Picture this. You're in Paris. You've been having a perfectly nice conversation with someone for about three minutes. They ask you a question. You understand the question. You know what you want to say. But you don't know the word.

Your brain freezes. Your mouth opens. Nothing comes out. You feel that hot, panicky feeling rising in your chest. The other person is still looking at you, waiting. The silence stretches. Your French, which felt fine ten seconds ago, has completely abandoned you.

This moment is universal. Every French learner has lived through it. And here's the thing: native speakers don't actually expect you to know every word. What they notice is how you handle the gap. The learners who become fluent aren't the ones who never freeze. They're the ones who have a toolkit of phrases ready for exactly these moments, so the conversation keeps moving instead of crashing.

So here are the phrases I want you to memorize. They're the verbal equivalent of training wheels. They'll keep you upright when your French wobbles, give you time to think, and turn awkward silences into natural conversation flow.

If you're not sure exactly what level you're at right now, you can take my free placement test here before we dive in.

The phrases that buy you time

These are the ones to learn first. They give your brain a few seconds to catch up while you figure out what to say next. French people use them constantly, even with each other. They're not a sign of weakness. They're a sign you're speaking French naturally.

1. Euh... — Uh / um.

The French equivalent of "uh." Pronounced like the "u" in the English word "burn" but without the "r." Use it generously while you think. French people use it more than English speakers use "um."

2. Bah... — Well... / I mean...

A filler that buys you a moment to gather your thoughts. Bah, je sais pas trop. (Well, I don't really know.)

3. Ben... — A more casual version of "bah." Pronounced "buh." Same job.

4. Du coup... — So... / So basically...

The king of French filler words. You can drop this in anywhere and it works. Du coup, je voulais te dire que... (So, I wanted to tell you...)

5. Alors... — So... / Well...

A slightly more thoughtful filler. Alors, comment dire... (So, how to say...)

6. Disons que... — Let's say that... / Let's say...

Useful when you want to soften a statement or buy time before you commit to your point. Disons que c'est compliqué. (Let's say it's complicated.)

The phrases for when you've forgotten the word

This is the most common situation. You know the concept, you know the shape of what you want to say, but the specific word has vanished from your brain.

7. Comment on dit... ? — How do you say...?

The phrase that will save you a hundred times. Use it freely. Comment on dit "deadline" en français ? No shame. Native speakers will fill in the word and the conversation continues.

8. C'est quoi le mot pour... ? — What's the word for...?

A casual variation. C'est quoi le mot pour ce truc ? (What's the word for this thing?)

9. J'ai oublié le mot. — I forgot the word.

When you can't even gesture toward what you mean. Honesty is fine. Native speakers will help.

10. Le mot m'échappe. — The word escapes me.

A more elegant version of the above. Slightly more formal, useful in professional contexts.

11. Comment ça s'appelle déjà... ? — What's that called again...?

For when the word is on the tip of your tongue. Often the other person will jump in with the answer.

12. C'est sur le bout de la langue. — It's on the tip of my tongue.

Same idea, different phrase. The literal translation of the English idiom, and yes, French uses the same image.

The phrases for "I don't know what to say"

Sometimes the issue isn't a missing word. It's that you genuinely don't know how to respond. These phrases keep you in the conversation while you figure it out.

13. Je ne sais pas trop. — I don't really know. / I'm not sure.

More natural than just "Je ne sais pas," because "trop" softens it and makes it sound thoughtful rather than dismissive.

14. C'est une bonne question. — That's a good question.

A classic stalling tactic that works in French just as well as in English. Buys you several seconds while sounding engaged.

15. Je n'avais pas pensé à ça. — I hadn't thought of that.

When someone asks you something you genuinely haven't considered. Honest, polite, gives you time.

16. Je réfléchis... — I'm thinking...

Just say it out loud while you think. Better than silence.

17. Comment dire... — How to say... / How can I put it...

Useful when you're about to attempt a complex thought and you want to signal that you're searching.

18. Je sais pas comment expliquer. — I don't know how to explain.

Honest and useful. Often followed by you attempting an explanation anyway, which usually works.

