French Vocabulary by Theme, with Audio

Several hundred French words and phrases, organized by everyday situations. Click any French word to hear its pronunciation. Whether you're preparing for a trip, brushing up, or starting from scratch, this is a practical reference to keep coming back to.

I. Core & Everyday Essentials

1. Greetings & Essential Phrases

Note: "Bonjour" is the standard greeting from morning until early evening. When it gets dark, switch to "Bonsoir". Always greet shopkeepers and strangers with one of these before speaking further.

2. Personal Information & Introductions

Pronouns

Vous vs. Tu: Use "vous" with strangers, elders, and in formal settings. Use "tu" with friends, family, and children. When in doubt, start with "vous" and let the other person suggest switching.

3. Numbers & Counting

Cardinal numbers

French numbers are mostly straightforward, but 70-99 have a distinctive structure. 70 is soixante-dix (sixty-ten), 80 is quatre-vingts (four-twenties), and 93 is quatre-vingt-treize (four-twenty-thirteen). It feels odd at first but becomes second nature.

Ordinal numbers

Quantities & Amounts

Basic math operations

4. Time, Calendar & Scheduling

Telling time

⏰ Time's Twin Personalities in French: French cleverly splits "time" into two distinct concepts! "Heure" is your clock-watcher – use it when asking "Quelle heure est-il?" (What time is it?). Meanwhile, "Temps" is the philosopher of time – it handles general time concepts like "avoir le temps" (having time) and even moonlights as weather talk with "Quel temps fait-il?" (What's the weather like?). Two words, two worlds!

Time expressions

5. Colors & Shapes

Basic colors

Shades

Basic shapes

II. People & Relationships

6. Family & Relationships

Immediate family

Extended family

Relationship status

Friendship terms

7. Describing People

Physical appearance

Personality traits

Age groups

8. Emotions & Feelings

Basic emotions

States of being

III. Places & Things Around You

9. Home & Household

Types of dwellings

Rooms

Furniture

Household items & Appliances

Household chores

10. Urban Life & the City

Places in the city

Buildings & Structures

Public services

11. Nature & the Environment

Landforms

Plants

Natural elements

Environmental terms

12. Weather & Climate

Conditions

Natural phenomena

Forecasting terms

13. Animals

Pets

Farm animals

Wild animals

Insects & Bugs

Animal parts

IV. Daily Life & Essential Needs

14. Food & Drink

Fruits

Vegetables

Meats & Poultry

Dairy & Grains

Beverages

🥖 The Secret of French "Some" – Les Articles Partitifs: French has a beautiful way to express "some" that English wishes it had! These little linguistic gems – "du" (masculine), "de la" (feminine), "de l'" (before vowels), and "des" (plural) – transform your speech from tourist to fluent. Say "Je voudrais du pain" and the boulanger knows you're not just asking for bread, but speaking like a true French person!

Meals

Cooking terms

Tableware & Utensils

Eating out

15. Clothing & Style

Garments

Footwear

Accessories

Describing clothes

16. Body, Health & Wellness

External body parts

Internal organs

Senses

Common ailments

💊 French Pain – A Different Perspective: French views body aches through a unique lens! Instead of "my head hurts," French says "J'ai mal à la tête" – literally "I have pain at THE head." This fascinating structure uses "avoir mal à" plus the definite article, treating your body parts as distinct entities rather than possessions. It's a more objective, almost medical way of expressing discomfort – very French in its precision!

Medical terms

Hygiene

17. Shopping & Money

Types of shops

Shopping actions

Money & Currency

18. Transportation & Travel

Modes of transport

Travel terminology

Directions

V. Work, Study & Leisure

19. Work & Professions

Job titles

Workplace vocabulary

Tools & Equipment

20. Education & Academic Life

Places of learning

People in education

School subjects

Academic terms

Classroom objects

21. Sports, Hobbies & Leisure

Common sports

Hobbies & Activities

Equipment

Places for leisure

22. Arts & Culture

Music

🎯 Playing the French Preposition Game: The verb "jouer" is a perfectionist – it demands different prepositions for different types of play! With sports and games, use "jouer à": "jouer au football" or "jouer aux cartes." But musical instruments get the VIP treatment with "jouer de": "jouer du piano" or "jouer de la guitare." Think of it as the difference between playing AT something versus playing FROM something!

Visual Arts

Performing Arts

Literature

VI. Essential Grammar Building Blocks

Verbs below are listed in their infinitive form (être, avoir, etc.). In practice, they conjugate according to subject and tense. Learning conjugation patterns is the natural next step after building vocabulary.

23. Essential Verbs

Being

Having

Doing/Making

Movement

Senses

Communication

🚫 The French Negation Sandwich: French wraps its "no" in a linguistic hug! The famous "ne...pas" sandwich embraces your verb: "Je parle français" becomes "Je ne parle pas français." When the verb starts with a vowel or silent h, the "ne" becomes a sleek "n'" – like "Je n'aime pas." It's French efficiency meeting French elegance!

Thinking/Feeling

🧠 Two Ways to "Know" in French: French distinguishes between two types of knowledge with poetic precision! "Savoir" is your factual, skills-based knowledge – use it for information and abilities: "Je sais la réponse" or "Je sais nager." "Connaître" is your relationship-based knowledge – for people, places, and things you're familiar with: "Je connais Paris" or "Je connais ton frère." Head knowledge versus heart knowledge!

General actions

French adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun they describe. For example, grand becomes grande (feminine), grands (masculine plural), or grandes (feminine plural). Watch the endings.

24. Adjectives & Descriptive Words

Qualities

Size/Dimension

Condition

Speed/Intensity

Opinion/Importance

25. Adverbs & Modifiers

Manner

Frequency

Degree

Place

Time

26. Prepositions & Connections

Prepositions of place

👁️ The Magic of "Il y a" – French's Universal Pointer: Meet one of French's most versatile phrases! "Il y a" is your go-to for pointing out what exists anywhere, anytime. Whether it's "Il y a un livre sur la table" (There is a book on the table) or "Il y a des nuages dans le ciel" (There are clouds in the sky), this phrase is your French Swiss Army knife for describing the world around you!

Prepositions of time

Prepositions of movement

Conjunctions

27. Question Words

Possession with "à": Besides "de" ("le livre de Marie"), French uses "à" for personal ownership: "À qui est ce stylo?" (Whose pen is this?), "Il est à moi" (It's mine).