Common French Words

Many experts believe that 300 words may be enough to carry on everyday conversation in French, which means that very little memorizing will do the work! Here is a list of the 300 most common French words.

Learn these and you are well on your way!

Here are some of the most basic French words to get you started. Further on in this lesson we will look at the pronunciation of these and many more French words.

  • Le - The / him / her / it / them
  • De - Of / from / some / any
  • Un - A / an / one
  • À - To / at / in
  • Être - To be / being
  • Et - And
  • En - In / by
  • Avoir - To have
  • Que - That / which / who / whom
  • Pour - For / in order to

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Le
The / him / her / it / them
De
Of / from / some / any
Un
A / an / one
À
To / at / in
Être
To be / being
Et
And
En
In / by
Avoir
To have
Que
That / which / who / whom
Pour
For / in order to
Dans
In / into / from
Ce
This / that
Il
He / it
Qui
Who / whom
Ne
Not
Sur
On / upon
Se
Oneself / himself / herself / itself / themselves
Pas
Not
Plus
More / no more
Pouvoir
Can / to be able to
Par
By
Je
I
Avec
With
Tout
All
Faire
To do / to make
Son
His / her /its
Mettre
To put / place
Autre
Other
On
One / we
Mais
But
Nous
We / us
Comme
Like / as
Ou
Or
Si
If / whether
Leur
Them / their / theirs
Y
There
Dire
To say
Elle
She / her
Devoir
To have to / owe / duty
Avant
Before
Deux
Two
Même
Same / even / self
Prendre
To take
Aussi
Too / also / as
Celui
That / the one / he / him
Donner
To give
Bien
Well
Où
Where
Fois
Time / times
Vous
You (formal)
Encore
Again / yet
Nouveau
New
Aller
To go
Cela
That / it
Entre
Between
Premier
First
Vouloir
To want
Déjà
Already
Grand
Great / big / tall
Mon
My
Me
Me / to me / myself
Moins
Less
Aucun
None / either / neither / not any
Lui
Him / her
Temps
Time
Très
Very
Savoir
To know
Falloir
To take / require / need
Voir
To see
Quelque
Some
Sans
Without
Raison
Reason
Notre
Our
Dont
Whose / of which
Non
No / not
An
Year
Monde
World / people
Jour
Day
Monsieur
Mister / sir / gentleman
Demander
To ask for
Alors
Then / so
Après
After
Trouver
To find
Personne
Person / people / anybody / anyone / nobody
Rendre
To render / return / yield / give up
Partager
To share
Dernier
Last
Venir
To come
Pendant
During
Passer
To pass
Peu
Little
Lequel
Who / whom / which
Suite
Result / follow-up / rest
Bon
Good
Comprendre
To understand
Depuis
Since / for
Point
Point / at all
Ainsi
Thus
Heure
Hour
Rester
To stay
Seul
Alone / only
Année
Year
Toujours
Always
Tenir
To hold
Porter
To wear / carry
Parler
To speak
Fort
Strong
Montrer
To show
Là
There / here
Certain
Certain / sure
Fin
End
Tu
You
Continuer
To continue
Pays
Country
Trois
Three
Penser
To think
Lieu
Place
Partie
Part
Quand
When
Suivre
To follow
Contre
Against
Sous
Under
Côté
Side
Ensemble
Together
Chose
Thing
Enfant
Child
Cause
Cause
Politique
Politics / political
Place
Room / space / square / place
Seulement
Only
Moi
Me
Vie
Life
Connaître
To know
Jusque
To / up to / until
Croire
To believe
Homme
Man
Cas
Case
Petit
Small / little
Commencer
To begin / start
Compter
To count
Fait
Done / fact
Tel
Such
Droit
Right
Question
Question
Donc
So / then / therefore / thus
Quel
Which / what
Général
General
Moment
Moment
Entendre
To hear
Beaucoup
Much / a lot of / many
Chaque
Each
Jeune
Young
Travail
Work
Femme
Woman / wife
Attendre
To wait
Remettre
To deliver / replace / set / put
Appeler
To call
Permettre
To allow
Occuper
To occupy
Gouvernement
Government
Eux
Them
Devenir
To become
Partir
To leave
Plan
Plan
Décider
To decide
Soit
Either / or
Ici
Here
Rien
Nothing
Cours
Course
Affaire
Business / matter
Nom
Name
Famille
Family
Effet
Effect
Arriver
To arrive / happen
Possible
Possible
Car
Because / bus
Servir
To serve
Mois
Month
Jamais
Never
Sembler
To seem
Tant
So much / so many
Vers
Toward / verse
Besoin
Need
Revenir
To come back
Dès
From / as soon
Moyen
Means / way / medium
Groupe
Group
Problème
Problem
Rapport
Relationship / report
Peut
Perhaps / maybe
Vue
View
Maintenant
Now
Pourquoi
Why
Meilleur
Better / best
Trop
Too much / too many
Laisser
To leave
Ordre
Order
Devant
In front / ahead
Recevoir
To receive
Répondre
To answer
Vivre
To live
Long
Long / lengthy
Service
Service
Ministre
Minister
Face
Front / side / face
Chez
At / with
Te
You / to you / from you
Rappeler
To recall / call back
Présenter
To present
Accepter
To accept
Agir
To act
Simple
Simple
Plusieurs
Several
Votre
Your
Important
Important
Présent
Present
Mieux
Better
Poser
To put / pose / ask
Jouer
To play
Mot
Word
Reconnaître
To recognize
Force
Force
Situation
Situation
Offrir
To offer
Près
Near / nearby / close by
Choisir
To choose
National
National
Projet
Project
Ni
Nor
Puis
Then / so
Toucher
To touch
Train
Train
Aujourd'hui
Today
Comment
How
Surtout
Especially / above all
Gens
People
Propre
Clean / proper
Grâce
Thanks / grace / favour
Idée
Idea
Selon
According to
Région
Region
Aimer
To like / love
Sens
Sense / meaning
Retrouver
To find / recall
Semaine
Week
Également
Also / too / as well / equally
Ci
This one / here
Façon
Way / manner
Nombre
Number
Perdre
To lose
Français
French
Expliquer
To explain
Quatre
Four
Compte
Account / count
Considérer
To consider
Lorsque
When
Ouvrir
To open
Gagner
To win / earn
Exemple
Example
Ville
City
Économique
Economic / economical
Mesure
Measure
Histoire
History / story
Haut
Top / high
Ensuite
Next
Guerre
War
Loi
Law
Président
President
Exister
To exist
Sûr
Sure
Refuser
To refuse
Plutôt
Rather
Bureau
Office / desk
Mauvais
Bad / wrong
Quant
As for
Mort
Dead / death
Mal
Bad
Lire
To read
Réussir
To succeed
Marché
Market
Condition
Condition
International
International
Changer
To change
Oui
Yes
Public
Public / audience
Humain
Human
Souvent
Often
Cinq
Five
Système
System
Travailler
To work
Jeu
Game
Vrai
True
Représenter
To represent
Madame
Madam / lady
Société
Society
Difficile
Difficult
Quoi
What
Entreprise
Enterprise / business
Coup
Coup / blow / knock / stroke
Or
Gold / hence / thus

Phew! That was a long one with lots to remember! Make sure you check out these lessons on French words: French swear words (R18!) and common French travel words and phrases.

À bientôt !

Marie-Claire Rivière and the Rocket French Team

Make Your French Stick With The Rocket Activities

Reinforce your French learning with activities that test your recall, listening and speaking skills!
Activities
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Speaking
Record yourself saying the phrase out loud
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