Some of the most useful things to know when travelling in France aren't full phrases — they're the individual words and numbers that help you make sense of signs, menus, and conversations. This page covers the building blocks: counting from zero to ten, telling the time, reading common signs you'll see every day, and the small connecting words that help you piece together what people are saying.

Ask someone the time — useful when your phone is dead or out of signal

Right now — use this when asking for something immediately

Open / Closed - common signage on shop doors and restaurant windows

Entrance / Exit — common signage at museums, stations, and public buildings

Push / Pull — common signage on doors