French French

Vocab Builder for commonly used words in French.

quel
which

The French term 'quel' translates to 'which' in English. It is used in questions or statements to indicate a limited set of choices or potential options. For instance, if you want to ask 'Which book are you reading?', you would say 'Quel livre lis-tu?' in French. It's prevalent in both spoken and written French, and the usage mirrors that of the English word 'which'.

Example sentences with  quel
quelqu'un
someone

The French word for 'someone' is 'quelqu'un'. It is used the same way it is in English, to refer to an unspecified person. The term 'quelqu'un' is predominantly used in most of the conversations to represent a person whose identity is not known or not specifically mentioned. An example of its usage in a sentence is: 'Je cherche quelqu'un qui peut m'aider', which translates to, 'I'm looking for someone who can help me.'

Example sentences with  quelqu'un
quelque chose
something

The French word 'quelque chose' translates directly to 'something' in English. It is typically used in the same contexts as the English word - to refer to an undefined or unspecified thing. For example, if you want to say 'I want something' in French, you would say 'Je veux quelque chose'.

Example sentences with  quelque chose
quelques
some

The French word 'quelques' is used similarly as 'some' in English. It is used when the exact number is not known, or it is not important or relevant to know. For example, you might say 'J'ai quelques amis' which translates to 'I have some friends'. It is also important to note that 'quelques' is always used before a plural noun.

Example sentences with  quelques
question
question

The French word 'question' is used in the same way it is used in English. It can refer to a sentence phrase designed to get information or a specific matter of discussion. However, when it comes to grammar, it often follows the verb-subject-object order, unlike the English subject-verb-object rule. So, in French, you might say 'Pourquoi aimes-tu le football?' which translates to 'Why do you like football?' in English. But literally translated, it means, 'Why like-you the football?'

Example sentences with  question
quoi
what

The French word 'quoi' stands for the English word 'what'. It is often used in forming or answering questions. Similar to the English equivalent, 'quoi' can either be used to ask for specific information ('Quoi est-ce? — What is it?') or to express surprise or disbelief ('Quoi? — What?'). Note that the word ’quoi’ is generally used in informal speech; in formal writing or speech, 'que' or 'quel(le)' is more commonly used.

Example sentences with  quoi
quoi de neuf
What's up?

In French, 'quoi de neuf' is a casual greeting typically used among friends. It translates literally to 'What's new?' in English, but is used more often in the same ways as English speakers would use 'What's up?'. This phrase is informal so it should not be used in formal or professional situations. It can also be a way of asking someone 'What's happening?' or 'What's going on?'

Example sentences with  quoi de neuf
raison
reason

The term 'raison' in French translates to 'reason' in English. It can be used in a variety of contexts in French, such as philosophical debates, logical discussions, or casual conversations. It is used to express the cause, explanation, or justification of an action or event, similar to its English counterpart.

Example sentences with  raison
rapidement
quickly

The French word 'rapidement' translates to 'quickly' in English. It is an adverb which describes the speed of an action. Just like in English, it is used in French to modify verbs. For example, in the sentence 'Elle court rapidement', which means 'She runs quickly', 'rapidement' is used to express how quickly she runs.

Example sentences with  rapidement
rapport
report

The French word 'rapport' translates to 'report' in English. It is used in the French language to refer to detailed accounts or statements about a particular matter or occurrence, similar to how 'report' is used in English. This may include formal reports for school, workplace reports, or informational reports in journalism.

Example sentences with  rapport
rassemblement
gathering

The French word 'rassemblement' is used to describe a group of people coming together, just like 'gathering' in English. It can be used in various contexts, such as a social gathering (rassemblement social), a political gathering (rassemblement politique), or a family gathering (rassemblement familial).

Example sentences with  rassemblement
réaliser
realize

The French word 'réaliser' is similar to English's 'realize', but has a broader range of use. 'Réaliser' is often used to express the idea of understanding a concept, similar to 'realize' (J'ai réalisé qu'elle avait raison - I realized she was right). However, it can also mean carry out or accomplish, as in the case of a task or goal (J'ai réalisé mon rêve - I achieved my dream). So it is important to consider the context when translating 'réaliser'.

Example sentences with  réaliser
réalité
reality

The French word for reality is 'réalité'. It is used in much the same way as in English. It can denote the state of things as they actually are, rather than as they are imagined or desired to be. It can also refer to a thing that is actually experienced or seen. Note that in French, all nouns have a gender, and 'réalité' is feminine.

Example sentences with  réalité
récemment
recently

The French word for 'recently' is 'récemment'. It is used in a similar way as in English, to indicate that something has happened in the recent past. But remember that, in French, adverbs typically follow the verb they modify. For example, 'I recently bought a car' can be translated as 'J'ai acheté une voiture récemment'.

