Title: MintDeck — French A1

Front: bonjour
Back: hello / good morning
Bonjour, ça va ? — Hello, how are you?
Notes: Literally 'bon' (good) + 'jour' (day). Use it any time during the day; switch to 'bonsoir' once evening comes.

Front: bonsoir
Back: good evening
Bonsoir, madame. — Good evening, madam.
Notes: Used as a greeting when arriving in the evening, roughly after 6 p.m. — not when leaving (that's 'bonne soirée').

Front: salut
Back: hi / bye
Salut, ça va ? — Hi, how's it going?
Notes: Informal and works for both hello AND goodbye, but only with friends, family, or peers — never with strangers or in formal settings.

Front: au revoir
Back: goodbye
Au revoir et à demain ! — Goodbye and see you tomorrow!
Notes: Literally 'until the re-seeing.' The 'r' in 'revoir' is pronounced, but the final 'r' of 'voir' is silent before a pause.

Front: bonne nuit
Back: good night
Bonne nuit, à demain. — Good night, see you tomorrow.
Notes: Reserved for when someone is going to bed — not a general evening farewell. Use 'bonne soirée' if they're still out for the night.

Front: merci
Back: thank you
Merci beaucoup ! — Thank you very much!
Notes: To say 'no thank you' politely, say 'non merci' — but a bare 'merci' when offered food can be read as a polite refusal.

Front: de rien
Back: you're welcome
Merci ! — De rien. — Thank you! — You're welcome.
Notes: Literally 'of nothing,' like the Spanish 'de nada.' More formal alternatives are 'je vous en prie' and 'avec plaisir.'

Front: s'il vous plaît
Back: please (formal/plural)
Un café, s'il vous plaît. — A coffee, please.
Notes: Literally 's'il' (if it) + 'vous plaît' (pleases you). Use 's'il te plaît' with someone you address as 'tu.'

Front: s'il te plaît
Back: please (informal)
Passe-moi le sel, s'il te plaît. — Pass me the salt, please.
Notes: The informal twin of 's'il vous plaît,' for friends and family. Often abbreviated 'stp' in texting.

Front: excusez-moi
Back: excuse me (formal)
Excusez-moi, où est la gare ? — Excuse me, where is the station?
Notes: Use to get a stranger's attention or to apologize lightly. The informal version is 'excuse-moi.'

Front: pardon
Back: sorry / pardon
Pardon, je suis en retard. — Sorry, I'm late.
Notes: Quick all-purpose 'sorry,' also said when you bump into someone or didn't hear them. A false friend: it is NOT the verb 'to pardon.'

Front: désolé
Back: sorry
Je suis désolé. — I'm sorry.
Notes: Add an extra 'e' for a female speaker: 'désolée' (pronounced the same). It expresses genuine regret, stronger than a casual 'pardon.'

Front: oui
Back: yes
Tu viens ? — Oui ! — Are you coming? — Yes!
Notes: To say 'yes' in answer to a NEGATIVE question ('Tu ne viens pas ?'), French uses 'si' instead of 'oui' — a feature English lacks.

Front: non
Back: no
Non, merci. — No, thank you.
Notes: The final 'n' is not pronounced as a consonant; it nasalizes the 'o.' Say 'noh' through the nose, not 'non' with a hard n.

Front: Comment ça va ?
Back: How are you?
Comment ça va aujourd'hui ? — How are you today?
Notes: Casual. The reply is usually 'ça va' (I'm fine), so the same two words ask and answer the question.

Front: Comment allez-vous ?
Back: How are you? (formal)
Bonjour, comment allez-vous ? — Hello, how are you?
Notes: The formal/polite version, built from the verb 'aller' (to go). Literally 'How do you go?' — French uses 'go' where English uses 'be.'

Front: enchanté
Back: pleased to meet you
Enchanté, je m'appelle Marie. — Pleased to meet you, I'm Marie.
Notes: Literally 'enchanted.' A woman says 'enchantée' (same sound). Said only at a first introduction.

Front: à bientôt
Back: see you soon
Au revoir, à bientôt ! — Goodbye, see you soon!
Notes: The 't' in 'bientôt' is silent. Compare 'à demain' (see you tomorrow) and 'à tout à l'heure' (see you later today).

Front: à demain
Back: see you tomorrow
À demain au bureau. — See you tomorrow at the office.
Notes: 'À + time' is the standard pattern for 'see you ___': à lundi, à ce soir, à plus tard.

Front: ça va
Back: I'm fine / it's going (well)
Ça va, merci. Et toi ? — I'm fine, thanks. And you?
Notes: This two-word phrase is both a question and an answer depending on intonation — one of the most useful expressions in French.

Front: le nom
Back: name / surname
Quel est votre nom ? — What is your name?
Notes: On forms, 'nom' usually means the family name (last name); the first name is 'le prénom' (literally 'pre-name').

Front: le prénom
Back: first name
Mon prénom est Luc. — My first name is Luc.
Notes: The prefix 'pré-' (before) signals it comes before the family name. Don't confuse 'nom' (surname) with 'prénom.'

Front: l'adresse (f)
Back: address
Quelle est ton adresse ? — What's your address?
Notes: Feminine despite no obvious cue. False friend warning: 'adresse' is a postal address, not 'a dress' (that's 'une robe').

Front: le numéro
Back: number
Quel est ton numéro de téléphone ? — What's your phone number?
Notes: 'Numéro' is a number you read out (phone, house); 'nombre' is a quantity. Two different French words for English 'number.'

Front: le téléphone
Back: telephone / phone
Mon téléphone est dans mon sac. — My phone is in my bag.
Notes: The 'ph' is pronounced 'f,' as in English. A mobile is 'le téléphone portable' or just 'le portable.'

Front: l'âge (m)
Back: age
Quel âge as-tu ? — How old are you?
Notes: Masculine; nouns in '-age' are usually masculine. Note French says 'how much age do you HAVE,' using 'avoir,' not 'être.'

Front: la nationalité
Back: nationality
Quelle est ta nationalité ? — What's your nationality?
Notes: Feminine — words ending in '-té' (like English '-ty': liberté, qualité) are nearly always feminine.

Front: le pays
Back: country
La France est un beau pays. — France is a beautiful country.
Notes: The final 's' is silent and 'pays' is the same in singular and plural. Don't confuse with 'la paix' (peace), which sounds similar.

Front: la ville
Back: city / town
Paris est une grande ville. — Paris is a big city.
Notes: Pronounced 'veel.' The unrelated word 'village' adds a syllable. 'En ville' means 'into/in town.'

Front: la langue
Back: language / tongue
Je parle deux langues. — I speak two languages.
Notes: Same word for the body part 'tongue' and 'language' — a logical link English lost. Feminine.

Front: le français
Back: French (language)
J'apprends le français. — I'm learning French.
Notes: Lowercase for the language/adjective; capital 'Français' only for a French person. Final 's' is silent.

Front: monsieur
Back: sir / Mr.
Bonjour, monsieur. — Hello, sir.
Notes: Pronounced 'muh-syuh' — the 'on' is NOT nasal here, an exception. Plural is the irregular 'messieurs.'

Front: madame
Back: madam / Mrs.
Merci, madame. — Thank you, madam.
Notes: Used for adult women regardless of marital status today. Plural: 'mesdames.' Abbreviated 'Mme.'

Front: mademoiselle
Back: miss
Voici votre café, mademoiselle. — Here's your coffee, miss.
Notes: Now considered old-fashioned and is disappearing in France; 'madame' is the modern default for any adult woman.

Front: l'homme (m)
Back: man
C'est un homme grand. — He's a tall man.
Notes: The 'h' is silent, so you say 'un nomme' with liaison. The double-m and silent h come from Latin 'homo.'

Front: la femme
Back: woman / wife
C'est ma femme. — This is my wife.
Notes: Pronounced 'fam' — the 'e' sounds like 'a,' an irregular spelling. Means both 'woman' and 'wife' depending on context.

Front: l'enfant (m/f)
Back: child
L'enfant joue dans le parc. — The child plays in the park.
Notes: Can be masculine or feminine depending on the child's sex: 'un enfant' / 'une enfant.' The word itself doesn't change.

