French reference

The 250 most common French words

Ranked by how often they actually appear. Together these 250 words account for about 72% of everything said and written in French — which is why the order you learn vocabulary in matters more than the number of words you know.

250words
72%of everyday speech
4.7%the single commonest word
#WordEnglishSay itShareRunning total
1êtreto beehtr4.708%4.7%
2avoirto haveah-VWAHR3.527%8.2%
3deofduh2.936%11.2%
4jeIzhuh2.892%14.1%
5pasnotpah2.030%16.1%
6lethe (m)luh1.847%17.9%
7quethatkuh1.769%19.7%
8lathe (f)lah1.680%21.4%
9vousyou (formal/plural)voo1.566%23.0%
10tuyou (informal)tew1.544%24.5%
11unauhN1.518%26.0%
12àtoah1.434%27.5%
13etanday1.431%28.9%
14ilhe/iteel1.401%30.3%
15nenotnuh1.164%31.4%
16lesthe (pl)lay1.060%32.5%
17faireto dofehr1.019%33.5%
18eninahN1.018%34.5%
19allerto goah-LAY1.001%35.5%
20onwe/oneohN0.959%36.5%
21çathatsah0.955%37.5%
22uneaewn0.946%38.4%
23cethissuh0.882%39.3%
24pourforpoor0.862%40.1%
25dessomeday0.662%40.8%
26pouvoirto be able topoo-VWAHR0.650%41.5%
27direto saydeer0.634%42.1%
28quiwhokee0.580%42.7%
29maisbutmeh0.571%43.2%
30vouloirto wantvoo-LWAHR0.550%43.8%
31dansindahN0.525%44.3%
32savoirto knowsah-VWAHR0.525%44.8%
33nouswenoo0.524%45.4%
34elleshe/itehl0.514%45.9%
35mememuh0.504%46.4%
36bienwellbyaN0.501%46.9%
37siifsee0.491%47.4%
38duof thedew0.465%47.8%
39ythereee-GREHK0.460%48.3%
40nonnonohN0.449%48.8%
41avecwithah-VEHK0.437%49.2%
42touteverythingtoo0.433%49.6%
43plusmoreplew0.423%50.0%
44monmy (m)mohN0.416%50.5%
45teto youtuh0.393%50.9%
46auto theoh0.386%51.2%
47voirto seevwahr0.385%51.6%
48devoirto have toduh-VWAHR0.371%52.0%
49moimemwah0.365%52.4%
50ouiyeswee0.349%52.7%
51ilsthey (m)eel0.329%53.0%
52suronsewr0.327%53.4%
53quoiwhatkwah0.311%53.7%
54seoneselfsuh0.302%54.0%
55commelikekawm0.301%54.3%
56icihereee-SEE0.253%54.5%
57mamy (f)mah0.249%54.8%
58toiyoutwah0.246%55.0%
59est-ce quedoehs kuh0.246%55.3%
60venirto comevuh-NEER0.243%55.5%
61luihim/herlew-EE0.240%55.8%
62votreyour (formal)vohtr0.236%56.0%
63pourquoiwhypoor-KWAH0.229%56.2%
64oùwhereoo0.224%56.4%
65làtherelah0.224%56.7%
66riennothingree-AN0.222%56.9%
67cettethis (f)seht0.218%57.1%
68quandwhenkahN0.208%57.3%
69penserto thinkpahN-SAY0.206%57.5%
70sontheirsohN0.204%57.7%
71prendreto takeprahNdr0.192%57.9%
72autreotherohtr0.190%58.1%
73alorssoah-LAWR0.189%58.3%
74tonyour (informal, m)tohN0.188%58.5%
75commenthowkaw-MAHN0.184%58.7%
76parlerto speakpahr-LAY0.182%58.9%
77parbypahr0.181%59.0%
78ouoroo0.173%59.2%
79chosethingshawz0.228%59.4%
80bongoodbohN0.168%59.6%
81mercithank youmehr-SEE0.164%59.8%
82justejustzhewst0.162%59.9%
83trèsverytreh0.161%60.1%
84aimerto likeeh-MAY0.161%60.3%
85croireto believekrwahr0.153%60.4%
