Understanding Nouns in French
Explore the concept of nouns in French language including its usage, types and examples.
là
there
The French word 'là' represents the English equivalent 'there'. It is used in pretty much the same way it would be in English, to denote a particular place or position. However, just like English, French has multiple words that can be translated as 'there', so the usage of 'là' may vary depending on the context. For instance, 'y' can also mean 'there', especially in the sense of 'in/at a place' while 'là' tends to mean 'there' in the sense of 'that place', pointing towards a certain area.
Example sentences with là →la plupart
most
The French word 'la plupart' is used to indicate the majority of something. It is very similar to how 'most' is used in English. Used in a sentence, it could be like 'La plupart des étudiants aiment le Français' where it translates to 'Most students like French'. Note that 'la plupart' is followed by 'de' plus a noun.
Example sentences with la plupart →la vie
life
The French word 'la vie' translates to 'life' in English. It is used in the same way as in English, to refer to either the existence of an individual/entity or the experience of living. It can be used in various contexts, such as discussing lifestyle ('style de vie') or life span ('durée de vie'). Pay close attention to gender when using 'la vie' in a sentence, as it is feminine in French.
Example sentences with la vie →lait
milk
The French word for 'milk' is 'lait'. It is used in the same way as in English. For example, 'Je bois du lait' means 'I drink milk'.
Example sentences with lait →langue
language
The word 'langue' means 'language' in French. It is used in the same context as in English - to refer to the method of human communication, either spoken or written, consisting of the use of words in a structured and conventional way. For instance, 'French is a beautiful langue.
Example sentences with langue →légumes
vegetables
The word 'légumes' is used in French to refer to vegetables in general. It's a masculine plural noun that can be used in various contexts such as cooking or gardening. You might use it when talking about the vegetables you're going to cook for dinner, or when discussing what you're growing in your garden.
Example sentences with légumes →lettre
letter
The French word 'lettre' is used in a similar context to the English word 'letter.' It refers to a written, typed, or printed communication, sent in an envelope by post or messenger. It can also refer to a character representing one or more of the sounds used in speech, any of the symbols of an alphabet. However, note that it does not refer to 'letter' in the sense of a letter of the alphabet - that would be 'lettre de l'alphabet'.
Example sentences with lettre →libération
release
The French term for 'release' is 'libération', the noun used when releasing someone from jail or a contract. It can also be used in the non-specific context when something is set free. Phrases can vary as 'mettre en libération conditionnelle' (to release on parole) or 'dater de libération' (release date). This term is widely used in French literary and daily conversation.
Example sentences with libération →ligne
line
The word 'ligne' in French is used similar to how 'line' is used in English. It can refer to a physical line or to a line of text in a book. It also can refer to a line of thought, or a line on a graph. Depending on the context, it can have a variety of meanings, just like in English. Over time, it is important to learn how 'ligne' is used in different situations to fully understand its meaning.
Example sentences with ligne →lire
read
The French verb 'lire' means 'to read'. Just like in English, it can be used in several contexts such as reading a book, a sign, a map etc. It is an irregular verb and so, has different conjugations for different tenses and moods. For example, 'Il lit un livre' translates to 'He is reading a book'.
Example sentences with lire →liste
list
The French word 'liste' is used similarly to 'list' in English. It refers to a series of items written or printed systematically in a row. You can use it to refer to a grocery list ('Liste des courses'), a list of names ('Liste des noms'), or in any other context where you would use 'list' in English.
Example sentences with liste →livre
book
The French word for 'book' is 'livre'. It is used in the same context as in English, referring to a bound collection of sheets of paper, parchment, or similar materials. It can be related to a variety of genres - from novels and non-fiction works to textbooks and manuals.
Example sentences with livre →local
local
The French word 'local' is very similar to its English equivalent 'local'. It is used to describe something that is situated or taking place in an area near you, or in the particular area that you are talking about. The usage can depend on the context; it could refer to a local establishment (like a restaurant or a shop), local produce, or local news, among others.
Example sentences with local →long
long
In French, 'long' is used in a similar way to English to describe an object, distance, or time period that has great duration or length. For example, 'un long voyage' means 'a long trip.' It's important to note that 'long' also agrees with the gender and number of the noun it modifies, becoming 'longs' for masculine plural objects, 'longue' for singular feminine objects, and 'longues' for plural feminine objects.
Example sentences with long →lumière
light
The French word for light is 'lumière'. It is used similarly to English, referring both to visible light and the concept of 'lightness'. However, do note that for colors, 'light' translates to 'clair', as in 'bleu clair' for light blue. When referring to weight, 'light' translates to 'léger'. 'Lumière' is mainly used when describing illumination or brightness.
