advanced french essay phrases

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Writing essays in French Cheat Sheet by JAM

Useful expressions to help structure your A level French essay.

Introd­ucing the first argument

Adding and listing arguments, listing arguments - start, listing arguments - middle, listing arguments - end, indicating the reason for something, expressing contrast / concession, introd­ucing one's own point of view, in conclusion, how's your readability.

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• Languages: English français (French)
• Published: 21st September, 2013
• Last Updated: 26th February, 2020
• Rated: 5 out of 5 stars based on 9 ratings

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these are very helpful thank you

Simple et utile, j'aime.

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Write an essay in French

Beyond the fact that writing an essay in French can be a good practice to improve your writing, you may also be asked to write one during your schooling. So, it is important to study the topic of French essay writing and get some useful tips..

» Tips and tricks for your French essay » The structure of a French essay » Sample French Essay

Tips and tricks for your French essay

When writing a French essay for school, you should always use a structured approach and good French skills to present your arguments in a focused way. Beyond French skills, there are also important formal requirements for a successful French essay. We will come back to this in detail later. First, you will find some useful tips and tricks that will help you write more compelling and better French essays in the future.

• Have a clear thesis and structure
• Do sufficient research and use reliable sources
• Use examples and arguments to support your thesis
• Avoid plagiarism and cite correctly
• Always check structure, grammar and spelling

When you write your essay at school or university, you need to make sure that the general structure of your essay, the presentation of the arguments and, above all, your French language skills play a role in the mark you will get. This is why you should definitely take a closer look at the structure of an essay as well as the most important grammar rules and formulations for French essays.

The structure of a French essay

In an essay, you deal at length and in detail with a usually given topic. When you write an essay in French, you must follow a certain structure. Below we show you what this structure looks like and give you some tips for writing the most important parts of your essay.

The Introduction

The introduction prepares the main body of your essay. You think of a meaningful title for your essay, you describe your thesis or your question, you give general information on the subject and you prepare your argument by giving an overview of your most important arguments.

Below are examples and phrases that you can use to write the introduction to your essay in French.

The title should be meaningful, concise and reflect the content of the essay.

Introductory paragraph

The first paragraph of your French essay should briefly introduce the topic and engage the reader. Here are some examples to help you write your essay:

Proposal or question

The central proposition or question of your French essay should be a clear and concise definition of the purpose of the essay. Use these examples to get a clearer idea of ​​how to write theses in French:

Overview of Arguments and Structure

At the end of your introduction, describe the structure of the main part of your essay (your outline) and outline your argument. Here are some French expressions that will certainly help you write your essay:

The body of your essay

The main part of your French essay deals with the given topic in detail. The subject is studied from all angles. The main body of your essay follows a thread of argument and discusses in detail the main arguments of your thesis previously made in the introduction.

In the body of the text, you should discuss the subject of your essay in clear and concise language. To achieve this, we give you some wording aids as well as vocabulary and phrases that you can use to write your essay in French.

Formulation tools:

French vocabulary for essays.

In the conclusion of your French essay, you address the thesis of your essay, summarize the main points of your discussion in the main body, and draw a conclusion. On the basis of the arguments and the resulting conclusions, you formulate in the conclusion of your dissertation final thoughts and suggestions for the future. It is important that you do not add new information or new arguments. This should only be done in the body of your text.

Here are some wording guides to help you write your essay in French:

Sample French Essay

Les avantages des voyages linguistiques

Malgré les difficultés potentielles, les voyages linguistiques offrent aux apprenants une occasion unique d'améliorer leurs compétences linguistiques et de découvrir de nouvelles cultures, ce qui en fait un investissement précieux pour leur développement personnel et académique.

Les séjours linguistiques sont des voyages organisés dans le but d'améliorer les compétences linguistiques des participants. Ces voyages peuvent se dérouler dans le pays ou à l'étranger et durer d'un week-end à plusieurs semaines. L'un des principaux avantages des séjours linguistiques est l'immersion. Entourés de locuteurs natifs, les apprenants sont contraints de pratiquer et d'améliorer leurs compétences linguistiques dans des situations réelles.Il s'agit d'une méthode d'apprentissage beaucoup plus efficace que le simple fait d'étudier une langue dans une salle de classe.

Un autre avantage des séjours linguistiques est l'expérience culturelle. Voyager dans un nouveau pays permet aux apprenants de découvrir de nouvelles coutumes, traditions et modes de vie, et de se familiariser avec l'histoire et la culture du pays. Cela enrichit non seulement l'expérience d'apprentissage de la langue, mais contribue également à élargir les horizons et à accroître la sensibilisation culturelle.

Cependant, les séjours linguistiques peuvent également présenter des inconvénients. Par exemple, le coût du voyage et de l'hébergement peut être élevé, en particulier pour les séjours de longue durée. En outre, les apprenants peuvent être confrontés à la barrière de la langue ou à un choc culturel, ce qui peut être difficile à surmonter. Le coût et les difficultés potentielles des séjours linguistiques peuvent sembler décourageants, mais ils offrent des avantages précieux en termes d'épanouissement personnel et scolaire.

Les compétences linguistiques et les connaissances culturelles acquises peuvent déboucher sur de nouvelles opportunités d'emploi et améliorer la communication dans un cadre professionnel. Les bourses et les aides financières rendent les séjours linguistiques plus accessibles. Le fait d'être confronté à une barrière linguistique ou à un choc culturel peut également être l'occasion d'un développement personnel. Ces avantages l'emportent largement sur les inconvénients et font des séjours linguistiques un investissement qui en vaut la peine.

En conclusion, malgré les difficultés potentielles, les séjours linguistiques offrent aux apprenants une occasion unique d'améliorer leurs compétences linguistiques et de découvrir de nouvelles cultures, ce qui en fait un investissement précieux pour le développement personnel et académique. Qu'il s'agisse d'un débutant ou d'un apprenant avancé, un voyage linguistique est une expérience à ne pas manquer.

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Essential French Academic Vocabulary for Writing and Speaking

Do you want to take your French language skills to the next level? If so, then mastering academic vocabulary is essential. Whether you’re a student, researcher, or academic professional, having a strong academic vocabulary will give you a significant edge.

In this blog post, we’ll explore the fascinating world of French academic expressions and words. We’ll also provide you with some tips on how to master this essential skill. So what are you waiting for? Let’s get started!

The Significance of Academic Vocabulary:

Academic vocabulary plays a vital role in academic pursuits, facilitating comprehension, precision, and effective communication. Here are some reasons why it is essential:

Precision and Clarity: Academic vocabulary offers precise terms that allow for clear expression of complex ideas and concepts.

Comprehension and Critical Reading: Familiarity with academic words enhances understanding and facilitates in-depth analysis of scholarly texts.

Effective Writing: Using appropriate academic vocabulary demonstrates subject knowledge, adds credibility to your writing, and enables concise and persuasive articulation of ideas.

Presentations and Discussions: Employing academic vocabulary enriches participation in academic conversations, seminars, and conferences, fostering meaningful engagement and intellectual discourse.

Essential French Academic Vocabulary:

Below is a list of commonly used academic expressions and words, along with their English translations:

Analyser (Analyze) : Examine in detail to uncover patterns or insights.

French: “Analyser les données recueillies dans l’étude.”

English: “Analyze the data collected in the study.”

Critiquer (Critique) : Evaluate or assess by offering a detailed analysis or opinion.

French: “Critiquer les arguments présentés dans cet article.”

English: “Critique the arguments presented in this article.”

Évaluer (Evaluate) : Assess or judge the value, significance, or quality of something.

French: “Évaluer les performances des étudiants dans l’expérience.”

English: “Evaluate the students’ performance in the experiment.”

Hypothétiser (Hypothesize) : Formulate a tentative explanation or assumption based on limited evidence.

French: “Hypothétiser une relation entre ces deux variables.”

English: “Hypothesize a relationship between these two variables.”

Synthétiser (Synthesize) : Combine separate elements or information to form a coherent whole.

French: “Synthétiser les résultats de différentes études pour parvenir à une conclusion générale.”

English: “Synthesize the findings from different studies to arrive at a general conclusion.”

Méthodologie (Methodology) : The systematic approach used in a research study or investigation.

French: “Décrire en détail la méthodologie utilisée dans cette recherche.”

English: “Describe in detail the methodology used in this research.”

Empirique (Empirical) : Based on observation, experience, or experimental evidence.

French: “Appuyer les conclusions avec des preuves empiriques solides.”

English: “Support the conclusions with strong empirical evidence.”

Revue de la littérature (Literature Review) : A critical analysis and summary of existing research and literature on a specific topic.

French: “Réaliser une revue de la littérature pour identifier les lacunes dans les recherches précédentes.”

English: “Conduct a literature review to identify gaps in previous research.”

Paradigme (Paradigm) : A framework or model that serves as the basis for a particular theory or approach.

French: “Comprendre les différents paradigmes utilisés en psychologie.”

English: “Understand the different paradigms used in psychology.”

Concluant (Conclusive) : Providing a definitive result or settlement.

French: “Présenter des preuves concluantes pour étayer l’hypothèse.”

English: “Present conclusive evidence to support the hypothesis.”

Concept (Concept) : An abstract idea or fundamental principle.

French: “Comprendre le concept de développement durable.”

English: “Understand the concept of sustainable development.”

Déduire (Deduce) : Draw a logical conclusion from given information.

French: “Déduire les implications de cette théorie.”

English: “Deduce the implications of this theory.”

Étude de cas (Case study) : A detailed analysis of a specific subject, often used to illustrate theoretical concepts.

French: “Analyser une étude de cas en psychologie cognitive.”

English: “Analyze a case study in cognitive psychology.”

Expérience (Experiment) : A scientific activity conducted to test a hypothesis or verify a theory.

French: “Concevoir et mener une expérience sur la gravité.”

English: “Design and conduct an experiment on gravity.”

Thèse (Thesis) : An original research work presented to obtain an academic degree.

French: “Rédiger une thèse sur la littérature française du 19e siècle.”

English: “Write a thesis on 19th-century French literature.”

Source primaire (Primary source) : A document or testimony directly related to the event or subject being studied.

French: “Analyser des sources primaires pour comprendre la Révolution française.”

English: “Analyze primary sources to understand the French Revolution.”

Analyse de données (Data analysis) : The systematic examination of data to draw conclusions or identify patterns.

French: “Effectuer une analyse de données statistiques pour tester l’hypothèse.”

English: “Perform statistical data analysis to test the hypothesis.”

Variable indépendante (Independent variable) : A variable manipulated or controlled by the researcher to study its effect on another variable.

French: “Identifier la variable indépendante dans cette étude expérimentale.”

English: “Identify the independent variable in this experimental study.”

Référence bibliographique (Bibliographic reference) : A complete citation of a source used in an academic work.

French: “Citer les références bibliographiques selon les normes de l’APA.”

English: “Cite bibliographic references following APA guidelines.”

Méthode qualitative (Qualitative method) : A research approach focused on in-depth understanding of social phenomena through observations and interviews.

French: “Appliquer une méthode qualitative pour explorer les motivations des participants.”

English: “Apply a qualitative method to explore participants’ motivations.”

Remember, this list of essential French academic vocabulary is a selection, and there are many more terms specific to different fields of study. Regular exposure to academic texts and engagement in academic discussions will contribute to the expansion and refinement of your academic vocabulary.

How to Master Academic Vocabulary in French

Once exposed to these words and expressions and a lot more thanks to your research, you need to practise using academic vocabulary in your own writing and speaking. This will help you to solidify your knowledge and make sure that you can use the vocabulary correctly.

Mastering academic vocabulary in French opens doors to effective communication and comprehension within academic domains. By incorporating these essential expressions and words into your repertoire, you can engage in intellectual discussions confidently. 