86jamaisneverzhah-MEH0.152%60.6%
87trouverto findtroo-VAY0.150%60.7%
88aussialsooh-SEE0.149%60.9%
89vraimentreallyvreh-MAHN0.147%61.0%
90mêmesamemehm0.143%61.1%
91satheirsah0.142%61.3%
92ohohaw0.142%61.4%
93maintenantnowmaNt-NAHN0.140%61.6%
94tousall (m pl)toos0.139%61.7%
95falloirto be necessary (must)fah-LWAHR0.138%61.8%
96deuxtwoduh0.135%62.0%
97cesthesesay0.135%62.1%
98tayour (informal, f)tah0.130%62.2%
99attendreto waitah-TAHNDR0.129%62.4%
100peulittlepuh0.123%62.5%
101tempstime/weathertahN0.123%62.6%
102quelquesomeKEHL-kuh0.123%62.7%
103toujoursalwaystoo-ZHOOR0.120%62.9%
104encoreagainahN-KAWR0.119%63.0%
105notreournohtr0.118%63.1%
106mesmy (pl)may0.116%63.2%
107besoinneedbuh-ZWAN0.115%63.3%
108accordagreementah-KAWR0.110%63.4%
109partirto leavepahr-TEER0.109%63.6%
110vielifevee0.115%63.7%
111peut-êtremaybepuh-TEHTR0.107%63.8%
112arriverto arriveah-ree-VAY0.105%63.9%
113foistime (occurrence)fwah0.104%64.0%
114regarderto watchruh-gahr-DAY0.103%64.1%
115doncsodohNk0.098%64.2%
116sanswithoutsahN0.098%64.3%
117mondeworldmohNd0.096%64.4%
118parcebecausepahrs0.095%64.5%
119avantbeforeah-VAHN0.095%64.6%
120sûrsuresewr0.094%64.7%
121sortirto go outsawr-TEER0.093%64.8%
122tuerto killtew-AY0.093%64.8%
123troptoo muchtroh0.092%64.9%
124appelerto callah-PLAY0.092%65.0%
125mettreto putmehtr0.091%65.1%
126pèrefatherpehr0.091%65.2%
127personneperson/nobodypehr-SAWN0.160%65.4%
128arrêterto stopah-reh-TAY0.089%65.5%
129aprèsafterah-PREH0.087%65.5%
130essayerto tryay-seh-YAY0.086%65.6%
131auxto the (pl)oh0.085%65.7%
132dieugoddyuh0.089%65.8%
133ouaisyeahweh0.084%65.9%
134sestheirsay0.084%66.0%
135connaîtreto know (a person/thing)kaw-NEHTR0.083%66.1%
136leurtheirluhr0.082%66.1%
137hommemanawm0.082%66.2%
138vraitruevreh0.081%66.3%
139femmewomanfahm0.081%66.4%
140okokoh-KAY0.079%66.5%
141anyearahN0.093%66.6%
142malbadmahl0.076%66.6%
143chezat the home ofshay0.076%66.7%
144déjàalreadyday-ZHAH0.075%66.8%
145depuissinceduh-pew-EE0.074%66.9%
146beaucoupa lotboh-KOO0.074%66.9%
147vosyour (formal pl)voh0.073%67.0%
148bonnegood (f)bawn0.073%67.1%
149mortdeadmawr0.073%67.2%
150mèremothermehr0.072%67.2%
151mieuxbettermyuh0.071%67.3%
152fillegirlfeey0.095%67.4%
153tesyour (informal pl)tay0.070%67.5%
154heurehouruhr0.068%67.5%
155selsaltsehl0.068%67.6%
156quelwhichkehl0.068%67.7%
157désolésorryday-zoh-LAY0.067%67.7%
158çathatkah0.066%67.8%
159voilàthere it isvwah-LAH0.066%67.9%
160dernierlastdehr-NYAY0.066%67.9%
161petitsmallpuh-TEE0.065%68.0%
162maisonhousemeh-ZOHN0.069%68.1%
163comprendreto understandkohN-PRAHNDR0.063%68.1%
164écouterto listenay-koo-TAY0.063%68.2%
165aiderto helpeh-DAY0.062%68.3%
166soireveningswahr0.062%68.3%
167celathatsuh-LAH0.062%68.4%
168premierfirstpruh-MYAY0.061%68.4%
