When you talk in French, using little words or phrases called fillers can help you sound more natural and fluent. These fillers give you a moment to think and make your speech feel more relaxed and friendly. Let’s explore some common fillers that French speakers use.

Common Fillers:

1. Euh: This is like saying "uh" or "um" in English. You’ll hear it a lot when someone is pausing or thinking.

   • Example: "Je vais, euh, à la boulangerie." (I’m going, uh, to the bakery.)

2. Ben: This works like saying "well." It can make your statements softer or give you a little time to think.

   • Example: "Ben, je ne sais pas..." (Well, I don’t know...)

3. Alors: This means "so" or "then." It’s great for moving from one idea to another.

   • Example: "Alors, qu'est-ce que tu penses de ça?" (So, what do you think about that?)

4. Tu vois: This means "you see" and helps to connect with your listener.

   • Example: "C'était incroyable, tu vois?" (It was amazing, you see?)

5. En fait: This translates to "actually" or "in fact," and it’s good for explaining something more clearly.

   • Example: "En fait, je préfère le thé." (Actually, I prefer tea.)

Using Fillers Effectively

Using these fillers can be helpful, but don’t go overboard! If you use them too much, it might not sound very polished. Try to add them naturally to your conversations. You’ll see that they can really help improve how you speak in French. Happy chatting!