Professional Documents
Culture Documents
GABRIEL WYNER
fluent-forever.com
Fluent-Forever.com
One of the first studies (Waring, 1997) gave
test subjects a group of three to six words and their
translations into a fake foreign language (apple =
tisahl, pear = nugaw), and recorded how long it took
And they took longer to finish every SimilarWord quiz, taking an average of 5.8 minutes to
finish, compared to 4.9 minutes for unrelated-word
quizzes.
Similar Words took more than 35%longer to
learn, at 11.3 repetitions for a group of similar words,
compared to 7.2 repetitions for a group of unrelated
words. This isnt particularly efficient.
Still, time isnt everything. What about
retention? Once you memorize a group of similar or
unrelated words, how well do they stick?
In most studies, the alternative to word
groups involved learning a jumble of totally
unrelated words, and that works quite well. If
youve browsed through my website or Appendix
5 of my book, youve probably run across mylist of
625 words to learn in every language.
In a 2008 study, researchers tested these
ideas in a school, teaching Turkish kids 40
unrelated English words (peg, key, rat, sun) and
40 related words (20 foods and 20 animals) in a
classroom setting, and testing them afterwards
on how well they could match English words and
pictures. They tested them immediately after each
2
The first version of that list was presented
in typical groups (animals, professions, etc.), but
based upon the research, I started playing around
with the idea of an alphabeticallist. Normally, an
alphabetical list would solve the similar word problem at the expense of adding a new problem: the
words would all sound similar. But if you start with
an alphabetical list in English and then translate it
Learning related words words that form
stories worked even better than totally random
words. Subjects needed approximately 10% fewer
Alphabetical lists are also a lot easier to use;
I could just skim through a Lonely Planet Phrasebook, circle my A-words, then circle my B-words,
and after 30 minutes, I had good translations for
every word in my list. As such, I decided to supply
an alphabetical list in my book and added an alphabetical list to my website.
Why? When you learn related words, they
form close associations with each other frog connects with green and pond. These associations will
help you remember the cluster of words later.
But alphabetical and random orders arent
an especially satisfying way to learn (I learned
10 random words today is not as rewarding as
I learned all the fruits today!), and fortunately,
theyre not our only options. In one of the earliest
studies, researchers tried out groups of words that
shared the same theme. These are words that tell a
story sweater, wool, navy blue, striped, changing
This happened with your three French fruits
pomme, poire and pche too, but in that case,
the words were so similar that they interfered with
each other; you couldnt remember which was
which.
In our frog story, however, the words are all different enough that you wont have trouble confusing
them, and so the net result is a set of words thats
easier to remember. These sets of words can also
provide you with the sense of accomplishment
thats missing from random or alphabetical lists (I
learned the slimy-green-frog story today!). This
makes the learning process more fun, which makes
you more likely to stick with it.
To save you some time, Ive also commissioned
professional translators to go through the 625 word
lists and give you good, common translations for
each word, accurate phonetic transcriptions, gender and/or counter words (when appropriate to the
language) and added commentary when there are
a few different translations that could be used for a
given English word.
Use this list in the exact same way youd use
a random or alphabetical list, as I describe on my
The negative effects of learning words in semantic sets: A replication (Waring, 1997)
2 If youre using Anki, youll find a guide to the flashcards youll be using here: http://fluent-forever.com/gallery/simple-word-flashcards
3 Remember, youll be playing Spot-The-Differences and finding your own illustrations for each word in this list. The illustrations youll
find throughout this list are only here to help reinforce the associations between your words and make them easier to remember.
4 Ill try to keep updated, non-pay walled links to these articles on this page: http://fluent-forever.com/efficient-way-to-learn-vocabulary
French
Word
Part of
Speech
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
terre
f. noun
earth
ciel
m. noun
sjl
sky
haut
adverb
up
lune
f. noun
lyn
moon
un
one
blanc
m. adjective
bl
white
point
m. noun
pw
dot
toile
f. noun
e.twal
star
1 [terre] This word generally refers to earth or soil. When referring to the Earth, you capitalize this word (la Terre). You can also
use la plante bleue (the blue planet). la plante bleue means the earth.
2 [haut] - Haut can mean both top and high
3 [un] - Feminine form: une
4 [blanc] - Feminine form: blanche
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
vendredi
m. noun
v.d.di
Friday
serveur
m. noun
s.v
waiter
se lever
verb
s l.ve
to stand
dos
m. noun
do
back (body)
douleur
f. noun
du.l
pain
1 [se lever] To stand has several possible translations: tre (to be), tre debout (to be upright), and se trouver. When describing
the location of something, we would use se trouver. For example, The house stands alone on the hill = La maison se trouve isole sur
la colline. In some cases, it can be translated using se lever such as in the sentence The judge asked us all to stand = Le juge nous
demanda tous de nous lever. However, using se lever after a good nights sleep for example is the translation of to get up while the
noun form of stand, such as in to take a stand = prendre position.
2 [dos] la colonne vertbrale = spine
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
compter
verb
k.te
to count
cent un
card. number
s.o
101
jeune
adjective
young
chien
m. noun
dog
parc
m. noun
pak
park
sauter
verb
so.te
to jump
Notes
1
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
printemps
m. noun
p. t
spring
mars
m. noun
mas
March
vingt
card. number
20
peu profond
adjective
p po.f
shallow
rivire
f. noun
i.vj
river
glace
f. noun
las
ice
fondre
verb
fd
to melt
Notes
1 [rivire] Another possible translation is un fleuve, which describes rivers that connect to the ocean. However, since there
are only four of these in France, une rivire is more commonly used.
verbe
French Word
verbe
Part of Speech
(and gender)
Pronunciation
in IPA
vb
m. noun
English
Translation
verb
Notes
1
1 [verbe] This is the first category word in this dictionary. To learn a word like verbe, use 2-3 other words on your flashcards, along
with images. So verbe might be se lever, compter, sauter..., with pictures of standing, counting or jumping. You can do this for any
categories, like animal, adjective or number. Category words are handy to learn because you can re-use them to help you learn more
specific words within a given category (i.e., [picture of two people kissing] + verb = to kiss, [different picture of two people kissing]
+ noun = a kiss, etc.)
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
embrasser
verb
.ba.se
to kiss
cou
m. noun
ku
neck
toucher
verb
tu.e
to touch
corps
m. noun
body
relations sexuelles
f.noun
.la.sj sk.sl
mariage
m. noun
ma.ja
marriage
1 [relations sexuelles] Use la relation sexuelle or les relations sexuelles (pl.) when you refer to the act itself. Sexe = genitals
or sexuality.
2 [mariage] Mariage can also be used for wedding
10
French Word
Part of Speech
(and gender)
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
janvier
m. noun
.vje
January
premier
ord. number
p.mje
1st
nouveau
adjective
nu.vo
new
sport
m. noun
sp
sport
exercice
m. noun
.z.sis
exercise
sain
adjective
healthy
11
Notes
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
cinq
card. number
sk
pied
m. noun
pje
foot
petit
adjective
p.ti
short
femme
f. noun
fam
woman
porter
verb
p.te
to wear
oreille
f. noun
o.j
ear
bague
f. noun
ba
ring
Serr
adjective
se.e
tight
jupe
f. noun
yp
skirt
1 [pied] France uses the metric system, so this unit of measure doesnt show up often in French.
2 [porter] Porter also means to carry
3 [bague] There are some other words with this same meaning: un anneau (pl. des anneaux) is generally a solid metal ring without
jewels, and une alliance is a wedding ring; engagement ring = une bague de fianailles; The Lord Of The Rings = Le Seigneur
des Anneaux.
4 [serr] Some other words used in similar situations: a tight rope = une corde raide or une corde tendue whereas a tight situation
= une situation tendue. Difficile and dlicate can also be used in place of tendue. However, friends who are very close (tight-knit
friends) = des amis trs proches.
