1,500 Basic French Words for Beginners (Learn Fast)

There’s a world of difference between visiting a country and truly experiencing it.

That’s why I’ve created this guide. It’s not just a random list of words. It’s a curated collection of the 1,000 most practical, high-frequency words and phrases that form the core of everyday French. Think of it as the 20% of the language that will unlock 80% of your conversational and writing ability.

This is your toolkit for building bridges, sharing stories, and turning simple interactions into meaningful connections.

Allons-y! (Let’s go!)

Part 1: The Absolute Essentials

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Group of young people in Paris - French Words — *Image made with Sora – French Words*

Table of Contents

Essential Greetings (Les Salutations) 🗣️

These are the first French words out of your mouth in any conversation, so let’s make them second nature.

Bonjour (bohn-zhoor) – Hello/Good day
Bonsoir (bohn-swahr) – Good evening
Salut (sah-loo) – Hi/Bye (casual)
Au revoir (oh ruh-vwahr) – Goodbye
Bonne journée (bun zhoor-nay) – Have a good day
Bonne soirée (bun swah-ray) – Have a good evening
Bonne nuit (bun nwee) – Good night
À bientôt (ah bee-ahn-toh) – See you soon
À plus tard (ah ploo tahr) – See you later
À tout à l’heure (ah too tah luhr) – See you in a bit (if meeting later the same day)
À demain (ah duh-mahn) – See you tomorrow
Ça va? (sah vah) – How are you? (informal)
Comment allez-vous? (kom-mohn-tah-lay-voo) – How are you? (formal/plural)
Ça va bien, merci (sah vah bee-ahn, mehr-see) – I’m doing well, thank you.
Pas mal (pah mahl) – Not bad.
Et toi? (ay twah) – And you? (informal)
Et vous? (ay voo) – And you? (formal)
Bienvenue (bee-ahn-vuh-noo) – Welcome (as in, welcome to this place)
Enchanté(e) (ohn-shahn-tay) – Delighted to meet you.
À la prochaine (ah lah pro-shen) – Until next time.

Polite Expressions (La Politesse) 🙏

Using these French words generously is the easiest way to make a great impression.

S’il vous plaît (seel voo play) – Please (formal)
S’il te plaît (seel tuh play) – Please (informal)
Merci (mehr-see) – Thank you
Merci beaucoup (mehr-see boh-koo) – Thank you very much
De rien (duh ree-ahn) – You’re welcome (casual)
Je vous en prie (zhuh voo-zohn pree) – You’re welcome (formal)
Il n’y a pas de quoi (eel nyah pah duh kwah) – Don’t mention it/It’s nothing.
Pardon (pahr-dohn) – Pardon me/Sorry (for bumping into someone)
Excusez-moi (ex-kew-zay mwah) – Excuse me (to get attention)
Je suis désolé(e) (zhuh swee day-zoh-lay) – I am sorry (for a mistake/bad news)
Ce n’est pas grave (suh nay pah grahv) – It’s not a big deal/No problem.
Avec plaisir (ah-vek play-zeer) – With pleasure.
Volontiers (voh-lohn-tyay) – Gladly/Willingly.
Santé! (sahn-tay) – Cheers! (to your health)
Tchin-tchin! (cheen-cheen) – Cheers! (clinking glasses)
Bon appétit! (bun ah-pay-tee) – Enjoy your meal!
À vos souhaits! (ah voh sway) – Bless you! (after a sneeze, formal)
À tes souhaits! (ah tay sway) – Bless you! (informal)

Asking for Information (Les Questions Essentielles)❓

Curiosity is your best friend when learning a language. Here’s how to express it.

Qui? (kee) – Who?
Quoi? (kwah) – What?
Quand? (kohn) – When?
Où? (oo) – Where?
Pourquoi? (poor-kwah) – Why?
Comment? (kom-mohn) – How?
Combien? (kohm-bee-ahn) – How much?/How many?
Lequel/Laquelle? (luh-kel/lah-kel) – Which one?
Quel/Quelle? (kel) – Which?/What?
C’est quoi? (say kwah) – What is it? (casual)
Qu’est-ce que c’est? (kess-kuh say) – What is it? (standard)
Où sont les toilettes? (oo sohn lay twah-let) – Where are the restrooms?
Quelle heure est-il? (kel uhr ay-teel) – What time is it?
Pouvez-vous m’aider? (poo-vay voo may-day) – Can you help me?
Tu parles anglais? (too pahrl ahn-glay) – Do you speak English? (informal)
Est-ce que…? (ess-kuh) – (A phrase used to start a yes/no question)
C’est loin? (say lwan) – Is it far?
C’est près d’ici? (say pray dee-see) – Is it near here?

Simple Answers & Reactions (Les Réponses Courantes) ✅

These are the conversational connectors that show you’re listening and engaged.

Oui (wee) – Yes
Ouais (way) – Yeah (casual)
Non (nohn) – No
Bien sûr (bee-ahn syoor) – Of course
D’accord (dah-kor) – Okay/Agreed
Pas de problème (pah duh pro-blem) – No problem
Pas de soucis (pah duh soo-see) – No worries
Peut-être (puh-tet-ruh) – Maybe
Je ne sais pas (zhuh nuh say pah) – I don’t know
Je ne comprends pas (zhuh nuh kohm-prohn pah) – I don’t understand
Je comprends (zhuh kohm-prohn) – I understand
Voilà (vwah-lah) – There it is/That’s it
C’est ça (say sah) – That’s it/Exactly
C’est bon (say bohn) – It’s good/It’s okay
Attendez (ah-tohn-day) – Wait (formal)
Attends (ah-tohn) – Wait (informal)
Un moment (uhn moh-mohn) – One moment
Ah bon? (ah bohn) – Oh really?
C’est vrai? (say vray) – Is that true?
Vraiment (vray-mohn) – Really/Truly
Dommage (doh-mahzh) – Too bad/A shame
Super! (soo-pehr) – Great!
Génial! (zhay-nyahl) – Awesome!
Parfait! (pahr-fay) – Perfect!
Moi aussi (mwah oh-see) – Me too
Moi non plus (mwah nohn ploo) – Me neither

Part 2: The Core Building Blocks

People & Things (Pronoms et Articles)

These grammatical nuts and bolts are the framework for almost every sentence you’ll form.

Je/J’ (zhuh) – I
Tu (too) – You (informal, singular)
Vous (voo) – You (formal, singular or plural)
Il (eel) – He/It (masculine)
Elle (el) – She/It (feminine)
On (ohn) – We (common in speech)/One
Nous (noo) – We (formal/written)
Ils (eel) – They (masculine or mixed group)
Elles (el) – They (feminine group)
Le (luh) – The (masculine, singular)
La (lah) – The (feminine, singular)
L’ (l) – The (before a vowel)
Les (lay) – The (plural)
Un (uhn) – A/An (masculine)
Une (ewn) – A/An (feminine)
Des (day) – Some (plural)
Mon (mohn) – My (m.)
Ma (mah) – My (f.)
Mes (may) – My (pl.)
Ton (tohn) – Your (m., informal)
Ta (tah) – Your (f., informal)
Tes (tay) – Your (pl., informal)
Son (sohn) – His/Her (m.)
Sa (sah) – His/Her (f.)
Ses (say) – His/Her (pl.)
Notre (nuh-truh) – Our (s.)
Nos (noh) – Our (pl.)
Votre (vuh-truh) – Your (s., formal)
Vos (voh) – Your (pl., formal)
Leur (luhr) – Their (s.)
Leurs (luhr) – Their (pl.)
Moi (mwah) – Me (stressed pronoun)
Toi (twah) – You (stressed pronoun)
Lui (lwee) – Him (stressed pronoun)
Elle (el) – Her (stressed pronoun)
Ça/Cela (sah/suh-lah) – That/It
Ce/Cet (suh/set) – This/That (m.)
Cette (set) – This/That (f.)
Ces (say) – These/Those (pl.)
Qui (kee) – Who/That/Which
Que (kuh) – What/That/Which

The Top 25 Most Useful Verbs

If you only learn a handful of verbs to start, make it these flexible French words.

Être (et-ruh) – To be
Avoir (ah-vwahr) – To have
Aller (ah-lay) – To go
Faire (fehr) – To do / to make
Pouvoir (poo-vwahr) – To be able to (can)
Vouloir (voo-lwahr) – To want
Devoir (duh-vwahr) – To have to (must)
Savoir (sah-vwahr) – To know (a fact/how to do something)
Dire (deer) – To say/to tell
Parler (pahr-lay) – To speak
Manger (mohn-zhay) – To eat
Boire (bwahr) – To drink
Voir (vwahr) – To see
Prendre (prohn-druh) – To take
Mettre (met-ruh) – To put/place/put on
Venir (vuh-neer) – To come
Partir (pahr-teer) – To leave
Aimer (ay-may) – To like/to love
Penser (pohn-say) – To think
Trouver (troo-vay) – To find
Donner (doh-nay) – To give
Regarder (ruh-gahr-day) – To look at/to watch
Écouter (ay-koo-tay) – To listen to
Attendre (ah-tohn-druh) – To wait for
Connaître (kon-net-ruh) – To know (a person/place)

Describing Your World (Common Adjectives)

Add flavor and detail to your sentences with these fundamental descriptive words.

Grand(e) (grohn/grohnd) – Big/Tall
Petit(e) (puh-tee/puh-teet) – Small
Bon(ne) (bohn/bun) – Good
Mauvais(e) (moh-vay/moh-vez) – Bad
Beau/Belle (boh/bel) – Beautiful/Handsome
Joli(e) (zho-lee) – Pretty
Moche (mosh) – Ugly (casual)
Nouveau/Nouvelle (noo-voh/noo-vel) – New
Ancien(ne) (ohn-see-ahn/ohn-see-en) – Old/Former
Vieux/Vieille (vyuh/vyay) – Old (for people/things)
Jeune (zhuhn) – Young
Cher/Chère (shehr) – Expensive/Dear
Facile (fah-seel) – Easy
Difficile (dee-fee-seel) – Difficult
Chaud(e) (shoh/shohd) – Hot
Froid(e) (frwah/frwahd) – Cold
Content(e) (kohn-tohn/kohn-tohnt) – Happy/Content
Triste (treest) – Sad
Fatigué(e) (fah-tee-gay) – Tired
Propre (prop-ruh) – Clean
Sale (sahl) – Dirty
Même (mem) – Same
Autre (oh-truh) – Other
Tout/Toute (too/toot) – All/Whole
Chaque (shahk) – Each
Prochain(e) (pro-shan/pro-shen) – Next
Dernier/Dernière (dehr-nyay/dehr-nyair) – Last
Vrai(e) (vray) – True/Real
Faux/Fausse (foh/fohs) – False
Gentil(le) (zhohn-tee/zhohn-teey) – Kind
Drôle (drohl) – Funny
Intéressant(e) (an-tay-ress-ohn/ohnt) – Interesting
Important(e) (am-por-tohn/ohnt) – Important
Libre (lee-bruh) – Free (available)
Occupé(e) (oh-kew-pay) – Busy

Connecting Your Ideas (Essential Adverbs & Conjunctions)

These are the traffic signals of language, directing the flow of your thoughts and linking them together.

