French vocabulary: upper intermediate (B2)
The 168 words and phrases taught in the upper intermediate chapters, in the order the course teaches them. Press ▶ to hear each one.
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1. Discussing and debating
From chapter 1: learn these words in context
- le portablemobile phone · short for
- le copain / la copinefriend, mate (informal) · also boyfriend / girlfriend:
- bien quealthough · + subjunctive:
- pourtantand yet, however
- risquer deto be likely to, may (something bad) · : he may feel left out
- exclu / exclueleft out, excluded
- le sommeilsleep · : to sleep
- laisse-moi finirlet me finish · with
- l'oreillerpillow · masculine
- en revancheon the other hand
- le collègesecondary school (ages 11 to 15) · not a university college
- même sieven if, even though · + indicative:
- convaincu / convaincueconvinced
- facile à direeasy to say, easy for you to say · : easy; : difficult
2. Work in depth
From chapter 2: learn these words in context
- le devisquote, estimate (for a job)
- élevé / élevéehigh (a price, a number)
- baisserto lower; to go down · : to lower the price by ten per cent
- commanderto order (goods, a meal) · : the order
- au lieu deinstead of
- l'atelierworkshop · masculine
- le délaideadline, time allowed · a delay is
- imprimerto print
- d'iciby (a date), between now and · : by the 20th
- apprécierto appreciate, to like
- la livraisondelivery · : to deliver; : delivery driver
- se tromperto make a mistake · : to go to the wrong address
- s'occuper deto take care of, to deal with · : I'll deal with it
- en congéon leave, off work
3. Film, books and media
From chapter 3: learn these words in context
- plaireto please · : did you like it? : I like it
- le romannovel · : book
- d'ailleursin fact, besides, by the way
- pleurerto cry
- fidèlefaithful
- dans l'ensembleon the whole
- découvrirto discover, to find out · like : ,
- mentirto lie (tell lies) · like : ; past participle
- la finthe end, the ending
- à l'oralin speech, when speaking · : in writing; : hardly ever
- en tout casanyway, in any case
- prêterto lend · : will you lend it to me?
- prévenirto warn; to let (someone) know · like :
- lâcherto let go of, to put down · : a book you can't put down
4. Science and technology
From chapter 4: learn these words in context
- piraterto hack · : hacker; also pirate
- le mailemail · also ; the official word is
- cliquer surto click on
- le lienlink
- le mot de passepassword
- faux / faussefalse, fake · : a fake
- l'hameçonnagephishing · masculine; many people also say
- ressembler àto look like
- taperto type; to hit
- enregistrerto record, to save
- l'idiot / l'idioteidiot · : what an idiot (I am)!
- se faire avoirto be taken in, to get conned · informal
- de plus en plusmore and more · : better and better
- tout de suitestraight away, right now
5. Society and the environment
From chapter 5: learn these words in context
- bienvenuewelcome · : welcome to our programme
- l'émissionprogramme (on radio or TV) · feminine
- la sécheressedrought
- le viticulteur / la viticultricewinegrower
- craindreto fear, to be afraid · ; + subjunctive
- s'aggraverto get worse
- la moitiéhalf
- la récolteharvest
- la vignevine; vineyard · : vineyards
- en être làto be in this situation · : I wouldn't be in this situation
- l'auditeur / l'auditricelistener
- l'agriculteur / l'agricultricefarmer
- récupérerto collect, to get back · : rainwater
- reprendreto take over (a business); to take back · like
6. Public life
From chapter 6: learn these words in context
- le conseil municipaltown council · / : councillor
- le projetplan, project · : the swimming pool plan
- la piscineswimming pool
- voterto vote; to pass (a law, a plan) · : the plan was approved
- la voixvote; voice · : thirty votes to twelve
- contreagainst
- déclarerto state, to declare
- affirmerto state firmly, to claim
- dénoncerto criticise publicly, to condemn
- compter…to intend to (do something) · + infinitive: , how he intended to pay for the work
- financerto fund, to pay for
- promettreto promise · like : past participle
- ajouterto add
- la citationquote, quotation
7. Education and learning
From chapter 7: learn these words in context
- l'orientationchoice of studies or career; guidance · feminine
- l'apprentissageapprenticeship; learning · masculine
- la notemark, grade (at school)
- s'ennuyerto be bored ·
- la fautefault; mistake · , in speech often : it's my fault
- se reprocherto blame yourself · : don't blame yourself
- le bacthe baccalauréat (exam at the end of the lycée) · : to pass the bac
- l'échecfailure · masculine; : on the contrary
- obtenirto get, to obtain (a diploma) · like , but with :
- la voietrack, path · : to change direction
- le stagework placement, internship
- écouterto listen (to)
- conseillerto advise · + infinitive
- rassuré / rassuréereassured
8. Idioms and everyday speech
From chapter 8: learn these words in context
- avoir une petite mineto look tired, to look unwell · : the look on someone's face
- poser un lapin à quelqu'unto stand someone up
- laisser tomberto drop (it), to forget (it) · : forget it
- en valoir la peineto be worth it · : he's not worth it
- ne m'en parle pasdon't get me started, don't talk to me about it
- le chef / la cheffeboss · also chef (in a kitchen)
- mettre des bâtons dans les rouesto put obstacles in someone's way
- en avoir assezto have had enough · ; more familiar:
- mettre les points sur les ito make things clear
- oserto dare
- quoi de neuf ?what's new?