Front: le garçon
Back: boy
Le garçon a dix ans. — The boy is ten years old.
Notes: The cedilla on the 'ç' keeps the c soft (an 's' sound) before 'o.' Without it, 'garcon' would sound like 'gar-kon.'

Front: la fille
Back: girl / daughter
C'est une petite fille. — She's a little girl.
Notes: 'll' here makes a 'y' sound: 'fee-yuh.' Means both 'girl' and 'daughter' — context decides which.

Front: l'ami (m)
Back: friend (male)
C'est mon ami Paul. — This is my friend Paul.
Notes: 'Mon ami(e)' can imply 'boyfriend/girlfriend'; to avoid that, say 'un ami à moi' (a friend of mine).

Front: l'amie (f)
Back: friend (female)
Marie est mon amie. — Marie is my friend.
Notes: Sounds identical to masculine 'ami'; only spelling shows gender. The 'a' takes liaison: 'mon namie.'

Front: habiter
Back: to live (somewhere)
J'habite à Lyon. — I live in Lyon.
Notes: Use 'habiter à + city' but 'vivre' for living in a broader sense. The silent 'h' allows elision: 'j'habite.'

Front: s'appeler
Back: to be called / named
Je m'appelle Anna. — My name is Anna (I call myself Anna).
Notes: A reflexive verb: literally 'to call oneself.' Note the double 'l' in 'appelle' but single in 'appeler.'

Front: le travail
Back: work / job
J'aime mon travail. — I like my work.
Notes: Plural is irregular: 'travaux' (also means 'roadworks'). Related verb is 'travailler' (to work).

Front: l'étudiant (m)
Back: student
Il est étudiant à l'université. — He's a student at the university.
Notes: After 'être,' professions drop the article: 'il est étudiant,' not 'un étudiant.' Female form: 'étudiante.'

Front: zéro
Back: zero
Il y a zéro problème. — There is zero problem.
Notes: Stays singular as a count word but the noun after it is often plural in casual speech. From Arabic 'sifr,' like 'cipher.'

Front: un
Back: one
J'ai un frère. — I have one brother.
Notes: Doubles as the masculine indefinite article ('a'). Feminine 'one' is 'une.' Final 'n' is nasal, not pronounced hard.

Front: deux
Back: two
J'ai deux chats. — I have two cats.
Notes: The 'x' is silent before a consonant but pronounced 'z' in liaison: 'deux_amis' = 'deu-zami.'

Front: trois
Back: three
Il est trois heures. — It's three o'clock.
Notes: Final 's' is silent alone but liaises as 'z': 'trois_ans' = 'troi-zan.'

Front: quatre
Back: four
La table a quatre pieds. — The table has four legs.
Notes: The final '-tre' is barely voiced; in fast speech it sounds like 'kat.' From Latin 'quattuor.'

Front: cinq
Back: five
Il est cinq heures. — It's five o'clock.
Notes: The final 'q' IS pronounced when counting or before a vowel, but often dropped before a consonant: 'cinq cents' = 'cin cent.'

Front: six
Back: six
J'ai six euros. — I have six euros.
Notes: Pronounced 'seess' alone, 'see' before a consonant ('six jours'), and 'seez' before a vowel ('six_ans'). Three sounds!

Front: sept
Back: seven
Il y a sept jours. — There are seven days.
Notes: The 'p' is silent: say 'set.' Don't confuse with 'cette' (this), which sounds the same.

Front: huit
Back: eight
J'ai huit ans. — I am eight years old.
Notes: Counts as starting with a consonant for liaison: 'le huit,' not 'l'huit.' Final 't' pronounced when counting.

Front: neuf
Back: nine / new
Il y a neuf chaises. — There are nine chairs.
Notes: 'Neuf' also means 'new' (brand-new). Before 'ans' and 'heures' the 'f' becomes a 'v' sound: 'neu-v_ans.'

Front: dix
Back: ten
Il est dix heures. — It's ten o'clock.
Notes: Like 'six,' it has three pronunciations: 'deess' alone, 'dee' before consonant, 'deez' before vowel.

Front: onze
Back: eleven
Il a onze ans. — He is eleven years old.
Notes: No elision before 'onze': you say 'le onze' (the eleventh), not 'l'onze' — a rare exception for a number.

Front: douze
Back: twelve
Il y a douze mois. — There are twelve months.
Notes: A 'douzaine' is a dozen. The teens 11–16 each have a unique word; from 17 they become 'dix-sept' etc.

Front: vingt
Back: twenty
J'ai vingt euros. — I have twenty euros.
Notes: The 'gt' is silent alone ('van') but the 't' is pronounced in 21–29: 'vingt-deux' = 'vin-te-deux.'

Front: trente
Back: thirty
Il y a trente jours en avril. — There are thirty days in April.
Notes: The tens 30–60 are regular (trente, quarante, cinquante, soixante); the system breaks down only at 70 (soixante-dix).

Front: cinquante
Back: fifty
Le livre coûte cinquante euros. — The book costs fifty euros.
Notes: Note the 'u' after 'q': 'cinquante,' matching 'cinq.' Pronounced 'san-kant.'

Front: cent
Back: hundred
Il y a cent euros. — There are a hundred euros.
Notes: Takes 's' in round multiples ('deux cents') but loses it before another number ('deux cent un'). Final 't' silent.

Front: mille
Back: thousand
La ville a mille habitants. — The town has a thousand inhabitants.
Notes: Invariable — it NEVER takes an 's' ('deux mille'). In French, the decimal is a comma and the thousands separator a space.

Front: l'heure (f)
Back: hour / time / o'clock
Quelle heure est-il ? — What time is it?
Notes: Silent 'h' allows liaison: 'deux_heures.' 'À l'heure' means 'on time'; 'de bonne heure' means 'early.'

Front: la minute
Back: minute
Attends une minute ! — Wait a minute!
Notes: Feminine. The verb 'minuter' means 'to time' something. In speech 'attends une minute' just means 'hang on.'

Front: le jour
Back: day
Quel jour sommes-nous ? — What day is it?
Notes: 'Jour' is a 24-hour day or a date; 'journée' stresses the duration ('toute la journée' = all day long).

Front: la semaine
Back: week
Je travaille cinq jours par semaine. — I work five days a week.
Notes: Feminine. The French week starts on Monday (lundi), so Sunday is the seventh, not the first, day.

Front: le mois
Back: month
Février est un mois court. — February is a short month.
Notes: Singular and plural look identical ('un mois,' 'deux mois'); the final 's' is always there but silent.

Front: l'année (f)
Back: year
Bonne année ! — Happy new year!
Notes: 'An' counts years ('deux ans'); 'année' stresses duration ('toute l'année'). Words in '-ée' are usually feminine.

Front: aujourd'hui
Back: today
Aujourd'hui, il fait beau. — Today, the weather is nice.
Notes: A frozen phrase literally meaning 'on the day of today' (au jour de hui) — historically redundant, but now one word.

Front: demain
Back: tomorrow
À demain ! — See you tomorrow!
Notes: The 'ai' is a nasal vowel ('deh-mAN'). 'Après-demain' is 'the day after tomorrow.'

Front: hier
Back: yesterday
Hier, j'étais à Paris. — Yesterday, I was in Paris.
Notes: Pronounced 'yair.' 'Avant-hier' means 'the day before yesterday.' Pairs neatly with 'demain.'

Front: maintenant
Back: now
Je pars maintenant. — I'm leaving now.
Notes: Literally 'holding by the hand' (main + tenant) in Old French. Both 'n's are nasal vowels.

Front: le matin
Back: morning
Je bois un café le matin. — I drink a coffee in the morning.
Notes: 'Le matin' = in the morning (habit); 'ce matin' = this morning. The 'in' is a nasal vowel.

Front: le soir
Back: evening
Le soir, je regarde la télé. — In the evening, I watch TV.
Notes: 'Bonsoir' (greeting) vs 'le soir' (the time). 'Soirée' is an evening as an event, e.g. a party.

Front: la mère
Back: mother
Ma mère travaille à l'hôpital. — My mother works at the hospital.
Notes: Sounds like 'mer' (sea) and 'maire' (mayor) — three homophones. The accent grave on 'è' gives the open 'eh' sound.

Front: le père
Back: father
Mon père aime le sport. — My father likes sport.
Notes: Rhymes with 'mère.' Informal words are 'papa' (dad) and 'maman' (mum), used like in English.

