Famous word in french

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The French language is the most romantic and everyone seems to love it! Today, I’m sharing with you, my top 10 French words that English people love! I’ve traveled to many different places and met many different people. Thanks to many different conversations, I’ve come up with a funny list of French words that English people love.

Language is the most important aspect of society and how we communicate. It is the pillar of a functioning society. It’s what separates us but also brings us together. Every time one travels to a new country, it’s always fun to learn a few words to connect to the culture you’re visiting. And we often find a few favorite words. They may be our favorites for their meaning, for the memories they bring us, or simply because they’re fun to say!

From my own experience and the people I’ve been spending time with, I know that English speakers don’t particularly like difficult words to pronounce. The most preferred French words are the fun ones! But also the romantic words about love. I mean… If your lover comes to you and tells you “Je t’aime”. How can you resist, even if you’re mad at him/her? The French language is without a doubt very romantic, sexy and extremely sensual. People love it for obvious reasons.

If you’re curious and want to find out my top 10 French words that English people love: read on!

Get a “bijou“

First on my top 10 French words that English people love is “bijou”. A bijou is a jewel in English. According to some of my English friends, bijou is the cutest word! And I have to agree with them.

One of them stayed with a French family for a while once and the mother kept calling him “mon petit bijou”. That is why this word is so dear to him. Bijou brings to him beloved memories. If you own a bijou, you own a jewel. If you ARE a bijou, it means you are precious and someone cares for you. Who’s your “petit bijou”?

Ask for a “bisou“

Bisou kind of sounds like bijou. Despite the fact that bisou means kiss. What’s not to like about a bisou? French people are all about kisses. They’re very social and loving people. You’ll often read “bisou” at the end of a message from a French. Bisou is also one of the cutest words in French.

Tell him/her “je t’aime“

Obviously “je t’aime” had to be on the top 10 French words that English people love. French is so romantic. To speak French is one of the best ways to seduce. It’s smooth and doesn’t have harsh words. To declare your love to someone by saying “je t’aime” is pretty cool! And telling him or her “je t’aime” will also work things out in case you guys are mad at each other!

A typical Parisian street: Montorgueil

English people love it but also hate it! Montorgueil is fun to say but kind of complicated to pronounce for English people. It is one of my favorite streets in Paris. It has a great atmosphere and the best places to buy traditional French products, such as cheeses, wines, traditional pastries and much more.

During the wintertime, the street is decorated with gorgeous lights, and is a very hip dates spot! The perfect place to practice your French words for expressing love.

I consider Montorgueil to be one of the most Parisians streets of Paris. A Montorgueil  tour is a must when in Paris if you want to know the city as the locals do. People struggle a little when trying to pronounce it but love it because it’s much more different than the words they’re used to. That’s what makes Montorgueil so fun to say.

For the trends lovers: “À la mode“

Next on my top 10 French words that English people love is “À la mode”. It means “trendy”. Paris is the capital of fashion. Many of the most liked trends were born in Paris.

The greatest fashion designers are all French, from Coco Chanel, Jean Paul Gaultier to Yves Saint Laurent. We owe them a fashion revolution, such as see-through shirts and the famous “little black dress”. People love to use this expression. It gives a special touch to your conversations!

Be as elegant as: Ouh la la

This expression has many different meanings. French usually say it when they like something/someone or when someone looks very appealing: “Ouh la la! Quelle beauté!” – Ouh la la! Such a beauty!.

The expression can also be used to show sarcasm “Ouh la la! Tu me fais peur!” – Ouh la la! You’re scaring me! , but can also be understood as a warning “Ouh la la ! Soyez prudent!” – Ouh la la! Be careful!.

The expression “ouh la la” is actually kind of common in English language, especially when its meaning is of appreciation, for instance “Ouh la la! You’re looking good tonight!”. It’s pretty cool to say it but also to hear such an expression of compliment towards us. If someone says “Ouh la la” while looking at you, you can be sure you’re looking good!

A word for the most romantic: Rendez vous

During a debate about the French language with some friends, one of them said that her favorite word was “rendez-vous”. She said that whenever she had the opportunity, she’d use it instead of “date”.

