These 160 French vocabulary words for beginners are grouped into 17 everyday themes, from family and the house to food, animals, professions and the body. Each word is shown with its article and its plural form, so you learn the gender the first time, not as an afterthought.
Watch the video first to hear each word pronounced, then use the tables below (or the free printable PDF) to review at your own pace. This list is aimed at A1–A2 learners who want a solid base of everyday French vocabulary words for beginners.
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Get all 160 words in one printable workbook, with the definite article, the indefinite article, and both plural forms for each word — organized by theme for easy review.
The full list of French vocabulary words for beginners
Explore all 160 words below, organized into 17 easy-to-review themes.
People & Family (7 words)
| French | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|
| L’homme | Les hommes | Man |
| La femme | Les femmes | Woman |
| Le garçon | Les garçons | Boy |
| La fille | Les filles | Girl |
| L’enfant | Les enfants | Child |
| Le bébé | Les bébés | Baby |
| La famille | Les familles | Family |
House & Rooms (14 words)
| French | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|
| La maison | Les maisons | House |
| La porte | Les portes | Door |
| Le salon | Les salons | Living room |
| La chaise | Les chaises | Chair |
| La table | Les tables | Table |
| La lampe | Les lampes | Lamp |
| La chambre | Les chambres | Bedroom |
| Le lit | Les lits | Bed |
| La cuisine | Les cuisines | Kitchen |
| La salle de bains | Les salles de bains | Bathroom |
| Les toilettes | Les WC | Restroom |
| La fenêtre | Les fenêtres | Window |
| Le balcon | Les balcons | Balcony |
| L’armoire | Les armoires | Wardrobe |
Furniture & Electronics (7 words)
| French | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|
| Le canapé | Les canapés | Couch/Sofa |
| Le fauteuil | Les fauteuils | Armchair |
| La télévision | Les télévisions | Television |
| L’ordinateur | Les ordinateurs | Computer |
| Le téléphone | Les téléphones | Phone |
| Le livre | Les livres | Book |
| Le stylo | Les stylos | Pen |
Tools (3 words)
| French | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|
| Ciseaux | Les ciseaux | Scissors |
| Le marteau | Les marteaux | Hammer |
| Le tournevis | Les tournevis | Screwdriver |
Kitchen & Tableware (9 words)
| French | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|
| La fourchette | Les fourchettes | Fork |
| La cuillère | Les cuillères | Spoon |
| Le couteau | Les couteaux | Knife |
| Le verre | Les verres | Glass |
| L’assiette | Les assiettes | Plate |
| La tasse | Les tasses | Cup |
| Le bol | Les bols | Bowl |
| La poêle | Les poêles | Pan |
| La casserole | Les casseroles | Saucepan |
Bathroom & Hygiene (10 words)
| French | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|
| La brosse à dents | Les brosses à dents | Toothbrush |
| Le dentifrice | Les dentifrices | Toothpaste |
| Le savon | Les savons | Soap |
| Le shampoing | Les shampoings | Shampoo |
| La serviette | Les serviettes | Towel |
| Le miroir | Les miroirs | Mirror |
| Le peigne | Les peignes | Comb |
| La douche | Les douches | Shower |
| La baignoire | Les baignoires | Bathtub |
| L’éponge | Les éponges | Sponge |
Cleaning (4 words)
| French | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|
| L’aspirateur | Les aspirateurs | Vacuum |
| Le balai | Les balais | Broom |
| Le chiffon | Les chiffons | Rag/Cloth |
| La poubelle | Les poubelles | Bin/Trash can |
Vehicles & Transportation (8 words)
| French | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|
| La voiture | Les voitures | Car |
| La moto | Les motos | Motorbike |
| Le vélo | Les vélos | Bike |
| Le camion | Les camions | Truck |
| Le train | Les trains | Train |
| Le bateau | Les bateaux | Boat |
| L’avion | Les avions | Plane |
| La fusée | Les fusées | Rocket |
Animals (10 words)
| French | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|
| Le chien | Les chiens | Dog |
| Le chat | Les chats | Cat |
| Le cheval | Les chevaux | Horse |
| Le mouton | Les moutons | Sheep |
| La vache | Les vaches | Cow |
| La chèvre | Les chèvres | Goat |
| Le poisson | Les poissons | Fish |
| Le lapin | Les lapins | Rabbit |
| Le crocodile | Les crocodiles | Crocodile |
| Le singe | Les singes | Monkey |
Fruits & Vegetables (12 words)
| French | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|
| La pomme | Les pommes | Apple |
| La banane | Les bananes | Banana |
| La pêche | Les pêches | Peach |
| La poire | Les poires | Pear |
| La cerise | Les cerises | Cherry |
| La tomate | Les tomates | Tomato |
| Le citron | Les citrons | Lemon |
| La carotte | Les carottes | Carrot |
| L’aubergine | Les aubergines | Eggplant |
| La courgette | Les courgettes | Zucchini |
| Le brocoli | Les brocolis | Broccoli |