Front: les parents
Back: parents
Mes parents habitent à Nice. — My parents live in Nice.
Notes: False-friend alert: 'parents' can also mean 'relatives' in general, not just mum and dad.

Front: le frère
Back: brother
J'ai un grand frère. — I have a big (older) brother.
Notes: 'Grand frère' = older brother, 'petit frère' = younger brother — French uses size words, not 'older/younger.'

Front: la sœur
Back: sister
Ma sœur a vingt ans. — My sister is twenty years old.
Notes: Spelled with the ligature 'œ' (o-e-dans-l'o). Pronounced 'sur' with a rounded vowel, like 'her' without the r.

Front: le fils
Back: son
Leur fils s'appelle Tom. — Their son is named Tom.
Notes: Pronounced 'feess' — the 'l' is silent and the 's' IS sounded, the opposite of usual French rules.

Front: l'épouse (f)
Back: wife (formal)
Voici mon épouse. — This is my wife.
Notes: 'Épouse' is the formal word for wife; 'femme' is everyday. From 'épouser' (to marry). Husband: 'l'époux.'

Front: le mari
Back: husband
Son mari est médecin. — Her husband is a doctor.
Notes: From the verb 'marier' (to marry). The wife is 'la femme' or, more formally, 'l'épouse.'

Front: les grands-parents
Back: grandparents
Mes grands-parents sont gentils. — My grandparents are kind.
Notes: 'Grand-' attaches to make grand relatives: grand-père, grand-mère. Note the hyphen and the plural 's' on both words.

Front: le grand-père
Back: grandfather
Mon grand-père a une barbe. — My grandfather has a beard.
Notes: Affectionate forms are 'papi' or 'pépé.' The 'd' in 'grand' is pronounced as a 't' in liaison: 'gran-t-père.'

Front: la grand-mère
Back: grandmother
Ma grand-mère fait des gâteaux. — My grandmother makes cakes.
Notes: Note 'grand,' not 'grande,' even though 'mère' is feminine — a frozen old form. Affectionate: 'mamie' or 'mémé.'

Front: l'oncle (m)
Back: uncle
Mon oncle habite au Canada. — My uncle lives in Canada.
Notes: The 'on' is a nasal vowel. With the article elided: 'l'oncle.' His partner is 'la tante.'

Front: la tante
Back: aunt
Ma tante est très drôle. — My aunt is very funny.
Notes: Sounds like 'tente' (tent) — homophones. Her children are your 'cousins'/'cousines.'

Front: le cousin
Back: cousin (male)
Mon cousin joue au foot. — My cousin plays football.
Notes: Female form 'cousine' (with audible 'n'); male 'cousin' has a nasal ending. Same root as English 'cousin.'

Front: la cousine
Back: cousin (female)
Ma cousine vient demain. — My (female) cousin is coming tomorrow.
Notes: Adding '-e' makes the hidden 'n' audible: 'cousin' (nasal) vs 'cousine' ('-een'). A clear gender-by-sound pattern.

Front: le bébé
Back: baby
Le bébé dort. — The baby is sleeping.
Notes: Always masculine ('le bébé') even for a baby girl. Two acute accents give the steady 'bay-bay' sound.

Front: le neveu
Back: nephew
J'ai un neveu et une nièce. — I have a nephew and a niece.
Notes: Plural is irregular: 'neveux' with an 'x.' Many words ending in '-eu' take '-x' in the plural.

Front: la nièce
Back: niece
Ma nièce a cinq ans. — My niece is five years old.
Notes: The grave accent on 'è' opens the vowel; the cedilla on 'ç' keeps a soft 's' sound before 'e' (here it's just spelling).

Front: le voisin
Back: neighbour
Mon voisin est sympa. — My neighbour is nice.
Notes: Female form 'voisine' makes the 'n' audible. From 'voisinage' (neighbourhood). Note the nasal 'in.'

Front: la famille
Back: family
J'aime ma famille. — I love my family.
Notes: 'll' makes a 'y' sound: 'fa-mee-yuh.' It's a singular noun in French even though it covers many people.

Front: le pain
Back: bread
J'achète du pain frais. — I buy fresh bread.
Notes: Classic false friend: 'pain' means bread, not physical pain (that's 'la douleur'). The 'ai' is a nasal vowel.

Front: le beurre
Back: butter
Je mets du beurre sur le pain. — I put butter on the bread.
Notes: Masculine. The double 'r' and 'eu' give 'burr.' 'Beurré' (buttered) also slangily means 'drunk.'

Front: le fromage
Back: cheese
La France a beaucoup de fromages. — France has lots of cheeses.
Notes: Masculine — '-age' nouns usually are. Say 'cheese!' for photos in French as 'ouistiti,' not 'fromage.'

Front: l'œuf (m)
Back: egg
Je mange un œuf le matin. — I eat an egg in the morning.
Notes: Tricky: 'un œuf' is said 'un-uf' (f sounded), but 'des œufs' (plural) is 'day-zeu' — the f and the 'œ' both go silent!

Front: le lait
Back: milk
J'aime le café au lait. — I like coffee with milk.
Notes: The final 't' is silent: 'leh.' 'Café au lait' literally means 'coffee with the milk.' Masculine.

Front: l'eau (f)
Back: water
Je bois de l'eau. — I drink water.
Notes: Feminine despite the elided article — remember 'eau fraîche.' 'Eau' is pronounced simply 'oh'; all three letters give one sound.

Front: le café
Back: coffee / café
Un café, s'il vous plaît. — A coffee, please.
Notes: Means both the drink and the place. A plain 'un café' in France is a small espresso, not a large American coffee.

Front: le thé
Back: tea
Elle préfère le thé. — She prefers tea.
Notes: The accent aigu gives 'tay.' Don't confuse with 't'es' (you are). From Chinese via Dutch, like English 'tea.'

Front: le vin
Back: wine
Un verre de vin rouge. — A glass of red wine.
Notes: Nasal 'vin' ('van') — homophone of 'vingt' (twenty) and 'vain.' Masculine. 'Vin blanc' = white wine.

Front: la bière
Back: beer
Une bière fraîche, s'il vous plaît. — A cold beer, please.
Notes: Feminine. 'Une pression' is a draught beer; 'un demi' is a small glass (about 25 cl) you order at a café.

Front: le jus
Back: juice
Je bois un jus d'orange. — I drink an orange juice.
Notes: The final 's' is silent: 'zhu.' 'Jus de fruit' = fruit juice. Don't confuse with 'jeu' (game).

Front: le sucre
Back: sugar
Tu prends du sucre ? — Do you take sugar?
Notes: Masculine. Related to English 'sugar' via Arabic. 'Sucré' (adjective) means 'sweet/sugary.'

Front: le sel
Back: salt
Passe-moi le sel. — Pass me the salt.
Notes: Masculine, short and final 'l' pronounced. 'Salé' means 'salty' — and also 'savoury' as opposed to sweet.

Front: le poivre
Back: pepper (spice)
Du sel et du poivre. — Some salt and pepper.
Notes: This is the spice; the vegetable bell pepper is 'le poivron.' Don't mix them up at the market.

Front: la viande
Back: meat
Je ne mange pas de viande. — I don't eat meat.
Notes: Feminine. After a negative, 'de la viande' becomes just 'de viande.' A vegetarian is 'végétarien(ne).'

Front: le poisson
Back: fish (food/animal)
Le poisson est bon pour la santé. — Fish is good for your health.
Notes: Double 's' keeps the soft sound; a single 's' would give 'poison' (which actually IS the French for poison!).

Front: le poulet
Back: chicken (meat)
Je mange du poulet. — I'm eating chicken.
Notes: 'Poulet' is chicken as food; 'la poule' is the live hen and 'le coq' the rooster. Final 't' silent.

Front: le légume
Back: vegetable
J'aime les légumes verts. — I like green vegetables.
Notes: Masculine, despite ending in '-e' (a common exception). Don't confuse with English 'legume' (only beans).

Front: le fruit
Back: fruit
Une pomme est un fruit. — An apple is a fruit.
Notes: The final 't' is silent: 'frwee.' Used countably in French: 'un fruit, deux fruits,' unlike English mass noun 'fruit.'