- génial / génialegreat, brilliant
- l'apérodrinks and nibbles before dinner · masculine; short for
- remonter le moral à quelqu'unto cheer someone up
9. Humour and informal language
From chapter 9: learn these words in context
- bosserto work (familiar)
- crevé / crevéeshattered, exhausted (familiar) · also : punctured (a tyre)
- rangerto tidy, to put away ·
- les fringuesclothes (familiar) · feminine plural
- le boulotjob, work (familiar)
- le patron / la patronneboss, owner (of a café, a shop)
- relouannoying, a pain (familiar) · verlan for
- chelouweird, dodgy (familiar) · verlan for
- le verlanback slang, words said backwards
- à l'enversbackwards, upside down, inside out
- ringard / ringardeold-fashioned, uncool (familiar)
- fauché / fauchéebroke (familiar)
- la balleeuro (familiar); ball · : twenty euros
- le bouquinbook (familiar)
10. Formal writing
From chapter 10: learn these words in context
- la réclamationcomplaint (formal) · : to make a complaint
- le fournisseursupplier
- formulerto word, to express
- facturerto charge, to invoice · : the bill
- se permettre deto take the liberty of · : I am writing to you
- poli / poliepolite
- constaterto notice, to note
- à plusieurs reprisesseveral times, repeatedly · : three times
- oryet, however (in writing) · introduces a fact that (causes a problem)
- aucun / aucuneno, not any · with : : I have received no reply
- justementexactly, precisely; that's just it
- par conséquentconsequently, therefore
- corrigerto correct ·
- saisirto refer a matter to (an authority); to seize · : to go to the ombudsman
11. Giving a presentation
From chapter 11: learn these words in context
- nombreux / nombreusemany, numerous · : thank you for coming in such numbers
- actuel / actuellecurrent, present · not “actual”
- la piste cyclablecycle lane
- le calendriertimetable, schedule; calendar
- le trajetjourney, trip (from one place to another)
- traverserto cross
- en toute sécuritéin complete safety · : safety
- étroit / étroitenarrow
- au bout deat the end of
- le piéton / la piétonnepedestrian
- prioritairehaving priority · : to have priority
- le commerçant / la commerçanteshopkeeper
- en ligneonline
- volontiersyes please, gladly · a polite way to accept an offer
12. Final review
From chapter 12: learn these words in context
- ça fait une éternitéit's been ages · : an eternity
- les fêtesfestival, celebrations · : the Bayonne summer festival
- prendre sa retraiteto retire · : retirement
- l'ingénieur / l'ingénieureengineer
- en même tempsat the same time; then again
- foncerto go for it; to rush · : go for it! (informal)
- se planterto fail, to get it wrong (familiar)
- pas forcémentnot necessarily
- formerto train (someone) · : to get trained
- n'importe quel / quelleany · : not just any bakery
- le compagnon / la compagnepartner (in a couple)
- quoi quewhatever · + subjunctive:
- offrir un verreto buy someone a drink · : to offer, to give (a present); like
- à viefor life
Other levels: Beginner (A1) · Elementary (A2) · Intermediate (B1)