French vocabulary: elementary (A2)
The 162 words and phrases taught in the elementary chapters, in the order the course teaches them. Press ▶ to hear each one.
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1. Talking about the past
From chapter 1: learn these words in context
- passer un bon week-endto have a good weekend · means “to spend” (time)
- je suis allé / je suis alléeI went (said by a man / a woman)
- en voitureby car · : by train
- partirto leave · / : I left
- la crêpecrêpe, thin pancake
- hier soirlast night, yesterday evening
- qu'est-ce que tu as fait ?what did you do?
- pas grand-chosenot much
- voirto see · past participle:
- venirto come · : they came
- dînerto have dinner · also a noun: , dinner
- resterto stay
- dernier / dernièrelast
- il y a deux jourstwo days ago · + a length of time means “ago”
2. Travel and hotels
From chapter 2: learn these words in context
- réserverto book, to reserve · : I've booked
- la nuitnight
- au nom de…in the name of…
- du… au…from… to… (with dates)
- l'étagefloor, storey · masculine:
- le petit-déjeunerbreakfast
- compris / compriseincluded
- il est serviit's served
- la salleroom (for meals or meetings) · a bedroom is
- la climatisationair conditioning
- ne marche pasisn't working
- changer de chambreto change rooms
- est-ce que vous pourriez… ?could you…? (polite)
- bonne soiréehave a good evening
3. At the doctor's
From chapter 3: learn these words in context
- asseyez-voussit down (polite)
- qu'est-ce qui ne va pas ?what's the matter?
- avoir mal à…to have a pain in…, … hurts · : I've got a headache
- la gorgethroat
- depuissince, for (a length of time)
- la fièvrefever, temperature
- quelque chosesomething, anything
- encorestill, again
- ouvrez la boucheopen your mouth · : mouth
- graveserious
- le rhumecold (illness)
- se reposerto rest
- à la maisonat home
- l'ordonnanceprescription · feminine:
4. Home and housing
From chapter 4: learn these words in context
- grand / grandebig, large
- plus… quemore… than
- clair / clairebright, light
- le loyerrent
- centa hundred · : 950
- par moisa month, per month
- les chargesservice charges · : charges included
- cher / chèreexpensive
- l'autrethe other one
- moins… queless… than, not as… as
- le quartierneighbourhood, area
- calmequiet, calm
- le magasinshop
- la boulangeriebakery
5. Work and studies
From chapter 5: learn these words in context
- étudierto study
- pendantfor, during
- aprèsafter
- les étudesstudies
- le / la réceptionnistereceptionist
- j'étaisI was · imparfait of
- c'était comment ?what was it like?
- intéressant / intéressanteinteresting
- le client / la clientecustomer, guest
- pourquoi ?why?
- le marihusband · : wife, woman
- nouveau / nouvellenew · goes before the noun:
- maintenantnow
- l'agence de voyagestravel agency · feminine:
6. Weather and seasons
From chapter 6: learn these words in context
- allô ?hello? (on the phone)
- papadad
- quel temps il fait ?what's the weather like?
- il fait beauit's nice, the weather's good
- le soleilsun
- la météoweather forecast
- le degrédegree
- il neigeit's snowing · future:
- en montagnein the mountains
- faire du skito go skiing
- avoir besoin deto need
- le manteaucoat
- chaud / chaudewarm, hot
- d'accordOK, all right
7. Clothes and shopping
From chapter 7: learn these words in context
- je peux vous aider ?can I help you?
- chercherto look for · : I'll go and get it
- la vestejacket
- en bleuin blue
- ouor · , with an accent, means “where”
- la taillesize
- je fais du 50I'm a (size) 50
- essayerto try, to try on
- la cabinechanging room
- un peua bit, a little
- le pulljumper
- en soldesin the sale, reduced
- payer par carteto pay by card
8. Plans and invitations
From chapter 8: learn these words in context
- ça te dit de… ?do you fancy…?, how about…? (to a friend)
- le concertconcert
- le parcpark
- gratuit / gratuitefree (no cost) · means free (not busy, not taken)
- l'anniversairebirthday, birthday party · masculine
- dommageshame, pity
- et si on… ?how about…?, shall we…? · + imparfait: …
- je veux bienI'd like that, yes please
- on y vashall we go?, let's go
- se retrouverto meet (up)
- attendswait (to a friend) · from (A1 chapter 7)
- plutôtrather, instead
9. Directions and transport
From chapter 9: learn these words in context
- l'aller-retourreturn ticket · masculine; : single ticket
- je parsI'm leaving · present of
- prochain / prochainenext
- le changementchange (of trains)
- le retourreturn, the journey back
- direct / directedirect
- la voietrack, platform (number)
- regardezlook (polite)
- l'écranscreen · masculine
- attentionbe careful, watch out
- avoir dix minutes de retardto be ten minutes late
- avoir le temps deto have time to
- ne vous inquiétez pasdon't worry (polite)
- descendreto get off, to go down
10. Describing people
From chapter 10: learn these words in context
- mamiegrandma · : grandad
- porterto wear
- les lunettesglasses · feminine plural
- le grand-père / la grand-mèregrandfather / grandmother
- minceslim
- les cheveuxhair · always plural
- la modefashion
- les yeuxeyes · one eye:
- il était comment ?what was he like?
- au débutat first
- à côté de luinext to him
- se rencontrerto meet (each other)
- le baldance (event)
- oublierto forget
11. Phone calls and messages
From chapter 11: learn these words in context
- la sociétécompany
- parler àto speak to
- c'est de la part de qui ?who's calling?
- ne quittez pashold on, hold the line
- en réunionin a meeting
- lui(to) him, (to) her
- laisser un messageto leave a message
- direto say, to tell · : to tell someone
- rappelerto call back
- épelerto spell
- le nomname, surname · first name:
- donnerto give
12. A weekend away
From chapter 12: learn these words in context
- partir en week-endto go away for the weekend
- visiterto visit (a place) · for people, use
- le châteaucastle, château
- ensome, any, of it, of them · : I bought three (of them)
- beau / bellebeautiful, lovely · before a vowel:
- il y avaitthere was, there were
- beaucoup de mondea lot of people, crowded
- il pleuvaitit was raining
- connaîtreto know (a person or a place) · : you know
- l'adresseaddress · feminine
- envoyerto send · : I'll send you
- le vinwine
- il y en a un / unethere's one (of them)
Other levels: Beginner (A1) · Intermediate (B1) · Upper intermediate (B2)