Can You Correctly Identify These Animals in French?

By: Monica Lee
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
Can You Correctly Identify These Animals in French?
Image: WikiCommons by Frosya a

About This Quiz

To quote the comedian Steve Martin, "It's like those French have a different name for everything!"  And they do! Although some words are actually the same as in English, such as rat, alligator and serpent. You'll also find there are animal names that may stump you, like raton laveur (racoon), papillon de nuit (moth) and requin (shark).  

How much French have you been exposed to in your life? A year in high school or college? Or have you traveled and know how to figure out the different Romance languages from the similarities of the words? Either way, you'll enjoy taking this quiz. It's a two-fold challenge. First, you need to identify the animal, and then you need to identify its name in French. It's lots of fun! 

You'll also learn a bit about the animals themselves, such as an otter's home is called a holt, or that the antlers (bois) of a moose are made of bone -- which is an extension of the skull itself. Comprend? Then get a croissant, fold one end in a napkin and dip into your coffee, (it's the French way) and begin this quiz. With 40 questions, you'll be able to find out how fantastique you are!

 

Cat We'll start with an easy one. What is the French name of this cuddly creature?
Chat
Chien
Hamster
Furet
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Although most cats will pay attention to you if you call their name, they are not the type that will sit and chat with you. However, chat is their name in French.

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Dog This furry fur ball is also a household pet, what is its name in French?
Hamster
Chien
Furet
Gerbille
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

No matter what size or shape, dog is man's best friend and a great companion. Chien is the word for dog in French.

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Ferrets There are other household pets you may own as well. What is the French name for this one?
Hamster
Furet
Gerbille
Souris
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The uret (ferret) is frolicking pet to have in your home. They are cuddly and curious, but they do bite.

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Gerbil 25 days Here's another pet you may have scurrying around in your home. What is the French name of this animal?
Rat
Souris
Hamster
Gerbille
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The gerbil is a great pet to have if you have kids, they won't bite no matter what the circumstance. Be aware they can squirm out of your hands and escape.

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Squirrel What is the French name of this animal that may be outside your window?
Raton laveur
Écureuil
Oiseau
Papillon
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Whether you see red squirrels, gray squirrels or brown squirrels in your area, they are called Écureuil in French.

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Raccoon Do you have families of these animals in your neighborhood? What is their name in French?
Moufette
Raton laveur
Oiseau
Papillon
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Raccoons don't attack humans. Raccoons may huff, grunt or “charge” at you, but they're just trying to scare you off so you'll leave them alone.

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Butterfly What is the French name of this beauty?
Moufette
Oiseau
Papillon de nuit
Papillon
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Butterflies bring color and movement to the world. Papillon de nuit is a moth.

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Skunk Stay away if you don't want to get sprayed. What is the French name for this animal?
Raton laveur
Chat
l'éléphant
Moufette
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Be aware when there are skunks around. If you approach too close they may spray you with an obnoxious odor.

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Cow Let's move out to farm country. What is the name of this animal in French?
Vache
Cheval
Porc
Mouton
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Whether raised for milk or meat, cows are a vital resource to many countries.

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Horse This one you can ride. What is the French name for this animal?
Âne
Cheval
Porc
Mouton
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Do you ride Western or English? Either way, horses can be saddled up and ridden into the sunset or used on the farm for workhorses.

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Rooster We're still on the farm. What is the French name of this animal?
Coq
Mouton
Porc
Âne
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you want to live on a farm, then get used to waking up early. Roosters start squawking at daylight.

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Snail Time to eat. What is the French name of this tasty treat?
Crevette
Escargots
Huîtres
Escalopes
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

French have no problem eating escargots, but some of don't like the idea of eating snails.

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Atlantic Sea Scallop Yummy food. What is the French name of this animal?
Crevette
Huîtres
Moules
Escalopes
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Scallops with butter and garlic is delicious. But it may be hard to identify in the ocean. These sea creatures and others like shrimp and oysters are a favorite of many people.

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Prawn Not as appealing to look at in the ocean, but another delicious dish. What is the French name for this animal?
Porc
Moules
Huîtres
Crevette
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Crevettes are shrimp and are a favorite dish in many cultures around the world.

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zebra mussel Another culinary question. What is the French name of this animal?
Huîtres
Moules
Porc
Palourdes
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Freshwater mussels inhabit lakes, ponds, rivers, creeks and canals. Maybe there are so many delicious recipes for this shellfish because they are so easy to find.

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Oyster - marine You can probably order in a French restaurant if you know the French name for this animal. What is it?
Porc
Huîtres
Palourdes
Âne
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

We hope you find a pearl, but if you don't, the meat alone is succulent and more than satisfying.

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Whale Let's head out to sea. What is the French name of this sea creature?
Calamar
Joint
Requin
Baleine
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Don't try to spout off that you know all these French words unless you got this one right. Otherwise it will be a whale of a story.

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Shark If you're in these waters, don't bleed. What is the French name of this animal?
Requin
Calamar
Joint
Méduse
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you're in shark-infested water, don't bleed. Sharks can smell blood from a long way away.

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Jellyfish What is the French name for this animal?
Calamar
Joint
Méduse
La poêle à trépied
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A jellyfish can sting you. So beware where you swim. Their tentacles have a poisonous sting.

