French, often called the language of love, is spoken by over 300 million people worldwide. It’s not just the official language of France but is also used in parts of Africa, Canada, and many international organizations. Learning French vocabulary equips you to navigate these contexts confidently. Starting with essential words makes the learning process manageable and enjoyable.
Common Greetings and Expressions
In French, the level of formality varies based on who you’re speaking to, and it’s important to use the appropriate greeting in each context.
• Formal greetings: Bonjour (Good morning/Hello) and Bonsoir (Good evening) are used with people you don’t know well, or in professional and respectful settings.
• Informal greetings: Salut (Hi) and Ça va ? (How’s it going?) are common with friends, family, or peers.
It’s important to remember that French people often value politeness, so choosing the right greeting shows respect for the social context.
Common Polite Expressions
• S’il vous plaît (Please): A fundamental part of French etiquette when making requests.
• Merci (Thank you): Always useful for expressing gratitude.
• Excusez-moi (Excuse me): A polite way to get someone’s attention or apologize.
• Pardon (Sorry): Used when you’ve made a mistake or need to pass by someone.
| Bonjour | Good morning / Hello |
| Bonsoir | Good evening |
| Salut | Hi / Hello (informal) |
| Ça va ? | How are you? / Are you okay? |
| Comment ça va ? | How’s it going? |
| Bien, merci. | Fine, thank you. |
| Et toi ? | And you? (informal) |
| Comment allez-vous ? | How are you? (formal) |
| Merci | Thank you |
| Merci beaucoup | Thank you very much |
| De rien | You’re welcome |
| Excusez-moi | Excuse me (formal) |
| Pardon | Sorry / Excuse me |
| Bienvenue | Welcome |
| Bonne journée | Have a nice day |
| Bonne soirée | Have a good evening |
| Bonne nuit | Good night |
| À bientôt | See you soon |
| À demain | See you tomorrow |
| Au revoir | Goodbye |
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Numbers and Counting in French
Numbers 1-10
The first few numbers in French are essential for many daily situations. Here’s a quick look:
Un (1), Deux (2), Trois (3), Quatre (4), Cinq (5), Six (6), Sept (7), Huit (8), Neuf (9), Dix (10).
These numbers are commonly used in shopping, asking for prices, or making plans.
Numbers 11-100
Once you master the basics, numbers from 11 to 100 follow logical patterns.
• 11-16: onze, douze, treize, quatorze, quinze, seize.
• 17-19: dix-sept, dix-huit, dix-neuf.
• After 20, numbers are formed by combining multiples of 10 (e.g., vingt for 20, trente for 30).
• 30, 40, 50, etc.: trente, quarante, cinquante, soixante.
• After 60, numbers from 70 to 99 use the base numbers from 60 to 79 (soixante + base number), and 80 is “quatre-vingts” (literally “four twenties”). For example:
– 71: Soixante et onze (sixty and eleven)
– 92: Quatre-vingt-douze (four twenties and twelve).
• 100 – Cent
• Higher numbers: 1,000. Mille – 1,000
1,000,000. Un million – 1,000,000
Dates, Days, and Months
• Days of the week: Lundi – Monday, Mardi – Tuesday, Mercredi – Wednesday, Jeudi – Thursday, Vendredi – Friday, Samedi – Saturday, Dimanche – Sunday;
• Months: Janvier – January, Février – February, Mars – March, Avril – April, Mai – May, Juin – June, Juillet – July, Août – August, Septembre – September, Octobre – October, Novembre – November, Décembre – December;
• Dates are typically written as jour/mois/année (day/month/year). For example: Aujourd’hui, c’est le 9 décembre (Today is December 9th).
