Audio Dictionary of French Words Starting With D, E and F

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Give your French vocabulary a boost by reviewing words starting with letters D, E and F. Hear the pronunciation of these words and try using them in context.

Words Starting With D

Word Definition Category
D the letter D French alphabet
d'abord (adv) - first, in the first place  
d'accord OK Basic vocabulary
dada (figurative) hobby-horse  
d'ailleurs (adv) - besides, moreover, for that matter  
une dalle paving stone, slab  
Daniel Daniel French names
la danse dancing Hobbies
la date date Dates
David David French names
déballer to unpack, display, let out  
débarrasser to clear, to rid (someone) of  
débile (adj) - weak, frail, sickly, poor; (inf) - stupid  
débiter to produce, to sell  
déblayer to clear away, remove, tidy up; to prepare (ground)  
déboîter to disconnect, dislodge, dislocate; (driving) to pull out  
débordement overflow(ing), boiling over, (out)burst  
déborder to overflow, to stick out; (fig) - to be bursting with  
un débouché opening, outlet, prospect  
debout (adj, adv) - standing, upright  
débrouiller to untangle, sort out, teach someone the basics  
débutant (adj) - beginning, novice  
déca decaf (informal)  
le décalage horaire time difference, jet lag  
décembre December Calendar
déclencher to release, set off, trigger, launch, work  
décoiffer to muss (one's hair), to take one's hat off  
décontracté (adj) relaxed, laid back, casual  
en découdre to fight, do battle  
décréter to order, declare, decree, ordain, decide  
décrocher to pick up (the phone) On the phone
dédaigner to despise, look down on, scorn, disdain, spurn  
le dédommagement compensation, something to make up for a problem  
défense d'entrer do not enter Travel
défense de fumer no smoking Restaurant
un défi challenge, defiance  
un dégât (often plural) - damage  
déglinguer (inf) - to bust, break  
dégoiser (inf) - to spout, rattle on  
dégommer (fam) - to demote, ire; to lay into, get told off  
dégoter (inf) - to dig up, find  
dégringoler to collapse, fall; to rush/fall down  
déguerpir (inf) - to clear off/out, scarper  
dégueulasse (fam adj) - lousy, rotten, filthy, disgusting  
déguster to taste, sample, savor; (inf) - to suffer, have a rough time  
le déjeuner lunch Food
délaisser to abandon, quit, give up, neglect  
de l'après-midi in the afternoon Telling time
se délecter to (take) delight in, to revel in  
délester (technical) to cut off power, relieve congestion / a burden; (transportation) to remove ballast  
se demander to wonder, to ask oneself  
démanger to itch (literally and fig)  
le démaquillant make-up remover Toiletries
démarrer to start up, to move off, to get moving  
un démêlé dispute, quarrel  
se démener to thrash about, struggle, exert oneself  
démettre to dislocate, dismiss  
la demeure residence, home (old-fashioned, literary)  
demeurer to stay/live somewhere, to remain  
la démission resignation, abdication  
démodé (adj) - old-fashioned, out-of-date  
le déni denial (law and psychology)  
Denis Dennis French names
Denise Denise French names
la dent tooth Body
le dentifrice toothpaste Toiletries
le déodorant deodorant Toiletries
déposer to lay/put/set down, dump, leave; to deposit; to file, register; to testify  
dépoussiérer to remove dust from (literally and fig)  
depuis un an for a year Optional liaisons
déranger to disturb, bother, trouble; to mix/mess up  
déraper to skid, slip, soar  
derechef (literary, archaic adv, used in jest) - once again, once more  
de rien you're welcome Politeness
dériver to divert, derive, stem from  
dessaisir (legal) - to remove  
le dessert dessert Dessert
desservir to clear (away), to do a disservice to, to harm; (transportation) - to serve  
désuet (adj) - outdated, old-fashioned, quaint  
détaler (inf) - to bolt, take off, clear out, skedaddle  
détourner to divert, hijack; turn away, avert; embezzle  
se détraquer to break down, to be upset  
deux 2 Numbers
deux cent un 201 Numbers
deux cents 200 Numbers
deux enfants two children Liaisons
deux mille 2,000 Numbers
deux millions 2,000,000 Numbers
devancer to get/be/arrive/do ahead of  
devant in front of  
la déveine (informal) rotten luck  
deviner to guess, solve, foresee; to make out  
dévoiler to unveil, disclose, reveal  
des devoirs (m) homework School
Diane Diane French names
un diapason (music) range, tuning fork, pitch pipe  
un dico (inf) - dictionary (short for dictionnaire)  
un dictionnaire dictionary School
un dicton saying, dicton, expression  
Didier   French names
la différence difference, identity, dissent  
différer to differ, be different; to postpone  
le digestif after-dinner drink Drinks
dimanche Sunday Calendar
la dinde turkey Meat
le dîner dinner Food
dingue (inf adj) - crazy, nuts, barmy  
direct (adj) - direct, straight  
les directions (f) directions Directions
dirigeant (adj) - ruling, senior  
un dispositif device, mechanism; plan (of action, attack...)  
le dissolvant nail polish remover Toiletries
dix 10 Numbers
dix-huit 18 Numbers
dix-neuf 19 Numbers
dix-sept 17 Numbers
une dizaine about ten  
le dodo beddy-bye, sleepy-time Baby talk
le doigt finger Body
Dominique Dominic, Dominica French names
dompter to tame, subdue, master, overcome  
les DOM-TOM (acronym) - Départements d'outre-mer, Territoires d'outre-mer Acronyms
donc (conjunction) so, therefore  
dorénavant (adv) - from now on, henceforth  
Dorothée Dorothy French names
le dos back Body
doté (adj) - equipped/endowed with  
la douane customs Travel
doublé (adj) - lined, dubbed  
le doudou blankie, blanket Baby talk
doué (adj) - talented, gifted, endowed with  
douillet (adj) soft, cozy, snug  
doux (adj) - sweet, soft, gentle, mild  
douze 12 Numbers
un drap sheet, large towel  