Front: la pomme
Back: apple
Je mange une pomme. — I'm eating an apple.
Notes: 'Pomme de terre' (apple of the earth) is the word for potato. 'Pomme' alone always means the fruit apple.

Front: la banane
Back: banana
La banane est jaune. — The banana is yellow.
Notes: Feminine. 'Avoir la banane' is slang for 'to have a big smile' (the banana shape). Same word root as English.

Front: l'orange (f)
Back: orange (fruit)
Je presse une orange. — I'm squeezing an orange.
Notes: Feminine as a fruit, but the COLOUR 'orange' is invariable: 'des chaussures orange' (no -s).

Front: la tomate
Back: tomato
J'achète des tomates. — I'm buying tomatoes.
Notes: Feminine. Botanically a fruit, but treated as a vegetable in cooking — same debate as in English.

Front: la pomme de terre
Back: potato
Je fais cuire des pommes de terre. — I'm cooking potatoes.
Notes: Literally 'apple of the earth.' The casual word is 'la patate.' Note 'de terre' stays singular in the plural.

Front: le riz
Back: rice
Je mange du riz avec le poulet. — I eat rice with the chicken.
Notes: Final 'z' is silent: 'ree.' Homophone of 'rit' (laughs). Masculine and uncountable.

Front: les pâtes
Back: pasta
Ce soir, on mange des pâtes. — Tonight we're having pasta.
Notes: Always plural and feminine. The circumflex on 'â' marks a lost 's' (Italian 'pasta'). Singular 'la pâte' = dough.

Front: le gâteau
Back: cake
J'aime le gâteau au chocolat. — I like chocolate cake.
Notes: Plural is irregular: 'gâteaux' (-x). The circumflex on 'â' replaces an old 's' (compare 'gastronomy').

Front: le chocolat
Back: chocolate
Je voudrais un chocolat chaud. — I'd like a hot chocolate.
Notes: Final 't' silent: 'sho-ko-la.' 'Un chocolat' can mean a single chocolate sweet or a hot chocolate drink.

Front: la soupe
Back: soup
Il fait froid, je veux de la soupe. — It's cold, I want some soup.
Notes: Feminine. 'Être soupe au lait' is an idiom meaning to be quick-tempered (boils over like milk soup).

Front: le repas
Back: meal
Le repas est prêt. — The meal is ready.
Notes: Final 's' silent and same in plural ('les repas'). The three main meals: petit-déjeuner, déjeuner, dîner.

Front: le petit-déjeuner
Back: breakfast
Je prends mon petit-déjeuner à huit heures. — I have my breakfast at eight.
Notes: Literally 'little lunch.' In Quebec, breakfast is just 'le déjeuner' — and lunch becomes 'le dîner.' Regions differ!

Front: le déjeuner
Back: lunch
Le déjeuner est à midi. — Lunch is at noon.
Notes: From 'dé-jeûner' = to break the fast. Can also be the verb 'to have lunch.' In France it's the midday meal.

Front: le dîner
Back: dinner
Le dîner est à vingt heures. — Dinner is at eight p.m.
Notes: Doubles as the verb 'to dine.' The circumflex marks an old 's' (compare 'disner' / English 'dine').

Front: manger
Back: to eat
J'aime manger des fruits. — I like to eat fruit.
Notes: Regular '-er' verb, but the 'g' needs an 'e' before 'o': 'nous mangeons' (to keep the soft 'g' sound).

Front: boire
Back: to drink
Je bois de l'eau. — I drink water.
Notes: Irregular: je bois, tu bois, il boit, nous buvons, vous buvez, ils boivent. The stem changes from 'boi-' to 'buv-.'

Front: la maison
Back: house / home
J'habite dans une grande maison. — I live in a big house.
Notes: 'À la maison' means 'at home.' Feminine. The 'ai' is nasal here ('meh-zon').

Front: l'appartement (m)
Back: flat / apartment
Leur appartement est petit. — Their flat is small.
Notes: Masculine — '-ment' nouns usually are. Note ONE 'p' and ONE 't' before '-ment,' unlike English 'apartment.'

Front: l'école (f)
Back: school
Les enfants vont à l'école. — The children go to school.
Notes: Feminine. The 'é' replaces an old 's' (compare 'scholar'). 'À l'école' = at/to school.

Front: l'université (f)
Back: university
Elle étudie à l'université. — She studies at university.
Notes: Feminine — '-té' nouns are. Casual short form is 'la fac' (from 'faculté').

Front: le bureau
Back: office / desk
Je travaille au bureau. — I work at the office.
Notes: Means both 'office' and 'desk.' Plural is 'bureaux' (-x). Gave English 'bureau' and 'bureaucracy.'

Front: le magasin
Back: shop / store
Le magasin ouvre à neuf heures. — The shop opens at nine.
Notes: False friend: 'magasin' is a shop, not a 'magazine' (that's 'un magazine' too, but with a different 'z' spelling/sound).

Front: le restaurant
Back: restaurant
On dîne au restaurant ce soir. — We're dining at the restaurant tonight.
Notes: From the verb 'restaurer' (to restore) — a place that 'restores' you. Final 't' silent: 'res-to-ron.'

Front: la boulangerie
Back: bakery
J'achète du pain à la boulangerie. — I buy bread at the bakery.
Notes: Feminine. Shop names in '-erie' (from a trade) are feminine: boucherie, pâtisserie, épicerie. The baker is 'le boulanger.'

Front: l'hôpital (m)
Back: hospital
Ma mère travaille à l'hôpital. — My mother works at the hospital.
Notes: Masculine. The circumflex on 'ô' replaces an old 's' (compare 'hospital'). Plural: 'hôpitaux.'

Front: la gare
Back: (train) station
Le train part de la gare. — The train leaves from the station.
Notes: Feminine. 'La gare' is specifically a train station; a bus station is 'la gare routière' or 'la station de bus.'

Front: la rue
Back: street
J'habite rue Victor Hugo. — I live on Victor Hugo Street.
Notes: Feminine. The 'u' is the tricky French rounded vowel — round your lips for 'ee.' No 'in/on' needed: 'rue Hugo.'

Front: la place
Back: square / space / seat
La place est devant l'église. — The square is in front of the church.
Notes: Three meanings: a town square, available space, or a seat. False friend: NOT 'place' as in location (that's 'l'endroit').

Front: le parc
Back: park
Les enfants jouent au parc. — The children play in the park.
Notes: Masculine. Final 'c' is pronounced. 'Le parking' (with the English ending) means a car park, not a park.

Front: l'église (f)
Back: church
L'église est très vieille. — The church is very old.
Notes: Feminine. From Greek 'ekklesia' (assembly), like 'ecclesiastical.' The 'é' opens the word: 'ay-gleez.'

Front: le marché
Back: market
Je vais au marché le samedi. — I go to the market on Saturdays.
Notes: Masculine. 'Bon marché' (good market) is the idiom for 'cheap.' Related to 'marchand' (merchant).

Front: la banque
Back: bank (money)
La banque est fermée le dimanche. — The bank is closed on Sunday.
Notes: This is a money bank; a river bank is 'la rive' or 'la berge.' Note the 'que' spelling for the hard 'k.'

Front: l'hôtel (m)
Back: hotel
Nous dormons à l'hôtel. — We sleep at the hotel.
Notes: Masculine. Circumflex 'ô' = old 's' ('hostel'). 'Un hôtel de ville' is, surprisingly, a town hall, not a hotel.

Front: la voiture
Back: car
Je vais au travail en voiture. — I go to work by car.
Notes: Feminine. From 'voiturer' (to transport). 'En voiture' = by car. Casual synonym: 'la bagnole.'

Front: le train
Back: train
Le train arrive à midi. — The train arrives at noon.
Notes: Masculine, nasal 'train' ('tran'). 'En train de + infinitive' is a separate idiom meaning 'in the process of.'

Front: le bus
Back: bus
Je prends le bus tous les jours. — I take the bus every day.
Notes: Masculine. Unusually, the final 's' IS pronounced: 'büss.' 'Prendre le bus' = to take the bus.

Front: le métro
Back: underground / subway
Le métro est rapide à Paris. — The metro is fast in Paris.
Notes: Short for 'métropolitain.' The famous Paris routine is 'métro, boulot, dodo' (commute, work, sleep).

