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Do you know how to tell someone you’re hungry - or tired, cold, or bored - in French?

When you dream of traveling to exciting new places, do you imagine a perfect trip - the weather is gorgeous, you’re full of energy, and you come across a little cafe at just the moment you want to rest your feet?

While we certainly hope your next trip is indeed perfect, it’s probably a good idea to learn how to tell people what you need in French if your dream destination is in France, Luxembourg, or some other French-speaking place.

Read on to find out how to let people know how you’re feeling and what you need!

Say how you’re feeling

An easy way to get your needs met is just to let people know how you’re feeling. Here are some very simple sentences that do just that:

J'ai faim. - I’m hungry.

J'ai soif. - I’m thirsty.

Je suis fatigué. - I’m tired.

J'ai froid. - I’m cold.

Je m'ennuie. - I’m bored.

Say what you need

Of course, you may have a specific desire, like sunglasses, a sweater, or a place to wash your clothes. In that case, the phrase to use is J'ai besoin (‘I need’).

Here are some sentences you can make with J'ai besoin:

‍J'ai besoin de lunettes de soleil. - I need a pair of sunglasses.

J'ai besoin d'un pull. - I need a sweater.

J’ai besoin de me laver les mains. - I need to wash my hands.

J’ai besoin d'un téléphone. -  I need a phone.

J'ai besoin d’une douche. - I need to shower.

J'ai besoin de faire la lessive. - I need to do laundry.

J'ai besoin d’un ordinateur pour travailler. - I need a computer for work.

J'ai besoin d'écouteurs. - I need some earphones.

Banner image with an extra tip: Did you know? In France, it's customary to bring a small gift for your hosts when you're invited to their home for a meal. This could be something like a bouquet of flowers, a box of chocolates, or a bottle of wine. It's considered a gracious gesture to show your appreciation for the invitation and to thank your host for their hospitality.

Practice makes perfect!

If you’re learning French, interacting with other people is the best way to reach fluency. There’s no better way to get skilled at saying what you need than to actually practice telling people.

So gather your friends around for some French practice, or…

Come practice with us in Immerse!

Immerse gives you unlimited access to live virtual reality French classes, conversation events, AI practice, and more in over 40 interactive scenes. Make friends, gain confidence and speak French sooner with a 14-day free trial - accessible through your Mac or PC browser, or check out our app for Quest headsets.

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