Example sentences with  récemment
récents
recent

The French word 'récents' translates to 'recent' in English. It is used in the same way as in English, to describe something that has happened or been created not long ago. Its plural form is used to agree with plural nouns. For singular and feminine forms, the word becomes 'récent' or 'récente' respectively.

Example sentences with  récents
recevoir
receive

Recevoir is the French equivalent of the English word 'receive'. It's commonly used in conversational and written French. This verb is used to indicate the action of receiving something, such as an item or a service. For example, 'Je vais recevoir une lettre demain', which means 'I will receive a letter tomorrow'. Keep in mind that this is an irregular verb, so pay close attention to its different forms.

Example sentences with  recevoir
recherche
research

The French word for 'research' is 'recherche'. It can be used in a variety of contexts, such as in academia or professional work. It can refer to the systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions, just like in English. For example, 'Je fais une recherche sur ce sujet' means 'I am doing research on this topic'.

Example sentences with  recherche
reconnaissance
gratefulness

The word 'reconnaissance' refers to the feeling of being thankful or appreciative in French. It is often used to express gratitude for a kindness or benefit one has received, similar to how gratefulness is used in English.

Example sentences with  reconnaissance
reconnaître
recognize

The French word 'reconnaître' corresponds to 'recognize' in English. This is a regularly used verb in the French language. It is generally used to express the act of remembering, confirming the identity of something or admitting the truth or existence of something. For example, Je reconnais cette maison, which translates to, I recognize this house.

Example sentences with  reconnaître
rédemption
redemption

The French word 'rédemption' is used in the same contexts as in English. It may refer to the action of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil. Also, it can mean the action of regaining or gaining possession of something in exchange for payment, or clearing a debt.

Example sentences with  rédemption
réduire
reduce

The French word for 'reduce' is 'réduire'. It is a verb used in similar contexts as in English such as reducing size, quantity, quality, etc. For instance, 'Je vais réduire le sucre dans mon café' means 'I will reduce the sugar in my coffee'. It can also be used to express the idea of simplifying a difficult or complex situation.

Example sentences with  réduire
réel
real

The French word 'réel' translates to 'real' in English. It is used in a similar context as in English, to denote something that is not imaginary or theoretical, but actually existing. It can also mean 'serious' or 'considerable' in some contexts. It is generally used as an adjective in a sentence.

Example sentences with  réel
réflexion
reflection

In French, 'réflexion' has similar usages to English. It can mean a reflective surface bouncing back light or imagery, a thoughtful process, or a contemplative state. It can be used both in a literal and figurative sense.

Example sentences with  réflexion
regarder
look

The French word 'regarder' equates to 'look' in English. It is commonly used when asking someone to examine or gaze at something or someone. Regardless of the context, whether instructing, requesting or merely suggesting, French speakers use 'regarder' to command one's attention visually, in the same manner that 'look' is used in English.

Example sentences with  regarder
région
region

The word in French for 'region' is 'région'. It is used in the same context as in English and refers to a specific geographic area that can be distinguished from other areas due to its characteristics, natural features or political division. The word 'région' is used across different settings in France, including administrative, geographical, political, and more.

Example sentences with  région
règle
rule

The French word 'règle' corresponds to 'rule' in English. It can be used in various contexts such as literal rules or guidelines to follow, a regular or standard procedure, measurement tool, or even in mathematical context just like its English counterpart. Always pay attention to the context as it might alter the word's meaning.

Example sentences with  règle
réjouissance
revelry

The French word 'réjouissance' is used to talk about celebrations or festivities with great joy and merriment. It can be used in different contexts, such as parties, holidays, or any joyful gathering.

Example sentences with  réjouissance
relation
relationship

The French word 'relation' is used in the same way as the English word 'relationship'. It can refer to any kind of connection between two or more entities, whether it be personal relationships between people, a relationship between different concepts, etc. It's important to note that in French 'relation' is a feminine noun, so any adjectives used with it need to agree in gender.

Example sentences with  relation
remorque
trailer

The French word for 'trailer' is 'remorque'. It can be used in various contexts, but is usually associated with a movable object that is hitched to the back of a vehicle for transport. Just like in English, 'remorque' can also refer to a trailer for movies or TV series in French, though this usage is less common.

Example sentences with  remorque
remplir
fill

The word 'remplir' in French means 'fill' in English. This verb is used in French much as it is in English, to indicate the action of making something full. This can refer to filling physical objects, like a cup or a tank with water, or non-physical things, like filling a form or a duty. It is a versatile word used in a variety of contexts.

Example sentences with  remplir
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