To accelerate your learning journey, Albert-Learning offers a valuable online teaching platform. You can book a free session with their experienced teachers. By learning these French expressions in context, you can thrive in academic environments. Start your journey today and unlock the power of academic vocabulary in French.

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Common connectors and transitions phrases in French

In French, connectors and transition phrases are important tools for linking ideas and creating a coherent narrative in both written and spoken communication.

In this lesson, we’ll go over some common connectors and transition phrases in French that you can use to improve your communication skills.

Premièrement, deuxièmement, enfin. (First, secondly, finally.) These connectors are used to order and sequence ideas in a narrative.

De plus, en outre, par ailleurs. (Moreover, furthermore, besides.) These connectors are used to add more information to an idea or argument.

Néanmoins, cependant, pourtant. (Nevertheless, however, yet.) These connectors are used to introduce a contrasting idea or argument.

En effet, effectivement, en réalité. (Indeed, in fact, actually.) These connectors are used to introduce a statement or fact that supports a previous idea or argument.

Ainsi, par conséquent, donc. (Thus, consequently, therefore.) These connectors are used to indicate a conclusion or result based on previous ideas or arguments.

D’un côté, de l’autre côté. (On one hand, on the other hand.) These connectors are used to present two contrasting sides of an argument.

En somme, finalement, pour conclure. (In summary, finally, to conclude.) These connectors are used to signal the end of a narrative or argument and provide a summary or conclusion.

À mon avis, selon moi, je pense que. (In my opinion, in my view, I think that.) These connectors are used to introduce a personal opinion or belief.

Bien que, malgré, quoique. (Although, despite, even though.) These connectors are used to introduce a contrasting idea or situation.

En revanche, par contre, au contraire. (On the other hand, however, conversely.) These connectors are used to introduce a contrasting idea or situation.

Learning and using these common connectors and transition phrases in French will help you to create a more structured, coherent and persuasive communication style.

It is important to also learn other advanced expressions and connectives to express more complex thoughts and ideas.

With practice and persistence, you’ll soon be able to speak and write more fluently in French.

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Add These Advanced French Words to Your Vocabulary

Why settle for an intermediate level when you can reach the summits of advanced French? It sure takes guts, dedication, and a lot of brainpower, but once you pull it off, there is nothing as rewarding as using your limitless fluency with your French-speaking friends!

Improving at an advanced level is no small feat, and few people have gone as far as you have. At this level, you’re getting hit pretty hard with diminishing returns : The more you learn and add to your vocabulary, the more difficult it becomes.

It can also be difficult to find educational content advanced enough to challenge your skills, and this is where we come in! In this article, you’ll find a large collection of useful advanced French words and phrases, from general terms to linking words, specialized vocabulary, and fancy substitutes for common words to help you stand out in a proficiency exam .

Expand your mind with advanced French words.

• General Advanced Words
• Advanced Business Vocabulary
• Advanced Medical Vocabulary
• Advanced Legal Vocabulary
• Alternative Words

Le mot de la fin

1. general advanced words.

These are the bread and butter of advanced words: verbs , adjectives , and adverbs that you could use in a wide variety of situations. The last section contains a collection of useful linking words that you should use to articulate your speech and connect different phrases into logical structures.

Most of these words have a very specific meaning and allow you to clearly express your ideas. Later in this article, we’ll also talk about some alternative words that you can use to replace simple terms in order to sound a bit more sophisticated.

1 – Verbs

Il murmure. (“He’s whispering.”)

2 – Adjectives

3 – adverbs.

Un travail pénible (“Tedious work”)

4 – Linking Words

Il est dehors malgré la pluie. (“He’s out despite the rain.”)

2. Advanced Business Vocabulary

Do you plan on finding work or doing business in France? Knowing these advanced French vocabulary words for business will give you a leg up and impress your colleagues or associates. 

Un voyage d’affaires (“A business trip”)

3. Advanced Medical Vocabulary

Do you want to study medicine or enter the medical field in France? Or maybe you would like to be prepared just in case you wind up in the ER. In any case, the advanced French words below are a great place to start expanding your medical vocabulary. 

Une douleur à l’estomac (“A stomach pain”)

4. Advanced Legal Vocabulary

Now that you’re more advanced in French, there are some useful legal words and terms you should become familiar with. They’ll help you avoid misunderstandings, keep up with the news, and engage in more complex conversations. 

Un cambriolage (“A burglary”)

5. Alternative Words

One way to shine in a proficiency test is to display competency with a wide array of vocabulary, showing that you can express yourself with subtlety instead of relying on simpler terms.

In this list, you’ll find simple verbs, adjectives, and adverbs, followed by their more sophisticated alternative and an example sentence. The first column is the basic word, and the second is the alternative you might want to use instead.

The meaning often varies between the first and second words, so I’ll mention both throughout the list. Using these words not only allows you to show off your vocabulary but also to express your ideas more accurately.

1 – Alternative Verbs

2 – alternative adjectives, 3 – alternative adverbs.

Cette application est commode. (“This app is convenient.”)

In this guide, you have learned a large collection of general and specialized advanced French words, from medical vocabulary to legal terms and business phrases. Did we forget any important topic you’d like to learn about? A good way to learn new words efficiently is to try and build sentences around them. Doing so will help you memorize them and understand how to use them in context. You can also use flashcard apps to get started, but you should not overextend yourself and set 150 flashcards right away. Add them little by little for the best results.

Make sure to explore FrenchPod101 , as we have plenty of free resources to help you practice your grammar and learn new words. Our vocabulary lists are also a great way to review words and learn their pronunciation.

Remember that you can also use our Premium PLUS service, MyTeacher , to get personal 1-on-1 coaching. Your own private teacher will be available to help you practice with advanced words and phrases. In addition to giving you assignments and personalized exercises, your teacher can provide recorded audio samples just for you and review your own pronunciation. 

Happy learning on FrenchPod101.com !

About the Author: Born and bred in rainy Northern France, Cyril Danon was bouncing off various jobs before he left everything behind to wander around the wonders of the world. Now, after quenching his wanderlust over the last few years, he’s eager to share his passion for languages.

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In this article, you will: - Discover French linking words - Learn about French discourse connectors - Have advanced conversations in French - Achieve a more advanced level of French discourse - Discover useful words for passing the DELF B2 and DALF C1 exams  

This article will help you answer the following questions: - How to structure and organize my speech in French? - How to have advanced conversations in French? - How to argument in French? - How to achieve a more advanced level in French?

Enumerate in French :

Premièrement (= Firstly):

Exemple: Premièrement, nous devons examiner les faits avant de prendre une décision.

Translation: Firstly, we must examine the facts before making a decision.

Ensuite (= Then / Next):

Exemple: J'ai fait mes devoirs, ensuite j'ai préparé le dîner.

Translation: I did my homework, then I prepared dinner.

En premier lieu (= First of all):

Exemple: En premier lieu, il est important de définir le problème.

Translation: First of all, it is important to define the problem.

Puis (= Then):

Exemple: Elle a lu le livre, puis elle a discuté avec son professeur.

Translation: She read the book, then she discussed with her professor.

(Tout) d'abord (= First (of all)):

Exemple: Tout d'abord, permettez-moi de vous remercier pour votre aide.

Translation: First of all, allow me to thank you for your help.

Avant tout (= Above all):

Exemple: Avant tout, la sécurité des enfants est notre priorité.

Translation: Above all, the safety of the children is our priority.

Après (= After):

Exemple: Il faut écouter la victime, après nous écouterons les témoins.

Translation: We need to listen to the victim, after that we will listen to the witnesses.

En second lieu (= Secondly):

Exemple: En second lieu, j'aimerais aborder la question du budget.

Translation: Secondly, I would like to address the budget issue.

Deuxièmement (= Secondly):

Exemple: Deuxièmement, nous devons considérer les conséquences à long terme.

Translation: Secondly, we need to consider the long-term consequences.

En dernier lieu (= Lastly / Finally):

Exemple: En dernier lieu, n'oubliez pas de vérifier vos e-mails avant de partir.

Translation: Lastly, don't forget to check your emails before leaving.

En conclusion (= In conclusion):

Exemple: En conclusion, tous ces éléments montrent l'importance de l'éducation.

Translation: In conclusion, all these elements demonstrate the importance of education.

Pour conclure (= To conclude):

Exemple: Pour conclure, je dirais que cet événement a été un grand succès.

Translation: To conclude, I would say that this event was a great success.

Finalement (= Finally):

Exemple: Finalement, après de nombreuses discussions, nous avons trouvé une solution.

Translation: Finally, after many discussions, we found a solution.

Enfin (= Finally):

Exemple: Enfin, je voudrais remercier tous ceux qui ont contribué au projet.

Translation: Finally, I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the project.

Argument in French:

Comme (= As / Since):

Example: Comme il pleut, nous resterons à l'intérieur.

Translation: Since it's raining, we will stay inside.

Puisque (= Since):

Example: Puisque tu es d'accord, nous pouvons commencer.

Translation: Since you agree, we can start.

Parce que (= Because):

Example: Je suis resté à la maison parce que je me sentais mal.

Translation: I stayed home because I was feeling ill.

Car (= Because):

Example: Il doit partir tôt car il a une réunion importante.

Translation: He must leave early because he has an important meeting.

Du fait que (= Due to the fact that):

Example: Du fait que les ressources sont limitées, nous devons être prudents.

Translation: Due to the fact that resources are limited, we must be cautious.

Étant donné (que) (= Given that):

Example: Étant donné qu'il est tard, nous devrions reporter la réunion.

Translation: Given that it's late, we should postpone the meeting.

Si... c’est (que) (= If... it is because):

Example: Si elle a réussi, c'est qu'elle a beaucoup travaillé.

Translation: If she succeeded, it's because she worked very hard.

Considéré/vu (que) (= Considering that):

Example: Considéré que la situation est urgente, nous devons agir rapidement.

Translation: Considering that the situation is urgent, we must act quickly.

À cause de (= Because of):

Example: Le match a été annulé à cause de la pluie.

Translation: The match was canceled because of the rain.

Grâce à (= Thanks to):

Example: Grâce à ses efforts, le projet a été un succès.

Translation: Thanks to her efforts, the project was a success.

À force de (= Through / By constantly):

Example: À force de pratiquer, elle est devenue très bonne en français.

Translation: Through constant practice, she became very good at French.

Faute de (= For lack of):

Example: Le concert a été annulé faute de financement.

Translation: The concert was canceled for lack of funding.

Du fait de (= Due to):

Example: La réunion a été retardée du fait de problèmes techniques.

Translation: The meeting was delayed due to technical problems.

Étant donné (= Given):

Example: Étant donné son expérience, elle est la candidate idéale.

Translation: Given her experience, she is the ideal candidate.

En raison de (= Due to / Because of):

Example: Le vol a été retardé en raison de la météo.

Translation: The flight was delayed due to weather conditions.

Example: Grâce à son soutien, j'ai pu finir le projet à temps.

Translation: Thanks to his support, I was able to finish the project on time.

Sous prétexte de (= Under the pretext of):

Example: Il a annulé la réunion sous prétexte d'être malade.

Translation: He canceled the meeting under the pretext of being sick.

Moyennant (= By means of / In exchange for):

Example: Moyennant un petit supplément, ils offrent une livraison rapide.

Translation: For a small extra charge, they offer fast delivery.

Suite à (= Following / As a result of):

Example: Suite à sa victoire, il a reçu de nombreux soutiens.

Translation: Following his victory, he received numerous supports.

Explain in French:

À savoir (= Namely / That is to say):

Exemple: Il y a plusieurs raisons qui expliquent ce choix, à savoir le coût et le temps.