Rendez-vous is French for date. This word is loved for various reasons. First of all, we have a unique word for a date. While in English, date can mean different things. Secondly, it’s much smoother and sexier. Rendez-vous sounds more special and romantic than a simple date. So, start planning rendez-vous, not dates! – joking.

An adjective: Magnifique

If someone tells you “tu es magnifique”, you can be happy! It means “you’re magnificent”! This word has also been selected for my top 10 French words that English people love because friends of mine told me they simply loved the way it sounds. Magnifique has a kind of sexy intonation, that’s why it is so popular.

Plus, it basically defines everything about Paris. The Eiffel Tower is magnifique. Montmartre is magnifique. The Seine River is magnifique. The bridges, the streets, the atmosphere are magnifique. Paris is magnifique. You are magnifique.

A strong feeling: Amour

Love rules the world. Or, at least, that’s the way it should be. Deep inside each of us, we all follow what our heart tells us. Love always shows us the way. We make acts of love every day. Love is what makes us human. To feel love is the best and the worst! Making it the strongest feeling ever. It’s a feeling of dependency but at the same time the best kind of freedom you’ve ever wished for. We do so much things par amour (out of love).

The French language being one of the most romantic on earth, the word amour had to be on my top 10 French words that English people love!

A funny expression: La vache!

In English, this expression would mean “holy cow” or “gee”. La vache! is used to express surprise or admiration. One of my dearest friends told me it was his favorite French word. And I thought it was so unusual and so original I had to share it with you! I really wasn’t expecting such a word! If you want to properly pronounce it, here follows the correct pronunciation: -vaʃ-.

Bonus: Take it easy, C’est la vie

One of the most classical phrases in French is definitely “c’est la vie“. People use it in all kinds of situations! Whether in a serious conversation or in an ironic way, this catch-phrase will be heard all around France. It’s so catchy, even people from other countries use it sometimes, especially Portuguese people.

C’est la vie translates to “that’s life” in English. Its meaning can be a simple statement that in fact life is just like it is, or it can have a deeper meaning, for example, a racional statement of someone whose heart and mind are suffering, but won’t do anything about it, simply accepting the fact that “that’s life”.

Bonus: Order a Baguette at the boulangerie

Everybody knows the famous traditional French bread known as the Baguette. It is one of the most peculiar, yet funny words to say in French, but has not many meanings to it.

As you may know, French people do not usually sell normal bread as seen in other parts of the world, they have a typical kind of bread called “baguette”. It is a long narrow french loaf, and has been around for over a century.

The origin of the word comes from Latin, baculum, which later became the Italian word bachetto that means “long stick” or “pole”. Lastly arriving in France, it became the Baguette, one of the most beautiful French words and probably one of the most well known.

Bonus: Offer a Mon Chéri to declare your love

If you are looking for different words for love in French, mon chéri is probably the most adorable one to use. It can describe your loved ones like no other word on the planet. It is similar to “dear” or “sweetheart” in English, although it has a much deeper and passionate meaning into it.

Personally I use it a lot, not only to call my loved ones but also when someone is looking pretty or adorable. It is most definitely one of the most adorable words in French and also people from other countries love it as well. It can be heard in English movies a lot, and of course, you might know it from the famous chocolate candy “Mon Chéri”.

As opposed to English, where you can use almost any word directed either to a man or a woman: in French, “mon Chéri” is applied only to men. As for women, you would have to say “ma Chérie“.

Bonus: Coup de Grâce

This word has been around the English vocabulary since the late seventeenth century. It is one of the most French words used by people from other countries and English people love it!

Coup de grâce translates to “final blow” or “blow of mercy” and it is used in a sentence to describe a merciful act against something that is dying or needs to be put down to death. For instance, when the vet has to give the Coup de Grâce to the wounded old dog.

However, it can also be used to put an end to a certain situation or debate. For instance, “this deal has put a Coup de Grâce to this company”.

