French Words: 101+ Common Words with English Meanings

Learning French Words is the first step toward a successful French language student journey for every learner. Speak confidently and understand French culture, and have access to educational, travel and professional opportunities worldwide. For students, professionals and language learners, developing a functional vocabulary will provide you with the means to express yourself in a natural manner.

To begin your journey into the language of France, you should learn everyday nouns, commonly used verbs, basic french greetings and simple phrases. This blog includes over 101 frequently used French words along with their English definitions, pronunciation guides using words that you may already know and sentences so that you can use the language of France as you proceed along the way.

What are the most common French words and phrases for beginners?

The best way to start learning French is to learn some of the most frequently used words in the language. French words and phrases for beginners include greetings like “bonjour” (hello), polite expressions like “merci” (thank you), pronouns like “je” (I), verbs like “être” (to be) and “avoir” (to have), as well as many other daily-use words for things related to food, family, time and locations. By learning how to use these words in simple sentences, beginners can establish a good base for both speaking and understanding French.

101+ common French words with English Meanings

Learn the words that are commonly used in daily conversation. The following table includes common greetings, pronouns, verbs, numbers, questions and useful vocabulary. Say each of the French words out loud to help you learn them; make sure you know what they mean, and then use the example sentences to see how they would be used in a conversation.

No.	French word or phrase	English meaning	Simple sentence in French	English translation
1	Bonjour	Hello; good morning	Bonjour, Marie !	Hello, Marie!
2	Bonsoir	Good evening	Bonsoir, monsieur.	Good evening, sir.
3	Salut	Hi; bye (informal)	Salut, Paul !	Hi, Paul!
4	Merci	Thank you	Merci beaucoup.	Thank you very much.
5	Oui	Yes	Oui, je comprends.	Yes, I understand.
6	Non	No	Non, merci.	No, thank you.
7	S’il vous plaît	Please (formal/plural)	Un café, s’il vous plaît.	A coffee, please.
8	S’il te plaît	Please (informal)	Aide-moi, s’il te plaît.	Help me, please.
9	Pardon	Sorry; excuse me	Pardon, monsieur.	Excuse me, sir.
10	Au revoir	Goodbye	Au revoir et à bientôt !	Goodbye and see you soon!
11	Je	I	Je suis étudiant.	I am a student.
12	Tu	You (informal)	Tu es gentil.	You are kind.
13	Vous	You (formal/plural)	Vous êtes professeur.	You are a teacher.
14	Il	He; it	Il est ici.	He is here.
15	Elle	She; it	Elle est contente.	She is happy.
16	Nous	We	Nous parlons français.	We speak French.
17	Ils	They (masculine/mixed)	Ils sont amis.	They are friends.
18	Elles	They (feminine)	Elles sont étudiantes.	They are students.
19	Être	To be	Je veux être prêt.	I want to be ready.
20	Avoir	To have	J’ai un livre.	I have a book.
21	Faire	To do; make	Je fais mes devoirs.	I do my homework.
22	Aller	To go	Je vais à l’école.	I go to school.
23	Venir	To come	Tu viens avec moi.	You are coming with me.
24	Parler	To speak	Je parle français.	I speak French.
25	Aimer	To like; love	J’aime la musique.	I like music.
26	Vouloir	To want	Je veux apprendre.	I want to learn.
27	Pouvoir	To be able to; can	Je peux aider.	I can help.
28	Savoir	To know (a fact/how)	Je sais nager.	I know how to swim.
29	Comprendre	To understand	Je comprends la question.	I understand the question.
30	Apprendre	To learn	J’apprends le français.	I am learning French.
31	Manger	To eat	Je mange une pomme.	I eat an apple.
32	Boire	To drink	Je bois de l’eau.	I drink water.
33	Lire	To read	Je lis un livre.	I read a book.
34	Écrire	To write	J’écris une lettre.	I write a letter.
35	Travailler	To work	Je travaille aujourd’hui.	I am working today.
36	Étudier	To study	J’étudie le français.	I study French.
37	Acheter	To buy	J’achète du pain.	I buy bread.
38	Prendre	To take	Je prends le bus.	I take the bus.