dresser

to stand up, raise, erect; to draw or write up  
la droguerie drugstore Shopping
drôle (adj) funny, peculiar  
drôlement (inf) awfully, terribly, very Trèssynonyms
du brouillard foggy Weather
du matin in the morning Telling time
du soir in the evening/at night Telling time
du soleil sunny Weather
du vent windy Weather

Words Starting With E

Word Definition Category
E the letter E French alphabet
l'eau (f) water Drinks
l'eau dentifrice mouthwash Toiletries
ébranler to shake, weaken, compromise
écarter to move apart, to spread (open), to dismiss
une échéance

expiration/maturity/redemption/payment/due date; term

un échec failure, defeat, setback, breakdown
échouer to fail; to end up
un éclair lightning, flash, (fig) - spark
éclater

to burst, blow up, explode; to break out; to make noise; to shine

éclipser

to eclipse, overshadow

une école school School
économies (f plural) savings, conservation
écorce (fem noun) - bark, peel, skin
écouler to sell
écourter to shorten, cut short, curtail
un écran screen
écraser to crush, grind, squeeze; run over
un écrivain writer Professions
s'écrouler to fall down, collapse, crumble
éculé (adj) - worn down, worn out
écume (fem) foam, froth, scum, lather
Édith Edith French names
Édouard Edward French names
édulcorer

to water/tone down; to sweeten

effacer to erase
effectuer to carry out, to make (happen), to accomplish
effondré (adj) - shattered, crushed, collapsed
s'efforcer to try hard, endeavor, do one's best to
effrayé (adj) - scared Mood
effroyable appalling, horrifying
égal (adj) equal, even, unchanging
à l'égard de toward, concerning
égards (m) consideration
égaré (adj) - lost, stray, distraught
une église church Directions
Égyptien(ne) Egyptian Lang + Nat
éhonté (adj) shameless, brazen
un électricien electrician Professions
Éléonore Eleanor French names
Élisabeth Elizabeth French names
Élise Elisa French names
elle she, it Subject pronouns
elle est she is Enchaînement
Elle prend un livre She is taking a book Optional liaisons
elles they Subject pronouns
Elle s'appelle .... Her name is... Introductions
Élodie French names
éloigner

to move away (transitive), remove, estrange, banish, dismiss

élucubrations (f) wild imaginings
emballer to pack; (inf) - to thrill; (fam) - to arrest; to seduce
un embouteillage

