80 Essential French Words for Kids

Introducing your child to French can be an exciting and enriching journey. For kids aged 6-10, learning a new language not only boosts cognitive skills but also opens up opportunities to connect with other cultures. But what are the most important French words for kids to learn first?

In this guide, we’ve compiled essential French vocabulary for kids beginners, focusing on practical, everyday words that help build a strong foundation for communication. From greetings to family members and colors, this vocabulary list is perfect for children starting their French-learning journey. We’ll also share common French phrases for kids and fun ways to teach French vocabulary to kids effectively.

Simplifying Language Learning for Kids

Starting with a vocabulary list breaks down the learning process into smaller, manageable steps. Instead of overwhelming your child with complex grammar, they can focus on building a foundation of essential French words they’ll use in real-life situations.

Building a Strong Foundation for Speaking Skills

Learning key vocabulary enables kids to improve their speaking skills and start forming sentences. By mastering just a few dozen words, they’ll be able to engage in basic conversations and express themselves in French.

To help English-speaking kids pronounce French words correctly, we’ve included phonetics for each word in this list. These phonetics, written between slashes //, simplify pronunciation using English equivalents. For example, the word bonjour is written as /bohn-zhoor/. This approach makes learning accessible and fun for kids.

Below, you’ll find our carefully curated list of essential French vocabulary for kids beginners. Each group of words is tailored to a specific topic or theme, making it easier for children to remember and use them. 

Learning greetings is one of the most important starting points in any language. These words are the building blocks of polite conversations and help kids feel confident when interacting with French speakers. 

👋 Bonjour /bohn-zhoor/ (Hello)

😊 Salut /sah-loo/ (Hi)

👋 Au revoir /oh ruh-vwahr/ (Goodbye)

🙏 Merci /mehr-see/ (Thank you)

🙏 S’il vous plaît /seel voo pleh/ (Please)

✅ Oui /wee/ (Yes)

❌ Non /noh/ (No)

🤔 Comment ça va ? /koh-mohn sah vah/ (How are you?)

😊 Ça va bien /sah vah byeh/ (I’m fine)

😢 Ça va mal /sah vah mahl/ (I’m not good)

Colors are a fun and easy topic for kids to learn. These words are not only practical but also perfect for interactive French vocabulary games for kids.

🔴 Rouge /roozh/ (Red)

🔵 Bleu /bluh/ (Blue)

🟡 Jaune /zhohn/ (Yellow)

🟢 Vert /vehr/ (Green)

⚫ Noir /nwahr/ (Black)

⚪ Blanc /blahn/ (White)

🩶 Gris /gree/ (Gray)

🌸 Rose /rohz/ (Pink)

🟠 Orange /oh-rahnzh/ (Orange)

🟤 Marron /mah-rohn/ (Brown)

Family vocabulary helps kids talk about the people closest to them, making this category highly relevant and engaging. 

👨‍👧 Un papa /uh pah-pah/ (Dad)

👩‍👧 Une maman /ewn mah-mahn/ (Mom)

👦 Un frère /uh frehr/ (Brother)

👧 Une sœur /ewn suhr/ (Sister)

👶 Un bébé /uh beh-beh/ (Baby)

🤝 Un ami /uh ah-mee/ (Friend)

👴 Un grand-père /uh grahn-pehr/ (Grandfather)

👵 Une grand-mère /ewn grahn-mehr/ (Grandmother)

🧒 Un enfant /uh ahn-fahn/ (Child)

🏡 Un voisin /uh vwaz-ehn/ (Neighbor)

One of the best ways to teach French vocabulary is to integrate words into short, meaningful sentences. This helps kids learn words in context and improves their ability to write simple sentences and start conversations.

Here are 20 examples of common French phrases for kids using the vocabulary from our list:

1. Bonjour, maman! (Hello, mom!)

2. Je mange une pomme. (I eat an apple.)

3. Où est le chien? (Where is the dog?)

4. Il est rouge. (It is red.)

5. Je suis content. (I am happy.)

6. Merci, papa! (Thank you, dad!)

7. J’aime le chocolat. (I love chocolate.)

8. Qui est là? (Who is there?)

9. Pourquoi tu pleures? (Why are you crying?)

10. Parce que je suis triste. (Because I am sad.)

11. Je bois du lait. (I drink milk.)

12. Ça va bien, et toi? (I’m fine, and you?)

13. Une étoile est dans le ciel. (A star is in the sky.)

14. Où est ma chaise? (Where is my chair?)

15. Je chante une chanson. (I sing a song.)

16. Il est mon frère. (He is my brother.)

17. Un oiseau est dans l’arbre. (A bird is in the tree.)

18. Je cours avec mon ami. (I run with my friend.)

19. C’est quoi, ça? (What is that?)

20. Au revoir, grand-mère! (Goodbye, grandmother!)

Teaching vocabulary in sentences helps kids retain words better and enables them to use them naturally in conversations.

Beyond basic vocabulary, introducing authentic French expressions used by native-speaking kids can make learning more engaging and fun. These expressions are commonly heard in daily life and help your child sound more fluent. 

😌 C’est pas grave. (It’s no big deal.)

👍 D’accord. (Okay.)

✅ Ça marche! (That works!)

🗺️ T’es où? (Where are you?)

😎 Trop cool! (So cool!)

✋ Arrête! (Stop it!)

🍎 C’est bon! (It’s good!)

👀 Regarde! (Look!)

❓ C’est quoi? (What is it?)

🏃 Allez, viens! (Come on!)

With this list of 80 carefully selected French words and phrases, your child will be ready to begin forming simple sentences and engaging in basic conversations. These words cover practical topics like French vocabulary for kids about family members and common French phrases for kids that they’ll use every day.

By teaching vocabulary in context—through games, flashcards, and interactive methods—your child will not only learn the words but also develop the confidence to use them naturally. Whether you’re learning French at home or exploring French language learning resources for kids in the UK, USA, or elsewhere, this vocabulary list provides the perfect starting point.