At the French Bakery: The Phrases You Need to Buy Bread
Vocalyra teaching team · Last updated:
A French bakery, la boulangerie, is where many learners have their first successful conversation in French. The exchange is short: you greet, you name what you want, you pay. This guide gives you the exact phrases, using the same situation you can hear in the Vocalyra Français podcast episode about buying bread and pastries.
Greeting and Starting Your Order
Always start with Bonjour. In France, walking into a shop without greeting the staff is considered rude, and a simple Bonjour changes how the whole exchange goes.
- Bonjour ! (Hello!)
- Je voudrais une baguette, s'il vous plaît. (I would like a baguette, please.)
- Un croissant, s'il vous plaît. (A croissant, please.)
Ordering More Than One Thing
In the podcast episode, the customer buys a baguette first, then a croissant. The word you need for adding items is et (and) or aussi (also).
- Une baguette, et un croissant. (A baguette, and a croissant.)
- Et avec ceci ? (And with that? Anything else?)
- Ce sera tout, merci. (That will be all, thank you.)
Useful bakery words: une baguette (a baguette), un croissant (a croissant), un pain au chocolat (a chocolate pastry), un gâteau (a cake), une tarte (a tart).
Understanding the Total
The baker announces the total at the end. In the episode, the total is 4 euros.
- Combien coûte le total ? (How much is the total?)
- Ça fait 4 euros. (That comes to 4 euros.)
- C'est 4 euros, s'il vous plaît. (That is 4 euros, please.)
Ça fait... (that comes to...) is the most common way you will hear a total announced in shops. Learn to recognize it.
The Full Exchange
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Bonjour ! Je voudrais une baguette. | Hello! I would like a baguette. |
| Et avec ceci ? | And with that? |
| Un croissant, s'il vous plaît. | A croissant, please. |
| Ça fait 4 euros. | That comes to 4 euros. |
Listen to the bakery episode of the Vocalyra Français podcast and answer the three comprehension questions under the player. Notice how short the real exchange is: greeting, order, total, thanks.
Quick self-check
What should you always say first when entering a French shop?
Show answer
Bonjour.
The customer buys a baguette and then a croissant. How do you add the second item?
Show answer
Et un croissant.
How do you say 'That comes to 4 euros' in French?
Show answer
Ça fait 4 euros.
Not sure where you stand? The free Vocalyra level test gives you a CEFR estimate and a recommended starting point.