Translation: There are several reasons for this choice, namely the cost and the time.

C’est-à-dire (= That is to say / I.e.):

Exemple: Il reste à la maison, c'est-à-dire qu'il ne viendra pas travailler demain.

Translation: He is staying home, that is to say, he will not come to work tomorrow.

Soit (= That is / Namely):

Exemple: Il y a deux options, soit accepter l'offre, soit la refuser.

Translation: There are two options, either accept the offer or reject it.

Ainsi (= Thus):

Exemple: Ainsi, nous avons conclu que le plan initial était le meilleur.

Translation: Thus, we concluded that the initial plan was the best.

Comme (= As / Like):

Exemple: Comme je l'ai dit, la réunion est reportée.

Translation: As I said, the meeting is postponed.

Par exemple (= For example):

Exemple: Il y a plusieurs sports populaires, par exemple, le football et le tennis.

Translation: There are several popular sports, for example, football and tennis.

Plus précisément (= More specifically):

Exemple: Il veut étudier l'histoire, plus précisément la période médiévale.

Translation: He wants to study history, more specifically the medieval period.

En effet (= Indeed):

Exemple: Il est en effet l'un des meilleurs élèves de sa classe.

Translation: Indeed, he is one of the best students in his class.

En réalité (= In reality):

Exemple: Il semble heureux, mais en réalité, il est très stressé.

Translation: He seems happy, but in reality, he is very stressed.

En fait (= In fact):

Exemple: Elle a dit qu'elle était occupée, mais en fait, elle ne voulait pas venir.

Translation: She said she was busy, but in fact, she didn't want to come.

Give your opinion in French :

Selon moi (= In my opinion):

Exemple: Selon moi, ce livre vaut la peine d'être lu.

Translation: In my opinion, this book is worth reading.

À mon avis (= In my opinion):

Exemple: À mon avis, nous devrions attendre avant de prendre une décision.

Translation: In my opinion, we should wait before making a decision.

D'après moi (= According to me):

Exemple: D'après moi, la meilleure option est de commencer maintenant.

Translation: According to me, the best option is to start now.

Pour ma part (= For my part / As for me):

Exemple: Pour ma part, je préfère rester neutre.

Translation: For my part, I prefer to stay neutral.

De mon point de vue (= From my point of view):

Exemple: De mon point de vue, la situation pourrait s'améliorer.

Translation: From my point of view, the situation could improve.

Je pense que (= I think that):

Exemple: Je pense que nous devons changer notre stratégie.

Translation: I think that we need to change our strategy.

Je crois que (= I believe that):

Exemple: Je crois que c'est la meilleure solution.

Translation: I believe that it's the best solution.

Il me semble que (= It seems to me that):

Exemple: Il me semble que tu as raison.

Translation: It seems to me that you are right.

À mon sens (= In my view):

Exemple: À mon sens, c'est une opportunité à ne pas rater.

Translation: In my view, it's an opportunity not to be missed.

Nuancer in French:

D’autre part (= on the other hand)

Exemple : Il est très intelligent, d’autre part, il manque parfois de sens pratique.

Example: He is very intelligent, on the other hand, he sometimes lacks practical sense.

Cependant (= however)

Exemple : Il voulait partir tôt, cependant, il a été retardé par un appel important.

Example: He wanted to leave early, however, he was delayed by an important call.

D’une part (= on one hand)

Exemple : D'une part, cette solution est économique, mais d'autre part, elle est moins durable.

Example: On one hand, this solution is economical, but on the other hand, it is less sustainable.

D’un côté …. Et de l’autre … (= on one side … and on the other …)

Exemple : D’un côté, elle adore la ville, et de l’autre, elle apprécie le calme de la campagne.

Example: On one side, she loves the city, and on the other, she appreciates the tranquility of the countryside.

Ou bien (= or else)

Exemple : Il faut qu'il termine son travail aujourd'hui, ou bien il aura des problèmes.

Example: He must finish his work today, or else he will have problems.

Exemple : Je pense qu’il a raison … ou peut-être qu’il a tort.

Example: I think he is right ... or maybe he is wrong.

Add in French:

De plus (= moreover)

Exemple : Elle est très intelligente, de plus, elle a un grand sens de l'humour.

Example: She is very intelligent, moreover, she has a great sense of humor.

Exemple : Elle aime lire et écrire.

Example: She likes to read and write.

En plus (= in addition)

Exemple : Il joue du piano et, en plus, il chante.

Example: He plays the piano and, in addition, he sings.

Par ailleurs (= furthermore)

Exemple : Par ailleurs, il faut considérer les coûts supplémentaires de ce projet.

Example: Furthermore, we must consider the additional costs of this project.

Aussi (= also)

Exemple : Elle est bonne en mathématiques, elle est aussi douée en physique.

Example: She is good at mathematics, she is also skilled in physics.

En outre (= moreover)

Exemple : Il est expérimenté, en outre, il possède un réseau professionnel impressionnant.

Example: He is experienced, moreover, he has an impressive professional network.

D’autre part (= on the other hand / alternatively)

Exemple : Ce logiciel est utile pour les graphistes ; d'autre part, il est également utilisé par les vidéastes.

Example: This software is useful for graphic designers; on the other hand, it is also used by videographers.

De surcroît (= additionally)

Exemple : Il a remporté plusieurs prix, de surcroît, il est reconnu internationalement.

Example: He has won several awards, additionally, he is internationally recognized.

Highlighting in French :

En particulier (= in particular)

Exemple : Il aime tous les genres de musique, en particulier le jazz.

Example: He likes all genres of music, in particular jazz.

Notamment (= notably)

Exemple : Elle a voyagé dans plusieurs pays, notamment en Italie et en Espagne.

Example: She has traveled to several countries, notably Italy and Spain.

Particulièrement (= particularly)

Exemple : Ce sujet m'intéresse, particulièrement dans le contexte actuel.

Example: This subject interests me, particularly in the current context.

En ce qui concerne (= concerning / as for)

Exemple : En ce qui concerne le budget, nous devons être plus prudents.

Example: Concerning the budget, we need to be more careful.

Quant à (= as for)

Exemple : Quant à Marie, elle prévoit de déménager l'année prochaine.

Example: As for Marie, she plans to move next year.

Pour ce qui est de (= as far as ... is concerned)

Exemple : Pour ce qui est de la qualité, notre produit est le meilleur sur le marché.

Example: As far as quality is concerned, our product is the best on the market.

À ce sujet (= on this matter)

Exemple : À ce sujet, j'ai quelques suggestions à faire.

Example: On this matter, I have a few suggestions to make.

À ce propos (= on that note)

Exemple : À ce propos, avez-vous entendu les dernières nouvelles ?

Example: On that note, have you heard the latest news?

Expressing purpose in French :

Afin que (= so that)

Exemple : Nous économisons de l'argent afin que nous puissions acheter une maison.

Example: We are saving money so that we can buy a house.

Pour que (= so that)

Exemple : Elle étudie dur pour que ses parents soient fiers.

Example: She studies hard so that her parents can be proud.

De peur que (= for fear that)

Exemple : Il vérifie toujours ses messages de peur qu'il ait manqué quelque chose d'important.

Example: He always checks his messages for fear that he missed something important.

De crainte que (= lest)

Exemple : Elle parle doucement de crainte que les autres ne l'entendent.

Example: She speaks softly lest others hear her.

De manière (à ce) que (= so that)

Exemple : Organisez votre temps de manière (à ce) que vous puissiez faire une pause.

Example: Organize your time so that you can take a break.

En vue de (= with the aim of / in order to)

Exemple : Il travaille dur en vue de promouvoir sa carrière.

Example: He works hard with the aim of advancing his career.

De sorte que (= so that)

Exemple : Il a expliqué clairement de sorte que tout le monde puisse comprendre.

Example: He explained things clearly so that everyone could understand.

De façon (à ce) que (= in a way that)

Exemple : Il a arrangé la pièce de façon à ce que tout le monde ait une vue claire.

Example: He has arranged the room so that everyone has a clear view.

Conclude in French:

En un mot (= in a word)

Exemple : En un mot, la performance était exceptionnelle.

Example: In a word, the performance was exceptional.

En résumé (= in summary)

Exemple : En résumé, les résultats montrent une nette amélioration.

Example: In summary, the results show a significant improvement.

Au fond (= basically)

Exemple : Au fond, nous voulons tous être heureux.

Example: Basically, we all want to be happy.

Pour conclure (= to conclude)

Exemple : Pour conclure, je dirais que ce projet a été un grand succès.

Example: To conclude, I would say that this project has been a great success.

En conclusion (= in conclusion)

Exemple : En conclusion, les preuves soutiennent notre hypothèse.

Example: In conclusion, the evidence supports our hypothesis.

En bref (= in brief)

Exemple : En bref, la réunion a été productive.

Example: In brief, the meeting was productive.

En gros (= roughly speaking)

Exemple : En gros, le plan est prêt, mais quelques détails doivent encore être réglés.

Example: Roughly speaking, the plan is ready, but some details still need to be worked out.

En définitive (= ultimately)

Exemple : En définitive, c'est la qualité qui compte, pas la quantité.

Example: Ultimately, it's the quality that matters, not the quantity.

Autrement dit (= in other words)

Exemple : Il est très persévérant, autrement dit, il ne renonce jamais.

Example: He is very persistent, in other words, he never gives up.

En d’autres termes (= in other words)

Exemple : Il est en retard, en d'autres termes, il n'arrivera pas avant midi.

Example: He is late, in other words, he won't arrive before noon.

Tout compte fait (= all things considered)

Exemple : Tout compte fait, le voyage a été une belle expérience.

Example: All things considered, the trip was a beautiful experience.

En somme (= in sum)

Exemple : En somme, nous avons réussi à atteindre nos objectifs principaux.

Example: In sum, we have succeeded in achieving our main objectives.

Legal Notice

Informations légales, 1. présentation du site..

En vertu de l'article 6 de la loi n° 2004-575 du 21 juin 2004 pour la confiance dans l'économie numérique, il est précisé aux utilisateurs du site www.ohlalafrenchcourse.com l'identité des différents intervenants dans le cadre de sa réalisation et de son suivi :

Propriétaire : EI Manon Gonnard – Statut micro-entrepreneur – Numéro SIRET 888 591 195 00027 - 11 Avenue Paul Girard, 10500 Dienville. Créateur : 1Line Responsable publication : Manon Gonnard – [email protected] Le responsable de publication est une personne physique ou une personne morale. Webmaster : 1Line – [email protected] Hébergeur : Amazon aws – Amazon Web Services, Inc 440 Terry Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109 Crédits : Création site web : 1Line Le modèle de mentions légales est offert par Subdelirium.com Mentions légales

2. Conditions générales d’utilisation du site et des services proposés.

L’utilisation du site www.ohlalafrenchcourse.com implique l’acceptation pleine et entière des conditions générales d’utilisation ci-après décrites. Ces conditions d’utilisation sont susceptibles d’être modifiées ou complétées à tout moment, les utilisateurs du site www.ohlalafrenchcourse.com sont donc invités à les consulter de manière régulière.

Ce site est normalement accessible à tout moment aux utilisateurs. Une interruption pour raison de maintenance technique peut être toutefois décidée par Manon Gonnard, qui s’efforcera alors de communiquer préalablement aux utilisateurs les dates et heures de l’intervention.

Le site www.ohlalafrenchcourse.com est mis à jour régulièrement par Manon Gonnard. De la même façon, les mentions légales peuvent être modifiées à tout moment : elles s’imposent néanmoins à l’utilisateur qui est invité à s’y référer le plus souvent possible afin d’en prendre connaissance.