12
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
sourd
adjective
su
deaf
parents
m. noun
pa.
parent
bruyant
adjective
bi.j
loud
tlphone
m. noun
te.le.fn
telephone
bb
m. noun
be.be
baby
pleurer
verb
pl.e
to cry
larme
f. noun
lam
tear (drop)
13
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
sombre
adjective
sb
dark
thtre
m. noun
te.t
theater
roi
m. noun
wa
king
aimer
verb
e.me
to love
mille un
card. number
mil
1001
nuit
f. noun
ni
night
1 [sombre] Dark can be translated as fonc when talking about a color. For example, dark blue = bleu fonc; It can also mean
obscure (when there is no light around) or sombre. We can also say dans le noir.
2 [thtre] The word thtre is used for live representations of plays like those of Shakespeare, for example. If you refer to the place
where movies are projected, the common word is un cinma or, even more commonly, just say cin. i.e. aller au cin = to go to the
movies. A more popular expression for the same idea is se faire un cin.
3 [aimer] tre amoureux (f. adj. amoureuse) = to be in love.
14
nom
French Word
nom
Part of Speech
(and gender)
Pronunciation
in IPA
n
m. noun
15
English
Translation
noun
Notes
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
hiver
m. noun
i.v
winter
deuxime
ord. number
d.zjm
2nd
fvrier
m. noun
fe.vi.je
February
marcher
verb
ma.e
to walk
froid
adjective
fwa
cold
nord
m. noun
north
ville
f. noun
vil
town
pluie
f. noun
pli
rain
mouill
adjective
mu.je
wet
gris
adjective
gray
Notes
1 [deuxime] Note: One may use second when there are only two elements in a group, but this is not mandatory.
2 [ville] Une commune /k.myn/ is correct if youre referring to the administrative entity (the equivalent of the term city in the
United States when you use it strictly to designate an administrative entity without reference to the size). If you refer to town as a
settlement that is larger than a village, then the correct translation is une ville, which is a very common word. In fact, in France,
un village is une commune of 2000 or less inhabitants while une ville is une commune of more than 2000 inhabitants. Une
commune is any town (une ville), village (un village) or area that has its own council.
16
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
acheter
verb
a..te
to buy
cadeau
m. noun
ka.do
gift
vlo
m. noun
ve.lo
bike
il
pronoun
il
it
argent
m. noun
a.
money
1 [cadeau] The word un prsent is also used in French and has the same meaning as it does in English.
2 [vlo] Une bicyclette [bi.si.klt] can also be used although its slightly more formal than vlo. Its roughly the equivalent of bicycle
vs bike in English.
3 [il] Because all French nouns are gendered, theres no difference between He is big (Il est grand) and It is big (Il est grand), as long
as youre talking about a masculine object. The feminine form is elle. There is an impersonal form for Its (as in Its so weird!), which
is Cest. If your grammar book doesnt cover the differences between pronouns well, check out this article: http://tinyurl.com/c-est-il-est
4 [argent] Argent can mean both silver and money
17
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
clothing
m. noun
a.bij.m
ma.a.z
store/shop
panneau
m. noun
pa.no
sign
vendre
verb
to sell
long
adjective
vd
l
ample
adjective
loose
pantalon
m. noun
pl
p.ta.l
poche
f. noun
prix
m. noun
pi
price
quatre-vingts
card. number
ka.tr.v
80
habillement
m. noun
magasin
long
4
pants
1 [habillement] The generic term is habillement/abijm/, which describes everything that can be worn. Un habit is a very common
word that is synonymous with un vtement. Another very common term is prt--porter, which literally means ready to wear and is
often used for items found in stores and fashion magazines.
2 [magasin] Une boutique [butik] is also a very common word for a shop as is un commerce.
3 [panneau] Un signe is used for hints and hand gestures. Other possible options are signalisation and un panneau (pl. des
panneaux) de signalisation for signs on the road or billboards.
4 [ample] Loose can generally be translated as ample when talking about clothing. Les femmes enceintes portent souvent des robes
amples. = Pregnant women often wear loose dresses. If, instead, youd like to talk about a loose screw or a loose wheel, use desserr.
18
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
soixante-dix
card number
swa.st dis
70
million
card number
mi.lj
million
anne
f. noun
a.ne
year
ancien
adjective
.sj
old (new)
dur
adjective
dy
hard
pierre
f. noun
pj
stone
montagne
f. noun
m.ta
mountain
tomber
verb
t.be
to fall
mort
adjective
dead
1 [Anne] You can also use an, depending on the context. This is explained on this website: http://www.french-linguistics.co.uk/
grammar/when_to_use_an_annee.shtml
2 [ancien] Ancien is also a translation for the word former when talking talking about something like the former president.
3 [mort] Dcd = deceased. Mort can also be used as a feminine noun, which you can see on p.46
19
adjectif
French Word
adjectif
Part of Speech
(and gender)
m. noun
Pronunciation
in IPA
ad.k.tif
20
English
Translation
adjective
Notes
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
camion
m. noun
ka.mj
truck
pneu
m. noun
pn
tire
terre
f. noun
ground
porter
verb
p.te
to carry
poids
m. noun
pw
weight
Notes
1 [terre] Both le sol and la terre can be used to refer to the surface on which we walk, crawl, or fall (i.e. tomber par terre ). Sol and
terre can also be used to designate the ground (solid matter); another meaning of le(s) sol(s) is superficial layer of the earth. While
la terre is also used to refer to the planet Earth, the word sol cannot be used in the same way.
21
French Word
Part of Speech
(and gender)
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
zro
card. number
ze.o
zero
courb
adjective
ku.be
curved
cercle
m. noun
skl
circle
nombre
m. noun
nb
number
1 [nombre] - When referring to a phone number, a registration number, etc. , use the word numro instead.
22
Notes
French Word
Part of Speech
(and gender)
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
juin
m. noun
June
chaud
adjective
hot/warm
plage
f. noun
pla
beach
sable
m. noun
sbl
sand
le
f. noun
il
island
paradis
m. noun
pa.a.di
heaven
Notes
1 [chaud] Hot and warm can both be translated as chaud. As hot is considered warmer than warm, we can translate it as trs
chaud while brlant = scalding and tide = lukewarm.
2 [paradis] Le paradis is the common word used in opposition to the lenfer (cf. lenfer et le paradis). However, the word ciel (sky)
is used to refer to heaven in other cases like in the prayer Notre Pre qui tes aux Cieux (sgl. ciel) = Our Father who art in Heaven.
Both translations are possible; it just depends on the individual situation
23
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
cochon
m. noun
ko.
pig
quatre
card. Number
kat
jambe
f. noun
leg
sale
adjective
sal
dirty
creuser
verb
k.ze
to dig
sol
m. noun
sl
soil
manger
verb
m.e
to eat
mas
m. noun
ma.is
corn
plante
f. noun
plt
plant
Notes
1
1 [cochon] When referring to the meat, you should say porc (for example: Une ctelette de porc = a pork chop). Porc can also
be used to describe the animal itself.
2 [jambe] Only used for humans or horses. To describe other animals legs, use the word patte
3 [sol] La terre is used to refer to the earth, but le sol refers to soil and the ground on which we walk.
4 [mas] A trema (also known as an umlaut) over an i creates a new syllable in which the vowels are separated. For example, mas
is pronounced [ma.is].
24
French Word
Part of Speech
(and gender)
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
famille
f. noun
fa.mij
family
sasseoir
verb
sa.swa
to sit
bas
adverb
ba
down, low
verre
m. noun
glass
bas
adverb
ba
bottom
bateau
m. noun
ba.to
boat
appareil photo
m. noun
a.pa.j fo.to
camera
photo
f. noun
fo.to
photograph
mer
f. noun
sea
Notes
1 [photo] Une photo is the diminutive for une photographie. Photographie is used to refer to both a physical picture and the
technique/art of taking pictures.
25
French Word
Part of Speech
(and gender)
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
artiste
m. noun
a.tist
artist
cuivre
m. noun
kiv
copper
outil
m. noun
u.ti
tool
beau
adjective
bo
beautiful
argile
f. noun
a.il
clay
lampe
f. noun
lp
lamp
trente
card. number
tt
30
centimtre
m. noun
s.ti.mt
centimeter
grand
adjective
tall/large/big
1 [beau] Belle is the feminine form. In formal language, we can say ravissant/ravissante.
2 [grand] A similar option is the word haut = high.
