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Why settle for an intermediate level when you can reach the summits of advanced French? It sure takes guts, dedication, and a lot of brainpower, but once you pull it off, there is nothing as rewarding as using your limitless fluency with your French-speaking friends!

Improving at an advanced level is no small feat, and few people have gone as far as you have. At this level, you’re getting hit pretty hard with diminishing returns: The more you learn and add to your vocabulary, the more difficult it becomes.

It can also be difficult to find educational content advanced enough to challenge your skills, and this is where we come in! In this article, you’ll find a large collection of useful advanced French words and phrases, from general terms to linking words, specialized vocabulary, and fancy substitutes for common words to help you stand out in a proficiency exam.

Expand your mind with advanced French words.

Table of Contents

1. General Advanced Words
2. Advanced Business Vocabulary
3. Advanced Medical Vocabulary
4. Advanced Legal Vocabulary
5. Alternative Words
6. Le mot de la fin

1. General Advanced Words

These are the bread and butter of advanced words: verbs, adjectives, and adverbs that you could use in a wide variety of situations. The last section contains a collection of useful linking words that you should use to articulate your speech and connect different phrases into logical structures.

Most of these words have a very specific meaning and allow you to clearly express your ideas. Later in this article, we’ll also talk about some alternative words that you can use to replace simple terms in order to sound a bit more sophisticated.

1 – Verbs

Argumenter	Elle argumente en faveur de cette loi.
To argue / To debate	She’s arguing for this law.

Débattre	On pourrait en débattre toute la journée.
To debate	We could debate this all day.

Apercevoir	J’ai aperçu le sommet de la montagne.
To glimpse	I’ve glimpsed the top of the mountain.

Murmurer	Il murmure à mon oreille.
To whisper	He whispers in my ear.

Recueillir	Nous recueillons des données.
To collect / To gather	We are collecting data.

Assumer	J’assume les risques.
To take responsibility	I take responsibility for the risks.

Constituer	Cela constitue un progrès important.
To be / To make up	This is a huge step forward.

Entraîner	Cette crise entraîne une diminution des revenus.
To lead to	This crisis leads to a decrease in revenue.

Mener à	Cela ne mène à rien de bon.
To lead to	This leads to nothing good.

S’élever	La facture s’élève à €80000.
To amount to / To come to	The bill comes to €80,000.

Il murmure. (“He’s whispering.”)

2 – Adjectives

Bénéfique	Cette mesure est bénéfique pour la France.
Beneficial	This measure is beneficial for France.

Conforme à	Elles sont conformes à mes attentes.
Consistent with / In line with	They are in line with my expectations.

Convenable	Nous cherchons une solution convenable.
Suitable / Adequate	We’re looking for an adequate solution.

Déroutant	Ce film est déroutant.
Puzzling / Confusing	This movie is puzzling.

Détaillé	Un compte rendu détaillé
Detailed	A detailed report

Formidable	C’est formidable !
Great / Wonderful	This is wonderful!

Impeccable	Sa coupe de cheveux est impeccable.
Flawless	His haircut is flawless.

Propice	Ce milieu est propice à la criminalité.
Conducive	This business is conducive to criminal acts.

Raisonnable	C’est une solution raisonnable.
Reasonable	This is a reasonable solution.

Rentable	Mon entreprise n’est plus rentable.
Profitable	My company is not profitable anymore.

Spontané	Une combustion spontanée.
Spontaneous	Spontaneous combustion.

Subtil	Un mélange subtil d’ail et de basilic
Subtle	A subtle blend of garlic and basil

Aléatoire	Un échantillon aléatoire est retenu.
Random	A random sample is selected.

Discutable	C’est moralement discutable.
Debatable	This is morally debatable.

Fastidieux	Son travail est fastidieux.
Cumbersome / Tedious	His work is tedious.

Laborieux	C’est une tâche difficile et laborieuse.
Painstaking	This is a difficult and painstaking task.

Improbable	Cela me semble hautement improbable.
Unlikely	This seems very unlikely.

Inadmissible	Ces résultats sont inadmissibles !
Unacceptable	These results are unacceptable!

Pénible	Mais qu’est-ce que c’est pénible !
Tedious / Painful	This is so tedious!

Impensable	C’était impensable il y a encore 10 ans.
Unthinkable	This was unthinkable only ten years ago.

3 – Adverbs

Littéralement	Je suis littéralement épuisé.
Literally	I’m literally exhausted.

Brusquement	Nous sommes partis brusquement.
Abruptly	We left abruptly.

Naturellement	Nous devons naturellement partir bientôt.
Naturally	We naturally have to leave soon.

Précisément	C’est précisément le contraire.
Precisely	It is precisely the other way around.

Obstinément	Ils refusent obstinément.
Stubbornly	They stubbornly refuse.

Décidément	Elle est décidément très populaire.
Decidedly / Certainly	She’s certainly very popular.

Résolument	Je suis résolument contre cette loi.
Resolutely	I’m resolutely against this law.

Absolument	Ça n’a absolument aucun sens.
Absolutely	It makes absolutely no sense.

Brillamment	Tu as brillamment relevé le défi.
Brilliantly	You have brilliantly tackled this challenge.

Modérément	Je l’apprécie modérément.
Moderately	I like it moderately.

Un travail pénible (“Tedious work”)

4 – Linking Words

Ainsi	On peut ainsi obtenir de meilleurs résultats.
Thus	Better results can thus be obtained.

Alors que	La musique a commencé alors que je n’étais pas prêt.
Even though	The music started even though I wasn’t ready.

À moins que	Commençons, à moins que tu ne veuilles attendre.
Unless	Let’s start, unless you wish to wait.

Bien que	Bien que je ne puisse pas venir, le rendez-vous aura lieu.
Even though	Even though I cannot come, the meeting will take place.

Cependant	Tu peux cependant venir demain.
Nevertheless	You can nevertheless come tomorrow.

D’autant plus	Cela me chagrine d’autant plus.
All the more	It pains me all the more.

D’autant plus que	D’autant plus que les prix augmentent.
Even more so	Even more so as the prices are increasing.

En tant que	Je travaille en tant que professeur.
As	I work as a teacher.

Malgré	Tu es sorti malgré la pluie ?
Despite	Did you go out despite the rain?

Quant à	Quant à ton rôle, nous en parlerons demain.
As for	As for your role, we’ll talk about it tomorrow.

Quoique	Ces actions sont rentables, quoique souvent instables.
Although	Those stocks are profitable, although often unstable.

Quoi que	Quoi que tu fasses, tu feras le bon choix.
Whatever / No matter what	Whatever you do, you’ll come to the right decision.

Tandis que	Les prix augmentent tandis que la qualité diminue.
While / Whereas	Prices are increasing while the quality is going down.

Aussitôt que	Aussitôt que tu seras prêt, nous pouvons commencer.
As soon as	As soon as you’re ready, we can start.

Néanmoins	Elles doivent néanmoins apporter une solution.
However	They have, however, to provide a solution.

Il est dehors malgré la pluie. (“He’s out despite the rain.”)

2. Advanced Business Vocabulary

Do you plan on finding work or doing business in France? Knowing these advanced French vocabulary words for business will give you a leg up and impress your colleagues or associates. 

Un département	Je travaille au département marketing.
Division	I work in the marketing division.

Le siège social	C’est le siège social de Renault.
Head office	This is the Renault head office.

La sous-traitance	La sous-traitance nous permet de réduire les coûts.
Outsourcing	Outsourcing allows us to cut costs.

Un licenciement	Un licenciement a été envisagé.
Dismissal / Termination	Termination was considered.

Les actifs	Ils ont des actifs pour gérer leurs dettes.
Assets	They have assets to deal with their debts.

Les actions	Les actions présentées vont être évaluées.
Stocks	Submitted stocks will be evaluated.

Un actionnaire	Je suis l’actionnaire unique de mon entreprise.
Shareholder	I’m the only shareholder of my own company.

Le taux d’intérêt	Les taux d’intérêt diminuent chaque année.
Interest rate	Interest rates are decreasing every year.

Les ressources humaines	Les ressources humaines s’occupent de ton contrat.
Human resources	Human resources are taking care of your contract.

Le chiffre d’affaires	Le chiffre d’affaires n’a cessé d’augmenter.
Turnover / Revenue	Revenues have steadily increased.

Des fonds	Nous devons débloquer des fonds.
Funds	We have to release funds.

Une filiale	Nous sommes une filiale de Renault.
Subsidiary	We are a Renault subsidiary.

Les honoraires	Vous trouverez mes honoraires sur mon site web.
Fee	You’ll find my fee on my website.

Un bulletin de salaire	Je n’ai pas encore reçu mon bulletin de salaire.
Payslip	I haven’t received my payslip yet.

Un partenariat	Elle vient de signer un partenariat avec Renault.
Partnership	She’s just signed a partnership with Renault.

Le marché du travail	Les femmes sont souvent discriminées sur le marché du travail.
Labor market	Women are often discriminated against in the labor market.

Rémunérer	Cette mission est bien rémunérée.
To compensate / To pay	This assignment is well compensated.

Postuler	Je postule pour un nouveau boulot.
To apply	I’m applying for a new job.

Une succursale	Nous avons une succursale à Rome.
Branch	We have a branch in Rome.

La comptabilité	Je vote pour une comptabilité simplifiée.
Accounting	I vote for simplified accounting.

Une marque déposée	Android Auto™ est une marque déposée de Google Inc.
Registered trademark	Android Auto™ is a trademark of Google Inc.

Faire faillite	Mon entreprise a fait faillite.
To go bankrupt	My company has gone bankrupt.

Un voyage d’affaires	Elle part en voyage d’affaires.
Business trip	She’s leaving for a business trip.

