The present invention to a process for preparing 1-phenylpyrazoles of the formula I in which each R1 is independently selected from chlorine, fluorine, alkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy and haloalkoxy; n is 1, 2 or 3; each R2 is independently selected from cyano, nitro, halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy, haloalkoxy, alkylthio and alkoxycarbonyl; m is 0, 1 or 2; A is alkyl, aryl or aryl-C1-C4-alkyl, where A optionally bears 1, 2, 3 or 4 substituents comprising reacting a phenyl halide of the formula (II) with a pyrazole derivative of the formula (III) in which X is chlorine, iodine or bromine; and R1, n, R2, m and A are each as defined above, in the presence of a base and a catalytic system comprising a ligand and a metal compound selected from palladium compounds, iron compounds and copper compounds.