
Baker
Je vous sers ?
Can I help you?
You
Une baguette, s'il vous plaît.
A baguette, please.
Baker
Et avec ça ?
Anything else with that?
You
Comment ça s'appelle ?
What’s it called?
Baker
C'est un chausson aux pommes.
That’s an apple turnover.
You
J'en voudrais deux, s'il vous plaît.
I’d like two of those, please.
Baker
Vous voulez un sac ?
Do you want a bag?
You
Pas de sac, merci.
No bag, thanks.
Baker
Vous payez par carte ou en espèces ?
Will you pay by card or cash?
You
Je voudrais payer sans contact.
I’d like to pay contactless.

Which French phrases do you need?

Bonjour, madame.
Hello, madam.
Je vous sers ?
Can I help you?
Une baguette, s'il vous plaît.
A baguette, please.
Je voudrais du pain, s'il vous plaît.
I’d like some bread, please.
Et avec ça ?
Anything else with that?
Comment ça s'appelle ?
What’s it called?
Je le prends.
I’ll take it.
J'en voudrais deux, s'il vous plaît.
I’d like two of those, please.
Le pain est encore chaud ?
Is the bread still warm?
Pas de sac, merci.
No bag, thanks.

What is worth knowing in France?

How a bakery visit goes

1
Say bonjour, with madame or monsieur, before you order.
Hello, madam.
2
Ask for the bread first. The baker then asks what else you’d like, and you can point at a pastry.
A baguette, please.
3
Pay at the till. Say merci and bonne journée when you leave.
Merci, bonne journée.Thank you, have a good day.

Baguette or tradition

Many bakeries sell an ordinary baguette and a baguette tradition, made to a stricter recipe. If you want the second, ask for it by name.

Une tradition, s'il vous plaît.

A tradition baguette, please.

How well baked

You can say how you like your baguette. Bien cuite is darker and crunchier; pas trop cuite is paler and softer.

Pas trop cuite, s'il vous plaît.

Not too well baked, please.

Questions about this situation

Which French phrases matter most here?: “Bonjour, madame.” (Hello, madam); “Je vous sers ?” (Can I help you); “Une baguette, s'il vous plaît.” (A baguette, please). The full list is above.
Can I hear how they sound?: Yes: press the speaker next to a phrase to hear it, recorded for the Frasa app.
How can I practise this conversation?: Press “Start the conversation” above to play it through and choose your replies, with a note on why some fit better in France. Frasa, an iPhone app, lets you save these phrases and rehearse them out loud.

Related situations in French

All situations in French

Practise these phrases in Frasa

Frasa is an iPhone app for the conversations in front of you. Save phrases like these, rehearse them out loud, and they come back until they stick.

Try free on the App Store (opens the App Store in a new tab)

AI-generated. May be inaccurate.