Front: l'avion (m)
Back: aeroplane
Je voyage en avion. — I travel by plane.
Notes: Masculine. 'En avion' = by plane. From Latin 'avis' (bird) — coined by aviation pioneer Clément Ader.

Front: le vélo
Back: bicycle
Elle fait du vélo le week-end. — She cycles at the weekend.
Notes: Masculine. 'Faire du vélo' = to cycle. More formal word: 'la bicyclette.' 'À vélo' = by bike.

Front: le taxi
Back: taxi
Nous prenons un taxi. — We're taking a taxi.
Notes: Masculine. 'Prendre un taxi' = to take a taxi. The word is international, from 'taximètre.'

Front: la route
Back: road
La route est longue. — The road is long.
Notes: Feminine. 'Bonne route !' means 'have a safe trip!' Don't confuse with 'la rue' (a city street).

Front: le pont
Back: bridge
Le pont traverse la rivière. — The bridge crosses the river.
Notes: Masculine, nasal 'pont' ('pon'). Idiom: 'faire le pont' = to take an extra day off to bridge a holiday to the weekend.

Front: la chambre
Back: bedroom
Ma chambre est au premier étage. — My bedroom is on the first floor.
Notes: Feminine. 'Chambre' is a bedroom or hotel room; a room in general is 'une pièce' or 'une salle.'

Front: la cuisine
Back: kitchen / cooking
Je prépare le dîner dans la cuisine. — I prepare dinner in the kitchen.
Notes: Means both the room and 'cooking/cuisine.' 'Faire la cuisine' = to cook. Feminine.

Front: la salle de bains
Back: bathroom
La salle de bains est petite. — The bathroom is small.
Notes: Literally 'room of baths' — 'bains' stays plural. The toilet is separate in many French homes: 'les toilettes.'

Front: le jardin
Back: garden
Il y a des fleurs dans le jardin. — There are flowers in the garden.
Notes: Masculine, nasal 'in.' Gave English 'jardiniere.' 'Le Jardin des Plantes' is a famous Paris botanical garden.

Front: se lever
Back: to get up
Je me lève à sept heures. — I get up at seven.
Notes: Reflexive. The 'e' becomes 'è' when stressed: 'je me lève,' but 'nous nous levons.' A daily-routine staple.

Front: se laver
Back: to wash (oneself)
Il se lave le matin. — He washes in the morning.
Notes: Reflexive — you wash YOURSELF. Note: French uses 'le,' not 'son,' for body parts: 'se laver les mains.'

Front: s'habiller
Back: to get dressed
Elle s'habille vite. — She gets dressed quickly.
Notes: Reflexive with silent 'h' allowing elision: 's'habiller.' The opposite is 'se déshabiller' (to undress).

Front: se coucher
Back: to go to bed
Je me couche à minuit. — I go to bed at midnight.
Notes: Reflexive. Without the reflexive, 'coucher' is more like 'to lay down (something/someone).' Pairs with 'se lever.'

Front: dormir
Back: to sleep
Le bébé dort bien. — The baby sleeps well.
Notes: Irregular: je dors, tu dors, il dort, nous dormons, vous dormez, ils dorment. The 'm' disappears in the singular.

Front: se réveiller
Back: to wake up
Je me réveille tôt. — I wake up early.
Notes: Reflexive (waking yourself). 'Un réveil' is also the alarm clock that does the job. Note the 'll' = 'y' sound.

Front: travailler
Back: to work
Il travaille dans une banque. — He works in a bank.
Notes: Regular '-er' verb. Surprising origin: from Latin 'tripalium,' a torture instrument — work as suffering!

Front: étudier
Back: to study
J'étudie le français. — I'm studying French.
Notes: Regular '-er' verb. Watch the ending: 'nous étudions' has 'i' + 'ons.' Don't confuse with 'apprendre' (to learn).

Front: se reposer
Back: to rest
Le dimanche, je me repose. — On Sundays, I rest.
Notes: Reflexive. This is the real verb for 'to rest' — beware the false friend 'rester,' which means 'to stay.'

Front: rentrer
Back: to go/come back home
Je rentre à dix-huit heures. — I get home at six p.m.
Notes: Uses 'être' in the past ('je suis rentré'). Means specifically returning home, not just 'to return' (which is 'retourner').

Front: regarder
Back: to watch / look at
Je regarde la télévision. — I'm watching television.
Notes: Regular '-er' verb. Takes no preposition: 'regarder la télé,' not 'regarder à.' False friend: NOT 'to regard.'

Front: écouter
Back: to listen (to)
J'écoute de la musique. — I'm listening to music.
Notes: Like 'regarder,' it takes a direct object with no preposition: 'écouter la radio,' not 'écouter à.'

Front: lire
Back: to read
Elle lit un livre. — She is reading a book.
Notes: Irregular: je lis, tu lis, il lit, nous lisons, vous lisez, ils lisent. The 's' sound appears only in the plural forms.

Front: écrire
Back: to write
J'écris une lettre. — I'm writing a letter.
Notes: Irregular: je écris, nous écrivons. A hidden 'v' appears in the plural stem ('écriv-'), like in 'vivre.'

Front: parler
Back: to speak / talk
Je parle français. — I speak French.
Notes: Regular '-er' verb and a great model for conjugation: parle, parles, parle, parlons, parlez, parlent.

Front: acheter
Back: to buy
J'achète du pain. — I'm buying bread.
Notes: Spelling change: the 'e' becomes 'è' when stressed: 'j'achète,' but 'nous achetons.' Opposite is 'vendre' (to sell).

Front: payer
Back: to pay
Je paie par carte. — I pay by card.
Notes: The 'y' can become 'i': both 'je paie' and 'je paye' are correct. 'Payer' takes no 'for': 'payer le café.'

Front: ouvrir
Back: to open
Le magasin ouvre à neuf heures. — The shop opens at nine.
Notes: Irregular but conjugated like an '-er' verb in the present: 'j'ouvre, tu ouvres.' Opposite is 'fermer.'

Front: fermer
Back: to close
Ferme la porte, s'il te plaît. — Close the door, please.
Notes: Regular '-er' verb. 'Fermé' = closed (on a shop sign); 'ouvert' = open. The adjective 'ferme' also means 'firm.'

Front: attendre
Back: to wait (for)
J'attends le bus. — I'm waiting for the bus.
Notes: Regular '-re' verb. False friend: 'attendre' means 'to wait for,' NOT 'to attend' (that's 'assister à').

Front: commencer
Back: to begin / start
Le film commence à huit heures. — The film starts at eight.
Notes: The 'c' takes a cedilla before 'o': 'nous commençons,' to keep the soft 's' sound. Opposite: 'finir' / 'terminer.'

Front: finir
Back: to finish
Je finis mon travail. — I'm finishing my work.
Notes: Model '-ir' verb: finis, finis, finit, finissons, finissez, finissent. Note the '-iss-' in plural forms.

Front: aimer
Back: to like / love
J'aime le café. — I like coffee.
Notes: 'Aimer' + thing = to like; 'aimer' + person = to love. To say you just 'like' a person, add 'bien': 'je l'aime bien.'

Front: préférer
Back: to prefer
Je préfère le thé. — I prefer tea.
Notes: The second 'é' becomes 'è' when stressed: 'je préfère,' but 'nous préférons.' A classic 'é→è' alternation verb.

Front: jouer
Back: to play
Les enfants jouent dehors. — The children are playing outside.
Notes: 'Jouer à' for games/sports ('jouer au foot'), but 'jouer de' for instruments ('jouer du piano'). The preposition matters!

Front: chanter
Back: to sing
Elle chante bien. — She sings well.
Notes: Regular '-er' verb. 'Une chanson' is a song, 'un chanteur'/'une chanteuse' a singer — same root as 'chant.'

Front: danser
Back: to dance
Nous dansons à la fête. — We're dancing at the party.
Notes: Regular '-er' verb. Note 's,' not 'c': 'danser.' 'La danse' = the dance. Gave English 'dance.'

Front: cuisiner
Back: to cook
Mon père cuisine très bien. — My father cooks very well.
Notes: From 'la cuisine' (kitchen/cooking). You can also say 'faire la cuisine.' Regular '-er' verb.

