At the hairdresser in French: explain the haircut you want

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated 30 September 2026 · About the library

Ask for a trim, light layers and a clear length in French. Follow a salon consultation and practise confirming how much hair will be cut.

A2
16 lines
Practice mode
Learn this in the A2 notebook →

In short

Say Je voudrais garder la longueur to keep your hair long, then specify Enlevez seulement deux centimètres. For light layers, ask for un léger dégradé and confirm where the shortest strands will fall.

A hairdresser discussing a trim with a long-haired client. — Garder la longueur makes the desired cut clear. Illustration: Atelier

The customer wants a small trim and gentle layers around the face. In practice mode, hide her French and respond to the hairdresser’s questions.

Coiffeur
Bonjour ! Installez-vous. Qu’est-ce qu’on fait aujourd’hui ?
English
Hello! Take a seat. What are we doing today?
Cliente
Bonjour. Je voudrais rafraîchir ma coupe, mais garder la longueur.
Ask to tidy up your cut while keeping the length.
English
Hello. I’d like to tidy up my haircut but keep the length.
Coiffeur
Vous voulez enlever combien de centimètres ?
English
How many centimetres would you like taken off?
Cliente
Deux centimètres seulement, surtout sur les pointes.
Specify two centimetres, mainly off the ends.
English
Just two centimetres, mainly off the ends.
Coiffeur
D’accord. Vous voulez une coupe droite ou un dégradé ?
English
All right. Would you like a straight cut or layers?
Cliente
Un léger dégradé autour du visage. Je peux vous montrer une photo ?
Ask for light layers around your face and offer a photo.
English
Light layers around my face. Can I show you a photo?
Coiffeur
Oui, bien sûr. Sur cette photo, les mèches de devant sont assez courtes.
English
Yes, of course. In this photo, the front strands are quite short.
Cliente
Je les voudrais un peu plus longues, sous le menton.
Say you want the front strands longer, below your chin.
English
I’d like them a little longer, below my chin.
Coiffeur
Comme ceci ? Je vous montre dans le miroir.
English
Like this? I’ll show you in the mirror.
Cliente
Oui, c’est bien. Et je ne veux pas de frange.
Approve the length and say you don’t want a fringe.
English
Yes, that’s right. And I don’t want a fringe.
Coiffeur
Très bien. Vous portez souvent les cheveux attachés ?
English
Very good. Do you often wear your hair tied back?
Cliente
Oui, je voudrais pouvoir faire une queue de cheval.
Explain that you need enough length for a ponytail.
English
Yes, I’d like to be able to put it in a ponytail.
Coiffeur
Alors, on garde assez de longueur sur les côtés. Vous souhaitez un brushing ?
English
Then we’ll keep enough length at the sides. Would you like a blow-dry?
Cliente
Non merci, un séchage naturel me suffit. Quel sera le prix ?
Decline a blow-dry, ask for natural drying and check the price.
English
No thanks, just drying it naturally is enough. What will the price be?
Coiffeur
Trente-huit euros avec le shampoing. On enlève deux centimètres et on fait un léger dégradé, sans frange.
English
Thirty-eight euros including the shampoo. We’ll take off two centimetres and add light layers, with no fringe.
Cliente
C’est exactement ça. Vous pouvez me montrer la longueur avant de couper ?
Confirm the plan and ask to see the length before cutting.
English
That’s exactly right. Can you show me the length before cutting?

Four choices to settle in the mirror

French	English	Use
les pointes	the ends	Where the trim is needed.
un léger dégradé	light layers	Hair cut to different lengths, gently.
sous le menton	below the chin	A clear reference point for the front strands.
sans frange	without a fringe	A separate choice from the layers.

Point to what you mean

Je veux couper deux cheveux.Je voudrais enlever deux centimètres.
Deux cheveux means two individual hairs. Give the amount in centimetres.
Je ne veux pas une frange.Je ne veux pas de frange.
For a simple negative request, use pas de before the noun.

Keep going