Essential Nouns for Daily Life
Family and Relationships
• Mère – Mother, Maman – Mom, Père – Father, Papa – Dad, Fils – Son, Fille – Daughter, Frère – Brother, Soeur – Sister, Grand-père – Grandfather, Grand-mère – Grandmother;
• Mari – Husband, Femme – Wife, Enfant – Child;
• Oncle – Uncle, Tante – Aunt, Cousin / Cousine – Cousin (male/female), Ami(e) – Friend (male/female), Collègue – Colleague, Voisin / Voisine – Neighbor (male/female).
These words are essential for talking about your family and social connections.
Food and Dining
• Pain – Bread, Fromage – Cheese, Viande – Meat, Légumes – Vegetables, Fruits – Fruits, Baguette – Baguette (French bread), Croissant – Croissant, Poisson – Fish, Pomme – Apple, Chocolat – Chocolate;
• Café – Coffee, Eau – Water, Vin – Wine, Le jus – Juice, Le thé – Tea;
• Restaurant – Restaurant, Menu – Menu, Facture – Invoice, Le serveur (male) / La serveuse (female) – Waiter.
Food-related words are crucial for grocery shopping, dining, or simply chatting about favorite dishes.
Common Objects
Livre – Book, Stylo – Pen, Table – Table, Chaise – Chair, Lit – Bed, Ordinateur – Computer, Télévision – Television, Téléphone – Phone, Lunettes – Glasses, Montre – Watch, Clé – Key, Voiture –Car, Vélo – Bicycle, Bagages – Luggage, Sac – Bag, Avion – Airplane, Passeport – Passport.
These nouns help you describe your environment and everyday activities.
Basic Verbs and Their Conjugations
Regular Verbs (ER, IR, RE)
French verbs are grouped by their endings, and conjugating them correctly is essential for constructing sentences. Conjugating these verbs involves learning patterns based on subjects (je, tu, il/elle).
| ER verbs (e.g., Parler – to speak) | IR verbs (e.g., Finir – to finish) | RE verbs (e.g., Vendre – to sell) |
| Je parle – I speak Tu parles – You speak (informal) Il/Elle/On parle – He/She/One speaks Nous parlons – We speak Vous parlez – You speak (formal/plural) Ils/Elles parlent – They speak | Je finis – I finish Tu finis – You finish (informal) Il/Elle/On finit – He/She/One finishes Nous finissons – We finish Vous finissez – You finish (formal/plural) Ils/Elles finissent – They finish | Je vends – I sell Tu vends – You sell (informal) Il/Elle/On vend – He/She/One sells Nous vendons – We sell Vous vendez – You sell (formal/plural) Ils/Elles vendent – They sell |
Irregular Verbs to Know
Some French verbs don’t follow the regular conjugation patterns, such as être (to be), avoir (to have), faire (to do/make), venir (to come) and aller (to go). These are essential for basic communication and must be memorized.
| Être (to be) | Je suis – I am Tu es – You are (informal) Il/Elle/On est – He/She/One is Nous sommes – We are Vous êtes – You are (formal/plural) Ils/Elles sont – They are |
| Avoir (to have) | J’ai – I have Tu as – You have (informal) Il/Elle/On a – He/She/One has Nous avons – We have Vous avez – You have (formal/plural) Ils/Elles ont – They have |
| Faire (to do/make) | Je fais – I do/make Tu fais – You do/make (informal) Il/Elle/On fait – He/She/One does/makes Nous faisons – We do/make Vous faites – You do/make (formal/plural) Ils/Elles font – They do/make |
| Venir (to come) | Je viens – I come Tu viens – You come (informal) Il/Elle/On vient – He/She/One comes Nous venons – We come Vous venez – You come (formal/plural) Ils/Elles viennent – They come |
| Aller (to go) | Je vais – I go Tu vas – You go (informal) Il/Elle/On va – He/She/One goes Nous allons – We go Vous allez – You go (formal/plural) Ils/Elles vont – They go |
Adjectives and Descriptions
Colors and Sizes
Adjectives in French change depending on the gender and number of the noun they describe.
