Vocabulary Lists

French Vocabulary

Vocabulaire

Themed vocabulary lists and other wordy lessons (synonyms, prefixes, suffixes, abbreviations …) to help you become more verbose in French.

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Vocabulary Lists

Aphereses

French aphereses
A few dozen French words have a shortened form called an apheresis or aphaeresis, which is created by dropping one or more syllables at the beginning of the word. Some of these are further modified by adding an extra sound to the end.

   

Vocabulary Lists

Apocopes

French apocopes
Many French nouns and adjectives have shortened forms called apocopes, which are created by dropping one or more syllables at the end of the word. Some of these are further modified by adding o to the end.

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Vocabulary Lists

Approximate Numbers

Approximate French numbers
Approximate numbers are very useful for talking about generalities, making estimates, and just flat-out guessing. English only has one approximate number, content to use "about" in front of cardinal numbers any time a guess is required. In contrast, French has about a dozen approximate numbers.

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Fun with French

Baby Talk

French baby talk
French has quite a bit of "baby talk" or "kiddie speak" - words and expressions which are typically used by children or when talking to children. Even if you don't talk to kids in French, this informal language is important to recognize, as baby talk can also be found in jokes and in conversations with friends.

   

Travel and Culture

Beach and Pool

Beach and pool - French vocabulary
There's nothing like a big body of water to escape hot weather. Learn all the French vocabulary you'll need to enjoy a beach or pool.

   

Sports

Boating

French boating terms
Ready to put your sea legs to work? Here's a bunch of French vocab related to boating, including types of boats, onboard directions, and useful verbs.

Vocabulary Lists

Body

French body parts
Knowing the parts of the body can come in handy when playing sports, clothes shopping, seeing the doctor, and more. Learn how to talk about your body in French, from head to toe.

   

Vocabulary Lists

Bon – Informal Synonyms

Informal synonyms for bon - French adjectives
Students often ask "how can I sound more French?" and my first recommendation is always to work on vocabulary. In French classes, you tend to learn the most common, basic terms, like bon, which is a typical and very useful adjective that tends to be overused. Read this lesson for some informal ways to say "good," including how to pronounce them.

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Vocabulary Lists

Bon Synonyms

Synonyms for bon - French adjectives
Students often ask "how can I sound more French?" and my first recommendation is always to work on vocabulary. In French classes, you tend to learn the most common, basic terms, like bon, which is a typical and very useful adjective that tends to be overused. Read this lesson to learn some different ways to say "good," including how to pronounce them.

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Vocabulary Lists

Bus

French bus vocabulary
Whether local or long-haul, French buses are a great way to get around, so here's the French vocabulary you need to navigate the station, buy tickets, and arrive safely at your destination.

   

Vocabulary Lists

Calendar

French calendar
Knowing the days of the week, months of the year, and seasons will come in handy when traveling, making plans with friends, talking about history, and lots more.

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Vocabulary Lists

Calendar Eras

French calendar eras
As in English, years in French can be differentiated with one of two common notation systems: Common Era and Anno Domini.

Vocabulary Lists

Canada

Canada in French
Canada is officially a bilingual country, though outside of the province of Québec, French is considerably less common than English. Nonetheless, Canada's 13 provinces and territories have official names in both languages.