Vocabulary related to French and France

When describing France, particularly in writing, the French like to use a variety of terms rather than constantly repeating français and la France. Here are the most common synonyms for French and France as well as some related vocabulary that will come in handy when discussing France à la française.


la France   France

la République   France (said with pride)

l'Hexagone   France, not including DOM-TOM

la Métropole   France, not including DOM-TOM

la France métropolitaine   France, not including DOM-TOM

DOM-TOM   French overseas departments and territories (see Where is French spoken?)

la France profonde   rural France


French as an adjective

français

gaulois

hexagonal

métropolitain

républicain

tricolore   (because of the three-color flag)


un Français, une Française   French (person)

le français   French (the language is never capitalized)

le franglais   informal mix of French and English

un/e Francophone   French speaker

francophone   French-speaking (adj)

la Francophonie   the phenomenon of speaking French, the French-speaking community


francophile   Francophile, fond of France and the French (adj)

(un) francophile   Francophile, person who loves/admires France and the French

francophobe   Francophobic, hostile toward France and the French (adj)

(un) francophobe   Francophobe, person who hates France and the French

la francomanie   French mania, excessively Francophile


franciser   to Frenchify, to make look/sound French

la francisation   Frenchifying

la francité   Frenchness


franco-   French- (prefix)

franco-canadien   French-Canadian

francocentrique   Franco-centric

franco-français   French-French, concerning two French groups