How to Make Suggestions in French Without Sounding Pushy
Learn beginner-friendly French phrases for suggesting plans politely, softening ideas, and responding to other people's suggestions without pressure.
By LiamCulture & nuance · Yapr Learn
Making a suggestion in French is not just about translating 'How about...?' word for word. French speakers often use short question patterns, conditional forms, and simple reactions to keep a suggestion open. In this lesson, you will learn phrases such as On pourrait..., Ça te dit de..., and Pourquoi pas...? You will also practise softening your idea and responding when someone else suggests something. The focus is suggestions for activities and plans, not giving advice.
By the end, you can…
- suggest an activity or plan in French using two or three common patterns.
- soften a suggestion so it sounds open rather than pushy.
- accept, hesitate, or make a counter-suggestion when someone suggests something.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
On pourrait aller au café.
We could go to the café.
on poo-REH a-LEH oh ka-FEH
A gentle suggestion for a shared activity. The conditional pourrait makes it sound like an idea, not a decision.
Ça te dit de sortir ce soir ?
How about going out tonight? / Do you feel like going out tonight?
sa tuh DEE duh sor-TEER suh SWAR
Very common in everyday French. The pronoun te changes with the person: Ça vous dit...? for vous.
Pourquoi pas un pique-nique ?
Why not a picnic?
poor-KWA pah un peek-NEEK
A quick, friendly suggestion. It works well when the idea is simple and easy to accept or refuse.
Et si on prenait un verre ?
How about we get a drink?
eh see on pruh-NEH un VEHR
The imperfect prenait softens the suggestion. It sounds less direct than On prend un verre ?
Je pensais à un film, mais comme tu veux.
I was thinking of a film, but whatever you prefer.
zhuh pahn-SEH ah un FEELM, meh kum too VUH
Softens your own idea and leaves the choice open. Comme tu veux is informal; use comme vous voulez in formal contexts.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
A very useful pattern is On pourrait + infinitive. It means 'we could...' and presents the idea as one possibility: On pourrait marcher un peu. You can also use the question Ça te dit de + infinitive: Ça te dit de manger dehors ? For a more tentative tone, use Et si on + imperfect: Et si on partait plus tôt ? These patterns are common in friendly conversation and keep the suggestion open.
When to use it
Use On pourrait and Ça te dit de with friends, classmates, or people you know well. Use Ça vous dit de...? with a group or in a more polite context. Pourquoi pas...? is short and works for simple ideas: Pourquoi pas demain ? If you want to soften your suggestion after someone hesitates, add si tu veux or comme tu veux: On pourrait y aller demain, si tu veux. This shows you are not insisting.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Ça te dit de voir une expo samedi ?
How about seeing an exhibition on Saturday?sa tuh DEE duh vwar ün ek-SPO sa-muh-DEEPourquoi pas ? Mais je préfère l'après-midi.
Why not? But I prefer the afternoon.poor-KWA pah? meh zhuh pre-FEHR la-preh-mee-DEED'accord. On pourrait y aller vers quinze heures.
OK. We could go around three p.m.da-KOR. on poo-REH ee a-LEH vehr kanz UHRParfait. Et si on prenait un café avant ?
Perfect. How about we get a coffee before?par-FEH. eh see on pruh-NEH un ka-FEH a-VANA little context goes a long way
In many French-speaking contexts, a suggestion is often phrased as a question rather than a statement, and a short pause or a rising intonation matters. On pourrait and Ça te dit are common in France and widely understood elsewhere, though local habits and levels of formality vary. Using vous with strangers or older people is safer than assuming tu.
One thing to watch for
Translating 'How about...?' as Comment sur...? or using a direct command like Allons au café.
Try this instead: Use a real French suggestion pattern: Ça te dit d'aller au café ? or On pourrait aller au café. A direct command can sound pushy or like an order, which is exactly what this lesson helps you avoid.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1Turn 'We could watch a film' into a soft French suggestion.
Show a sample answer
On pourrait regarder un film.
On pourrait + infinitive is a standard soft suggestion. On regarde un film is possible but more direct; Et si on regardait un film ? is also correct and even softer.
2A friend says: Ça te dit de sortir ce soir ? You want to accept. What can you say?
Show a sample answer
Oui, pourquoi pas ? / Oui, avec plaisir.
Pourquoi pas ? accepts without overcommitting, and avec plaisir is warm and polite. Oui, d'accord is also fine in a friendly context.
3You suggested a picnic, but your friend seems unsure. Soften your idea in French.
Show a sample answer
On pourrait faire un pique-nique, si tu veux. / Je pensais à un pique-nique, mais comme tu veux.
Adding si tu veux or comme tu veux shows the other person has a choice. Both answers work; the second is slightly more tentative.
Use On pourrait..., Ça te dit de..., and Pourquoi pas...? to suggest plans, then add si tu veux or comme tu veux to keep the idea open and pressure-free.
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