7 expressions for natural French conversations

1️⃣ "Tu vois"
 

👉 What does it mean?

"Tu vois" is an expression that we use all the time to make sure the person understands what we are saying or to make speech more fluid. In English, it’s similar to "you know" or "you see".
 

👉 Examples

• "J’étais vraiment fatigué hier, tu vois, donc je suis allé au lit à 20h." (I was really tired yesterday, you know, so I went to bed at 8 PM.)
   
• "Elle m’a regardé bizarrement, tu vois, comme si j’avais dit un truc étrange." (She looked at me strangely, you know, as if I had said something weird.)
   

If you want to sound more natural when speaking French, slip in a "tu vois" from time to time, but don’t overuse it.
 

2️⃣ "Du coup"
 

👉 What does it mean?

"Du coup" is everywhere in spoken French. It expresses a consequence but can also serve as a transition between two ideas. In English, it’s similar to "so" or "then".
 

👉 Examples

• "Il pleuvait, du coup, on est restés à la maison." (It was raining, so we stayed home.)
   
• "J’ai pas dormi de la nuit, du coup, je suis crevé aujourd’hui." (I didn’t sleep all night, so I’m exhausted today.)
   

"Du coup" is often used in spoken language to connect ideas or fill a pause in conversation.
 

3️⃣ "Genre"
 

👉 What does it mean?

"Genre" is a versatile word that can express approximation, give an example, or even replace "c’est-à-dire". In English, it’s similar to "like" or "kind of".
 

👉 Examples

• "Il était genre super stressé avant son examen." (He was like really stressed before his exam.)
   
• "On va partir tôt, genre vers 7h." (We’re going to leave early, like around 7 AM.)
   
• "J’aime bien les films genre comédie romantique." (I like movies, like romantic comedies.)
   

"Genre" is very common among young people and in informal conversations. But be careful not to overuse it, or you might overload your sentences.
 

4️⃣ "Bref"
 

👉 What does it mean?

"Bref" is used to summarize a story, cut short an explanation, or wrap up an idea. In English, it’s similar to "anyway" or "long story short".
 

👉 Examples

• "On a essayé de monter la tente pendant une heure… bref, c’était un échec total." (We tried setting up the tent for an hour… long story short, it was a total failure.)
   
• "Je lui ai envoyé un message, il a pas répondu… bref, j’ai laissé tomber." (I sent him a message, he didn’t reply… anyway, I gave up.)
   

"Bref" is perfect for making your speech more dynamic and avoiding unnecessary details.
 

5️⃣ "Ça te dit ?"
 

👉 What does it mean?

"Ça te dit ?" is a very natural way to propose something to someone. In English, it’s like "Do you feel like…?" or "What do you think about…?"
 

👉 Examples

• "On va boire un café ? Ça te dit ?" (We’re going to grab a coffee. Do you feel like it?)
   
• "Ce week-end, on fait une rando. Ça te dit de venir ?" (This weekend, we’re going hiking. Do you want to join?)
   

This expression is more natural and less formal than "Est-ce que tu veux…?" Use it in your conversations to sound more fluent.