The phrases for when you didn't understand

Sometimes the freeze isn't about not knowing what to say. It's about not understanding what was just said to you.

19. Pardon ? — Sorry? / What?

Polite, simple, universally understood as "please repeat that." More elegant than "Quoi ?" which can sound rude in formal contexts.

20. Vous pouvez répéter, s'il vous plaît ? — Can you repeat, please? (formal)

The full polite version for situations with strangers, older people, or in professional contexts.

21. Tu peux répéter ? — Can you repeat? (informal)

Same thing, casual.

22. Plus lentement, s'il vous plaît. — More slowly, please.

When the speed is the problem. Most French people will instinctively slow down once they realize they need to.

23. Je n'ai pas compris. — I didn't understand.

Direct, honest, no shame. The other person will rephrase.

24. Qu'est-ce que ça veut dire ? — What does that mean?

For when a specific word or phrase tripped you up. Qu'est-ce que ça veut dire "saoulant" ? (What does "saoulant" mean?)

25. Vous parlez trop vite pour moi. — You're speaking too fast for me.

A confession that almost always works. French speakers genuinely want to be understood, and most will adjust immediately.

The phrases for steering the conversation

Sometimes you don't want to confess that you're stuck. You want to redirect smoothly.

26. Et toi/vous ? — What about you?

The single most useful conversation-saving phrase in any language. Ask someone a question after you've answered (or half-answered) one of theirs, and the spotlight shifts. Moi, ça va. Et toi ? (I'm fine. What about you?)

27. C'est intéressant. — That's interesting.

Buys you a moment, signals engagement, and gives the other person a chance to elaborate.

28. Vraiment ? — Really?

A one-word response that keeps the conversation going while you collect yourself.

29. Et après ? — And then? / What happened next?

Perfect for when someone is telling you a story and you're not quite following but want them to keep going. They will.

30. Tu veux dire que... ? — Do you mean that...?

A way of asking for clarification that also lets you summarize what you think they said. If you got it wrong, they'll correct you. If you got it right, they'll confirm.

The most powerful phrase of all

Out of all of these, if you could only memorize one, I'd want it to be this one:

Je suis désolé(e), je suis encore en train d'apprendre le français. — I'm sorry, I'm still learning French.

This phrase is magic. It tells the other person: I'm trying. I know I'm not perfect. Please be patient with me. And almost without exception, French people respond to it with warmth. They slow down. They explain things. They sometimes try a few words of English to help. The energy of the conversation shifts immediately.

The myth that French people are cold or impatient with foreigners learning their language is mostly that — a myth. What French people don't like is foreigners assuming everyone speaks English. What they love is foreigners trying.

I wrote a post on how to speak French confidently without perfect grammar that goes deeper into this idea, if perfectionism is what's keeping you stuck.

How to actually use these in real life

Reading these phrases isn't enough. You need to make them automatic, so they come out of your mouth without you having to think. Here's how.

Pick three from this post. Just three. Write them on a sticky note and put them on your laptop, your bathroom mirror, or your phone wallpaper. Whatever you'll see often.

Then, every day this week, use them out loud. Even alone. Pretend you're in a conversation. Practice saying euh, comment on dit... until it feels natural. Practice je suis encore en train d'apprendre until you can say it without hesitation.

The next time you're in a real French conversation and you start to freeze, the phrase will show up automatically. That's when you know it's stuck.

If you want a bigger collection of phrases that actually save you in real conversations, my free ebook with 100 essential everyday French phrases is built around this exact idea.

You're allowed to not know

One last thing, because it's the most important.

You don't have to know every word. You don't have to speak in perfect sentences. You don't have to never freeze. The goal isn't to sound flawless. The goal is to keep the conversation alive.

Every fluent French speaker you know — including French people themselves — uses these phrases all the time. Filler words, hesitations, "wait, what was I saying," "comment dire," "tu vois ce que je veux dire ?" These aren't signs of bad French. They're signs of real French.

So next time you freeze, remember: you have options. You don't have to disappear into silence. You have phrases that keep you in the room.

If you want a structured way to learn French that includes the natural, conversational tools you actually need, you can try a free sample lesson from my course here and see how I teach.

À très vite, Clémence