Et (ay) – And
Ou (oo) – Or
Mais (may) – But
Donc (dohnk) – So/Therefore
Parce que (pahr-suh-kuh) – Because
Si (see) – If
Quand (kohn) – When
Comme (kom) – As/Like
Avec (ah-vek) – With
Sans (sohn) – Without
Pour (poor) – For
Dans (dohn) – In
Sur (syoor) – On
Sous (soo) – Under
Avant (ah-vohn) – Before
Après (ah-pray) – After
Pendant (pohn-dohn) – During
Très (tray) – Very
Trop (troh) – Too/Too much
Assez (ah-say) – Enough
Un peu (uhn puh) – A little
Beaucoup (boh-koo) – A lot/Much/Very
Souvent (soo-vohn) – Often
Toujours (too-zhoor) – Always/Still
Jamais (zhah-may) – Never
Parfois (pahr-fwah) – Sometimes
Quelquefois (kel-kuh-fwah) – Sometimes
Ici (ee-see) – Here
Là (lah) – There
Là-bas (lah-bah) – Over there
Maintenant (mant-nohn) – Now
Tard (tahr) – Late
Tôt (toh) – Early
Vite (veet) – Quickly
Lentement (lohn-tuh-mohn) – Slowly
Bien (bee-ahn) – Well
Mal (mahl) – Badly
Ensemble (ohn-sahm-bluh) – Together
Aussi (oh-see) – Also/Too
Seulement (suhl-mohn) – Only
Déjà (day-zhah) – Already
Pas encore (pahz ohn-kor) – Not yet

Part 3: Practical Foundations

Numbers (Les Nombres)

From prices at the boulangerie to platform numbers at the gare, numbers are everywhere in the French language.

Zéro (zay-roh) – 0
Un (uhn) – 1
Deux (duh) – 2
Trois (trwah) – 3
Quatre (kat-ruh) – 4
Cinq (sank) – 5
Six (sees) – 6
Sept (set) – 7
Huit (weet) – 8
Neuf (nuhf) – 9
Dix (dees) – 10
Onze (ohnz) – 11
Douze (dooz) – 12
Treize (trez) – 13
Quatorze (kah-torz) – 14
Quinze (kanz) – 15
Seize (sez) – 16
Dix-sept (dees-set) – 17
Dix-huit (deez-weet) – 18
Dix-neuf (deez-nuhf) – 19
Vingt (vahn) – 20
Vingt et un (vahn-tay-uhn) – 21
Trente (trohnt) – 30
Quarante (kah-rohnt) – 40
Cinquante (san-kohnt) – 50
Soixante (swah-sohnt) – 60
Soixante-dix (swah-sohnt-dees) – 70
Quatre-vingts (kat-ruh-vahn) – 80
Quatre-vingt-dix (kat-ruh-vahn-dees) – 90
Cent (sohn) – 100
Mille (meel) – 1,000
Un million (uhn mee-yohn) – 1,000,000
Premier/Première (pruh-myay/pruh-myair) – First
Deuxième (duh-zyem) – Second
Troisième (trwah-zyem) – Third
La moitié (lah mwah-tyay) – The half

Days & Time (Les Jours et l’Heure)

Learn to discuss your schedule and make plans with these essential time-related French words.

Un jour (uhn zhoor) – A day
Lundi (luhn-dee) – Monday
Mardi (mahr-dee) – Tuesday
Mercredi (mehr-kruh-dee) – Wednesday
Jeudi (zhuh-dee) – Thursday
Vendredi (vohn-druh-dee) – Friday
Samedi (sahm-dee) – Saturday
Dimanche (dee-mohnsh) – Sunday
Le weekend (luh week-end) – The weekend
Aujourd’hui (oh-zhoor-dwee) – Today
Hier (ee-yehr) – Yesterday
Demain (duh-mahn) – Tomorrow
Le matin (luh mah-tan) – The morning
L’après-midi (lah-pray-mee-dee) – The afternoon
Le soir (luh swahr) – The evening
La nuit (lah nwee) – The night
Une heure (ewn uhr) – An hour
Une minute (ewn mee-noot) – A minute
Une seconde (ewn suh-gohnd) – A second
Midi (mee-dee) – Noon
Minuit (mee-nwee) – Midnight
Il est… (eel ay) – It is… (for time)
Il est trois heures (eel ay trwah-zuhr) – It is three o’clock.
…et quart (…ay kar) – …and a quarter (quarter past)
…et demie (…ay duh-mee) – …and a half (half past)
…moins le quart (…mwan luh kar) – …minus a quarter (quarter to)
Tôt (toh) – Early
Tard (tahr) – Late
Une fois (ewn fwah) – One time/Once
La date (lah daht) – The date
Le calendrier (luh kah-lohn-dree-yay) – The calendar
L’anniversaire (lah-nee-vehr-sehr) (m) – The birthday/anniversary
Le rendez-vous (luh rohn-day-voo) – The appointment/meeting
La semaine (prochaine) (lah suh-men pro-shen) – (Next) week
Le mois (dernier) (luh mwah dehr-nyay) – (Last) month
L’année (prochaine) (lah-nay pro-shen) – (Next) year

Part 4: Navigating the World Around You

You’ve got the basics down, which is a huge step. Now, let’s put that knowledge into action.

This next set of French words is all about interacting with the world—ordering food, handling money, getting from point A to point B, and talking about the people and places you encounter. This is where the language starts to feel real and incredibly useful.

Food & Dining (La Nourriture et au Restaurant) 🥐

Food is central to French culture, so this vocabulary is non-negotiable for any traveler or learner.

La nourriture (lah noo-ree-tyoor) – Food
Le repas (luh ruh-pah) – The meal
Le petit-déjeuner (luh puh-tee day-zhuh-nay) – Breakfast
Le déjeuner (luh day-zhuh-nay) – Lunch
Le dîner (luh dee-nay) – Dinner
Une boisson (ewn bwah-sohn) – A drink
J’ai faim (zhay fam) – I am hungry
J’ai soif (zhay swahf) – I am thirsty
Je voudrais… (zhuh voo-dray) – I would like…
Un restaurant (uhn rest-oh-rohn) – A restaurant
Un café (uhn kah-fay) – A café
Une boulangerie (ewn boo-lohn-zhuh-ree) – A bakery (for bread)
Une pâtisserie (ewn pah-tees-ree) – A pastry shop
Le marché (luh mahr-shay) – The market
Une table pour deux (ewn tah-bluh poor duh) – A table for two
Le menu (luh muh-noo) – The menu
La carte (lah kahrt) – The menu (the full list)
Le plat du jour (luh plah doo zhoor) – The dish of the day
Une entrée (ewn ohn-tray) – An appetizer/starter
Le plat principal (luh plah prahn-see-pahl) – The main course
Le dessert (luh day-sehr) – Dessert
L’addition, s’il vous plaît (lah-dee-syohn, seel voo play) – The bill, please
Le service (est compris) (luh sehr-vees ay com-pree) – The service (is included)
Le pourboire (luh poor-bwahr) – The tip
Le serveur/la serveuse (luh sehr-vuhr/lah sehr-vuhz) – The waiter/waitress
C’était délicieux ! (say-tay day-lee-syuh) – It was delicious!
L’eau (loh) (f.) – Water
L’eau du robinet (loh doo roh-bee-nay) – Tap water
Une carafe d’eau (ewn kah-rahf doh) – A pitcher of (tap) water
Le vin (rouge/blanc/rosé) (luh van) – Wine (red/white/rosé)
La bière (lah bee-yehr) – Beer
Le café (luh kah-fay) – Coffee
Le thé (luh tay) – Tea
Le jus (de fruit) (luh zhoo) – (Fruit) juice
Le lait (luh lay) – Milk
Le sucre (luh sook-ruh) – Sugar
Le sel (luh sel) – Salt
Le poivre (luh pwah-vruh) – Pepper
Le pain (luh pan) – Bread
La baguette (lah bah-get) – Baguette
Le croissant (luh krwah-sohn) – Croissant
Le fromage (luh froh-mahzh) – Cheese
Le beurre (luh bur) – Butter
Le fruit (luh frwee) – Fruit
Le légume (luh lay-goom) – Vegetable
La viande (lah vee-yohnd) – Meat
Le poulet (luh poo-lay) – Chicken
Le bœuf (luh buhf) – Beef
Le porc (luh por) – Pork
L’agneau (lahn-yoh) (m.) – Lamb
Le poisson (luh pwah-sohn) – Fish
Les fruits de mer (lay frwee duh mehr) (m.) – Seafood
L’œuf (luhf) (m.) – Egg
La pomme de terre (lah pum duh tehr) – Potato
La salade (lah sah-lahd) – Salad
La soupe (lah soop) – Soup
Le riz (luh ree) – Rice
Les pâtes (lay paht) (f.) – Pasta
Le gâteau (luh gah-toh) – Cake
La glace (lah glahs) – Ice cream
Une fourchette (ewn for-shet) – A fork
Un couteau (uhn koo-toh) – A knife
Une cuillère (ewn kwee-yehr) – A spoon
Une assiette (ewn ah-syet) – A plate
Un verre (uhn vehr) – A glass
Une tasse (ewn tahs) – A cup
Une bouteille (ewn boo-tay) – A bottle
À emporter (ah ohm-por-tay) – To go/Takeout
Sur place (syoor plahs) – For here/To eat in

Shopping & Money (Les Courses et l’Argent) 🛒

From the local marché to the chic boutiques, handle your purchases with confidence.

Un magasin (uhn mah-gah-zan) – A store
Le supermarché (luh soo-pehr-mahr-shay) – The supermarket
Faire les courses (fehr lay koors) – To go grocery shopping
Faire du shopping (fehr doo shopping) – To go shopping (for clothes, etc.)
Le prix (luh pree) – The price
L’argent (lahr-zhohn) (m.) – Money
Un euro (uhn uh-roh) – A euro
La monnaie (lah moh-nay) – Change (coins)
La carte de crédit (lah kahrt duh kray-dee) – The credit card
Payer (pay-yay) – To pay
En espèces (ohn es-pes) – In cash
Un reçu (uhn ruh-soo) – A receipt
Les soldes (lay sold) (f.) – The sales
Bon marché (bohn mahr-shay) – Inexpensive/Cheap
C’est en promotion (say-tohn pro-moh-syon) – It’s on sale
Je regarde, merci (zhuh ruh-gahrd, mehr-see) – I’m just looking, thank you.
Je peux l’essayer? (zhuh puh lay-say-yay) – Can I try it on?
La cabine d’essayage (lah kah-been day-say-yahzh) – The fitting room
La taille (lah tah-yuh) – The size
Je le/la prends (zhuh luh/lah prohn) – I’ll take it.
Un sac (uhn sahk) – A bag
C’est pour offrir (say poor oh-freer) – It’s a gift.
Un cadeau (uhn kah-doh) – A gift
Un distributeur (de billets) (uhn dees-tree-boo-tuhr) – An ATM
Le vendeur/la vendeuse (luh vohn-duhr/lah vohn-duhz) – The salesperson
Le client/la cliente (luh klee-ohn/lah klee-ohnt) – The customer
La caisse (lah kess) – The cash register
Ouvert (oo-vehr) – Open
Fermé (fehr-may) – Closed
Acheter (ahsh-tay) – To buy
Vendre (vohn-druh) – To sell
Coûter (koo-tay) – To cost
Un remboursement (uhn rohm-boors-mohn) – A refund

Travel & Transportation (Le Voyage et le Transport) 🚆

Whether you’re navigating the Paris Métro or the highways of Provence, these French words will keep you moving.

