How can I ask for recommendations in French
To ask for recommendations in French, the safest all-purpose forms are Que me conseillez-vous ? and Que recommandez-vous ? for formal situations, while As-tu des recommandations ? works in informal conversation. In a restaurant, adding the item or context makes the question feel natural and specific, for example Que me conseillez-vous comme plat ?
French speakers often choose between conseiller and recommander depending on the nuance. Conseiller is slightly broader and can mean “advise” as well as “recommend,” while recommander is a direct recommendation. In everyday speech, both are common and understood immediately.
The most useful ways to ask
- Que me conseillez-vous ? — What do you recommend? This is formal and polite.
- Que recommandez-vous ? — What do you recommend? This is also formal and common.
- As-tu des recommandations ? — Do you have any recommendations? This is informal and natural with friends.
- Pourriez-vous me recommander quelque chose ? — Could you recommend something to me? This is very polite and useful in shops, hotels, or restaurants.
- Qu’est-ce que vous me conseillez ? — What would you advise me? This sounds polite and slightly more open-ended.
A very small change can shift the level of formality. Vous is the standard choice with strangers, service staff, and anyone in a professional setting. Tu is reserved for friends, peers, children, and other situations where informal speech is already established.
Asking for recommendations in a restaurant
Restaurant requests are often more effective when they mention the category of food or the moment of the day. French waitstaff are used to hearing short, specific questions like these:
- Que me conseillez-vous comme plat ? — What do you recommend as a dish?
- Qu’est-ce que vous recommandez aujourd’hui ? — What do you recommend today?
- Qu’est-ce qui est bon ici ? — What is good here?
- Quel est votre plat le plus populaire ? — What is your most popular dish?
- Qu’est-ce que vous me conseillez pour accompagner le vin ? — What do you recommend to go with the wine?
Qu’est-ce qui est bon ici ? is especially useful because it sounds natural and shows genuine curiosity without being overly formal. It is one of the most practical phrases for a menu you do not know well.
Useful variations by situation
Recommendations are not limited to restaurants. The same pattern works for travel, shopping, books, films, or places to visit.
- Vous me conseillez quoi ? — What do you recommend? This is conversational and common in spoken French.
- Tu me conseilles quoi ? — What do you recommend? Informal and very frequent among friends.
- Avez-vous une recommandation ? — Do you have a recommendation? Polite and neutral.
- Vous auriez un conseil ? — Would you have a piece of advice? Useful when asking for guidance, not just a product or dish.
- Vous avez une idée ? — Do you have an idea? A relaxed way to ask for a suggestion.
The phrase Vous me conseillez quoi ? is especially common in spoken French because it is short, direct, and easy to say quickly. It is less formal than Que me conseillez-vous ?, but it works well in everyday conversation.
Politeness and tone
Adding s’il vous plaît makes a request more courteous, especially in face-to-face service situations.
- Que me conseillez-vous, s’il vous plaît ?
- Pourriez-vous me recommander quelque chose, s’il vous plaît ?
French politeness also depends on intonation and context. A short, clear question with a friendly tone often sounds better than an overly elaborate sentence. In practice, learners who rehearse these forms out loud tend to gain more confidence with the rhythm and pronunciation of polite French than with silent study alone.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Overusing direct translations from English. “What do you recommend me?” is not the natural structure in French. Que me conseillez-vous ? is the standard form.
- Using tu with strangers. In many contexts, vous is the safer default.
- Being too vague in restaurants. Que me conseillez-vous ? is fine, but adding comme plat, pour le dessert, or aujourd’hui makes the request easier to answer.
- Forgetting that context matters. Conseiller can sound like advice, while recommander can sound like a recommendation; both are correct, but the surrounding words shape the meaning.
Quick reference
- Formal: Que me conseillez-vous ?
- Formal: Que recommandez-vous ?
- Very polite: Pourriez-vous me recommander quelque chose ?
- Informal: As-tu des recommandations ?
- Restaurant: Qu’est-ce que vous recommandez aujourd’hui ?
- Restaurant: Que me conseillez-vous comme plat ?
These phrases are widely understood and cover most everyday situations where a French speaker wants a recommendation clearly and politely.