Un contrat à durée indéterminée

Permanent contract

Un contrat à durée déterminée

Fixed-term contract

→ Do you need some business sentences to play with your new vocabulary? You can stop by our list of essential phrases for doing business.

Un voyage d’affaires (“A business trip”)

3. Advanced Medical Vocabulary

Do you want to study medicine or enter the medical field in France? Or maybe you would like to be prepared just in case you wind up in the ER. In any case, the advanced French words below are a great place to start expanding your medical vocabulary. 

Un traitement	J’essaye un traitement expérimental.
Treatment	I’m trying an experimental treatment.

Bénin	Ce syndrome est bénin.
Benign	This syndrome is benign.

Désinfecter	Tu dois désinfecter la plaie.
To disinfect / To sterilize	You have to disinfect the wound.

Contagieux	Ce virus est très contagieux.
Contagious	This virus is highly contagious.

Anesthésier	Je vais vous anesthésier avant l’opération.
To anesthetize / To sedate	I’m going to sedate you before the operation.

Une allergie	L’allergie à ce produit est très rare.
Allergy	Allergy to this product is very unusual.

La tension artérielle	Il va mesurer ta tension artérielle.
Blood pressure	He will measure your blood pressure.

Une fracture	J’ai une double fracture de la hanche.
Fracture	I have a double hip fracture.

Une radio	Vous allez avoir besoin d’une radio.
X-ray	You’re going to need an X-ray.

Un plâtre	Je porte un plâtre depuis janvier.
Cast	I’ve been wearing a cast since January.

Une crise cardiaque	Il est mort des suites d’une crise cardiaque.
Heart attack	He died after suffering a heart attack.

Le système immunitaire	Mon système immunitaire était affaibli.
Immune system	My immune system was weakened.

Un saignement	Nous devons arrêter le saignement.
Bleeding	We have to stop the bleeding.

Vacciner	Ils veulent vacciner l’ensemble de la population.
To vaccinate	They want to vaccinate the whole population.

Une ordonnance	Tu ne peux pas acheter ce médicament sans ordonnance.
Prescription	You can’t buy this medication without a prescription.

Un effet secondaire	Il n’y a aucun effet secondaire connu.
Side effect	There is no known side effect.

Une prise de sang	Vous devez faire une prise de sang.
Blood test	You have to do a blood test.

La grippe	J’ai attrapé la grippe l’année dernière.
Flu	I got the flu last year.

Démangeaison	Je commence à ressentir une démangeaison.
Itching	I’m starting to feel an itch.

Les règles	C’est un médicament contre les règles douloureuses.
Menstruation	This is a remedy for painful menstruation.

La nuque	La victime a la nuque brisée.
Neck / Nape	The victim got a broken neck.

Un estomac	J’ai mal à l’estomac.
Stomach	I have a stomachache.

La colonne vertébrale	La colonne vertébrale est fragile.
Spine	The spine is delicate.

Les côtes	J’ai mal aux côtes.
Ribs	My ribs hurt.

Les poumons	Le gaz est éliminé par les poumons.
Lungs	The gas is cleared through the lungs.

→ There are so many complicated medical words that it would take days to list them all! For more phrases with recorded examples, head to our vocabulary list on medical treatments.

Une douleur à l’estomac (“A stomach pain”)

4. Advanced Legal Vocabulary

Now that you’re more advanced in French, there are some useful legal words and terms you should become familiar with. They’ll help you avoid misunderstandings, keep up with the news, and engage in more complex conversations. 

Accrédité	Je suis représentant accrédité du gouvernement.
Authorized / Accredited	I’m an accredited representative of the government.

À l’amiable	Cette affaire a été réglée à l’amiable.
Settled out of court	This matter was settled out of court.

Casier judiciaire	Je n’ai pas de casier judiciaire.
Criminal record	I don’t have a criminal record.

Un juge d’appel	La décision a été confirmée par le juge d’appel.
Judge in appeal	The decision was confirmed by the judge on appeal.

Un juriste	Nous avons besoin d’un juriste.
Legal counsel	We need legal counsel.

Judiciaire	C’est une affaire judiciaire.
Judicial	This is a judicial case.

Un justificatif	Un justificatif de domicile
Written proof	Written proof of address

Convoquer	Elle a convoqué le témoin.
To summon	She summoned the witness.

Représentant légal	Je suis le représentant légal de Renault.
Legal representative	I’m the legal representative of Renault.

Lettre recommandée	J’ai envoyé le document en lettre recommandée.
Registered letter	I have sent the document in a registered letter.

Un litige	Vous avez deux jours pour ouvrir un litige.
Dispute / Litigation	You have two days to open a dispute.

Un mandat	Je reviendrai avec un mandat.
Warrant	I will come back with a warrant.

Un mandataire	Nous allons désigner un mandataire.
Authorized agent / Representative	We will appoint a representative.

Un notaire	Le document est certifié par un notaire.
Notary	The document is certified by a notary.

Parapher	J’ai besoin que tu paraphes ce contrat.
To initial (a document)	I need you to initial this contract.

PME (Petites et Moyennes Entreprises)	Les PME paient trop de taxes.
SME (Small or Medium size Enterprise)	SMEs are paying too much in taxes.

Un procès	Un procès a été intenté contre Apple.
Lawsuit	A lawsuit was filed against Apple.

Un procureur	Le procureur veut vous parler.
Public prosecutor	The prosecutor wants to talk to you.

Revendiquer	Je revendique le droit de prendre cette décision.
To claim	I claim the right to make this decision.

Un versement	Tu recevras le premier versement en juin.
Payment	You will receive the first payment in June.

Un enlèvement	C’est l’endroit parfait pour un enlèvement.
A kidnapping	This is the perfect spot for a kidnapping.

Un agresseur	Son agresseur était grand et blond.
Assailant	His assailant was tall and blond.

La corruption	La corruption est un crime.
Bribery / Corruption	Bribery is a crime.

Un cambriolage	Le cambriolage a eu lieu dans la nuit du 17.
Burglary	The burglary took place on the night of the 17th.

Faire chanter	Ils m’ont fait chanter pour des informations confidentielles.
To blackmail	They blackmailed me for confidential information.

Un cambriolage (“A burglary”)

5. Alternative Words

One way to shine in a proficiency test is to display competency with a wide array of vocabulary, showing that you can express yourself with subtlety instead of relying on simpler terms.

In this list, you’ll find simple verbs, adjectives, and adverbs, followed by their more sophisticated alternative and an example sentence. The first column is the basic word, and the second is the alternative you might want to use instead.

The meaning often varies between the first and second words, so I’ll mention both throughout the list. Using these words not only allows you to show off your vocabulary but also to express your ideas more accurately.

1 – Alternative Verbs

Commencer	Entamer	J’entame une nouvelle carrière.
To start	To start	I’m starting a new career.

Continuer	Reprendre	Nous pouvons reprendre la réunion.
To continue	To resume	We can resume the meeting.

Écrire	Rédiger	Elle rédige sa lettre de motivation.
To write	To redact	She’s redacting her cover letter.

Donner	Transmettre	Il transmet ses connaissances à ses collègues.
To give	To pass	He’s passing his knowledge on to his colleagues.

Montrer	Dévoiler	Renault a dévoilé sa nouvelle gamme de véhicules.
To show	To reveal / To unveil	Renault has unveiled its new range of vehicles.

Acheter	Acquérir	Nous voulons acquérir ces brevets.
To buy	To acquire	We want to acquire those patents.

Avoir	Posséder	Je possède un cabinet d’avocats.
To have	To own	I own a law firm.

Dire	Affirmer	Elle affirme ne rien savoir.
To say	To claim	She claims she doesn’t know anything.

Dire	Déclarer	Je n’ai rien à déclarer.
To say	To say / To declare	I have nothing to declare.

2 – Alternative Adjectives

Vrai	Véridique	J’atteste que cette déclaration est véridique.
True	True / Truthful	I certify that this statement is true.

Essentiel	Primordial	Il est primordial d’investir dès maintenant.
Essential	Essential	It is essential to invest right now.

Pratique	Commode	La gestion des fichiers est devenue plus commode.
Convenient	Convenient	File management has become more convenient.

Différent	Distinct	Il y a deux formulaires distincts.
Different	Distinct / Separate	There are two separate forms.

Facile	Enfantin	Tu verras, c’est enfantin.
Easy	Very easy	You’ll see, it’s very easy.

3 – Alternative Adverbs

Facilement	Aisément	On peut aisément le remplacer.
Easily	Easily	We can easily replace it.

Maintenant	À présent	Vous devez à présent signer le contrat.
Now	Now	You now have to sign the contract.

Désormais	Dorénavant	Je travaillerai dorénavant dans ce service.
Now / From now on	From now on	From now on, I will work in this department.

Avant	Précédemment	C’est ce que j’ai mentionné précédemment.
Before	Previously	This is what I previously mentioned.

Plus	Davantage	Je veux acheter davantage d’actions.
More	More	I want to buy more stocks.

Cette application est commode. (“This app is convenient.”)

Le mot de la fin

In this guide, you have learned a large collection of general and specialized advanced French words, from medical vocabulary to legal terms and business phrases. Did we forget any important topic you’d like to learn about?

A good way to learn new words efficiently is to try and build sentences around them. Doing so will help you memorize them and understand how to use them in context. You can also use flashcard apps to get started, but you should not overextend yourself and set 150 flashcards right away. Add them little by little for the best results.

Make sure to explore FrenchPod101, as we have plenty of free resources to help you practice your grammar and learn new words. Our vocabulary lists are also a great way to review words and learn their pronunciation.

