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.