3. Description des services fournis.

Le site www.ohlalafrenchcourse.com a pour objet de fournir une information concernant l’ensemble des activités de la société.

Manon Gonnard s’efforce de fournir sur le site www.ohlalafrenchcourse.com des informations aussi précises que possible. Toutefois, elle ne pourra être tenue responsable des omissions, des inexactitudes et des carences dans la mise à jour, qu’elles soient de son fait ou du fait des tiers partenaires qui lui fournissent ces informations.

Toutes les informations indiquées sur le site www.ohlalafrenchcourse.com sont données à titre indicatif, et sont susceptibles d’évoluer. Par ailleurs, les renseignements figurant sur le site www.ohlalafrenchcourse.com ne sont pas exhaustifs. Ils sont donnés sous réserve de modifications ayant été apportées depuis leur mise en ligne.

4. Limitations contractuelles sur les données techniques.

Le site utilise la technologie JavaScript et Ruby.

Le site Internet ne pourra être tenu responsable de dommages matériels liés à l’utilisation du site. De plus, l’utilisateur du site s’engage à accéder au site en utilisant un matériel récent, ne contenant pas de virus et avec un navigateur de dernière génération mis-à-jour

5. Propriété intellectuelle et contrefaçons.

Manon Gonnard est propriétaire des droits de propriété intellectuelle ou détient les droits d’usage sur tous les éléments accessibles sur le site, notamment les textes, images, graphismes, logo, icônes, sons, logiciels.

Toute reproduction, représentation, modification, publication, adaptation de tout ou partie des éléments du site, quel que soit le moyen ou le procédé utilisé, est interdite, sauf autorisation écrite préalable de : Manon Gonnard.

Toute exploitation non autorisée du site ou de l’un quelconque des éléments qu’il contient sera considérée comme constitutive d’une contrefaçon et poursuivie conformément aux dispositions des articles en vigueur et du Code de Propriété Intellectuelle français.

6. Limitations de responsabilité.

Manon Gonnard ne pourra être tenue responsable des dommages directs et indirects causés au matériel de l’utilisateur, lors de l’accès au site www.ohlalafrenchcourse.com, et résultant soit de l’utilisation d’un matériel ne répondant pas aux spécifications indiquées au point 4, soit de l’apparition d’un bug ou d’une incompatibilité.

Manon Gonnard ne pourra également être tenue responsable des dommages indirects (tels par exemple qu’une perte de marché ou perte d’une chance) consécutifs à l’utilisation du site www.ohlalafrenchcourse.com .

Des espaces interactifs (possibilité de poser des questions dans l’espace contact) sont à la disposition des utilisateurs. Manon Gonnard se réserve le droit de supprimer, sans mise en demeure préalable, tout contenu déposé dans cet espace qui contreviendrait à la législation applicable en France, en particulier aux dispositions relatives à la protection des données. Le cas échéant, Manon Gonnard se réserve également la possibilité de mettre en cause la responsabilité civile et/ou pénale de l’utilisateur, notamment en cas de message à caractère raciste, injurieux, diffamant, ou pornographique, quel que soit le support utilisé (texte, photographie…).

7. Gestion des données personnelles.

A l'occasion de l'utilisation du site www.ohlalafrenchcourse.com , peuvent êtres recueillis : l'URL des liens par l'intermédiaire desquels l'utilisateur a accédé au site www.ohlalafrenchcourse.com , le fournisseur d'accès de l'utilisateur, l'adresse de protocole Internet (IP) de l'utilisateur.

En tout état de cause Manon Gonnard ne collecte des informations personnelles relatives à l'utilisateur que pour le besoin de certains services proposés par le site www.ohlalafrenchcourse.com . L'utilisateur fournit ces informations en toute connaissance de cause, notamment lorsqu'il procède par lui-même à leur saisie. Il est alors précisé à l'utilisateur du site www.ohlalafrenchcourse.com l’obligation ou non de fournir ces informations.

Aucune information personnelle de l'utilisateur du site www.ohlalafrenchcourse.com n'est publiée à l'insu de l'utilisateur, échangée, transférée, cédée ou vendue sur un support quelconque à des tiers. Seule l'hypothèse du rachat de Manon Gonnard et de ses droits permettrait la transmission des dites informations à l'éventuel acquéreur qui serait à son tour tenu de la même obligation de conservation et de modification des données vis-à-vis de l'utilisateur du site www.ohlalafrenchcourse.com .

8. Liens hypertextes et cookies.

Le site www.ohlalafrenchcourse.com contient un certain nombre de liens hypertextes vers d’autres sites, mis en place avec l’autorisation de Manon Gonnard. Cependant, Manon Gonnard n’a pas la possibilité de vérifier le contenu des sites ainsi visités, et n’assumera en conséquence aucune responsabilité de ce fait.

La navigation sur le site www.ohlalafrenchcourse.com est susceptible de provoquer l’installation de cookie(s) sur l’ordinateur de l’utilisateur. Un cookie est un fichier de petite taille, qui ne permet pas l’identification de l’utilisateur, mais qui enregistre des informations relatives à la navigation d’un ordinateur sur un site. Les données ainsi obtenues visent à faciliter la navigation ultérieure sur le site, et ont également vocation à permettre diverses mesures de fréquentation.

Le refus d’installation d’un cookie peut entraîner l’impossibilité d’accéder à certains services. L’utilisateur peut toutefois configurer son ordinateur de la manière suivante, pour refuser l’installation des cookies :

Sous Internet Explorer : onglet outil (pictogramme en forme de rouage en haut a droite) / options internet. Cliquez sur Confidentialité et choisissez Bloquer tous les cookies. Validez sur Ok.

Sous Firefox : en haut de la fenêtre du navigateur, cliquez sur le bouton Firefox, puis aller dans l'onglet Options. Cliquer sur l'onglet Vie privée. Paramétrez les Règles de conservation sur : utiliser les paramètres personnalisés pour l'historique. Enfin décochez-la pour désactiver les cookies.

Sous Safari : Cliquez en haut à droite du navigateur sur le pictogramme de menu (symbolisé par un rouage). Sélectionnez Paramètres. Cliquez sur Afficher les paramètres avancés. Dans la section "Confidentialité", cliquez sur Paramètres de contenu. Dans la section "Cookies", vous pouvez bloquer les cookies.

Sous Chrome : Cliquez en haut à droite du navigateur sur le pictogramme de menu (symbolisé par trois lignes horizontales). Sélectionnez Paramètres. Cliquez sur Afficher les paramètres avancés. Dans la section "Confidentialité", cliquez sur préférences. Dans l'onglet "Confidentialité", vous pouvez bloquer les cookies.

9. Droit applicable et attribution de juridiction.

Tout litige en relation avec l’utilisation du site www.ohlalafrenchcourse.com est soumis au droit français. Il est fait attribution exclusive de juridiction aux tribunaux compétents de France.

11. Lexique.

Utilisateur : Internaute se connectant, utilisant le site susnommé.

Informations personnelles : « les informations qui permettent, sous quelque forme que ce soit, directement ou non, l'identification des personnes physiques auxquelles elles s'appliquent » (article 4 de la loi n° 78-17 du 6 janvier 1978).

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A Vos Plumes! - The French Writing Center

• For Teachers
• For Students
• About this Site

Write Better

These pages explain how to write certain kinds of essays in French, as well as how some ways that professors grade writing assignments.

Writing college French essays , by Alison Levine.

How to write an essay for an upper-level French literature, culture, or film class.

Writing college response/reaction papers , by Cheryl Krueger.

How to write a response paper or reaction paper at the advanced undergraduate or graduate level.

Writing business letters in French , by Alison Levine.

How to lay out and formulate job application letters, requests for information, and other professional correspondence.

How professors grade upper-level French essays , by Alison Levine.

Descriptions of what makes an A paper, a B paper, etc. for the argumentative essay in French at UVA.

How professors grade intermediate French essays , by Alison Levine.

Descriptions of an A, B, paper, etc. for the intermediate level at UVA.

How to improve your grammar , by Alison Levine.

In this carnet de corrections , you can keep track of the grammar errors you make and how to correct them, as your professor goes over your work through the semester. A useful tool to help you avoid repeating errors.

Erreurs à éviter , by Mary McKinley.

A short list of common errors at the intermediate level. We are working on a more advanced list.

Handouts on French essay writing, explanations of how many instructors grade writing

Build Vocabulary

Theme-specific vocabulary (beginners); poetry, prose, theater, cinema terms (intermediates)

Grammar videos

Video grammar lessons and handouts, to prepare for the exercises.

© Copyright 2024, UVA Department of French Language and Literature 302 Cabell Hall P.O. Box 400770 , Charlottesville , VA , 22904-4770 Ph: 434-924-7158 Fax: 434-924-7157 | Web Design by Convoy

French Whisperer

Learn French - Training you all the way to Speak French

49 of the best French advanced phrases every French student should work on – #20

March 18, 2022

To Learn French advanced phrases is easy in slow motion. Here are 49 excerpts to master bits of a French conversation every French student should practice on.

This post is all about French advanced phrases

From the Film:   AVIS DE MISTRAL

Ask for the FREE list of the movies with all the translations and the links to the trailers with time code to find the parts of the French dialogs we’ve used. You will repeat with the actors themselves.

Finding the best French advanced phrases is a must. Here are 49 amazing excerpts that will help you Learn French advanced phrases easily and efficiently at the same time.

You will Learn French advanced phrases in an innovative way, practicing slowly first then at real speed.

I found that as soon as I could follow the dialogue without looking at the subtitles, I was on my way to fluency. To Learn French advanced phrases is a must to achieve fluency

This post is all about French advanced phrases that every student of French should learn.

FRENCH ADVANCED PHRASES

For good French conversation practice, why would you want to memorize ‘parlez-vous Français?’ Or ‘parlez-vous Anglais?’, when French people would rather say it differently? Is that the way to efficiently learn French?

I BELIEVE THAT IN ORDER TO LEARN BETTER, COMFORT AND SELF-CONFIDENCE ARE ESSENTIAL, THAT IS WHY IN ALL MY COURSES I SHOW YOU THESE LETTERS THAT BOTHER YOU FROM BEING THERE WHILE THEY ARE NOT PRONOUNCED. THAT IS ALSO WHY I SIMPLY ASK YOU TO IMITATE ME OVER AND OVER USING A LANGUAGE THAT IS CONTRACTED SO THAT YOU WILL FEEL EMPOWERED WHEN THE TIME COMES FOR YOU TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE FRENCH.

THE BLOG HAS THREE PARTS:

• French Whisperer Conjugation. You will practice with the audio 1 verb per week, 1 tense per day. It’s 42 weeks of FREE training with an incredibly innovative presentation
• These weekly Film exercises. I am sure you will enjoy them but you will enjoy them times more if you take my courses.
• This is a section on LEARNING – The collection of posts I am publishing once a week to help you learn better.

MY EXPERIENCE WITH FRENCH DIALOGUES:

I am an actor and I have recorded these lines for the audio material that goes with the textbooks. One day, I was in the booth and I said a line like I was talking to my friend. My producer asked me to redo it to make it more formal because he said that the student would not understand it. I can guarantee you that all the known programs are all recorded that way. My friends, that slows you down . Subscribe to the blog to make sure you practice French with the best French advanced phrases. Don’t learn French the proper way. Learn it the right way the first time you’re learning French. Films are the right way to go. Use the Best movies to learn French on Netflix and you will make a lot of progress.

I had such difficulties learning English. I had to overcome these difficulties. That’s why I was able to come up with the formula that saves you from falling between the tracks. My formula is called French Whisperer and can be found here:

FRENCH WHISPERER PROGRAM

Excerpts from my learn french post:, 7 life-changing tips to learn french fast every student of french should know.

https://frenchwhisperer.com/ learn-french-fast /

Is time important for you?