Remember that you can also use our Premium PLUS service, MyTeacher, to get personal 1-on-1 coaching. Your own private teacher will be available to help you practice with advanced words and phrases. In addition to giving you assignments and personalized exercises, your teacher can provide recorded audio samples just for you and review your own pronunciation. 

Happy learning on FrenchPod101.com!

About the Author: Born and bred in rainy Northern France, Cyril Danon was bouncing off various jobs before he left everything behind to wander around the wonders of the world. Now, after quenching his wanderlust over the last few years, he’s eager to share his passion for languages.

So, you’ve just reached the intermediate level, and nobody can call you a beginner anymore.

Congratulations! You have already outdone most of your fellow students, who get some basics down and then lose interest, can’t find the time or energy, or can’t build a good learning routine. I should know—I’ve been an eternal beginner in too many languages!

One of the first steps now is to learn some intermediate French words and how to use them. But first, a note:

Reaching the intermediate level is an amazing achievement in itself, but this is also when it gets tough. As your fluency level increases, you’ll start experiencing diminishing returns and realize that your progress is no longer linear. The more fluent you get, the more time it takes to improve.

This is when setting clear goals and maintaining long-term study habits really matters. Having a good overview of what’s ahead is a great way to focus on the bigger picture.

In this article, you’ll find a summary of the intermediate French words you should know as you steadily climb your way to the next level. While this is by no means an exhaustive list, it’s packed full of invaluable vocabulary, from pronouns and verbs to adjectives and large numbers.

Captivate your audience with the right words.

Table of Contents

1. Pronouns
2. Verbs
3. Numbers
4. Nouns
5. Conjunctions
6. Adjectives
7. Adverbs
8. Prepositions
9. Le Mot De La Fin

1. Pronouns

If you’re seeking to learn intermediate French vocabulary, you should already know the basic pronouns. To be more specific:

• Personal subject pronouns (je, vous, elles, etc.)
• Impersonal pronouns (ça, ce, il)
• Reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, etc.)
• Basic interrogative pronouns (qui, où, quand, etc.)
• A few common indefinite pronouns (tout, rien, etc.)

Now, here are some more advanced French pronouns you should learn at the intermediate level.

1 – Stressed Pronouns

Also known as emphatic pronouns, they may be used in place of a subject or object and can only refer to people.

They can be used after prepositions (de, à, avec, etc.):

• Elle parle de toi. (“She talks about you.”)

Or, they can be used after the word que in comparisons (plus que, moins que):

• Tu es plus grand qu’elle. (“You are taller than her.”)

Person	French pronoun	English
1st person sg.	moi	“me”
2nd person sg.	toi	“you”
3rd person sg.	lui / elle	“he” / “him” / “she” / “her”
1st person pl.	nous	“us”
2nd person pl.	vous	“you”
3rd person pl.	eux / elles	“them”

2 – Direct and Indirect Pronouns

Direct pronouns replace a COD (Complément d’Objet Direct). In simpler terms, they answer the question “Who?” or “What?”

• Je bois une bière. (“I drink a beer.”)
• Je la bois. (“I drink it.”)

Indirect pronouns replace a COI (Complement d’Objet Indirect). They answer the question “To whom?” or “To what?”

• Je parle à Simon. (“I talk to Simon.”)
• Je lui parle. (“I talk to him.”)

	Direct pronouns	Indirect pronouns
1st person sg.	me	me
2nd person sg.	te	te
3rd person sg.	le / la	lui
1st person pl.	nous	nous
2nd person pl.	vous	vous
3rd person pl.	les	leur

3 – Adverbial Pronouns

There are only two adverbial pronouns in French, but they are really important.

Y is used to replace à [quelque chose] (“to [something]” / “about [something]”) or en [quelque chose] (“in [something]”).

• Nous allons en Estonie. (“We are going to Estonia.”)
  Nous y allons. (“We are going there.”)

• Je pense à mon projet. (“I think about my project.”)
  J’y pense. (“I think about it.”)

En is used to replace de(s) ____ (“some ____” / “of ____”).

• J’ai une bière. (“I have a beer.”)
  J’en ai une. (“I have one.”)

• Nous avons du temps. (“We have time.”)
  Nous en avons. (“We have some.”)

4 – Relative Pronouns

Although these pronouns don’t have a direct translation in English, it’s easy enough, with examples, to figure out how they work.

que (“that”)	Je sais que tu aimes ça. (“I know that you like that.”)
qui (“who”)	J’ai un ami qui vient ce soir. (“I have a friend who’s coming tonight.”
où (“where” / “when”)	C’est l’endroit où je travaille. (“This is the place where I work.”)
dont (“whose” / “that”)	L’homme dont elle parle (“The man [that] she’s talking about”)

5 – Interrogative Pronouns

Since you already know the basic interrogative pronouns (qui, où, quand, quoi), let’s add a few more to your French arsenal.

lequel lesquels laquelle lesquelles (“which one”)	Lequel tu veux? (“Which one do you want?”) Lesquels sont les meilleurs ? (“Which ones are the best?”) Laquelle est la plus jolie ? (“Which one is the prettiest?”) Lesquelles veux-tu manger ? (“Which ones do you want to eat?”)
quel quels quelle quelles (“which”)	Quel vélo est à vendre ? (“Which bike is for sale?”)

6 – Indefinite Pronouns

And finally, here are a couple of new indefinite pronouns for your collection:

chacun (“everyone” / “every man”)	Chacun paye sa part. (“Everyone pays their share.”)
certains (“some [people]”)	Certains sont venus. (“Some people came.”)

→ To learn more about pronouns, their various categories, and how to use them, be sure to stop by our complete guide on FrenchPod101.com.

Lequel tu préfères ? (“Which one do you prefer?”)

2. Verbs

Assuming you know all about the most common French verbs, starting with our two auxiliaries (être and avoir) as well as the most useful and highly irregular specimens (such as aller or vouloir), it’s time to hone your skills with some additional high-profile verbs.

→ Whenever you need a reminder on how to deal with regular, irregular, or reflexive verbs, you can have a look at our complete conjugation guide on FrenchPod101.com.

servir	“to serve”
laisser	“to leave” / “to allow” / “to let”
envoyer	“to send”
recevoir	“to receive”
vivre	“to live”
appeler	“to call”
rappeler	“to remind” / “to call back”
présenter	“to introduce” / “to present”
accepter	“to accept”
refuser	“to refuse”
agir	“to act”
jouer	“to play”
reconnaître	“to recognize” / “to acknowledge”
choisir	“to choose” / “to select”
toucher	“to touch”
expliquer	“to explain”
se lever	“to stand up” / “to get out of bed”
ouvrir	“to open”
gagner	“to win” / “to earn”
perdre	“to lose”
exister	“to exist”
réussir	“to succeed” / “to manage”
changer	“to change”
travailler	“to work”
dormir	“to sleep”
marcher	“to walk”
essayer	“to try” / “to attempt”
empêcher	“to prevent” / “to stop”
reprendre	“to resume” / “to take back”
cuisiner	“to cook”
appartenir	“to belong”
risquer	“to risk”
apprendre	“to learn” / “to teach”
rencontrer	“to meet”
créer	“to create”
obtenir	“to obtain” / “to get”
entrer	“to enter”
sortir	“to exit” / “to go out” / “to leave”
proposer	“to offer” / “to suggest”
apporter	“to bring”
utiliser	“to use”
atteindre	“to reach” / “to achieve”
préparer	“to prepare” / “to make”
ajouter	“to add”
payer	“to pay”
vendre	“to consider” / “to study”
acheter	“to buy”
pousser	“to push”
tirer	“to pull” / “to shoot”
voyager	“to travel”

Elle voyage en France. (“She travels to France.”)

3. Numbers

You can go a long way with basic numbers, and as you learn a new language, counting from 1 to 10 is usually more than enough. But now that you’re approaching the intermediate French level, it’s time to go further.

This section will give you a leg up when it comes to handling big numbers for big prices, years, or someone’s age. It would be a shame to get a big French paycheck if you didn’t know the words to brag about it!

1 – From 11 to 20

10	Dix
11	Onze
12	Douze
13	Treize
14	Quatorze
15	Quinze
16	Seize
17	Dix-sept
18	Dix-huit
19	Dix-neuf
20	Vingt

2 – Counting Up to 100

30	Trente
40	Quarante
50	Cinquante
60	Soixante
70	Soixante-dix
80	Quatre-vingt
90	Quatre-vingt-dix
100	Cent

→ Feeling a bit rusty with big numbers such as soixante-quatorze (74) or quatre-vingt-douze (92)? Head over to our full guide on French numbers for an in-depth reminder.

3 – To 1,000 and Beyond

200	Deux-cent
300	Trois-cent
(…)
900	Neuf-cent

And from there, the sky’s the limit!

1,000	Mille
10,000	Dix-mille
100,000	Cent-mille
1,000,000 (106)	Un million

4. Nouns

To expand your vocabulary and the variety of topics you can talk about, here’s a list of nouns you might want to add to your flashcards.

→ For more nouns with audio recordings for pronunciation practice, visit any of FrenchPod101’s many free vocabulary lists. Not sure where to start? We recommend 50 Most Common French Nouns.