39	Donner	To give	Je donne un cadeau.	I give a gift.
40	Aider	To help	Tu peux m’aider ?	Can you help me?
41	Qui	Who	Qui est là ?	Who is there?
42	Quoi	What	Tu fais quoi ?	What are you doing?
43	Que	What; that	Que veux-tu ?	What do you want?
44	Où	Where	Où est la gare ?	Where is the station?
45	Quand	When	Quand arrives-tu ?	When are you arriving?
46	Pourquoi	Why	Pourquoi tu ris ?	Why are you laughing?
47	Comment	How	Comment ça va ?	How are you?
48	Combien	How much; how many	Combien ça coûte ?	How much does it cost?
49	Quel / Quelle	Which; what	Quelle heure est-il ?	What time is it?
50	Le	The (masculine singular)	Le livre est ici.	The book is here.
51	La	The (feminine singular)	La porte est ouverte.	The door is open.
52	Les	The (plural)	Les enfants jouent.	The children are playing.
53	Un	A; an; one (masculine)	J’ai un stylo.	I have a pen.
54	Une	A; an; one (feminine)	C’est une pomme.	It is an apple.
55	Deux	Two	J’ai deux frères.	I have two brothers.
56	Trois	Three	Nous avons trois chats.	We have three cats.
57	Quatre	Four	Il est quatre heures.	It is four o’clock.
58	Cinq	Five	J’ai cinq livres.	I have five books.
59	Aujourd’hui	Today	Aujourd’hui, je travaille.	Today, I am working.
60	Demain	Tomorrow	À demain !	See you tomorrow!
61	Hier	Yesterday	Hier, j’étais à la maison.	Yesterday, I was at home.
62	Maintenant	Now	Je suis libre maintenant.	I am free now.
63	Toujours	Always; still	Elle est toujours souriante.	She is always smiling.
64	Souvent	Often	Je lis souvent.	I read often.
65	Parfois	Sometimes	Je cuisine parfois.	I sometimes cook.
66	Jamais	Never	Je ne fume jamais.	I never smoke.
67	Maison	House; home	Ma maison est grande.	My house is big.
68	École	School	L’école est près d’ici.	The school is nearby.
69	Travail	Work; job	Mon travail est intéressant.	My job is interesting.
70	Ville	City; town	Paris est une belle ville.	Paris is a beautiful city.
71	Rue	Street	La rue est calme.	The street is quiet.
72	Gare	Train station	La gare est loin.	The station is far away.
73	Magasin	Shop; store	Le magasin est ouvert.	The shop is open.
74	Restaurant	Restaurant	Le restaurant est plein.	The restaurant is full.
75	Famille	Family	Ma famille est gentille.	My family is kind.
76	Ami / Amie	Friend	C’est mon ami.	He is my friend.
77	Mère	Mother	Ma mère est ici.	My mother is here.
78	Père	Father	Mon père travaille.	My father works.
79	Enfant	Child	L’enfant joue dehors.	The child plays outside.
80	Eau	Water	Je voudrais de l’eau.	I would like some water.
81	Pain	Bread	J’achète du pain.	I buy bread.
82	Lait	Milk	Je bois du lait.	I drink milk.
83	Café	Coffee; café	Je prends un café.	I have a coffee.
84	Thé	Tea	Elle boit du thé.	She drinks tea.
85	Pomme	Apple	Je mange une pomme.	I eat an apple.
86	Repas	Meal	Le repas est prêt.	The meal is ready.
87	Bon / Bonne	Good	C’est une bonne idée.	It is a good idea.
88	Grand / Grande	Big; tall	C’est une grande maison.	It is a big house.
89	Petit / Petite	Small; little	J’ai un petit sac.	I have a small bag.
90	Beau / Belle	Beautiful; handsome	C’est une belle journée.	It is a beautiful day.
91	Nouveau / Nouvelle	New	J’ai un nouveau téléphone.	I have a new phone.
92	Facile	Easy	Le français est facile à pratiquer.	French is easy to practise.
93	Difficile	Difficult	Cette question est difficile.	This question is difficult.
94	Heureux / Heureuse	Happy	Je suis heureux aujourd’hui.	I am happy today.
95	Fatigué / Fatiguée	Tired	Je suis fatiguée.	I am tired.
96	Chaud / Chaude	Hot; warm	Le café est chaud.	The coffee is hot.
97	Froid / Froide	Cold	L’eau est froide.	The water is cold.
98	Très	Very	C’est très intéressant.	It is very interesting.
99	Bien	Well; good	Je vais bien.	I am doing well.
100	Mal	Badly; unwell	Je me sens mal.	I feel unwell.
101	Avec	With	Je viens avec toi.	I am coming with you.
102	Sans	Without	Je prends du thé sans sucre.	I have tea without sugar.
103	Et	And	Paul et Marie arrivent.	Paul and Marie are arriving.
104	Mais	But	Je suis fatigué, mais content.	I am tired but happy.
105	Parce que	Because	Je reste parce que je suis occupé.	I am staying because I am busy.

