The vocabulary every French learner needs first. Research consistently shows that the top 500–1,000 words cover around 75–85% of everyday speech. Learn these and you can hold a real conversation.
300 words across 12 categoriesPart of speech labeled for each wordEnglish translation included
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The 55 most common French verbs cover the majority of everyday speech.
French
Type
English
être
verb
to be
avoir
verb
to have
faire
verb
to do / make
dire
verb
to say / tell
aller
verb
to go
savoir
verb
to know (a fact)
vouloir
verb
to want
voir
verb
to see
pouvoir
verb
to be able to / can
donner
verb
to give
venir
verb
to come
devoir
verb
to have to / must
tenir
verb
to hold
prendre
verb
to take
mettre
verb
to put / place
trouver
verb
to find
parler
verb
to speak / talk
comprendre
verb
to understand
entendre
verb
to hear
penser
verb
to think
rentrer
verb
to return / come back
partir
verb
to leave / depart
arriver
verb
to arrive
ouvrir
verb
to open
fermer
verb
to close
travailler
verb
to work
vivre
verb
to live
manger
verb
to eat
boire
verb
to drink
dormir
verb
to sleep
acheter
verb
to buy
payer
verb
to pay
appeler
verb
to call
regarder
verb
to watch / look at
écouter
verb
to listen
lire
verb
to read
écrire
verb
to write
étudier
verb
to study
apprendre
verb
to learn
aider
verb
to help
demander
verb
to ask
répondre
verb
to answer
chercher
verb
to look for / search
attendre
verb
to wait
se souvenir
verb
to remember
oublier
verb
to forget
commencer
verb
to begin / start
finir
verb
to finish / end
rester
verb
to stay / remain
marcher
verb
to walk
courir
verb
to run
jouer
verb
to play
utiliser
verb
to use
changer
verb
to change
essayer
verb
to try
People & relationships
French
Type
English
personne
noun
person
homme
noun
man
femme
noun
woman
enfant
noun
child
garçon / fille
noun
boy / girl
ami / amie
noun
friend (male / female)
famille
noun
family
mère / maman
noun
mother / mum
père / papa
noun
father / dad
fils / fille
noun
son / daughter
frère
noun
brother
sœur
noun
sister
mari
noun
husband
épouse
noun
wife
grand-père / grand-mère
noun
grandfather / grandmother
collègue
noun
colleague
voisin
noun
neighbour
les gens
noun
people
tout le monde
pron
everyone
personne (negative)
pron
nobody
Time & frequency
French
Type
English
temps
noun
time; weather
heure
noun
hour; time of day
minute
noun
minute
jour
noun
day
semaine
noun
week
mois
noun
month
année
noun
year
matin
noun
morning
après-midi
noun
afternoon
soir
noun
evening
nuit
noun
night
aujourd'hui
adv
today
hier
adv
yesterday
demain
adv
tomorrow
maintenant
adv
now
avant
adv
before
après
adv
after; later
toujours
adv
always
jamais
adv
never; ever
souvent
adv
often
parfois
adv
sometimes
rarement
adv
rarely
déjà
adv
already
encore
adv
still; again; yet
tôt
adv
early; soon
tard
adv
late
Places & spaces
French
Type
English
maison
noun
house; home
ville
noun
city; town
pays
noun
country
monde
noun
world
rue
noun
street; road
place
noun
square; plaza
magasin
noun
shop; store
restaurant
noun
restaurant
café
noun
café; coffee
bureau
noun
office; desk
école
noun
school
université
noun
university
hôpital
noun
hospital
gare
noun
train station
aéroport
noun
airport
plage
noun
beach
montagne
noun
mountain
mer
noun
sea
cuisine
noun
kitchen; cuisine
salle de bain
noun
bathroom
chambre
noun
room; bedroom
jardin
noun
garden
porte
noun
door; gate
fenêtre
noun
window
Everyday objects
French
Type
English
voiture
noun
car
téléphone
noun
phone
ordinateur
noun
computer
livre
noun
book
table
noun
table
chaise
noun
chair
lit
noun
bed
clé
noun
key
sac
noun
bag
vêtements
noun
clothes
chaussures
noun
shoes
argent
noun
money
prix
noun
price
papier
noun