26
Notes
French Word
Part of Speech
(and gender)
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
bon march
adjective
b ma.e
cheap
htel
m. noun
o.tl
hotel
sept
card. number
st
jour
m. noun
day
plastique
m. noun
plas.tik
plastic
lit
m. noun
li
bed
27
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
palais de justice
m. noun
pa.l d ys.tis
court
avocat
m. noun
a.vo.ka
lawyer
calme
adjective
kalm
quiet
voix
f. noun
vwa
voice
milliard
m. noun
mi.lja
billion
dollar
m. noun
do.la
dollar
contrat
m. noun
k.ta
contract
signer
verb
si.e
to sign
Notes
1
1 [palais de justice] Un palais de justice refers to the building in which the law is administered. The word un tribunal (pl. les
tribunaux) is commonly used to designate both the building and the judicial authority. Less commonly used is La Cour(with capital C),
which corresponds to the people in charge of justice in the palais de justice (like the magistrates, for example). An example of the use
of this is in La Cour de justice de lUnion Europenne (The magistrates of the EU).
2 [ calme] Quiet can also be translated as silencieux if it is used to mean not noisy. For example, during a tennis competition, the
commentator could say, Quiet, please! = Silence sil vous plat!
28
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
soir
m. noun
swa
evening
onze
card. number
11
quinze
card. number
kz
15
maison
f. noun
m.z
home
serrure
f. noun
se.y
lock
dormir
verb
d.mi
to sleep
Notes
1
1 [soir] Use the word la soire when the emphasis is on the duration of the evening.
2 [maison] Maison is the most commonly used expression. However, chez soi and la maison, which both mean at home are
equally common. Le foyer is sometimes used to refer to a family unit. i.e. le foyer familial = the marital home.
29
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
cur
m. noun
heart
maladie
f. noun
ma.la.di
disease
mdecin
m. noun
med.s
doctor
pousser
verb
pu.se
to push
aiguille
f. noun
.ij
needle
mdicament
m. noun
me.di.ka.m
medicine
vivant
adjective
vi.v
alive
30
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
chat
m. noun
cat
suivre
verb
siv
to follow
trois
card. number
tw
aveugle
adjective
a.vl
blind
souris
f. noun
su.i
mouse
31
Notes
French Word
Part of Speech
(and gender)
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
papier
m. noun
pa.pje
paper
lettre
f. noun
lt
letter
banque
f. noun
bk
bank
chef
m. noun
manager
emploi
m. noun
.plwa
job
oui
adverb
wi
yes
heureux
adjective
oe; z
happy
homme
m. noun
man
1 [papier] The word une feuille = sheet of paper can also be used.
2 [chef] When talking about the manager of a sales department, un chef = a leader. Using un chef to refer to a boss is very
popular too but in a less formal style (the abrievation PDG = prsident directeur gnral is often used like CEO in the United States).
Un patron means the same as un chef.
3 [emploi] Un job is commonly used but is less formal than un emploi = employment.
4 [heureux] Happy birthday = Joyeux anniversaire, but content is the translation for glad, which is a milder term than happy.
Happy is closer to joyful (joyeux) in meaning.
32
French Word
Part of Speech
(and gender)
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
Vous
pronoun
vu
you (plural)
huit
card. number
it
chaise
f. noun
chair
restaurant
m. noun
restaurant
troit
adjective
s.to.
e.twa
table
f. noun
tabl
table
dner
m. noun
di.ne
dinner
vin
m. noun
wine
poulet
m. noun
pu.le
chicken
soupe
f. noun
sup
soup
cuillre
f. noun
ki.j
spoon
narrow
2
33
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
trente et un
card. number
t.t_e
31
date
f. noun
dat
date
dcembre
m. noun
de.sb
December
neige
f. noun
snow
chaussure
f. noun
o.sy
Shoe
aller
verb
a.le
to go
fort
f. noun
fo.
forest
vent
m. noun
wind
secouer
verb
s.kwe
to shake
mince
adjective
ms
thin
feuille
f. noun
fj
leaf
1 [chaussure] (pl. les chaussures) We usually say des chaussures or une paire de chaussures because we use two of them at a time.
2 [aller] A more formal translation is se rendre (...) followed by the place to which you are going.
3 [secouer] The verb agiter (to agitate) is also possible and common. However, if a person is shaking as a result of cold weather, the
correct translation is trembler (de froid), but to shake hands with sb = serrer la main quelquun.
34
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
femme
f. noun
fam
wife
petit
adjective
p.ti
small/little
diamant
m. noun
dja.m
diamond
noces
f. noun
ns
wedding
robe
f. noun
dress
dimanche
m. noun
di.m
Sunday
jeter
verb
.te
to throw
riz
m. noun
rice
Notes
1 [noces] Use les noces/ns/ to refer to the wedding ceremony and for expressions like honeymoon = voyage de noces or a
diamond wedding = noces de diamant. However, when talking about a wedding anniversary = anniversaire de mariage, wedding
cake = gteau de mariage, or wedding present= cadeau de mariage, use mariage. Both expressions are possible, but the first is
a bit more old-fashioned.
35
French Word
Part of Speech
(and gender)
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
octobre
m. noun
k.tb
october
jeudi
m. noun
.di
Thursday
deux
card. number
quipe
f. noun
e.kip
team
vingt-deux
card. number
vt.d
22
joueur
m. noun
player
pied
m. noun
pje
foot
ballon
m. noun
ba.l
ball
supporter
m. noun
sy.p.t
fan (sports)
36
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
battre
verb
bat
to beat/hit
cheval
m. noun
.val
horse
fort
adjective
strong
animal
m. noun
a.ni.mal
animal
tirer
verb
ti.e
to pull
lourd
adjective
lu
heavy
bote
f. noun
bwat
box
37
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
horloge
f. noun
.l
clock
neuf
card. number
nf
quarante
card. number
ka.t
40
matin
m. noun
ma.t
morning
soleil
m. noun
so.lj
sun
lumire
f. noun
ly.mj
light (noun)
caf
m. noun
ka.fe
coffee
nez
m. noun
ne
nose
sentir
verb
s.ti
to smell
38
Notes
1
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
devant
adverb
d.v
in front
salle de bains
f. noun
sal d b
bathroom
fentre
f. noun
f.nt
window
voir
verb
vwa
to see
il
m. noun
eye
jardin
m. noun
a.d
garden/yard
Notes
1 [salle de bains] Une salle de bains is where youd go to take a bath or shower. If you want to go to the bathroom (i.e. the toilet),
youd ask O sont les toilettes? = Where are the toilets?
2 [il] The plural form is les yeux \j\ (the eyes)
39
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
attraper
verb
a.ta.pe
to catch
six
card. number
sis
kilogramme
m. noun
ki.lo.am
kilogram
laid
adjective
ugly
plat
adjective
pla
flat
poisson
m. noun
pwa.s
fish
1 [six] The pronunciation of the /X/ in six varies. It is typically silent when used before a noun that starts with a consonant. For example,
in six jours, six sounds like see. However, when it is used before a word that starts with a vowel, /X/ takes on a /Z/ sound instead, and
when its at the end of a phrase or at the end of a number thats not followed by a noun, like Jen ai quarante-six, the /X/ is pronounced
like eese.
2 [kilogramme] The common translation is un kilo. For example, Je voudrais un kilo doranges sil vous plat = Id like a kilo of
oranges, please.
40
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
1
tu
pronoun
ty
you (singular)
apprendre
verb
a.pd
to learn
dix
card. Number
dis
10
doigt
m. noun
dwa
finger
ordinateur
m. noun
.di.na.t
computer
programme
m. noun
po.am
program
(computer)
technologie
f. noun
tk.no.lo.i
technology
1 [tu] Tu is used to address a friend, a relative or a child; it is informal. To address someone formally, use vous
41
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
je
pronoun
cuisiner
verb
ki.zi.ne
to cook
uf
m. noun
egg
petit djeuner
m. noun
p.ti de..ne
breakfast
cuisine
f. noun
ki.zin
kitchen
bon
adjective
good
tasse
f. noun
ts
cup
orange
f. noun
o.
orange
jus
m. noun
juice
1 [cuisiner] There is a difference between cuisiner and cuire. Cuisiner means to prepare the food (i.e. following a recipe) while
cuire means to apply the heat (i.e. to grill). In a familiar sense and unrelated to food, cuisiner quelquun means to keep asking someone
questions in order to get informations (to pump). For example, La policier cuisine le suspect = The police officer pumps the suspect.