| L’oignon | Les oignons | Onion |
Food & Kitchen Staples (12 words)
| French | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|
| Le fromage | Les fromages | Cheese |
| Le lait | Les laits | Milk |
| Le beurre | Les beurres | Butter |
| L’huile | Les huiles | Oil |
| La farine | Les farines | Flour |
| Le sel | Les sels | Salt |
| Le poivre | Les poivres | Pepper |
| La moutarde | Les moutardes | Mustard |
| Le café | Les cafés | Coffee |
| Le thé | Les thés | Tea |
| Le pain | Les pains | Bread |
| Le chocolat | Les chocolats | Chocolate |
Places & Shops (11 words)
| French | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|
| La banque | Les banques | Bank |
| La poste | Les postes | Post office |
| La pharmacie | Les pharmacies | Pharmacy |
| L’hôpital | Les hôpitaux | Hospital |
| L’hôtel | Les hôtels | Hotel |
| Le magasin | Les magasins | Store/Shop |
| Le restaurant | Les restaurants | Restaurant |
| Le supermarché | Les supermarchés | Supermarket |
| La boulangerie | Les boulangeries | Bakery |
| La gare | Les gares | Train station |
| L’aéroport | Les aéroports | Airport |
Professions (10 words)
| French | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|
| Le policier | Les policiers | Policeman |
| Le facteur | Les facteurs | Mailman |
| Le médecin | Les médecins | Doctor |
| L’infirmière | Les infirmiers | Nurse |
| Le dentiste | Les dentistes | Dentist |
| Le pompier | Les pompiers | Fireman |
| Le boucher | Les bouchers | Butcher |
| Le boulanger | Les boulangers | Baker |
| L’agriculteur | Les agriculteurs | Farmer |
| Le serveur | Les serveurs | Waiter |
Body Parts (10 words)
| French | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|
| La tête | Les têtes | Head |
| Le cheveu | Les cheveux | Hair |
| L’œil | Les yeux | Eye |
| L’oreille | Les oreilles | Ear |
| Le nez | Les nez | Nose |
| La bouche | Les bouches | Mouth |
| Le bras | Les bras | Arm |
| La main | Les mains | Hand |
| La jambe | Les jambes | Leg |
| Le pied | Les pieds | Foot |
Clothing (12 words)
| French | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|
| Le chapeau | Les chapeaux | Hat |
| La casquette | Les casquettes | Cap |
| La chemise | Les chemises | Shirt |
| La robe | Les robes | Dress |
| La jupe | Les jupes | Skirt |
| Le manteau | Les manteaux | Coat |
| La veste | Les vestes | Jacket |
| Le pantalon | Les pantalons | Pants |
| Le short | Les shorts | Shorts |
| La ceinture | Les ceintures | Belt |
| La chaussette | Les chaussettes | Sock |
| La chaussure | Les chaussures | Shoe |
Nature & Weather (14 words)
| French | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|
| Le parapluie | Les parapluies | Umbrella |
| Le soleil | Les soleils | Sun |
| La lune | Les lunes | Moon |
| Le ciel | Les cieux | Sky |
| Le nuage | Les nuages | Cloud |
| Le vent | Les vents | Wind |
| La pluie | Les pluies | Rain |
| La neige | Les neiges | Snow |
| La montagne | Les montagnes | Mountain |
| La mer | Les mers | Sea |
| La forêt | Les forêts | Forest |
| L’arbre | Les arbres | Tree |
| La ville | Les villes | City |
| La route | Les routes | Road |
Places Outdoors (7 words)
| French | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|
| La rue | Les rues | Street |
| Le trottoir | Les trottoirs | Sidewalk |
| La campagne | Les campagnes | Countryside |
| Le pont | Les ponts | Bridge |
| Le lac | Les lacs | Lake |
| La rivière | Les rivières | River (rivière) |
| Le fleuve | Les fleuves | River (fleuve) |
FAQ
Why does each word show le, un, les, and des?
In French, every noun has a gender (masculine or feminine) that changes its article. Le/la/l’ is the definite article (“the”), un/une is the indefinite article (“a/an”), and les/des are the two plural forms. Learning all four forms together is the fastest way to lock in the gender from the start, instead of having to relearn it later.
What’s the best way to memorize French noun genders?
Always say the article with the word, out loud, every time (“la maison”, never just “maison”). Grouping words by theme, like in this list, also helps, since many words in the same category often share patterns.
Do I need to learn all 160 words at once?
No. Pick one theme a day (7 to 14 words) and review it a few times before moving to the next one. Spaced repetition works much better than trying to memorize everything in one sitting.
Is this vocabulary list suitable for complete beginners?
Yes. These are everyday, high-frequency French nouns used from the very first lessons: family, house, food, animals, body parts, clothing and more, ideal for A1 to A2 (CEFR) learners.
Related lessons
Ready for more? Here are French vocabulary words for beginnersa few lessons that pair well with this one:
- 50 French Phrases to Build Natural Sentences
- 30 Essential French Sentence Patterns for Beginners
- 100 French Phrases for Travel, Food, Shopping, Health, and Work
- 4 Essential Ways to Ask Questions in French