Le voyage (luh vwah-yahzh) – The trip
Les vacances (lay vah-kohns) (f.) – Vacation
Un billet (uhn bee-yay) – A ticket
Une réservation (ewn ray-zehr-vah-syohn) – A reservation
Un passeport (uhn pahs-por) – A passport
La valise (lah vah-leez) – The suitcase
Les bagages (lay bah-gahzh) (m.) – Luggage
L’aéroport (lah-ay-roh-por) (m.) – The airport
L’avion (lah-vyohn) (m.) – The airplane
Le vol (luh vol) – The flight
La gare (lah gahr) – The train station
Le train (luh tran) – The train
Le quai (luh kay) – The platform
La voie (lah vwah) – The track
La voiture (lah vwah-tyoor) – The car
Le bus (luh boos) – The bus
L’arrêt de bus (lah-ray duh boos) (m.) – The bus stop
Le métro (luh may-troh) – The subway
Une station (ewn stah-syon) – A station
Un taxi (uhn tak-see) – A taxi
Un hôtel (uhn oh-tel) – A hotel
Une chambre (ewn shohm-bruh) – A room
La clé/la carte (lah klay/lah kahrt) – The key/the keycard
L’arrivée (lah-ree-vay) (f.) – The arrival
Le départ (luh day-pahr) – The departure
Un plan (de la ville) (uhn plohn) – A map (of the city)
Le tourisme (luh too-reesm) – Tourism
Un touriste/une touriste (uhn too-reest) – A tourist
Louer (une voiture) (loo-ay) – To rent (a car)
Conduire (kohn-dweer) – To drive
Le prochain arrêt (luh pro-shan ah-ray) – The next stop
Où va ce train ? (oo vah suh tran) – Where does this train go?
Un aller simple (uhn ah-lay sam-pluh) – A one-way ticket
Un aller-retour (uhn ah-lay ruh-toor) – A round-trip ticket
Composter (kom-pos-tay) – To validate (a ticket)
Annulé (ah-noo-lay) – Canceled
En retard (ohn ruh-tahr) – Delayed/Late
À l’heure (ah luhr) – On time
La frontière (lah frohn-tyehr) – The border
L’étranger (lay-trohn-zhay) – Abroad/Foreigner
Le voyageur/la voyageuse (luh vwah-yah-zhuhr/lah vwah-yah-zhuhz) – The traveler

Directions & Places (Les Directions et les Lieux) 🗺️

Find your way through charming cobblestone streets and identify the key places in any town.

Où est…? (oo ay) – Where is…?
À droite (ah drwaht) – To the right
À gauche (ah gohsh) – To the left
Tout droit (too drwah) – Straight ahead
Près de (pray duh) – Near
Loin de (lwan duh) – Far from
Devant (duh-vohn) – In front of
Derrière (deh-ree-yehr) – Behind
À côté de (ah koh-tay duh) – Next to
En face de (ohn fahs duh) – Opposite/Facing
Au coin de (oh kwan duh) – At the corner of
Le nord (luh nor) – North
Le sud (luh sood) – South
L’est (lest) (m.) – East
L’ouest (lwest) (m.) – West
La rue (lah roo) – The street
Le pont (luh pohn) – The bridge
La place (lah plahs) – The square
Le carrefour (luh kahr-foor) – The intersection
Traverser (trah-vehr-say) – To cross
Tourner (toor-nay) – To turn
Continuer (kohn-teen-way) – To continue
C’est par ici (say pahr ee-see) – It’s this way
C’est par là (say pahr lah) – It’s that way
Je suis perdu(e) (zhuh swee pehr-doo) – I am lost.
La ville (lah veel) – The city
Le centre-ville (luh sohn-truh-veel) – The city center / downtown
Le village (luh vee-lahzh) – The village
La banque (lah bohnk) – The bank
La poste (lah post) – The post office
L’hôpital (loh-pee-tahl) (m.) – The hospital
La pharmacie (lah fahr-mah-see) – The pharmacy
L’école (lay-kol) (f.) – The school
L’église (lay-gleez) (f.) – The church
Le musée (luh moo-zay) – The museum
Le cinéma (luh see-nay-mah) – The movie theater
Le théâtre (luh tay-ah-truh) – The theater
La bibliothèque (lah bee-blee-oh-tek) – The library
La mairie (lah meh-ree) – The town hall
Le commissariat (luh koh-mee-sah-ree-yah) – The police station
Le parc (luh pahrk) – The park
La plage (lah plahzh) – The beach
La montagne (lah mohn-tahn-yuh) – The mountain
La campagne (lah kohm-pahn-yuh) – The countryside

People & Family (Les Gens et la Famille) 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Learn the French words to describe the most important people in your life and society.

Les gens (lay zhohn) (m. pl.) – People
Une personne (ewn pehr-suhn) – A person
Un homme (uhn um) – A man
Une femme (ewn fahm) – A woman
Un garçon (uhn gahr-sohn) – A boy
Une fille (ewn fee) – A girl
Un enfant (uhn ohn-fohn) – A child
Un bébé (uhn bay-bay) – A baby
Un ami/une amie (uhn ah-mee) – A friend
Le copain/la copine (luh koh-pan/lah koh-peen) – The boyfriend/girlfriend/friend
La famille (lah fah-mee) – The family
Les parents (lay pah-rohn) (m.) – The parents
Le père/papa (luh pehr/pah-pah) – The father/dad
La mère/maman (lah mehr/mah-mohn) – The mother/mom
Le fils (luh fees) – The son
La fille (lah fee) – The daughter
Le frère (luh frehr) – The brother
La sœur (lah suhr) – The sister
Le mari (luh mah-ree) – The husband
La femme (lah fahm) – The wife
Les grands-parents (lay grohn-pah-rohn) – The grandparents
Le grand-père (luh grohn-pehr) – The grandfather
La grand-mère (lah grohn-mehr) – The grandmother
Les petits-enfants (lay puh-teez-ohn-fohn) – The grandchildren
L’oncle (lohn-kluh) – The uncle
La tante (lah tohnt) – The aunt
Le cousin/la cousine (luh koo-zan/lah koo-zeen) – The cousin
Le neveu (luh nuh-vuh) – The nephew
La nièce (lah nyess) – The niece
Le voisin/la voisine (luh vwah-zan/lah vwah-zeen) – The neighbor
Le/la collègue (luh/lah koh-leg) – The colleague
Le monde (luh mohnd) – The world/people

The Home (La Maison) 🏠

Describe your living space with the essential vocabulary for any house or apartment.

Une maison (ewn may-zohn) – A house
Un appartement (uhn ah-pahr-tuh-mohn) – An apartment
L’immeuble (lee-muh-bluh) (m.) – The apartment building
La pièce (lah pyess) – The room
La porte (lah port) – The door
La fenêtre (lah fuh-net-ruh) – The window
La chambre (lah shohm-bruh) – The bedroom
Le lit (luh lee) – The bed
La cuisine (lah kwee-zeen) – The kitchen
Le salon (luh sah-lohn) – The living room
La salle de séjour (lah sahl duh say-zhoor) – The living room/family room
La salle à manger (lah sahl ah mohn-zhay) – The dining room
La salle de bains (lah sahl duh ban) – The bathroom
La douche (lah doosh) – The shower
Le bain (luh ban) – The bath
Les toilettes (lay twah-let) (f.) – The toilet
La table (lah tah-bluh) – The table
La chaise (lah shez) – The chair
Le canapé/le sofa (luh kah-nah-pay/luh soh-fah) – The couch/sofa
Le fauteuil (luh foh-tuh-yuh) – The armchair
Le bureau (luh byoo-roh) – The desk/office
La lampe (lah lohmp) – The lamp
Le jardin (luh zhahr-dan) – The garden
Le garage (luh gah-rahzh) – The garage
Le toit (luh twah) – The roof
Le mur (luh myoor) – The wall
Le sol (luh sol) – The floor
Le plafond (luh plah-fohn) – The ceiling
L’escalier (les-kahl-yay) (m.) – The stairs
La lumière (lah loo-myer) – The light
Le chauffage (luh shoh-fahzh) – The heating
La climatisation (lah klee-mah-tee-zah-syon) – The air conditioning
La télévision (lah tay-lay-vee-zyon) – The television
Le téléphone (luh tay-lay-fun) – The telephone
Le frigo (luh free-go) – The fridge
Le four (luh foor) – The oven
Le micro-ondes (luh mee-kroh-ohnd) – The microwave
La machine à laver (lah mah-sheen ah lah-vay) – The washing machine
Le balcon (luh bahl-kohn) – The balcony
La cave (lah kahv) – The cellar/basement
Le grenier (luh gruh-nyay) – The attic

Weather & Nature (La Météo et la Nature) ☀️

From a sunny day in the Alps to the coast of Brittany, you’ll be able to talk about the natural world with these French words.

Quel temps fait-il? (kel tohn fay-teel) – What’s the weather like?
Il fait beau (eel fay boh) – The weather is beautiful
Il fait mauvais (eel fay moh-vay) – The weather is bad
Il fait chaud (eel fay shoh) – It’s hot
Il fait froid (eel fay frwah) – It’s cold
Il fait frais (eel fay fray) – It’s cool
Il fait humide (eel fay oo-meed) – It’s humid
Il y a du soleil (eel ee ah doo soh-lay) – It’s sunny
Il pleut (eel pluh) – It’s raining
La pluie (lah plwee) – The rain
Il neige (eel nezh) – It’s snowing
La neige (lah nezh) – The snow
Il y a du vent (eel ee ah doo vohn) – It’s windy
Le vent (luh vohn) – The wind
Il y a des nuages (eel ee ah day noo-ahzh) – It’s cloudy
Un nuage (uhn noo-ahzh) – A cloud
Le ciel (luh see-el) – The sky
L’orage (loh-rahzh) (m.) – The storm
Le tonnerre (luh toh-nehr) – The thunder
L’éclair (lay-klehr) (m.) – The lightning
Le brouillard (luh broo-yahr) – The fog
La température (lah tohm-pay-rah-tyoor) – The temperature
Un degré (uhn duh-gray) – A degree
Un parapluie (uhn pah-rah-plwee) – An umbrella
La nature (lah nah-tyoor) – Nature
Un arbre (uhn ar-bruh) – A tree
Une fleur (ewn fluhr) – A flower
L’herbe (lerb) (f.) – The grass
La mer (lah mehr) – The sea
L’océan (loh-say-ohn) (m.) – The ocean
Le lac (luh lahk) – The lake
La rivière (lah ree-vyer) – The river
La forêt (lah foh-ray) – The forest
Le bois (luh bwah) – The woods
La terre (lah tehr) – The earth / ground
La pierre (lah pyehr) – The stone
Le sable (luh sah-bluh) – The sand
L’air (lehr) (m.) – The air
Le feu (luh fuh) – The fire
L’animal/les animaux (lah-nee-mahl/lay-zah-nee-moh) – The animal/animals

Part 5: Describing Your Life and Expressing Yourself

So far, we’ve laid the groundwork for survival and navigation. Now, we’re moving into the heart of real communication.