Front: le devoir
Back: homework / duty
Je fais mes devoirs le soir. — I do my homework in the evening.
Notes: In the plural, 'les devoirs' = homework; in the singular, 'le devoir' = duty. Same spelling as the verb 'devoir' (must).

Front: le ménage
Back: housework
Je fais le ménage le samedi. — I do the housework on Saturdays.
Notes: Masculine ('-age'). 'Faire le ménage' = to do the cleaning. 'Un ménage' can also mean a household/couple.

Front: être
Back: to be
Je suis fatigué. — I'm tired.
Notes: Highly irregular: je suis, tu es, il est, nous sommes, vous êtes, ils sont. The most important verb to memorize.

Front: avoir
Back: to have
J'ai deux frères. — I have two brothers.
Notes: Irregular: j'ai, tu as, il a, nous avons, vous avez, ils ont. Used for age and hunger: 'j'ai faim' (I'm hungry).

Front: aller
Back: to go
Je vais à Paris demain. — I'm going to Paris tomorrow.
Notes: Irregular: je vais, tu vas, il va, nous allons, vous allez, ils vont. 'Aller + infinitive' forms the near future.

Front: faire
Back: to do / make
Qu'est-ce que tu fais ? — What are you doing?
Notes: Irregular: je fais, tu fais, il fait, nous faisons, vous faites, ils font. 'Faisons' is said 'fuh-zon,' not 'fay-zon.'

Front: prendre
Back: to take
Je prends le train. — I take the train.
Notes: Irregular: je prends, tu prends, il prend, nous prenons, vous prenez, ils prennent. Double 'n' only in 'ils prennent.'

Front: venir
Back: to come
Tu viens avec moi ? — Are you coming with me?
Notes: Irregular: je viens, tu viens, il vient, nous venons, vous venez, ils viennent. 'Venir de + inf.' = to have just done.

Front: pouvoir
Back: to be able to / can
Je peux t'aider. — I can help you.
Notes: Irregular: je peux, tu peux, il peut, nous pouvons, vous pouvez, ils peuvent. 'Puis-je' is the formal 'may I.'

Front: vouloir
Back: to want
Je veux un café. — I want a coffee.
Notes: Irregular: je veux, tu veux, il veut, nous voulons, vous voulez, ils veulent. 'Je voudrais' (I'd like) is the polite form.

Front: devoir
Back: to have to / must
Je dois partir. — I have to leave.
Notes: Irregular: je dois, tu dois, il doit, nous devons, vous devez, ils doivent. As a noun, 'le devoir' = duty/homework.

Front: savoir
Back: to know (facts/how to)
Je sais nager. — I know how to swim.
Notes: Irregular: je sais, tu sais, il sait, nous savons, vous savez, ils savent. Use 'savoir' for facts/skills, 'connaître' for people.

Front: connaître
Back: to know (be acquainted with)
Je connais Paris. — I know Paris.
Notes: Use for people and places you're familiar with. The circumflex on 'î' appears before 't': 'il connaît.'

Front: dire
Back: to say / tell
Qu'est-ce que tu dis ? — What are you saying?
Notes: Irregular: je dis, tu dis, il dit, nous disons, but watch out: 'vous dites' (not 'disez') — one of only three verbs ending '-tes.'

Front: voir
Back: to see
Je vois la mer. — I see the sea.
Notes: Irregular: je vois, tu vois, il voit, nous voyons, vous voyez, ils voient. The 'i' becomes 'y' before 'ons/ez.'

Front: donner
Back: to give
Donne-moi le livre. — Give me the book.
Notes: Regular '-er' verb. 'Donner' takes 'à' for the recipient: 'donner le livre à Marie.' Opposite: 'prendre.'

Front: trouver
Back: to find
Je ne trouve pas mes clés. — I can't find my keys.
Notes: Regular '-er' verb. 'Se trouver' (reflexive) means 'to be located': 'la gare se trouve ici.'

Front: demander
Back: to ask (for)
Je demande l'addition. — I'm asking for the bill.
Notes: False friend: 'demander' is 'to ask,' NOT 'to demand' (that's 'exiger'). It already includes 'for': no 'pour' needed.

Front: penser
Back: to think
Je pense que c'est bien. — I think that it's good.
Notes: 'Penser à' = to think about; 'penser de' = to have an opinion of. The preposition changes the meaning.

Front: comprendre
Back: to understand
Je comprends la question. — I understand the question.
Notes: Built on 'prendre' (to take), so it conjugates the same way: je comprends, nous comprenons, ils comprennent.

Front: arriver
Back: to arrive / happen
Le train arrive. — The train is arriving.
Notes: Uses 'être' in the past ('je suis arrivé'). Also means 'to happen': 'Qu'est-ce qui arrive ?' (What's happening?).

Front: partir
Back: to leave / depart
Nous partons en vacances. — We're leaving on holiday.
Notes: Irregular: je pars, tu pars, il part, nous partons. Uses 'être' in past. Means 'to leave (from)', not 'to part.'

Front: sortir
Back: to go out / exit
Je sors ce soir. — I'm going out tonight.
Notes: Irregular like 'partir': je sors, nous sortons. Means going out (socially) or exiting. Opposite of 'entrer.'

Front: entrer
Back: to enter / go in
Entrez, s'il vous plaît ! — Come in, please!
Notes: Regular '-er' verb, uses 'être' in past. 'Entrer dans' (enter into) needs 'dans': 'entrer dans la maison.'

Front: monter
Back: to go up / get in
Je monte les escaliers. — I go up the stairs.
Notes: Means 'go up' but also 'get into' a vehicle ('monter dans le train'). Uses 'être' in past when intransitive.

Front: descendre
Back: to go down / get off
Je descends à la prochaine station. — I'm getting off at the next stop.
Notes: Regular '-re' verb. Means 'go down' AND 'get off' a bus/train. The 'd' is silent in 'descend.'

Front: rester
Back: to stay / remain
Je reste à la maison. — I'm staying home.
Notes: False friend: 'rester' is 'to stay,' NOT 'to rest' (that's 'se reposer'). Uses 'être' in the past tense.

Front: appeler
Back: to call
Je vais appeler un taxi. — I'm going to call a taxi.
Notes: Doubles the 'l' when stressed: 'j'appelle,' but 'nous appelons.' Reflexive 's'appeler' = to be named.

Front: chercher
Back: to look for
Je cherche mes lunettes. — I'm looking for my glasses.
Notes: Already includes 'for' — no preposition: 'chercher les clés,' not 'chercher pour.' Gave English 'research.'

Front: porter
Back: to wear / carry
Elle porte une robe rouge. — She's wearing a red dress.
Notes: Means both 'to wear' (clothes) and 'to carry.' Don't confuse with 'apporter' (to bring) or 'la porte' (door).

Front: rencontrer
Back: to meet
Je rencontre mes amis au café. — I meet my friends at the café.
Notes: 'Rencontrer' = to meet (encounter); 'retrouver' = to meet up (planned). 'Se rencontrer' = to meet each other.

Front: aider
Back: to help
Tu peux m'aider ? — Can you help me?
Notes: Regular '-er' verb, no preposition before the person: 'aider Marie.' But 'aider à + infinitive' for an action.

Front: vendre
Back: to sell
Ils vendent des fruits. — They sell fruit.
Notes: Model '-re' verb: vends, vends, vend, vendons, vendez, vendent. Opposite of 'acheter.' The 'd' is silent in singular.

Front: perdre
Back: to lose
Je perds toujours mes clés. — I always lose my keys.
Notes: Regular '-re' verb with silent 'd' in singular: 'je perds' = 'pair.' 'Se perdre' = to get lost.

Front: marcher
Back: to walk / to work (function)
Je marche au travail. — I walk to work.
Notes: Surprising second meaning: 'ça marche !' = 'it works!' / 'sounds good!' for objects and plans.

Front: courir
Back: to run
Il court vite. — He runs fast.
Notes: Irregular: je cours, tu cours, il court, nous courons, vous courez, ils courent. Double 'r' appears in plural forms.

Front: voyager
Back: to travel
J'aime voyager en Europe. — I like travelling in Europe.
Notes: Like 'manger,' add an 'e' before 'o': 'nous voyageons,' keeping the soft 'g.' From 'voyage' (journey).

