From Bonjour to Voilà: The French Phrases We Can’t Live Without

Did you know that a lot of French words have actually become a part of our everyday vocabulary?

You probably know words that are often used in fashion, cuisine and the arts like “prêt-à-porter,” “bon appétit” and “genre,” right? 

So what kind of words do we use and what do they mean?

• à la carte – on the menu, food that can be ordered as separate items, rather than part of a set meal
• apéritif – a pre-dinner drink
• à propos – with regards to
• au contraire – on the contrary or just the opposite
• avant-garde – innovative or experimental ideas or actions, particularly in the arts
• bon appétit – enjoy your meal
• bon voyage – have a good trip
• boutique – a small, specialised shop, typically selling fashionable or luxury items
• chauffeur – a driver
• chic – stylish or fashionable
• couture – high-end, custom-made clothing or fashion design
• cul-de-sac – a dead-end street
• décolleté – cleavage, garment with a low-cut neckline
• déjà vu – the feeling of having experienced something before
• eau de cologne – a type of perfume or fragrance
• entrepreneur – a person who has created a company
• faux – false or fake, often used to describe imitation materials or designs
• faux pas – a social blunder
• fiancé(e) – a person engaged to be married
• hors d’œuvre – an appetiser before a meal
• je ne sais quoi – a quality or feature that is hard to describe
• laissez-faire – the policy of leaving things to take their own course, without interfering
• lingerie – female underwear
• rendezvous – a meeting, date
• répondez s’il vous plaît (RSVP) – please reply to an invitation
• savoir-faire – know-how
• soirée – an evening party
• vis-à-vis – face-to-face
• voilà – there you go, there it is