French Animals Vocabulary

Here are French words for animals to start with: oiseau (bird), chat (cat), vache (cow), chien (dog). Below are 96 words (A1–C1) with their English translations and part of speech, across 12 themed lists.

A corgi, a poodle and two cats sitting together against a pink background
Photo: huoadg5888

Animals Basics

A1
EnglishFrenchTypeLevel
birdoiseaunounA1
catchatnounA1
cowvachenounA1
dogchiennounA1
fishpoissonnounA1
horsechevalnounA1
mousesourisnounA1
squirrelécureuilnounA1

The rest of this pack is in the app

Animals Intermediate

A1–A2
EnglishFrenchTypeLevel
animalanimalnounA1
chickenpouletnounA1
froggrenouillenounA1
pigcochonnounA1
turkeydindenounA1
creaturecréaturenounA2
featherplumenounA2
harvestrécoltenounA2

Animals Advanced

A2–B2
EnglishFrenchTypeLevel
endangereden dangeradjA2
conservationconservationnounB1
ecosystemécosystèmenounB1
extinctionextinctionnounB1
habitathabitatnounB1
reefrécifnounB1
fireflyluciolenounB2
gullmouettenounB2

Reptiles & Amphibians

A1–B1
EnglishFrenchTypeLevel
snakeserpentnounA1
alligatoralligatornounB1
chameleoncaméléonnounB1
cobracobranounB1
geckogeckonounB1
iguanaiguanenounB1
pythonpythonnounB1
toadcrapaudnounB1

Microscopic Life

B1–B2
EnglishFrenchTypeLevel
funguschampignonnounB1
parasiteparasitenounB1
algaealguesnounB2
microbemicrobenounB2
moldmoisissurenounB2
pathogenagent pathogènenounB2
toxintoxinenounB2
yeastlevurenounB2

Primates & Mammals

A2–B1
EnglishFrenchTypeLevel
chimpanzeechimpanzénounA2
baboonbabouinnounB1
badgerblaireaunounB1
gorillagorillenounB1
hedgehoghérissonnounB1
moletaupenounB1
orangutanorang-outannounB1
reindeerrennenounB1

Deep Sea & Marine

B1–B2
EnglishFrenchTypeLevel
oysterhuîtrenounB1
shrimpcrevettenounB1
cuttlefishseichenounB2
musselmoulenounB2
prawngambasnounB2
sea lionotarienounB2
sea urchinoursinnounB2
walrusmorsenounB2

More from this pack waits in the app

Birds of the World

A2–B1
EnglishFrenchTypeLevel
robinrouge-gorgenounA2
gooseoienounB1
hawképerviernounB1
ostrichautruchenounB1
pelicanpélicannounB1
ravencorbeaunounB1
toucantoucannounB1
woodpeckerpicnounB1

Animal Care

A2–B2
EnglishFrenchTypeLevel
fleapucenounA2
shelterrefugenounB1
ticktiquenounB1
treatsfriandisesnounB1
vetvétérinairenounB1
leashlaissenounB2
neutercastrerverbB2
spaystériliserverbB2

Insects & Bugs

B1–B2
EnglishFrenchTypeLevel
cockroachcafardnounB1
aphidpuceronnounB2
larvalarvenounB2
locustcriquetnounB2
mantismante religieusenounB2
pollinatorpollinisateurnounB2
pupachrysalidenounB2
termitetermitenounB2

Deep Sea Life

A2–C1
EnglishFrenchTypeLevel
rayraienounA2
deep seagrands fondsnounB1
skateraie boucléenounB1
abyssabyssesnounB2
anglerfishbaudroienounB2
giant squidcalmar géantnounB2
sea cucumberconcombre de mernounB2
hydrothermal ventsource hydrothermalenounC1

Animal Behaviors

B1–B2
EnglishFrenchTypeLevel
camouflagecamouflagenounB1
hibernationhibernationnounB1
foragingrecherche de nourriturenounB2
herdinggrégarismenounB2
mimicrymimétismenounB2
predationprédationnounB2
scavengingcharognagenounB2
territorialityterritorialiténounB2

Keep going with this pack in the app

Emoji: Twemoji, CC-BY 4.0

A sample of the A1–C1 words. The rest are in the app

Watch Your LanguageVocabulary widgets for iPhone & Apple Watch

These lists show a sample of the A1–C1 words for animals. The packs in Watch Your Language hold more and reach the advanced levels, along with every other topic.

The app shows them to you a few at a time, in a widget on your iPhone Lock Screen and on your Apple Watch face, and brings back the ones you keep forgetting.

Common questions

Which French words should I learn for animals?

You could start with words like oiseau (bird), chat (cat), vache (cow), chien (dog). This page lists 96 French words for animals (A1–C1), each with its English translation and part of speech.

How can I remember these French words?

Reading a list once is rarely enough. Watch Your Language shows French words like these in a widget on your iPhone Lock Screen and on your Apple Watch face, and schedules repeats so the words you keep forgetting come back more often.

Are these word lists free?

Yes. The lists on this page are free to read, with no sign-up. The app holds more words for each topic.

More French word lists