"Euh... bah... alors...": the tiny sounds that make you sound French

Euh… what subject am I going to talk about today? Easy to find: filler words! Those tiny sounds don’t change the meaning of a sentence, but French people use them all the time.

We often call them tics de langage (speech tics). It means we use these words unconsciously and unintentionally. Think of them as the "um," "like," or "so" of the French world. If you want to move past the textbook and sound like you just hopped off a flight from Paris, you need to master these three:

• The legendary "Euuuh…" : this is the king of filler words. While an American says "um," a French says "euh." It’s the sound of your brain searching for a word.
  

• The shruggy "Bah…" : in San Francisco, we might say "Well..." or "Duh." In France, we just say Bah. It’s often accompanied by the famous Gallic Shrug (a slight lift of the shoulders). 
  

          How to use it? Use it for things that are obvious. 
          "Are you coming to the Alliance tonight?" – "Bah oui!" (Well, obviously!)

• The launcher: "Alors…" : this is how we kick-start a conversation. It’s the equivalent of the Californian "So...".

          The vibe: even if you have nothing to say yet, starting with a long "Alors..." makes you look like you have a very important story to tell.                    It sets the stage.