Imagine it’s your first day in a French classroom. The teacher says something fast, and you nod, pretending to understand. Well, you can avoid this! Knowing school words isn’t just for students. It can also help travelers understand signs, language learners have real conversations, and anyone who wants to feel more comfortable in France.
In this article, we’ve put together over 50 key French words and phrases you’ll hear in a school setting. From classroom commands to school supplies, learning this extensive list of French school vocabulary will help you understand more, talk better, and feel confident in any French school. Allez-y!
Basic French School-Related Words
Let’s start with the absolute basics, the words you’ll encounter from the moment you step foot into a French school environment. These fundamental terms will be your building blocks for understanding and communicating.
| French Word | Meaning | Example |
| L’école | school | J’adore mon école française. (I love my French school.) |
| L’école maternelle | Preschool / Nursery School | Ma fille entre en grande section de maternelle cette année. (My daughter is entering the final year of preschool (kindergarten) this year.) |
| L’école primaire | Primary School / Elementary School | En CM2, les élèves se préparent pour le collège. (In CM2 (5th grade), students prepare for middle school.) |
| Le collège | middle school/junior high | Il va au collège cette année. (He’s going to middle school this year.) |
| Le lycée | high school | Mon frère est au lycée. (My brother is in high school.) |
| L’enseignement supérieur | Higher Education / University | Après le bac, il veut entrer à l’université pour étudier le droit. (After the Baccalaureate, he wants to go to university to study law.) |
| Le professeur | teacher (male or female) | Le professeur explique la leçon. (The teacher is explaining the lesson.) |
| Le maître/ La maîtresse | elementary school teacher (male/female) | La maîtresse lit une histoire aux enfants. (The elementary teacher is reading a story to the children.) |
| L’élève | student (male or female) | Chaque élève a un nouveau cahier. (Every student has a new notebook.) |
| L’étudiant/ L’étudiante | university student (male/female) | Je suis étudiant à l’université. (I am a university student.) |
| La classe | classroom; class (group of students) | Entrez dans la classe! (Come into the classroom!) / Ma classe est très bruyante. (My class is very noisy.) |
| Le cours | class (subject/lesson) | J’ai un cours de maths à 10h. (I have a math class at 10 AM.) |
| Les devoirs | homework | J’ai beaucoup de devoirs ce soir. (I have a lot of homework tonight.) |
To improve your French vocabulary, start by learning how to talk about where people are from with this helpful guide on Nationalities in French.
Classroom Objects in French
Knowing the basic classroom objects is important. Here’s a list:
| French Word | Meaning | Example |
| La table | table, desk | Asseyez-vous à la table. (Sit at the table/desk.) |
| La chaise | chair | Prenez une chaise libre. (Take an empty chair.) |
| Le tableau | blackboard, whiteboard | Le professeur écrit au tableau. (The teacher is writing on the board.) |
| Le stylo | pen | J’ai besoin d’un stylo noir. (I need a black pen.) |
| Le crayon | pencil | Où est ton crayon? (Where is your pencil?) |
| La règle | ruler | Dessine une ligne avec la règle. (Draw a line with the ruler.) |
| Le cahier | notebook | Écris la date dans ton cahier. (Write the date in your notebook.) |
| Le livre | book | Ouvre ton livre à la page dix. (Open your book to page ten.) |
| La trousse | pencil case | Ma trousse est pleine de stylos. (My pencil case is full of pens.) |
| Le sac à dos | backpack | N’oublie pas ton sac à dos! (Don’t forget your backpack!) |
School Subjects in French
Navigating a French school means knowing the names of the subjects you’ll be studying. Here’s a list:
| French Subject | Common Reference / Meaning | Example |
| Les mathématiques | Math (often shortened to “les maths”) | J’adore les mathématiques, c’est ma matière préférée. (I love math, it’s my favorite subject.) |
| L’histoire | History | Nous étudions l’histoire de France. (We are studying French history.) |
| La géographie | Geography | En géographie, on apprend les capitales. (In geography, we learn capitals.) |
| Les sciences | Science | Les sciences sont très intéressantes. (Sciences are very interesting.) |
| La physique | Physics | Le cours de physique est difficile. (The physics class is difficult.) |
| La chimie | Chemistry | J’aime les expériences en chimie. (I like experiments in chemistry.) |
| La biologie | Biology | On étudie les plantes en biologie. (We study plants in biology.) |
| Le français | French Language | On a un cours de français tous les jours. (We have a French class every day.) |
| L’anglais | English Language | Je parle un peu anglais. (I speak a little English.) |
| L’éducation physique et sportive (EPS) | Physical Education (often shortened to “EPS”) | On a EPS le mardi après-midi. (We have P.E. on Tuesday afternoon.) |
Common French School Phrases & Expressions
Beyond nouns and subjects, mastering common phrases will truly empower you in a French classroom:
| French Expression | Meaning | Usage |
| Puis-je aller aux toilettes ? | Can I go to the bathroom? | When you need a restroom break during class. |
| Puis-je boire de l’eau ? | Can I drink some water? | When you feel thirsty and need to take a water break. |
| Je n’ai pas compris. | I didn’t understand. | After the teacher explains something, and you’re still confused. |
| Répétez, s’il vous plaît. | Please repeat. | When you didn’t hear or process what the teacher said clearly. |
| Que veut dire… ? | What does… mean? | When you see a word you don’t know and want a definition. |
| J’ai une question. | I have a question. | When you want to ask something specific to the teacher. |
| J’ai oublié mon cahier. | I forgot my notebook. | When you arrive in class without a necessary item. |
| Excusez-moi, je suis en retard. | Excuse me, I’m late. | When you arrive after the class has already started. |
| C’est mon tour ? | Is it my turn? | When you’re unsure if it’s your turn to speak or do an activity. |
| À quelle page sommes-nous ? | What page are we on? | When you’ve lost your place in the textbook. |
French Grading System & Academic Terms
Understanding how you’re assessed is crucial in any school system. The French grading system, while different from many English-speaking countries, is straightforward once you grasp its core.
