Basic expressions: Expressions

💬 [S'il] is a shortened form of [si il], and it only appears joined like this before [il]. [Vous] makes this the polite/default way to say [please] to adults you don't know well.

🇫🇷 In France, [s'il vous plaît] is used a lot and can sound necessary rather than extra-polite. Leaving it out in requests can come across as abrupt.

🇫🇷 [De rien] is a normal, casual reply to thanks. In more formal service situations, you may also hear [je vous en prie].

💬 The verb is flipped here: [excusez] means "excuse," and [-moi] adds "me." The [z] links into [moi], so it sounds like one flow: (ex-kew-zay-mwah).

🇫🇷 Use this both to get someone's attention and to apologize lightly, like brushing past someone. It is polite and very common with strangers.

💬 This is the masculine form; a woman usually says [désolée] with an extra written [e]. You will hear both pronounced the same.

💬 [Combien de] needs something after it: [combien de temps ?], [combien de personnes ?], [combien de tickets ?]. For price, French often uses the full question [c'est combien ?] or [ça coûte combien ?].

💬 [-moi] attaches with a hyphen in commands: [aidez-moi], [attendez-moi], [écoutez-moi]. The [z] links into [moi], so it sounds like (ay-day-mwah).

🇫🇷 This is direct and urgent, so it fits real need or emergency. For a less urgent situation, people often soften it with [s'il vous plaît].