2 [uf] The plural form of uf, ufs has a radically different pronunciation: //
42
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
gare
f. noun
train station
drogue
f. noun
drug
payer
verb
pe.je
to pay
prison
f. noun
pi.z
prison
adulte
m. noun
a.dylt
adult
douze
card. number
duz
12
mois
m. noun
mwa
month
Notes
1 [prison] La taule is the common word for prison, but un tablissement pnitentiaire or just un pnitencier = a penitentiary.
43
French Word
Part of Speech
(and gender)
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
cent deux
card. number
s d
102
temprature
f. noun
t.pe.a.ty
temperature
sec
adjective
sk
dry
m. noun
e.te
summer
sueur
f. noun
sweat
aot
m. noun
ut
August
piscine
f. noun
pi.sin
pool
chaud
adjective
hot/warm
Notes
1 [chaud] Hot and warm canboth be translated as chaud. As hot is considered warmer than warm, we can translate it as trs
chaud while brlant = scalding and tide = lukewarm.
44
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
nature
f. noun
na.ty
nature
chanter
verb
.te
to sing
jaune
adjective
on
yellow
oiseau
m. noun
wa.zo
bird
aile
f. noun
wing
arbre
m. noun
ab
tree
bois
m. noun
bw
wood
pais
adjective
e.p
thick
racine
f. noun
a.sin
root
45
Notes
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
treize
card. number
tz
13
tage
m. noun
e.ta
floor
btiment
m. noun
b.ti.m
building
passer
verb
pa.se
to pass by
mort
f. noun
death
1 [tage] When using the term floor to designate the different levels of a building, use the word etage. Note the differences between
US and UK English in translating these three French terms: (FR) Rez-de-chaussee/Premier etage/Deuxieme etage = (US) First floor/
Second floor/Third floor = (UK) Ground floor/First floor/Second floor. When referring to the part of the room on which you walk, the word
le sol = floor is used.
2 [btiment] Un difice and une construction ( from the verb construire = to build) are also commonly used.
3 [passer] In some cases, to pass by can also mean ignorer (to ignore something) and even snober (to snub). The preposition by
can be translated by devant or ct. For example, Its hard to pass by a mirror without looking at your reflection = Il est difficile
de passer devant un miroir sans regarder son reflet. It contains both the idea of moving physically past or next to something and to ignore
it voluntarily or not. Ne pas prter attention quelque chose = Not to pay attention to = to ignore.
4 [mort] Use la mort to refer to the death of someone or something, but un mort (feminine: une morte) = a death. The Grim
Reaper = La Grande Faucheuse
46
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
dessiner
verb
de.si.ne
to draw
stylo
m. noun
sti.lo
pen
image
f. noun
i.ma
image
pendre
verb
pd
to hang
mur
m. noun
my
wall
art
m. noun
art
Notes
1 [pendre] The best option is the verb pendre /pd/. The verb suspendre is the same as to suspend in American English. It can also
mean to stop or delay an activity so you may want to discard it as your main translation. Accrocher means to hook.
2 [art] When referring to a genre in general, we usually use the indefinite article. i.e. la musique, le cinma, la peinture, etc.
47
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
dix-huit
card. number
di.z_it
18
trou
m. noun
tu
hole
jeu
m. noun
game
jouer
verb
we
to play
vert
adjective
green
perdre
verb
pd
to lose
jardin
m. noun
a.d
garden/yard
48
Notes
French Word
Part of Speech
(and gender)
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
grand
adjective
large/big/tall
main
f. noun
hand
masculin
adjective
mas.ky.l
male
film
m. noun
film
movie
acteur
m. noun
ak.t
actor
Notes
1 [film] This could also be translated by the word cinma in certain expressions like a movie star = une star (or une toile) du
cinma. The translation is correct, but it does depend on the situation.
49
French Word
Part of Speech
(and gender)
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
garon
m. noun
a.s
boy
morceau
m. noun
m.so
piece
citron
m. noun
si.t
lemon
sucre
m. noun
syk
sugar
gteau
m. noun
.to
cake
fourchette
f. noun
fu.t
fork
assiette
f. noun
a.sjt
plate
dix-sept
card. number
di.st
17
avril
m. noun
a.vil
April
1 [morceau] Une pice is also used. Mettre quelque chose en pices = to smash something to pieces.
2 [gteau] The word cake is also used in French.
50
Notes
French Word
Part of Speech
(and gender)
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
mercredi
m. noun
m.k.di
Wednesday
march
m. noun
ma.e
market
nourriture
f. noun
nu.i.ty
food
djeuner
m. noun
de..ne
lunch
pain
m. noun
bread
buf
m. noun
bf
beef
banane
f. noun
ba.nan
banana
1 [nourriture] The word un aliment (pl. des aliments) is also very common but the translation is correct.
2 [djeuner] Another possible translation is un repas, which can be both a meal and lunch. For example, un panier-repas =
packed lunch.
3 [boeuf] (pl. des bufs /b/). When written formally, use un buf. le buf bourguignon is a famous recipe.
51
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
paule
f. noun
e.pol
shoulder
sac
m. noun
sak
bag
gauche
f. noun, adjective
left
ct
m. noun
ko.te
side
lever
verb
l.ve
to lift
Notes
52
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
elle
pronoun
she
stendre
verb
se.td
to lie down
chambre
f. noun
bedroom
plafond
m. noun
pla.f
ceiling
ventilateur
m. noun
v.ti.la.t
fan (appliance)
air
m. noun
air
temps
m. noun
time
seize
card. number
sz
16
aprs-midi
m. noun
a.p mi.di
afternoon
Notes
1 [stendre] Sallonger is also acceptable and very common. Se coucher can also be used in this instance for this meaning.
2 [temps] An hour = une heure. For example, Quelle heure est-il? = What time is it? Fois refers to a particular number of
times an action is done. For example, Jai saut deux fois. = I jumped two times.
53
French Word
Part of Speech
(and gender)
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
avion
m. noun
a.vj
plane
billet
m. noun
bi.j
ticket
intrieur
m. noun, adjective
.te.j
inside
aroport
m. noun
a.e.o.p
airport
tout droit
adverb
tu dwa
straight ahead
derrire
adverb
d.j
back (direction)
54
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
portable
m. noun
p.tabl
cell phone
rseau
m. noun
e.zo
network
quatre-vingt-dix
card. number
ka.tr v dis
90
minute
f. noun
mi.nyt
minute
appeler
verb
a.p.le
to call
ami
m. noun
a.mi
friend
rire
verb
to laugh
1 [portable] Portable is also often used as are un tlphone cellulaire or un tlphone portable. However, portable is more
common.
2 [appeler] An alternate translation of to call is tlphoner = to make a call or to phone.
3 [ami] The feminine form is une amie while une pote = a buddy in an informal register.
55
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
sur
f. noun
sister
nager
verb
na.e
to swim
lac
m. noun
lak
lake
eau
f. noun
water
56
Notes
1
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
voisin
m. noun
vwa.z
neighbor
construire
verb
k.sti
to build
quatre-vingt-un
card. number
ka.tr v oe
81
carr
m. noun
ka.e
square
mtre
m. noun
mt
meter
maison
f. noun
m.z
house
orange
adjective
o.
orange
peinture
f. noun
p.ty
paint
57
Notes
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
frre
m. noun
brother
soixante
card. number
swa.st
60
seconde
f. noun
s.d
second
haut
adjective
high
colline
f. noun
ko.lin
hill
course
f. noun
kus
course
courir
verb
ku.i
to run
rapide
adjective
a.pid
fast
1 [frre] Another common word is un frangin. Another common word is un frangin, which is informal.
2 [haut] - Haut can mean both top and high
3 [course] Another option is the word une comptition, which is also common. However, this translation is correct.