traffic jam, holdup, (fig) bottleneck

embrouillé (adj) - confused, mixed-up
Émile Emile French names
Émilie Emily French names
Emmanuel Emmanuel French names
s'emparer to seize, snatch, grab, take over
empiler to pile, stack up; (fam) - to have, swindle
un(e) employé(e) employee Professions
emprunter to borrow
en arrière de in back of Directions
en avant de in front of Directions
en bas down Directions
encastrer to embed, fit
encenser to burn incense; to flatter, praise excessively
enciente (adj) - pregnant
encenser to flatter, praise excessively
enchanté(e) (adj) - delighted (to meet you) Introductions
une enchère bid
encore une fois one more time Basic vocab
un(e) énergumène firebrand
en fait in fact, as a matter of fact
enfin (adv) - at last, finally; (interj) - well, in a word
engelures frostbite
engourdir to make numb
en haut up Directions
ennuyé (adj) - bored, annoyed Mood
ennuyeux (adj) - boring Personality
en panne out of order, broken down Travel
une enquête inquiry, investigation, survey
enrayer to (keep in) check, curb, jam
enrhume (adj) - having a cold
en route on the way Driving
en souffrance pending, awaiting delivery
entacher to soil, taint, tarnish (fig); riddled, marred (with errors)
entourer to surround, rally around
un entracte (theater, cinéma) interval, intermission; (figurative) interruption, interlude, break
entraîner to take, drag (a person), to lead, influence; to bring about, lead to; to entail, mean
entre eux between them Enchaînement
entretenir to maintain, keep, look after, support; (formal) to talk, converse
entrouvrir to half-open
éolien (adj) related to wind
épais (adj) thick; (derog) dense, dull, thick
éparpiller to scatter, disperse
épater to amaze, impress
une épaule shoulder Body
épi spike, tuft
une épicerie grocery store Shopping
les épinards (m) spinach Vegetables
une épingle pin Jewelry
une épouse wife Love language
un époux husband Love language
une épreuve test, ordeal, hardship
éprouver to feel, experience, suffer, sustain, test
épuisé (adj) - worn-out, exhausted
Éric Eric French names
ès Contraction of en + les, used for university degrees.
une escale stopover, port of call
un escalier stairway Home
escamoter evade, get around; to conjure away; (inf) - to steal
les escargots (m) snails Meat
escrime (f) fencing
une esgourde archaic and slang for ear (used in jest)
Espagnol(e), l'espagnol Spanish Lang + Nat
une espèce species, kind, type; (inf pej) - some, stupid
espiègle (adj) - mischievous, impish
un espion spy
une esquisse sketch, outline; beginnings, hint
un essaim swarm (literally and figuratively)
une essence petrol/gas, spirit, essence, gist, species of a tree
essence ordinaire regular gas Driving
l'essentiel the basics Basic vocab
un essor rapid growth, development, boom; (formal/elegant) flight
les essuie-glaces windshield wipers Driving
est east Directions
estimer to appraise, value, estimate; to (hold in) esteem; to consider, judge
estival (adj) summer(y)
un estomac stomach Body
estomaquer (informal) to stun, stagger, flabbergast, gobsmack
estomper

to blur, dim, soften, become indistinct

et and Basic vocab
une étagère (book)shelf Furniture
étaler to spread, strew
et demie and a half Telling time
été summer Calendar
éternuer to sneeze
Étienne Steven French names
étirer to stretch
étoffer to enrich, fill in, flesh out, extend, beef up, strengthen
une étourderie absent-mindedness; (fam) - careless mistake
et quart quarter after Telling time
être coupé to be cut off On the phone
un étudiant, une étudiante student Professions
Eugène Eugene French names
Européen(ne) European Lang + Nat
évanouir to faint, pass out; to disappear
éveillé (adj) - alert, bright, awake
éventuellement (adv) - possibly, if need be
un évier sink Furniture
exact (adj) exact, right, accurate, correct; on time
exagérer to exaggerate, overdo
un examen test School
exaucer to fulfill, grant, answer
excellent excellent Bonsynonyms
exceptionnel exceptional Bonsynonyms
exceptionnellement exceptionally Très synonyms
excité (adj) - hyper(active) Mood
une excursion trip Driving
excursionner to go on trips, walks
excusez-moi excuse me Politeness
Excusez-moi de vous déranger I'm sorry to disturb you Politeness
exemplaire (adj) - model, exemplary; un exemplaire - copy
exigeant (adj) demanding, exacting
une expérience experience, experiment
exprès (adv) - on purpose, deliberately
un express espresso Drinks
exprimer to express
extraordinaire extraordinary Bonsynonyms
extraordinairement extraordinarily Trèssynonyms
extrêmement extremely Trèssynonyms

Words Starting With F

Word Definition Category
F the letter F French alphabet
fabriquer to make, produce; fabricate, make up; (inf) to do, to be up to
fabuler to fantasize
la fac (inf, short for faculté) - university
fâché (adj) - angry Mood
faible (adj) - weak Personality
la faim hunger Food
fainéant (adj) lazy, idle
faire le plein to fill it up Driving
faire sisite to sit Baby talk
se faire les ongles to do one's nails Toiletries
au fait by the way
en fait in fact, as a matter of fact
un faix burden
une falaise cliff
falot (adj) - colorless, wan, pale
un falot lantern
fameux adj before noun) - first-rate; real; famous, much talked-about
une famille family Family
fané (adj) - faded, wilted
le fard make-up, greasepaint
le fard à joues blusher Toiletries
le fard à paupières eyeshadow Toiletries
farfelu