The following French word lists are about coloring in the world you’ve started to build. We’ll cover how to talk about your job, your passions, your health, and—most importantly—your feelings and opinions.

This is where you stop just speaking French and start truly expressing yourself in it.

Work & Study (Le Travail et les Études) 💼

Whether it’s for small talk or a deeper discussion, here’s how to talk about your professional or academic life.

Le travail/le boulot (luh trah-vah-yuh/luh boo-loh) – Work/ Job (standard/casual)
Travailler/Bosser (trah-vah-yay/boh-say) – To work (standard/casual)
Un métier (uhn may-tyay) – A trade/profession
Une profession (ewn pro-fess-yohn) – A profession
Le bureau (luh byoo-roh) – The office/The desk
Une entreprise (ewn ohn-truh-preez) – A company
Le patron/la patronne (luh pah-trohn/lah pah-trun) – The boss
Le/la collègue (luh/lah koh-leg) – The colleague
Le/la chef (luh/lah shef) – The manager/chief
Un employé/une employée (uhn ohm-plwah-yay) – An employee
Une réunion (ewn ray-oo-nyohn) – A meeting
Un projet (uhn pro-zhay) – A project
Un e-mail/un courriel (uhn email/uhn koo-ryel) – An email
Un appel (uhn ah-pel) – A call
Le salaire (luh sah-lehr) – The salary
L’école (lay-kol) (f.) – The school
Le collège (luh koh-lezh) – Middle school
Le lycée (luh lee-say) – High school
L’université/la fac (loo-nee-vehr-see-tay/lah fak) (f.) – The university
Un étudiant/une étudiante (uhn ay-too-dyohn/ewn ay-too-dyohnt) – A student
Étudier (ay-too-dyay) – To study
Apprendre (ah-prohn-druh) – To learn
Enseigner (ohn-say-nyay) – To teach
Le professeur/la professeure (luh pro-fess-uhr) – The teacher/professor
La classe (lah klahs) – The class/classroom
Un cours (uhn koor) – A course/lesson
Les devoirs (lay duh-vwahr) (m.) – Homework
Un examen (uhn eg-zah-man) – An exam
Les notes (lay nut) (f.) – Grades
Le diplôme (luh dee-plohm) – The diploma/degree
Un livre (uhn lee-vruh) – A book
Un cahier (uhn kah-yay) – A notebook
Un stylo (uhn stee-loh) – A pen
Un crayon (uhn kray-yohn) – A pencil
Le papier (luh pah-pyay) – Paper
L’ordinateur (lor-dee-nah-tuhr) (m.) – The computer
La bibliothèque (lah bee-blee-oh-tek) – The library
Réussir (ray-oo-seer) – To succeed/To pass (an exam)
Échouer (ay-shway) – To fail
La rentrée (lah rohn-tray) – The start of the school year/return from vacation
Les vacances (lay vah-kohns) (f.) – Vacation/Holidays
Le stage (luh stahzh) – The internship
Le/la stagiaire (luh/lah stah-zhyehr) – The intern
Une carrière (ewn kah-ryehr) – A career
L’emploi du temps (lohm-plwah doo tohn) (m.) – The schedule

Hobbies & Leisure (Les Loisirs et les Passetemps) 🎨

Sharing what you love to do in your free time is one of the best ways to connect with people.

Un loisir (uhn lwah-zeer) – A hobby/leisure activity
Un passetemps (uhn pahs-tohn) – A pastime
Le temps libre (luh tohn lee-bruh) – Free time
Qu’est-ce que tu aimes faire ? (kess-kuh too em fehr) – What do you like to do?
Le sport (luh spor) – Sports
Faire du sport (fehr doo spor) – To play sports
Le football/le foot (luh foot) – Soccer
Le tennis (luh teh-nees) – Tennis
Le basketball/le basket (luh bas-ket) – Basketball
La natation (lah nah-tah-syohn) – Swimming
Nager (nah-zhay) – To swim
Faire du vélo (fehr doo vay-loh) – To ride a bike
Le ski (luh skee) – Skiing
La course (à pied) (lah koors ah pyay) – Running
Courir (koo-reer) – To run
La marche (lah marsh) – Walking
Marcher (mahr-shay) – To walk
Se promener (suh prohm-nay) – To take a walk/stroll
La musique (lah moo-zeek) – Music
Écouter de la musique (ay-koo-tay duh lah moo-zeek) – To listen to music
Un groupe (uhn groop) – A band
Un chanteur/une chanteuse (uhn shohn-tuhr/ewn shohn-tuhz) – A singer
Chanter (shohn-tay) – To sing
Une chanson (ewn shohn-sohn) – A song
Jouer d’un instrument (zhoo-ay duhn an-stroo-mohn) – To play an instrument
La guitare (lah gee-tahr) – The guitar
Le piano (luh pyah-no) – The piano
Danser (dohn-say) – To dance
Le cinéma (luh see-nay-mah) – The cinema
Un film (uhn feelm) – A movie
Regarder la télé (ruh-gahr-day lah tay-lay) – To watch TV
Une série (ewn say-ree) – A series
Lire (leer) – To read
Un roman (uhn roh-mohn) – A novel
Un magazine (uhn mah-gah-zeen) – A magazine
Le journal (luh zhoor-nahl) – The newspaper
Jouer (zhoo-ay) – To play
Un jeu (uhn zhuh) – A game
Les jeux de société (lay zhuh duh soh-syay-tay) – Board games
Les jeux vidéo (lay zhuh vee-day-oh) – Video games
Les cartes (lay kahrt) (f.) – Cards
Sortir (avec des amis) (sor-teer) – To go out (with friends)
Voir des amis (vwahr day-zah-mee) – To see friends
Aller au restaurant (ah-lay oh rest-oh-rohn) – To go to a restaurant
Aller au bar (ah-lay oh bar) – To go to a bar
Voyager (vwah-yah-zhay) – To travel
L’art (lahr) (m.) – Art
Le dessin (luh day-san) – Drawing
La peinture (lah pan-tyoor) – Painting
La photographie (lah foh-toh-grah-fee) – Photography
Cuisiner (kwee-zee-nay) – To cook
Jardiner (zhahr-dee-nay) – To garden
Bricoler (bree-koh-lay) – To do DIY projects
Se reposer (suh ruh-poh-zay) – To rest
Ne rien faire (nuh ree-an fehr) – To do nothing

The Body & Health (Le Corps et la Santé) ❤️

This is practical vocabulary you’ll be thankful for, from describing yourself to explaining symptoms.

Le corps (luh kor) – The body
La tête (lah tet) – The head
Le visage (luh vee-zahzh) – The face
L’œil/les yeux (luh-yuh/lay-zyuh) (m.) – The eye/the eyes
Le nez (luh nay) – The nose
La bouche (lah boosh) – The mouth
La lèvre (lah lev-ruh) – The lip
La dent (lah dohn) – The tooth
La langue (lah lohng) – The tongue
L’oreille (loh-ray) (f.) – The ear
Les cheveux (lay shuh-vuh) (m.) – The hair
Le cou (luh koo) – The neck
L’épaule (lay-pohl) (f.) – The shoulder
Le bras (luh brah) – The arm
Le coude (luh kood) – The elbow
La main (lah man) – The hand
Le doigt (luh dwaht) – The finger
La poitrine (lah pwah-treen) – The chest
Le cœur (luh kuhr) – The heart
Le ventre (luh vohn-truh) – The stomach/belly
Le dos (luh doh) – The back
La jambe (lah zhohmb) – The leg
Le genou (luh zhuh-noo) – The knee
Le pied (luh pyay) – The foot
La peau (lah poh) – The skin
Le sang (luh sohn) – The blood
L’os (los) (m.) – The bone
Le muscle (luh moo-skluh) – The muscle
La santé (lah sohn-tay) – Health
Être en (bonne) santé (et-ruh ohn bun sohn-tay) – To be in (good) health
Tomber malade (tohm-bay mah-lahd) – To get sick
Je suis malade (zhuh swee mah-lahd) – I am sick
J’ai mal à… (zhay mahl ah) – I have a pain in…/My… hurts
J’ai mal à la tête (zhay mahl ah lah tet) – I have a headache
J’ai mal au ventre (zhay mahl oh vohn-truh) – I have a stomach ache
La fièvre (lah fyeh-vruh) – The fever
La toux (lah too) – The cough
Touxer (too-say) – To cough
Un rhume (uhn room) – A cold
La grippe (lah greep) – The flu
Une allergie (ewn ah-lehr-zhee) – An allergy
Le médecin (luh mayd-san) – The doctor
L’hôpital (loh-pee-tahl) (m.) – The hospital
La pharmacie (lah fahr-mah-see) – The pharmacy
Un médicament (uhn may-dee-kah-mohn) – A medicine
Une ordonnance (ewn or-doh-nohns) – A prescription
Se sentir bien/mal (suh sohn-teer byan/mahl) – To feel well/unwell
Guérir (gay-reer) – To heal/recover
Une blessure (ewn bleh-syoor) – An injury
Se blesser (suh bleh-say) – To injure oneself

Clothing & Colors (Les Vêtements et les Couleurs) 👕

Describe your style, shop for new items, and add a splash of color to your sentences.

Les vêtements (lay vet-mohn) (m.) – Clothes
Porter (por-tay) – To wear
Mettre (met-ruh) – To put on
S’habiller (sah-bee-yay) – To get dressed
Une chemise (ewn shuh-meez) – A shirt (button-up)
Un t-shirt (uhn tee-shirt) – A t-shirt
Un pantalon (uhn pohn-tah-lohn) – Pants
Un jean (uhn jeen) – Jeans
Une robe (ewn rob) – A dress
Une jupe (ewn zhoop) – A skirt
Un pull (uhn pool) – A sweater
Une veste (ewn vest) – A jacket
Un manteau (uhn mohn-toh) – A coat
Un costume (uhn kos-toom) – A suit
Les chaussures (lay shoh-syoor) (f.) – Shoes
Les baskets (lay bas-ket) (f.) – Sneakers
Les chaussettes (lay shoh-set) (f.) – Socks
Un chapeau (uhn shah-poh) – A hat
Une casquette (ewn kas-ket) – A cap
Une écharpe (ewn ay-sharp) – A scarf
Les gants (lay gohn) (m.) – Gloves
La ceinture (lah san-tyoor) – The belt
Les lunettes (lay loo-net) (f.) – Glasses
Les lunettes de soleil (lay loo-net duh soh-lay) – Sunglasses
Une montre (ewn mohn-truh) – A watch
Un sac (à main) (uhn sahk a man) – A (hand)bag
Le portefeuille (luh port-fuh-yuh) – The wallet
Les bijoux (lay bee-zhoo) (m.) – Jewelry
Le maillot de bain (luh mah-yoh duh ban) – The swimsuit
Le pyjama (luh pee-zhah-mah) – The pajamas
La couleur (lah koo-luhr) – The color
Rouge (roozh) – Red
Bleu(e) (bluh) – Blue
Vert(e) (vehr/vehrt) – Green
Jaune (zhohn) – Yellow
Noir(e) (nwahr) – Black
Blanc(he) (blohn/blohnsh) – White
Gris(e) (gree/greez) – Gray
Orange (oh-rohnzh) – Orange
Rose (rohz) – Pink
Marron (mah-rohn) – Brown
Violet(te) (vyoh-lay/vyoh-let) – Purple
Clair(e) (klehr) – Light (in color)
Foncé(e) (fohn-say) – Dark (in color)
Vif/Vive (veef/veev) – Bright (in color)

Emotions & Opinions (Les Émotions et les Opinions) 😊

This is where conversation gets interesting—learning to share what you really think and feel.

