A list of the most common French words ordered by their frequency of use. You can use this list to learn words efficiently, ensuring you cover the basic vocabulary of French.
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de
1. prep. of (expresses belonging)
Paris est la capitale de la France. - Paris is the capital of France.
2. prep. of (used to express property or association)
Œuvres de Fermat - Fermat’s Works
Elle est la femme de mon ami. - She is my friend’s wife.
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le
1. art. the (definite article)
Le lait du matin. - The milk of the morning.
2. art. Used before abstract nouns; not translated in English.
L'amour est aveugle. - Love is blind.
3. art. (before parts of the body) the; my, your, etc.
3
la
1. art. the (definite article)
2. pron. her, it (direct object)
Où est Judith ? Je ne la vois pas. - Where is Judith? I don't see her.
Prends cette boîte et mets-la dans le coin. - Take that box and put it in the corner.
3. n-m. (music) la, the note 'A'
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et
1. conj. and
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que
1. conj. that (introduces a subordinate noun clause and connects it to its parent clause)
Je vois que tu parles bien français. - I see that you speak French well.
2. conj. Substitutes for another, previously stated conjunction.
Si le temps est beau et que tout le monde est d'accord, nous mangerons en plein air. - If the weather is nice and if everyone likes the idea, we'll eat outside.
3. conj. when, no sooner
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à
1. Notes. In Canada, à and a are not homophones, à a, a ɑː.
2. prep. to (destination)
aller au bout - go to the end / go all the way
Je vais à Paris. - I am going to Paris.
3. prep. to (until)
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les
1. art. plural of le: the
2. art. plural of la: the
3. pron. plural of le: them
4. pron. plural of la: them
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ne
1. part. (literary) not (used alone to negate a verb; now chiefly with only a few particular verbs: see usage notes)
2. part. not, no (used before a verb, with a coordinating negative element usually following; see Usage Notes, below)
3. part. (Used in a subordinate clause before a subjunctive verb (especially when the main verb expresses doubt or fear), to provide extra overtones of doubt or uncertainty (but not negating its verb); the so-
4. part. In comparative clauses usually translated with the positive sense of the subsequent negative
Apprendre le français est plus facile qu'on ne pense. - Learning French is easier than you (might) think.
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un
1. art. an, a
2. num. number box, fr
3. num. one
4. pron. one, someone
5. n-m. one (the number or figure)
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se
1. pron. The third-person reflexive and reciprocal direct and indirect object pronoun.
2. pron. (to) himself
3. pron. (to) herself
4. pron. (to) oneself
5. pron. (to) itself
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il
1. pron. he (third-person singular masculine subject pronoun for human subject)
Il est parti. - He left.
2. pron. it (third-person singular subject pronoun for grammatically masculine objects)
Je cherche mon livre. Où est-il ? - I'm looking for my book. Where is it?
3. pron. (impersonal pronoun) Impersonal subject; it
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en
1. prep. in (used to indicate space, also see usage notes)
J'habite en Angleterre. - I live in England.
2. prep. to (indicates direction towards certain very large locations, see usage notes)
Il est allé en France. - He went to France.
3. prep. by (used to indicate means)
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des
1. art. plural of un
2. art. plural of une
3. art. plural of du
4. art. plural of de la
5. art. plural of de l'
de
1. prep. of (expresses belonging)
2. prep. of (used to express property or association)
les
1. art. plural of le: the
2. art. plural of la: the
3. pron. plural of le: them
4. pron. plural of la: them
de l'
1. art. some; the singular prevocalic partitive article
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une
1. num. feminine singular of un
2. art. a / an (feminine indefinite article)
3. n-f. front page (of a publication)
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qui
1. pron. (interrogative) who, whom
Tu as vu qui ? - Who have you seen?
Je ne sais pas qui vous êtes. - I don't know who you are.
2. pron. (relative) who, whom (after a preposition), which, that
La personne qui parle connait bien son sujet. - The person who speaks knows his/her subject well.
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je
1. pron. I
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dans
1. prep. (literal, figurative) in, inside (enclosed in a physical space, a group, a state)
vieillir dans la misère - to grow old in poverty
être dans l'infanterie - to be in the infantry
avoir quelque chose dans la bouche - to have something in the mouth
dans les circonstances d'une pandémie - under the circumstances of a pandemic
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ce
1. det. this, that
2. pron. (subject of être, with predicative adjectives or relative clauses, singular only) it, this, that (see § Usage notes, below)
C'est beau ! - It is beautiful!
est-ce que...? - is it that...?
ce dont je parlais - that which I was speaking of
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du
1. contraction. contraction of de + le (t=of the)
« Eussent » est la troisième personne du pluriel de l'imparfait du subjonctif de « avoir ». - "Eussent" is the third-person plural imperfect subjunctive form of "avoir.".
2. contraction. , translation=The bulge gives 9nine liters more than the point which corresponds to that of the diameter of the base indicated by the gauge (...)
3. art. Forms the partitive article.
Il mange du pain. - He eats bread. / He eats some bread.
de
1. prep. of (expresses belonging)
2. prep. of (used to express property or association)
le
1. art. the (definite article)
2. art. Used before abstract nouns; not translated in English.
3. art. (before parts of the body) the; my, your, etc.
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pas
1. n-m. step, pace, footstep
2. n-m. (geography) strait, pass
Pas de Calais - Strait of Dover
3. n-m. thread, pitch (of a screw or nut)
4. adv. The most common adverb of negation in French, typically translating into English as not, don't, doesn't, etc.
