French French

Vocab Builder for commonly used words in French.

a
has

The French word for 'has' is 'a'. However, it is important to note that French does not use a form of 'to have' in the same way as English. The verb 'avoir' (to have) is used to express possession, but in the present tense, it is not used in the same way as 'has' in English. For example, 'He has a car' in French would be 'Il a une voiture'. The 'a' in this sentence is a form of 'avoir' and not a separate word like 'has' in English.

Example sentences with  a
à bientôt
See you soon

The French term 'à bientôt' is used in a similar way as 'see you soon' in English. It is used when taking leave from someone, with the implication that you will see them in the near future. It is a casual phrase, commonly used in conversation.

Example sentences with  à bientôt
à demain
See you tomorrow

The French expression 'à demain' is used when you want to say 'see you tomorrow' to someone. It's a very common phrase used in casual conversations. Please note 'demain' means tomorrow in French.

Example sentences with  à demain
à distance
remote

The French term "à distance" is used to describe something that is remote or not physically present. It can refer to a location, such as a remote village, or a situation, such as remote work or remote learning. In French, "à distance" is often used in the context of technology, such as remote access to a computer system or remote communication via video conferencing.

Example sentences with  à distance
à l'étranger
abroad

The French phrase 'à l'étranger' is used to express the concept of 'abroad' in English. It literally translates to 'to foreign lands' and is used to describe a location outside of one's own country. This phrase is often used in contexts such as travel, work, or study abroad programs.

Example sentences with  à l'étranger
à l'intérieur de
within

The French equivalent for 'within' is 'à l'intérieur de'. It is often used to describe some sort of containment or existence within set boundaries or limits. In French, it can also imply a certain period in time. Like in English, 'à l'intérieur de' is used in both literal and metaphorical contexts.

Example sentences with  à l'intérieur de
à part
aside

The French phrase 'à part' is used to express the concept of something being aside or separate from something else. It can also be used to describe something that is exceptional or out of the ordinary. For example, 'Il a une chambre à part' means 'He has a separate room.' The phrase can also be used in a more abstract sense, such as 'C'est un cas à part' which means 'It's a special case.' In English, 'aside' can also be used to mean 'beside' or 'to one side,' but in French, 'à côté' is used for this meaning.

Example sentences with  à part
à plus tard
See you later

The French phrase 'à plus tard' is often used during parting, equivalent to the English 'see you later'. It is a casual expression and mostly used among friends or people of the same age. It is used when you predict to see the other person later on the same day.

Example sentences with  à plus tard
à qui
whose

The French translation for 'whose' is 'à qui'. It is a possessive pronoun used in questions. It can be used in both formal and informal situations in French. For example, 'à qui est cette voiture?' translates to 'whose car is this?'. Thus, it serves the same purpose as 'whose' in English but follows a slightly different structure in sentences.

Example sentences with  à qui
à travers
through

The French term for 'through' is 'à travers'. It is used in the same context as in English. For instance, when indicating movement from one side to another, or expressing time or intensity. Like doing something 'à travers la journée' which means 'throughout the day'. It can also denote means of accomplishing something. However, It's important to note that prepositions can be tricky in French and sometimes 'through' can be translated differently based on the context.

Example sentences with  à travers
abri
shelter

The French word 'abri' is used to describe a place of refuge or protection, similar to the English word 'shelter'. It can refer to a physical structure, such as a building or a tent, or a more abstract concept, such as a safe haven or a place of security. The word is often used in the context of providing protection from the elements or from danger, and can be used as both a noun and a verb.

Example sentences with  abri
absolument
absolutely

The French word 'absolument' is used in the same way as 'absolutely' in English. It is an adverb that is used to agree completely or to emphasize something. You can use it to express full agreement, or to say that something is entirely true or accurate. Examples include: 'Il est absolument correct' (He's absolutely correct), or 'C'est absolument merveilleux!' (It's absolutely wonderful!).

Example sentences with  absolument
abus
abuse

The French word 'abus' is used to describe the misuse or improper treatment of something. It can refer to physical, emotional, or verbal abuse. It's important to note that 'abus' is a masculine noun, so any accompanying adjectives should be in the masculine form.

Example sentences with  abus
accentuation
emphasis

The French word 'accentuation' can be used similarly to the English word 'emphasis' when talking about stress or importance placed on something, typically in the context of speech or writing. It can also effectively be used in music or art to highlight a particular feature or aspect.