Je pense que… (zhuh pohns kuh) – I think that…
Je crois que… (zhuh krwah kuh) – I believe that…
À mon avis… (ah mohn ah-vee) – In my opinion…
Selon moi… (suh-lohn mwah) – According to me…
Je suis sûr(e) que… (zhuh swee syoor kuh) – I am sure that…
Je suis d’accord (zhuh swee dah-kor) – I agree
Je ne suis pas d’accord (zhuh nuh swee pah dah-kor) – I don’t agree
Tu as raison (too ah ray-zohn) – You are right (informal)
Vous avez tort (voo-zah-vay tor) – You are wrong (formal)
C’est vrai (say vray) – It’s true
C’est faux (say foh) – It’s false
C’est une bonne idée (say-tewn bun ee-day) – That’s a good idea
C’est super/génial (say soo-pehr/zhay-nyahl) – It’s great/awesome
C’est dommage (say doh-mahzh) – It’s a shame/too bad
C’est intéressant (say-tahn-tay-ress-ohn) – It’s interesting
C’est ennuyeux (say-tohn-nwee-yuh) – It’s boring
C’est drôle (say drohl) – It’s funny
C’est bizarre (say bee-zahr) – It’s weird
J’aime (zhem) – I like
Je n’aime pas (zhuh nem pah) – I don’t like
J’adore (zhah-dor) – I love/adore
Je déteste (zhuh day-test) – I hate
Je préfère… (zhuh pray-fehr) – I prefer…
Ça me plaît (sah muh play) – I like it/It pleases me
Ça ne me dit rien (sah nuh muh dee ree-an) – That doesn’t appeal to me/I’m not in the mood
L’amour (lah-moor) (m.) – Love
La joie (lah zhwah) – Joy
Le bonheur (luh bun-uhr) – Happiness
Heureux / Heureuse (uh-ruh/uh-ruhz) – Happy
La tristesse (lah tree-stess) – Sadness
La peur (lah puhr) – Fear
Avoir peur (ah-vwahr puhr) – To be scared
La colère (lah koh-lehr) – Anger
Être en colère (et-ruh ohn koh-lehr) – To be angry
La surprise (lah soor-preez) – The surprise
Surpris(e) (soor-pree/soor-preez) – Surprised
L’espoir (les-pwahr) (m.) – Hope
Espérer (es-pay-ray) – To hope
Le rêve (luh rev) – The dream
Rêver (ray-vay) – To dream
S’inquiéter (san-kyay-tay) – To worry
Inquiet/Inquiète (an-kyay / an-kyet) – Worried
Se sentir (suh sohn-teer) – To feel
L’humeur (loo-muhr) (f.) – The mood
Déçu(e) (day-soo) – Disappointed
Fier/Fière (fyehr) – Proud
Gêné(e) (zheh-nay) – Embarrassed
Calme (kahlm) – Calm
Nerveux/Nerveuse (nehr-vuh/nehr-vuhz) – Nervous
Énervé(e) (ay-nehr-vay) – Annoyed/Irritated

Abstract Ideas & Concepts (Les Concepts Abstraits) 🤔

Grasping these French words will allow you to discuss ideas, plans, and more complex subjects.

Une idée (ewn ee-day) – An idea
Un problème (uhn pro-blem) – A problem
Une solution (ewn soh-loo-syon) – A solution
Une question (ewn kest-yohn) – A question
Une réponse (ewn ray-pohns) – An answer
Une raison (ewn ray-zohn) – A reason
La cause (lah kohz) – The cause
L’effet (lay-fay) (m.) – The effect
La vérité (lah vay-ree-tay) – The truth
Un mensonge (uhn mohn-sohnzh) – A lie
Un choix (uhn shwah) – A choice
Une erreur (ewn eh-ruhr) – A mistake
La chance (lah shohns) – Luck/Chance
L’avenir / le futur (lahv-nehr/luh foo-tyoor) (m.) – The future
Le passé (luh pah-say) – The past
Le présent (luh pray-zohn) – The present
Le début (luh day-boo) – The beginning
La fin (lah fan) – The end
Le milieu (luh mee-lyuh) – The middle
La vie (lah vee) – Life
La mort (lah mor) – Death
Une histoire (ewn ees-twahr) – A story/history
Une nouvelle (ewn noo-vel) – A piece of news
L’information (lan-for-mah-syon) (f.) – Information
Le secret (luh suh-kray) – The secret
Le bruit (uhn brwee) – A noise
La voix (lah vwah) – The voice
8̃73. Le silence (luh see-lohns) – The silence
La différence (lah dee-fay-rohns) – The difference
Le but (luh boot) – The goal/The purpose
Le sens (luh sohns) – The meaning/sense/direction
La qualité (lah kah-lee-tay) – The quality
La quantité (lah kohn-tee-tay) – The quantity
La façon/la manière (lah fah-sohn/lah mah-nyer) – The way/the manner
La chose (lah shohz) – The thing
L’affaire (lah-fehr) (f.) – The matter/business
La situation (lah see-too-ah-syon) – The situation
Le changement (luh shohnzh-mohn) – The change
Le besoin (luh buh-zwan) – The need
L’envie (lohn-vee) (f.) – The desire/urge
Le pouvoir (luh poo-vwahr) – The power
La liberté (lah lee-behr-tay) – The freedom
La paix (lah pay) – Peace
La guerre (lah gehr) – War
La société (lah soh-syay-tay) – Society
La culture (lah kool-tyoor) – Culture
La politique (lah poh-lee-teek) – Politics
L’économie (lay-koh-no-mee) (f.) – The economy
La science (lah see-ohns) – Science
L’art (lahr) (m.) – Art
La beauté (lah boh-tay) – Beauty
Le danger (luh dohn-zhay) – The danger
La sécurité (lah say-koo-ree-tay) – The security/safety
Le plan (luh plohn) – The plan
L’habitude (lah-bee-tood) (f.) – The habit

Part 6: Adding Color, Nuance, and Detail

This next set of French words is designed to add texture and fluency to your writing and speech.

More Essential Verbs (Verbes Essentiels Supplémentaires) 🏃‍♀️

Expanding your list of action words is the fastest way to expand the range of things you can talk about.

Croire (krwahr) – To believe
Suivre (swee-vruh) – To follow
Vivre (vee-vruh) – To live
Mourir (moo-reer) – To die
Ouvrir (oo-vreer) – To open
Fermer (fehr-may) – To close
Gagner (gah-nyay) – To win/To earn
Perdre (pehr-druh) – To lose
Choisir (shwah-zeer) – To choose
Finir (fee-neer) – To finish
Réussir (ray-oo-seer) – To succeed/pass
Commencer (kom-mohn-say) – To begin/start
Arrêter (ah-ray-tay) – To stop
Changer (shohn-zhay) – To change
Jouer (zhoo-ay) – To play
Aider (ay-day) – To help
Montrer (mohn-tray) – To show
Laisser (lay-say) – To leave/to let
Rester (ress-tay) – To stay
Tomber (tohm-bay) – To fall
Rire (reer) – To laugh
Sourire (soo-reer) – To smile
Pleurer (pluh-ray) – To cry
Chanter (shohn-tay) – To sing
Danser (dohn-say) – To dance
Nager (nah-zhay) – To swim
Conduire (kohn-dweer) – To drive
Courir (koo-reer) – To run
Marcher (mahr-shay) – To walk
Lire (leer) – To read
Écrire (ay-kreer) – To write
Envoyer (ohn-vwah-yay) – To send
Recevoir (ruh-suh-vwahr) – To receive
Essayer (ay-say-yay) – To try
Expliquer (ex-plee-kay) – To explain
Décider (day-see-day) – To decide
Accepter (ak-sep-tay) – To accept
Refuser (ruh-foo-zay) – To refuse
Oublier (oo-blee-yay) – To forget
Se souvenir de (suh soo-vuh-neer duh) – To remember
Utiliser (oo-tee-lee-zay) – To use
Entendre (ohn-tohn-druh) – To hear
Répondre (ray-pohn-druh) – To answer
Demander (duh-mohn-day) – To ask for
Poser une question (poh-zay ewn kest-yohn) – To ask a question
Raconter (rah-kohn-tay) – To tell (a story)
Appeler (ah-play) – To call
Promettre (pro-met-ruh) – To promise
Tenir (tuh-neer) – To hold
Devenir (duh-vuh-neer) – To become

Technology & Communication (La Technologie et la Communication) 📱

In today’s world, you can’t have a conversation for long without touching on these topics.

La technologie (lah tek-no-loh-zhee) – Technology
Un téléphone portable (uhn tay-lay-fun por-tah-bluh) – A cell phone
Un smartphone (uhn smart-fohn) – A smartphone
Un ordinateur (portable) (uhn or-dee-nah-tuhr por-tah-bluh) – A (laptop) computer
Une tablette (ewn tah-blet) – A tablet
L’internet (lan-ter-net) (m.) – The internet
Le Wi-Fi (luh wee-fee) – Wi-Fi
Le mot de passe (luh moh duh pahs) – The password
Un e-mail/un courriel (uhn email/uhn koo-ryel) – An email
Un message/un texto (uhn mess-ahzh/uhn tex-toh) – A message/a text
Un site web (uhn seet web) – A website
Une page (ewn pahzh) – A page
Un lien (uhn lee-an) – A link
Cliquer (klee-kay) – To click
Télécharger (tay-lay-shar-zhay) – To download/upload
En ligne (ohn leen-yuh) – Online
Les réseaux sociaux (lay ray-zoh soh-syoh) (m.) – Social media
Un compte (uhn kohmpt) – An account
Un profil (uhn pro-feel) – A profile
Une photo (ewn foh-toh) – A photo
Une vidéo (ewn vee-day-oh) – A video
Un commentaire (uhn kom-mohn-tehr) – A comment
Partager (pahr-tah-zhay) – To share
Une application/une appli (ewn ah-plee-kah-syon/ewn ah-plee) – An application/app
Un appel vidéo (uhn ah-pel vee-day-oh) – A video call
Un chargeur (uhn shar-zhuhr) – A charger
La batterie (lah bah-tree) – The battery
Le clavier (luh klah-vyay) – The keyboard
L’écran (lay-krohn) (m.) – The screen
La souris (lah soo-ree) – The mouse
Un fichier (uhn fee-shyay) – A file
Un dossier (uhn doh-syay) – A folder
Imprimer (am-pree-may) – To print
Enregistrer (ohn-ray-zhees-tray) – To save
Supprimer (soo-pree-may) – To delete
Un casque (uhn kahsk) – Headphones
Les écouteurs (lay-zay-koo-tuhr) (m.) – Earbuds
Le son (luh sohn) – The sound
Le volume (luh voh-loom) – The volume
Allumer (ah-loo-may) – To turn on
Éteindre (ay-tan-druh) – To turn off

Nature & Animals (La Nature et les Animaux) 🌳

Expand your ability to describe the natural world, from a city park to the wild countryside.