paper
train
noun
train
bus
noun
bus
vélo
noun
bicycle
photo
noun
photo
Food & drink
French
Type
English
eau
noun
water
vin
noun
wine
café
noun
coffee
lait
noun
milk
jus
noun
juice
bière
noun
beer
thé
noun
tea
pain
noun
bread
pâtes
noun
pasta
riz
noun
rice
viande
noun
meat
poisson
noun
fish
poulet
noun
chicken
fromage
noun
cheese
œuf
noun
egg
légumes
noun
vegetables
fruits
noun
fruit
salade
noun
salad; lettuce
sucre
noun
sugar
sel
noun
salt
huile
noun
oil
déjeuner
noun
lunch
dîner
noun
dinner
petit-déjeuner
noun
breakfast
nourriture
noun
food
Common adjectives
French
Type
English
beau / belle
adj
beautiful; nice
bon / bonne
adj
good
mauvais
adj
bad
grand
adj
big; tall; great
petit
adj
small; little
nouveau / nouvelle
adj
new
vieux / vieille
adj
old
long / longue
adj
long
haut
adj
tall; high
chaud
adj
hot; warm
froid
adj
cold
facile
adj
easy
difficile
adj
difficult; hard
important
adj
important
différent
adj
different
même
adj
same
vrai
adj
true; real
faux / fausse
adj
false; fake
ouvert
adj
open
fermé
adj
closed
libre
adj
free; available
occupé
adj
busy; occupied
heureux / heureuse
adj
happy
triste
adj
sad
fatigué
adj
tired
rapide
adj
fast; quick
lent
adj
slow
fort
adj
strong; loud
faible
adj
weak
seul
adj
alone; only
prêt
adj
ready
possible
adj
possible
Quantities & degree
French
Type
English
très
adv
very
peu
adv/adj
a little; few; not much
trop
adv/adj
too much; too many
assez
adv
enough; quite
presque
adv
almost; nearly
tout / toute
adj/pron
all; everything; every
rien
pron
nothing
quelque chose
pron
something
chaque
adj
every; each
beaucoup
adv
a lot; much; many
plus
adv
more
moins
adv
less; fewer
mieux
adv
better
pire
adv
worse
bien
adv
well
mal
adv
badly; poorly
peut-être
adv
maybe; perhaps
environ
adv
about; approximately
Pronouns
French
Type
English
je
pron
I
tu
pron
you (singular, informal)
il
pron
he
elle
pron
she
nous
pron
we
vous
pron
you (plural / formal)
ils / elles
pron
they (masc. / fem.)
me / moi
pron
me; to me; myself
te / toi
pron
you; to you; yourself
se / soi
pron
oneself; himself; herself
y
pron
there; to it
en
pron
of it; of them; some
le / la
pron
him / her; it
les
pron
them
lui / leur
pron
to him / to her; to them
ce / cette
pron
this; that
qui
pron
who; whoever
que / quoi
pron
what; which; that
quel / quelle
pron
which; what
Prepositions & conjunctions
French
Type
English
de
prep
of; from; about
à
prep
to; at; in
dans
prep
in; into
en
prep
in; to; by
avec
prep
with
sur
prep
on; about; up
pour
prep
for; in order to
entre
prep
between; among
sans
prep
without
après
prep
after
avant
prep
before
pendant
prep
during; for (time)
au lieu de
prep
instead of
et
conj
and
mais
conj
but
ou
conj
or
cependant
conj
however
donc
conj
so; therefore
parce que
conj
because
si
conj
if
quand
conj
when
pendant que
conj
while
que
conj
that; which; who
comme
conj
as; like; how
aussi
conj
also; too; even
Numbers & quantities
French
Type
English
zéro
num
zero
un / une
num
one
deux
num
two
trois
num
three
quatre
num
four
cinq
num
five
six
num
six
sept
num
seven
huit
num
eight
neuf
num
nine
dix
num
ten
vingt
num
twenty
trente
num
thirty
cent
num
one hundred
mille
num
one thousand
premier / première
ord
first
deuxième
ord
second
dernier / dernière
ord
last
Body, health & feelings
French
Type
English
corps
noun
body
tête
noun
head
œil / yeux
noun
eye / eyes
oreille
noun
ear
nez
noun
nose
bouche
noun
mouth
main
noun
hand
bras
noun
arm
jambe
noun
leg
pied
noun
foot
cœur
noun
heart
voix
noun
voice
vie
noun
life
santé
noun
health
douleur
noun
pain; ache
peur
noun
fear
amour
noun
love
joie
noun
joy
colère
noun
anger
espoir
noun
hope
How to actually learn these words
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