#244 Requesting a Bang Trim at a Hair Salon｜French Daily Life Phrases

When you visit a hair salon, you may often want to ask for a trim of your bangs.

Since even small nuances can significantly affect the final result, it is important to communicate your preferences clearly in French.

In this section, I will explain useful French expressions for requesting a bang trim at a hair salon, along with key grammatical points.

Dialogue

A

Bonjour, je voudrais faire couper ma frange, s’il vous plaît.
（Hello, I would like to have my bangs trimmed, please.）

B

Bien sûr. Vous voulez la raccourcir de combien ?
（Of course. How much would you like them shortened?）

A

Juste un peu, au-dessus des sourcils.
（Just a little, just above the eyebrows.）

B

Quel style souhaitez-vous ?
（What style would you prefer?）

A

Plutôt naturel, pas trop épais.
（Something rather natural, not too thick.）

B

D’accord.
（All right.）

1. Expressing Your Request for a Trim

When you want to ask for a bang trim at a hair salon, you can express your request as follows:

The expression “Je voudrais …” means “I would like to …” and is a polite way to state your request. The verb “voudrais” is the conditional form of “vouloir” (to want), which adds a softer and more considerate tone.

Next, “faire couper” means “to have something cut.” This construction “faire + infinitive” expresses a causative meaning—that is, you are not performing the action yourself, but asking someone else to do it.

The phrase “ma frange” means “my bangs.” Since “frange” is a feminine noun, the possessive adjective “ma” is used.

2. Specifying the Desired Length

When trimming bangs, specifying the length is particularly important.

By clearly stating how much you want cut—such as “just a little,” “above the eyebrows,” or “not too short”—you can avoid misunderstandings.

The expression “juste un peu” means “just a little.” Here, “juste” adds a limiting nuance, meaning “only” or “just,” rather than “exactly.”

The phrase “un peu” indicates a small amount, making the request sound moderate and careful.

Therefore, “Juste un peu” conveys the idea of trimming lightly rather than cutting too much.

The expression “au-dessus des sourcils” means “above the eyebrows.” The structure “au-dessus de” indicates a position “above” something.

By using such positional expressions, you can communicate your desired length more precisely than simply saying “shorter.”

3. Describing the Desired Style

When requesting a bangs trim, it is also important to describe not only the length, but the overall style.

The adverb “plutôt” means “rather” or “relatively,” and allows you to express your preference in a softer, less absolute way.

At a hair salon, it is often useful to leave some flexibility in your request, and “plutôt” helps convey that nuance.

The adjective “naturel” means “natural,” and here it describes the overall finish or style of the bangs.

The phrase “pas trop épais” means “not too thick.” The structure “pas trop + adjective” expresses “not too much” or “not excessively.”

Although “épais” literally means “thick,” when used to describe hair, it often refers to a heavy or dense appearance.

Summary