58
Notes
1
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
prsident
m. noun
pe.zi.d
president
gagner
verb
a.e
to win
lection
f. noun
e.lk.sj
election
mardi
m. noun
ma.di
Tuesday
novembre
m. noun
no.vb
November
troisime
ord. number
twa.zjm
3rd
59
Notes
French Word
Part of Speech
(and gender)
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
samedi
m. noun
sam.di
Saturday
bar
m. noun
ba
bar
vingt et un
card. number
v te oe
21
bire
f. noun
bj
beer
bouteille
f. noun
bu.tj
bottle
mal
adjective
mal
bad
tudiant
m. noun
e.ty.dj
student
universit
f. noun
y.ni.v.si.te
university
1 [mal] Another word for bad is mauvais. Both words are used, but in different contexts. Mauvais can modify a noun (un mauvais
acteur - a bad actor), and is associated with wrong, disgusting, etc. Mal cannot modify a noun directly (you have to use it with a verb,
as in Cest mal - Thats bad/wrong) and usually refers to evil or pain.
2 [tudiant] The correct translation is un tudiant (feminine: une tudiante). Un (feminine: une) lve = a pupil while un
colier (feminine: une colire) = a school pupil or a schoolboy/schoolgirl (from school = cole).
60
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
1
race
f. noun
as
race (ethnicity)
peau
f. noun
po
skin
couleur
f. noun
ku.l
color
humain
m. noun
y.m
human
lutter
verb
ly.te
to fight
triste
adjective
tist
sad
1 [race] The word race was suppressed from French legislation last year, but the translation is correct. This is just to say that this word
has been the object of a debate whether or not it should be considered pejorative; a more neutral word is une ethnie.
2 [humain] un tre humain = a human being.
3 [lutter] You can use une lutte or un combat as nouns, both meaning a fight.
61
French Word
Part of Speech
(and gender)
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
sympathique
adjective
s. pa.tik
nice
secrtaire
m. noun
s.ke.t
secretary
extrieur
m. noun/adj.
k.ste.j
outside
bureau
m. noun
by.o
office
bus
m. noun
bys
bus
soixante-deux
card. number
swa.st d
62
bibliothque
f. noun
bi.bli.jo.tk
library
carte
f. noun
kat
card
Notes
62
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
clair
adjective
kl
light (color)
bleu
adjective
bl
blue
chemise
f. noun
.miz
shirt
policier
m. noun
po.li.sje
police officer
pistolet
m. noun
pis.to.l
gun
tirer
verb
ti.e
to shoot
meurtre
m. noun
mt
murder
1 [clair] Light is translated by clair when we are talking about colors. For example, light-blue = bleu clair. If you want to
emphasize the presence of light, you could say lumineux/lumineuse= bright or clair (translation of the participle lighted); lit
= clair or allum or illumin.
2 [chemise] You can use Un chemisier for blouse, and un haut for a top.
3 [policier] The familiar/pejorative but the often used term is les flics = the cops and un policier = a police officer/a policeman.
4 [pistolet] If you refer to a weapon, use une arme.
5 [meurtre] Another common word is un assassinat = assassination.
63
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
enseignant
m. noun
.se.
teacher
cole
f. noun
e.kl
school
cinquante
card. number
s.kt
50
moiti
f. noun
mwa.tje
half
cent
card. number
100
enseigner
verb
.se.e
to teach
enfant
m. noun
.f
child
crayon
m. noun
k.j
pencil
note
f. noun
nt
note
1 [enseignant] Enseignant is the general term (feminine: une enseignante /.s.t/). A couple of more specific terms are un matre
for elementary school and un professeur for middle school - college.
2 [cole] There are some more specific schools: une cole maternelle = preschool/kindergarten, une cole primaire = elementary
school, un collge = middle school, and un lyce = high school.
3 [moiti] Une moiti /mwa.ti/ is a better option. Un demi cannot be used in isolation; there must be another word after it - (unless
if youre in a bar and you meana beer). This rule doesnt apply to une moiti.
64
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
fille
f. noun
fij
girl
rve
m. noun
dream
sourire
verb
su.i
to smile
reine
f. noun
queen
genre
m. noun
sex (gender)
fminin
adjective
femin/feminin
female
or
m. noun
gold
tte
f. noun
tt
head
riche
adjective
rich
Notes
1 [rve] Another less common translation is un songe; A Midsummer Nights Dream = Le songe dune nuit dt.
2 [genre] Le sexe and le genre are both possible although we often find sexe on forms.
3 [riche] The adjective can have other meanings. If we are talking about a perfume, for example, it can be translated by fort, intense,
puissant, or prononc.
65
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
auteur
m. noun
o.t
author
cinquante-deux
card. number
s. kt d
52
semaine
f. noun
s.mn
week
crire
verb
e.ki
to write
mille
card. number
mil
1000
page
f. noun
pa
page
livre
m. noun
liv
book
Notes
1
1 [auteur] Other common terms are un crivain = a writer (author of books) and un romancier = a novelist while un auteur
is the generic term.
2 [livre] Livre can mean both pound and book
66
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
bote de nuit
f. noun
bwat d ni
club
lent
adjective
slow
musique
f. noun
my.zik
music
couter
verb
e.ku.te
to listen
instrument
m. noun
s.ty.m
instrument
Notes
1
1 [bote de nuit] This can also be translated as une discothque, une disco, and less commonly, un club. The primary translation,
une bote de nuit, works well for nightclub ( we commonly use the word une bote in expressions like aller en bote). However,
a club can also refer to the place where the members of a club meet, as in a sporting club, and the word un club is also largely used in
this sense: un club sportif, un club de scrabble, un club du troisime ge, etc.
67
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
sud
m. noun
syd
south
ouest
m. noun
wst
west
endroit
m. noun
.dwa
location
cinquante et un
card. number
s. kt e oe
51
espace
m. noun
es.pas
(outer) space
voler
verb
vo.le
to fly
Notes
1 [endroit] The words un lieu (pl. des lieux) and une place [plas] are also very common and have the same meaning. However,
une place is more specifically used to refer to a square (flat, open space) in a town or a city.
68
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
lundi
m. noun
l.di
Monday
train
m. noun
train
quatre-vingt-deux
card. number
ka.tr v d
82
est
m. noun
st
east
direction
f. noun
di.k.sj
direction
pauvre
adjective
pov
poor
mre
f. noun
mother
travailler
verb
ta.va.je
to work
grande ville
f. noun
gd vil
city
Notes
1 [grande ville] A city is une grande ville (a big town) compared to a ville (town) or a village (village). We consider a city to be
larger than a town. See the note on town.
69
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
science
f. noun
sjs
science
magazine
m. noun
ma.ga.zin
magazine
cerveau
m. noun
s.vo
brain
penser
verb
p.se
to think
nuclaire
adjective
ny.kle.
nuclear
chaleur
f. noun
a.l
heat
nergie
f. noun
e.n.i
energy
70
Notes
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
quatre-vingt-onze
card. number
ka.tr v z
91
essence
f. noun
e.ss
gasoline
moteur
m. noun
m.t
engine
voiture
f. noun
vwa.ty
car
transport
m. noun
ts.p
transportation
conduire
verb
k.di
to drive
pont
m. noun
bridge
tourner
verb
tu.ne
to turn
droite
adverb
dwat
right
arrter
verb
a.e.te
to stop
1 [essence] In French, de lessence refers to gas at a gas station. For example, Je voudrais de lessence, sil vous plat, ou Le plein,
sil vous plat. In contrast, une essence is more equal in meaning to the same word in English. For example, The essence of Life or
to refer to the essence of a perfume.
2 [transport] Use the direct article with this word as in le transport or les transports. If you need to use the indefinite article un, you
could say un moyen de transport(a mode of transportation).
3 [droite] When giving directions, on the right = droite.
4 [arrter] The verb stopper has the same meaning and is equally common.
71
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
soixante-douze
card. number
swa.st duz
72
heure
f. noun
hour
nettoyer
verb
ne.twa.je
to clean
manteau
m. noun
m.to
coat
sang
m. noun
blood
tache
f. noun
ta
stain
cher
adjective
expensive
facture
f. noun
fak.ty
bill
Notes
1 [facture] Laddition is another very common term that we use in restaurants and cafs. For example, demander laddition = to
ask for the bill or laddition sil vous plat = the bill please. Another word that is used is une note, which we use in expressions
like une note sale = a stiff/expensive bill ( word for word : a bill with salt!)