1 – Time

un siècle	“century”
une matinée	“morning”
The difference between un matin and une matinée is subtle. They both mean “morning,” but matinée is often used when talking about a period of time and what we do in this period.
une soirée	“evening”
Same goes for un soir and une soirée. There is little difference between the two, but we often use une soirée when talking about leisure activities, while un soir is more neutral.
un trimestre	“trimester” / “quarter”
un semestre	“semester”

2 – Places 

une région	“region”
un département	“department”
Metropolitan France is divided into 13 regions that are split into a total of 101 departments. For example, Morbihan is a department within the Bretagne region.
un village	“village”
un parc	“park”
une banque	“bank”
une pharmacie	“pharmacy”
un hôpital	“hospital”
This ^ on the ô is not pronounced; it’s just there as a tribute to the spelling of the word in Old French: hospital.
une boulangerie	“bakery”
Have you ever noticed that in France, you can buy your bread from two different shops? Une boulangerie makes and sells bread, while une pâtisserie is more specialized toward cakes and sweets.
une plaine	“plain”
une falaise	“cliff”
une plage	“beach”
une île	“island”
une colline	“hill”

3 – Technology 

un écran	“screen”
un clavier	“keyboard”
une souris	“mouse”
Just like in English, une souris is also the word for the cute furry animal.
une tablette	“tablet”
une télé	“TV”
The full word is télévision, but the abbreviation is just as popular as the English “TV.”
une console	“console”
un chargeur	“charger”
un site / un site web	“website”
un compte	“account”
un mot de passe	“password”
It may seem more complicated, but it’s actually a direct translation, using un mot (“word”).
un fichier	“file”
un répertoire	“folder”
un logiciel	“software”

4 – Home 

une pièce	“room”
un étage	“floor”
In France, le premier étage (literally: “the first floor”) is what most North Americans call the second floor. This is because the word étage has a slightly different meaning, and we don’t consider le rez-de-chaussée (“the ground floor”) to be un étage. Le rez-de-chaussée (“The ground floor”, i.e.: “The first floor”) Le premier étage (Equivalent of “The second floor”) Le deuxième étage (Equivalent of “The third floor”)
un salon	“living room”
une salle de bain	“bathroom”
un frigo	“fridge”
une armoire	“cabinet” / “wardrobe” / “cupboard” / “closet”

5 – City & Transportation

une banlieue	“suburb” / “outskirt”
un quartier	“district” / “neighborhood” / “area”
une autoroute	“highway”
une ruelle	“alley”
un rond-point	“roundabout”
un carrefour	“crossroad” / “intersection” / “junction”

6 – People 

un oncle	“uncle”
une tante	“aunt”
un petit-fils	“grandson”
une petite-fille	“granddaughter”
un bébé	“baby”
un grand-père	“grandfather”
une grand-mère	“grandmother”

7 – Body Parts 

un doigt	“finger”
You should not get distressed by the weird spelling. The letters “gt” at the end of doigt are silent.
un dos	“back”
un ventre	“belly”
un sein	“breast”
une épaule	“shoulder”
une jambe	“leg”
une cuisse	“thigh”
une fesse	“butt cheek”
un pied	“foot”
une joue	“cheek”
un menton	“chin”
un front	“forehead”

8 – Food & Dining

un couteau	“knife”
une fourchette	“fork”
une cuillère	“spoon”
un vin	“wine”
un plat	“dish”
une entrée	“starter”
un dessert	“dessert”
une boisson	“drink”
un café	“coffee”

9 – Work & Studies

un infirmier / une infirmière	“nurse”
un policier / une policière	“police officer”
un avocat / une avocate	“lawyer”
un serveur / une serveuse	“waiter”
une université	“university”

10 – Clothes

un pantalon	“pants” / “trousers”
un pull	“sweater”
un t-shirt	“T-shirt”
une chemise	“shirt”
un manteau	“coat”
une chaussette	“sock”
une chaussure	“shoe”
une robe	“dress”
un chapeau	“hat”

Elle porte un chapeau. (“She wears a hat.”)

5. Conjunctions

As you may already know the most basic ones (et, ou, si, parce que, mais, pour par), we’ll move on to the more complex conjunctions.

Ni…ni (“Nor”)

• Je ne bois ni bière ni vin. (“I drink neither beer nor wine.”)

Alors (“Then” / “So”)

• Je n’ai pas soif, alors je ne bois pas. (“I’m not thirsty, so I don’t drink.”)

Sinon (“Otherwise”)

• Je ne bois pas, sinon je ne peux pas conduire. (“I’m not drinking, otherwise I cannot drive.”)

Puisque (“Since” / “As”)

• Puisque tu es là, tu veux entrer ? (“Since you’re here, do you want to come in?”)

Quand (“When”)

• Quand je suis fatigué, je baille. (“When I’m tired, I yawn.”)

Donc (“So” / “Therefore”)

• Je pense donc je suis. (“I think, therefore I am.”)

Du coup (“So” / “Therefore”) [Casual]

• J’avais soif, du coup j’ai bu. (“I was thirsty, so I drank.”)

6. Adjectives

Although not as essential for beginners who just want to express basic ideas, adjectives are a great way for intermediate French learners to make their sentences more meaningful and flavorful.

→ If you’re yearning for more after zipping through this list, we have many more in our Top 100 French Adjectives article on FrenchPod101.com.

génial	“great” / “awesome” / “amazing”
horrible	“horrible”
bizarre	“weird”
compliqué	“complicated”
epais	“thick”
fin	“thin”
proche	“near”
lointain	“far”
etroit	“narrow”
large	“wide”
doux	“soft”
dur	“hard”
plein	“full”
vide	“empty”
léger	“light”
lourd	“heavy”
unique	“unique”
spécial	“special”
particulier	“particular” / “special” / “specific”
neuf	“new” (as in: never used)
pauvre	“poor”
riche	“rich” / “wealthy”
propre	“clean”
sale	“dirty”
faible	“weak”
mince	“slim”
mignon	“cute”
méchant	“mean” / “wicked” / “evil”
drôle	“funny”
sympa	“nice”
heureux	“happy”
triste	“sad”
calme	“quiet”
excité	“excited”
dangereux	“dangerous”
ennuyeux	“boring” / “annoying”
gras	“fat”
epicé	“spicy”
second deuxième	“second”
prochain	“next”
précédent	“previous”
avant-dernier	“penultimate” / “second-to-last”
orange	“orange”
rose	“pink”
gris	“gray”
violet	“purple”
magenta	“magenta”
turquoise	“turquoise”

Une pierre turquoise (“A turquoise stone”)

7. Adverbs

Like with adjectives, you could get away with very few adverbs as a beginner, but you’ll need to learn some more as you level up. They’re not only great for showing some style and sophistication in writing, but also for helping the audience picture how something is done when having a conversation. 

1 – When

déjà	“already”
longtemps	“a long time” / “long”
maintenant	“now”
encore	“again”
enfin	“at last”
ensuite alors	“then”

2 – How Often 

parfois	“sometimes”
rarement	“rarely”
d’habitude	“usually”
généralement	“generally” / “usually”
tout le temps	“all the time”

3 – Where 

nulle part	“nowhere”
quelque part	“somewhere”
ailleurs	“somewhere else”
en haut	“up” / “above”
en bas	“down” / “below”
dessus	“over” / “on”
dessous	“under” / “below”
loin	“far”
près	“close”

4 – How 

doucement	“softly” / “quietly”
lentement	“softly” / “quietly”
lentement	“slowly”
rapidement	“fast” / “quickly” / “shortly”
calmement	“calmly” / “quietly”
facilement	“easily”
heureusement	“luckily”
simplement	“simply” / “just”

5 – How Much 

plutôt	“rather”
assez	“enough”
surtout	“especially”
presque	“almost”
combien	“how” / “ how much” / “how many”
tellement	“so” / “so much” / “so many”
environ	“about” / “approximately”

→ You can find many more adverbs in our Top 100 Most Useful French Adverbs article on FrenchPod101.com.

8. Prepositions

Our final list of intermediate French words consists of the most frequently used prepositions. You don’t need too many prepositions, but they’re nonetheless vital for articulating your speech and structuring your sentences. They mark the relationships and links between people, objects, places, and moments. 

1 – Time

avant	“before” / “prior”
après	“after” / “then” / “once”
dans	“in” / “inside” / “within”

2 – Space

à côté	“next to” / “beside”
à droite	“to the right”
à gauche	“to the left”
chez	“at”
There is no direct translation for chez. It usually means “inside somebody’s home or place.” Je vais chez Simon. (“I’m going at Simon’s place.”) Bienvenue chez moi. (“Welcome to my home.”) It can also be used to talk about a specific feature of a group of people: Chez les Américains, il y a (…) (“Americans have…”) Chez les écrivains, on pense que (…) (“Writers think that…”)
devant	“in front of” / “ahead”
derrière	“behind”
sous	“under”
sur	“over” / “on”

3 – Other

entre	“between” / “among”
grâce à	“thanks to”
malgré	“despite”
sans	“without”

Bienvenue chez nous ! (“Welcome to our home!”)

Le Mot De La Fin

In this guide, you’ve learned many of the best French words for intermediate learners. Did we forget any important words or categories you’d like to know about?

At this level, there are still some grammar and conjugation rules to learn, but your vocabulary is what’s going to make the difference when trying to tackle an unusual topic or when expressing complex thoughts in a conversation.

FrenchPod101 has tons of vocabulary lists with audio recordings and other free resources to boost your studies and keep your French learning fresh and entertaining!

Remember that you can also use our Premium PLUS service, MyTeacher, to get personal 1-on-1 coaching with your own private teacher who can help you practice intermediate words and more. Your teacher will provide you with assignments, personalized exercises, and recorded audio samples just for you; he or she will also review all of your work and help improve your pronunciation. 

Happy learning with FrenchPod101!

About the Author: Born and bred in rainy Northern France, Cyril Danon was bouncing off various jobs before he left everything behind to wander around the wonders of the world. Now, after quenching his wanderlust over the last few years, he’s eager to share his passion for languages.

Do you know which animals the French love most? What about the most popular pets and common farm animals? How many species are there in the gastropod family, and what’s the life expectancy of forest-litter snails? We’re about to answer some of these questions.

