French · Travel & Getting Around
"Keep the change" in French: gardez la monnaie
gardez la monnaie
Keep the change in French is gardez la monnaie — polite vous to staff. Use it when paying cash and leaving a tip. La monnaie is the change.
Taxi drop-off
Voici vingt euros — gardez la monnaie.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce gardez la monnaie
Say it
gar-DAY lah moh-NEH
/ɡaʁ.de la mɔ.nɛ/
Gardez: gar-DAY. La: lah. Monnaie: moh-NEH. Clear stress on DAY and NEH.
"Keep the change" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| gardez la monnaie | keep the change Default tip line. | Default tip line. |
| gardez la monnaie, merci | keep the change, thanks Warmer. | Warmer. |
| c'est bon, gardez la monnaie | it's fine, keep the change Stopping exact change fuss. | Stopping exact change fuss. |
| pas de monnaie, gardez | no change needed, keep it Very short. | Very short. |
How to use gardez la monnaie in real life
- 1Taxi drop-off
Voici vingt euros — gardez la monnaie.
Here's twenty euros—keep the change.
Vous to driver.
- 2Café counter
Gardez la monnaie, c'était parfait.
Keep the change; it was perfect.
Service praise.
- 3Hair salon
Je paie en liquide : gardez la monnaie.
I'm paying cash: keep the change.
Cash tip.
Mistakes English speakers make with gardez la monnaie
Incorrect: Garde la monnaie.
Correct: Gardez la monnaie.
This headword uses vous: gardez.
Incorrect: Gardez le change.
Correct: Gardez la monnaie.
Change money is la monnaie, not le change.
Good to know
Service is often included (service compris) in France, so tips are optional extras. Gardez la monnaie is a simple cash tip; card payments may need a different tip habit.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Paying a taxi
ChatPal
On dit gardez la monnaie ?
Do we say keep the change?
You
Oui — gardez la monnaie, merci.
Yes—keep the change, thanks.
ChatPal
Gardez la monnaie pour le trajet.
Keep the change for the ride.
You
Bonne soirée !
Have a good evening!
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Keep the change" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Keep the change" in French
How do you say keep the change in French?
Gardez la monnaie.
Why vous?
You're speaking to staff: gardez.
Is tipping required?
Not always; this phrase is for a voluntary cash tip.
How do you pronounce monnaie?
moh-NEH.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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