French
Vocab Builder for commonly used words in French.
carte
The French word 'carte' translates to 'card' in English. It is used quite similarly to how it's used in English, like in the context of a business card ('carte de visite'), a playing card ('carte à jouer'), or a menu card in a restaurant ('carte du jour'). It's pronounced kahrt.
Example sentences with carte →cas
The French word 'cas' is used similarly to the English 'case'. It can suggest a particular situation or event, as well as a legal investigation. But be careful, in French 'cas' does not mean a box or a container, for that the word 'boîte' is used.
Example sentences with cas →casse-noisette
The word 'casse-noisette' is used in French just like the English 'nutcracker'. It is primarily a tool for cracking nuts. However, it is also famous as the title of a well-known ballet by Tchaikovsky, 'Le Casse-Noisette'.
Example sentences with casse-noisette →casser
The French word for 'break' is 'casser'. It usually refers to the action of breaking, fracturing, smashing or cracking something. However, it is not used in the context of taking a break – for that, 'faire une pause' is used in French. Like the English 'break', 'casser' can also be used in many idiomatic expressions in French.
Example sentences with casser →cause
The French word 'cause' is similar to its English counterpart 'cause'. It is used as a noun to refer to the origin or reason for something. However, it can also be used as a verb in some contexts equivalent to 'to cause'. Just like in English, it's used both in a legal context about a court cause, or to talk about the cause of events or phenomena. It's pronounced as koz.
Example sentences with cause →ce soir
The phrase 'ce soir' directly translates to 'this evening' in English, but it is commonly used to mean 'tonight'. It is widely used in daily conversation in French-speaking countries and is appropriate to use in both casual and formal contexts.
Example sentences with ce soir →ceci
The French word 'ceci' is commonly used to refer to something that is close to the speaker. It's generally used in a similar context that 'this' would be used in English. Remember, in French, all nouns have a gender so 'ceci' should match the gender and number of the noun it is paired with.
Example sentences with ceci →célébration
The French word 'célébration' is used similarly to how 'celebration' is used in English. One could use it with parties, festivities, or other events where there is a sense of happiness and commemoration. For example, 'La célébration de son anniversaire est la semaine prochaine' translates to 'Her birthday celebration is next week'.
Example sentences with célébration →cellule
The French word for 'cell' is 'cellule.' It can be used in the same contexts as it is in English, including referring to biological cells, the smallest unit of life, or rooms in a prison. It can also be used metaphorically in different contexts.
Example sentences with cellule →central
The word 'central' in French is still 'central'. It is used almost identically to English, working as both an adjective and a noun. As an adjective, it is most commonly used to describe something that is in or near the middle of a space; of chief importance. As a noun, it can refer to a main telephone exchange.
Example sentences with central →centre
The French translation for 'center' is 'centre'. This word is commonly used in phrases such as 'le centre de la ville' meaning 'the city center'. Just like in English, it is used to describe the middle point of something, or a gathering place or hub. Note that unlike English, French uses European spelling conventions, hence 'centre' instead of 'center'.
Example sentences with centre →cependant
The French word 'cependant' is equivalent to 'however' in English. It is usually used as a conjunction to join two contrasting ideas, similar in usage to 'but' and 'yet'. Just like 'however', 'cependant' marks a new idea that slightly contradicts or adds complexity to the preceding statement.
Example sentences with cependant →cercle d'amis
In French, 'cercle d'amis' is used to refer to a close group of friends. It can be used in various contexts, just like in English. For instance, you can say 'Mon cercle d'amis est très important pour moi', which means 'My circle of friends is very important to me'.
Example sentences with cercle d'amis →certain
In French, 'certain' is used similarly to how it is used in English, to express that something is known for sure, without any doubts. It can also be used in the plural form, 'certains', to mean 'some'. It can be used before a noun or on its own, such as 'Je suis certain' which translates to 'I am certain' in English.
Example sentences with certain →certainement
The word 'certainement' in French is an adverb that is used to affirm, confirm or assure something. It is equivalent to the English word 'certainly', and is typically used in a similar context. For example, when asked if they are coming to a party, a French speaker might respond with 'oui, certainement', or 'yes, certainly'. This confirms a positive response and provides a high degree of certainty.
