Speaking Practice - Role Play: Everyday Transactional Scenarios
Handle a café, shop or station in French. Learn the polite phrases, the tu/vous rule and the question words you need to ace the speaking role play.
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The role-play task 🎤
In the Speaking exam you act out a short **role play**: an everyday situation such as ordering in a café, buying something in a shop, or asking at a station. You will need polite phrases, the right level of formality, and the correct **question words**. This module gives you all three.
Tu and vous 🗣️
French has two words for "you", and choosing the right one matters: - **tu** is informal, for a friend, a family member or someone your own age. - **vous** is formal or polite, for an adult you do not know, such as a shopkeeper or waiter. In a role play with a stranger, use **vous**.
Tu or vous?
You are in a shop, speaking to a shopkeeper you do not know. Should you use tu or vous?
- vous (formal, for someone you do not know)
- tu (informal, for friends and family)
- It never matters which you use
- nous (we)
Polite phrases 🙏
A few chunks make you sound polite and score marks: - **je voudrais** = I would like - **s'il vous plaît** = please - **merci** = thank you - **l'addition** = the bill
Match each French phrase to its meaning
- je voudrais
- s'il vous plaît
- l'addition
- merci
- I would like
- please
- the bill
- thank you
Question words ❔
To ask for what you need, learn the key question words: - **combien** = how much / how many - **où** = where - **quand** = when - **à quelle heure** = at what time
Match each question word to its meaning
- combien
- où
- quand
- à quelle heure
- how much / how many
- where
- when
- at what time
Ask the price
Which word do you use to ask how much something costs?
- combien
- où (where)
- quand
- merci
Order in a café
An interactive activity.
Useful role-play phrases
Select the THREE phrases that would be useful in a transactional role play.
- Je voudrais... (I would like)
- Avez-vous...? (Do you have?)
- Où est...? (Where is?)
- Le chien est bleu (The dog is blue)
- Vous êtes une table (You are a table)
- Bonjour combien pizza chat
At the station 🚉
Travel scenarios come up often. A few essentials: - **un billet** = a ticket - **la gare** = the station - **le train** = the train - **Où est...?** = Where is...?
Buy a ticket
Which phrase asks for a train ticket?
- Un billet, s'il vous plaît
- Un café, s'il vous plaît
- L'addition, s'il vous plaît
- Merci beaucoup
Complete the role play
To order politely: Je _____ un café, s'il vous plaît. To ask the price: C'est _____? To ask for the bill: _____, s'il vous plaît. To say thanks: _____.
Role-play summary
In the role play, use _____ (not tu) with someone you do not know. Say je _____ to order politely, and s'il vous _____ for please. Ask _____ to find out the price.