French Word Lists (A1–C2)
French word lists organized by European Language Portfolio levels. Each word includes its English meaning, part of speech, and example sentence when available. Lists are arranged by frequency: start at the beginning and progress through less common words.
Choose your level
A1
A1 level vocabulary
Beginner level. The core words you meet most often in everyday life.
1178 words →
A2
A2 level vocabulary
Elementary level. The words you need to follow simple conversations and short texts.
664 words →
B1
B1 level vocabulary
Intermediate level. Words commonly used at work and school.
1737 words →
B2
B2 level vocabulary
Upper-intermediate level. Words that let you follow abstract topics and technical texts.
5073 words →
C1
C1 level vocabulary
Advanced level. Words used in academic and professional contexts.
3144 words →
C2
C2 level vocabulary
Mastery level. Idiomatic, academic and rarely used words.
2298 words →
Which level should I start with?
Skim a list: if you know roughly %80 of the words, move up a level. If more than half are unfamiliar, stay one level below. A target of 20–30 new words a day is sustainable for most people — what matters is reviewing every day.
Seeing words inside sentences improves retention considerably, which is why we suggest running the example sentences in the grammar topics alongside your vocabulary work.