Santé! Wine and Beer Talk at a French Apéro
Casual French phrases for ordering drinks, talking about wine and beer, and raising a glass at an apéro.
The apéro, drinks and snacks before dinner, is a pillar of French social life, at home or on a café terrace. When you clink glasses, French custom is to look each other in the eye; in a bar, « un demi » is a 25 cl glass of draught beer, and craft breweries are now everywhere. Drink-driving limits are strict (0.5 g/l, 0.2 for new drivers), so the friend who stays sober to drive is nicknamed « Sam » after a road safety campaign, and alcohol-free options are easy to find.
- 1
On se fait un apéro ?
Shall we have an apéro?
- 2
Allez, à la tienne !
Come on, cheers!
- 3
Regarde-moi dans les yeux quand on trinque !
Look me in the eye when we clink glasses!
- 4
Un demi pression, s'il vous plaît.
A half of draught beer, please.
- 5
Vous avez des bières artisanales ?
Do you have any craft beers?
- 6
Du rouge ou du blanc ?
Red or white?
- 7
Ce vin est fruité et léger.
This wine is fruity and light.
- 8
Il se marie très bien avec le fromage.
It goes really well with cheese.
- 9
Ce vin est bouchonné.
This wine is corked.
- 10
L'été, je bois que du rosé.
In summer, I only drink rosé.
- 11
Juste une larme, merci.
Just a tiny drop, thanks.
- 12
Pas pour moi, merci, je conduis.
Not for me, thanks, I'm driving.
- 13
Vous avez quelque chose sans alcool ?
Do you have anything alcohol-free?
- 14
C'est qui, Sam, ce soir ?
Who's the designated driver tonight?
Tip: A road safety campaign gave the sober driver a nickname.
- 15
C'est un bon millésime.
It's a good vintage.
- 16
Tu peux déboucher la bouteille ?
Can you open the bottle?
- 17
On prend un pichet de rouge ?
Shall we get a jug of red?
- 18
Je suis un peu pompette.
I'm a bit tipsy.
- 19
Ça me monte vite à la tête.
It goes straight to my head.
- 20
Un dernier pour la route ?
One for the road?