Sound Native: 10 'Mots de Remplissage' (Fillers) That Examiners Love

Published: March 17, 2026 | Category: Tips & Tricks | Read Time: 9 Mins

When speaking in a foreign language, silence is your enemy. But so is "Uhhhh." In the TEF/TCF Speaking exams, Fluency is highly rewarded.

Native French speakers use specific filler words—mots de remplissage or tics de langage—to buy time when they are thinking of the next word. Using these words doesn’t show a lack of vocabulary; it shows that you understand the rhythm of the language.

Here are 10 filler words that making you sound fluent and buy you critical thinking time.

1. Alors (So)

The ultimate conversation starter or connector.

• Use it to: Pivot to a new idea.
• Example: "Alors, pour répondre à votre question, je pense que..." (So, to answer your question, I think that...)

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2. En fait (In fact / Actually)

This is used constantly by native speakers to clarify or build on a point.

• Use it to: Correct a minor detail or add a specification.
• Example: "En fait, ce que je voulais dire, c'est que..." (Actually, what I meant to say is that...)

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3. Du coup (As a result / So)

Extremely useful for expressing correlation or adding flow.

• Use it to: Replace "donc" (therefore) which can sound repetitive.
• Example: "Il n'y avait plus de billets, du coup j'ai dû changer de plan." (There were no more tickets, so I had to change plans.)

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4. Bon (Well...)

Often used at the beginning of a thought, especially when summarizing.

• Use it to: Transition or conclude.
• Example: "Bon, tout bien considéré, l'offre est intéressante." (Well, all things considered, the offer is interesting.)

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5. C'est-à-dire que... (That is to say...)

A highly formal filler that examiners love because it triggers a complex descriptive clause.

• Use it to: Explain a preceding statement in more depth.
• Example: "Je ne suis pas disponible, c'est-à-dire que je dois travailler." (I am not available, that is to say I have to work.)

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6. Genre (Like)

🚨 Warning: This is highly informal!

• Use it to: Introduce an example, but ONLY use it in TEF Section B when speaking to a friend. Do NOT use it with examiners in TCF Task 3 or formal roleplays.

7. Bref (In short)

Used to wrap up a long explanation beautifully.

• Use it to: Move to a final summary sentence.
• Example: "Bref, je pense que c'est une excellente idée." (In short, I think it’s an excellent idea.)

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8. Tu vois / Vous voyez (You see)

Great for creating a connection with the listener (the examiner).

• Use it to: Maintain interactive flow.
• Example: "Vous voyez, la situation est complexe." (You see, the situation is complex.)

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9. Bah (Well / Duh)

A sound of hesitation usually combined with oui or non.

• Use it to: sound organic and fully comfortable with French sounds.
• (Well yes, of course!)

10. Quand même (Still / All the same)

A powerful structural filler showing an appreciation for nuance.

• Use it to: Highlight that even with previous points, a fact remains true.
• Example: "C'est cher, mais c'est quand même de la bonne qualité." (It's expensive, but it's still good quality.)

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Practice makes perfect

Don’t force 5 fillers into one sentence. Pick two or three (like Alors, En fait, and Du coup) and integrate them into your starting and transition points.

On PrepMyFrench.com, when you practice with our AI Corrector, you can review audio transcripts. Our analyser notes if your fillers provide safe spacing or if you are overusing fillers at the expense of rich noun-structures.

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