Le monde (luh mohnd) – The world
La nature (lah nah-tyoor) – Nature
Un animal/des animaux (uhn ah-nee-mahl/dayz ah-nee-moh) – An animal/animals
Le chien (luh shee-an) – The dog
Le chiot (luh shee-oh) – The puppy
Le chat (luh shah) – The cat
Le chaton (luh shah-tohn) – The kitten
Le cheval (luh shuh-vahl) – The horse
L’oiseau (lwah-zoh) (m.) – The bird
Le poisson (luh pwah-sohn) – The fish
La vache (lah vahsh) – The cow
Le mouton (luh moo-tohn) – The sheep
Le cochon (luh koh-shohn) – The pig
Le lapin (luh lah-pan) – The rabbit
Le lion (luh lee-ohn) – The lion
Le tigre (luh tee-gruh) – The tiger
L’ours (loors) (m.) – The bear
Le loup (luh loo) – The wolf
Le renard (luh ruh-nahr) – The fox
Le serpent (luh sehr-pohn) – The snake
L’insecte (lan-sekt) (m.) – The insect
La mouche (lah moosh) – The fly
Le moustique (luh moos-teek) – The mosquito
L’araignée (lah-ray-nyay) (f.) – The spider
La plante (lah plohnt) – The plant
Un arbre (uhn ar-bruh) – A tree
Une feuille (ewn fuh-yuh) – A leaf
Une fleur (ewn fluhr) – A flower
L’herbe (lerb) (f.) – The grass
La forêt (lah foh-ray) – The forest
La jungle (lah zhoon-gluh) – The jungle
Le désert (luh day-zehr) – The desert
La mer (lah mehr) – The sea
L’océan (loh-say-ohn) (m.) – The ocean
La plage (lah plahzh) – The beach
Le sable (luh sah-bluh) – The sand
La vague (lah vahg) – The wave
Le lac (luh lahk) – The lake
La rivière (lah ree-vyer) – The river
Le fleuve (luh fluhv) – The major river (flowing to the sea)
La montagne (lah mohn-tahn-yuh) – The mountain
La colline (lah koh-leen) – The hill
La vallée (lah vah-lay) – The valley
Le champ (luh shohm) – The field
La pierre (lah pyehr) – The stone
Le rocher (luh roh-shay) – The rock/boulder
Le volcan (luh vol-kohn) – The volcano
Le ciel (luh see-el) – The sky
Le soleil (luh soh-lay) – The sun
La lune (lah loon) – The moon
Une étoile (ewn ay-twahl) – A star

Descriptive Words & Adverbs (Mots Descriptifs et Adverbes) ✨

Make your descriptions more vivid and precise with this next level of adjectives and adverbs.

Incroyable (an-krwah-yah-bluh) – Incredible
Magnifique (mah-nyee-feek) – Magnificent/Gorgeous
Horrible (oh-ree-bluh) – Horrible
Excellent(e) (ek-say-lohn/lohnt) – Excellent
Pauvre (poh-vruh) – Poor
Riche (reesh) – Rich
Fort(e) (for/fort) – Strong
Faible (feh-bluh) – Weak
Rapide (rah-peed) – Fast
Lent(e) (lohn/lohnt) – Slow
Lourd(e) (loor/loord) – Heavy
Léger/Légère (lay-zhay/lay-zhehr) – Light (weight)
Dur(e) (dyoor) – Hard
Mou/Molle (moo/mol) – Soft
Plein(e) (plan/plen) – Full
Vide (veed) – Empty
Bruyant(e) (brwee-yohn/yohnt) – Noisy
Calme/Silencieux(euse) (kahlm/see-lohn-syuh/syuhz) – Calm/Silent
Confortable (kohn-for-tah-bluh) – Comfortable
Utile (oo-teel) – Useful
Inutile (ee-noo-teel) – Useless
Possible (poh-see-bluh) – Possible
Impossible (am-poh-see-bluh) – Impossible
Sûr(e) (syoor) – Sure/Safe
Dangereux/Dangereuse (dohn-zhuh-ruh/ruhz) – Dangerous
Prêt(e) (preh/pret) – Ready
Proche (prosh) – Close
Étrange (ay-trohnzh) – Strange
Normal(e) (nor-mahl) – Normal
Spécial(e) (spay-syahl) – Special
Principal(e) (pran-see-pahl) – Main/Principal
Public/Publique (poo-bleek) – Public
Privé(e) (pree-vay) – Private
Absolument (ab-so-loo-mohn) – Absolutely
Complètement (kohm-plet-mohn) – Completely
Exactement (egg-zakt-mohn) – Exactly
Probablement (pro-bah-bluh-mohn) – Probably
Certainement (sehr-ten-mohn) – Certainly
Heureusement (uh-ruhz-mohn) – Fortunately
Malheureusement (mah-luh-ruhz-mohn) – Unfortunately
Naturellement (nah-tyoor-el-mohn) – Naturally
Parfaitement (pahr-fet-mohn) – Perfectly
Surtout (soor-too) – Especially/Above all
Autour (oh-toor) – Around
Dedans (duh-dohn) – Inside
Dehors (duh-or) – Outside
Partout (pahr-too) – Everywhere
Nulle part (nool pahr) – Nowhere
Quelque part (kel-kuh pahr) – Somewhere
Assez (ah-say) – Quite/Rather/Enough

In the City (En Ville) 🏙️

Build on your basic location vocabulary with these specific French words for navigating urban life.

La ville (lah veel) – The city
Le centre-ville (luh sohn-truh-veel) – The city center
Le quartier (luh kahr-tyay) – The neighborhood/district
La banlieue (lah bohn-lyuh) – The suburbs
Le citoyen/la citoyenne (luh see-twah-yan/lah see-twah-yen) – The citizen
Le bâtiment (luh bah-tee-mohn) – The building
L’immeuble (lee-muh-bluh) (m.) – The apartment building
Le gratte-ciel (luh graht-see-el) – The skyscraper
La rue (lah roo) – The street
L’avenue (lahv-noo) (f.) – The avenue
Le boulevard (luh bool-vahr) – The boulevard
La place (lah plahs) – The square
Le trottoir (luh troh-twahr) – The sidewalk
Le carrefour (luh kahr-foor) – The intersection
Le feu (rouge) (luh fuh roozh) – The traffic light (red light)
Le passage piéton (luh pah-sahzh pyay-tohn) – The crosswalk
Le pont (luh pohn) – The bridge
Le tunnel (luh too-nel) – The tunnel
Le parc (luh pahrk) – The park
Le jardin public (luh zhahr-dan poo-bleek) – The public garden
La fontaine (lah fohn-ten) – The fountain
La statue (lah stah-too) – The statue
Le monument (luh moh-noo-mohn) – The monument
Le château (luh shah-toh) – The castle
Le palais (luh pah-lay) – The palace
L’hôtel de ville (loh-tel duh veel) (m.) – The city hall
La cathédrale (lah kah-tay-drahl) – The cathedral
Le port (luh por) – The port/harbor
La zone piétonne (lah zohn pyay-tun) – The pedestrian zone
Le parking (luh pahr-king) – The parking lot
Les transports en commun (lay trohns-por ohn koh-man) – Public transportation
Le guichet (luh gee-shay) – The ticket window
La station-service (lah stah-syon-sehr-vees) – The gas station
L’essence (lay-sohns) (f.) – Gasoline
Le bruit (luh brwee) – The noise
La circulation (lah seer-koo-lah-syon) – The traffic
Les embouteillages (lay-zohm-boo-tay-yahzh) (m.) – The traffic jams
La foule (lah fool) – The crowd
Le plan de la ville (luh plohn duh lah veel) – The city map
L’adresse (lah-dress) (f.) – The address
Le code postal (luh kod pos-tahl) – The postal code
L’office de tourisme (loh-fees duh too-reesm) (m.) – The tourist office
Le bar (luh bar) – The bar
Le pub (luh puhb) – The pub
La boîte de nuit (lah bwaht duh nwee) – The nightclub
Le spectacle (luh spek-tah-kluh) – The show
Le concert (luh kohn-sehr) – The concert
L’exposition (lek-spoh-zee-syon) (f.) – The exhibition
La vue (lah voo) – The view
L’ambiance (lohm-byohns) (f.) – The atmosphere/vibe

Conversational Fillers & Phrases (Expressions et Remplisseurs) 💬

This is the secret sauce: the little expressions that buy you time and make you sound genuinely French.

En fait… (ohn fet) – Actually…/In fact…
Du coup… (doo koo) – So…/As a result… (very common)
Alors… (ah-lor) – So…/Well…
Bon… (bohn) – Well…/Okay…
Euh… (uh) – Um…/Uh…
Bref… (bref) – Anyway…/In short…
Tu vois? (too vwah) – You see?/You know?
N’est-ce pas? (ness pah) – Right?/Isn’t it?
Dis donc (dee dohnk) – Hey/Say (to express surprise)
Quand même (kohn mem) – Still/All the same/Really
Ça te dit de…? (sah tuh dee duh) – Do you feel like…?/How about…?
On y va? (ohn ee vah) – Shall we go?
Qu’est-ce qui se passe? (kess kee suh pahs) – What’s going on?/What’s happening?
Laisse tomber (less tohm-bay) – Forget it/Let it go
Fais gaffe (fay gahf) – Watch out/Be careful (informal)
Ça marche (sah marsh) – That works
Ça roule (sah rool) – That works/It’s all good (casual)
Pas du tout (pah doo too) – Not at all
Bien entendu (byan ohn-tohn-doo) – Of course/Naturally
Sans blague (sohn blahg) – No kidding/Seriously
C’est pas grave (say pah grahv) – It’s no big deal
T’inquiète (tan-kyet) – Don’t worry (informal)
C’est gentil (say zhohn-tee) – That’s nice (of you)
J’arrive (zhah-reev) – I’m coming
J’en ai marre (zhohn ay mahr) – I’m fed up
C’est n’importe quoi (say nam-port kwah) – That’s nonsense
C’est pas vrai ! (say pah vray) – No way!/It’s not true!
C’est pas possible ! (say pah poh-see-bluh) – That’s not possible!
Je n’en peux plus (zhuh nohn puh ploo) – I can’t take it anymore
Ça dépend (sah day-pohn) – It depends
C’est-à-dire… (say-tah-deer) – That is to say…/I mean…
En quelque sorte (ohn kel-kuh sort) – In a way/Sort of
Pour de vrai (poor duh vray) – For real
En général (ohn zhay-nay-rahl) – In general
D’habitude (dah-bee-tood) – Usually
Au fait… (oh fet) – By the way…
À propos (ah pro-poh) – By the way/Regarding
Il s’agit de… (eel sah-zhee duh) – It’s about…
Il faut que… (eel foh kuh) – It is necessary that…/One must…
Il vaut mieux… (eel voh myuh) – It is better to…
J’ai besoin de… (zhay buh-zwan duh) – I need…
J’ai envie de… (zhay ohn-vee duh) – I want to/feel like…
J’ai l’intention de… (zhay lan-tohn-syon duh) – I intend to…
Ça m’est égal (sah may-tay-gahl) – It’s all the same to me/I don’t care
Comme tu veux (kom too vuh) – As you wish (informal)
C’est à toi de voir (say-tah twah duh vwahr) – It’s up to you
Je te jure (zhuh tuh zhoor) – I swear
Avoir hâte de (ah-vwahr aht duh) – To look forward to
J’ai hâte (zhay aht) – I can’t wait
On verra (ohn veh-rah) – We’ll see
Si tu veux (see too vuh) – If you want
Allez! (ah-lay) – Come on!/Let’s go!
Tiens (tyan) – Here/Hey/Look (when handing something or getting attention)
Voilà (vwah-lah) – There you go/That’s it
Quoi de neuf? (kwah duh nuhf) – What’s new?/What’s up?
Pas grand-chose (pah grohn-shohz) – Not much
Tu me manques (too muh mohnk) – I miss you
Moi non plus (mwah nohn ploo) – Me neither

Part 7: Mastering the Finer Points of Conversation

This is it—the final stretch.

