Top 1000 French Words

With just one thousand French words, you can become almost fluent.

As this gentle publication grows, so will the appearance of new French words in the top 1000. Come to this page whenever you want to do a treasure hunt to find those words in a post. Just click the link on your desired word (scroll past table below), and it will take you to the post where the word appears somewhere in the text.

Whenever a French word appears in the text of a post, it will be in italics, so you can easily spot it.

You could also do a Command F on your keyboard to search for the word if you’d rather cut to the chase and find your treasure tout de suite (right away).

My gratitude (gratitude) goes to Strommen for sharing the top 1000 French words (in order of frequency).

New Here? You might like Why I’m Learning French Through Tea

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And a Growing Top-1000-Words Pronunciation Library for You!

J’ai Fait Du Thé’s Top 1000 French Words Treasure Hunt

1. comme (as)

2. Je (I)

4. que (that)

5. il (he)

7. pour (for)

8. sur (on)

10. avec (with)

11. ils (they)

12. être (to be)

15. avoir (to have)

16. ce (this)

18. par (by)

19. chaud (hot)

20. le mot (word—not a spoken word)

24. est (is)

26. vous (you)

30. de (of)

32. et (and)

34. dans (in)

35. nous (we)

37. dehors (out/outside)

40. qui (who, whom, that, which)

41. faire (to do)

43. le temps (time)

44. si (if)

49. chaque (each)

54. vouloir (want)

58. jouer (to play)

59. petit (small)

61. mettre (to put)

64. la main (hand)

76. suivre (follow)

78. pourquoi (why)

83. la lumière (light)

87. la maison (house)

89. essayer (to try)

91. encore (again)

94. la mère (mother)

99. la terre (earth)

100. le père (father)

102. nouveau / nouvel (new)

111. après (after)

113. peu (little)

121. bon (good)

122. moi (me)

124. notre

127. très (very)

143. avant (before)

147. vieux/vieille (old)

148. trop (too much)

150. elle (she)

152. là (there)

153. quand (when)

158. sur (about)

162. écrire (to write) j’écris

164. comme (like)

169. faire (to make) / je fais (i make)

170. chose (thing)

179. aller (go)

180. venir (to come)

184. aucun / aucune (none, no, not any)

189. savoir (to know)

190. l’eau (water)

192. appel (call) / appelle (calls)

193. premier / première (first)

200. trouver (to find)
     

203. propre (own), as in mes propres (my own)

206. pays (country)

207. trouvé (found)

212. encore (still)

217. le soleil (sun)

221. garder (keep)

225. laisser (to let)

234. la histoire (story)

237. la mer (sea)

246. la nuit (night)

248. la vie (life)

251. le livre (book)

259. idée (idea)

260. le poisson (fish)

264. la base (base)

280. commencer (to begin), commence (begin)

285. le papier (paper)

287. toujours (always)

290. les deux (both)

291. neige (snow)

300. 
     

312. sentir (to feel) senti

326. noir (black)

330. le vent (wind)

357. plein (full)

373. l’or (m.) (gold)

400. 
     

412. la note (note)

416. l’étoile (star)

425. la beauté (beauty)

434. vert (green)

452. meilleur /e (best)

455. vrai (true)

472. la table (table)

475. le matin (morning)

487. amour (love)

495. froid (cold)

500. 
     

512. soudain / soudaine (sudden)

538. la vague (wave)

540. le cœur (heart)

555. la fenêtre (window)

557. l’été (m.) (summer)

567. souhaiter (to wish) souhaites-tu

584. le passé (past)

600. 
     

613. sauf (except)

638. le jardin (garden)

660. un moment (moment)

700. sauter (to jump, leap)
     

717. les cheveux (hair)

718. décrire (to describe)

726. le chat (cat)

740. la température (temperature)

744. lutte (struggle, fight)

754. danger (danger) / dangereux (dangerous)

755. le fruit (fruit)

756. riche (rich)

800. 
     

805. créer (to create)

813. le poème (poem)

823. la peur (fear)

840. la rose (rose)

885. boisson (drink) / de boire (of drinking)

889. la nature (nature)

893. le chemin (path, way)

900. 
     

910. l’argent (m.) (silver)

924. guider (guide, lead)

938. le rêve (dream) / rêver (to dream)