Education

French Vocabulary Lessons + Lists

French vocabulary lists, lessons, quizzes, and a French word a day. Everything you need to increase your French vocabulary.

Essential French - L'Essentiel
Even if you're just going to France for a week, you should know some survival French - a few essential words and phrases that you'll use over and over. Learn essential French vocabulary and phrases like do you speak English, yes, no, and I don't know.

Please scroll down for more French vocabulary lessons.

Audio Dictionary
There are more than 2,500 sound files on this site which you can use to work on your French pronunciation and listening skills.

Flash Cards
Studying endless lists of French vocabulary can get tedious. One way to make learning vocabulary more interesting and interactive is with the use of flash cards. This article has information and tips on creating French flash cards and putting them to good use.

French Vocabulary Used in English
Over the years, the English language has borrowed a great number of words and expressions from French. Some of this vocabulary has been so completely absorbed by English that speakers might not realize its origins. Other words and expressions have retained their "Frenchness" - a certain "je ne sais quoi" which speakers tend to be much more aware of.

Vrais amis - French English Cognates
Increase your vocabulary with this list of 1,700 French-English cognates - words which are identical in the two languages and share at least one meaning.

Most Common French Gestures
My lessons on French gestures are among the most popular pages on my site, partly because gestures are so frequently used when speaking French, and partly because many gestures are not commonly taught in French classes. Among the dozens of gestures and facial expressions in my lessons, there are ten that really stand out.

Mot du Jour Top 25 - French Word of the Day
Which French words do I really need to know?

French Homophones
Homophones are words that have the same pronunciation but different meanings and, sometimes, spellings. Therefore, French homophones can cause difficulties in oral comprehension and spelling. These pages should help you to understand the difference between the most common French homophones.

How to Say ___ in French
If you're wondering how to say something in French, you've come to the right place. Here are some ideas and resources to help you find out how to say anything in French.

Top French Vocabulary Lessons
Vocabulary is one of the keys to language. When people talk about fluency, they usually include some reference to the minimum number of words that one must know. To make it easier for you to find essential French vocabulary pages, I've put them together into a handy top 15 list that you can bookmark for future reference.

French Vocabulary Books
If you are having trouble learning and remembering new French vocabulary, these specialized books can help.

French Dictionary Software
If you spend a lot of time reading/writing French, especially on the computer, having a good French dictionary program (or two) can make life a lot easier. I recently purchased several French dictionary programs and already can't remember what life was like without them. Based on my own preferences as well as extensive research, here are the best French dictionary programs you can buy.

Before You Know It - Review of French Learning Software
Before You Know It is a software program that can help you learn and remember French vocabulary.

Comme d'habitude
As usual, this lesson offers everything you need to know about the French expression comme d'habitude.

Most Common French Phrases
Learn the most useful and common French phrases.

Par contre
Learn about the meanings and uses of the French expression par contre.

In - French Prefix
The French prefix in is added to many adjectives as well as some adverbs and nouns to create their opposites.

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