In this workshop you will practice the French you need at a hair salon. You will learn how to ask for a haircut politely, say that you already have an appointment, ask to make one, and check whether there is availability. You will also hear a short exchange between a customer and a stylist, and you will practice both roles. Each French example comes from the recordings, and the English meaning is explained before you use it. Speak the lines out loud, listen carefully, and check your answers at the end of each task.
Asking for a haircut politely
The safest way to ask for a haircut is a polite request rather than a direct demand. The recording «Bonjour, je voudrais une coupe, s'il vous plaît.» means 'Hello, I'd like a haircut, please.' The phrase 'je voudrais' means 'I would like' and is softer than 'je veux', which means 'I want' and can sound blunt. Use «Bonjour, je voudrais une coupe, s'il vous plaît.» when you walk into a salon and want to state what you need. Say it slowly at first: 'Bonjour' first, then the request, then 's'il vous plaît'. Repeat the whole line three times until it feels natural. This one sentence is enough to start the conversation in many salons.
Saying you have an appointment or asking to make one
If you already booked a time, use «J'ai rendez-vous à quinze heures.», which means 'I have an appointment at 3 p.m.' The expression 'j'ai rendez-vous' means 'I have an appointment'. French often uses the 24-hour clock, so 'quinze heures' is 3 p.m. If you do not have an appointment, use «Je voudrais prendre rendez-vous.», which means 'I'd like to make an appointment.' The expression 'prendre rendez-vous' means 'to make an appointment'. To ask about free times, use «Vous avez de la disponibilité demain ?», which means 'Do you have any availability tomorrow?' The word 'demain' means 'tomorrow'. You can also ask about 'cet après-midi' (this afternoon) or 'samedi' (Saturday). Notice that «Je voudrais prendre rendez-vous.» and «Vous avez de la disponibilité demain ?» work together: first say you want to book, then ask about availability.
Understanding the stylist's questions
In the short dialogue, the customer says «Bonjour, je voudrais une coupe, s'il vous plaît.», which means 'Hello, I'd like a haircut, please.' The stylist answers with «Bonjour. Vous avez rendez-vous ?», which means 'Hello. Do you have an appointment?' The question 'Vous avez rendez-vous ?' asks whether you have an appointment. The customer replies with «Non, je voudrais prendre rendez-vous. Vous avez de la disponibilité cet après-midi ?», which means 'No, I'd like to make an appointment. Do you have any availability this afternoon?' The stylist then says «Oui, à seize heures. Comment est-ce qu'on coupe ?», which means 'Yes, at 4 p.m. How shall we cut it?' The time 'seize heures' means 4 p.m. The question 'Comment est-ce qu'on coupe ?' asks how the cut should be done. Listen for the time and the question about the cut, because those are the two pieces of information you need to answer.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
Bonjour, je voudrais une coupe, s'il vous plaît.
Hello, I'd like a haircut, please.
bon-ZHOOR, zhuh voo-DREH ewn koop, seel voo PLEH
J'ai rendez-vous à quinze heures.
I have an appointment at 3 p.m.
zhay rahn-day-VOO ah kanz URR
Je voudrais prendre rendez-vous.
I'd like to make an appointment.
zhuh voo-DREH PRAHN-druh rahn-day-VOO
Vous avez de la disponibilité demain ?
Do you have any availability tomorrow?
voo za-VAY duh lah dees-po-nee-bee-lee-TAY duh-MAN
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
Bonjour, je voudrais une coupe, s'il vous plaît.
Hello, I'd like a haircut, please.Bonjour. Vous avez rendez-vous ?
Hello. Do you have an appointment?Non, je voudrais prendre rendez-vous. Vous avez de la disponibilité cet après-midi ?
No, I'd like to make an appointment. Do you have any availability this afternoon?Oui, à seize heures. Comment est-ce qu'on coupe ?
Yes, at 4 p.m. How shall we cut it?Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided exchange: customer walks in
Imagine you walk into a salon with no appointment. You will play the customer. The stylist's lines are given so you can practice the full exchange out loud.
Your task: Say the customer's first line using «Bonjour, je voudrais une coupe, s'il vous plaît.». Then imagine the stylist asks whether you have an appointment, using «Bonjour. Vous avez rendez-vous ?». Answer that you do not have one and that you would like to make an appointment, using «Je voudrais prendre rendez-vous.». Then ask about availability this afternoon, using the question form from «Non, je voudrais prendre rendez-vous. Vous avez de la disponibilité cet après-midi ?». Speak each line out loud before moving to the next.
Reply comprehension: choose the right answer
Read the stylist's line and choose the customer reply that fits. The stylist says the line from «Bonjour. Vous avez rendez-vous ?», which means 'Hello. Do you have an appointment?'
Your task: Say both possible replies out loud: (a) the line from «J'ai rendez-vous à quinze heures.», which means 'I have an appointment at 3 p.m.', and (b) the line from «Je voudrais prendre rendez-vous.», which means 'I'd like to make an appointment.' Then decide which reply fits if you already have an appointment and which fits if you need to book one. After that, listen to the stylist's line from «Oui, à seize heures. Comment est-ce qu'on coupe ?», which means 'Yes, at 4 p.m. How shall we cut it?' and decide whether the stylist is giving a time and asking about the cut, or asking whether you have an appointment.
Recall with correct roles
This time you will play both roles in the short dialogue. The customer's lines are «Bonjour, je voudrais une coupe, s'il vous plaît.» and «Non, je voudrais prendre rendez-vous. Vous avez de la disponibilité cet après-midi ?». The stylist's lines are «Bonjour. Vous avez rendez-vous ?» and «Oui, à seize heures. Comment est-ce qu'on coupe ?».
Your task: First play the customer: say «Bonjour, je voudrais une coupe, s'il vous plaît.», then wait, then say «Non, je voudrais prendre rendez-vous. Vous avez de la disponibilité cet après-midi ?». Next play the stylist: say «Bonjour. Vous avez rendez-vous ?», then wait, then say «Oui, à seize heures. Comment est-ce qu'on coupe ?». Do the whole dialogue twice, once as the customer and once as the stylist. Keep the order: customer, stylist, customer, stylist.
Common questions
What is the difference between asking for a haircut and asking to make an appointment?
Asking for a haircut states what you want, as in «Bonjour, je voudrais une coupe, s'il vous plaît.», which means 'Hello, I'd like a haircut, please.' Asking to make an appointment is about booking a time, as in «Je voudrais prendre rendez-vous.», which means 'I'd like to make an appointment.' Use the first when you state your service, and the second when you need to arrange a time.
How do I know whether the stylist is asking about an appointment or about the cut?
Listen for the key words. The question in «Bonjour. Vous avez rendez-vous ?» means 'Do you have an appointment?' and uses 'rendez-vous'. The question in «Oui, à seize heures. Comment est-ce qu'on coupe ?» means 'How shall we cut it?' and uses 'coupe'. The first is about booking; the second is about the style of the haircut.
Sources and further reading
- french: ask for a haircutChecked September 2026
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