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How to Say ‘Excuse me, can I buy you a drink?’ in French

Excusez-moi, je peux vous offrir un verre ?

eks-kew-zey mwah zhuh puh voo oh-FREER uhn vair

[eks-kew-zey mwah zhuh puh voo oh-FREER uhn vair]

🇫🇷 In France: Asking first, using polite vous with a stranger, is the respectful way to do this in France. If the answer is Non, merci "No, thanks", a smile and stepping away is what's expected.

Phrase Breakdown

Excusez-moi,

eks-kew-zey mwah

Excuse me,

A polite way to get someone's attention. Say 'ex-kü-zé mwa', with a rounded 'ü'.

Example

Excusez-moi, où est la gare ?

Excuse me, where is the station?

Words in this phrase

Excusez

[eks-kew-zey]

Excuse

A polite request for forgiveness or attention.

Example

Excusez-moi, je dois passer.

Excuse me, I need to pass through.

-moi

[mwah]

Used to refer to oneself, asking for attention or pardon.

Example

Excusez-moi de vous déranger.

Excuse me for disturbing you.

je peux vous offrir

zhuh puh voo oh-FREER

can I offer you

Link 'vous offrir' with a 'z' sound: 'voo-zo-freer'. The 'x' in 'peux' is silent.

Example

Je peux vous offrir des fleurs ?

Can I offer you some flowers?

Words in this phrase

[zhuh]

Pronoun used by the speaker to identify themselves.

Example

Je suis content.

I am happy.

peux

[puh]

can / may

From the verb pouvoir; used to ask permission or say what you are able to do.

Example

Est-ce que je peux vous parler après le cours ?

May I speak to you after class?

vous

[voo]

to you

Indirect object pronoun: the person receiving something.

Example

Je vous donne la monnaie.

I give you the change.

offrir

[oh-FREER]

to offer / to buy (for someone)

Infinitive of 'offrir'; used for treating someone to something, like a drink.

Example

Je veux offrir des fleurs à ma mère.

I want to give flowers to my mother.

un verre ?

uhn vair

a drink?

A common phrase for inviting someone to a drink. Use rising intonation for the question.

Example

Tu veux un verre ?

Do you want a drink?

Words in this phrase

[uhn]

a / an

An indefinite article used before a masculine singular noun.

Example

Un casque est important pour le roller.

A helmet is important for inline skating.

verre

[vair]

drink (glass)

Literally 'glass'; 'un verre' commonly means a drink, especially alcoholic.

Example

On prend un verre ce soir ?

Shall we have a drink tonight?

Guides for French learners

Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.Hello in French: Greetings, Good Evening and How to Answer "How Are You?"How to say hello in French, when to switch to good evening, how to ask how are you and what to answer, with tu vs vous and native audio.

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