….If you typed ‘learn French fast, you are probably not a student. Students know that it will request time. You are caught and you need to learn fast because you have been hired by a French company or you have planned a trip to France. Will you experience the best if you don’t know anything about the language? Because you might be questioning your ability to speak french, realizing it will be much more fun if you can speak French a bit before you go. Most of the apps you can find on your phone will probably be useless when you land there. They just make you feel good before you take off, and that’s it. Well, if you are leaving in two weeks, it’s a little late, but it’s not without a solution…

What is your goal?

…. The important question to ask yourself is: What am I learning French for? If I answer that question, I will be able to decide how I want to learn it. Most people will join a class. We are all consumers and we don’t really question enough. We enroll in a course online without further questioning. That’s where we lose a lot of time. Because most of the known programs will not help you speak and also understand and be understood. Why? Because most of them have not been created by the French. And even If the creators were actually French, they might have been intellectuals whose interest or focus is mainly to write. But you want to speak French. Use these french language podcasts and make real progress.

The French are not the only ones who know the French language but they are the only ones who have been speaking it since birth…

Check the French language online course HERE . It’s top for the best advanced french conversation practice.

Excerpt from my French conjugation post:

9 incredibly useful tips to a french conjugation practice every french beginner should know.

https://frenchwhisperer.com/ french-conjugation-practice /

We chose to be selective

….To master the French conjugation online, I propose that you start with the easy part, but not only the easy part. You want to practice the verbs that are most used.   Actually, they are the same in all languages. So which verbs, like French verbs, are the most used?

We are going to repeat them over and over. if you have followed me through these live events, you might remember I mentioned several times the quote in ‘the Crown’ that says: we learn through imitation. Right?

At the condition that what we repeat is not wrong. Repeating a million times something that is wrong will not make it right at the end.

Here are the most important verbs to learn

So the French verbs that are most helpful to know because they are most used in the language are the four verbs: to be, to have, to go, and to do. In French, the verb ‘to do’ is used all the time. For example, there is the expression ‘pay attention’, which in French is ‘faire attention’. When in English there’s a verb to express an activity, a lot of activities in French need the verb to do to be defined. For example, to do in French is ‘faire’. We omit the word ‘to’. The verb is only one word. Now, for ‘to wash the dishes, the French will say ‘to do the dishes’: Faire la vaisselle. To clean the house, Faire le ménage. That doesn’t mean that ‘to wash’ and ‘to clean’ don’t have a translation, but we’d rather use the verb ‘faire’ in these circumstances.

We also use frequently the verb ‘to go’, ‘aller’ in French. But this one is easy if you know English already because it is used to express the future tense like in English. We don’t use it exactly like in English but it’s actually easier. If you want to say ‘I will walk’, in English, you can say ‘I am going to walk’, right. In French, we will say ‘je vais marcher’

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You can express yourself in French. I know everyone can do it because I can do it, right. I have learned English. However, it was not easy but I did it. I didn’t have the chance you have to be able to learn French online. I did it only in class. And you will learn French faster, much faster than it took me to learn your language.

I also know that:

If you are learning live in a class, Learning French online doubles your chances. In any case, I made that program for you. Show me that you are curious enough to come to the challenge and learn French for free. You will see it’s amazing. You will not know everything you need to know to speak French, of course. I am not going to pretend you can speak like me after 4 days. But I guarantee you will have a fantastic tool at your disposal at the end of the week that will make you know how you can be totally independent.

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First , register for the new free workshop because the pre-registration is also free. I don’t know the date of the next workshop yet but only the people who have pre-registered will be invited. The workshop is free. It’s a half-hour each day ‘live’ with me to learn how to use this great tool. However, you need to be pre-qualified. Click HERE .

Second , confirm that you are coming and we can work together on making your French learning easier and more effective.

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This post was all about French Advanced phrases. That will speed up your way to fluency and speak French like any native in a natural environment.

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How To Learn French For Advanced French Level (C1, C2)

Advanced French students often feel lost. The goal is at hand, but how do you become really eloquent in French? Follow my tips for C1 C2 CEFR levels.

Understand Everything & Speak Without Thinking

As an advanced French student, your goal should be:

• Build your French “muscle memory”
• Communicate eloquently and fast
• Consolidate your knowledge of French culture so you get the humor and references
• Present your true self (wit, culture, humor) when you speak French
• Understand everything and everybody in French

20 Questions to REALLY test your modern French comprehension. All audio-based with full explanations.  Completely free, no signup required

Let’s Start…

Set up a short-term study plan

An advanced student of French often feels lost.

The goal is at hand, but how do you go from being a confident French speaker to becoming really fluent?

The answer is different for each student. Some need to crank up their vocabulary. Others need help with their verb conjugations . For other students, it’s mostly the pronunciation that gives them away. Yet other students feel confident when they speak, but have a hard time understanding everybody.

So, you need to take a good look at yourself and figure out your priorities. You may want to hire a French tutor  for a couple of hours, just to assess your level, your needs, and help you set up a study plan.

Taking a test such as DELPH or a level of the CEFR may also help you figure out your strengths and weaknesses, and help you determine what you should focus your studies on.

Make sure you take advantage of all the resources out-there: books of course, but also audio, video… As an advanced student, everything can be turned as a good learning tool. So, choose things that you like, like listening to French songs, but don’t pass on things that you need, like drilling on your French prepositions…

It’s easy to mistake “leisure” in French and “study” in French: I mean, watching a French movie is not going to hurt your French, that’s for sure! But how much will you have learned at the end of the movie?

Is it the same thing as doing exercises with a book for two hours? Or writing up sentences with the new vocabulary for two hours? Or studying with flashcards?

In other words, in order to see real progress as an advanced student of French, you still need to set up a study plan and study hard.

And don’t forget to review! We are not robots. It’s not because you’ve studied something in the past that you’ll remember it today.

How To Learn French as an advanced student (Level C1)

A lot of schools follow the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR): it is an international standard for describing language ability. It’s commonly used to describe learners’ language skills, and the program you need to cover to pass exams. You will find more about it on  Wikipedia .

On the CEFR, French C1 means you can understand longer and challenging texts, speak fluently without searching for words and expressions, and understand implicit meanings.

The advanced C1 student is also able to use French for business and academic purposes.

So, if you want to improve your French to an advanced C1 level, here is what you should do:

• Study with level-appropriate audio to challenge your understanding. As I explained in paragraph 1, be aware of the difference between watching passively and studying. Read my step-by-step tips on how to study with movies for example. You can use YouTube videos if you find some at the right level. However, if you study with a material that is too challenging, you’ll get discouraged. I suggest you take a look at my À Moi Paris Method – Upper Intermediate and Advanced which will be perfect to train for C1.
• Read a lot, and from different sources Read pretty much everything you fancy in French: newspapers, of course, French literature, comic books. However, what’s really important is when you read, highlight the new words, and make flashcards. Copy the sentence to learn them in context. Then, make a priority to use these new words in a French conversation. Also note the linking words: they are really important tools in your way to fluency.
• Speak French. This is the tough part. A lot of students live in a small town and think they have no access to French-speaking people. However, with the internet, this is no longer true. There are many options to get in touch with people who want to do free language exchange over Skype etc… If these options are not a good solution for a beginner or low intermediate student (since not everybody will be able to speak at their level, and the exchange may end up destroying their emerging confidence in French), as an advanced student of French, having a conversation in French is no longer a problem. So these are good options for you. If you want someone to really challenge you and help you with your French studies, I strongly recommend you seek out the help of an experienced French tutor .

Here are my tips to best learn French as a self-learning advanced student of French, learning French for his/her own benefit, not just to pass written tests .

Zeroing in on your pronunciation and street French comprehension

I’ve met many advanced French students who only studied French from traditional methods and French literature. Of course, their French academic skills are great, and the ace tests… But their French is not adapted to today’s modern French language.

French is an evolving language, and without sounding like a teenager, you need to keep up to date with today’s French, in particular, the glidings and modern pronunciation. When I say this, I am not talking about “hood” French, nor slang French. I’m talking about the French language everybody – me, my daughter, my 80 years old mother – talk in a relaxed everyday casual environment.

This “modern” French language affects everything: French pronunciation, vocabulary, but also word order, questions… If you’ve only studied “traditional” French, some French people will have a hard time understanding you (or you’ll sound just like a book…) and believe me, you’ll have an even harder time understanding them!

All my French audio novels are recorded at several speeds and level of enunciation, to teach you both traditional and modern French pronunciations.

If you have had no exposure to modern French pronunciation, I suggest you start with lower levels. It will be a good review (start with À Moi Paris Method – Upper Intermediate and review the tenses of the past), and I’m positive you will even pick up some new French vocabulary and expressions.

A new approach to learning both traditional and modern French logically structured for English speakers.

More Details & Audio Samples

Should French students use modern French glidings?

Now, should a student speak using modern glidings? I don’t think there is a single answer to this question. It’s a choice.

If you are younger, I definitely suggest you use the modern glidings to fit in and sound like the French.

If you are a bit older, and sound pretty formal when you speak English, then you may want to stick with the more traditional, enunciated French pronunciation.

But whatever you chose to use yourself when you speak French, you need to be able to understand today’s French so you understand French people, movies, and even pass the “oral comprehension” part of formal DELPH or CEFR exams.

Drop in some knowledge

As an advanced speaker of French, it’s time to drop some knowledge and show off your mastery of the French language.

I suggest you memorize some Subjunctive constructions you can easily drop in conversations… Some “if” clauses may also be useful.

People master grammar in different ways: you may excel at mimicking a construction… other students may be better when they understand and study the said construction….

Find the learning style that best suits you. My tip is to select a method that covers both: explains everything very clearly from the standpoint of an English speaker, and then give you plenty of examples (with French audio recordings of course).

Make sure you also study your French linking words , adverbs and adjectives. They do add a dimension to the conversation, however, many students only study the exceptions and never get to learn lists of useful adjectives.

Master the French verbs and let them become second nature

When interacting, if you have to think too long before you are able to come up with your verb form, you will spend your time “preparing’ your next phrase and not really get into the actual conversation.

So you really need to drill your verb forms. Do it in the affirmative and the negative forms, so the whole thing comes quickly to you. And of course, since you are now an advanced student, you should master all the tenses and moods, including the French subjunctive which is extensively covered in my  À Moi Paris Method – Advanced audiobook.

To achieve these key reflexes and make sure you don’t butcher the pronunciation of French verbs, there is no better tool than my French Verb Drills series.

In 6-minute training sessions, you will memorize the most used verbs and their tenses AND pronounce them like today’s native French speakers do.

Show your wit and sense of humor

Up to now, you were happy when you could get your point across, even if it was a bit plain. As an advanced speaker, your aim is to truly represent who you are in French: release your inner French. So, find ways to express your wit, your sense of humor.

In order to do so, it’s nice to know a couple of French jokes and puns . You need to dig into French culture, so you understand the references… Read the most popular French literature books, a bit of French poetry, study the arts, listen to French music…

Watching your favorite movies in French may also be useful… For example, if you are a geek, you may enjoy dropping a “Luc, je suis ton père” in a French conversation…

Unlock the elusive modern French sounds

Even if you had an excellent native teacher, you probably still have problems with the most complex French sounds such as the elusive “ille, aille, ouille, euille…”, the French R, u ≠ ou, é ≠è… There are tools out-there developed for students of French which explain the rules of French pronunciation and guide you to improve yours. Many students only learned French pronunciation by repetition: however, knowing the rules is actually a big help!