| Colors | Sizes |
| Blanc/Blanche – White Noir/Noire – Black Bleu/Bleue – Blue Rouge – Red Vert/Verte – Green Jaune – Yellow Orange – Orange Gris/Grise – Gray Rose – Pink Marron – Brown Violet/Violette – Purple | Grand/Grande – Big, tall Petit/Petite – Small, short Long/Longue – Long Court/Courte – Short (length) Épais/Épaisse – Thick Mince – Thin |
Personality and Emotions
| Personality | Emotions |
| Gentil/Gentille – Kind Intelligent/Intelligente – Intelligent Amusant/Amusante – Funny Sérieux/Sérieuse – Serious Travailleur/Travailleuse – Hardworking Paresseux/Paresseuse – Lazy Timide – Shy Sympathique (or Sympa) – Nice Méchant/Méchante – Mean | Heureux/Heureuse – Happy Triste – Sad En colère – Angry Fatigué/Fatiguée – Tired Stressé/Stressée – Stressed Calme – Calm Excité/Excitée – Excited Inquiet/Inquiète – Worried Content/Contente – Content / Pleased |
Adjectives generally agree in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) with the noun they describe.
Example: Un grand homme (A tall man) / Une grande femme (A tall woman).
Most adjectives come after the noun, but a few (like grand, petit, beau) often come before the noun.
Questions and Useful Phrases
| Asking for Directions | Shopping and Transactions |
| Où est… ? – Where is…? Où est la gare ? – Where is the train station? Comment aller à… ? – How do I get to…? Comment puis-je aller à…? – How can I get to…? C’est loin ? – Is it far? À quelle distance est-ce ? – How far is it? Pouvez-vous m’aider ? – Can you help me? À gauche – To the left À droite – To the right Tout droit – Straight ahead Près d’ici ? – Near here? Excusez-moi, où se trouve…? – Excuse me, where is…? | Combien ça coûte ? – How much does it cost? C’est combien ? – How much is it? Je voudrais acheter… – I would like to buy… Je voudrais… – I would like…Je voudrais un café, s’il vous plaît. – I would like a coffee, please. Avez-vous…? – Do you have…? Puis-je essayer ? – Can I try it on? Acceptez-vous les cartes de crédit ? – Do you accept credit cards? Un reçu, s’il vous plaît. – A receipt, please. Je regarde seulement. – I’m just looking. C’est trop cher. – It’s too expensive. Est-ce que vous avez une réduction ? – Do you have a discount? Merci beaucoup. – Thank you very much. De rien. – You’re welcome. S’il vous plaît. – Please (formal). Excusez-moi. – Excuse me. Je ne comprends pas. – I don’t understand. |
French Pronunciation Tips
French uses five accent marks that significantly affect pronunciation
| 1. Accent aigu (é) | • Produces a clear “ay” sound, as in café. • Only appears over the letter e. |
| 2. Accent grave (è, à, ù) | • Over e, it creates an “eh” sound, as in père (father). • Over a and u, it distinguishes meaning but does not change pronunciation (e.g., à = “to,” a = “has”). |
| 3. Accent circonflexe (â, ê, î, ô, û) | • Often indicates a historical s that has disappeared (e.g., forêt used to be forest). • Usually doesn’t change pronunciation, but ô sounds more rounded. |
| 4. Tréma (ë, ï, ü) | Indicates that two vowels should be pronounced separately (e.g., Noël = “No-el”). |
| 5. Cédille (ç) | Turns the hard c (like k) into a soft s sound (e.g., garçon = “gar-son”). |
French Sounds to Master
| Nasal Vowels | Pronounce through the nose, without closing it off: an/en (as in sans), on (as in nom), in (as in vin). |
| Silent Letters | • Final consonants are often silent (e.g., parler = “par-lay”). • Exceptions: C, R, F, L are usually pronounced (e.g., hiver = “ee-ver”). |
| The French “R” | A guttural sound made at the back of the throat (like clearing your throat). |
| Liaison | Pronouncing a normally silent final consonant when the next word starts with a vowel (e.g., les amis = “lez ami”). |
Building Sentences in French
Subject-Verb Agreement
In French, verbs must agree in person (who is doing the action) and number (singular or plural) with the subject.