As I was gathering animal names, I came up with a fascinating theory: the more exotic an animal is in France, the easier it will be for you to learn its French name. Conveniently enough, there are several animal names in French that are identical to their English equivalents: lion, crocodile, panda, koala, giraffe, jaguar… They shouldn’t give you too much trouble!

In this article, you’ll learn the names of different animals in French, from pets and farm animals to wild beasts, sea creatures, and all sorts of tiny bugs. We’ll even spice it up with some extras: French animal sounds, body parts, and a bunch of colorful expressions such as il pleut comme vache qui pisse (“it’s raining like a pissing cow”).

Des animaux de compagnie (“Pets”)

Table of Contents

1. Pets
2. Farm Animals
3. Wild Animals
4. Sea Animals
5. Bugs
6. Birds
7. Reptiles & Amphibians
8. Animal Body Parts
9. Animal Verbs
10. Animal Sounds
11. Bonus: Animal Idioms
12. Le mot de la fin

1. Pets

When it comes to pets, the French don’t have very eccentric tastes. Sure, you could always find domestic snakes or spiders here and there. But the all-time classics (cats and dogs) are as ubiquitous here as anywhere else in the world, with fish and birds coming next on the list.

Polls have shown that the most popular pets in France are cats (purring in around 30% of households), followed by dogs (20%), and then fish (10%). When asked about their favorite animals (and not just pets), the French still answered in favor of cats and dogs, followed by horses and dolphins.

Surprisingly, France is also the European country with the highest number of domestic reptiles, though this number is marginal compared to the number of domestic mammals.

Un chat	“Cat”
Un chien	“Dog”
Un lapin	“Rabbit”
Une souris	“Mouse”
Un rat	“Rat”
Un cochon d’Inde	“Guinea pig”
Un poisson rouge	“Goldfish”
Un perroquet	“Parrot”

Un chaton (“Kitten”)

2. Farm Animals

Farm animals don’t vary much from one country to the next, and France is no exception. We breed the same-old cows, pigs, sheep, and goats as anywhere else in the world, which makes these words some of the most useful to learn.

The only feature you may find “exotic” about French farms is that we breed horses for their meat.

Hippophagy (the practice of eating horse meat) is generally frowned upon in the U.S., and is even banned in many states across the country. It’s met with the same disgust in the U.K., where it remains a strong taboo. 

In France, it was never wildly popular, but following lots of scandals and controversies over the last two decades, the consumption of horse meat has decreased dramatically. At this rate, it shall soon become a distant nightmare for all horse-lovers.

Here are the names of common farm animals in French:

Une vache	“Cow”
Un cochon	“Pig”
Un mouton	“Sheep”
Une chèvre	“Goat”
Un cheval	“Horse”
Une poule	“Hen”
Un coq	“Rooster”
Un canard	“Duck”
Une oie	“Goose”
Une dinde	“Turkey”

→ To learn more French words and practice your pronunciation, why not stop by our vocabulary lesson on farm animals? It’s available for free on FrenchPod101.com.

Des cochons (“Pigs”)

3. Wild Animals

French forests and mountains are home to a variety of wild animals. Rabbits and hares are the easiest to spot, but if you hike deep enough in the woods, you might encounter deer, wolves, and even bears.

If you’re more of a mountain climber, you may find some adorable groundhogs hiding from eagles and different kinds of wild goats strolling around like they own the place. The Alps are especially renowned for their wildlife, but we also have a few whales singing in the Mediterranean Sea and fluffy seals on the northern coast.

Here are the names of popular wild animals in the French language:

Un ours	“Bear”
Un loup	“Wolf”
Un cerf	“Deer”
Un lièvre	“Hare”
Un renard	“Fox”
Un hérisson	“Hedgehog”
Un écureuil	“Squirrel”
Un sanglier	“Boar”
Une marmotte	“Groundhog”
Un lion	“Lion”
Un tigre	“Tiger”
Un jaguar	“Jaguar”
Une panthère	“Panther”
Un éléphant	“Elephant”
Une giraffe	“Giraffe”
Un singe	“Monkey”
Un gorille	“Gorilla”
Un kangourou	“Kangaroo”
Un koala	“Koala”
Un panda	“Panda”
Un paresseux	“Sloth”
Un phoque	“Seal”
Un pingouin	“Penguin”
Un ours polaire	“Polar bear”
Un morse	“Walrus”

Un paresseux (“Sloth”)

4. Sea Animals

Counting our overseas regions (Nouvelle Calédonie, Polynésie Française, Mayotte…), France alone is home to 10% of the world’s corals. They’re mostly gathered around our islands, and they host an impressive diversity of fish, algae, and shellfish.

On the other hand, the industrialization and pollution of the French coasts have taken a huge toll on the marine ecosystem, with plastic being one of the main culprits.

Un poisson	“Fish”
Un requin	“Shark”
Un dauphin	“Dolphin”
Une baleine	“Whale”
Un lion de mer	“Sealion”
Une méduse	“Jellyfish”
Une pieuvre Un poulpe	“Octopus”
There is no difference between un poulpe and une pieuvre. The latter is a bit more modern, but both are equally used.
Un hippocampe	“Seahorse”
Un oursin	“Urchin”
Une étoile de mer	“Starfish”
Une moule	“Mussel”
Un concombre de mer	“Sea cucumber”
Sea cucumbers are so bizarrely amazing that I couldn’t resist including them on this list. Do you know of any other animal that breathes through its butt? They especially thrive in deep water, and make up 90% of life on the ocean floor below 15,000 feet.

→ Do you wanna dive deeper? We have a vocabulary list of marine animals and fish with recorded pronunciation examples.

Un requin-marteau (“Hammerhead shark”)

5. Bugs

France has a diverse fauna of native and endemic bugs. Nothing as lethal and scary as what you’d find in Australia, luckily, but we have our fair share of crawling insects and nasty worms.

The three most dangerous animals in France are the Asian hornets, blood-sucking ticks, and the infamous veuve noire (“black widow”), a spider found on the island of Corsica and the region of Provence. Its venom is more dangerous than that of a cobra and can induce crazy hallucinations.

Une abeille	“Bee”
Une guêpe	“Wasp”
Un moustique	“Mosquito”
Une mouche	“Fly”
Une araignée	“Spider”
Un criquet	“Grasshopper”
Un cafard	“Cockroach”
Un papillon	“Butterfly”
Une fourmi	“Ant”
Une mite	“Moth”
Un escargot	“Snail”
Une limace	“Slug”

Une guêpe (“Wasp”)

6. Birds

There are more than 500 species of birds in France, but none are as familiar as our iconic pigeon.

Around 23,000 pigeons live in Paris today, but it wasn’t always so. Back in the nineteenth century, they could only be seen flying over the city. Pigeons only settled in later on, thanks to the lack of predators and the rise of the pigeon post during the Franco-Prussian War.

Un pigeon	“Pigeon”
Une mouette	“Seagull”
Un corbeau	“Crow”
Un aigle	“Eagle”
Une colombe	“Dove”
Un hibou Une chouette	“Owl”
What’s the difference between hiboux and chouettes? Simple enough: Hiboux have fluffy ‘ears’ and chouettes don’t. Both are adorable.
Une pie	“Magpie”
Un moineau	“Sparrow”
Un paon	“Peacock”

Des pigeons (“Pigeons”)

7. Reptiles & Amphibians

Although we don’t have many lethal snakes in France, we still have a few vipers hiding in the bushes here and there. However, they usually don’t attack without provocation and their venom is rarely fatal to humans.

Their natural habitat has been increasingly threatened in recent years and they’re nearly extinct today. Due to their bad reputation (much of which is derived from phobias and irrational fears), nobody’s too eager to protect them.

Une grenouille	“Frog”
Un crapaud	“Toad”
Un crocodile	“Crocodile”
Un lézard	“Lizard”
Une tortue	“Turtle”
Une tortue de mer	“Sea turtle”
Un serpent	“Snake”

→ For more French animal words with recordings of their pronunciation, make sure to check out this free vocabulary list on FrenchPod101.com.

Un serpent (“Snake”)

8. Animal Body Parts

Une queue	“Tail”
Un poil	“Hair”
Une fourrure	“Fur”
Une dent	“Tooth”
Un croc	“Fang”
Une griffe	“Claw”
Une corne	“Horn”
Un sabot	“Hoof”
Une plume	“Feather”
Une aile	“Wing”
Un bec	“Beak”
Une gueule	“Mouth”
The word gueule is also a rude slang term for “mouth,” as in the expression: Ferme ta gueule. (“Shut your trap.”) In that case, you’re implicitly comparing the other person to an animal.
Une nageoire	“Fin”
Un tentacule	“Tentacle”
Une crinière	“Mane”
Une trompe	“Trunk”
Une défense	“Tusk”
Une antenne	“Antenna”
Un dard	“Dart”
Une patte	“Leg”
Une patte can only be used for animals. When talking about a human leg, we use une jambe.
Une écaille	“Scale”

Des cornes (“Horns”)

9. Animal Verbs

Miauler	“To meow”
Aboyer	“To bark”
Rugir	“To roar”
Bourdonner	“To buzz”
Grogner	“To growl”
Ronronner	“To purr”
Galoper	“To gallop”
Nager	“To swim”
Ramper	“To crawl”
Mordre	“To bite” (with teeth)
Piquer	“To sting” (with a dart)
Griffer	“To scratch”
Lécher	“To lick”
Caresser	“To pet”
Dresser	“To tame” / “To train”
Nourrir	“To feed”
Vacciner	“To vaccinate”

Le chien aboie. (“The dog is barking.”)