In-depth audiobook covering the foundations as well as the difficulties of today’s French pronunciation

My very popular audio lesson “ Secrets of French Pronunciation ” not only covers all the French sounds (from beginner to advanced) but will also teach you how to place your tongue and lips in order to obtain the correct sounds.

It’s a great refresher course, which includes many drills and lots of practical exercises.

It will also explain the modern French pronunciation to you with many examples.

Understand everything – French level C2

On the CEFR, French C2 means fluency – this is the ultimate goal.

I usually know someone is still a beginner in French when they tell me: “I understand a lot but I can’t speak”. I know they are advanced when they say: “I still can’t understand everything !”

In my experience, with lots of studies and good language abilities, everybody can master reading and writing in French. Speaking eloquantly is not that difficult either.

The real challenge is understanding everybody.

I’ve written an entire article to explain the step by step method I use to help students improve their French understanding .

Make sure you don’t study only with the same source: to understand everybody, you need to prepare your ear for different French accents, various ways of speaking. You may be able to understand the news perfectly, but what about teenagers arguing? Heck, I may even have a hard time understanding them!!

TV shows, YouTube videos, songs… everything is a good learning tool for French students who want to reach C2. Try to find things with subtitles so you can turn them on if you really need to. And just get as much French exposure as you can. Watch your favorite series in French!

Check out Amazon.fr, or Amazon.ca where you’ll have more French options for books, movies etc… They can probably ship to your country.

It’s a long journey

It’s a long journey to become really fluent in a language. And there are days when you’ll be off… You won’t be able to speak as well, it will feel like you don’t understand anything. We are only humans, and it happens to all of us.

So try to keep it fun. As always, fix realistic, short-term goals for yourself. For example, review the French verbs followed by “de” , then train on using “en” with them…

Subscribe to fun YouTube channels, Facebook pages , French newsletters… As an advanced student, you can tap into all the French material out there.

At that stage, speaking regularly with a French person is a must: there are lots of free options to exchange French / English conversations on Skype. Unless you prefer working with a French tutor who will be able to challenge you, yet fill in the gaps you may need help with.

Remember, no matter how good your French method is, nothing will ever replace human interaction. This is particularly true for languages!

And of course, you should go to France – or any French-speaking region – to practice your French, enjoy the culture, and have fun!

Venture off the beaten track! Why not try an immersion at a French teacher’s house ? Now that you speak French, there is really no limit to where you can go and what you can experience while you are there.

Camille Chevalier-Karfis

Born and raised in Paris, I have been teaching today's French to adults for 25+ years in the US and France. Based on my students' goals and needs, I've created unique downloadable French audiobooks focussing on French like it's spoken today, for all levels. Come to Paimpol and enjoy an exclusive French immersion homestay with me in Brittany .

More Articles from Camille Chevalier-Karfis

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StoryLearning

Learn A Language Through Stories

59 Advanced French Vocabulary Words To Become A Fluent French Speaker

When you learn French , as you move from beginner through intermediate and onto advanced, one thing you can’t escape is the need to learn more words.

Of course, it’s possible to express yourself well enough with more limited amounts of vocabulary along with an ability to describe what you’re talking about. And knowing a few handy all-purpose words like “thing”.

However, there comes a time when you want to be able to express yourself clearly using the right words without resorting to such coping measures, at which point, you’ll need to make sure you know enough advanced French vocabulary.

But how do you learn enough words to move to an advanced level? Which words should you learn first? And what learning strategy should you have?

In this post, I’ll help you with these questions and more as I tell you everything you need to know about advanced French vocabulary.

By the way, if you want to learn French fast and have fun, my top recommendation is  French Uncovered  which teaches you through StoryLearning®. 

With  French Uncovered  you’ll use my unique StoryLearning® method to learn French through story…not rules. It’s as fun as it is effective. If you’re ready to get started,  click here for a 7-day FREE trial.

How To Learn Advanced French Vocabulary

So what’s the best way to enlarge your vocabulary?

Well, let me start by telling you the worst way – and that’s to learn long vocab lists that aren’t relevant to you and that don’t have any context.

Instead, you should learn words as you meet them naturally in context through your daily contact with the language. This is what the StoryLearning method is all about.

However, you also need to be selective, because you can’t hope to remember every new word you meet. So you need to learn to notice new words you think are interesting or useful to you and then try to retain those.

Let me give you an example.

Extensive reading – reading lots of French books and skipping over the bits you don’t understand rather than studying a short text intensively – is one of the best ways of improving many areas of your French, including your vocabulary. 

But one of the keys to this is not stopping to look up every word you don’t know in the dictionary and writing it down.

Instead, you try to use the context to guess what a word means and carry on reading – and you only look up words that are vital to your understanding of the text. Otherwise, you don’t worry about them.

However, you should also notice interesting or useful words that you didn’t know before but want to learn and then perhaps note down just a few each time you read. 

That way, you will learn the kind of words you want to know, and you’ll have a better chance of remembering them.

Which Advanced French Vocabulary Should You Learn?

But which words should you choose? Well, that’s up to you. But here are some pointers.

Try to learn the kind of words you think you’ll use most, but also try to learn words you think are interesting or that stand out to you in some way.

If you’re a keen ornithologist, you might want to learn the names of birds you notice when reading articles about birdwatching. But if you’re more into technology, you might want to learn words related to that instead

Words that are culturally relevant are also extremely useful, and you’ll find several examples later in this post.

There’s no right answer, but you shouldn’t just learn lots of random words from a field you know nothing about because you’ll never use them. And you probably won’t remember them either.

In the rest of this post, I’m going to give you a few suggestions for the types of word I think you should learn, and I’ll explain why I think so.

However, this is not a list of ‘words you must learn if you want to speak advanced French’ but rather is intended as a guideline to the kinds of words you should look out for and notice during your daily experience of using French. So let’s get started!

Advanced French Expressions With Avoir

In French, there are several expressions using the verb avoir that you will need to learn as your language level progresses. Some of them are useful expressions in their own right while others can give your language a bit more variety. 

A good example of this is the first one, avoir envie de , which can be used instead of always using vouloir (to want).

1. Avoir Envie De (To Feel Like Doing)

• J’ai envie d’aller à la plage demain (I feel like going to the beach tomorrow)

2. Avoir Honte (To Be Ashamed)

• J’ai honte de mon gros ventre (I’m ashamed of my fat belly)

3. Avoir L’Intention (To Plan To)  

• Il a l’intention de passer l’examen l’année prochaine (He’s planning to take the exam next year)

4. En Avoir Marre (To Be Fed Up)

• J’en ai marre de cette pluie qui ne s’arrete jamais (I’m fed up with this rain that never stops)

Other Useful Advanced French Verbs

When you start learning French, you learn basic verbs like faire (to do, to make) and mettre (to put). However, knowing some lower-frequency verbs will allow you to talk about more actions and describe what’s going on more accurately.

Here are a few examples of these kinds of useful verbs – although, of course, there are many more French verbs including irregular French verbs .

5. Bricoler (To Do DIY, Potter About)

• Mon armoire est cassée, mais ce n’est pas grave parce que mon père bricole bien, alors il peut la réparer (My wardrobe is broken, but it’s not a big deal because my father is good at DIY, so he can fix it)

France is a nation of bricoleurs , which can be roughly translated as “DIY enthusiasts”, so this is a good cultural word to remember.

6. Chuchoter (To Whisper)

• Il faut chuchoter parce que le bébé est en train de dormir (We have to whisper because the baby is sleeping)

7. Jurer (To Swear)  

• Je vais le faire demain, je te le jure (I’m going to do it tomorrow, I swear it (to you)

This word can also be used in the sense of “say a swearword”.

8. Avouer (To Admit)

• C’est lui qui l’a fait et il l’a déjà avoué (He’s the one who did it, and he’s already admitted it)

Be careful with this one. Admettre usually means “admit” in the sense of “let in” and not in the sense of “own up to, confess”. However, it can sometimes be used in the sense of “accept”, which is very close to the sense of “own up to, confess”.

9. Se Débrouiller (To Get By)

• Je n e parle pas très bien la langue mais je peux me débrouiller (I don’t speak the language very well, but I can get by)

10. Gêner (To Bother)

• Ça te gene si je fume ? (Does it bother you if I smoke?)

11. Se Moquer De (To Mock, Make Fun Of)

• Tu te moques de moi ? (Are you making fun of me?)

Pay attention to the construction of this one because it doesn’t work like the English verb “to mock”.

12. Parier (To Bet)

• Je te parie qu’il ne viendra pas (I bet you he doesn’t (won’t) come)

13. Éclater De Rire (To Burst Out Laughing)

• Il a exclaté de rire quand il l’a entendu (He burst out laughing when he heard it)

14. Exagérer (To Exaggerate, Go Too Far, Push It)

• N’exagère pas ! Je ne vais pas faire tes devoirs pour toi ! (Don’t push it! I’m not going to do your homework for you!)

This is an extremely common verb that native speakers often use that doesn’t always translate well into English. 

The literal meaning is “exaggerate”, but it’s closer to something like “go too far” or “push it” in the sense of asking for too much.

The fact that it’s not a word that English speakers would necessarily think to use in this situation makes it a good advanced word to know.

Advanced French Adjectives

Learning some interesting French adjectives beyond things like grand (big, tall) or joli (pretty) is an excellent way to give your French a bit more flavour – and it’s vital if you want to reach more advanced levels.

Here are just a few examples of the kind of thing to look out for, but of course, there are hundreds more.

15. Crevé(e) (Tired, Knackered)

• Vous avez marché dix kilomètres ? Vous devez être crevés ! (You walked ten kilometres? You must be knackered!)

16. Épuisé(e) (Exhausted)

• J’arrête de travailler. Je suis épuisé (I’m stopping work. I’m exhausted.)

17. Chouette (Great, Fantastic)

• Tu peux venir ? Chouette ! (You can come? Great!)

18. Minable (Pitiful, Pathetic, Meagre)

• Je n’arriverai jamais à acheter une voiture avec mon salaire minable (I’ll never manage to buy a car with my pitiful salary)

19. Gonflé(e) (Have A Nerve)

• Il est gonflé de venir à la fête sans invitation (He’s got a nerve coming to the party without an invitation)

20. Décevant(e) (Disappointing)

• J’ai regardé le film et je l’ai trouvé décevant (I watched the film and I found it disappointing)

21. Moche (Ugly)

• Son nouveau copain est très moche (Her new boyfriend is very ugly)

This more informal word for “ugly” is far more common in normal speech than the more formal laid .

22. Doué(e) (Gifted, Talented)

• Il est très doué pour les langues (He’s very talented in languages)

Advanced French Vocabulary: Adverbs

Here are just two important French adverbs I’d like to mention.

23. Franchement (Frankly)  

• Franchement ça ne m’intéresse pas du tout (Frankly that doesn’t interest me at all)

This is used far more often in French than in English.

24. Actuellement (Currently)

• Il n’est actuellement pas au bureau (He’s currently not in the office)

A false friend to beware of. This word is never translated as “actually”.

Advanced French Vocabulary: Animals

Chien (dog) and chat (cat) are likely to be among the first words most people learn, but how about some other less common animals? 

Interestingly, the way French and English group certain animals doesn’t always correspond exactly, as you’ll see from some of these examples, and noticing differences like these can be a good way to pick up more advanced vocab.

25. Un Chameau (Camel With Two Humps)

26. un dromadaire (camel with one hump).

In French, a camel with one hump is called a dromadaire . Chameau should technically only be used when referring to a camel with two humps (although some native speakers might still get this wrong!).

27. Un âne (Donkey, Ass)

28. un cachalot (sperm whale).

Although English considers these animals whales, in French, you should use the word cachalot and not baleine (whale).