Think of this section as the final 10% of effort that makes 90% of the difference. Here, we’ll add more specific verbs, words to describe personality, and the idiomatic expressions and modern slang that will help you understand the language as it’s truly written and spoken.

Nuanced Verbs & Actions (Verbes et Actions Nuancés) 🎯

Go beyond basic actions with verbs that add specificity and emotion to what you’re saying.

Sembler (sohm-blay) – To seem/appear
Ressembler à (ruh-sohm-blay ah) – To resemble/look like
Devenir (duh-vuh-neer) – To become
Suivre (swee-vruh) – To follow
Vivre (vee-vruh) – To live
Survivre (soor-vee-vruh) – To survive
Sentir (sohn-teer) – To feel/to smell
Ressentir (ruh-sohn-teer) – To feel (an emotion)
Appartenir à (ah-pahr-tuh-neer ah) – To belong to
Tenir (tuh-neer) – To hold
Maintenir (man-tuh-neer) – To maintain
Obtenir (ob-tuh-neer) – To obtain/get
Servir (sehr-veer) – To serve
Dormir (dor-meer) – To sleep
S’endormir (sohn-dor-meer) – To fall asleep
Mentir (mohn-teer) – To lie
Rire (reer) – To laugh
Sourire (soo-reer) – To smile
Cueillir (kuh-yeer) – To pick (flowers, fruit)
Offrir (oh-freer) – To offer/give (a gift)
Découvrir (day-koo-vreer) – To discover
Souffrir (soo-freer) – To suffer
Craindre (kran-druh) – To fear
Peindre (pan-druh) – To paint
Atteindre (ah-tan-druh) – To reach/attain
Éteindre (ay-tan-druh) – To turn off/extinguish
Rejoindre (ruh-zhwan-druh) – To join/meet up with
Plaire à (plehr ah) – To please
Se taire (suh tehr) – To be quiet
Construire (kohn-strweer) – To build
Détruire (day-trweer) – To destroy
Traduire (trah-dweer) – To translate
Produire (pro-dweer) – To produce
Connaître (kon-net-ruh) – To know (be familiar with)
Reconnaître (ruh-kon-net-ruh) – To recognize
Paraître (pah-ret-ruh) – To appear/seem
Disparaître (dees-pah-ret-ruh) – To disappear
Naître (net-ruh) – To be born
Battre (bah-truh) – To beat/hit
Permettre (pehr-met-ruh) – To permit/allow
Promettre (pro-met-ruh) – To promise
Rappeler (rah-play) – To call back/to remind
Se rappeler (suh rah-play) – To recall/remember
Jeter (zhuh-tay) – To throw
Profiter de (pro-fee-tay duh) – To take advantage of/enjoy
Agir (ah-zheer) – To act
Pousser (poo-say) – To push
Tirer (tee-ray) – To pull
Sauter (soh-tay) – To jump
Crier (kree-yay) – To shout/yell

Describing People: Character & Personality (Traits de Caractère) 😄

Move beyond physical descriptions and talk about what people are actually like.

Gentil/Gentille (zhohn-tee/zhohn-teey) – Kind
Méchant(e) (may-shohn/shohnt) – Mean/Naughty
Sympathique/Sympa (sam-pah-teek/sam-pah) – Nice/Friendly
Drôle (drohl) – Funny
Sérieux/Sérieuse (say-ryuh/say-ryuhz) – Serious
Timide (tee-meed) – Shy
Extraverti(e) (ex-trah-vehr-tee) – Extroverted
Intelligent(e) (an-tay-lee-zhohn/zhohnt) – Intelligent
Bête (bet) – Stupid/Silly
Paresseux/Paresseuse (pah-ray-suh/suhz) – Lazy
Travailleur/Travailleuse (trah-vah-yuhr/yuhz) – Hard-working
Généreux/Généreuse (zhay-nay-ruh/ruhz) – Generous
Égoïste (ay-go-eest) – Selfish
Honnête (oh-net) – Honest
Malhonnête (mahl-oh-net) – Dishonest
Courageux/Courageuse (koo-rah-zhuh/zhuhz) – Brave
Peureux/Peureuse (puh-ruh/ruhz) – Fearful/Scared
Poli(e) (poh-lee) – Polite
Impoli(e) (am-poh-lee) – Impolite
Calme (kahlm) – Calm
Nerveux/Nerveuse (nehr-vuh/vuhz) – Nervous
Optimiste (op-tee-meest) – Optimistic
Pessimiste (peh-see-meest) – Pessimistic
Patient(e) (pah-syohn/syohnt) – Patient
Impatient(e) (am-pah-syohn/syohnt) – Impatient
Créatif/Créative (kray-ah-teef/teev) – Creative
Curieux/Curieuse (koo-ryuh/ryuhz) – Curious
Sportif/Sportive (spor-teef/teev) – Sporty/Athletic
Bavard(e) (bah-vahr/vahrd) – Talkative
Silencieux/Silencieuse (see-lohn-syuh/syuhz) – Quiet
Ouvert(e) d’esprit (oo-vehr des-pree) – Open-minded
Têtu(e) (teh-too) – Stubborn
Sensible (sohn-see-bluh) – Sensitive
Adorable (ah-doh-rah-bluh) – Adorable
Charmant(e) (shar-mohn/mohnt) – Charming
Fiable (fee-ah-bluh) – Reliable
Modeste (moh-dest) – Modest
Fier/Fière (fyehr) – Proud
Jaloux/Jalouse (zhah-loo/looz) – Jealous
Strict(e) (streekt) – Strict
Doux/Douce (doo/doos) – Gentle/Sweet/Soft
Amusant(e) (ah-moo-zohn/zohnt) – Amusing/Fun
Compétent(e) (kohm-pay-tohn/tohnt) – Competent
Indépendant(e) (an-day-pohn-dohn/dohnt) – Independent
Responsable (res-pohn-sah-bluh) – Responsible
Mignon/Mignonne (mee-nyon/nyun) – Cute
Naïf/Naïve (nah-eef/nah-eev) – Naive
Sage (sahzh) – Well-behaved/Wise
Fou/Folle (foo/fol) – Crazy
Bizarre (bee-zahr) – Bizarre/Weird

The World of Work & Society (Le Monde du Travail et la Société) 🏛️

Discuss current events, professions, and societal structures with more specific vocabulary.

La société (lah soh-syay-tay) – Society
Le gouvernement (luh goo-vehr-nuh-mohn) – The government
La loi (lah lwah) – The law
La politique (lah poh-lee-teek) – Politics
L’économie (lay-koh-no-mee) (f.) – The economy
Le chômage (luh shoh-mahzh) – Unemployment
Une grève (ewn grev) – A strike
Une manifestation (ewn mah-nee-fes-tah-syon) – A protest/demonstration
L’impôt (lam-poh) (m.) – The tax
Le citoyen/la citoyenne (luh see-twah-yan/yen) – The citizen
L’étranger/l’étrangère (lay-trohn-zhay/zhehr) – The foreigner
L’éducation (lay-doo-kah-syon) (f.) – Education
L’environnement (lohn-vee-ron-mohn) (m.) – The environment
La santé (lah sohn-tay) – Health/Healthcare system
Un avocat/une avocate (uhn ah-voh-kah/kaht) – A lawyer
Un médecin (uhn mayd-san) – A doctor
Un ingénieur (uhn an-zhay-nyuhr) – An engineer
Un artiste/une artiste (uhn ar-teest) – An artist
Un musicien/une musicienne (uhn moo-zee-syan/syen) – A musician
Un acteur/une actrice (uhn ak-tuhr/ak-treess) – An actor/actress
Un écrivain (uhn ay-kree-van) – A writer
Un journaliste (uhn zhoor-nah-leest) – A journalist
Un scientifique (uhn syon-tee-feek) – A scientist
Un policier/une policière (uhn poh-lee-syay/syehr) – A police officer
Un pompier (uhn pohm-pyay) – A firefighter
Un cuisinier/une cuisinière (uhn kwee-zee-nyay/nyehr) – A cook/chef
Un coiffeur/une coiffeuse (uhn kwah-fuhr/fuhz) – A hairdresser
Un agriculteur (uhn ah-gree-kool-tuhr) – A farmer
Le commerce (luh koh-mehrs) – Business/Commerce
L’industrie (lan-doos-tree) (f.) – Industry
La retraite (lah ruh-tret) – Retirement
Un entretien (d’embauche) (uhn ohn-truh-tyan dohm-bohsh) – A (job) interview
Le CV (luh say-vay) – The resume
Une augmentation (ewn og-mohn-tah-syon) – A raise
Un syndicat (uhn san-dee-kah) – A union
L’usine (loo-zeen) (f.) – The factory
Le client/la cliente (luh klee-ohn/ohnt) – The client
Le consommateur (luh kohn-soh-mah-tuhr) – The consumer
La publicité/la pub (lah poob-lee-see-tay/poob) – Advertising/ad
Le droit (luh drwah) – The right/law
La justice (lah zhoos-teess) – Justice
La liberté (lah lee-behr-tay) – Freedom
L’égalité (lay-gah-lee-tay) (f.) – Equality
La fraternité (lah frah-tehr-nee-tay) – Fraternity/Brotherhood
La paix (lah pay) – Peace
La guerre (lah gehr) – War
L’armée (lar-may) (f.) – The army
Le soldat (luh sol-dah) – The soldier
L’avenir (lahv-neer) (m.) – The future
Le progrès (luh pro-gray) – Progress

At the Table: Advanced Food & Cooking (La Cuisine et la Gastronomie) 🍽️

Impress your French friends with specific terms for tastes, textures, and techniques.

