oui, je parle français
In French, "yes, I speak french" is said as oui, je parle français.
This phrase is used to confirm that you have the ability to communicate in the French language.
Which one should you use?
Starting a sentence with oui provides a direct affirmative response to a question, whereas the phrase je parle français alone is a simple declarative statement.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase je parle français, the verb parle is the first-person singular conjugation of parler (to speak). Note that unlike in English, the name of the language français does not require a capital letter in French.
Did you know?
- The word for 'yes', oui, is thought to be a contraction of the Old French words for 'that he' or 'it is he', combining the particle o and the pronoun il.
- In France, saying oui, je parle français to a native speaker can sometimes be perceived as slightly arrogant if the speaker's accent is very strong.
- French speakers often replace oui with a short, nasal ouais in casual conversation, which functions similarly to the English 'yeah'.
Example conversation
Emma is asking Lucas if he can help a customer in a shop.
- EmmaLucas, est-ce que tu parles français ?Lucas, do you speak French?
- LucasOui, je parle français.Yes, I speak French.
- EmmaC'est parfait pour ce client.That is perfect for this customer.
- LucasMerci Emma, je m'en occupe.Thanks Emma, I'll take care of it.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries français, je, oui, CC BY-SA 4.0.
