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French phrases for getting a mobile SIM card in France

In a phone shop, say “Je voudrais un forfait de téléphone” or ask for a prepaid SIM card. Show your ID when asked: “J'ai mon passeport avec moi”. Ask “Je peux garder mon ancien numéro ?”, check the price with “Ça coûte combien ?”, then pay.

Try it · about two minutes

In a phone shop you buy a prepaid SIM card, show your ID and ask to keep your old number.

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

How does the conversation usually go?

  1. Phone shop assistant

    Je peux vous aider ?

    Can I help you?

    You

    Je voudrais un forfait de téléphone.

    I’d like a phone plan.

  2. Phone shop assistant

    Avez-vous une pièce d'identité avec photo ?

    Do you have photo ID?

    You

    Voici ma pièce d'identité.

    Here is my ID.

  3. Phone shop assistant

    Un instant, s'il vous plaît.

    Just a moment, please.

    You

    Je peux garder mon ancien numéro ?

    Can I keep my old number?

  4. Phone shop assistant

    Pas de souci.

    No worries.

    You

    Ça coûte combien ?

    How much does it cost?

  5. Phone shop assistant

    Ça fait douze euros cinquante.

    That’s twelve euros fifty.

    You

    Je peux payer par carte ?

    Can I pay by card?

  6. Phone shop assistant

    Voilà votre carte SIM. Redémarrez votre téléphone une fois la carte insérée.

    Here’s your SIM card. Restart your phone once it’s in.

    You

    Merci pour votre aide.

    Thank you for your help.

Which French phrases do you need?

  • Je voudrais un forfait de téléphone.

    I’d like a phone plan.

  • Avez-vous une pièce d'identité avec photo ?

    Do you have photo ID?

  • Voici ma pièce d'identité.

    Here is my ID.

  • J'ai mon passeport avec moi.

    I have my passport with me.

  • Je peux garder mon ancien numéro ?

    Can I keep my old number?

  • Il y a une durée minimale d'engagement ?

    Is there a minimum contract period?

  • Ça coûte combien ?

    How much does it cost?

  • Je peux payer par carte ?

    Can I pay by card?

  • Je voudrais payer sans contact.

    I’d like to pay contactless.

  • Merci pour votre aide.

    Thank you for your help.

What is worth knowing in France?

How a SIM purchase goes

  1. 1

    Say you want a prepaid SIM card or a phone plan.

    I’d like a phone plan.
  2. 2

    The assistant may ask to see your ID, so have it with you.

    I have my passport with me.
  3. 3

    Check the price, then pay at the till.

    How much does it cost?

Keeping your number

Ask early whether you can keep your number and what the shop needs for that. You may hear “le RIO”, a code from your old operator, and the assistant will explain how it works.

Je peux garder mon ancien numéro ?

Can I keep my old number?

Plan words

A forfait is a phone plan, often paid monthly. A carte prépayée is a prepaid SIM you top up. Sans engagement means there is no minimum term.

Il y a une durée minimale d'engagement ?

Is there a minimum contract period?

Questions about this situation

Which French phrases matter most here?
“Je voudrais un forfait de téléphone.” (I’d like a phone plan); “Avez-vous une pièce d'identité avec photo ?” (Do you have photo ID); “Voici ma pièce d'identité.” (Here is my ID). 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.

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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.

AI-generated. May be inaccurate.