Learning Tip: Each French noun has a grammatical gender. Therefore, when you are studying French, be sure to learn each noun along with its appropriate article — for example, la maison (the house) and le livre (the book). This will help you create correct sentences.

Basic French Words You Must Know

Beginners should learn the language they will use to introduce themselves, make inquiries about other people and their preferences, and speak politely. Learn pronouns, yes/no answers, common verbs, question words, and common phrases. By learning all of these together, you can easily form simple sentences and engage in everyday conversations.

Basic French Words for Beginners

Category	French word	English meaning	Example sentence
Pronoun	Je	I	Je suis prêt. (I am ready.)
Pronoun	Tu	You (informal)	Tu es mon ami. (You are my friend.)
Pronoun	Vous	You (formal/plural)	Vous êtes gentil. (You are kind.)
Yes/no	Oui	Yes	Oui, bien sûr. (Yes, of course.)
Yes/no	Non	No	Non, pas aujourd’hui. (No, not today.)
Verb	Être	To be	Je suis heureux. (I am happy.)
Verb	Avoir	To have	J’ai un stylo. (I have a pen.)
Verb	Faire	To do; make	Je fais du sport. (I play sports.)
Verb	Aller	To go	Je vais au travail. (I go to work.)
Verb	Vouloir	To want	Je veux apprendre. (I want to learn.)
Question	Qui	Who	Qui est-ce ? (Who is it?)
Question	Où	Where	Où est la banque ? (Where is the bank?)
Question	Pourquoi	Why	Pourquoi es-tu ici ? (Why are you here?)
Question	Comment	How	Comment allez-vous ? (How are you?)
Expression	D’accord	Okay; agreed	D’accord, merci. (Okay, thank you.)
Expression	Bien sûr	Of course	Bien sûr, je peux aider. (Of course, I can help.)
Expression	Je ne sais pas	I don’t know	Je ne sais pas. (I don’t know.)
Expression	Excusez-moi	Excuse me (formal)	Excusez-moi, où est la gare ? (Excuse me, where is the station?)

Beginner’s Tips: The most common French verbs are: to be (être), to have (avoir), and to do (faire). Learning their present-tense conjugation is the first step toward speaking French.

What are common French greetings and polite words with English meanings?

The greeting you use when speaking French depends upon the circumstances, what time it is, and your relationship with the person you are communicating with. You will typically greet someone during the daytime with bonjour, in the evening with bonsoir, and friends/people you have an established relationship with with salut. Polite expressions (merci and s’il vous plaît) can be used in many different settings, including classrooms, workplaces, shops, and restaurants.

French Greetings and Polite Expressions

French Expression	English Meaning	Usage
Bonjour	Hello; good morning	Standard, polite daytime greeting
Bonsoir	Good evening	Greeting someone in the evening
Salut	Hi; bye	Informal, usually among friends
Coucou	Hi there	Very informal, often among close friends
Comment allez-vous ?	How are you?	Formal or polite
Comment ça va ?	How are you?	Informal or neutral
Ça va bien, merci.	I’m fine, thank you.	Common response
Merci	Thank you	Everyday expression of gratitude
Merci beaucoup	Thank you very much	More emphatic thanks
De rien	You’re welcome	Common, informal response
Je vous en prie	You’re welcome	Polite or formal response
S’il vous plaît	Please	Formal or plural request
S’il te plaît	Please	Informal request to one person
Pardon	Sorry; pardon	Brief apology or request to pass
Excusez-moi	Excuse me	Polite way to interrupt or get attention
Je suis désolé(e)	I’m sorry	Apology
Ce n’est pas grave	It’s not a big deal	Reassuring someone
Au revoir	Goodbye	Standard farewell
À bientôt	See you soon	Friendly farewell
À demain	See you tomorrow	When expecting to meet the next day
Bonne nuit	Good night	When someone is going to bed
Bonne journée	Have a nice day	Polite farewell during the day
Bonne soirée	Have a nice evening	Polite evening farewell

