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Translate NowEnglish to French Translation
Translate English text to French instantly with our free online translator, and learn what makes French unique so you can judge and improve the results.
About the French Language
French is spoken by around 280 million people and is an official language in 29 countries, including France, Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, and many nations across Africa - which is now home to the majority of the world's French speakers. It remains a major language of diplomacy, cuisine, fashion, and international organizations.
As a Romance language descended from Latin, French shares thousands of recognizable words with English, which borrowed heavily from it after 1066. That shared vocabulary makes English-French translation friendlier than most pairs, but it also creates traps: many look-alike words have drifted into different meanings.
How French Differs from English
Knowing these structural differences helps you write source text that translates well and spot problems in the output:
- Gendered nouns: Every French noun is masculine or feminine - le livre (the book) but la table (the table) - and articles and adjectives must agree.
- Adjective placement: Most adjectives follow the noun (une voiture rouge, "a red car"), the reverse of English order.
- Tu vs vous: French distinguishes informal tu from formal or plural vous. Business messages should use vous.
- Verb conjugation: French verbs change ending for each person and tense far more than English verbs do.
- Accents matter: Marks like é, è, and ç change pronunciation and sometimes meaning (a "where" vs ou "or" differ only by an accent: où / ou).
Essential English to French Phrases
These everyday phrases are a useful starting point. Use the Listen button on our translator to hear them spoken aloud:
| English | French | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjour | bohn-ZHOOR |
| Thank you | Merci | mehr-SEE |
| Yes | Oui | wee |
| No | Non | nohn |
| How are you? | Comment allez-vous ? | koh-mahn tah-lay VOO |
| Please | S'il vous plaît | seel voo PLEH |
| Sorry | Désolé | day-zoh-LAY |
| What is your name? | Comment vous appelez-vous ? | koh-mahn voo zah-play VOO |
| Water | Eau | oh |
| Goodbye | Au revoir | oh ruh-VWAHR |
Common Pitfalls When Translating English to French
- False friends are the classic English-French trap: actuellement means "currently" (not "actually"), and librairie is a bookshop, not a library.
- Machine translation may switch between tu and vous inconsistently across a longer text; pick one register and check it is used throughout.
- French typography puts a space before ? ! : and ; - correct French output will include it, so don't "fix" it.
- Canadian French differs from European French in vocabulary and tone; for a Quebec audience, have a local reader review important text.
For a broader look at translation errors and how to avoid them, read our guide to 10 common translation mistakes.
How to Translate English to French
- Open the Translate All Words home page
- Select English as the source language and French as the target
- Type or paste your English text and click Translate
- Use the Listen button to hear the French pronunciation, and Copy to save the result
- For anything important, review the output against the tips above or ask a native speaker