French Conversation: Showing Hesitation with 'Well', 'Um', and 'I'm Not Sure'
Learn to express hesitation in French with fillers like bon, ben, and euh, plus softeners such as je ne suis pas sûr, to sound natural when you need time to think.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
Hesitation is not the same as doubt or certainty. In conversation, French speakers often need a moment to think, soften an answer, or avoid committing too quickly. This lesson focuses on the specific skill of showing hesitation: using fillers like bon and ben, the thinking sound euh, and phrases such as je ne suis pas sûr. You will practise short, natural turns that keep a conversation going without sounding abrupt or overly definite.
By the end, you can…
- use French hesitation fillers such as bon, ben, and euh to gain thinking time.
- soften an answer with je ne suis pas sûr, ça dépend, and je ne sais pas trop.
- distinguish hesitation from strong certainty or strong doubt in short replies.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Bon, ça dépend.
Well, it depends.
bohn sah day-PAHN
Bon here is a hesitation marker, not the adjective 'good'. It signals you are about to give a considered answer.
Ben, je ne sais pas trop.
Well, I don't really know.
behn zhuh nuh say pah troh
Ben is very common in informal spoken French, especially in France. It softens a negative or uncertain reply.
Euh, laisse-moi réfléchir.
Um, let me think.
uh less-mwah ray-flay-SHEER
Euh is the standard French thinking sound. Use it briefly; too many euhs can sound unprepared.
Je ne suis pas sûr, mais peut-être.
I'm not sure, but maybe.
zhuh nuh swee pah sewr meh puh-TETR
A polite, neutral way to hesitate without saying no. In casual speech, ne is often dropped: je suis pas sûr.
Hmm, pas vraiment, non.
Hmm, not really, no.
mm pah vray-MAHN nohn
A hesitant refusal. The final non reinforces the answer while the hesitation keeps it gentle.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
A common hesitation pattern is filler + softener + short answer. For example: Bon, je ne suis pas sûr, mais ça dépend. Here bon gives you a moment, je ne suis pas sûr lowers your commitment, and ça dépend avoids a direct yes or no. You can also use Ben, euh, or Hmm at the start. These fillers do not change the facts of your answer; they change the tone, making you sound thoughtful rather than blunt.
When to use it
Use hesitation markers when you need time, when the question is sensitive, or when you do not want to commit. For example, if a friend asks Tu viens ce soir ?, you can reply Ben, je ne sais pas trop, ça dépend. If a colleague asks for a firm decision, bon, laisse-moi réfléchir is appropriate. Avoid stacking too many fillers in formal writing or job interviews; in those contexts, prefer a clear je ne suis pas sûr followed by a reason.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Tu viens au cinéma ce soir ?
Are you coming to the cinema tonight?tew vee-ahn oh see-nay-mah suh swahrBen, je ne sais pas trop. Ça dépend de l'heure.
Well, I don't really know. It depends on the time.behn zhuh nuh say pah troh sah day-PAHN duh luhrLa séance est à huit heures. Tu es libre ?
The screening is at eight. Are you free?lah say-AHNSS ay tah wee-tuhr tew ay LEE-bruhEuh, je ne suis pas sûr. Je te dis ça plus tard, d'accord ?
Um, I'm not sure. I'll let you know later, okay?uh zhuh nuh swee pah sewr zhuh tuh dee sah plew tar dah-KOHRA little context goes a long way
In France, bon and ben are extremely common in informal conversation, while euh is a neutral thinking sound. In Quebec, ben is also frequent, but pronunciation and some fillers differ. In more formal settings, such as a meeting or an interview, French speakers tend to reduce fillers and use a clear je ne suis pas sûr or je vais vérifier instead.
One thing to watch for
Using bon to mean 'good' in a hesitation phrase, as in Bon, je ne sais pas, and assuming it always means 'good'.
Try this instead: In hesitation, bon works as a discourse marker meaning 'well' or 'okay, let me think'. It does not describe quality. If you mean 'good', use bon as an adjective in a phrase like C'est bon. For hesitation, Bon, ça dépend is correct.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How would you say 'Well, it depends' in French?
Show a sample answer
Bon, ça dépend.
Bon acts as a hesitation filler and ça dépend means 'it depends'. Ben, ça dépend is also acceptable in informal speech.
2Which French filler is the equivalent of 'um' when you need time to think?
Show a sample answer
Euh.
Euh is the standard thinking sound in French. Hmm can also work, but euh is the closest match for 'um'.
3Make this reply more hesitant: Je ne sais pas.
Show a sample answer
Ben, je ne sais pas trop.
Adding ben and trop softens the reply and shows hesitation. Je ne sais pas vraiment is another valid option.
Use bon and ben to open a hesitant reply, euh to buy time, and je ne suis pas sûr or ça dépend to avoid committing too quickly.
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