| French Term | Meaning / Explanation | Comparison to English System |
| Les notes sur 20 | Grades out of 20 | Instead of A-F letters or percentages out of 100, French grades are typically out of 20. A 10/20 is generally considered a passing grade, while 15+/20 is excellent. |
| L’examen | Exam | A formal test, usually at the end of a unit or term, contributing significantly to the overall grade. |
| Le contrôle | Test / Quiz | Often a shorter assessment than an examen, used to check understanding of specific topics. |
| Le travail (à faire) | Work (to do) / Assignment | A general term for schoolwork or assignments. |
| L’appréciation | Teacher’s Comment / Evaluation | Qualitative feedback from the teacher on your performance, effort, and behavior, often found on report cards. |
| Le bulletin scolaire | Report Card | The official document detailing your grades and teacher comments for a specific academic period. |
| Le conseil de classe | Class Council (meeting) | A formal meeting of all teachers for a specific class, along with administration and student/parent representatives, to discuss student progress and make decisions (Example: passing to the next grade). |
| redoubler | To repeat a year | In France, it’s possible to repeat a grade if a student hasn’t met the required academic standards. |
| réussir | To succeed / To pass (an exam) | Used when you’ve done well, e.g., J’ai réussi mon examen. (I passed my exam.) |
| échouer | To fail (an exam) | Used when you haven’t done well. Example: J’ai échoué à mon contrôle. (I failed my test.) |
Common Posts within the French School System
The French school system, like any other country, has several posts and hierarchy within. Let’s look at the most common ones:
| French Term | Meaning | Example Sentence |
| Le directeur / La directrice | Principal (of primary school or collège) | Le directeur a annoncé la fermeture de l’école. (The principal announced the school’s closure.) |
| Le proviseur / La proviseure | Principal (of lycée) | La proviseure rencontrera les parents demain. (The principal will meet the parents tomorrow.) |
| Le / La Censeur(e) | Deputy Principal / Dean of Discipline (in lycée) | Le censeur est responsable de l’emploi du temps. (The deputy principal is responsible for the timetable.) |
| Le professeur / La professeure | Teacher (general, secondary or higher education) | Le professeur de maths est très patient. (The math teacher is very patient.) |
| Le maître / La maîtresse | Elementary school teacher | La maîtresse a organisé une sortie scolaire. (The elementary teacher organized a school trip.) |
| Le / La documentaliste | Librarian | Le documentaliste aide les élèves à trouver des livres. (The librarian helps students find books.) |
| Le personnel administratif | Administrative staff | Le personnel administratif gère les inscriptions. (The administrative staff handles registrations.) |
| L’agent d’entretien | Caretaker / Janitor | L’agent d’entretien nettoie les couloirs. (The caretaker cleans the corridors.) |
Struggling with tricky French pronunciation? This guide on hard French words to pronounce breaks down common challenges and offers simple tips to improve your speaking skills naturally and confidently.
School Activities & Extracurriculars
School isn’t just about classes and homework! Extracurricular activities play a significant role in French student life.
| French Activity | Meaning | Example Sentence |
| La chorale | choir | Je chante dans la chorale de l’école. (I sing in the school choir.) |
| Le théâtre | theater / drama club | Le club de théâtre prépare une nouvelle pièce. (The drama club is preparing a new play.) |
| L’équipe de sport | sports team | Je fais partie de l’équipe de sport de football. (I’m part of the football sports team.) |
| Le club de lecture | book club | Le club de lecture se réunit une fois par mois. (The book club meets once a month.) |
| Le club scientifique | science club | Le club scientifique fait des expériences amusantes. (The science club does fun experiments.) |
| L’atelier | workshop | Il y a un atelier de poterie après les cours. (There’s a pottery workshop after classes.) |
| L’excursion scolaire | school trip / field trip | Nous allons en excursion scolaire au musée. (We are going on a school trip to the museum.) |
| Le voyage scolaire | school journey / longer trip | Le voyage scolaire à Paris était incroyable. (The school journey to Paris was incredible.) |
| La bibliothèque | library | Je vais à la bibliothèque pour faire mes devoirs. (I go to the library to do my homework.) |
| Le centre de documentation et d’information (CDI) | school library/resource center | Le CDI est un endroit calme pour étudier. (The CDI is a quiet place to study.) |
Mastering French school vocabulary is a step to unlocking a deeper understanding of French culture and daily life. It’s essential not just for students, but for anyone looking to communicate effectively in France, from understanding announcements to engaging in conversations.
But don’t just memorize these words, integrate them into your daily practice. Use them in real-life scenarios, whether you’re role-playing a classroom situation or describing your own learning experiences. Bonne chance! If you want to master these words and sound natural in French.
Enhance your French expressions of gratitude with this helpful guide on the Top 10 Ways to Say “Thank You” in French, perfect for everyday conversations.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the most common French words used in a school setting?
Ans: The most common French words in a school setting include école (school), professeur (teacher), élève (student), classe (classroom), cahier (notebook), livre (book), stylo (pen), and devoirs (homework). These terms form the basic vocabulary for understanding and participating in a French educational environment.
2. How do you ask a teacher for help in French?
Ans: You can politely ask a teacher for help in French by saying: “Pouvez-vous m’aider, s’il vous plaît?” (Can you help me, please?). Alternatively, you could also say: “J’ai besoin d’aide avec ça”. (I need help with this.).