169resterto stayrehs-TAY0.061%68.5%
170toutealltoot0.061%68.6%
171passépastpah-SAY0.060%68.6%
172jourdayzhoor0.101%68.7%
173monsieursirmuh-SYUH0.057%68.8%
174nosour (pl)noh0.057%68.8%
175pommeapplepawm0.057%68.9%
176tenirto holdtuh-NEER0.057%68.9%
177passerto passpah-SAY0.057%69.0%
178saluthisah-LEW0.056%69.1%
179cetthis (m., before vowel)seht0.056%69.1%
180nomnamenohN0.063%69.2%
181argentmoneyahr-ZHAHN0.056%69.2%
182bonjourhellobohN-ZHOOR0.054%69.3%
183laisserto letleh-SAY0.054%69.3%
184nuitnightnew-EE0.058%69.4%
185raisonreasonreh-ZOHN0.060%69.5%
186moinslessmwaN0.053%69.5%
187travaillerto worktrah-vah-YAY0.053%69.6%
188mamanmommah-MAHN0.053%69.6%
189resterestrehst0.059%69.7%
190momentmomentmoh-MAHN0.057%69.7%
191chercherto look forshehr-SHAY0.052%69.8%
192seulalonesuhl0.052%69.8%
193airairehr0.052%69.9%
194commencerto beginkaw-mahN-SAY0.051%69.9%
195entrebetweenahNtr0.051%70.0%
196papadadpah-PAH0.051%70.0%
197plaireto pleaseplehr0.051%70.1%
198affairematterah-FEHR0.051%70.1%
199avertirto warnah-vehr-TEER0.050%70.2%
200problèmeproblempraw-BLEHM0.065%70.3%
201ahahah0.049%70.3%
202peurfearpuhr0.049%70.4%
203garsguygah0.047%70.4%
204filssonfeel0.047%70.5%
205troisthreetrwah0.046%70.5%
206assezenoughah-SAY0.046%70.5%
207famillefamilyfah-MEEY0.051%70.6%
208ehheyeh0.046%70.6%
209toutesall (f pl)toot0.046%70.7%
210oeufegguhf0.045%70.7%
211travailworktrah-VAHY0.045%70.8%
212têteheadteht0.048%70.8%
213quellewhichkehl0.045%70.9%
214quelquesa fewKEHL-kuh0.044%70.9%
215donnerto givedaw-NAY0.044%71.0%
216vitequicklyveet0.043%71.0%
217seulealone (f)suhl0.043%71.0%
218voiturecarvwah-TEWR0.049%71.1%
219merdeshitmehrd0.042%71.1%
220cuillèrespoonkwee-YEHR0.004%71.1%
221héheyay0.042%71.2%
222pendantduringpahN-DAHN0.042%71.2%
223idéeideaee-DAY0.049%71.3%
224chanceluckshahNs0.047%71.3%
225devenirto becomeduhv-NEER0.042%71.4%
226ellesthey (f)ehl0.041%71.4%
227revenirto come backruhv-NEER0.041%71.4%
228grandbiggrahN0.041%71.5%
229aujourd'huitodayoh-zhoor-dew-EE0.041%71.5%
230saladesaladsah-LAHD0.058%71.6%
231amifriendah-MEE0.075%71.7%
232demaintomorrowduh-MAN0.041%71.7%
233heinhuhaN0.041%71.7%
234tardlatetahr0.040%71.8%
235puisthenpew-EE0.040%71.8%
236tructhingtrewk0.056%71.9%
237histoirestoryees-TWAHR0.040%71.9%
238petitesmall (f)puh-TEET0.040%72.0%
239tantso muchtahN0.040%72.0%
240entendreto hearahN-TAHNDR0.040%72.0%
241combienhow muchkohN-BYAN0.039%72.1%
242mecguymehk0.049%72.1%
243sensdirectionsahNs0.039%72.2%
244mangerto eatmahN-ZHAY0.039%72.2%
245frèrebrotherfrehr0.039%72.2%
246portedoorpawrt0.046%72.3%
247rentrerto go homerahN-TRAY0.038%72.3%
248supergreatsew-PEHR0.038%72.4%
249contreagainstkohNtr0.038%72.4%
250couphitkoo0.047%72.5%

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