Example sentences with lumière →lune
moon
The word 'lune' corresponds to the English word 'moon'. It is predominantly used in any context concerning the Earth's moon. For example, in sentences concerning moon phases, 'phase de la lune' or when talking about something under the moonlight, 'au clair de la lune'. Remember, unlike in English, 'lune' is feminine in French, so remember to use 'la' instead of 'le' before it.
Example sentences with lune →magasin
store
The French word for 'store' is 'magasin'. This word primarily refers to physical locations where goods are sold - from small boutiques to large superstores. The context of the sentence usually indicates the type and size of the store being referenced. For example, 'Je vais au magasin' means 'I am going to the store'.
Example sentences with magasin →main
hand
The French word 'main' is used similarly to how we use 'hand' in English. It represents the part of the body at the end of the arm. It is mainly used in the context of holding things, touching, moving, etc., but there also exist expressions and phrases in French using 'main' like in English, for instance 'donner un coup de main' which literally translated to 'give a hand hit', but means 'to give a helping hand'.
Example sentences with main →maison
house
The French word for 'house' is 'maison'. It is used in the same context as in English, referring to a building for habitation by people. In most cases, a 'maison' is a free-standing structure, as opposed to an apartment or flat ('appartement' in French).
Example sentences with maison →majeur
major
The word 'majeur' in French translates directly as 'major' in English. It can be used in many contexts same as in English such as referring to someone of a legal age (major en droit), importance of something (rôle majeur) or for denoting a large scale (en majeur). As with many words, the specific usage is context-dependent.
Example sentences with majeur →maladie
disease
The French word 'maladie' represents disease in English. It is a noun used in the same context as in English, to denote any disorder of structure or function in a human, animal, or plant, especially one that produces specific symptoms or that affects a specific location. It is a commonly used term in medical and health contexts.
Example sentences with maladie →manquer
miss
The French verb for 'miss' is 'manquer.' In French, you would use this word in a slightly different way than in English. For example, 'you are missed by me' would translate in French to 'tu me manques.' Similarly, 'I miss my mom' translates to 'ma maman me manque.' Besides missing a person, 'manquer' can also be used to express missing out on an event or thing.
Example sentences with manquer →marché
market
The French word for market is 'marché', pronounced (mar-shay). It is used in the same context as in English, referring to a physical area where buyers and sellers meet to exchange goods and services, or describing the theoretical economic concept of the demand and supply relations between producers and consumers.
Example sentences with marché →marcher
walk
The French term for 'walk' is 'marcher'. It is a common verb mainly used to refer to the act of walking. It can be used in a variety of contexts similar to English - from literal walking to expressing the functionality of something. For example, 'Je marche dans le parc' means 'I walk in the park' and 'Ça marche?' is a casual way of asking if something works or if everything is okay.
Example sentences with marcher →mari
husband
In French, husband is translated as 'mari'. For example, if you want to say 'My husband is kind.' you would say 'Mon mari est gentil.'. Remember that the masculine possessive, 'mon', is used for 'mari'. This term is used widely in everyday speech and writing.
Example sentences with mari →matériel
material
The French word 'matériel' is used in a similar way to the English word 'material'. It can refer to anything that is made up of matter or used in various contexts to denote the substance or materials used or needed for a particular activity. In some contexts, it could also refer to equipment or supplies in occupations such as teaching. It is usually used as an adjective in French.
Example sentences with matériel →matière
matter
The French word for 'matter' is 'matière'. It is often used in the same contexts as in English - to refer to a substance or material, or to the subject or topic of something. However, unlike in English, 'matière' does not have an additional meaning related to importance or significance.
Example sentences with matière →matin
morning
The French word 'matin' corresponds to the English word 'morning'. In French, 'matin' is used to describe the period of time from sunrise to noon. It is used in similar contexts as it is in English, such as in greeting 'bonjour' (good morning), or expressing time of day.
Example sentences with matin →médecin
doctor
The word 'médecin' is French for 'doctor'. It is a common term used within the healthcare profession. This term is used to refer to a medical professional who provides healthcare services, including diagnostics and prescriptions for treatment. Just like in English, the term is universally understood across all French-speaking regions, although in conversation, the casual term 'doc' is sometimes used.
Example sentences with médecin →médias
media
In French, 'médias' is the translated term for 'media'. It is used in the same context as in English, referring to the main means of mass communication (broadcasting, publishing, and the internet) regarded collectively. Like in English, it can be used in singular or plural depending on the context, though plural (les médias) is more commonly used when referencing the media as a whole.
Example sentences with médias →