Example with Regular ER Verb (Parler – to speak): Je parle – I speak , Nous parlons – We speak.
Pronoun agreement:
– Singular: Je, Tu, Il/Elle/On
– Plural: Nous, Vous, Ils/Elles
Regular endings:
– ER verbs: -e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent
– IR verbs: -is, -is, -it, -issons, -issez, -issent
– RE verbs: -s, -s, -, -ons, -ez, -ent
Irregular verbs: Must be memorized (e.g., être, avoir, aller, faire).
Basic Sentence Structures
| Sentences | Structure |
| 1. Declarative Sentences (Statements) | Subject + Verb + Object Je mange une pomme. – I eat an apple. Nous aimons le chocolat. – We love chocolate. |
| 2. Negative Sentences | Subject + ne + Verb + pas + Object Je ne mange pas de pomme. – I do not eat an apple. Il n’aime pas les chiens. – He does not like dogs. |
| 3. Interrogative Sentences (Questions) | Structure 1: Est-ce que + Subject + Verb + Object Est-ce que tu parles anglais ? – Do you speak English? Structure 2: Inversion (formal): Verb + Subject Pronoun + Object Parles-tu anglais ? – Do you speak English? Structure 3: Informal (intonation): Subject + Verb + Object Tu parles anglais ? – You speak English? |
| 4. Imperative Sentences (Commands) | Verb only (no subject pronoun) Mange ! – Eat! Parlez doucement ! – Speak softly! |
| 5. Exclamative Sentences (Exclamations) | Exclamation + Sentence Quel beau jour ! – What a beautiful day! Comme c’est délicieux ! – How delicious! |
Practice Tips:
– Start simple: Begin with Subject + Verb + Object sentences.
– Use connectors: Add words like et (and), mais (but), or parce que (because) to expand sentences.
Example: Je mange une pomme et je bois de l’eau. – I eat an apple and drink water.
– Practice agreement: Ensure subjects, verbs, and adjectives match in gender and number.
Cultural Context of French Vocabulary
French Slang (Argot)
French slang is widely used, especially among younger people, in informal settings, and in urban areas. Here are some common slang terms:
| General Slang | Ouais – Yeah (informal for “oui”) Mec – Guy (informal for “homme”) Meuf – Girl (informal for “femme”) Taf – Work (informal for “travail”) Boulot – Job (synonym for “taf”) Fringues – Clothes (informal for “vêtements”) Blé / Fric / Thune – Money (informal for “argent”) |
| Expressions | Ça craint. – That sucks. Ça roule ? – How’s it going? (literally “Does it roll?”) Chialer – To cry (informal for “pleurer”) Kiffer – To like/love something (informal for “aimer”) Se barrer – To leave (informal for “partir”) |
| Verlan (Backward Slang) | In verlan, syllables in words are reversed. Common examples: Laisse béton – Forget it (from “laisse tomber”) Ouf – Crazy (from “fou”) Zarbi – Bizarre (strange) |
Formal vs. Casual French
| Aspect | Formal | Casual |
| Vocabulary | Use complete words and polite expressions: Bonjour, comment allez-vous ? – Hello, how are you? Pourriez-vous m’aider ? – Could you help me? | Abbreviations, slang, and informal tones are common: Salut, ça va ? – Hi, how’s it going? Tu peux m’aider ? – Can you help me? |
| Pronouns | Use vous for strangers, elders, or authority figures: Vous avez raison. – You are right. | Use tu with friends, family, or peers: Tu as raison. – You are right. |
| Grammar | Complete sentences with proper structure: Je ne sais pas. – I don’t know. | Contractions and shortcuts are common: Chais pas. – Don’t know. |
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