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French · Vocabulary · A1 to A2

French home vocabulary: la cuisine, le salon, and chez moi

Un immeuble parisien · tap a floor
French floors start at le rez-de-chaussée (ground floor), so le premier étage is the British first floor, the American second.
le troisième luh trwa-ZYEM · the third floor
Ma chambremy bedroomestisau fondat-the enddu couloir.of-the corridor
ma SHAMBR ay o FON dü kool-WAR · “My bedroom is at the end of the corridor.”Why: Au fond de: at the far end of.

Short answer: most French people in cities live in un appartement in un immeuble (a block of flats); outside the city, in une maison. The main rooms are la cuisine (kitchen), le salon (living room), la chambre (bedroom) and la salle de bains (bathroom); the toilet is usually separate, les toilettes. “At my place” is chez moi. Flats are described by number of rooms: un trois-pièces has three main rooms.

The little word chez

Chez moi, chez toi, chez les Martin

Chez means “at the home of” or “to the home of”, so one word replaces a whole English phrase. It never changes, and it takes a stressed pronoun (the strong form of “me”, “you”, “him”…) or a person. Tap a pronoun to hear it.

Vienscomechez moito my-placece soir !this evening
vyan shay MWA suh SWAR
“Come to my place tonight!”Chez + stressed pronoun: chez moi, chez toi.
Onwedînedinechezat-the-home-ofmes parents.my parents
on DEEN shay may pa-RON
“We’re having dinner at my parents’.”Chez + people.
JeIsuisamchez le médecin.at the doctor’s
zhuh swee shay luh mayd-SAN
“I’m at the doctor’s.”Chez also means “at the shop or office of”.
Faismakecommelikechez toi !at your-place
fay kom shay TWA
“Make yourself at home!”A fixed phrase for guests.
Reading a flat advert

Un studio, un deux-pièces, un F4

French adverts count les pièces (main rooms: living room and bedrooms), not bedrooms. Kitchen and bathroom are not counted. Tap a line to hear it.

À louer · Lyon 7eAppartement 3 pièces, 68 m²2 ch., séjour lumineux, cuisine équipée, SdB, WC séparés, 3e ét. avec asc., balcon. Loyer 1 150 € CC.
Furniture and gender

Le canapé, la table, l’armoire

Every noun is masculine (le) or feminine (la). Before a vowel or silent h both become l’, which hides the gender, so learn those words with un or une.

Housework with faire

Faire le ménage, la vaisselle, les courses

French uses faire (to do, to make) for most chores. Learn them as fixed phrases with their article.

fairedole ménagethe housework
fair luh may-NAZH · “to do the cleaning”
fairedola vaissellethe dishes
fair la vay-SEL · “to do the washing-up”
fairedoles coursesthe shopping
fair lay KOORS · “to do the food shopping”
fairedola lessivethe washing
fair la lay-SEEV · “to do the laundry”
passerpassl’aspirateurthe vacuum
pa-SAY las-pee-ra-TUHR · “to vacuum”
sortirtake-outla poubellethe bin
sor-TEER la poo-BEL · “to take the bin out”
Renting a flat

Le loyer, les charges, la caution

Most French city dwellers rent. These are the words in every rental agreement and agency conversation.

Where things are at home

Sur la table, sous le lit, dans le placard

Position words with household objects. Each answers Où est… ? (Where is…?).

Les clésthe keyssontaresur la table.on the table
lay KLAY son sür la TABL · “The keys are on the table.”
Le chatthe catestissous le lit.under the bed
luh SHA ay soo luh LEE · “The cat is under the bed.”
Les verresthe glassessontaredans le placard.in the cupboard
lay VAIR son don luh pla-KAR · “The glasses are in the cupboard.”
La lampethe lampestisà côté du canapé.next to-the sofa
la LONP ay a ko-TAY dü ka-na-PAY · “The lamp is next to the sofa.”
Le tableauthe pictureestisau-dessus du lit.above the bed
luh ta-BLOH ay oh-duh-SÜ dü LEE · “The picture is above the bed.”
Le vélothe bikeestisdevant la porte.in-front-of the door
luh vay-LOH ay duh-VON la PORT · “The bike is in front of the door.”
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Related guides

Family vocabulary →Who lives with you. ma familleArticles →Le, la, les and l’ in depth. l’armoireNumbers →Floors and square metres. 68 m²Y and en →J’y habite: “I live there”. j’y vais