If you're new to learning French—especially here in multilingual Luxembourg—building your vocabulary is the first step toward confident conversations.
In this guide, we’ve grouped 100 essential French vocabulary words by topic to help you focus on what matters most. These are the words every beginner should know to feel more at home in any French-speaking environment.
🗣️ 1. Greetings and Basic Conversation (15 Words)
These expressions help you start conversations politely and confidently.
🛒 2. Food and Drink (15 Words)
Perfect for cafés, bakeries, and supermarkets—essential if you’re living or working in Luxembourg.
🚶 3. Directions and Places (15 Words)
Get around easily with these words—necessary for asking for directions or navigating your new city.
👥 4. People and Professions (15 Words)
Speak about roles, introduce yourself, and describe others.
🏠 5. Home and Family (15 Words)
Talk about where you live and who you live with.
⏰ 6. Time and Days (12 Words)
Use these to make plans, appointments, or just talk about your week.
Starting with vocabulary that you’ll actually use every day builds confidence and creates momentum. You’ll be able to navigate everyday situations in French without feeling lost—even as a beginner.
At Educateme, our French courses are built around day-to-day communication. We teach you how to use these words in full sentences, conversations, and real context—whether you're preparing for citizenship, working in Luxembourg, or just want to feel more at home here.
📘 Ready to learn French with confidence?
Explore our French courses or book a free consultation to start: https://Educateme.lu/#courses
In this guide, we’ve grouped 100 essential French vocabulary words by topic to help you focus on what matters most. These are the words every beginner should know to feel more at home in any French-speaking environment.
🗣️ 1. Greetings and Basic Conversation (15 Words)
These expressions help you start conversations politely and confidently.
- Bonjour – Hello
- Salut – Hi
- Bonsoir – Good evening
- Au revoir – Goodbye
- À bientôt – See you soon
- Merci – Thank you
- De rien – You're welcome
- Oui / Non – Yes / No
- S’il vous plaît – Please
- Comment ça va ? – How are you?
- Ça va bien – I’m doing well
- Et vous ? – And you?
- Je m’appelle… – My name is…
- Enchanté – Nice to meet you
- Je ne parle pas bien français – I don’t speak French well
🛒 2. Food and Drink (15 Words)
Perfect for cafés, bakeries, and supermarkets—essential if you’re living or working in Luxembourg.
- Pain – Bread
- Eau – Water
- Café – Coffee
- Thé – Tea
- Lait – Milk
- Jus – Juice
- Vin – Wine
- Fromage – Cheese
- Viande – Meat
- Poisson – Fish
- Fruits – Fruit
- Légumes – Vegetables
- Petit déjeuner – Breakfast
- Déjeuner – Lunch
- Dîner – Dinner
🚶 3. Directions and Places (15 Words)
Get around easily with these words—necessary for asking for directions or navigating your new city.
- Où est… ? – Where is…?
- Rue – Street
- À gauche – Left
- À droite – Right
- Tout droit – Straight ahead
- Près de – Near
- Loin de – Far from
- Arrêt de bus – Bus stop
- Gare – Train station
- École – School
- Hôpital – Hospital
- Boulangerie – Bakery
- Magasin – Shop
- Pharmacie – Pharmacy
- Poste – Post office
👥 4. People and Professions (15 Words)
Speak about roles, introduce yourself, and describe others.
- Homme – Man
- Femme – Woman
- Enfant – Child
- Ami / Amie – Friend
- Voisin / Voisine – Neighbour
- Professeur – Teacher
- Médecin – Doctor
- Étudiant / Étudiante – Student
- Client / Cliente – Customer
- Serveur / Serveuse – Waiter/Waitress
- Collègue – Colleague
- Mari – Husband
- Femme – Wife
- Patron / Patronne – Boss
- Employé / Employée – Employee
🏠 5. Home and Family (15 Words)
Talk about where you live and who you live with.
- Maison – House
- Appartement – Apartment
- Chambre – Bedroom
- Cuisine – Kitchen
- Salle de bain – Bathroom
- Salon – Living room
- Fenêtre – Window
- Porte – Door
- Clé – Key
- Famille – Family
- Mère – Mother
- Père – Father
- Frère – Brother
- Sœur – Sister
- Enfants – Children
⏰ 6. Time and Days (12 Words)
Use these to make plans, appointments, or just talk about your week.
- Aujourd’hui – Today
- Demain – Tomorrow
- Hier – Yesterday
- Matin – Morning
- Soir – Evening
- Lundi – Monday
- Mardi – Tuesday
- Mercredi – Wednesday
- Jeudi – Thursday
- Vendredi – Friday
- Samedi
- Dimanche
Starting with vocabulary that you’ll actually use every day builds confidence and creates momentum. You’ll be able to navigate everyday situations in French without feeling lost—even as a beginner.
At Educateme, our French courses are built around day-to-day communication. We teach you how to use these words in full sentences, conversations, and real context—whether you're preparing for citizenship, working in Luxembourg, or just want to feel more at home here.
📘 Ready to learn French with confidence?
Explore our French courses or book a free consultation to start: https://Educateme.lu/#courses