10. Animal Sounds

The onomatopoeia used for animal sounds vary greatly from one country to the next, and it’s always hilarious to see how people perceive barking or meowing in other cultures. Here are the most popular French animal sounds, for your entertainment.

But before you make fun of our animals’ sounds, just keep in mind that cats say “knavili” in Georgian, dogs go “Gaf gaf” in Russian, Danish ducks sing “Rap rap,” and Belgian turkeys gobble “Irka kloek kloek.” Just sayin’.

Miaou	(Cat)
Ouaf / Wouf	(Dog)
Meuh	(Cow)
Bêêê	(Sheep)
Cui cui	(Bird)
Cocorico	(Rooster)
We also use this sound as a symbol of national pride. When a French person says Cocorico !, it’s pretty much like saying “Go France!”
Coin coin	(Duck)
Grrr	(Growling sound)
Hou hou	(Owl)
Croa croa	(Toad)
Glouglou	(Turkey)
Cot cot	(Hen)
Groin groin	(Pig)

Cocorico ! (“Cock-a-doodle-doo!”)

11. Bonus: Animal Idioms

French expression	Marcher sur des œufs
Literal translation	“To walk on eggs”
This is the equivalent of “to walk on eggshells,” when you’re being very careful not to offend someone or do anything wrong.

French expression	Ça ne casse pas trois pattes à un canard.
Literal translation	“It doesn’t break a duck’s three legs.”
The equivalent of “It’s nothing to write home about,” when something is not really impressive.

French expression	Oh la vache !
Literal translation	“Oh, the cow!”
The unholy version of “Holy cow!”

French expression	Vachement
Literal translation	“Cowishly”
This roughly translates to “really” or “very.” For example: C’est vachement bien ! (“It’s really good!”)

French expression	Il pleut comme vache qui pisse.
Literal translation	“It’s raining like a pissing cow.”
Similar to “It’s raining cats and dogs,” when talking about heavy rain.

French expression	Il n’y a pas un chat.
Literal translation	“There is not a cat.”
The place is so empty that you can’t even spot a stray cat strolling around.

French expression	J’ai un chat dans la gorge.
Literal translation	“I have a cat in the throat.”
The equivalent would be “I have a frog in my throat,” when you can’t speak normally because of how dry and hoarse your throat feels.

French expression	Il fait un temps de chien.
Literal translation	“It’s a dog’s weather.”
“The weather is really bad.”  The expression was introduced at the beginning of the twentieth century, when dogs still had a reputation for being dirty animals. When it was pouring rain, only stray dogs would stay outside and roam the empty streets.

French expression	Un trou à rat
Literal translation	“A rat hole”
A dirty or miserable place.

French expression	Donner de la confiture aux cochons
Literal translation	“To give jam to the pigs”
The equivalent of “to throw pearls before swine.” To waste good things on someone undeserving.

French expression	Un caractère de cochon
Literal translation	“A pig’s temper”
Do pigs have especially bad tempers? This is what the expression implies.

French expression	Poser un lapin
Literal translation	“To put a rabbit”
The equivalent of “to stand someone up,” when you’re supposed to meet them but fail to show up.

French expression	C’est chouette !
Literal translation	“It’s owl!”
I’d translate it as “It’s nice,” or “It’s cool.” We use it when talking about something exciting or pleasant. For example: Ce film est chouette. (“This movie is nice.”)

French expression	À vol d’oiseau
Literal translation	“On bird’s flight”
This is the equivalent of “as the crow flies.” It describes the shortest possible distance between two points that a bird could cover, flying over roads and obstacles. For example: La gare est à 2 km à vol d’oiseau. (“The train station is two kilometers as the crow flies.”) In other words: It would be further when walking, but here’s a raw estimate.

French expression	Noyer le poisson
Literal translation	“To drown the fish”
Similar to “to cloud the issue,” when you make a problem more difficult to understand or deal with by introducing unnecessary ideas.

French expression	Chercher la petite bête
Literal translation	“To look for the tiny beast”
The equivalent of “to nitpick,” when you focus on small, specific mistakes. A teacher might nitpick if they blame you for a missing comma in your otherwise perfect paper.

Les chouettes sont vachement chouettes ! (“Owls are super cool!”)

12. Le mot de la fin

In this guide, you’ve learned many animal names in French, from pets to marine animals and beyond. Now you’re ready to ask your friends about their pets or their favorite furry animals.

Did we forget any animal expression you’ve heard? If you know more funny French animal sounds, be sure to share them in the comments below!

Make sure to explore FrenchPod101, as we have plenty of free resources to help you practice your grammar and learn new words. Our vocabulary lists are also a great way to review words and learn their pronunciation.

Remember that you can also use our Premium PLUS service, MyTeacher, to get personal 1-on-1 coaching with your own private teacher. They can help you practice the animal words from this article, and much more. In addition to giving you assignments and personalized exercises, your teacher can record audio samples for you and review your work to help you improve in all areas. 

Happy learning on FrenchPod101.com!

About the Author: Born and bred in rainy Northern France, Cyril Danon was bouncing off various jobs before he left everything behind to wander around the wonders of the world. Now, after quenching his wanderlust over the last few years, he’s eager to share his passion for languages.

Do you sometimes get anxious when the phone rings? For some, this anxiety arises due to the fear of being criticized or judged for what they’re gonna say. Telephone phobia can even make one afraid, by association, of the actual ringing.

Even though this type of anxiety was not common for me, I noticed that taking phone calls in a foreign language could get me really tense. I would sometimes struggle to find the right words, and I was afraid I’d fail to understand what the other person wanted from me.

As a learner, picking up some French phone phrases can relieve you of most of this apprehension. Equipped with the essential phrases and useful phone vocabulary, you’ll be ready to face almost any phone scenario. 

In this article, you’ll learn how to answer the phone in French and handle different components of a phone call: greetings and introductions, transferring a call, taking a message, handling connection issues, and much more. Once we’re done here, you’ll be ready to keep your cool and pick up with confidence.

No more stress: Pick up the phone with a confident smile!

Table of Contents

1. Phone Vocabulary
2. Greeting
3. Checking
4. Transferring
5. Stating Your Business
6. Problems
7. Ending
8. Le mot de la fin

1. Phone Vocabulary

Before we start with the phrases, let’s have a look at the most useful words you should know when talking about phones and calls. This short vocabulary list includes everything you need, from words to describe the hardware to some key verbs.

Un téléphone	Phone
Un portable Un mobile	Mobile phone
Une batterie	Battery
Un chargeur	Charger
Un message Un texto Un SMS	Text message
Un écran	Screen
Une sonnerie	Ringtone
Un appel Un appel téléphonique	Call
Un coup de fil	Call [Slang]
Un numéroUn numéro de téléphone	Phone number
Appeler	To call
Rappeler	To call back
Composer	To dial
Sonner	To ring
Décrocher	To pick up
Raccrocher	To hang up
Laisser un message	To leave a message
Allumer	To turn on
Éteindre	To turn off
Brancher	To plug
Charger / Recharger	To charge

→ Mobile phones have introduced countless new words into our lives. Here’s a list of more useful French vocabulary for using your smartphone.

Décrocher le téléphone (“To pick up the phone”)

2. Greeting

When calling someone or picking up the phone, the conversation almost always starts with a greeting of some sort. This is just basic phone etiquette.

It might be casual when you’re calling friends or answering your personal phone, or formal and informative if you’re answering in a professional capacity.

Below, you’ll find a few common phone greetings in French for making and receiving a call. 

1 – Calling

Allo.	Hello.
Allo is a “hello” for phone conversations only.  In France, we never use allo in any other context, unlike in French Quebec where it’s also a common in-person greeting.
Bonjour.	Hello.
When you’re calling, you could simply say Bonjour instead of Allo, then move on to introducing yourself, stating your business, or whatever comes next.

2 – Answering

Allo ?	Hello?
When answering the phone, you can also use Allo or the interrogative Allo ? Unless you’re answering in a professional capacity, this is usually all you need to say before you know who’s calling and why. Another option is Oui, allo ? It doesn’t change much, really.
Bonjour.	Hello.
Like when calling, you can answer with a simple Bonjour.
Allo oui, j’écoute.	Hello, yes, I’m listening.

If you’re taking a professional phone call on behalf of your company, here’s the formal and efficient way to do it:

[Company name], bonjour.

Or:

[Company name], [Your name] bonjour.

For example: 

• Clinique Saint-Martin, bonjour. (“Saint-Martin Clinic, hello.”)
• Decathlon Montreuil, David Morel, bonjour. (“Montreuil’s Decathlon, David Morel, hello.”)

Then, you could add something like:

• Je vous écoute. (“I’m listening.”)
• Comment puis-je vous aider ? (“How can I assist you?”)

Beyond Allo, there are many different ways to greet someone on the phone. You’ll find lots of ideas on our list titled Common Ways to Say Hello here on FrenchPod101.com.

Oui, allo ? (“Hello?”)

3. Checking

Now that you’ve said “hello,” the next step is to make sure you’ve reached the right person (or to ask who’s calling). Once you familiarize yourself with the following French phone call phrases, you’ll be able to handle this with ease. 

1 – Calling

One simple way to see if you’ve gotten the right person is to just use their name:

• David? [Casual]
• Monsieur Morel ? [Formal – Male]
• Madame Lemaire ? [Formal – Female]

Here are a few other options:

Je suis bien chez David Morel ?	Is this the home of David Morel?
Je suis bien au 06 78 24 XX XX ?	Did I reach the 06 78 XX XX?
If you suspect you might have dialed a wrong number, this is how you would double-check.
Je suis bien au cabinet du docteur Morel ? Je suis bien à la clinique Saint-Martin ?	Is this the office of Doctor Morel? Is this the Saint-Martin Clinic?

