While Halloween is not traditionally a French holiday, it has grown in popularity in recent years, especially with children going trick-or-treating and adults throwing costume parties. This vocabulary list will help you discuss Halloween, describe costumes, and talk about all things spooky in French.
1. General Halloween Terms (Les Termes Généraux d’Halloween)
These are the key words to talk about Halloween itself and related activities.
- Halloween (f) – Halloween
- La fête d’Halloween – Halloween party
- La Toussaint – All Saints’ Day (celebrated on November 1st)
- Les bonbons (m) – Candy
- Les friandises (f) – Treats
- Le costume – Costume
- Se déguiser – To dress up (in a costume)
- La citrouille – Pumpkin
- La lanterne en citrouille – Jack-o’-lantern
- La veille de la Toussaint – All Hallows’ Eve
Example Sentence:
- Les enfants portent des costumes et ramassent des bonbons pour Halloween. (Children wear costumes and collect candy for Halloween.)
2. Trick-or-Treating
Useful words and phrases related to trick-or-treating, a Halloween tradition.
- Des bonbons ou un sort ! – Trick or treat!
- Le seau à bonbons – Candy bucket
- Le sac à friandises – Trick-or-treat bag
- Distribuer des bonbons – To hand out candy
- Aller de porte en porte – To go door to door
- Les enfants déguisés – Children in costume
Example Sentence:
- Nous disons des bonbons ou un sort ! en allant de porte en porte. (We say “trick or treat!” while going door to door.)
3. Spooky Creatures (Les Créatures Effrayantes)
These words cover the spooky creatures often associated with Halloween.
- Le fantôme – Ghost
- Le monstre – Monster
- Le vampire – Vampire
- Le loup-garou – Werewolf
- Le zombie – Zombie
- La sorcière – Witch
- Le squelette – Skeleton
- Le diable – The devil
- La chauve-souris – Bat
- Le démon – Demon
- Le gobelin – Goblin
- Le spectre – Specter
- Le dragon – Dragon
- L’épouvantail (m) – Scarecrow
Example Sentence:
- Les vampires et les sorcières sont des personnages typiques d’Halloween. (Vampires and witches are typical Halloween characters.)
4. Halloween Costumes (Les Déguisements d’Halloween)
A list of common Halloween costumes and related terms.
- Le déguisement – The costume
- Le masque – The mask
- La cape – The cape
- Le chapeau de sorcière – The witch’s hat
- Le maquillage de vampire – Vampire makeup
- Les fausses dents – Fake teeth
- Le faux sang – Fake blood
- Les griffes (f) – Claws
- Le balai de sorcière – The witch’s broom
- La perruque – The wig
- La fausse cicatrice – The fake scar
Example Sentence:
- Je me suis déguisé en vampire avec un masque et du faux sang. (I dressed up as a vampire with a mask and fake blood.)
5. Halloween Decorations (Les Décorations d’Halloween)
Decorations play a big part in setting the spooky Halloween atmosphere.
- La citrouille – Pumpkin
- La lanterne en citrouille – Jack-o’-lantern
- Les toiles d’araignée (f) – Spider webs
- Le faux squelette – Fake skeleton
- Les lumières d’Halloween (f) – Halloween lights
- Le cercueil – The coffin
- La tombe – The grave
- Le cimetière – The cemetery
- La maison hantée – The haunted house
- Le crâne – The skull
- Le chaudron – The cauldron
Example Sentence:
- Nous avons décoré la maison avec des toiles d’araignée et des citrouilles pour Halloween. (We decorated the house with spider webs and pumpkins for Halloween.)
6. Halloween Foods (Les Aliments d’Halloween)
Common Halloween treats and foods to make the holiday deliciously spooky.
- Les pommes d’amour (f) – Candy apples
- Les sucreries (f) – Sweets
- Le caramel – Caramel
- Les biscuits en forme de citrouille (m) – Pumpkin-shaped cookies
- Les cupcakes au chocolat (m) – Chocolate cupcakes
- Le gâteau d’Halloween – Halloween cake
- Le punch sanglant – Bloody punch
- Les bonbons gélifiés (m) – Gummy candies
Example Sentence:
- J’ai préparé des cupcakes au chocolat et du punch sanglant pour la fête d’Halloween. (I made chocolate cupcakes and bloody punch for the Halloween party.)
7. Haunted Places and Spooky Settings (Les Lieux Hantés et les Décors Effrayants)
These words are related to haunted places and eerie locations.
- La maison hantée – Haunted house
- Le château hanté – Haunted castle
- Le cimetière – The cemetery
- Le labyrinthe de maïs – Corn maze
- La grotte – The cave
- La forêt sombre – The dark forest
- Le manoir abandonné – The abandoned manor
Example Sentence:
- Nous avons visité une maison hantée et un cimetière pendant Halloween. (We visited a haunted house and a cemetery during Halloween.)
8. Halloween-Related Phrases
Here are some useful phrases to talk about Halloween.
- Joyeux Halloween ! – Happy Halloween!
- Qu’est-ce que tu vas porter pour Halloween ? – What are you going to wear for Halloween?
- Veux-tu aller à une fête d’Halloween ? – Do you want to go to a Halloween party?
- On va sculpter des citrouilles ce soir. – We’re going to carve pumpkins tonight.
- As-tu décoré la maison pour Halloween ? – Did you decorate the house for Halloween?
- Cette maison hantée fait vraiment peur ! – This haunted house is really scary!
- Les enfants adorent Halloween à cause des bonbons. – Children love Halloween because of the candy.
9. Halloween-Related Idiomatic Expressions
Here are a few idioms that can fit into the spooky Halloween theme.
- Avoir la chair de poule – To have goosebumps
- Faire froid dans le dos – To send shivers down your spine
- C’est effrayant à mourir ! – It’s scary to death!
- Sursauter – To startle
- Avoir une peur bleue – To be scared stiff (literally: to have a blue fear)
Practice Quiz
Test your knowledge with a short quiz:
- What is the French word for “ghost”?
- How do you say “trick or treat” in French?
- Translate: “I’m wearing a vampire costume.”
- What’s the French term for “haunted house”?
- How do you say “pumpkin” in French?
Conclusion
With this comprehensive French Halloween vocabulary, you’ll be ready to talk about costumes, trick-or-treating, and all the spooky fun of Halloween in French. Whether you’re attending a Halloween party or just decorating for the season, these words will help you enjoy the holiday to the fullest. Joyeux Halloween !
