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Bonjour étudiants, comment allez-vous? We know how you long to string together some basic French language words and pull off that flawless accent like a native. But learning a new language takes a lot of time and patience, and the same goes for French! The “Language of Love” will require you to master endless exceptions, grammar, and confusing spellings! Not to worry though, learning French in bits and pieces can help you understand the language from scratch. So let’s get started by learning some common words in French language that you should know. Bon voyage!
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Also Read: How to Learn French Quickly? Here are 10 tips to Master the Language!
Understanding the “Language of Love”
Before we dive headfirst into the basic French language words, let’s get to know the origins of the language better. Belonging to an Indo-European group of dialects, French is also known as a Romance language. Its descent can be traced back to Vulgar Latin, spoken by the common people of the Roman Empire. Being the second-most spoken European Language, French is well on its way to becoming the world’s most-spoken language by 2050. Here are some other interesting facts and figures about the language:
- French is the world’s 5th most spoken language, with more than 270 million speakers globally.
- It’s an official language in 29 countries and is spoken on all 6 continents.
- French is one of the 6 official languages of the United Nations (UN) and a working language for organizations like UNESCO and NATO.
- Almost 45% of English words have French roots!
- French has beautiful and distinct accents that vary with every region of France.
Amazing, right? No wonder you are so eager to be called a Francophone as well. But first, we need to lay the foundation for the language by learning the fundamentals i.e. vocabulary. Keep reading to know more!
List of Basic French Language Words with Meanings
To start with, you need to be familiar with the basic French language words and phrases used in everyday conversation. Knowing these greetings and their meanings can help you understand the French language and culture better and interact with the natives easily. Here’s the list:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning in English |
| Bonjour | bohn-zhoor | Hello/Good morning! |
| Merci | mehr-see | Thank you! |
| Oui | wee | Yes |
| Non | nohn | No |
| Au Revoir | oh-ruh-vwar | Goodbye |
| Bonsoir | boh-n-swahr | Good evening |
| A bientot | ah byan-toh | See you soon |
| Salut | sah-loo | Hello! |
| Bonne journee | bon-zhoor-nay | Have a good day |
| Enchante | ahn-shahn-tay | Nice to meet you! |
| S’il vous plait | see-voo-play | Please |
| Beaucoup | boh-koo | A lot |
| Excusez moi | ek-skoo-zay mwah | Excuse me |
| Monsieur | muh-syuh | Gentleman |
| Mademoiselle | mah-dam-uh-zel | Lady |
| Madame | mah-dahm | Madam |
| Je vous en prie | zhuh-voo-zahn-pree | You’re welcome |
| Je suis désolé/désolée | zhuh-swi-deh-so-lay | I am sorry |
| A demain | ah duh-mahn | See you tomorrow! |
| Bon Appetit | boh-n-apatit | Enjoy your meal! |
Over time, its popularity has led French to influence other dialects worldwide, especially English. Let’s take a look at it in the upcoming section.