Although its meaning is not a very beautiful one, the words that make this sentence, are appreciated by people all over the world and described as being a subtle way of stating its meaning.

My top 10 French words that English people love is now over! Feel free to also share yours with me!

See you in Paris! À bientôt!

Around a third of all words in English come from French. This is due to the Norman conquest of Britain in 1066, when French started to be used in official contexts in England, along with Latin. Although English is a Germanic language, which means it has more in common with languages like Dutch and German, its close contact with French left an indelible mark, which you can still see to this day. The good news is: if you’re an English native keen on learning French… you’ve already got a head start!

Nowadays, we use French words all the time in English, without even realising it! Sometimes it’s a conscious choice to sound a bit fancier, sometimes you use French words to put a bit of distance between you and the person you’re speaking to. Think of the difference between a “hearty welcome” and a “cordial reception”. Both mean exactly the same thing, but a “cordial reception” sounds much colder and less friendly.

Feeling motivated to learn French? Here are 40 French words that you might never have realised that you already know:

blasé

When you just don’t care, in English we’d say you have a “blasé attitude”. Guess what, that’s what you’d say in French too!

chic

If something’s “chic” then it has style. The French are famous for their style, so here’s another word that we shamelessly pinched from them. C’est très chic, non ?

chef

English takes a lot of its food words from French. Perhaps because the English are not as famous as the French for their culinary prowess. The French word chef doesn’t just mean a cook, though, it means your boss: mon chef.

restaurant

If a word seems impossible to spell, chances are it’s French. “Restaurant” is no exception, and literally means “the place that provides food”. Guess what, most of the time the French shorten this to resto, which is much easier to spell!

cuisine

In English, a country’s “cuisine” is the type of food they cook or eat. In French though, la cuisine can also mean “the kitchen”!

sauté

“Sautéd vegetables” in English are just vegetables lightly fried in oil. This comes from the French verb sauter which means “to jump”.

apéritif

When you have a little glass of something before sitting down for a meal, we call that an “apéritif”. This is a word we’ve directly borrowed from the French, but which French took from the Latin aperitivus, which is something that you open with.

picnic

This classic English summer favourite is actually another habit we picked up from the French. The French have been having pique-niques since the mid 18th Century!

fondue

Whether it’s cheese, chocolate or whatever else you might fancy, “fondue” is another French word. It comes from fondre, “to melt down”, and fondu means “melted down”.

mousse

Who doesn’t love a chocolate mousse? Well, in French not all mousses are edible! La mousse means any type of foam, lather or froth.

RSVP

Ever tried to work out what the letters “RSVP” stand for? Turns out they’re actually French for Répondez S’il Vous Plaît, which means “please, respond”.

venue

A venue, which is where an event takes place, is another French word. It comes from the verb venir, which means “come”. Venu means “came”.

entrepreneur

These are the kinds of hands-on people brimming with gumption and ‘can-do’ attitudes that set up and run companies and other business ventures. Entrepreneur literally means “undertaker”, which in English, is actually someone who carries a coffin at a funeral. Don’t get these mixed up!

memoir

Someone’s “memoirs” are a look back on their lives, telling things from their perspectives. This is a French word that we misspell. In French, it’s mémoire, which means “memory”.

souvenir

When you go somewhere and buy something to remember it by, we call that a “souvenir”. That comes from the French word se souvenir, which means “to remember”.

laissez-faire

You may have heard of “laissez-faire attitudes”, which is when you just live and let live. In French, laissez faire literally means “let do”.

nouveaux riches

When people get rich very quickly and start splashing their cash very ostentatiously, we call them the “nouveaux riches”. In French, nouveaux riches means “new rich”.

reconnaissance

A “reconnaissance” mission is when you go to check something out. It comes from the French reconnaître, which means “to recognise”.

impasse

When talks are at a deadlock and no longer progressing, we call that an “impasse”. This comes from the French passer, which means “to pass”. With im– at the front, it literally means “impossible to pass”.

gaffe

Another word for a blunder, or unintentional, embarrassing act, is a “gaffe”. This comes from the French gaffe, which is actually a Provençal word from the south of France.

faux pas

If you say or do something tactless in a social situation, we’d say you’ve made a “faux pas”. This comes from the French faux pas, which means “false step”.

debacle

When something is a complete failure or fiasco, we might call that a “debacle”. It comes from the French débâcler, which means to “unleash”.

façade

When someone puts up a “façade”, they stop you from seeing how they really feel. It refers to the different tiles you put on the outside of the house, which in French are called façade because of the different faces on each tile.

décor

The way you furnish and decorate a room is called its “décor”, which is a French word (décor), and comes from the verb décorer, which means “to decorate”.

chaise longue

A “chaise longue” is a sofa that only has a backrest at one end, inviting you to sprawl out on it. In French, chaise longue literally means a “long chair”.

chauffeur

A “chauffeur” is a professional driver. It comes from the verb chauffer, which means “to heat”, and refers to when drivers had to heat steam engines on trains.

brunette

A brown-haired lady is a “brunette” in English. In French, brun means “brown”, and the -ette ending refers to women (think “suffragette”).

cul-de-sac

A “cul-de-sac” is a dead-end or road that goes nowhere. In French le cul de sac literally means “the bottom of the bag.”

concierge

A “concierge” is a caretaker, but posher. Normally you’ll find one in a hotel. In French, concierge does just mean caretaker (hotel or otherwise).

clique

When you have a small, close-knit group of friends you call that a “clique”, in both English and French. This comes from the word cliquer, “to make a noise”, and refers to when people used to get paid to go along and applaud the Paris Opera in the mid 19th Century.

silhouette

Your shadow or outline is called a “silhouette” in English. In French, silhouette refers to someone’s figure or shape. Apparently this was named after Étienne de Silhouette, a French author and politician in the 18th Century.

petite

When someone is attractively small and dainty, you might call them “petite”. This comes from the French word petite, which means “small”.

déjà vu

Ever had that feeling that you’ve seen something before? We don’t have a word for that in English, so we just pinched the French: déjà-vu, which literally means “already seen”.

en route

You might have spelled this once as “on route”, but actually it’s a French expression: en route, which means that you’re on your way.

fiancé

There’s no word in English for when two people get engaged, so we just use the French: fiancé (fiancée for a woman). In old French, une fiance means a promise.

voyeur

A peeping Tom, or someone who watches others, is called a “voyeur”. This comes from the French voir, which means to see.

cliché

When something’s predictable, or a stereotype, you’d call it cliché. This comes from the French verb clicher, which means “to stereotype”.

bouquet

Why give someone a bunch of flowers, when you can give them a “bouquet”? The French word bouquet also means “bouquet”, but originally meant a “clump of trees”. It was related to the Old French word bos, which meant ‘wood’.

faux

A “faux” leather sofa means it’s fake. In English, “faux” means anything false or put on, like “faux concern”. In French, faux means false.

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Alex is Memrise’s Language Learner in Residence. He spends his time working with the Language Research Team, making fun videos about languages, and contributing to the Memrise blog. He tweets @rawlangs_alex.

In his free time he enjoys cooking, watching films, and walking his dog. He also writes books, like this one.

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30 Famous Bilingual French Quotes

French quotes are a fun and interesting way to learn some French vocabulary. The quotes below are short, famous, and easy to memorize. The quotations are grouped in sections according to their content so that you can find just the right saying to impress your family, friends, and colleagues—French or American—with your command of this Romance language. Each Fench quote is followed by its English translation as well as the person who made the statement.

Right and Wrong

Truth, like beauty, may be in the eye of the beholder, but in French, there are many ways to say that you think—actually know—that you are right and others are wrong.

«Prouver que j’ai raison serait accorder que je puis avoir tort.»
Proving that I am right would be admitting that I could be wrong.
— Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais

«Il n’y a pas de verités moyennes.​»
There are no half-truths.
— Georges Bernanos

«On n’est point toujours une bête pour l’avoir été quelquefois.»
Being a fool sometimes does not make one a fool all the time.
— Denis Diderot

Thought and Existence

Widely regarded as the father of modern philosophy, René Descartes uttered four famous words—»I think, therefore I am.»—which are even briefer in Latin, the language he used to create the dictum: «Cogito, ergo sum.» Descartes motivated humans to begin thinking about the meaning of thought and existence, but other French notables also had interesting things to say on the subject.

«Je pense, donc, je suis.»
I think, therefore, I am.
— René Descartes

«Imaginer c’est choisir.»
To imagine is to choose.
— Jean Giono

«Le monde a commencé sans l’homme et il s’achèvera sans lui.»
The world began without man and it will end without him.
— Claude Lévi-Strauss

«La Raison c’est la folie du plus fort. La raison du moins fort c’est de la folie.​»
Reason is the madness of the strongest. The reason of those less strong is madness.
— Eugène Ionesco

«Dans une grande âme tout est grand.»
In a great mind everything is great.
— Blaise Pascal

Books and Art

As one of the countries that helped usher in the Renaissance centuries ago, France has also produced many thinkers who have commented on great books and great art.

«Le livre est l’opium de l’Occident.»
Books are the opium of the West.
— Anatole France

«L’œuvre d’art, c’est une idée qu’on exagère.»
A work of art is an idea that someone exaggerates.
— André Gide

«Les livres sont des amis froids et sûrs.»

Books are cold and certain friends.

-​ Victor Hugo

«Le monde est un livre dont chaque pas nous ouvre une page.»
The world is a book—with each step we open a page. 
— Alphonse de Lamartine

«Un peuple malheureux fait les grands artistes.»
An unhappy nation makes great artists.
— Alfred de Musset

«Les chefs-d’œuvre ne sont jamais que des tentatives heureuses.»
Masterpieces are never anything else but happy attempts.
— George Sand

«Écrire, c’est une façon de parler sans être interrompu.​»
Writing is a way to talk without being interrupted.
— Jules Renard

Liberty, Equality, Fraternity

«Liberty, equality, fraternity» is the national French motto. The words marked the end of absolute monarchy and the birth of the sovereign nation in 1792, after the French Revolution. Not surprisingly, many French thinkers have had plenty to say on the subject.

Les Français sont des veaux.
French people are calves.
— Charles de Gaulle

On nous apprend à vivre quand la vie est passée.
They teach us to live when life is past.
— Michel de Montaigne

«La liberté est pour la Science ce que l’air est pour l’animal.»
Liberty is to science what air is to animals.
— Henri Poincaré

«Tous pour un, un pour tous.»

All for one, one for all. 

—  Alexandre Dumas

«Un homme seul est toujours en mauvaise compagnie.»
A lone man is always in poor company.
— Paul Valéry

Miscellaneous Thoughts

Many French sayings don’t fit neatly into any single category, but they are thought-provoking, nevertheless.

«Je me sers d’animaux pour instruire les hommes.»
I use animals to teach men.
— Jean de La Fontaine

«La science n’a pas de patrie.»
Science has no homeland.
— Louis Pasteur

«Tout commence en mystique et finit en politique.»
Everything begins mystically and ends politically.
— Charles Péguy

«Plus l’offenseur m’est cher, plus je ressens l’injure.»
The more dearly I hold the offender, the more strongly I feel the insult.
— Jean Racine

«Être adulte, c’est être seul.»
To be an adult is to be alone.
— Jean Rostand

«On ne voit bien qu’avec le coeur.»
We see well only with the heart.
— Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

«L’enfer, c’est les autres.»
Hell is other people.
— Jean-Paul Sartre

«À vaillant coeur rien d’impossible.»
For a valiant heart nothing is impossible.
— Jacques Coeur

«Dis-moi ce que tu manges, je te dirai ce que tu es.»

Tell me what you eat and I’ll tell you what you are.

— Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

«Va, je ne te hais point.»
Go, I don’t hate you.
— Pierre Corneille​ 

What’s your favourite word? We asked 24 listeners, past guests, and even each other for the “best” French word in existence. From dragonflies to hardware shops, here’s the full list from the show, as well as a few links to check out the blogs and pages we mentioned.

Listen to the episode by clicking play just below (complete with sound effects) and check your spelling in the list underneath.

The full word list.

1. Pamplemousse (grapefruit), says Veronique who runs French Girl in Seattle. “It appeals to all my senses: I love the way the word sounds, the taste, and the appearance of a grapefruit… and I love the very distinctive scent,” she says.

2. Bof (a disinterested sound people make), says tour guide Corey Frye. “The three most important letters in French,” he says. Hear his top tip for each Paris arrondissement here.

3. En fait (actually).”You just chuck it on the end of everything and it works,” says Matt from movie masters in Paris Lost in Frenchlation.

4. Formidable (excellent):”It has a finesse to it, and makes me think of the Stromae song,” says author Lindsey Tramuta, who wrote The New Paris. What’s she talking about? This excellent tune:

5. Menilmontant, a place in Paris that means a lot to Samuel Barrantes of Slim and the Beast (hear him in the pilot episode here).

6. Rabibocher, meaning “to get together” especially after a break-up, says listener Carolyn.

7. Aspirateur, meaning vacuum, “It just sounds so much more interesting than vacuum”, says listener Shelly

8. Couilles, says comedian Paul Taylor. This word means “balls” (as in testicles). Why does Paul like the word? “Because no anglophone can pronounce it properly,” he says. No surprises that Paul likes a good swear word – his TV show is called What the Fuck France? (We had him in the studio too for a warm beer and a chat).

9. Merde (meaning shit), says author Stephen Clarke. Stephen’s numerous novels have the word merde (shit) in the title, so it’s no surprise he likes this word. We had Stephen on the Earful too to talk about the French. Here’s his episode.

10. Vachement, meaning really really, says writer Lisa Anselmo. “In France, a country famous for its cheese, it’s not terribly surprising a word like “cowly” would creep in,” she says. Listen to her full episode on the Earful here.

11. Trottoir (footpath), says Kate Goodbody, who runs the More Native than the Natives blog. “I love the idea of people trotting down the street,” she says.

12. Papillon, says regular listener Dingo Mike. “It means butterfly and bow-tie, two beautiful things and a beautiful word,” he says.

13. Pompette, a pleasant word for “tipsy”, says Lina from Parisian Postcards. “It sounds like the name of a poodle.” Listen to her episode here.

14. Rouflaquettes, meaning “sideburns”, says Sam Davies, though the jury is still out on if this is a real word. Sam was also on the Earful, getting creative with language.

15. Libellule, says Jennifer who writes the blog Chez Loulou. “For the fact that I love dragonflies and it’s a great word to say,” she says.

16. Truc, meaning “thing”, says Gail of PerfectlyParis. “It covers everything, it’s vague, indirect and can refer to anything.” Isabelle in Sweden adds: “Best word ever for someone who wants to believe she sounds more French than she does.”

17. Grenouille (frog), says Coutume cafe’s Tom Clark. “If you can pronounce it, you can speak French.” Hear his episode on the Earful here.

18. Dégueulasse (disgusting), says Ben McPartland, the editor of The Local France. “Sounds like a character from Lord of the Rings,” he says.

19. Ancre/Encre (anchor/ink), says Breton sailor Fabien. The words both mean a lot to me, he says, literature and travel.

20. Quincaillerie, a hardware shop, says Joey Yanity on Facebook. “It’s pretty fun to say.” We agree!

21. Flâneur, an aimless walker, says Tami Tamir-Shaughnessey. “It’s my favourite thing to do in Paris.”

22. Déchetterie (a dump, a tip), says Jim Carmichael. “I like the way it rolls off the tongue,” he says.

23. Croutte, says producer James. “It’s actually my least favourite French word, it means crust and scab. Revolting.”

24. Inoubliable (unforgettable), says host Oliver. “I like the sound of the word, it sounds like a foreigner imitating a French person…”

If you want to see more like this, then join our Facebook followers here and find our new Instagram page @theearfultower. Click the link below to hear the full episode of this list.

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Further listening:

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