72
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
bas
adjective
ba
down, low
valle
f. noun
va.le
valley
ferme
f. noun
fm
farm
nourrir
verb
nu.i
to feed
vache
f. noun
va
cow
lait
m. noun
milk
mlanger
verb
me.l.e
to mix / stir
fromage
m. noun
fo.ma
cheese
Notes
1 [mlanger] Mlanger is the correct translation of to mix, which means to stir or shake one substance with another so that they
become a single substance. Remuer is the translation of to stir and means that you move something slighty. Mixer means the same
as mlanger, but it may suppose the use of an appliance such as a food mixer, for example.
73
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
nous
pronoun
nu
we
quatrime
ord. number
ka.ti.jm
4th
juillet
m. noun
i.je
July
entendre
verb
.td
to hear
exploser
verb
k.splo.ze
explode
rouge
adjective
red
74
Notes
French Word
Part of Speech
(and gender)
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
mari
m. noun
ma.i
husband
visage
m. noun
vi.za
face
barbe
f. noun
bab
beard
dix mille
card. number
di mil
10000
court
adjective
ku
noir
adjective
nwa
black
cheveux
m. noun
.v
hair
Notes
1 [cheveux] Always use the plural form when describing someones hair. For example, She has brown hair. Its only used in the singular
when describing a single strand of hair.
75
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
lvre
f. noun
lv
lip
dent
f. noun
tooth
parler
verb
pa.le
to speak / say
consonne
f. noun
k.sn
consonant
son
m. noun
sound
1 [dent] Teeth being plural, the correct translation is les dents; une dent = a tooth.
2 [parler] To speak = parler. For example, Do you speak English? = Parlez-vous anglais? To say = dire as in My friend
says Hello. = Mon ami dit bonjour.
76
French Word
Part of Speech
(and gender)
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
quatorze
card. number
ka.tz
14
quatre-vingt-douze
card. number
ka.tr v duz
92
trouver
verb
tu.ve
find
pays
m. noun
pe.i
country
profond
adjective
po.f
deep
ocan
m. noun
o.se.
ocean
vague
f. noun
va
wave
non
adverb
no
carte
f. noun
kat
map
bord
m. noun
edge
monde
m. noun
md
world
Notes
1 [carte] Une carte is the translation that is used for maps of countries, states, or the Earth. When referring to a city or subway map (or
a course or something similar), use un plan. Carte can also mean card, as seen on p.62.
77
French Word
Part of Speech
(and gender)
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
goter
verb
gu.te
to taste
sel
m. noun
sl
salt
huile
f. noun
il
oil
porc
m. noun
pork
pomme
f. noun
pm
apple
78
Notes
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
soixante et un
card. number
swa.st e oe
61
rue
f. noun
street
coin
m. noun
kw
corner
glise
f. noun
e.liz
church
prtre
m. noun
pt
priest
se marier
verb
ma.je
to marry
79
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
grand-pre
m. noun
.p
grandfather
chapeau
m. noun
a.po
hat
costume
m. noun
kos.tym
suit
faible
adjective
fbl
weak
genou
m. noun
.nu
knee
prier
verb
pi.je
to pray
Dieu
m. noun
dj
God
paix
f. noun
peace
80
Notes
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
journal
m. noun
u.nal
newspaper
reporter
m. noun
.p.t
reporter
attaque
f. noun
a.tak
attack
arme
f. noun
a.me
army
mtal
m. noun
me.tal
metal
navire
m. noun
na.vi
ship
brler
verb
by.le
to burn
dix-neuf
card. number
diz noef
19
quarante et un
card. number
ka.t e oe
41
guerre
f. noun
war
Notes
1 [reporter] Use un reporter when you refer to a reporter. The word un journaliste also exists and is very common but its the
translation of the word journalist not reporter.
2 [arme] We commonly say larme.
81
French Word
Part of Speech
(and gender)
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
argent
m. noun
a.
silver
matire
f. noun
ma.tj
material
ordinateur portable
m. noun
.di.na.toe p.tabl
laptop
fermer
verb
f.me
to close
82
Notes
1
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
mai
m. noun
May
cinquime
ord. number
s. kjm
5th
graine
f. noun
seed
grandir
verb
.di
to grow
rose
adjective
oz
pink
fleur
f. noun
fl
flower
couper
verb
ku.pe
to cut
1 [graine] The word also exists in masculine des grains. You can also use the feminine word, les semences.
2 [grandir] The translation can change depending on the context. Use the verb pousser when you talk about plants. The verbs crotre
or (s)accrotre are also possible. For example, La population saccrot rapidement. = The population grows rapidly. Finally, the
verb can also be translated by augmenter or (se) dvelopper in particular if we are talking about business, such as Notre entreprise
sest dveloppe rapidement cette anne. = Notre entreprise a connu une expansion rapide cette anne. All of these verbs are common
(crotre) or very common (augmenter, se dvelopper, pousser, grandir).
83
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
automne
m. noun
o.tn
fall
saison
f. noun
season
septembre
m. noun
s.z
sp.tb
camp
m. noun
camp
fille
f. noun
k
fij
se rveiller
verb
s e.ve.je
to wake
mou
adjective
mu
soft
herbe
f. noun
grass
orteil
m. noun
.tj
toe
September
1
daughter
1 [camp] Un camp or un campement are two very common, synonymous terms. Une colonie de vacances only refers to a holiday
camp for kids . We find the word camp or campement in camp de concentration, campement de rfugis, camp de naturistes,
camp militaire for example.
2 [mou] Several meanings are possible, but the main two are mou (feminine: molle) or moelleux (feminine: moelleuse). For
example, if we are talking about a bed, a soft bed = un lit moelleux or un lit douillet. Another main meaning is doux (feminine:
douce) such as in soft music = une musique douce. Soft can also be translated by tendre if we are talking about a person, but
a soft drink = une boisson gazeuse or un soda.
3 [herbe] Le gazon and la pelouse= lawn
4 [orteil] We often use the term les doigts de pieds, which is of course a less scientific term, but very commonly used. We also often
use the plural.
84
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
cl
f. noun
kle
key
appartement
m. noun
a.pa.t.m
apartment
porte
f. noun
pt
door
cent onze
card. number
s z
111
ils
pronoun
il
they
habiter
verb
a.bi.te
to live
85
Notes
1
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
toit
m. noun
twa
roof
vieux
adjective
vj
old (young)
malade
adjective
ma.lad
sick
grand-mre
f. noun
grandmother
laver
verb
la.ve
to wash
savon
m. noun
sa.v
soap
propre
adjective
pp
clean
1 [vieux] Use the expression une personne ge when referring to an elderly person. The feminine form of vieux is vieille
2 [savon] Savon is the generic term, which can be in liquid or in powder form. Une savonnette is also used and refers to the small
solid cube we use in a bathroom.
3 [propre] net / nette = neat. When speaking and using the familiar register, we say Cest clean! = Its clean!
86
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
clbre
adjective
se.lb
famous
groupe musical
m. noun
up my.zi.kal
band
haut
adverb
top
radio
f. noun
a.djo
radio
chanson
f. noun
.s
song
cent mille
card. number
s mil
100,000
personne
f. noun
p.sn
person
foule
f. noun
ful
crowd
danser
verb
d.se
to dance
87
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
il
pronoun
il
he
mchant
adjective
me.
mean
tuer
verb
te
to kill
fils
m. noun
fis
son
couteau
m. noun
ku.to
knife
enfer
m. noun
.f
hell
feu
m. noun
fire
religion
f. noun
.li.j
religion
Notes
1 [mchant] The first translation possible is mchant (unkind, malicious). For example, That was a mean thing you did. = Ce que
tu as fait tait vraiment mchant. Another possible translation is avare or radin (stingy, miserly). For example, Scrooge is a mean
character = Scrooge est un personnage avare. A third mean can also be translated by moyen (feminine: moyenne) = (average).
e.g. The mean score on the test was 70%. = Le rsultat moyen au test a t de 70%. There are still other possible meanings such as
simple. e.g. My grandmother was just a mean factory worker. = Ma grand-mre ntait quune simple ouvrire. Theres also bas
(feminine: basse) such as in, His motives are mean and vile. = Ses motivations sont basses et viles. In other sentences, mean can
be translated by malveillant (malevolent), but we use lim (shabby) if we are talking about clothing for example; we can also use
super, sacr, or denfer when we use the word in a familiar register.
