Watch the full video lesson on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Commeunefrancaise
1) J’ai la patate !
“I have the potatoe.” = I’m feeling great, I’m full of energy, I’m in top form.
Simple and fun, and sounds energetic!
“J’ai bien dormi cette nuit, j’ai la patate !” (= I slept well tonight, I’m feeling great!)
“J’ai repris du café, maintenant j’ai la patate !” (= I had another cup of coffee, now I’m feeling full of energy.)
Extra: Fruit expressions
“J’ai la pêche.” (= literally “I have the peach”) means the same thing.
“J’ai la banane.” (= I have the banana) means “I’m in a happy mood!”
2) Vite fait, bien fait.
“Quickly done, well done.” = Done quickly but still effectively.
“J’ai nettoyé la cuisine en 15 minutes. Vite fait, bien fait !” (= I cleaned the kitchen in 15 minutes. Quick and effective!)
“On peut préparer un gâteau au chocolat, vite fait bien fait.” (= We can prepare a chocolate cake, quick and well done.)
Extra: Allow yourself to impress your friends.
It’s not about “trying to be more sophisticated than you are.” Or about “showing off that you’re better than them.” (Not saying that at all!)
It’s about: acting childish. Having fun with the French that you learn. And it will keep you motivated to learn French — while adding a fun little je ne sais quoi to your chats.
3) Encore heureux !
“Still happy!” = It’s the least one could expect! Of course!
“T’as pris un parapluie ?
– Encore heureux, il pleut des cordes !”
(= Did you bring an umbrella? / Of course I did, it’s pouring!)
Extra: Pronunciation
Repeat after me in the video!
And pay attention to:
– Nasal sounds, as in Encore
– French “R”, as in Encore heureux
– Silent letter “x”, as in heureux
4) J'ai la flemme.
“I have the laziness.” = I can’t be bothered, I’m too lazy.
“Je vais faire la vaisselle mais là j’ai la flemme.” (= I’m going to clean the dishes, but right now I don’t have the motivation.)
“On sort ce soir ?
– Non, j’ai la flemme, je préfère rester à la maison.”
(= Are we going out tonight? / No, I can’t be bothered, I prefer to stay home.)
5) C'est n'importe quoi.
“It’s whatever.” = This is nonsense, it’s ridiculous.
“Il a dit qu’il pouvait courir un marathon sans s’entraîner. C’est n’importe quoi !”
(= He said he could run a marathon without training. That’s nonsense!)
6) C'est chouette.
“It’s owl.” = That’s great, that’s cool.
“On a un jour férié lundi prochain. C’est chouette, on aura un long week-end !”
(= We have a public holiday next Monday. That’s great, we’ll have a long weekend!)
Extra: Owls
In French, “an owl” (the night bird) can be “un hibou” or “une chouette.” But we don’t say “C’est hibou !” or use “hibou” as an adjective!
Meanwhile, “Chouette” is one of my favorite words in everyday spoken French. Practice using it, simply as an adjective!
“C’est une chouette journée.” (= It’s a nice day.)
“Ah, il me reste un gâteau, chouette !” (= Oh, I have a cookie left, nice!)
You can read and write all the French you want, but if you don’t practice actual spoken French, even a quick, basic conversation will feel impossible. The good news? You can sign up for my newsletter, and with just a few emails, you’ll start building a new skill: the spoken French! Click here to start your French journey
7) Tu m'étonnes.
“You surprise me.” = No surprise there! Tell me about it!
“Le concert était génial !
– Tu m’étonnes, c’est mon groupe préféré !”
(= The concert was amazing! / No surprise there, it’s my favorite band!)
8) C'est parti !
“It’s gone!” = Let’s go! Here we go! It’s on!
“Tout le monde est prêt ? Alors c’est parti !” (= Is everyone ready? Then let’s go!)
→ We sometimes use “Allons-y!” (literal translation for “Let’s go”), but not nearly as frequently as “C’est parti.” Especially in real everyday spoken French.
9) Allez, je file.
“I’m threading” = I’m leaving quickly, without much time to talk more, sorry.
“J’ai un train dans vingt minutes. Je file !” (= My train is leaving in 20 minutes. I have to go!)
10) À plus !
“To more!” = See you later! Catch you later!
“Je dois filer, j’ai un rendez-vous. À plus !” (I have to run, I have an appointment. See you later!)
It’s a friendly version of “À plus tard.”, that we also use for “see you later.” Did you notice? We don’t pronounce the “s” in À plus tard… But we do pronounce it in À plus, to make it easier to understand.
Extra) The Power of Simple Phrases
You only need a handful of French phrases to open the door to new connections!
Simply knowing how to greet someone, or sharing with a stranger a simple joy (“C’est chouette”) or frustration (“C’est n’importe quoi !”) can spark conversations – leading to deeper interactions and fun connections.
These small interactions are crucial for building confidence and comfort with French.
Keep in mind: the goal isn’t immediate fluency.
It’s OK if you don’t have the full conversation in French, even! The point is to create positive experiences.
Many French people value the attempt, even if it’s not perfect. Using a phrase like “J’ai la patate !” is surprising and fun – it might bring a smile, not for its flawless delivery, but for the interest it shows in their language and culture. We know French is difficult! (Even native French speakers struggle with French, so don’t worry about perfection.)
So if “Vite fait, bien fait” doesn’t come out quite right, that’s okay. By starting with these basic phrases, you’re building bridges. It can lead to conversations where native speakers might help you with pronunciation or share similar expressions in French. It happens to my Comme une Française students all the time. They are amazed!
Now, I encourage you to take these phrases and use them in real-life situations: chatting with French-speaking friends, traveling in France, or just practicing with language exchange partners online…
Remember, using these phrases isn’t just about speaking French – it’s about connecting with people and culture in a more authentic way.
If you enjoyed learning these expressions and want to discover more about the French language and culture: Click here to subscribe to my newsletter
À plus, I’ll see you in the next lesson!
Really good phrases