Sauna · Français

Sauna in French: 10 phrases for tonight

A sauna social is quiet and relaxed: short sentences, low voices. The one practical question is the dress rule, which differs by country and venue, so ask before you go in.

Register: Informal (friendly). Tu is fine in a sauna. Always check the dress rule: in France it differs by venue. Many places require swimwear, some are nude, and in some places towels are compulsory.

How to read the sounds: Say the vowel through your nose where you see n/m after it (on, an, in); don't sound the n. r is a soft throat sound. Final consonants are mostly silent. Stress falls on the last syllable and is marked in CAPITALS.

10 phrases, door to goodbye

01 · Arriving
Bonjour / Bonsoir, ça va ?
Say it like: bon-ZHOOR / bon-SWAHR, sah VAH
Hello / Good evening, how are you?
02 · Saying you're new
C'est la première fois que je viens, et je viens seul(e).
Say it like: say lah pruh-MYAIR FWAH kuh zhuh VYAN, ay zhuh VYAN suhl
It's my first time here, and I came alone.
03 · Asking how it works
Comment ça marche ? Il y a des règles à connaître ?
Say it like: koh-MON sah MARSH? eel ee ah day REGL ah ko-NETR
How does it work? Are there rules I should know?
04 · Small talk
On est bien ici, hein ?
Say it like: on ay BYAN ee-SEE, an
It's nice in here, isn't it?
05 · Small talk
Tu es déjà venu(e) ?
Say it like: too ay day-ZHAH vuh-NOO
Have you been here before?
06 · Small talk
Où est-ce que je peux laisser mes affaires ?
Say it like: oo es kuh zhuh puh lay-SAY may-za-FAIR
Where can I leave my things?
07 · Dress code
On est en maillot ou sans ?
Say it like: on ay-TON my-YOH oo SON
Do people wear swimwear or not?
08 · Water on the stones
Je peux verser un peu d'eau sur les pierres ?
Say it like: zhuh puh vair-SAY un puh DOH soor lay PYAIR
May I pour a little water on the stones?
09 · Cooling off
Je sors me rafraîchir un moment.
Say it like: zhuh SOR muh rah-fray-SHEER un mo-MON
I'm going out to cool off for a bit.
10 · Leaving & keeping in touch
C'était très agréable. À la prochaine !
Say it like: say-TAY tray-za-gray-AHBL. ah lah pro-SHEN
That was very pleasant. Until next time!

3 things you will probably hear

H1 · You may hear
Pense à bien t'hydrater.
Say it like: PONS ah byan tee-drah-TAY
Remember to drink plenty of water.
H2 · You may hear
Mets ta serviette sous toi, sur le banc.
Say it like: may tah sair-VYET soo TWAH, soor luh BON
Put your towel under you on the bench.
H3 · You may hear
Ça te gêne si je verse de l'eau ?
Say it like: sah tuh ZHEN see zhuh VAIRS duh LOH
Do you mind if I pour some water?

Go and try it

Find sauna socials on Come Alone

Quick answers

What do I say when I arrive alone at a sauna social in French?

Start with: "Bonjour / Bonsoir, ça va ?" (Hello / Good evening, how are you?). Then say you are new: "C'est la première fois que je viens, et je viens seul(e)." (It's my first time here, and I came alone.)

Should I use informal or formal French at a sauna social?

Tu is fine in a sauna. Always check the dress rule: in France it differs by venue. Many places require swimwear, some are nude, and in some places towels are compulsory.

How do I ask to meet again after a sauna social in French?

Try: "C'était très agréable. À la prochaine !" (That was very pleasant. Until next time!)

Same evening, another language

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French, another evening

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All 7 × 6 cards · Phrases for a specific event near you

How it works

Pick the evening and the language people will speak.
Read the ten phrases in order: they follow the evening from the door to goodbye. Tap the speaker to hear each one in your device's voice.
Print the card or keep it open on your phone. Native-speaker review is still pending; a "check" mark flags a phrase we are least sure of.
Find the event on Come Alone, open it in Meet & Mint to see who else is going, and say the first phrase for real.

firstphrases.app/tonight/sauna/fr/ · Meet & Mint