2 [enfer] Cest lenfer! = Its hell!
88
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
soixante-onze
card. number
swa.st e z
71
victime
f. noun
vik.tim
victim
poison
m. noun
pwa.z
poison
th
m. noun
te
tea
mourir
verb
mu.i
to die
89
Notes
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
patient
m. noun
pa.sj
patient
blessure
f. noun
ble.sy
injury
casser
verb
ka.se
to break
bras
m. noun
arm
os
m. noun
bone
hpital
m. noun
o.pi.tal
hospital
salle
f. noun
sal
room
quarante-deux
card. number
ka.t d
42
1 [blessure] Useblessure/blesy/ when referring to an injury to a persons body or to their feelings. Un dommage (prejudice) is also
possible.
2 [casser] Use casser, which is the most common verb. The verb rompre is also widely used.
3 [hpital] Un hpital designates a public establishment while une clinique refers to a private one.
4 [salle] There are two or three very common words in French for this concept. The first possible translation is une salle as in the
following cases: bathroom = salle de bain; dining-room = salle manger; living-room = salle de sjour; classroom = salle
de classe. However, if we talk about a bedroom, we use the other very common word, une chambre. Therefore, if you go to a hotel,
you would ask for une chambre ; hotel room = chambre dhtel; student room = chambre dtudiant; guestroom/spare room
= chambre damis. The third option is une pice, which is a generic term for any room, so a bedroom is une pice, a bathroom is
une pice, a kitchen is une pice, an office is une pice, and so on.
90
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
plier
verb
pli.je
to bend
langue
f. noun
tongue
ouvrir
verb
u.vi
to open
bouche
f. noun
bu
mouth
voyelle
f. noun
vwa.jl
vowel
91
Notes
French Word
Part of Speech
(and gender)
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
cent dix
card. number
s dis
110
livre
f. noun
liv
pound
lger
adjective
le.e
light (heavy)
soldat
m. noun
sl.da
soldier
brun
adjective
brown
poussire
f. noun
pu.sj
dust
pattern
m. noun
pa.tn
pattern
tee-shirt
m. noun
ti.t
t-shirt
1 [livre] France uses the metric system. The translation is correct, but this unit of measurement is simply not commonly used in France.
Livre can mean both pound and book
2 [pattern] In French, modle is the cut or the shape of the clothes, whereas pattern is the pattern on the clothes. In the example a
short, vichy (checkered) dress = une robe courte en vichy, vichy is the pattern and short dress is the modle.
3 [tee-shirt] Both options are correct: T-shirt or tee-shirt.
92
Part of Speech
(and gender)
French Word
Pronunciation
in IPA
English
Translation
Notes
pre
m. noun
father
regarder
verb
.a.de
to watch
trente-deux
card. number
tt d
32
pouce
m. noun
pus
inch
tlvision
f. noun
te.le.vi.zj
television
large
adjective
la
wide
cran
m. noun
e.k
screen
boire
verb
bwa
to drink
frais
adjective
cool
boisson
f. noun
bwa.s
beverage
1 [pouce] France uses the metric system. The translation is correct, but this unit of measurement is simply not commonly used in France.
2 [tlvision] The informal une tl is a very common and frequently used diminutive.
3 [frais] The feminine form is frache.
93
Index 1:
Your First 625 (in Thematic Order, with notes and page numbers)
Key:
Category words (i.e. animal) are
designated with a little superscript C (Like
thisC). Learn these words word by using 2-3
other pictures/words on your flashcards
(i.e. animal = dog, cat, fish...). Check out
the Special Scenarios section of the 2nd
Gallery to see an example.
94
Art: band - groupe musical [87], song chanson [87], instrument - instrument [67],
music - musique [67], movie - film [49], art
- art [47]
Job: teacher - enseignant [64], student tudiant [60], lawyer - avocat [28], doctor mdecin [30], patient - patient [90], waiter serveur [6], secretary - secrtaire [62], priest
- prtre [79], police - policier [63], army
- arme [81], soldier - soldat [92], artist artiste [26], author - auteur [66], manager
- chef [32], reporter - reporter [81], actor acteur [49], job - emploi C [32]
Society: religion - religion [88], heaven paradis [23], hell - enfer [88], death - mort
[46], medicine - mdicament [30], money argent [17], dollar - dollar [28], bill - facture
[72], marriage - mariage* [10], wedding
- noces* [35], team - quipe [36], race
95
[6], toe - orteil [84], finger - doigt [41], foot pied [36], hand - main [49], leg - jambe [24],
arm - bras [90], shoulder - paule [52], heart
- cur [30], blood - sang [72], brain - cerveau
[70], knee - genou [80], sweat - sueur [44],
disease - maladie [30], bone - os [90], voice
- voix [28], skin - peau [61], body - corps [10]
Home Related: table - table [33], chair chaise [33], bed - lit [27], dream - rve [65],
window - fentre [39], door - porte [85],
bedroom - chambre [53], kitchen - cuisine
[42], bathroom - salle de bains [39], pencil
- crayon [64], pen - stylo [47], photograph
- photo [25], soap - savon [86], book - livre
[66], page - page [66], key - cl [85], paint peinture [57], letter - lettre [32], note - note
[64], wall - mur [47], paper - papier [32], floor
- sol [46], ceiling - plafond [53], roof - toit
[86], pool - piscine [44], lock - serrure [29],
telephone - tlphone [13], garden - jardin
[39], yard - jardin [48], needle - aiguille [30],
bag - sac [52], box - bote [37], gift - cadeau
[17], card - carte [62], ring - bague [12], tool outil [26], home - maison [29]
Nature Related: sea - mer* [25], ocean ocan* [77], river - rivire [8], mountain
- montagne [19], rain - pluie [16], snow neige [34], tree - arbre [45], sun - soleil [38],
moon - lune [5], world - monde [77], earth
- terre [5], forest - fort [34], sky - ciel [5],
plant - plante [24], wind - vent [34], soil - sol
[24], flower - fleur [83], valley - valle [73],
root - racine [45], lake - lac [56], star - toile
[5], grass - herbe [84], leaf - feuille [34], air air [53], sand - sable [23], beach - plage [23],
wave - vague [77], fire - feu [88], ice - glace
[8], island - le [23], hill - colline [58], heat chaleur [70], nature - nature C [45]
Electronics: clock - horloge [38], lamp lampe [26], fan (appliance) - ventilateur [53],
cell phone - portable [55], network - rseau
[55], computer - ordinateur [41], program
(computer) - programme [41], laptop ordinateur portatif [82], screen - cran [93],
camera - appareil photo [25], television tlvision [93], radio - radio [87]
96
97
98
Adjectives: long - long [18], short (vs long) court [75], tall - grand [26], short - petit [12],
wide - large [93], narrow - troit [33], large/
big - grand [49], small/little - petit [35], slow
- lent [67], fast - rapide [58], hot - chaud [44],
cold - froid [16], warm - chaud [23], cool
- frais [93], new - nouveau [11], old (new) ancien [19], young - jeune [7], old (young) vieux [86], good - bon [42], bad - mal [60],
wet - mouill [16], dry - sec [44], sick - malade
[86], healthy - sain [11], loud - bruyant [13],
quiet - calme [28], happy - heureux [32], sad
- triste [61], beautiful - beau [26], ugly - laid