Once you know you’re at the right place, this is a good time to introduce yourself:

C’est Sophie. [Casual]	It’s Sophie.
Je m’appelle Sophie Cibat. [Formal]	My name is Sophie Cibat.

2 – Answering

If you didn’t recognize the person calling and they haven’t introduced themselves yet, you probably want to inquire about that.

Qui est à l’appareil ? [Formal]	Who’s this?
This literally means: “Who’s at the device?”
Qui est-ce ? [Casual]	Who’s this?

Qui est à l’appareil ? (“Who is it?”)

4. Transferring

At some point during the conversation, the caller may be transferred to another person or department. Here are several French phone expressions you can use to make this as smooth a process as possible. 

1 – Calling

If you’ve reached the secretary of a big company or the main desk of an administration, your next step is to be transferred to the right person or service.

J’essaye de joindre David. [Casual]	I’m trying to reach David.
Je cherche à joindre David Morel. [Formal]	I’m trying to reach David Morel.
Je cherche à joindre monsieur Morel. [Formal]	I’m trying to reach Mr. Morel.
Je peux parler à David ? [Casual]	Can I talk to David?
Tu peux me passer David ? [Casual]	Can you put David on?
Je voudrais parler à David Morel, s’il vous plaît. [Formal]	I would like to speak to David Morel, please.
Est-ce que je pourrais parler à David Morel, s’il vous plaît ? [Formal]	Can I speak to David Morel, please?
Je cherche à joindre le service juridique.	I’m trying to reach the legal service.
Est-ce que vous pourriez me transférer au service juridique, s’il vous plaît ?	Could you transfer me to the legal service, please?

2 – Answering

C’est de la part de qui ?	Who’s calling?
This is similar to qui est à l’appareil, but this phrase is used when you’re asking on behalf of the person you’ll transfer the caller to.
Ne quittez pas.	Hold the line.
Un instant, s’il vous plaît. Un moment, s’il vous plaît.	A moment, please.
Je te le passe. [Casual] Je vous le passe. [Formal] Je vous mets en relation. [Very formal]	I’ll put him on. I’ll put him on. I’ll put you through.
La ligne est occupée.	The line is busy.
Elle n’est pas disponible pour le moment.	She’s not available right now.
Est-ce que je peux prendre un message ?	Can I take a message?
Je peux lui demander de vous rappeler.	I can ask him/her to call you back.
Pouvez-vous me laisser votre nom et votre numéro ?	Can I take your name and number?

→ To learn and practice some more useful phrases for your phone conversations, check out our vocabulary list with audio recordings.

Je suis désolée, la ligne est occupée. (“I’m sorry, the line is busy.”)

5. Stating Your Business

There could be many reasons why you’re making a phone call. Maybe you want to discuss a casual topic with a friend or perhaps you’re calling for serious business matters. 

J’appelle pour prendre de tes nouvelles.	I’m calling to check on you.
Tu as essayé de m’appeler tout à l’heure.	You tried to call me earlier.
Je voudrais parler à quelqu’un d’un problème juridique.	I would like to talk to someone about a legal issue.
Je voudrais prendre rendez-vous.	I would like to make an appointment.
Je vous rappelle après avoir reçu un message.	I’m calling you back after receiving a message.

Tu as essayé de m’appeler tout à l’heure. (“You tried to call me earlier.”)

6. Problems

Nowadays, smartphones and the internet are making “wrong number” situations rather unusual, but there are still many other issues that might come up.

Compared to old models that could last for days on a single charge, the curse of smartphones is the short battery life…you never know if it’ll die on you in the middle of a call. There are also lots of opportunities for a bad connection, like if someone drives through a tunnel and breaks up unexpectedly.

Je t’entends mal. [Casual] Je vous entends mal. [Formal]	I can’t hear you. / I can barely hear you.
Je t’entends plus. [Casual] Je ne vous entends plus. [Formal]	I can’t hear you anymore.
La connexion est mauvaise.	The connection is bad.
Il y a de la friture sur la ligne. [Casual – Idiom]	There is noise on the line.
Literally: “There is something frying on the line.”
Tu peux répéter ? [Casual] Vous pouvez répéter, s’il vous plaît ? [Formal]	Can you repeat? Could you repeat, please?
On a été coupés.	We got cut off. / We got disconnected.
Ma batterie est bientôt morte. [Casual]	My battery’s almost dead.
Ma batterie est presque épuisée.	My battery’s almost depleted.
Je n’ai presque plus de batterie.	I’m almost out of battery.
Vous vous trompez de numéro.	You’ve dialed the wrong number.
Désolé, je me suis trompé de numéro.	I’m sorry, I’ve dialed the wrong number.

La connexion est mauvaise ! (“The connection is bad!”)

7. Ending

Ending the call is usually as easy as greeting the other person. It’s just a quick formality that only gets a bit more complicated in professional contexts.

Au revoir. [Formal]	Goodbye.
Salut ! [Casual]	Bye!
Bonne journée.	Have a good day.
Merci, au revoir.	Thank you, goodbye.
Merci pour votre appel. [Formal]	Thank you for calling.
À bientôt.	See you soon.
À tout à l’heure.	See you later.

→ For more options, be sure to check our vocabulary list The Most Common Ways to Say Goodbye. The phrases here can all be used to end a phone call.

8. Le mot de la fin

In this guide, you’ve learned everything about phone calls in French, from basic phone vocabulary to specific phrases for greeting, introducing yourself, stating your business, transferring a call, taking a message, and more. 

Did we forget any important phone phrases you’d like to learn?

FrenchPod101 also has tons of vocabulary lists with audio recordings, free resources to boost your studies, and plenty of fun audio/video lessons to keep your French learning fresh and entertaining!

Remember that you can also use our Premium PLUS service, MyTeacher, to get personal 1-on-1 coaching. Your own private teacher can help you practice any new French words you’ve learned, and more. They can also provide you with assignments, personalized exercises, and recorded audio samples just for you—all this in addition to reviewing your work and helping you improve your pronunciation. 

Happy learning on FrenchPod101.com! 

About the Author: Born and bred in rainy northern France, Cyril Danon bounced off various jobs before leaving everything behind to wander around the wonders of the world. Now, after quenching his wanderlust over the last few years, he’s eager to share his passion for languages.

Do you know how many words there are in the French language? Come on, have a guess.

Most French dictionaries list around 60,000. But Le Grand Robert, one of the most prominent resources, gathers more than 100,000 words for a total of 350,000 different meanings.

Sounds overwhelming? Keep in mind that even native French speakers know merely a fraction of that! To start having basic conversations, you only need a few hundred basic French words for beginners. 

Further down the line, you’ll be considered “proficient” in French upon reaching around 5,000 words. That’s only about 5% of the whole collection.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves! In this article, we’ll list all of the French beginner words that will allow you to handle many everyday situations, whether you want to talk, listen, or both.

You only need a few words to start a conversation and make friends.

Table of Contents

1. Pronouns
2. Verbs
3. Numbers
4. Nouns
5. Conjunctions
6. Adjectives
7. Adverbs
8. Le mot de la fin

1. Pronouns

Let’s start our list of beginner French words with the most useful pronouns you should learn as you begin your studies.

At first, all you’re gonna need are the personal subject pronouns (“she,” “you,” “we,” and so on). As you move forward, you’ll quickly add some more to your arsenal.

→ To learn all about this topic, from the general rules to the 10 main categories of French pronouns, make sure to visit our complete guide on FrenchPod101.com.

1 – Personal Subject Pronouns

Personal subject pronouns replace the subject of a sentence.

• Sophie parle français. (“Sophie speaks French.”)
• Elle parle français. (“She speaks French.”)

Person	French pronoun	English
1st person sg.	je, j’	I
2nd person sg.	tu / vous	you (casual / formal)
3rd person sg.	il, elle, on	he, she, one
1st person pl.	on / nous	we (casual / formal)
2nd person pl.	vous	you
3rd person pl.	Ils, elles	they

2 – Impersonal Pronouns

When a sentence doesn’t have a clear subject, let’s stay vague and impersonal:

ça, ce, c’ (“it”)

• Ça fait mal. (“It hurts.”)
• Ce n’est pas vrai. (“It is not true.”)
• C’est important. (“It is important.”)

il (“it”)

• Il est temps. (“It’s time.”)
• Il pleut. (“It’s raining.”)

3 – Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns are used with reflexive verbs. For example:

• se lever (“to stand up”)
• se promener (“to stroll”)
• s’habiller (“to get dressed”)

Person	French pronoun	Example
1st person sg.	me, m’	Je me lève. (“I stand up.”)
2nd person sg.	te, t’	Tu te lèves. (“You stand up.”)
3rd person sg.	se, s’	Elle s’habille. (“She gets dressed.”)
1st person pl.	nous	Nous nous préparons. (“We’re getting ready.”)
2nd person pl.	vous	Vous vous rasez. (“You shave.”)
3rd person pl.	se	Ils se promènent. (“They are strolling.”)

4 – Interrogative Pronouns

• Qui ? (“Who?”)
  Qui est là ? (“Who’s there?”)

• Où ? (“Where?”)
  Où es-tu ? (“Where are you?”)


• Quand ? (“When?”)
  On commence quand ? (“When do we start?”)

• Quoi ? (“What?”)
  On fait quoi ce soir ? (“What are we doing tonight?”)

• Pourquoi ? (“Why?”)
  Pourquoi tu ris ? (“Why are you laughing?”)

5 – Indefinite Pronouns

• tout (“everything”)
• rien (“nothing”)
• quelque chose (“something”)

• tout le monde (“everybody”)
• personne (“nobody”)
• quelqu’un (“somebody”)

Elle se réveille. (“She wakes up.”)

