Learning French starts with simple words.

You do not need to learn thousands of words at once. Instead, start with words that you can use in daily life.

If you are learning French at the A1 level, basic vocabulary will help you introduce yourself, talk about your family, order food, ask simple questions, and understand everyday conversations.

In this guide, you will learn 100 essential French A1 vocabulary words with their English meanings. We have grouped the words by topic to make them easier to learn and remember.

Whether you are taking French classes for beginners or learning on your own, these words are a great place to start.

What Is French A1 Level?

Learning French A1 vocabulary is one of the best ways to start speaking French. You do not need to learn thousands of words at once. Instead, start with simple words that you can use in daily conversations.

At this level, you learn how to use simple words and sentences in common situations. For example, you may learn how to say your name, ask where someone lives, order a drink, or talk about your family.

According to the CEFR language framework, an A1 learner can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases.

So, if you are just starting French, A1 is your first step.

100 Essential French A1 Words

We have divided these 100 words into simple groups.

Try to learn a few words each day. More importantly, use them in short sentences.

1. French Greetings and Basic Words

Let’s start with words you can use from your first French conversation.

#	French	English
1	Bonjour	Hello / Good morning
2	Salut	Hi
3	Bonsoir	Good evening
4	Au revoir	Goodbye
5	Merci	Thank you
6	S’il vous plaît	Please
7	Oui	Yes
8	Non	No
9	Pardon	Sorry / Excuse me
10	Bienvenue	Welcome

Read also : 9 Powerful Reasons to Learn the French Language in 2026

Simple example:

Bonjour ! Comment ça va ?
Hello! How are you?

Ça va bien, merci.
I’m fine, thank you.

These are some of the first expressions you should practise because you can use them almost every day.

2. People and Family

Next, learn some words for people and family.

#	French	English
11	La famille	Family
12	La mère	Mother
13	Le père	Father
14	Le frère	Brother
15	La sœur	Sister
16	Les parents	Parents
17	L’enfant	Child
18	L’ami / L’amie	Friend
19	L’homme	Man
20	La femme	Woman

Simple example:

J’ai un frère.
I have a brother.

Ma mère est française.
My mother is French.

When you learn a French noun, try to learn its article too. For example, learn la famille, not only famille.

3. Numbers 1–10

Numbers are useful when talking about age, prices, time, dates, and phone numbers.

#	French	English
21	Un	One
22	Deux	Two
23	Trois	Three
24	Quatre	Four
25	Cinq	Five
26	Six	Six
27	Sept	Seven
28	Huit	Eight
29	Neuf	Nine
30	Dix	Ten

Start with 1–10. Then, slowly move to larger numbers.

Simple example:

J’ai deux frères.
I have two brothers.

4. Days and Time

These French A1 words will help you talk about your day and schedule.

#	French	English
31	Aujourd’hui	Today
32	Demain	Tomorrow
33	Hier	Yesterday
34	Le matin	Morning
35	L’après-midi	Afternoon
36	Le soir	Evening
37	La nuit	Night
38	L’heure	Hour / Time
39	Le jour	Day
40	La semaine	Week

Simple example:

Je travaille aujourd’hui.
I am working today.

À demain !
See you tomorrow!

5. Food and Drinks

Food vocabulary is useful when you shop, cook, visit a café, or eat at a restaurant.

#	French	English
41	L’eau	Water
42	Le café	Coffee
43	Le thé	Tea
44	Le pain	Bread
45	Le lait	Milk
46	Le fromage	Cheese
47	Le fruit	Fruit
48	Le légume	Vegetable
49	La viande	Meat
50	Le poisson	Fish

Simple example:

Je voudrais un café, s’il vous plaît.
I would like a coffee, please.

Learning words inside simple sentences makes them much easier to remember.

6. Common Places

Next, learn words for places you may visit in everyday life.

#	French	English
51	La maison	House
52	L’école	School
53	Le travail	Work
54	Le magasin	Shop
55	Le restaurant	Restaurant
56	La gare	Train station
57	L’aéroport	Airport
58	L’hôpital	Hospital
59	La banque	Bank
60	La ville	City

Simple example:

Je vais à l’école.
I am going to school.

Où est la gare ?
Where is the train station?

7. Essential French A1 Verbs

Verbs are very important because they help you create sentences.

Here are 15 common verbs for beginners.

#	French	English
61	Être	To be
62	Avoir	To have
63	Aller	To go
64	Faire	To do / Make
65	Parler	To speak
66	Manger	To eat
67	Boire	To drink
68	Habiter	To live
69	Aimer	To like / Love
70	Travailler	To work
71	Étudier	To study
72	Lire	To read
73	Écrire	To write
74	Acheter	To buy
75	Comprendre	To understand

Do not try to learn every verb form at once.

Start with the verb and its meaning. Then, learn how to use it in a simple sentence.

For example:

Je parle français.
I speak French.

J’habite à Delhi.
I live in Delhi.

J’aime le café.
I like coffee.

8. Common French Adjectives

Adjectives help you describe people, places, objects, and feelings.