Remember to use “tu” (informal) when you’re speaking to your friends, family and other individuals that are part of an informal setting. Use “vous” (polite/plural) to be respectful of someone else, or if you’re talking to a group of people. If you aren’t sure which form of address to use, start off by using “vous” and let them tell you what they would prefer.

What French words are used in Everyday Conversations?

The words that we use each day are helpful when talking about others, families, times, locations, foods, feelings and daily routines. When we organise the French words into groups according to their topics, it is easier for us to recall those words, and it provides a better way to communicate with other people in conversation.

Common French words used in Daily Life

Category	French word	English meaning	Example sentence
People	Personne	Person	Cette personne est gentille. (This person is kind.)
People	Homme	Man	Cet homme est professeur. (This man is a teacher.)
People	Femme	Woman	Cette femme est médecin. (This woman is a doctor.)
Family	Famille	Family	Ma famille habite en Inde. (My family lives in India.)
Family	Mère	Mother	Ma mère cuisine. (My mother cooks.)
Family	Père	Father	Mon père lit le journal. (My father reads the newspaper.)
Family	Frère	Brother	Mon frère est étudiant. (My brother is a student.)
Family	Sœur	Sister	Ma sœur aime la musique. (My sister likes music.)
Time	Jour	Day	C’est un beau jour. (It is a beautiful day.)
Time	Matin	Morning	Je travaille le matin. (I work in the morning.)
Time	Soir	Evening	Nous sortons ce soir. (We are going out this evening.)
Time	Heure	Hour; time	Quelle heure est-il ? (What time is it?)
Places	Maison	House; home	Je suis à la maison. (I am at home.)
Places	Bureau	Office; desk	Je suis au bureau. (I am at the office.)
Places	Hôpital	Hospital	L’hôpital est près d’ici. (The hospital is nearby.)
Places	Parc	Park	Nous allons au parc. (We are going to the park.)
Food	Fruit	Fruit	Je mange un fruit. (I eat a piece of fruit.)
Food	Légumes	Vegetables	Je mange des légumes. (I eat vegetables.)
Food	Fromage	Cheese	J’aime le fromage. (I like cheese.)
Food	Poulet	Chicken	Je mange du poulet. (I eat chicken.)
Feelings	Content(e)	Happy	Elle est contente. (She is happy.)
Feelings	Triste	Sad	Je suis triste aujourd’hui. (I am sad today.)
Feelings	Fatigué(e)	Tired	Nous sommes fatigués. (We are tired.)
Feelings	Inquiet / Inquiète	Worried	Je suis inquiète. (I am worried.)
Activities	Dormir	To sleep	Je dors huit heures. (I sleep for eight hours.)
Activities	Marcher	To walk	Je marche chaque jour. (I walk every day.)
Activities	Courir	To run	Il aime courir. (He likes running.)
Activities	Cuisiner	To cook	Je cuisine le soir. (I cook in the evening.)
Activities	Écouter	To listen	J’écoute de la musique. (I listen to music.)
Activities	Regarder	To watch	Nous regardons un film. (We are watching a film.)

How can I use common French words in simple sentences?

The most effective method for remembering French vocabulary is by using the word(s) in an entire sentence. Practice these sample sentences aloud, pay attention to how they are structured, and substitute either the noun or verb with words that you currently know of.

10 Simple French Sentences with English Translations

No.	French sentence	English translation
1	Je m’appelle Sophie.	My name is Sophie.
2	Je suis étudiant.	I am a male student.
3	J’habite à Delhi.	I live in Delhi.
4	J’apprends le français.	I am learning French.
5	J’aime lire des livres.	I like reading books.
6	Je bois un café le matin.	I drink coffee in the morning.
7	Ma famille est très gentille.	My family is very kind.
8	Où est la station de métro ?	Where is the metro station?
9	Je voudrais un verre d’eau, s’il vous plaît.	I would like a glass of water, please.
10	Merci beaucoup pour votre aide.	Thank you very much for your help.