2. Verbs

Here’s a list of the 50 most useful French verbs for beginners. Of course, depending on whether you’re studying, visiting, or working in France, you might have different needs. But this is a good place to start in any case!

→ For all the information you’ll need on regular verb groups (-ER and -IR), irregular verbs, and reflexive verbs, be sure to have a look at our full article on FrenchPod101.com.

être

to be

avoir

to have

aller

to go

vouloir

to want

pouvoir

to be able to / can

devoir

to have to / must

falloir	to be necessary
This verb is only conjugated in the third person, with the impersonal pronoun il (“it”). In this case, it means “it is necessary that.” Il faut partir à l’heure. (“We must leave on time.”) Il faut que je parte. (“I have to go.”)

faire

to do

dire	to say / to tell

parler

to talk / to speak

aimer

to like / to love

mettre

to put / to place

remettre

to put back

poser

to put down / to ask

prendre

to take / to catch / to capture

donner

to give

savoir

to know

entendre

to hear

voir

to see

demander

to ask / to request

répondre

to answer / to reply

chercher

to look for

trouver

to find / to discover

retrouver

to regain / to meet up

rendre

to return / to give back / to make

venir

to come

passer

to pass / to go / to come

croire

to believe / to think

montrer

to show

commencer

to begin / to start

continuer

to continue / to keep going

penser

to think

comprendre

to understand / to include

rester

to stay / to remain

attendre

to wait

partir

to leave

arriver

to arrive / to happen

suivre

to follow

revenir

to come back

connaître

to know

compter

to count

permettre

to permit / to allow

s’occuper

to take care of

sembler

to seem

lire

to read

écrire

to write

devenir

to become / to turn into

décider

to decide

tenir

to hold

porter

to carry / to wear

Just add a few tenses and you can talk about anything!

3. Numbers

As a beginner, you really won’t need much as far as counting and numbers go. In most situations, you can get by with only small numbers; I’d not go further than 1 to 10 for now.

→ Should you need more digits, you could check out our article on French numbers. You’ll find everything you need to count from zero to infinity! It’s available for free on FrenchPod101.com.

• 0        Zéro
• 1        Un
• 2        Deux
• 3        Trois
• 4        Quatre
• 5        Cinq
• 6        Six
• 7        Sept
• 8        Huit
• 9        Neuf
• 10       Dix

4. Nouns

As a beginner, your basic French vocabulary arsenal should consist of the most common nouns in various categories. Knowing these alone will allow you to communicate basic ideas in a pinch. 

French nouns can be masculine or feminine, and you can generally determine which gender a word is based on the ending. However, because you don’t want to think about it in the middle of a conversation or get tricked by exceptions, the best way to learn nouns is to always use the article.

• Train Un train (“A train”)
• Voiture Une voiture (“A car”)

In the following list, I’ll mention the article for each word. In case the plural is irregular, I will include that as well. For every other word, the general rules apply.

• Un train, des trains (“Train, trains”)
• Une voiture, des voitures (“Car, cars”)
• Un mois, des mois (“Month, months”)

For more information on the gender and plural of French nouns, we just happen to have a detailed article on FrenchPod101.com.

1 – Time

une heure

an hour

une minute

a minute

un jour

a day

un mois

a month

un an / une année	a year
An is mainly used with numbers, as in: J’ai 20 ans. (“I’m 20 years old.”) Deux fois par an (“Twice a year”) Année is used in most other cases:  L’année prochaine (“Next year”) Chaque année (“Every year”)

un lundi

Monday

un mardi

Tuesday

un mercredi

Wednesday

un jeudi

Thursday

un vendredi

Friday

un samedi

Saturday

un dimanche

Sunday

un matin

morning

un midi

noon

un après-midi

afternoon

un soir

evening

une nuit

night

2 – Places

un monde

world

un pays

country

un endroit

place

une mer

sea

une forêt

forest

une montagne

mountain

un magasin

shop

3 – Technology & Internet

un téléphone

phone

un écran

screen

un ordinateur

computer

internet

internet

4 – Home

une maison

house

une porte

door

une fenêtre

window

une cuisine

kitchen

une chambre

bedroom

des toilettes

toilets / restroom

5 – City & Transport

une voiture

car

un bus

bus

un train

train

un avion

plane

un taxi

taxi / cab

un vélo

bicycle

une ville

city

une rue

street

une avenue

avenue

une route

road

6 – People

une mère

mother

un père

father

Maman

Mom

Papa

Dad

une femme

woman / wife

un homme

man

un mari

husband

un frère

brother

une sœur

sister

une famille

family

une copine

girlfriend

un copain

boyfriend

un fils

son

une fille

daughter

un ami

friend

7 – Body

une tête

head

un œil / des yeux

eye / eyes

une bouche

mouth

un nez

nose

une oreille

ear

des cheveux

hair

un bras

arm

une main

hand

8 – Food

une table

table

une assiette

plate

un verre

glass

de l’eau

water

un fruit

fruit

un légume

vegetable

un café

coffee

du pain

bread

9 – Work & Studies

un étudiant

student

une école

school

un docteur

doctor

un vendeur

salesman / vendor / seller

un professeur

professor

10 – Conversation

une question

question

une réponse

answer

un mot

word

une phrase

phrase / sentence

une idée

idea

There is always a bit of time to review vocabulary lists.

5. Conjunctions

There’s a LOT to say and explain about conjunctions, but luckily, you don’t need to use many of them when you start learning French.

→ Later on, though, have a look at our complete guide on French conjunctions to learn everything about how to list things, express conditions, state consequences, and much more.

• et (“and”)
  Un chat et un chien (“A cat and a dog”)


• ou (“or”)
  De l’eau ou du vin (“Water or wine”)


• si (“if”)
  Si tu veux venir (“If you want to come”)

• parce que (“because”)
  Je mange parce que j’ai faim. (“I eat because I’m hungry.”)

• mais (“but”)
  Un peu mais pas trop (“A bit, but not too much”)

• pour (“for” / “to” / “so that”)
  J’apprends le français pour voyager. (“I learn French to travel.”)
  C’est pour toi. (“It’s for you.”)

• par (“by” / “out of” / “with” / “using” / “through”)
  Je suis aidé par un expert. (“I’m helped by an expert.”)
  Je passe par Paris et Bordeaux. (“I go through Paris and Bordeaux.”)

Un chat et un chien (“A cat and a dog”)

6. Adjectives

French adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun they describe. In this table, you’ll find both genders in the format [ Masculine – Feminine ], as they can get quite irregular. If you see only one, it just means that the masculine and feminine forms are identical.

Plurals, on the other hand, are rather predictable and follow the general rules of the French plural.

→ You might want to check out a more detailed article on French adjectives for more grammar info and examples.

bon – bonne

good / right / correct

mauvais – mauvaise

bad / wrong / incorrect

facile

easy

difficile

difficult / hard

nouveau – nouvelle

new

cher – chère

expensive

grand – grande

large / big / tall / great / major

gros – grosse

big / fat

petit – petite

small / little

long – longue

long

court – courte

short

rapide

fast / quick

lent – lente

slow

chaud – chaude

hot / warm

froid – froide

cold

premier – première

first

dernier – dernière

last / final / latest

même

same

autre

other

différent – différente

different

seul – seule

only / alone / lonely

meilleur – meilleure

best / better

pire

worst

beau – belle

handsome / beautiful

moche

ugly

fort – forte

strong / high / important

gentil – gentille

nice / kind

fou – folle

crazy / mad

content – contente

glad

malade

sick / ill

important – importante

important

noir – noire

black

blanc – blanche

white

bleu – bleue

blue

rouge

red

sucré – sucrée

sweet

salé – salée

salty

délicieux – délicieuse

delicious

Cette tarte est délicieuse ! (“This tart is delicious!”)

7. Adverbs

If you need a reminder on what adverbs are, how they’re formed, and where to place them in a sentence, I would recommend a pit stop at our extensive article on French adverbs.

1 – When

tard

late

tôt

early

bientôt

soon

hier

yesterday

aujourd’hui

today

demain

tomorrow

avant

before

après

after

2 – How Often

jamais

never

trop

too much

souvent

often

toujours

always

peut-être

maybe

aussi

as well / too / also

3 – Where

ici

here

là

there

partout

everywhere

dedans

inside

dehors

outside

4 – How

bien

well

mal	badly / poorly

vite

quickly

5 – How Much

vraiment

truly / really

tout	all / everything

rien

nothing

beaucoup

many / much / a lot

seulement

only

peu	little / few

très	very / really

plus

more

moins

less

Il a très faim ! (“He’s really hungry!”)

8. Le mot de la fin

In this guide, you’ve learned more than 200 of the most useful French words for beginners: pronouns, verbs, nouns, adjectives, and all that jazz. As you keep learning French, you might find it handy to have them all conveniently gathered in one place.

Can you think of any more words you might need to know as you start your language learning journey? Let us know in the comments and we’ll get back to you!

Make sure to explore FrenchPod101.com, as we have plenty of free resources to help you practice your grammar and learn more basic French words and structures. Our vocabulary lists are another great way to learn and review the pronunciation of new words.

Remember that you can also use our Premium PLUS service, MyTeacher, to get personal 1-on-1 coaching with your own private teacher. They can help you practice with beginner words and more. In addition to providing you with assignments, personalized exercises, and recorded audio samples, your teacher will review your work and help improve your pronunciation. 

Happy learning on FrenchPod101!

About the Author: Born and bred in rainy Northern France, Cyril Danon was bouncing off various jobs before he left everything behind to wander around the wonders of the world. Now, after quenching his wanderlust for the last few years, he’s eager to share his passion for languages.