french vocab

150 Common French Words to Survive Most Situations [Plus Pronunciation]

Learning vocabulary is one of the cornerstones of learning French.

By knowing the most common vocabulary, you’ll get better at everyday communication—which gets you closer to interacting with some of the 300 million people who speak French around the world

In this post, we’ll get you started with 150 easy and common French words!

You’ll be well on your way to having a solid base in the French language in no time. 

Contents

150 French Words to Help You Get Started

1. The Most Essential French Words for Any Conversation

hello in french

Let’s start with some essential vocabulary that you’ll end up using a lot in French conversations: 

2. Common -ER, -IR and -RE French Verbs

running up a mountain

Aside from the conversational words and phrases above, you’ve also got to know the absolute most common French verbs:

These verbs are irregular, meaning they don’t follow the same rules of usage (or conjugation) that so-called regular verbs do.

Most French verbs are regular, meaning you only have to learn the endings of their group.

In French, there are three groups of so-called regular verbs, denoted by their infinitive (unconjugated) endings: -er verbs, -ir verbs and -re verbs.

Here are the most common verbs in each group:

-Er Verbs

-Ir Verbs

-Re Verbs

With all these different kinds of verbs, it’s handy to have a verb conjugation tool, like the one from Reverso.

Another option is to study these verbs in action with FluentU, which features authentic French videos with interactive subtitles. Click on any French verb or other word used in the video to see its definition, along with grammar notes and examples.

You can then add new words to flashcards and take personalized quizzes to grow your French vocabulary. 

The language learning program is also available on iOS and Android, so you can take your French studies with you wherever you go. 

3. What? Where? When? Common French Words For Asking Questions

French questions

Looking for directions? Do you want to know the price of something?

Whatever you do on your trip to France, you’re definitely going to need to ask for help or direction at some point.

Here are some common questions to help you get around:

Of course, the beauty of learning a language is to be able to communicate with native speakers, which means people might also ask you questions!

4. French Words for People

happy-husband-and-wife-at-the-park-with-their-three-children

Want to learn how to describe friends, family members or even strangers? Below you’ll find ten key words for people in French.

5. French Words for Professions

female-dentist-in-purple-scrub-using-dental-equipment-to-examine-a-patient

Headed to a French-speaking region for employment? Then the following words are essential!

The following are common words associated with professions:

6. Food & Drinks in French

easy-french-words

Hungry or thirsty? Check out the most common French words for food and drinks.

7. Parts of the House and Furniture in French

easy-french-words

It’s crucial to learn the French words that describe the places where we live.

Check out the following common words that denote specific rooms and spaces in our households.

Common words associated with rooms in the house:

8. Modes of Transport in French

man-on-a-bicycle-crossing-the-road-leading-to-the-Arc-de-Triomphe-de-l'Étoile-in-Paris-busy-traffic

Traveling for leisure or commuting to work? Make sure you learn these words!

9. Places in French

the-Louvre-clear-glass-museum-lit-up-during-sunset-Paris-France

Going somewhere? These French words will help you find what you’re looking for on a map or on Google!

10. Common French Adjectives 

diverse people

The following are common words that can be used to describe yourself, others or inanimate things.

Keep in mind that some adjectives change genders depending on the gender of the noun it describes.

In this list, the masculine forms are given first, with the feminine forms being either those with an added -e or the second form of the adjective.

Interested in more adjectives? Check out how to say common colors in French as well!

11. Animals & Nature Vocabulary in French

two-labrador-retriever-puppies

The following are common French words that can be used to describe animals or nature.

Basic French Grammar 

Now that you’ve seen 150 of the most common French words, it’s important to go over basic grammar so you can start incorporating these words into your own conversations!

Gender

In the French language, nouns are either masculine or feminine. For example, le vent (the wind) is masculine and la pluie (the rain) is feminine.

Words that begin with a vowel sound or “h” have their article changed to l’

Conjugation

There are three types of French verb endings: -er, -ir and -re

When conjugating in the present tense: Take the infinitive form, remove the verb ending to get the stem and add the corresponding conjugation.

For more French verb conjugations in different tenses, check out this post.

Adjective Placement

Adjectives are most often placed after the noun. However, in some cases, they may be placed before.

For example:

Le chien est petit. — The dog is small.

Le petit chien. — The small dog.

Adjectives must agree with the gender (and number) of a noun: 

La petite maison. — The small house.
(Using the feminine form of “petit”)

 

And just like that, you have 150 words to bring your French to the next level. Practice these words often and watch your French comprehension and production vastly improve!

Once you’ve mastered them, check out the 500 most frequently used French words for additional targeted vocabulary study.

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