Front: grand
Back: big / tall
Il est très grand. — He is very tall.
Notes: Feminine adds '-e' and makes the 'd' audible: 'grande.' For people it means 'tall'; for things, 'big/large.'

Front: petit
Back: small / short
Elle a une petite voiture. — She has a small car.
Notes: Feminine 'petite' makes the 't' audible ('p'teet'). The 't' is silent in masculine 'petit.'

Front: bon
Back: good
C'est un bon restaurant. — It's a good restaurant.
Notes: Goes BEFORE the noun. Feminine 'bonne' makes the 'n' audible. The adverb for 'well' is 'bien,' not 'bon.'

Front: mauvais
Back: bad
Il fait mauvais temps. — The weather is bad.
Notes: Goes before the noun. Final 's' silent in masculine; feminine 'mauvaise' sounds the 's' as 'z.' Adverb: 'mal' (badly).

Front: beau
Back: beautiful / handsome
C'est un beau jardin. — It's a beautiful garden.
Notes: Irregular: becomes 'bel' before a vowel ('un bel homme') and 'belle' in feminine. Plural: 'beaux.'

Front: joli
Back: pretty
Quelle jolie robe ! — What a pretty dress!
Notes: Goes before the noun. Feminine 'jolie' sounds the same as masculine. Softer than 'beau' — used for charming/cute things.

Front: jeune
Back: young
Ma sœur est jeune. — My sister is young.
Notes: Same form for masculine and feminine. Don't confuse with 'le jeûne' (fasting), which has a circumflex.

Front: vieux
Back: old
C'est un vieux livre. — It's an old book.
Notes: Irregular: becomes 'vieil' before a vowel ('un vieil homme') and 'vieille' in feminine. Plural stays 'vieux.'

Front: nouveau
Back: new
J'ai un nouveau téléphone. — I have a new phone.
Notes: Like 'beau': 'nouvel' before a vowel ('un nouvel ami'), feminine 'nouvelle.' 'Neuf' means brand-new (unused).

Front: long
Back: long
C'est un long voyage. — It's a long journey.
Notes: The 'g' is silent in masculine but feminine 'longue' sounds a hard 'g.' Opposite: 'court' (short).

Front: court
Back: short
Elle a les cheveux courts. — She has short hair.
Notes: Feminine 'courte' sounds the 't.' False friend: 'court' the tennis court is 'le court'; this adjective means 'short.'

Front: chaud
Back: hot / warm
Le café est chaud. — The coffee is hot.
Notes: Final 'd' silent; feminine 'chaude' sounds it. Note: 'j'ai chaud' (avoir) = I feel hot; 'il fait chaud' = it's hot out.

Front: froid
Back: cold
L'eau est froide. — The water is cold.
Notes: Final 'd' silent; feminine 'froide.' 'J'ai froid' = I'm cold (using avoir, not être). Opposite: 'chaud.'

Front: facile
Back: easy
Le français est facile ! — French is easy!
Notes: Same form for both genders (ends in '-e'). Opposite: 'difficile.' Gave English 'facile' and 'facilitate.'

Front: difficile
Back: difficult
Cet exercice est difficile. — This exercise is difficult.
Notes: Same form for both genders. Note the double 'f' and single 'c.' Opposite: 'facile.'

Front: content
Back: happy / glad
Je suis content de te voir. — I'm happy to see you.
Notes: False friend: 'content' means 'happy,' not 'content/satisfied with stuff.' Feminine 'contente' sounds the 't.'

Front: triste
Back: sad
Elle est triste aujourd'hui. — She's sad today.
Notes: Same form for both genders. Gave English 'triste' (rare). Opposite: 'content' or 'heureux.'

Front: fatigué
Back: tired
Je suis fatigué après le travail. — I'm tired after work.
Notes: Add '-e' for a woman: 'fatiguée' (same sound). From 'la fatigue.' The 'gu' keeps a hard 'g' before 'é.'

Front: fort
Back: strong / loud
Il est très fort. — He is very strong.
Notes: Means 'strong' and also 'loud' ('parler fort'). Feminine 'forte' sounds the 't.' As an adverb: 'loudly/strongly.'

Front: gentil
Back: kind / nice
Mon voisin est gentil. — My neighbour is kind.
Notes: Final 'l' silent in masculine ('zhan-tee'); feminine 'gentille' sounds 'y' then audible. Used for people's character.

Front: heureux
Back: happy
Il est heureux dans son travail. — He's happy in his job.
Notes: Masculine ends '-eux' (silent x); feminine is 'heureuse.' Silent 'h' allows 'il est_heureux' liaison.

Front: important
Back: important
C'est un message important. — It's an important message.
Notes: Goes after the noun. Feminine 'importante' sounds the 't.' Can also mean 'large in size/amount,' not just significant.

Front: cher
Back: expensive / dear
Ce restaurant est cher. — This restaurant is expensive.
Notes: Two meanings: 'expensive' (after noun) and 'dear' (before noun, as in 'cher ami'). Feminine: 'chère.'

Front: propre
Back: clean / own
Ma chambre est propre. — My room is clean.
Notes: Tricky: AFTER the noun it means 'clean'; BEFORE the noun it means 'own' ('ma propre chambre' = my own room).

Front: plein
Back: full
Le verre est plein. — The glass is full.
Notes: Feminine 'pleine' sounds the 'n.' 'Plein de' colloquially means 'lots of.' Opposite: 'vide' (empty).

Front: le supermarché
Back: supermarket
Je fais les courses au supermarché. — I do the shopping at the supermarket.
Notes: Masculine. 'Faire les courses' (not 'le shopping') is how the French say 'to do the grocery shopping.'

Front: le sac
Back: bag
Mon sac est plein. — My bag is full.
Notes: Masculine, final 'c' pronounced. 'Un sac à main' = a handbag; 'un sac à dos' = a backpack (literally 'bag for the back').

Front: l'argent (m)
Back: money / silver
Je n'ai pas d'argent. — I don't have any money.
Notes: Same word for 'money' and the metal 'silver' — coins were once silver. Masculine despite ending in '-ent.'

Front: le prix
Back: price / prize
Quel est le prix ? — What's the price?
Notes: Means both 'price' and 'prize' (as in award). Final 'x' silent. Same in singular and plural: 'les prix.'

Front: la carte
Back: card / map / menu
Je paie avec ma carte. — I pay with my card.
Notes: Multi-purpose: bank card, map, or the restaurant à la carte menu. 'Carte bleue' = a French debit card.

Front: l'euro (m)
Back: euro
Ça coûte dix euros. — That costs ten euros.
Notes: Masculine. Takes a plural 's' in French ('deux euros'), unlike English where 'euro' often stays singular after numbers.

Front: la monnaie
Back: change / currency
Je n'ai pas de monnaie. — I don't have any change.
Notes: False friend: 'monnaie' is loose change or a currency, NOT 'money' in general (that's 'argent').

Front: gratuit
Back: free (of charge)
L'entrée est gratuite. — Admission is free.
Notes: Means 'free' as in zero cost (not 'free' as in liberty, which is 'libre'). Feminine 'gratuite' sounds the 't.'

Front: coûter
Back: to cost
Combien ça coûte ? — How much does it cost?
Notes: Regular '-er' verb. The circumflex on 'û' replaces an old 's' (compare English 'cost'). 'Combien ça coûte ?' is essential.

Front: le vêtement
Back: garment / clothing
J'achète des vêtements. — I'm buying clothes.
Notes: Masculine ('-ment'). Usually plural: 'les vêtements' = clothes. Note the circumflex on 'ê.'

Front: la robe
Back: dress
Elle porte une jolie robe. — She's wearing a pretty dress.
Notes: False friend: 'robe' is a dress, NOT a bathrobe (that's 'un peignoir'). Also a judge's or wine's 'robe.'

Front: le pantalon
Back: trousers / pants
Mon pantalon est noir. — My trousers are black.
Notes: Singular in French ('un pantalon') though English uses plural 'trousers/pants.' Named after the character Pantalone.

Front: la chaussure
Back: shoe
J'achète des chaussures. — I'm buying shoes.
Notes: Feminine. From 'chausser' (to put shoes on). 'Les chaussettes' (socks) is a different, similar-looking word.