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Humboldt Squid Although this is served in restaurants, it's nasty to meet underwater. What is its French name?
Joint
La poêle à trépied
Calamar
Mouche
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Calamar is a squid. Although it tastes wonderful breaded or grilled. If you meet one underwater, stay away, large ones can be dangerous if they attack.

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Spider Some are harmless, some are not. What is the French name of this creature?
La poêle à trépied
Joint
Mouche
Chenille
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Spiders are good at catching flies and mosquitoes. However, there are also some species that can bite you.

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Giant Silkworm Moth Caterpillar This is a phase in this animal's lifecycle. What is the French name of this animal?
Joint
Mouche
Chenille
Ver
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The caterpillar eats its weight (and more) in leaves and then spins a cocoon to emerge as a butterfly. An amazing creature of nature.

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Earth Worm After it rains, you'll see this creature. What is its French name?
Joint
Ver
Mouche
Oiseau
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When it rains, worms get flooded out of their holes and can be found on the surface of the dirt, grass, sidewalk, etc. That's also when you'll see des oiseaux feasting on them.

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Common waxbill (bird) The last question gave you a hint about the correct answer. What is the French name of this animal?
Joint
Mouche
Oiseau
Moustique
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The French name for bird is oiseau. They are out eating worms after it rains.

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asian giant hornet Let's talk about stinging insects. What is the French name of this animal?
Moustique
Abeille
Guêpe
Frelon
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Frelon is a hornet, and when they get aggressive it's time to run away since they have a more painful sting than a wasp.

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solitary wasp Careful what you swat. What is the French name of this flying creature?
Sauterelle
Guêpe
Abeille
Moustique
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Unlike bees, which can sting only once, wasps can sting multiple times. Which is a good reason to stay away from them.

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Mosquito In a sleeping bag? This one will drive you crazy. What is the French name for this flying insect?
Sauterelle
Criquet
Moustique
Abeille
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A single mosquito can drive you crazy if you camp outside and are trying to sleep. Did you know only the females bite?

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Grasshopper This one is a jumper. What is the French name for this animal?
Criquet
Sauterelle
Abeille
Lapin
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Grasshoppers use muscles in their knee joints to effectively catapult themselves upward. Some species can leap as high as 10 inches or 25 centimeters.

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Cricket Depending where you live, the chirps are lovely. What French animal is this?
Criquet
Abeille
Lapin
poulet
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The chirping of crickets can be very loud or can be comforting and can remind you of home, They make the chirping noise by rubbing their back legs together.

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European rabbit Out into the forest we go. What is the French name for this animal?
Lapin
Abeille
élan
Renard
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If it's springtime, you'll see lots of lapin around. Some people "breed like rabbits" which means they produce too many babies very quickly.

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Fox Look into the forest, and you may see this animal. What is the French name for it?
Abeille
élan
Renard
Wapiti
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

You are clever as a fox if you got this answer correct. Depending on where you live, foxes come in a variety of colors, from a light orange, resembling dark yellow, to a dark orange.

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Moose The antlers on these animals are impressive. What is the animal's French name?
Wapiti
élan
Abeille
Ours
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Male moose grow antlers (bois) which is made of bone that is an extension of the skull.

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Bear If you see this animal in the forest, walk the other way. What is its French name?
Loup
Ours
Coyote
Blaireau
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Whether a black bear or grizzly bear, walk (or run!) the other way if you see one of these in the woods.

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Rocky Mountain Elk This animal is bigger than you think. What is its French name?
Loup
Blaireau
Wapiti
Castor
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Although an elk is smaller than a moose, mature males are still 710 – 730 lbs and around 5 feet at the shoulder.

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Beaver These animals can stop the flow of water. What is their French name?
La marmotte d'Amérique
Loup
Blaireau
Castor
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The castor or beaver will build a dam with downed trees to stop the flow of a river. That enables them to build a conical or bank lodge made of mud, sticks and rocks.

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Coyote Howl away at this one. What is the French name of this animal?
La marmotte d'Amérique
Coyote
Loup
Loutre
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Although coyotes don't have the long, slow howl of wolves, they do yip-howl which are short howls that often rise and fall in pitch, punctuated with yaps and barks.

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Marine Otter This animal likes to play, what is its French name?
Loutre
La marmotte d'Amérique
Chien
Souris
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The playful otter is so much fun to watch. Whether cracking open shells, caring for their young or building their home or holt, they seem to have fun doing it all.

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Wood Mouse Two more to go: What is the French name of this animal?
Tamia
Rat
Souris
Écureuil
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Although "The Three Blind Mice" nursery rhyme has them getting their tails cut off by a farmer's wife, you don't want mice in your home.

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Rhinoceros One more question to go: What is the French name of this animal?
Hippopotame
Rhinocéros
L'éléphant
Serpent
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The horn of the rhinoceros is made of keratin, the same type of protein that makes up hair and fingernails.

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Elephant Final question, and it's an easy one. What's the French name of this animal?
L'éléphant
Serpent
Hippopotame
Alligator
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Hungry after this quiz? Thank goodness you're not an elephant. An adult elephant can eat 300 pounds of food in a day, according to the National Geographic. Think about that grocery bill!

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