Also Read: Similarities Between English and French
50 Basic French Language Words Commonly Used in English
Believe it or not, around 45% of English vocabulary has French roots! The Norman conquest of England in 1066 played a big role in this, as the French language of the nobility influenced English over time. Many words like “déjà vu,” “café,” and “restaurant” all come from French. Given below is a list of 50 basic French language words that we know and use daily in English:
| Word | Meaning in English |
| Entrepreneur | Someone who starts their own business |
| Liaison | A connection or link between people or organizations |
| Rendezvous | A planned meeting at a specific time and place |
| Crème de la crème | The very best (literally “cream of the cream”) |
| Chateau | A large, luxurious house or castle |
| Chauffeur | A professional driver, especially for a wealthy person |
| Reservoir | A large artificial lake used to store water |
| Poignant | Deeply moving or emotional |
| Aviation | The flying of aircraft |
| Vogue | Popular fashion or style at a particular time |
| Chagrin | Great grief or sorrow |
| Rogue | A dishonest or unprincipled person |
| Bureaucracy | Administration systems associated with large organizations, especially with complex procedures |
| Zest | Enthusiasm or liveliness |
| Utensil | Kitchen tool |
| Premiere | First public performance of a play, film, or other work |
| Jubilee | A special celebration of an anniversary |
| Parole | A promise made by a prisoner to behave well after being released early from jail |
| Souvenir | A memento of a place or event |
| Venue | The place where a particular event or activity is held |
| Mirage | An illusion caused by the distortion of light in the atmosphere |
| Chic | Stylish and elegant |
| Facade | False outer appearance |
| Forte | Strong point or talent |
| Sabotage | To destroy something deliberately |
| À la carte | Separate items on the menu |
| Menu | List of dishes offered in a restaurant |
| Croissant | Half moon-shaped pastry |
| Omelette | Flat egg dish |
| Hors d’œuvre | Appetizer before a meal |
| Vinaigrette | Salad dressing |
| Restaurant | Restaurant |
| Cordon bleu | Great cook |
| Chef | Cook |
| Crouton | Toasted/fried pieces of bread, usually served with a salad or a soup |
| Café | Coffee/Coffee house |
| Soufflé | Fluffy dish (sweet or savoury) |
| À la mode | Fashionable, stylish/with ice cream |
| Sommelier | Wine steward/collector |
| Sauté | Fried in a small amount of oil |
| Gâteau | Cake |
| Aubergine | Eggplant |
| Apéritif | Pre-dinner drink |
| Salade | Salad |
| Soupe | Soup |
| Béchamel | A Mixture of butter, milk and flour |
| Maître d’hôtel | Head waiter |
| Courgette | Zucchini |
| Garage | Covered parking |
| Cinéma | Movie theater or movies |
To learn more commonly used French words in English, you can also check out the tutorial below.
Quiz on Basic French Language Words
It’s time for a quick revision! Answer the following questions to test your knowledge of basic French language words so far:
Q1 – True or False: A façade is the same thing as the reality of something.
Q2 – Fill in the Blank: The _________ is the first public performance of a play or film.
Q3 – Match the following words with their correct meanings:
| a) Château | 1. A professional driver |
| b) Chauffeur | 2. A deeply moving or emotional experience |
| c) Crème de la crème | 3. A large, luxurious house or castle |
| d) Poignant | 4. The very best |
Q4 – True or False: A liaison is a connection between people or organizations.
Answers: A1 – False, A2 – Premiere, A3 – a): 3; b): 1; c): 4; d) 2, A4 – True
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FAQs
Answer: Here‘s a list of some basic French language words for beginners to know:
1. Bonjour – hello/good morning
2. Salut – hello (informal)
3. Bonne journee – Have a good day
4. Au revoir – goodbye
5. Bonsoir – good evening
6. Bonne nuit – good night
7. Enchante – Nice to meet you!
8. Oui – yes
9. Non – no
10. S’il vous plaît – please
Answer: Given below are some English words that can trace their origins back to French language:
1. Entrepreneur
2. Liaison
3. Rendezvous
4. Crème de la crème
5. Chateau
6. Chauffeur
7. Reservoir
8. Poignant
9. Aviation
10. Vogue
Here’s how you can learn French as a novice:
1. Understand and learn French sounds.
2. Grasp basic rules of pronunciation.
3. Practice speaking and writing French regularly.
4. Create a list of basic French verbs, nouns, and pronouns.
5. Take help from language learning apps like Duolingo.
6. Watch French movies and TV shows.
7. Master basic French grammar rules.
8. Keep expanding your French vocabulary through books and podcasts.
9. Research and immerse yourself in the French culture.
So these are some basic French language words you can start with in your journey of learning French. Explore Leverage Edu’s study abroad resources to learn a new language of your choice. Ready, set, lingo!
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