[40], deaf - sourd [13], blind - aveugle [31],
nice - sympathique [62], mean - mchant
[88], rich - riche [65], poor - pauvre [69],
thick - pais [45], thin - mince [34], expensive - cher [72], cheap - bon march [27], flat
- plat [40], curved - courb [22], male - mle
[49], female - fminin [65], tight - serr [12],
loose - desserr [18], high - haut [58], low bas [73], soft - mou [84], hard - dur [19], deep
- profond [77], shallow - peu profond [8],
clean - propre [86], dirty - sale [24], strong fort [37], weak - faible [80], dead - mort [19],
alive - vivant [30], heavy - lourd [37], light
(heavy) - lger [92], dark - sombre [14], light
99
Index 2:
Your First 625 (in Alphabetical Order, English - French)
0 - zro [22]
1 - un [5]
2 - deux [36]
3 - trois [31]
4 - quatre [24]
5 - cinq [12]
6 - six [40]
7 - sept [27]
8 - huit [33]
9 - neuf [38]
10 - dix [41]
11 - onze [29]
12 - douze [43]
13 - treize [46]
14 - quatorze [77]
15 - quinze [29]
16 - seize [53]
17 - dix-sept [50]
18 - dix-huit [48]
19 - dix-neuf [81]
20 - vingt [8]
21 - vingt et un [60]
22 - vingt-deux [36]
30 - trente [26]
31 - trente et un [34]
32 - trente-deux [93]
40 - quarante [38]
41 - quarante et un [81]
42 - quarante-deux [90]
50 - cinquante [64]
51 - cinquante et un [68]
52 - cinquante-deux [66]
60 - soixante [58]
61 - soixante et un [79]
62 - soixante-deux [62]
70 - soixante-dix [19]
71 - soixante-onze [89]
72 - soixante-douze [72]
80 - quatre-vingts [18]
81 - quatre-vingt-un [57]
82 - quatre-vingt-deux [69]
90 - quatre-vingt-dix [55]
91 - quatre-vingt-onze [71]
92 - quatre-vingt-douze [77]
100 - cent [64]
101 - cent un [7]
102 - cent deux [44]
110 - cent dix [92]
111 - cent onze [85]
1000 - mille [66]
1001 - mille un [14]
10000 - dix mille [75]
100000 - cent mille [87]
1st - premier [11]
2nd - deuxime [16]
3rd - troisime [59]
4th - quatrime [74]
5th - cinquime [83]
actor - acteur [49]
adjective - adjectif [20]
adult - adulte [43]
afternoon - aprs-midi [53]
air - air [53]
airport - aroport [54]
alive - vivant [30]
animal - animal [37]
apartment
- appartement [85]
apple - pomme [78]
april - avril [50]
arm - bras [90]
army - arme [81]
art - art [47]
artist - artiste [26]
attack - attaque [81]
august - aot [44]
author - auteur [66]
baby - bb [13]
back (body) - dos [6]
back (direction)
- derrire [54]
bad - mal [60]
bag - sac [52]
ball - ballon [36]
banana - banane [51]
100
go - aller [34]
god - dieu [80]
gold - or [65]
good - bon [42]
grandfather
- grand-pre [80]
grandmother
- grand-mre [86]
grass - herbe [84]
gray - gris [16]
green - vert [48]
ground - terre [21]
grow - grandir [83]
gun - pistolet [63]
hair - cheveux [75]
half - moiti [64]
hand - main [49]
hang - pendre [47]
happy - heureux [32]
hard - dur [19]
hat - chapeau [80]
he - il [88]
head - tte [65]
healthy - sain [11]
hear - entendre [74]
heart - cur [30]
heat - chaleur [70]
heaven - paradis [23]
heavy - lourd [37]
hell - enfer [88]
high - haut [58]
hill - colline [58]
hole - trou [48]
home - maison [29]
horse - cheval [37]
hospital - hpital [90]
hot - chaud [44]
hotel - htel [27]
hour - heure [72]
house - maison [57]
human - humain [61]
husband - mari [75]
I - je [42]
ice - glace [8]
image - image [47]
inch - pouce [93]
injury - blessure [90]
101
102
103
Index 3:
Your First 625 (in Alphabetical Order, French English)
acheter - to buy [17]*
acteur - actor [49]
adjectif - adjective [20]C
adulte - adult [43]
aroport - airport [54]
aiguille - needle [30]
aile - wing [45]
aimer - to love [14]
air - air [53]
aller - to go [34]*
ami - friend [55]
ample - loose [18]
ancien - old(new) [19]
animal - animal [37]C
anne - year [19]
aot - August [44]
appareil photo - camera [25]
appartement - apartment [85]
appeler - to call [55]
apprendre - to learn [41]
aprs-midi - afternoon [53]
arbre - tree [45]
argent - money [17]
argent - silver [82]
argile - clay [26]
arme - army [81]
arrter - to stop [71]
art - art [47]
artiste - artist [26]
assiette - plate [50]
attaque - attack [81]
attraper - to catch [40]
auteur - author [66]
automne - fall [84]
aveugle - blind [31]
avion - plane [54]
avocat - lawyer [28]
avril - April [50]
bague - ring [12]
ballon - ball [36]
banane - banana [51]
banque - bank [32]
104
105
il - he [88]
il/elle - it [17]
le - island [23]
ils - they [85]
image - image [47]
instrument
- instrument [67]
intrieur - inside [54]
jambe - leg [24]
janvier - January [11]
jardin - garden [39]
jardin - yard [48]
jaune - yellow [45]
je - I [42]
jeter - to throw [35]
jeu - game [48]
jeudi - Thursday [36]
jeune - young [7]
jouer - to play [48]
joueur - player [36]
jour - day [27]
journal - newspaper [81]
juillet - july [74]
juin - June [23]
jupe - skirt [12]
jus - juice [42]
kilogramme
- kilogram [40]
lac - lake [56]
laid - ugly [40]
lait - milk [73]
lampe - lamp [26]
il - eye [39]
uf - egg [42]
oiseau - bird [45]
onze - 11 [29]
or - gold [65]
orange - orange [42]
orange - orange [57]
ordinateur
- computer [41]
ordinateur portable
- laptop [82]
oreille - ear [12]
orteil - toe [84]
os - bone [90]
ouest - west [68]
oui - yes [32]
outil - tool [26]
ouvrir - to open [91]
106
quatre - 4 [24]
quatre-vingt-deux- 82 [69]
quatre-vingt-dix - 90 [55]
quatre-vingt-douze - 92 [77]
quatre-vingt-onze - 91 [71]
quatre-vingts - 80 [18]
quatre-vingt-un - 81 [57]
quatrime - 4th [74]
quinze - 15 [29]
race - race (ethnicity) [61]
racine - root [45]
radio - radio [87]
rapide - fast [58]
regarder - to watch [93]
reine - queen [65]
religion - religion [88]
reporter - reporter [81]
rseau - network [55]
restaurant - restaurant [33]
rve - dream [65]
riche - rich [65]
rivire - river [8]
rire - to laugh [55]
riz - rice [35]
robe - dress [35]
roi - king [14]
rose - pink [83]
rouge - red [74]
rue - street [79]
sable - sand [23]
sac - bag [52]
sain - healthy [11]
saison - season [84]C
sale - dirty [24]
salle - room [90]
salle de bains
- bathroom [39]
samedi - Saturday [60]
sang - blood [72]
sasseoir - to sit [25]
sauter - to jump [7]
savon - soap [86]
science - science [70]
se lever - to stand [6]
se marier - to marry [79]
se rveiller - to wake [84]
sec - dry [44]
seconde - second [58]
tlphone
- telephone [13]
tlvision
- television [93]
temprature
- temperature [44]
temps - time [53]C
Terre - earth [5]
terre - ground [21]
tte - head [65]
th - tea [89]
thtre - theater [14]
tirer - to pull [37]
tirer - to shoot [63]
toit - roof [86]
tomber - to fall [19]
toucher - to touch [10]
tourner - to turn [71]
tout droit - straight [54]
train - train [69]
transport
- transportation [71]C
travailler - to work [69]
treize - 13 [46]
trente - 30 [26]
trente et un - 31 [34]
trente-deux - 32 [93]
triste - sad [61]
trois - 3 [31]
troisime - 3rd [59]
trou - hole [48]
trouver - find [77]
tu - you (singular) [41]
tuer - to kill [88]
un - 1 [5]
une couleur - color [61]C
universit
- university [60]
vache - cow [73]
vague - wave [77]
valle - valley [73]
vlo - bike [17]
vendre - to sell [18]*
vendredi - Friday [6]
vent - wind [34]
ventilateur
- fan (appliance) [53]
107