29. Un écureil (Squirrel)

30. un guépard (cheetah) , 31. un léopard (leopard) , 32. un babouin (baboon) , advanced french vocabulary: body parts.

When it comes to something like body parts, everyone knows the basics like bras (arm) and jambe (leg). But you might not ever think about some of the less frequent ones until you need to use the word and realise you don’t know it.

Here are a few examples.

33. Le Cou (Neck) 

34. le cul (arse).

Be careful with your French pronunciation when you say cou and cul . English speakers often confuse the sounds of these words – sometimes with rather amusing results!

35. Le Front (Forehead)

36. le pouce (thumb), 37. un orteil (toe).

Toes are also sometimes called doigts de pied , which literally means “fingers of the feet”.

38. Un Cil (Eyelash) 

39. un sourcil (eyebrow), 40. la cheville (ankle).

• Je me suis tordu la cheville (I’ve twisted my ankle)

41. Le Coude (Elbow)

42. le talon (heel) , 43. une fesse (buttock).

• Bouge tes fesses ! (Move your butt!)

Advanced French Vocabulary Jobs And Work

There are so many names of jobs to learn, and you can easily look up the ones that you need to know in a dictionary. However, here are some important cultural words from the world of work you’ll need to know if you want to speak advanced French.

44. Fonctionnaire (m/f) (Civil Servant)  

In French, fonctionnaire has a different meaning to “civil servant” in English. In French, fonctionnaires are all those employed by the state, including teachers, police, administrators and employees of the mairie (town hall).

These jobs are highly desirable since they are considered to provide you with a regular, steady job for life and a good pension when you retire.

45. Un Stage (Internship)

• Il va faire un stage de trois mois à l’étranger (He’s going to do a three-month internship abroad)

46. Stagiaire (m/f) (Intern)

• Je demanderai à ma stagiare de le faire (I’ll ask my intern to do it)

Doing internships, both paid and unpaid, is an important part of many people’s early careers in France, so stage and stagiaire are culturally important words to know.

47. Un Concours (Competitive Exam)

• Il a eu son concours ! (He passed his competitive exam! (i.e. he got the job))

In France, many highly sought-after jobs – for example, many fonctionnaire positions – are obtained through competitive exams. There are far more candidates than there are positions, so succeeding in a concours is considered a great achievement.

48. CDI – Contrat à Durée Indéterminée) (Contract Of Unlimited Duration)

A CDI is any permanent job where you are employed essentially for as long as you want to work there. Due to French labour laws, it’s quite hard to fire somebody from one of these positions, so they give workers considerable stability.

Traditionally, people might consider that you need a CDI before you can think about buying a house or starting a family.

49. CDD – Contrat à Durée Déterminée (Fixed Duration Contract)

Another type of work contract in France might stipulate that you work for a certain number of hours, after which the job will finish. For example, a foreign English teacher might be employed to teach 40 hours of classes, after which the employer has no further obligation.

These contracts offer no financial security and so are far less desirable than a CDI .

Advanced French Connecting Words

If you are taking a French exam, you will need to use certain French connecting words when you do the writing or speaking parts to achieve the necessary scores to pass.

These words join your ideas, making your writing or speech feel more natural and native-like. Most of these (other than cependant , which is lower level) would be suitable for a B2 exam.

50. Cependant (However)

• Il n’aime pas les fruits. Cependant il mange beaucoup de pommes (He hates fruit. However, he eats lots of apples)

51. Toutefois (However, Notwithstanding)

• Il n’avait pas étudié. Toutefois, il a réussi son examen (He hadn’t studied. However, he passed his exam)

52. Bien Que + Subjunctive (Although)  

• Bien qu’il ne soit pas grand, il fait partie de l’équipe de basket (Although he’s not tall, he’s in the basketball team)

53. Malgré (Despite)  

• Malgré la pluie, je suis allé me promener (Despite the rain, I went for a walk.)

54. Néanmoins (Nevertheless)  

• Il déteste le sport. Néanmoins, il s’est inscrit à la gym (He hates sport. Nevertheless, he joined the gym)

Advanced French Vocabulary: Geography

While most people with basic French know words like rivière (river) or lac (lake), it also helps to be able to use lower-frequency vocabulary to talk about certain other geographical features. Here are some examples.

55. Un Fleuve (A Big River)

• L a Seine et la Tamise sont deux fleuves très importants (The Seine and the Thames are two very important rivers)

In English, there is no equivalent of the word fleuve , which refers to the largest river in the system that all other tributaries drain into and that empties into the sea. Using rivière to talk about the Thames or the Seine is incorrect.

56. Un Ruisseau (Stream)

57. un barrage (dam), 58. un étang (pond) , 59. un marécage (swamp)  .

• Shrek habite dans un marécage (Shrek lives in a swamp)

Advanced French Vocabulary: Words To Look Out For

As I mentioned before, this is not a list of words you need to learn if you want to know advanced French vocabulary – although I think these are all useful words to know.

Rather, these words are intended as an example of the kind of words to look out for – either because they are culturally important or because they can give your French more colour, allowing you to express yourself more clearly.

This way, knowing which words to look out for and which ones to remember will help you start accumulating a large stock of more advanced words in French – and after that, it’s just up to you to put in the work!

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Discursive Writing Helpbook - Advanced Higher French

Subject: French

Age range: 16+

Resource type: Worksheet/Activity

Last updated

22 February 2018

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70 Advanced French Vocabulary Words

Now that you’ve got your grammar down pat, we can bring back the excitement with some challenging vocabulary, including advanced French verbs, adjectives and expressions .

In this post, we’ll look at a list of truly grown-up French words, ranging from the tricky, to the slightly naughty, to the very, very French.

On y go (an English-inflected French neologism of on y va , or “let’s go”)!

1. Aboutir à

2. affirmer que, 3. affubler, 4. amener  , 5. apercevoir, 6. atteindre, 7. constituer, 8. craindre, 9. déchaîner, 10. déclencher, 11. déculotter, 12. demeurer, 13. déroger, 14. disposer de, 16. émoustiller, 17. engendrer, 18. entamer, 19. entraîner, 20. éprouver, 21. exister, 22. faire des bêtises, 23. figurer, 26. mener à, 28. occasionner, 29. paraître, 31. posséder, 32. préciser que, 33. prétendre que, 34. recueillir, 35. représenter, 37. se diriger, 38. s’agir de, 39. s’éléver à, 40. souligner que, 41. trouver, 43. l’abnégation, 44. le/la bisounours, 45. la calotte, 46. la colimaçon, 47. la contrée, 48. la détente, 49. la kyrielle, 50. la lame, 51. la œnologie  , 52. le parallélépipède  , 53. la quincaillerie, 54. le raidillon, 55. la serrurerie, 56. à l’abri, 57. abracadabrant, 58. abracadabrantesque, 59. argentique, 60. argotique  , 61. boursouflé, 62. digital, 64. exécrable, 66. imberbe  , 67. numérique   , 68. rocambolesque, 70. d’ailleurs, resources to learn advanced french words.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

To end up with, to lead to. Just like English, French has lots of ways to describe causality.

La réunion a abouti à un compromis. (The meeting led to a compromise.)

To affirm, say with certainty. Looking for some alternatives to dire (to say)? Try this one for added emphasis.

Il  affirme que les commerçants de la region s’en sortent « plutôt bien » cette année. (He affirms that the region’s shopkeepers are doing “pretty well” this year.)

To get up in or to deck oneself out in (referring to an article or articles of clothing). Instead of using  habiller  (to dress) or s’habiller (to dress oneself), why not add a bit more color to your French and test out  affubler?

Marie affublait sa petite fille de robe de princesse pour aller au cinéma. (Marie decked her little girl out in a princess dress to go to the movie theater.)

A secondary definition is to ridicule. It’s the more metaphorical, abstract version of the first. Instead of dressing someone (or oneself) in clothing, it refers to “dressing someone up” with a moniker that is demeaning.

Je n’oserais pas vous affubler d’un tel qualificatif. (I wouldn’t dare call you such a thing.)

“Such a thing” here could be along the lines of “doofus,” “jerk,” etc.

To bring about. Not to be confused with mener à , for which see below.

Ce travail est destiné à amener les changements. (This work is destined to bring about changes.)

To catch sight of, to glimpse. When  voir  (to see) is just too straightforward, get this irregular verb up in your vocab.

Si tu vas en Californie, tu apercevras des célébrités. (If you go to California, you will catch sight of celebrities.)

To reach, to get to.

Ma mère atteindra ses 60 ans l’année prochaine. (My mom will be 60 years old next year.)

To make up or constitute.

Cette loi constitue une avancée majeure pour les droits de l’homme. (This law constitutes a major advancement for human rights.)

To be afraid . A voir peur de  has the same meaning, but this word is easier to throw around once you’ve got the conjugation figured out.

Je crains d’oublier tous ces mots. (I’m afraid of forgetting all these words.)

To unleash.

En Europe, l’immigration est un sujet qui déchaîne les passions. (In Europe, immigration is a subject that unleashes passion.)

Which is to say, it is a widely debated topic.

To trigger, to set off.

Ce genre d’extremisme pourrait déclencher une guerre. (This kind of extremism could trigger a war.)

To defeat in an embarrassing or flagrant way . But leave it to French to have a verb that literally translates to taking off someone’s underwear, or “to pants” someone!

Marc s’est fait déculotter par Marie quand elle a exposé ses mensonges. (Marc was embarrassed by Marie when she exposed his lies.)

To remain, to dwell, to reside.

La musique peut exercer une influence si puissante sur une personne qu’elle ne peut qu’en demeurer émue. (Music can have such a powerful influence on a person that they cannot but be moved.)

To depart from, to contravene the status quo (or the official terms that have been set).  France is often referred to as the  land of bureaucracy and d éroger is the type of word you’re bound to come across in the small print of a registration form or other official document in the context of law.

La loi ne peut pas déroger aux dispositions du Pacte. (The law cannot depart from the provisions of the agreement.)

To have available, to have at one’s disposal.

Charles dispose d’assez d’argent pour mener à terme son projet. (Charles has enough money at his disposal to finish his project.)

To bail out water (from a boat).

Les marins ont dû écoper l’eau de leur bateau pour ne pas couler. (The sailors had to bail out water from their boat in order to not sink.)

To get, to receive.  In this case, écoper almost always refers to a penalty or a punishment, like a fine.

Le conducteur a écopé une amende de 85 dollars pour un excès de vitesse.  (The driver received an 85 dollar fine for going over the speed limit.)

To excite, to render playful.  Émoustiller is most often used in the context of taste or other sensory pleasures, as in Émoustillez vos papilles!  which literally translates to “Excite your taste buds!” or “Whet your appetite!”

Le champagne émoustilla les invités. (The champagne excited/loosened up the guests.)

Aside from its primary definition, émoustiller  can also be used in the context of that  other kind of excitement (nudge, nudge, wink, wink), meaning to titillate or to arouse.

Frédéric n’avait pas manqué l’opportunité d’émoustiller les rares femmes présentes au travail. (Frédéric never missed the opportunity to arouse the few women present at work.)

To engender, to bring about.

Sa duplicité engendre des conflits dans le groupe. (His duplicity engenders conflict in the group.)

To start on . 

Je vais entamer mes devoirs ce soir. (I’m going to start on my homework tonight.)

To lead to, to involve.

Une carence de vitamin C peut entraîner des infections. (A vitamin C deficiency can lead to infections.)

To experience, to feel, to have.

Sarah éprouve toujours des difficultés à trouver la maison de Jennifer. (Sarah always has difficulties finding Jennifer’s house.)

To exist. Use this when you want to be more formal than il y a (there is or there are).

Il existe plusieurs raisons pour laquelle je ne suis pas allée au concert la semaine dernière. (There are many reasons why I did not go to the concert last week.)

