En Ville: French Vocabulary for Towns and Cities
In this post you’ll learn French vocabulary for towns and cities. First you’ll learn key vocabulary for things you see around town. Next you’ll learn French vocabulary for stores. After that you’ll see vocabulary for schools, restaurants, and other buildings you’re likely to see around town. Finally you’ll learn how to ask directions in French. All of this vocabulary will help you navigate everyday life in French.
French Vocabulary for Around Town
Let’s start with some basic general vocabulary: une maison house; un bâtiment building; l’immeuble (m.)apartment building, l’immeuble (m.) de bureaux office building; la ruestreet; l’autoroute (f.)highway; le trottoir sidewalk; le parc park; le parking parking lot; la place de stationnement/parking parking space; l’hôtel (m.)hotel, la voiture car, le vélo bike.
- Ou est/se trouve l’hôtel?
Where’s the hotel? - Il y a un parc près d’ici.
There’s a park near here. - Il y a combien d’appartements dans ce bâtiment ?
How many apartments are in this building?
French Vocabulary for Stores
Now let’s look at how to say various kinds of stores: le magasin store; le supermarché supermarket; le magasin de vêtements clothing store;le magasin de chaussures shoe store; la bijouterie jewelry store; la boulangerie bakery; la pâtisserie pastry shop; la boucherie butcher; la quincaillerie hardware store; la librairie bookstore; le magasin d’électronique electronics store; la pharmacie pharmacy.
- Il y a beaucoup de magasins dans cette rue.
There are a lot of stores on this street. - Il y a un grand supermarché dans ma ville.
There is a big supermarket in my town. - Est-ce qu’il y a un magasin de chaussures/un magasin de vêtements/une librairie près d’ici ?
Is there a shoe store/ clothing store/ bookstore nearby?
French Vocabulary for School and Other Buildings
Now let’s look at vocabulary for other places around town: l’école school; la bibliothèque library; la banque bank, l’université university; la caserne de pompiers firehouse; la poste post office; la gendarmerie police station; l’hôpital hospital; la station essence gas station; l’église church; la synagogue synagogue; le temple temple; la mosquée mosque.
- Les élèves sont à l’école.
The students are at school. - Il y a une université en ville.
There’s a university in the city. - Je vais à la poste.
I’m going to the post office. - Je vais à la bibliothèque.
I’m going to the library.
French Vocabulary for Entertainment
Now let’s look at vocabulary related to fun and entertainment: le restaurant restaurant; le café cafe; le bar bar; le musée museum; le cinéma cinema/movie theater; le théâtre theater; la gallerie d’art art gallery.
- Y a-t-il un bon restaurant ?
Is there a good restaurant? - Allons au cinéma.
Let’s go to the movies. - Nous voudrion visiter une gallerie d’art.
We would like to visit an art gallery.
French Vocabulary for Transportation
Now let’s look at some vocabulary related to getting around town: la gare train station; la station de bus bus station; l’arrêt (m.) de bus bus stop; l’aéroport (m.) airport; la station de métro subway station.
- La gare est/se trouve dans le centre-ville.
The train station is downtown. - Je prends le train pour aller en ville.
I take the train to the city. - Je prends le bus pour aller à l’aéroport.
I take the bus to the airport.
How to Ask Directions in French
Let’s end with a few expressions related to asking directions: ici here; là there, à droite to the right; à gauche to the left; près nearby; loin far away.
- Où est le métro ?
Where is the subway? - C’est ici.
It’s here. - C’est là.
It’s there. - C’est à droite.
It’s to the right. - C’est à gauche.
It’s to the left. - C’est près (d’ici).
It’s nearby. - C’est loin (d’ici).
It’s far away. - C’est à côté de l’hôtel.
It’s next to the hotel. - C’est en face de la rue.
It’s across the street. - Allez tout droit.
Go straight. - Tournez à droite.
Turn left. - Tournez à gauche.
Turn right.
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