Bonjour! Introducing Yourself in French

Have you ever said 'café', 'ballet', or 'restaurant'? Surprise — those are all French words! French is spoken by around 300 million people across the world, in countries like France, Canada, Senegal, and Belgium. Today you are going to learn something really useful: how to introduce yourself in French. Imagine meeting a new friend in Paris — what would you say?

When you meet someone new in French, you follow a simple pattern. Let's learn it step by step. **1. Say hello** The most common greeting is 'Bonjour' (say it: bohn-ZHOOR). It means 'Good day' or 'Hello'. You can use it any time of day. **2. Say your name** To say 'My name is …', you say: 'Je m'appelle …' (say it: zhuh mah-PEL). For example: 'Je m'appelle Sofia.' This phrase literally means 'I call myself …'. **3. Say your age** In French, instead of saying 'I am 8 years old', you say 'I have 8 years'. The phrase is: 'J'ai … ans.' (say it: zhay … ahn). For example: 'J'ai huit ans.' (I am 8 years old.) Here are some numbers you will need: • six = 6, sept = 7, huit = 8, neuf = 9, dix = 10, onze = 11, douze = 12 **4. Say where you are from** To say where you are from, use: 'Je suis de …' (say it: zhuh swee duh). For example: 'Je suis de Londres.' (I am from London.) Just swap in your own city or country! Put it all together and you get a full introduction: 'Bonjour! Je m'appelle Marcus. J'ai dix ans. Je suis de Lagos.' That means: 'Hello! My name is Marcus. I am 10 years old. I am from Lagos.'