Example sentences with  accentuation
accepter
agree

The French word 'accepter' is used similarly as 'agree' in English. It is mainly used when you want to consent to a proposition or offer made by someone or accept an understanding. However, it can also express the idea of accepting or receiving things or people. Hence, although 'accepter' is not a direct counterpart of 'agree', it is used in most contexts to convey the meaning of agreement.

Example sentences with  accepter
accepter
accept

The French word 'accepter' is used in much the same contexts as the English word 'accept'. It is used to agree to receive or undertake something. It is a regular '-er' verb and must be conjugated depending on the subject and tense.

Example sentences with  accepter
accès
access

The French word 'accès' is used to refer to the ability or permission to enter or make use of something. It can be used in both physical and abstract contexts, such as access to a building or access to information. It is a masculine noun and is pronounced 'ak-say'.

Example sentences with  accès
accident
accident

The French word 'accident' is used similarly to the English word 'accident'. It refers to an unforeseen and unplanned event or circumstance. It can be used in a variety of contexts from car accidents (accident de voiture) to workplace accidents (accident de travail).

Example sentences with  accident
accord
agreement

The French word 'accord' is used to describe a mutual agreement or harmony between two or more parties. It can be used in a variety of contexts, such as legal accords, musical harmony, or a general state of agreement. It is also used in expressions such as 'être d'accord' which means 'to be in agreement'.

Example sentences with  accord
accrocher
hang

The English word 'hang' translates to 'accrocher' in French. It's commonly used to express placing something so that it's attached to a wall, or to float in the air as in hanging a picture, or hanging a mobile. However, it is also used figuratively, like to hang on the phone. The context of the sentence often determines how it's used.

Example sentences with  accrocher
accuser
accuse

The French word 'accuser' is used to express the action of accusing someone of something. It is a transitive verb, which means it requires a direct object to complete its meaning. For example, 'J'accuse mon voisin d'avoir volé mon vélo' (I accuse my neighbor of stealing my bike). It is important to note that 'accuser' can also be used in a more general sense to express the idea of blaming or attributing a fault or wrong to someone or something.

Example sentences with  accuser
acheteur
buyer

The French word "acheteur" is a noun that refers to a person or entity that purchases goods or services. It is often used in a business context, but can also refer to a consumer in a more general sense. The word is derived from the verb "acheter", which means "to buy". In French, the word "acheteur" is typically masculine, but it can also be used in a feminine form, "acheteuse", to refer to a female buyer.

Example sentences with  acheteur
acteur
actor

The French word 'acteur' is used in the same way as the English word 'actor'. It is used to refer to a male person who performs in plays, movies, or television shows. The feminine form of the word 'acteur' is 'actrice', which is used to refer to a female actor.

Example sentences with  acteur
action
action

In French, the word 'action' is used similarly to its usage in English by referring to the act of doing something or a thing done. It can be used in various contexts such as in movies and films (action movie), in sports (action in a game), and in finance (action - stock). Just like in English, it can also be used to describe the process of doing something to achieve something else.

Example sentences with  action
activité
activity

The French word 'activité' directly translates to 'activity' in English. It's used in similar context to describe action or tasks. It can refer to any kind of physical or mental occupation or pursuit. For example, 'Activité physique' means 'Physical activity'. In the plural form, 'activités' can also mean different types of events or hobbies.

Example sentences with  activité
actrice
actress

The French word 'actrice' corresponds to the English word 'actress'. It refers to a female who performs in plays, movies or television shows. In a sentence, you could say 'Elle est une actrice célèbre', which means, 'She is a famous actress.'

Example sentences with  actrice
adapter
adapt

The French verb 'adapter' is used in the same way as the English verb 'adapt'. It means to make something suitable for a new use or purpose, often by modifying it. For example, you might say 'Il a dû adapter son discours à son public' (He had to adapt his speech to his audience).

Example sentences with  adapter
addition
addition

In French, 'addition' is used quite similarly to English, often in mathematical contexts. However, it can also mean 'bill', as in the restaurant bill.

Example sentences with  addition
adhésion
membership

The French word 'adhésion' corresponds to 'membership' in English. It is commonly used in the context of joining a group, club, or organization. For instance, 'J'ai une adhésion à la bibliothèque' means 'I have a membership at the library'.

Example sentences with  adhésion
admettre
admit

The French word 'admettre' is used to express the idea of acknowledging or accepting something as true or valid. It can also mean to allow or permit something to happen. For example, 'Il admet qu'il a tort' means 'He admits that he is wrong.' In a more formal context, it can be used to express the idea of admitting someone into a group or organization, such as 'Elle a été admise à l'université' which means 'She was admitted to the university.'

Example sentences with  admettre
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