To   get into mischief, act a fool, make a mess. 

Elle mange le riz avec un couteau. Elle fait des bêtises! (She’s eating the rice with a knife. She’s being foolish!)

To appear, to be present.

Votre nom figure sur la liste des adhérents. (Your name appears on the members list.)

Run for the hills! Flee! Hopefully you’ll read this more than speak it, but hey, you never know if you’ll need this for a future career as un espion  (a spy).

Les abeilles! Il faut fuir! (The bees! We must flee!)

To moan or whine. This refers to the sound you make when you’re feeling pain, not when you’re complaining that you don’t want to eat your kale.

Il a gémi quand il a vu qu’il était quatre heures du matin.  (He moaned when he saw that it was four in the morning.)

To lead to. Similar to amener , but in the opposite direction.

Cela ne doit pas mener à la conclusion que la loi est inutile. (This should not lead to the conclusion that the law is useless.)

To tie or make a knot .

Il ne peut pas nouer ses chaussures ? (He can’t tie his shoes?)

To cause, to bring about.

Les travaux risquent d’occasionner une gêne aux clients. (The construction work might cause a disturbance to the clients.)

To seem like or to appear to be , like its slightly easier-to-pronounce synonym sembler.

Cela paraît étrange de manger le petit déjeuner pendant la nuit, mais j’aime bien. (It seems strange to eat breakfast during the night, but I like it.)

To struggle. Feel free to use this for every struggle in your struggle book, from French vocabulary to accidentally leaving the TV remote in the kitchen.

Je peine à me réveiller le matin. (I struggle to get up in the morning.)

To have, to contain.

La maison de Scott et Laura possède un très beau mobilier. (Scott and Laura’s house has very beautiful furnishings.)

To explain, to clarify.

Le président a précisé que la loi ne s’appliquera que l’année prochaine. (The president clarified that the law would only be applied next year.)

To maintain, to purport, to claim.

Les résidents prétendent que le maire a utilisé un langage inapproprié dans sa réponse lorsqu’il a laissé entendre que les impôts n’augmenteront pas. (The residents maintain that the mayor used poor word choice in his response because he made it seem that the taxes would not increase.)

To get, to obtain, to receive.

La candidate a recueilli 20% des votes. (The candidate has received 20% of the votes.)

To depict, show, represent or embody.

Les garçons représentaient moins de 20% de l’ensemble des élèves. (Less than 20% of the students were boys.)

Les conditions restent favorables. (The conditions remain favorable.)

To head for or to move towards. It’s the reflexive of the verb d iriger, which means to move, guide or manage, and it sometimes includes the preposition vers  (around) in its construction.

Elle criait, alors je me suis dirigée vers la sortie. (She was screaming, so I headed for the exit.)

To be, to be about. It’s used in the expression il s’agit de.

J’ai lu un article dans lequel il s’agit du gaspillage alimentaire. (I read an article that is about wasting food.)

To come to, to amount to.

La facture s’élève à 200 euros. (The bill comes to 200 euros.)

To emphasize, to stress, to highlight, to underscore.

Le médecin a souligné qu’une alimentation trop grasse et sucrée est nocive pour la santé. (The doctor stressed that a diet too fatty and sugary is bad for one’s health.)

To find. You can use it literally or figuratively, as in “I find that funny.” It’s more formal than il y a , but less than exister .

On trouve plusieurs variétés de plantes dans cette forêt. One finds several species of plants in this forest.

To be worth.  Use it to talk about how many expensive treasures you have in your closet or use it more figuratively.

Cette bague vaut plus que ta maison. (This ring is worth more than your house.)

Self-denial, self-sacrifice.

Collette mène son travail de recherche avec beaucoup d’abnégation. Sept jours sur sept, elle se lève à 5h et se couche à minuit. (Collette is undertaking her research with a lot of self-denial. Seven days a week, she wakes up at 5 in the morning and goes to bed at midnight.)

Naive. The connotation is rather pejorative and condescending. A portmanteau of bisou (kiss)   and nournours (teddy bear),  bisounours was originally used as the French name for the Care Bears franchise (remember Care Bears?!). It has since made its way into everyday life.

On n’est pas au pays des bisounours! (We’re not in la-la land! / Get real!)

A skull cap (formally, the Belgian kind) or  a slap on the head (informally). The  formal French version and the informal version of this noun are vastly different!

Sa mère n’aime pas quand elle donne une calotte à son frère. (Her mom doesn’t like when she hits her brother [on the head]).

You can use colimaçon  as you would escargot or snail —when talking about gardening, or your greatest fears—but when you’re visiting Notre Dame while traveling through France , try wowing your tour guide by referencing son escalier en colimaçon   (spiral staircase).

Region, land. This word is mostly used in literature.   It’s more “Madame Bovary” than Elle magazine.

Au printemps, cette contrée revêt un tout autre caractère. (In spring, the land takes on a whole new character.)

The relaxation of political tension, or, alternatively, when  something physically relaxes . It also can translate to mean a gun trigger .

On espère qu’un jour on aura une détente entre tous les pays. (One hopes that one day there will be a relaxation of tension between all the countries.)

Plethora, host, multitude, bunch.

Le répertoire présente toute une kyrielle d’exemples de stratégies fructueuses. (The inventory offers a plethora of examples of successful strategies.)

Blade . Hopefully it’s not in your vocabulary a whole lot, unless you work in a kitchen, or a… knife store? But you’ll see it a bit in literature , especially if you like adventure novels.

Ne joue jamais avec une lame! (Never play with a blade!)

The science of winemaking. (Did you really think you’d get through this post without a wine mention?) A true amateur  (lover) of wine will know that an œnologue (a winemaker) is not the same thing as a  sommelier (a wine steward) .

Après ses études d’œnologie, François Raget a accepté de diriger l’entreprise familiale. (Upon completion of his studies in winemaking, François Raget agreed to run the family business.)

Parallelepiped or a solid whose six faces are parallelograms. I know, I know, this isn’t a math blog, but I couldn’t resist throwing this one in for good measure, so to speak.

Le volume du bâtiment est constitué d’un simple parallélépipède recouvert de panneaux préfabriqués. (The volume of the building consists of a parallelepiped covered with prefabricated panels.)

Hardware store.

Tu n’as qu’à aller à la quincaillerie pour acheter de la peinture. (All you have to do is go to the hardware store to buy paint.)

Cheap jewelry, trinket (usually metal).

Dimanche dernier nous avons trouvé pas mal de quincaillerie au vide grenier. (Last Sunday, we found quite a few trinkets at the yard sale.)

Slope. This vocabulary word is especially useful if you live in the hills.

Le raidillon là-bas est parfait pour faire du skateboard. (The slope over there is perfect for skateboarding.)

Locksmith’s trade, locksmithing.

Les serrures sont des pièces de serrurerie.  (Locks are locksmithing items.)

Try saying this three times fast!

Under cover , as in: It’s a twister! Get under cover! It’s a monster! Get to safety! 

Il arrive; tout le monde trouve un endroit à l’abri! (He’s coming; everyone find a place under cover!)

Bizarre, weird, befuddling.  This word is a derivative of the magical incantation “Abracadabra.”   I don’t know about you, but I love words that sound   like what they mean.

Cette histoire est abracadabrante! (This story is bizarre!)

Ludicrous, incredible (as in lacking credibility).  A riff on abracadabrant , this is a neologism first used by Arthur Rimbaud and later resuscitated by President Jacques Chirac in a television interview in the year 2000, in reference to accusations of misuse of public funds during his presidency. His exact words were:

Je suis indigné par le procédé, par le mensonge, par l’outrance. Il doit y avoir des limites à la calomnie. Aujourd’hui, on rapporte une histoire abracadabrantesque. (I am outraged by the behavior [of those here], by the lies, by the excess. There must be limits to slander. Today, we’re brought back to a preposterous story.)

Today, abracadabrantesque  is used rather playfully in place of abracadabrant , as a sort of  clin d’œil  (wink)   to a very memorable French political scandal.

Not digital, analog. This literally translates to “silvery” and refers to photographs or photographic practice with rolls of film.

Mon professor d’art est de la vieille-école. Il ne fait que la photographie argentique. (My art teacher is old school. He only does analog photography.)

Slangy.  Ar got  is French for “slang.” Argotique is   its adjectival form.

Thomas utilise un langage argotique et parfois j’ai du mal à comprendre ce qu’il dit. (Thomas uses slangy language and sometimes I have trouble understanding what he says.)

Swollen, puffed up.

Arnaud a fait une réaction allergique, il a la bouche boursouflée. (Arnaud had an allergic reaction; his mouth is swollen.)

Relating to fingers. This is a faux ami that always trips up 21st-century French learners.

Le dossier contient nos empreintes digitales.  (The file contains our fingerprints.)

Nomadic or wandering . This comes from the present participle of the verb  errer  (to wander), so you can use this adjective to describe your international adventures or your eccentric aunt who moves around in her RV every two weeks.

Je rêve de la vie errante. (I dream of the nomadic life.)

Detestable, appalling, heinous.

L’homme a été condamné à l’enfermement à perpétuité pour ses crimes exécrables. (The man was sentenced to life imprisonment for his heinous crimes.)

Mes enfants sont exécrables quand ils ne font pas la sieste. (My children are obnoxious when they don’t take a nap.)

To be stealthy or secretive. Technically, furtive is an English word as well. It’s not a super common one, but all the same.

Nous avons besoin de quelqu’un de furtif pour notre équipe. (We need someone stealthy for our team.)

Beardless, bare-faced —a concise way of saying sans barbe (without a beard). This can also be used in a more figurative way to talk about someone (usually a guy) who’s young and naive.

Depuis son retour d’Allemagne, Charles est imberbe. (Since his return from Germany, Charles is clean-shaven.)

Digital, as in digital technology. So going back to my earlier photography example,  un appareil photo numérique  (not digital)  refers to a digital camera. Whew.

Nous vivons dans l’ère numérique. (We live in the digital era.)

Fantastic, extraordinary, unbelievable. 

Stella décrit l’expérience unique, parfois rocambolesque mais toujours passionnante que représente la vie d’une cinéaste allemande en France. (Stella describes the unique, sometimes unbelievable, but always passionate life of a German filmmaker in France.)

Like this or in this way. It’s a great word to get bossy with—you’ve probably seen this word thrown around once or twice, but kept forgetting to look it up.

Il faut danser ainsi. (One must dance like so.)

By the way, moreover or   besides —its literal meaning is “from elsewhere.” Need more French filler words  than  donc  and  alors ?   Look no further than this favorite.

D’ailleurs, tu as quelque chose entre tes dents. (By the way, you have something between your teeth.)

After going through this list, you might be looking for some ways to practice these words. Get started with these:

• Forvo : When it comes to learning any word, making sure you know how to properly pronounce it is important. On Forvo, you can listen to how native speakers pronounce any word. It lets you quickly search for a word and find its pronunciation, usually spoken by a number of different people.
• FluentU : You can expand your French vocabulary with this language program, which uses native French media clips like TV show clips, music videos and talks. Each video has interactive subtitles that show you the meaning of each French word, plus you can save new vocabulary and review them with personalized quizzes.
• Quizlet : Flashcards are the tried-and-true method of learning new words. Quizlet lets you create your own fun flashcard decks to review with. You can also search for decks other users have created.
• Tandem : There is no better way to practice new words than with native speakers. But, it’s not always possible to find a speaker near you. That’s where Tandem comes in. Here, you can find a language partner to practice with—you can teach them English while they teach you French. It’s a perfect exchange!

And there you have it.

French is a very colorful language.

Profitez-en  (take advantage of it)!  

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