Note: When writing about yourself as a female student, use étudiante. Adjectives in French and some nouns have forms that change based on whether they are masculine or feminine, and plural or singular.

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How can I memorise French words and improve my vocabulary quickly?

Rather than trying to take in too much information at once, study your French vocabulary each and every day.

Key Points

• Set a Daily Goal: Learn approximately 10–15 new French words each day.
• Organise your vocabulary into different topics like food, travel, work, and daily conversation.
• Create Simple Sentences: Use every single word you just learned in a couple of short sentences to help yourself realise how it works and how you can use it.
• Use flashcards: Practise with flashcards to strengthen your memory and recall.
• Review new words: Allow yourself to recall them for a greater amount of time.
• Listen to French Audio: Enhance your vocabulary through listening to French podcasts, music, and dialogues.
• Speak Aloud: Pronounce new French words and use them in everyday conversations.
• Maintain a Vocabulary Journal: Document challenging words, expressions, their definitions, and sample sentences for rapid review.
• Practise on a regular basis: Have a conversation with someone else who is learning, or utilise a language learning app to help solidify the knowledge you are acquiring.
• Review older vocabulary first: Before introducing new words, review previously learned words.

Prioritise your use of French words (i.e., using them correctly), as opposed to just counting the number of words you know.

30-Day French Study Plan

Use this schedule to build a regular study habit. The daily time commitment starts at 20 minutes and increases to 30 minutes as you progress.

Daily Time Schedule

Day	Learning focus	Practice activity	Time
1	Greetings	Learn bonjour, salut, merci, au revoir	20 min
2	Polite expressions	Practice pardon, s’il vous plaît, de rien	20 min
3	Pronouns	Learn je, tu, il, elle, nous, vous	20 min
4	Être	Create five sentences with être	20 min
5	Avoir	Practise sentences about possessions	20 min
6	Numbers	Learn numbers 1–20	20 min
7	Review	Test vocabulary from Days 1–6	20 min
8	Family	Learn 10 family-related words	25 min
9	Food	Practise food and drink vocabulary	25 min
10	Time	Learn days, mornings, evenings, and time words	25 min
11	Places	Pratique maison, école, bureau, gare	25 min
12	Common verbs	Learn aller, faire, parler, aimer	25 min
13	Questions	Pratique qui, où, quand, pourquoi, comment	25 min
14	Weekly review	Write 10 simple sentences	25 min
15	Adjectives	Learn bon, grand, petit, beau, facile	25 min
16	Feelings	Practise content, triste, fatigué, inquiet	25 min
17	Daily routines	Describe your morning in French	25 min
18	Shopping	Practise prices and polite requests	25 min
19	Directions	Ask for places and directions	25 min
20	Listening	Listen to a beginner French dialogue	25 min
21	Review	Test 50 previously learned words	25 min
22	Sentence building	Write 10 original sentences	30 min
23	Speaking	Introduce yourself aloud	30 min
24	Reading	Read a short beginner French text	30 min
25	Writing	Write a short paragraph about your day	30 min
26	Conversation	Practise questions and answers	30 min
27	Flashcards	Review difficult words using spaced repetition	30 min
28	Listening and speaking	Repeat short audio phrases aloud	30 min
29	Vocabulary test	Test yourself on all major categories	30 min
30	Final review	Deliver a two-minute self-introduction	30 min

The Daily Practice: Spend five minutes reviewing the vocabulary you learned the previous day, take on a small group of new words and create sentences using both sets of words. If you remain consistent, this practice can help you remember the words and grow your self-assurance with the use of these words. 

Conclusion

Learning French Vocabulary will help you have daily conversations with people in France, participate in French culture, grow academically, and develop international job opportunities. First, learn the basics of greetings, frequently used verbs, question words, and common phrases, and use them in full sentences. Create a daily vocabulary program, listen to French often, and review what you learned. Consistent practice rather than perfection leads to success.

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