150+ Basic Words in French for Students

Planning to study abroad and in a French-speaking country, here’s your guide to basic French words. This article incorporates 150+ basic French words for day-to-day use. Based on different requirements like for asking directions, understanding numbers or even food, here’s a guide for everything but for basic words in French.

When you study abroad in a country where a different language is spoken, you must learn at least the basics. If you plan to study in France or French-speaking countries, refer to this guide for understanding basic French words with English meanings to facilitate conversations with people abroad.

Learning French is highly valuable because it is a global language spoken by over 300 million people and serves as a primary working language for international organisations such as the UN. Beyond boosting career prospects in sectors like luxury, fashion, and diplomacy, it acts as a cultural bridge to world-class literature and cinema.

Since nearly 45% of English vocabulary has French roots, studying it deepens your understanding of English while making other Romance languages easier to learn. Ultimately, it enriches travel experiences across 29 countries, allowing for more authentic connections and a broader global perspective.

So if you are learning French words with English, you are in the right place. Here, we have provided French vocabulary with English meanings and over 150 French words for daily use, which students can benefit from if they are unfamiliar with the language.

Importance of Learning Basic Words in French

Students studying in a French-speaking country would require at least a basic knowledge of French to communicate and navigate. It is important to learn basic French also because:

• Finding English speakers in France can be difficult so basic French language shoul be learnt.
• Some students may feel stuck and handicapped if they do not have even a basic French vocabulary or skills.
• Finding their way around the country is a bit of a challenge to see food / directions or find essentials.
• It can be difficult for students to learn French vocabulary, but even just learning basic words is important for moving around.
• It also makes for more interactions with locals and can be helpful to learn about places and attractions.. 

Hence, it is important to learn basic French words to be able to navigate your way through things or situations as an international student.

Check out:

• How to Learn French Language to Study Abroad?
• Building Communication Skills to Study Abroad

Basic Rules of French Grammar

Understanding the rules of French grammar is essential for beginners so that can form sentences slowly and learn. Keeping a basic framework in mind will help students in trying to formulate their thoughts and keep up with the communication. Let us look at the basic rules of French grammar: 

• Each noun is denoted by a gender in French, either it is ‘le’ which is for male or ‘la’ for feminine denotion.
• The adjectives used for each of the nouns must agree with the gender of the noun.
• Each noun requires an article before it is written. Like English, nouns are singular and plural in French also.
• The French language follows the SVO (subject-verb-object) rule for sentence formation, just like the English grammar rule.
• There is also tense in French - past, present and future, and all of them are written differently.
• There are two major verbs in French which do not change their form when used and that is Être (to be) and Avoir (to have).

These are some of the very basic rules of French grammar and usage, thus, Indian students should at least keep these in mind. They will be helpful for students in forming sentences slowly and communicating at a basic level.

Greetings and Introductions in French

Like any other language, there are a few basic French vocabulary words for greeting one another and for introductions. Check out the following sections about greetings and introductions in French which international students can use. 

Essential Greetings in French Language

Want to learn how to greet someone in the French language? Check out some basic French vocab for essential greetings in French language with English translations:

Based on formal or informal settings, Indian students can use these basic French words to greet one another. 

Everyday Essential French Words for Conversation

Students who are learning basic French words can incorporate them in their day-to-day lives by using them often. Here’s a list of 150+ basic French words for daily conversations for international students going to study abroad. 

Numbers in French

In French language, numbers are also essential for day-to-day conversations. Students who are travelling to France or any other French-speaking country for the first time, should be aware of the basic numbers at least in French. Following is a list of 1-20 in French: 

Students who are interested in learning the full list of numbers, can check out some French course books or online materials and learn. This is just a brief of how numbers are denoted in French. 

Days of the Week in French

The days of the week in French are very different from how we speak in English. The following table summarises the days of the week in French with phonetic transcriptions and English translations: 

These basic French words with pronunciations for the days of the week are also an essential part of building basic vocab. Phonetic transcriptions are given so that the Indian students get some clarity in terms of pronunciations. 

Common Verbs in French

There are three types of verbs in French, one that ends in ‘re’ the other that ends with ‘er’ and the third one which ends in ‘ir’. Since verbs are the most essential part of a language, here are a few commonly used verbs in French language: 

There are over 12,000+ verbs in French which are used for communication. Thus, this list is not exhaustive and there is a verb for everything that the student wants to denote or say or express about.

Note: French verbs conjugation changes with how they end with - ‘ir’, ‘er’ or ‘re’. 

Basic Adjectives in French

Adjectives in French are also gender-based, if students are learning the French language, they should understand this rule too when they use adjectives. Some of the most commonly used adjectives in French are as follows:

Not all adjectives in French change their gender when used in a context, there are a few which do not change. Following is a list of those French adjectives which do not change their form irrespective of gender use:

• Good - bien 
• Great - super
• Difficult - difficile 
• Easy - facile
• Young - jeune 
• Magnificent - magnifique

There are also a couple of adjectives in French that change form when they are used for plural nouns. For example - grand becomes grands, chaussure becomes chaussures and furious becomes furieux. Thus, rules apply differently for each case scenario, once you’ll get the basics, it’ll be easier to get to the advanced use of language. 

Related Read: List of Basic Greek Words for International Students

Questions in French Language

In French language, there are various question types just like the English language. Students learning basic French words must also know about them. The questions in French are as follows with English translations:

Students can remember these basic French question types and incorporate in their communications too. 

Directions in French Language

Here is a list of phrases that can be used for asking for directions in French language if you get stuck somewhere.

These are very basic directions in French language which can be used by students going to study abroad in a French-speaking country. 

Common Food Items in French

Finally, coming down to the common food items that are essential for survival in French-speaking country are as follows:

• Fromage - cheese
• Pain - bread
• Oeuf - egg
• Viande - meat
• Poisson - fish
• Légume - vegetable
• Herbe - herb
• Épice - spice
• Pizza - Pizza

Students who are learning basic French words should also consider learning similar vocabulary so that they can build on their communication. 

French is a very dynamic language, with so many variations and similarities or even dissimilarities with the English language. Students who wish to learn the French language, can definitely begin with the above-mentioned words first and then go on towards the advanced level of language use.