Example sentences with certainement →cerveau
In French, 'cerveau' is the equivalent of the English word 'brain'. It is used in the same way as in English, referring to the organ ‘brain’. It can also be metaphorically used to denote 'intelligence' or 'smart person', similarly to English. For instance, 'Il est le cerveau de l'operation' translates to 'He is the brain of the operation'.
Example sentences with cerveau →ces
The French word 'ces' translates to 'these' in English. It is used to refer to multiple objects or people that are close to the speaker. For instance, to indicate 'these books', one would say 'ces livres' in French.
Example sentences with ces →ceux
The French word 'ceux' translates to 'those' in English. It is a demonstrative pronoun used in French to point out or refer to specific things or people that are masculine and plural. It can be used in sentences to either stand in for things/people mentioned previously, or to introduce those that will be described more fully in the following text. For instance, 'Ceux qui travaillent dur réussissent souvent' translates as 'Those who work hard often succeed'.
Example sentences with ceux →chaise
The French word for chair is 'chaise'. This word is used similarly to how it's used in English, referring to a piece of furniture designed for one person to sit on. It can be used in various contexts, whether you're talking about the furniture in your home or a seat in a public space.
Example sentences with chaise →chaleur
The French word 'chaleur' is used to express the term 'warmth' in English. It is mostly used to describe the warmth of the temperature, or a sensation of heat, and could also be used metaphorically to express affection and kindness, similar to how we use 'warmth' in English. Example in a sentence: 'La chaleur de son accueil nous a réchauffés.' which translates as 'The warmth of his welcome warmed us up.'
Example sentences with chaleur →chambre
The French word for 'room' is 'chambre'. It is often used in the same context as in English. It refers to a part of the structure in a building which is enclosed and usually has a door, such as a bedroom (chambre à coucher), living room (salle de séjour) or dining room (salle à manger). Note that 'chambre' is feminine, so it would be 'la chambre' in definite form.
Example sentences with chambre →champ
The French word for 'field' is 'champ'. It can be used in multiple contexts, similar to English. For example, you can use 'champ' to reference a physical field (e.g. I am standing in the 'champ') or a field of study (e.g. he is an expert in his 'champ'). Use it as you use 'field' in English.
Example sentences with champ →champagne
In both English and French, 'champagne' refers to the sparkling wine made from grapes grown in the Champagne region of France. It's commonly used in celebrations like New Year's Eve and weddings. The French usage of 'champagne' is identical to the English usage.
Example sentences with champagne →chance
In French, 'chance' has a similar meaning to its English translation, often referring to luck or fortune. It can be used in a variety of contexts, though, such as in the phrase 'Bonne chance!' which means 'Good luck!' It's also used in certain expressions like 'par chance' meaning 'fortunately' or 'by chance.'
Example sentences with chance →Changé
The French word 'Changé' corresponds to the English term 'change'. It is quintessential to understand that it is often used in the context of physical or emotional transformation, alternation, or evolution. For instance, 'J'ai changé de maison' would imply 'I changed my house'. However, the context of usage may vary, and it's crucial to identify the conjugation form and the grammar structure associated with the sentence.
Example sentences with Changé →chanson
The French word for song is 'chanson'. It is used in the same way as in English, to describe a short piece of music with words. It could be a part of a musical, movie, or sung by a choir. It's also used colloquially to describe popular music tracks.
Example sentences with chanson →chaque
The French word 'chaque' is used similarly to the English word 'every', describing a group of items individually. For example, in the sentence 'chaque jour est un nouveau défi' means 'every day is a new challenge'. It can be used with time, events, people, objects, etc, much like its English counterpart.
Example sentences with chaque →charge
The French word 'charge' is similar to the English 'charge' but it can have different meanings based on context. It can mean a responsibility or duty, as in 'J'ai beaucoup de charges à la maison' (I have lots of responsibilities at home). It also can refer to a load or a burden, as in a physical object being carried. Just like in English, 'charge' in French can also refer to a financial cost or fee. Its usage depends on the context within sentences.
Example sentences with charge →chat
In French, 'chat' is used to refer to a cat. It is a common noun and can be used in various contexts. Just like in English, it can be used to identify the common household pet. It is also masculine, so when describing a cat, use male adjectives.
Example sentences with chat →cheminée
The word 'cheminée' in French is used to refer to a fireplace in English. It is a common feature in many homes, often found in the living room. Just like in English, 'cheminée' can also refer to the flue or chimney that allows smoke to exit the home.
Example sentences with cheminée →