(inf adj) - cranky, scatty, hare-brained, eccentric

fastueux luxurious, sumptuous
fatigué (adj) - tired Mood
faufiler to baste, tack
fauteur one who does something (usually bad)
fêlé (adj) cracked, (informal) crazy
une femme wife, woman Family
une femme de chambre maid Professions
une fenêtre window Furniture
fermé (adj) - closed Travel
la fermeté firmness, solidness, confidence
féru (adj) - interested in / keen on
la fesse buttock
le feu fire, stoplight, stove burner
une feuille de​ papier piece of paper Office
feuilleter to leaf through, skim; to roll out (pastry, dough)
le feu rouge stop light Driving
les feux de route high beams Driving
le feux de stop brake lights Driving
février February Calendar
fiable (adj) accurate, reliable, dependable
fiançailles (f) engagement
un(e) fiancé(e) fiance Love language
une ficelle string, type of bread
ficher (slang) - to do, give, put, leave
fichu (informal adj) - lousy, rotten, foul; done for, bust; put together, dressed; damned
figurer to represent, to appear
le fil dentaire dental floss Toiletries
une fille daughter, girl Family
un film a movie Hobbies
un fils son Family
un fixe-cravate tie-clip Jewelry
flairer to smell, sense
le flamand Flemish Lang + Nat
un fléau curse, plague, bane; flail
la flemme (inf) - laziness
une fleur flower Love language
un flic (inf) - cop, copper, bobby
un flingue gun, rifle
un flocon flake, fleck
flopée (informal) - a bunch, tons, loads, masses
Florence Florence French names
flotter to float, drift, hang (in the air), flutter, hover
fofolle (inf adj) - scatty, crazy
le foin hay
follement (inf) incredibly Très synonyms
foncé (invariable adj) - dark (color)
foncer

to charge at or into; to make darker; (inf) - to rush, tear, charge along

foncièrement (adv) - fundamentally, basically
un(e)​ fonctionnaire civil servant Professions
le foot, football soccer Hobbies
le footballaméricain football Hobbies
un forain fairground entertainer, carnie
forcément (adv) - necessarily, inevitably
une forme form, shape
Formidable! Great! Accent affectif
fort (adj) - strong Personality
un fossé (lit, fig) - ditch, gulf, gap
des fossettes dimples Descriptions
la foudre lightning
un fouet whip, whisk
la fougue ardor, spirit
la fouille search, excavation, dig
un fouillis jumble, muddle
un foulard scarf Accessories
un four oven Furniture
un four à micro-ondes microwave oven
une fourchette fork Dishes
fourrer to stuff, fill; (info) - to put, stick, shove
la fourrière dog pound, impound yard
fourvoyer to mislead, get someone lost, lead astray
frais (adj) - cool, crisp, fresh
une fraise strawberry Fruit
une framboise raspberry Fruit
Français(e), le français French Lang + Nat
franchir to cross, get over, overcome
Francis Francis French names
Franck Frank French names
François Francis French names
Françoise Frances French names
francophone (adj) - French-speaking
un/e​ Francophone

(proper noun) - French speaker

à la bonne franquette simple, without any fuss
frapper to hit, stab, strike, knock
frasques (f) escapades
Frédéric Frederick French names
fredonner to hum
les freins brakes Driving
frêle (adj) - flimsy, fragile, frail
frémir to quake, tremble, shudder, shiver
un frère brother Family
friand de (adj) - partial to, fond of
le fric (fam) - cash, bread, lolly
le frigo (inf) - fridge (short for réfrigérateur) Apocopes
frileux (adj) - sensitive to cold; (econ) - overcautious, nervous
une friperie

used/second-hand clothing store

un frisson shiver, shudder, thrill
les frites (f) fries Food
froid (adj) - cold, unfriendly Weather,Personality
froisser to crumple, offend
frôler to brush against, skim, verge on
le fromage cheese Dairy
le fromage blanc cream cheese Dairy
se frotter to rub (one another), to fight; (slang) - to have sex
le fruit fruit Fruit
fugace (adj) - fleeting, transient
fuguer (inf) - to run away, run off
fuir to flee, avoid, fly off, shun, shirk
fulgurant (figurative adj) lightning, dazzling, blinding, searing
futé (adj) - wily, crafty, cunning, sly
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Team, ThoughtCo. "Audio Dictionary of French Words Starting With D, E and F." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/audio-dictionary-d-e-and-f-4085197. Team, ThoughtCo. (2023, April 5). Audio Dictionary of French Words Starting With D, E and F. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/audio-dictionary-d-e-and-f-4085197 Team, ThoughtCo. "Audio Dictionary of French Words Starting With D, E and F." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/audio-dictionary-d-e-and-f-4085197 (accessed April 20, 2024).