Front: blanc
Back: white
Le lait est blanc. — Milk is white.
Notes: Irregular feminine: 'blanche' (not 'blance'). The 'c' is silent in masculine. 'Vin blanc' = white wine.

Front: noir
Back: black
J'ai un chat noir. — I have a black cat.
Notes: Same form, just add '-e' for feminine 'noire' (same sound). 'Un café noir' = black coffee.

Front: rouge
Back: red
La pomme est rouge. — The apple is red.
Notes: Same form for both genders ('-e'). 'Le rouge à lèvres' = lipstick. 'Vin rouge' = red wine.

Front: bleu
Back: blue
Le ciel est bleu. — The sky is blue.
Notes: Feminine 'bleue' (still 'bleu' sound). A steak 'bleu' is very rare. Plural: 'bleus.'

Front: vert
Back: green
Les légumes verts sont bons. — Green vegetables are good.
Notes: Final 't' silent in masculine; feminine 'verte' sounds it. 'Avoir la main verte' = to have a green thumb.

Front: jaune
Back: yellow
Le soleil est jaune. — The sun is yellow.
Notes: Same form for both genders ('-e'). 'Rire jaune' = to give a forced laugh. From Latin 'galbinus.'

Front: gris
Back: grey
Le ciel est gris aujourd'hui. — The sky is grey today.
Notes: Final 's' silent in masculine; feminine 'grise' sounds 'z.' 'Il fait gris' = it's overcast.

Front: le temps
Back: weather / time
Quel temps fait-il ? — What's the weather like?
Notes: Same word for 'weather' AND 'time' (duration). 'Quel temps fait-il ?' = weather; 'je n'ai pas le temps' = no time.

Front: le soleil
Back: sun
Il y a du soleil aujourd'hui. — It's sunny today.
Notes: Masculine. 'Il fait du soleil' / 'il y a du soleil' = it's sunny. The 'eil' ending sounds 'ay-yuh.'

Front: la pluie
Back: rain
Je n'aime pas la pluie. — I don't like the rain.
Notes: Feminine. The verb is 'pleuvoir': 'il pleut' = it's raining. 'Sous la pluie' = in the rain.

Front: le vent
Back: wind
Il y a beaucoup de vent. — It's very windy.
Notes: Masculine, nasal 'vent' ('von') — homophone of 'vend' (sells). 'Il fait du vent' = it's windy.

Front: la neige
Back: snow
La neige est blanche. — Snow is white.
Notes: Feminine. The verb is 'neiger': 'il neige' = it's snowing. 'Un bonhomme de neige' = a snowman.

Front: le nuage
Back: cloud
Il y a des nuages dans le ciel. — There are clouds in the sky.
Notes: Masculine ('-age'). 'Un nuage de lait' is a 'cloud' (dash) of milk in coffee. 'Nuageux' = cloudy.

Front: le ciel
Back: sky
Le ciel est bleu. — The sky is blue.
Notes: Masculine. Has a poetic plural 'cieux' (heavens) and a regular 'ciels' (skies in art). Pronounced 'syel.'

Front: l'orage (m)
Back: (thunder)storm
Il y a un orage ce soir. — There's a storm tonight.
Notes: Masculine ('-age'). 'Un orage' has thunder/lightning; 'une tempête' is a violent wind storm. Don't confuse with 'orange.'

Front: le brouillard
Back: fog
Il y a du brouillard ce matin. — It's foggy this morning.
Notes: Masculine, final 'd' silent ('broo-yar'). The 'ill' makes a 'y' sound. 'Il fait du brouillard' = it's foggy.

Front: l'arbre (m)
Back: tree
L'arbre est grand. — The tree is tall.
Notes: Masculine. From Latin 'arbor.' Note the tricky cluster 'rbr': practice 'ar-bruh.'

Front: la fleur
Back: flower
J'offre des fleurs à ma mère. — I give flowers to my mother.
Notes: Feminine. 'À fleur de' = at the level of ('à fleur d'eau'). Gave English 'flour' and 'flower' (same origin).

Front: la mer
Back: sea
Nous allons à la mer. — We're going to the seaside.
Notes: Homophone of 'mère' (mother) and 'maire' (mayor). 'Au bord de la mer' = at the seaside. Feminine.

Front: la montagne
Back: mountain
Ils habitent à la montagne. — They live in the mountains.
Notes: Feminine. 'gn' sounds like the 'ny' in 'canyon.' Gave English 'mountain' via Old French.

Front: la rivière
Back: river
La rivière traverse la ville. — The river crosses the town.
Notes: Feminine. 'Une rivière' flows into another river; 'un fleuve' flows into the sea (like the Seine). A useful distinction.

Front: l'animal (m)
Back: animal
Le chien est un animal. — The dog is an animal.
Notes: Masculine. Irregular plural: 'les animaux' (-aux). Many '-al' nouns form plurals in '-aux.'

Front: qui
Back: who
Qui est là ? — Who is there?
Notes: Question word for people. Don't confuse with 'que' (what/that). 'Qui est-ce ?' = Who is it?

Front: que
Back: what / that
Que fais-tu ? — What are you doing?
Notes: 'Que' asks 'what' before a verb; in speech people prefer 'qu'est-ce que.' Also a conjunction meaning 'that.'

Front: quoi
Back: what
C'est quoi ? — What is it?
Notes: Used after prepositions ('avec quoi ?') and at the end of casual questions ('tu fais quoi ?'). 'Quoi ?' alone is blunt — say 'pardon ?' to be polite.

Front: où
Back: where
Où est la gare ? — Where is the station?
Notes: The grave accent on 'ù' distinguishes it from 'ou' (or) — this is the ONLY French word that uses 'ù.'

Front: quand
Back: when
Quand arrives-tu ? — When do you arrive?
Notes: The final 'd' is silent but liaises as 't' before a vowel: 'quand_il arrive' = 'kan-til.' Nasal 'quand.'

Front: comment
Back: how
Comment tu t'appelles ? — What's your name? (How are you called?)
Notes: 'Comment' = how. 'Comment ?' alone politely means 'pardon, what did you say?' Also in 'comment ça va ?'

Front: pourquoi
Back: why
Pourquoi tu pleures ? — Why are you crying?
Notes: Literally 'pour quoi' (for what). The answer often starts with 'parce que' (because) — don't confuse the two.

Front: combien
Back: how much / how many
Combien ça coûte ? — How much does it cost?
Notes: 'Combien de + noun' = how many ('combien de frères ?'). Nasal 'ien' ending ('kom-byan').

Front: quel
Back: which / what
Quel âge as-tu ? — How old are you?
Notes: An adjective, so it agrees: quel/quelle/quels/quelles. 'Quelle heure est-il ?' uses feminine 'quelle.'

Front: Je ne comprends pas
Back: I don't understand
Pardon, je ne comprends pas. — Sorry, I don't understand.
Notes: Top survival phrase. In speech the 'ne' often drops: 'je comprends pas.' From 'comprendre' (to understand).

Front: Parlez-vous anglais ?
Back: Do you speak English?
Excusez-moi, parlez-vous anglais ? — Excuse me, do you speak English?
Notes: Formal/polite. The hyphen marks the inverted question form. To a friend: 'Tu parles anglais ?'

Front: Je voudrais
Back: I would like
Je voudrais un café, s'il vous plaît. — I would like a coffee, please.
Notes: The polite conditional of 'vouloir.' Always say 'je voudrais,' not the blunt 'je veux,' when ordering.

Front: Où sont les toilettes ?
Back: Where is the toilet?
Pardon, où sont les toilettes ? — Excuse me, where is the toilet?
Notes: 'Toilettes' is always plural in French. The essential travel question — note the plural verb 'sont.'

Front: C'est combien ?
Back: How much is it?
Le billet, c'est combien ? — The ticket, how much is it?
Notes: Casual shopping phrase. More formal: 'Combien ça coûte ?' or 'Quel est le prix ?' 'C'est' = it is/this is.

Front: Pouvez-vous m'aider ?
Back: Can you help me?
Excusez-moi, pouvez-vous m'aider ? — Excuse me, can you help me?
Notes: Formal, from 'pouvoir.' 'M'aider' = help me ('me' elides before the vowel). Informal: 'Tu peux m'aider ?'