La recette (lah ruh-set) – The recipe
L’ingrédient (lan-gray-dyon) (m.) – The ingredient
Cuisiner (kwee-zee-nay) – To cook
Préparer (pray-pah-ray) – To prepare
Couper (koo-pay) – To cut
Hacher (ah-shay) – To chop/mince
Mélanger (may-lohn-zhay) – To mix
Ajouter (ah-zhoo-tay) – To add
Faire cuire (fehr kweer) – To cook
Faire bouillir (fehr boo-yeer) – To boil
Frire (freer) – To fry
Rôtir (roh-teer) – To roast
Griller (gree-yay) – To grill
Cuire au four (kweer oh foor) – To bake
Le goût (luh goo) – The taste/flavor
Le saveur (lah sah-vuhr) – The flavor
L’odeur (loh-duhr) (f.) – The smell
Délicieux/Délicieuse (day-lee-syuh/syuhz) – Delicious
Sucré(e) (soo-kray) – Sweet
Salé(e) (sah-lay) – Salty
Amer/Amère (ah-mehr) – Bitter
Acide (ah-seed) – Sour
Épicé(e) (ay-pee-say) – Spicy
Doux/Douce (doo/doos) – Mild/Sweet
Cru(e) (kroo) – Raw
Cuit(e) (kwee/kweet) – Cooked
Bien cuit (byan kwee) – Well-done (for meat)
À point (ah pwan) – Medium-rare (for meat)
Saignant(e) (say-nyohn/nyohnt) – Rare (for meat)
Chaud(e) (shoh/shohd) – Hot (temperature)
Froid(e) (frwah/frwahd) – Cold
L’apéritif/l’apéro (lah-pay-ree-teef/lay-pay-roh) (m.) – The pre-dinner drink/snack
Le digestif (luh dee-zhes-teef) – The after-dinner drink
La boisson gazeuse (lah bwah-sohn gah-zuhz) – The soft drink
Les couverts (lay koo-vehr) (m.) – The cutlery/silverware
La serviette (lah sehr-vyet) – The napkin
La nappe (lah nahp) – The tablecloth
Le plat (luh plah) – The dish
La viande (lah vee-yohnd) – Meat
La volaille (lah voh-lah-yuh) – Poultry
Le gibier (luh zhee-byay) – Game (meat)
Les légumes secs (lay lay-goom sek) – Legumes/Pulses
Les féculents (lay fay-koo-lohn) – Starches
Les produits laitiers (lay pro-dwee lay-tyay) – Dairy products
Les pâtisseries (lay pah-tees-ree) – Pastries
Le petit-four (luh puh-tee-foor) – The petit four (small pastry)
Le pourboire (luh poor-bwahr) – The tip
Réserver (ray-zehr-vay) – To reserve/book
Commander (kom-mohn-day) – To order
Goûter (goo-tay) – To taste

Arts, Culture & Media (Les Arts, la Culture et les Médias) 🎭

Engage in deeper conversations about film, books, music, and the arts with these French words.

L’art (lahr) (m.) – Art
La culture (lah kool-tyoor) – Culture
Le musée (luh moo-zay) – The museum
L’exposition (lek-spoh-zee-syon) (f.) – The exhibition
La peinture (lah pan-tyoor) – Painting (the art form)
Un tableau (uhn tah-bloh) – A painting (the object)
Le dessin (luh day-san) – Drawing
La sculpture (lah skool-tyoor) – Sculpture
La photographie (lah foh-toh-grah-fee) – Photography
Le cinéma (luh see-nay-mah) – The cinema
Un film (uhn feelm) – A movie
Un acteur/une actrice (uhn ak-tuhr/treess) – An actor/actress
Le réalisateur/la réalisatrice (luh ray-ah-lee-zah-tuhr/treess) – The director
Le personnage (luh pehr-soh-nahzh) – The character
L’histoire (lees-twahr) (f.) – The story/plot
Le théâtre (luh tay-ah-truh) – The theater
Une pièce (de théâtre) (ewn pyess duh tay-ah-truh) – A play
La scène (lah sen) – The stage/the scene
La littérature (lah lee-tay-rah-tyoor) – Literature
Un livre (uhn lee-vruh) – A book
Un roman (uhn roh-mohn) – A novel
Un poème (uhn poh-em) – A poem
Un écrivain/une écrivaine (uhn ay-kree-van/ven) – A writer
Le lecteur/la lectrice (luh lek-tuhr/treess) – The reader
La musique (lah moo-zeek) – Music
Une chanson (ewn shohn-sohn) – A song
Le concert (luh kohn-sehr) – The concert
L’opéra (loh-pay-rah) (m.) – The opera
L’orchestre (lor-kest-ruh) (m.) – The orchestra
La danse (lah dohns) – The dance
Le ballet (luh bah-lay) – The ballet
L’architecture (lar-shee-tek-tyoor) (f.) – Architecture
Le style (luh steel) – The style
L’œuvre (luhv-ruh) (f.) – The work (of art)
Le chef-d’œuvre (luh shay-duh-vruh) – The masterpiece
Les médias (lay may-dyah) (m.) – The media
Les actualités/les infos (lay-zak-too-ah-lee-tay/lay-zan-foh) – The news
Le journal (luh zhoor-nahl) – The newspaper
Le magazine (luh mah-gah-zeen) – The magazine
La radio (lah rah-dyoh) – The radio
La télévision/la télé (lah tay-lay-vee-zyon/tay-lay) – The television/TV
Une émission (ewn ay-mee-syon) – A show/program
Un documentaire (uhn doh-koo-mohn-tehr) – A documentary
La publicité/la pub (lah poob) – The advertisement/ad
Un article (uhn ar-tee-kluh) – An article
Le public (luh poo-bleek) – The audience
La critique (lah kree-teek) – The review/criticism
Le festival (luh fes-tee-vahl) – The festival
Le billet (luh bee-yay) – The ticket
Applaudir (ah-ploh-deer) – To applaud

Sounding French: Idioms, Slang & Final Touches (Argot et Expressions) 😎

This is the final polish. Dropping these into conversation will make you sound incredibly natural.

Kiffer (kee-fay) – To love/really like (slang)
Un pote (uhn pot) – A buddy/mate
Un mec (uhn mek) – A guy/dude
Une meuf (ewn muhf) – A girl/chick (verlan for femme)
Un flic (uhn fleek) – A cop (slang)
Le boulot (luh boo-loh) – Work/job (slang)
Bosser (boh-say) – To work hard (slang)
La bouffe (lah boof) – Food/grub (slang)
Le fric (luh freek) – Money/cash (slang)
Une clope (ewn klop) – A cigarette (slang)
Ouf (oof) – Crazy (verlan for fou)
Relou (ruh-loo) – Annoying/a pain (verlan for lourd)
Chelou (shuh-loo) – Weird/shady (verlan for louche)
Laisse tomber (less tohm-bay) – Forget it/Let it go
Avoir la flemme (ah-vwahr lah flem) – To not feel like doing anything
J’ai la flemme (zhay lah flem) – I can’t be bothered
Tomber dans les pommes (tohm-bay dohn lay pum) – To faint/pass out (lit. “to fall in the apples”)
Coûter un bras (koo-tay uhn brah) – To cost an arm and a leg (lit. “to cost an arm”)
Avoir la pêche/la patate (ah-vwahr lah pesh/pah-taht) – To be full of energy (lit. “to have the peach/potato”)
Il pleut des cordes (eel pluh day kord) – It’s raining cats and dogs (lit. “it’s raining ropes”)
Raconter des salades (rah-kohn-tay day sah-lahd) – To tell tall tales/to lie (lit. “to tell salads”)
Poser un lapin à quelqu’un (poh-zay uhn lah-pan ah kel-kuhn) – To stand someone up (lit. “to place a rabbit on someone”)
Se prendre un râteau (suh prohn-druh uhn rah-toh) – To be rejected/shot down (romantically) (lit. “to take a rake”)
C’est la fin des haricots (say lah fan day ah-ree-koh) – It’s the last straw/it’s all over (lit. “it’s the end of the beans”)
Mettre son grain de sel (met-ruh sohn gran duh sel) – To butt in/give an unsolicited opinion (lit. “to put one’s grain of salt”)
En faire tout un fromage (ohn fehr too tuhn froh-mahzh) – To make a big deal out of nothing (lit. “to make a whole cheese out of it”)
Un coup de foudre (uhn koo duh foo-druh) – Love at first sight (lit. “a bolt of lightning”)
Ça roule (sah rool) – It works/It’s all good (casual)
C’est pas sorcier (say pah sor-syay) – It’s not rocket science (lit. “it’s not wizardry”)
Faire la grasse matinée (fehr lah grahs mah-tee-nay) – To sleep in/have a lie-in
Boire un coup (bwahr uhn koo) – To have a drink
Passer une nuit blanche (pah-say ewn nwee blohnsh) – To pull an all-nighter
Avoir le cafard (ah-vwahr luh kah-fahr) – To have the blues/be down (lit. “to have the cockroach”)
J’hallucine (zhah-loo-seen) – I’m hallucinating/I can’t believe it
C’est du gâteau (say doo gah-toh) – It’s a piece of cake
Revenir à ses moutons (ruh-vuh-neer ah say moo-tohn) – To get back to the subject at hand (lit. “to return to one’s sheep”)
Donner sa langue au chat (doh-nay sah lohng oh shah) – To give up (on a riddle) (lit. “to give one’s tongue to the cat”)
Avoir un chat dans la gorge (ah-vwahr uhn shah dohn lah gorzh) – To have a frog in one’s throat
Appuyer sur le champignon (ah-pwee-yay soor luh shohm-pee-nyon) – To step on it/speed up (in a car) (lit. “to press the mushroom”)
Être au taquet (et-ruh oh tah-kay) – To be at full throttle/giving it one’s all
Tu m’étonnes (too may-tun) – You’re telling me/No kidding (sarcastic)
Grave (grahv) – Seriously/Totally (slang adverb)
C’est stylé (say stee-lay) – That’s stylish/cool
Nickel (nee-kel) – Perfect/Spotless
Impeccable (am-peh-kah-bluh) – Impeccable/Flawless
Bof (bof) – (A verbal shrug) Meh/So-so
Carrément (kah-ray-mohn) – Totally/Definitely
Franchement (frohnsh-mohn) – Frankly/Honestly
Sans déconner (sohn day-koh-nay) – No kidding/For real (vulgar slang)
La vache! (lah vahsh) – Holy cow! (lit. “the cow!”)

How to Master These French Words and Phrases

YouTube Video by Fluency Formula — French Words

A list is only a starting point. To truly make these French words your own, you need a simple and consistent routine.

Here’s a proven action plan to turn this vocabulary into confident conversation.

Master One Topical Island at a Time. Don’t try to learn everything at once. Focus on a single category, like “Food & Dining,” and master it before moving to the next. This method builds confidence and makes the process feel manageable. Spend a month on each topic, for example.
Use Flash Cards for Daily Repetition. Create digital or physical flash cards for your current “topical island.” Spend 10-15 minutes reviewing them every single day. Short, daily exposure is far more effective than long, infrequent study sessions.
Keep a Daily Notebook. Active use is key. Every day, challenge yourself to write 5-10 simple sentences using the new words and phrases you’re learning. This practice solidifies the vocabulary and grammar in your mind.
Engage with Comprehensible Input. Train your ear by consuming French content that is just slightly above your level. Start by watching cartoons in French (Peppa Pig or Trotro are great) and listening to easy podcasts in French (Coffee Break French or InnerFrench) to build understanding naturally.
Join French Conversation Groups. The final step is to use what you’ve learned. Find a local or online group to practice speaking each week. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes—every error is a step toward fluency.

The secret is not about finding a magic trick. Instead, it’s about a commitment to a process that is simple, repetitive, and consistent.