How Good Is Your French?

By: Ashley Linkletter
Estimated Completion Time
3 min
How Good Is Your French?
Image: F.J. Jiménez / Moment / Getty Images

About This Quiz

Growing up in English-speaking Canada, children begin taking French in grade three (or earlier, depending on the curriculum.) French classes generally remain mandatory up until grade nine, at which point it's up to the individual to keep going either academically or in everyday life. Some children attend French immersion school, which means all of their education is conducted in French — in this scenario, all conversation, reading and written work is done in French. Unfortunately, many people don't have the opportunity to practice the French they learned, or they feel uncomfortable not being fluent and abandon what they've learned in school. 

Being bilingual is extremely advantageous in Canada. Jobs that require fluency in both English and French offer higher pay, especially government jobs (especially if you're running for Prime Minister and you want to do well in the French-language debates!). Being able to speak French and English (or any other languages) is also good for your brain and for cognition; it also helps you to immerse yourself in other cultures completely — be that French-Canadian culture or that of any other French-speaking communities worldwide. 

This quiz features basic French vocabulary words that you might recognize from your earliest days learning French at school. From school supplies to days of the week, can you remember what these French words and simple phrases mean in English?


1-Lost-Chat
Frederic Comí / Moment / Getty Images
You see a sign that says "LOST CHAT" and want to help out. What are you looking for?
A lost necklace
A lost dog
A lost pet
A cat

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2-chien
Kevin Boutwell / Moment / Getty Images
Do you know what the French word "chien" means?
Dog
I think it means "dog"?
Pet
I've never heard this word before

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3-Hello
piskunov / E+ / Getty Images
How do you say "hello" in French?
Au revoir
I have no idea.
Bonjour
Bonne chance!

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4-Love-NEW
Nino H. Photography / Moment / Getty Images
You want to tell your French partner that you love them — what do you say?
Amour
Le coeur
I would just say "I love you."
Je t'aime.

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5-Happiness
Frank Rothe / DigitalVision / Getty Images
What does the word "bonheur" mean in English?
Good hour
Hello
It's a type of candy.
Happiness

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6-Smile-NEW
martinedoucet / E+ / Getty Images
When someone tells you to "sourire," what are they telling you to do?
Smile
Shut up
Be happy
Leave

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7-Polite
andresr / E+ / Getty Images
It's always polite to say please and thank you. How do you say thank you in French?
Merci
I don't know; I would say "thank you" in English.
Mercy buckets
Pardon

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8-School-NEW
wagnerokasaki / E+ / Getty Images
When someone tells you that they're late for "école," what do they mean?
They're late for an appointment.
They're late for class.
They're late for school.
They're late for something.

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9-Desks
Klaus Vedfelt / DigitalVision / Getty Images
Here's a hint for this French vocabulary word: You probably sat in one of these in school. How does the French word "pupitre" translate into English?
Pants
Bean-bag chair
Chair
Desk

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10-Library
myriam meloni / Moment / Getty Images
A "livre" can be found in a library or a bookstore. What is it?
Non-fiction book
I've never been in a library before.
Book
I think it means books?

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11-Winter-NEW
Nino H. Photography / Moment / Getty Images
"Babiche" is a type of winter footwear. Which piece is it referring to?
Snowshoe
Skates
Skiing
That word sounds made up.

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12-Pencil
Mengwen Cao / Moment / Getty Images
In the French language, a "crayon" is not a crayon; it's another type of writing equipment. Do you know what it is?
It looks like the word crayon, so I think it's a crayon.
Pencil
Pencil crayon
Stylus for an iPad

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13-Eraser
hocus-focus / E+ / Getty Images
How do you say the word "eraser" in French?
Pomme
L'eraser
Gomme
Gomme de l'eraser

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14-Snowflake
Steven Errico / DigitalVision / Getty Images
The word "ciseaux" is an important one to remember if you like making paper snowflakes. What does it mean in English?
Owls
Paper
Hole-punch
Scissors

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15-Stylus
PeopleImages / E+ / Getty Images
You might need a "stylo" when you're signing a document. What does this word translate to in English?
A writing utensil of some kind
Calligraphy pen
Pen
A piece of steel

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16-Rainbow
Julien Dubois / Moment / Getty Images
"Somewhere over the arc-en-ciel, bluebirds fly." What's an arc-en-ciel?
Lucky charms
I don't understand the reference.
Rainbow
Arc of light

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17-Weekend
Oscar Wong / Moment / Getty Images
It's the end of the week, but you want to say "week" en français. What is the word you're looking for?
Semaine
Le weekend
Samedi
I don't know the answer.

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18-Today
Frank and Helena / Cultura / Getty Images
Do you know what the term "aujourd'hui" means?
My compliments to the chef.
Today
Tomorrow
I think it has something to do with the days of the week.

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19-Clock
Giacomo Augugliaro / Moment / Getty Images
A "pendule" helps people tell time. What do you think the word means?
Pendulum
Cell phone
Clock
Apple watch

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20-Laugh-NEW
NicolasMcComber / E+ / Getty Images
If we said the verb "rire" to you, would you know what it meant?
No, absolutely not
Yes, "to laugh"
No, I don't remember.
Yes, "to rear back"

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21-Art
Jupiterimages / DigitalVision / Getty Images
When you show someone a work of art and they say "c'est belle," what are they telling you?
"I don't get it."
"That's a painting."
"It's really pretty."
"It's beautiful."

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22-Calendar
Soren Hald / Cultura / Getty Images
Which day of the week is "mercredi"?
Tuesday
Wednesday
Today
Sunday

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23-Summer
Pakin Songmor / Moment / Getty Images
It's the first day of "août" — which month is this?
April
February
August
December

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24-Counting
Walker and Walker / DigitalVision / Getty Images
Do you know which number "cinq" is?
I have no idea.
500
15
Five

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25-Tea
Alexander Spatari / Moment / Getty Images
If someone offers you a cup of "thé," what are they trying to give you?
Tea
Coffee
Iced tea
Cold water

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26-Water
Sizun Eye / Moment / Getty Images
Do you know how to say "water" in the French language?
L'eau
Le water
Nope
La mer

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27-Chicken
Monkey Business Images / Monkey Business / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images
When someone invites you over for a "poulet" dinner, what are they referring to?
Bird
Vegetarian
Chicken wings
Chicken

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28-Fish
Capelle.r / Moment / Getty Images
You might know the word "poisson" from Disney's "The Little Mermaid." But what was the French chef singing about?
Fish
Crab
Shrimp
Mermaids

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29-Arms
Thomas Tolstrup / DigitalVision / Getty Images
Which bodily appendage is a "main" in English?
Your main bodily appendage
Arm
Fingers
Hand

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30-Ocean
Paul Viant / DigitalVision / Getty Images
When you go to "la mer," where are you headed?
The water
The ocean
The beach
I don't know.

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You Got: