1. Pets (Les Animaux Domestiques)
These are common household pets.
- Le chien – Dog
- Le chat – Cat
- Le poisson rouge – Goldfish
- Le hamster – Hamster
- Le lapin – Rabbit
- Le perroquet – Parrot
- Le cobaye – Guinea pig
- Le canari – Canary
- Le chiot – Puppy
- Le chaton – Kitten
- La tortue – Turtle
- Le lézard – Lizard
- Le serpent – Snake
- Le furet – Ferret
Example Sentence:
- J’ai un chien et deux chats chez moi. (I have a dog and two cats at home.)
2. Farm Animals (Les Animaux de la Ferme)
These are the animals you would typically find on a farm.
- La vache – Cow
- Le cheval – Horse
- Le mouton – Sheep
- La chèvre – Goat
- Le cochon – Pig
- Le poulet – Chicken
- Le coq – Rooster
- La poule – Hen
- Le canard – Duck
- L’oie (f) – Goose
- L’âne (m) – Donkey
- Le dindon – Turkey
- Le lapin – Rabbit
- La brebis – Ewe
- Le veau – Calf
Example Sentence:
- Les vaches et les moutons paissent dans le champ. (The cows and sheep are grazing in the field.)
3. Wild Animals (Les Animaux Sauvages)
These are wild animals you might encounter in nature or in a zoo.
- Le lion – Lion
- Le tigre – Tiger
- L’éléphant (m) – Elephant
- Le singe – Monkey
- L’ours (m) – Bear
- Le loup – Wolf
- La girafe – Giraffe
- Le zèbre – Zebra
- Le rhinocéros – Rhinoceros
- Le léopard – Leopard
- Le renard – Fox
- Le cerf – Deer
- L’aigle (m) – Eagle
- Le crocodile – Crocodile
- Le kangourou – Kangaroo
Example Sentence:
- J’ai vu un lion et un éléphant au zoo. (I saw a lion and an elephant at the zoo.)
4. Birds (Les Oiseaux)
Birds are found everywhere, and here are some common ones.
- Le pigeon – Pigeon
- Le moineau – Sparrow
- Le corbeau – Crow
- Le hibou – Owl
- L’aigle (m) – Eagle
- Le canard – Duck
- Le flamant rose – Flamingo
- Le perroquet – Parrot
- Le cygne – Swan
- Le colibri – Hummingbird
- La mouette – Seagull
- Le pélican – Pelican
- La cigogne – Stork
- Le paon – Peacock
Example Sentence:
- Les flamants roses et les cygnes sont mes oiseaux préférés. (Flamingos and swans are my favorite birds.)
5. Insects and Small Creatures (Les Insectes et Petites Créatures)
These are common insects and other small creatures.
- La mouche – Fly
- Le moustique – Mosquito
- L’abeille (f) – Bee
- La guêpe – Wasp
- La coccinelle – Ladybug
- Le papillon – Butterfly
- La fourmi – Ant
- L’araignée (f) – Spider
- Le ver – Worm
- Le cafard – Cockroach
- Le criquet – Cricket
- Le scarabée – Beetle
- La chenille – Caterpillar
Example Sentence:
- J’ai vu un papillon coloré dans le jardin. (I saw a colorful butterfly in the garden.)
6. Marine Animals (Les Animaux Marins)
These animals live in or near the sea.
- Le poisson – Fish
- Le dauphin – Dolphin
- Le requin – Shark
- La baleine – Whale
- La tortue de mer – Sea turtle
- Le crabe – Crab
- La crevette – Shrimp
- Le poulpe – Octopus
- Le phoque – Seal
- Le manchot – Penguin
- L’hippocampe (m) – Seahorse
- L’oursin (m) – Sea urchin
- La méduse – Jellyfish
Example Sentence:
- Nous avons vu des dauphins et des tortues de mer pendant notre plongée. (We saw dolphins and sea turtles during our dive.)
7. Reptiles and Amphibians (Les Reptiles et Amphibiens)
Common reptiles and amphibians in French.
- Le serpent – Snake
- Le lézard – Lizard
- Le crocodile – Crocodile
- La tortue – Turtle
- Le crapaud – Toad
- La grenouille – Frog
- Le caméléon – Chameleon
- Le gecko – Gecko
- L’iguane (m) – Iguana
Example Sentence:
- Les grenouilles sautent dans l’étang. (The frogs are jumping in the pond.)
8. Useful Animal-Related Phrases
These are phrases you might use to talk about animals.
- Quel est ton animal préféré ? – What’s your favorite animal?
- J’ai peur des serpents. – I’m afraid of snakes.
- Les chiens sont des animaux fidèles. – Dogs are loyal animals.
- J’adore observer les oiseaux. – I love birdwatching.
- Il y a beaucoup de poissons dans cette rivière. – There are a lot of fish in this river.
- Est-ce que tu as un animal de compagnie ? – Do you have a pet?
Practice Quiz
Test your knowledge with this short quiz:
- What is the French word for “dog”?
- How do you say “eagle” in French?
- Translate: “The cow is in the field.”
- What is the French word for “shark”?
- How do you say “turtle” in French?
Conclusion
With this extensive French animals vocabulary, you’ll be able to talk about a variety of animals, whether in conversation, during travel, or even in a classroom setting. From household pets to marine creatures, you now have the words to discuss them in French.