#	French	English
76	Grand / Grande	Big / Tall
77	Petit / Petite	Small
78	Bon / Bonne	Good
79	Mauvais / Mauvaise	Bad
80	Beau / Belle	Beautiful
81	Nouveau / Nouvelle	New
82	Vieux / Vieille	Old
83	Facile	Easy
84	Difficile	Difficult
85	Heureux / Heureuse	Happy

Simple example:

La maison est grande.
The house is big.

Le français est facile.
French is easy.

Notice that some French adjectives change depending on the noun. You will learn these grammar rules as you move through A1.

For now, focus on understanding the basic meaning.

9. Question Words

If you want to have a conversation in French, you also need to know how to ask simple questions.

#	French	English
86	Qui	Who
87	Quoi	What
88	Où	Where
89	Quand	When
90	Pourquoi	Why
91	Comment	How
92	Combien	How much / How many

Simple example:

Où habitez-vous ?
Where do you live?

Comment vous appelez-vous ?
What is your name?

Combien ça coûte ?
How much does it cost?

These question words will help you handle many basic conversations.

10. Everyday French Words

Finally, here are eight more words that you will hear and use often.

#	French	English
93	Ici	Here
94	Là	There
95	Maintenant	Now
96	Toujours	Always
97	Avec	With
98	Sans	Without
99	Beaucoup	A lot / Much
100	Très	Very

That’s 100 French A1 vocabulary words to start building your French foundation.

But simply reading the list is not enough. Next, let’s look at how to remember these words.

How to Learn French A1 Vocabulary Easily

You do not need to learn all 100 words today.

In fact, trying to memorize too many words at once can make learning harder.

Instead, follow a simple routine.

Learn 5–10 Words a Day

Start with five or ten new words each day.

For example, learn five words in the morning. Then, review them again in the evening.

After one week, you may already know dozens of useful French words.

Learn Words with Their Articles

French nouns have grammatical gender.

Therefore, instead of learning:

maison = house

learn:

la maison = the house

Similarly:

le café = coffee

This habit will help when you start learning more French grammar.

Use Simple Sentences

Do not only memorize individual words.

For example, instead of learning:

café = coffee

learn:

J’aime le café.
I like coffee.

Now you know both the word and one way to use it.

Say the Words Out Loud

French pronunciation can look different from written English.

Therefore, listen to French and repeat the words aloud.

You do not need perfect pronunciation on your first day. However, regular listening and speaking practice will help you improve.

Review Old Vocabulary

Learning a word once does not mean you will remember it forever.

Review is important.

For example, you can use flashcards and test yourself regularly. Spend more time on the words that are difficult for you.

10 Useful French Sentences for Beginners

Once you know some basic vocabulary, start putting words together.

Here are ten simple sentences you can practise:

Bonjour, je m’appelle Rahul.
Hello, my name is Rahul.

Comment allez-vous ?
How are you?

Je vais bien, merci.
I am fine, thank you.

J’habite en Inde.
I live in India.

Je parle anglais.
I speak English.

J’étudie le français.
I study French.

J’aime le café.
I like coffee.

Où est la gare ?
Where is the train station?

Je voudrais de l’eau, s’il vous plaît.
I would like some water, please.

Au revoir !
Goodbye!

Practise changing one word at a time.

For example:

J’aime le café.
J’aime le thé.
J’aime le fromage.

This is a simple way to build new sentences without learning complex grammar first.

What Should You Learn After French A1 Vocabulary?

Vocabulary is only one part of learning French.

Once you know some basic words, start working on:

• French pronunciation
• Basic grammar
• Numbers
• Days and months
• Common verbs
• Masculine and feminine nouns
• Articles
• Simple questions
• Listening
• Speaking
• Reading short texts

Most importantly, use what you learn.

Even a five-minute conversation can help you remember vocabulary better than simply reading a list.

Frequently Asked Questions About French A1 Vocabulary

What is French A1 vocabulary?

French A1 vocabulary includes basic words and expressions used in simple daily situations. These include greetings, numbers, family, food, places, common verbs, adjectives, and question words.

How many words should a French A1 learner know?

There is no single official word count that defines A1. Instead of focusing only on a number, learn common vocabulary that helps you understand and use simple French in everyday situations.

Is French A1 difficult for beginners?

A1 is designed for beginners. Some parts of French, such as pronunciation and grammatical gender, may feel new at first. However, regular practice makes them easier.

How can I memorize French words faster?

Learn a few words each day. Use flashcards, listen to pronunciation, write simple sentences, and review older vocabulary often.

Should I learn French grammar or vocabulary first?

Learn both together.

For example, when you learn the word café, you can also learn the sentence J’aime le café.

This helps you understand how vocabulary works inside real sentences.

Can I learn French A1 online?

Yes. You can learn French A1 online through live classes, guided lessons, videos, reading material, speaking practice, and self-study resources.

For beginners, a structured course can make it easier to know what to learn next.

Start Learning French with Koderbox

Learning your first 100 French A1 vocabulary words is a great start.

However, learning French is not about memorizing a long list of words.

You need to listen, speak, read, write, and practise regularly.

Koderbox offers live online French language classes for learners who want a structured path from the beginner level.

You can start with French A1 and continue to A2 and higher levels as your skills improve.

If you are ready to start learning French, contact Koderbox to learn about upcoming batches, course schedules, fees, and online classes.

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