When learning French, expanding your vocabulary in everyday situations is key. For students and learners alike, knowing how to discuss school supplies in French is essential.
This blog post will guide you through the vocabulary you need to talk about everything related to school, from the names of school supplies to facilities around the school, the people you might encounter, and even the timing of school events. Whether you’re preparing for la rentrée, which is back to school in French, or simply becoming familiar with the right vocab for your studies, this guide will help you navigate any school setting with confidence.
Basic school supplies in French
Let’s start with the basics, learning the everyday items that every student needs in their backpack.
| backpack | un sac à dos |
| uniform | un uniforme |
| lunchbox | une boîte à lunch |
| pencil case | une trousse à crayons |
| pen | un stylo |
| marker | un marqueur |
| felt tip pen | une feutre |
| highlighter | un surligneur |
| pencil | un crayon |
| mechanical pencil | un crayon mécanique |
| pencil lead | une mine de crayon |
| pencil sharpener | un taille-crayon |
| eraser | une gomme |
| correction fluid | du liquide correcteur |
| ruler | une règle |
| compass | un compas |
| calculator | une calculatrice |
| scissors | des ciseaux (m) |
| glue stick | un bâton de colle |
| book | un livre |
| notebook | un cahier |
| folder | un dossier |
| binder | un classeur |
- Elle met ses livres dans son sac à dos. – She puts her books in her backpack.
- Je prends mes notes avec un crayon. – I take my notes with a pencil.
- Pour dessiner des lignes droites, j’utilise une règle. – To draw straight lines, I use a ruler.
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Classroom items in French
Now let’s explore some French classroom vocabulary with this list of items that are often provided by the school or shared among students.
| desk | un pupitre, un bureau |
| chair | une chaise |
| textbook | un manuel |
| whiteboard | un tableau blanc |
| marker | un marqueur |
| blackboard | un tableau |
| chalk | une craie |
| projector | un projecteur, un retroprojecteur |
- Le professeur écrit au tableau avec une craie. – The teacher writes on the blackboard with a piece of chalk.
- Chaque élève a un manuel pour le cours. – Each student has a textbook for the class.
- Ils regardent la présentation sur le projecteur. – They watch the presentation on the projector.
School facilities
Most schools have a variety of facilities to support both academic and extracurricular activities. Here are the terms for some key infrastructure around a school in French.
| classroom | une salle de classe, une salle de cours |
| library | la bibliothèque |
| gymnasium | le gymnase, la salle de sport |
| cafeteria | la cantine |
| sports field | le terrain de sport |
| playground | la cour de récréation, la cour de récré |
| restrooms | les toilettes |
| auditorium | l’auditorium (m) |
| lab, laboratory | le laboratoire, le labo |
- Nous avons notre cours de sport dans le gymnase aujourd’hui. – We have our gym class in the gymnasium today.
- Les élèves déjeunent à la cantine. – The students eat lunch in the cafeteria.
- La classe de sciences se déroule dans le laboratoire. – Science class takes place in the laboratory.
Science class supplies in French
For students attending science classes in French, knowing the names of specific supplies is crucial.
| microscope | un microscope |
| test tube | une éprouvette |
| beaker | un bécher |
| pipette | une pipette |
| scale | une balance |
| thermometer | un thermomètre |
| bunsen burner | un bec Bunsen |
| lab coat | une blouse de laboratoire |
| safety goggles | des lunettes de protection (f) |
- Nous utilisons un microscope pour observer les cellules. – We use a microscope to observe cells.
- Il est important de porter des lunettes de protection dans le laboratoire. – It’s important to wear safety goggles in the lab.
- Le professeur montre comment utiliser une pipette pour mesurer les liquides. – The teacher demonstrates how to use a pipette to measure liquids.
People in the School
Here’s a list of common titles and roles of different people around a school in French. Keep in mind that we often have both masculine and feminine words for professions in French, so we list both here.
| teacher | un professeur, une professeur |
| principal | le directeur, la directrice |
| school student | un élève, une élève |
| university student | un étudiant, une étudiante |
| counselor | un conseiller, une conseillère |
| librarian | un bibliothécaire, une bibliothécaire |
| school nurse | un infirmier scolaire, une infirmière scolaire |
| janitor | un concièrge, une concièrge |
- Le professeur explique la leçon aux élèves. – The teacher explains the lesson to the students.
- La directrice discute avec des professeurs pour organiser l’année scolaire. – The principal discusses with some teachers to organize the school year.
- Le concierge nettoie les couloirs après les cours. – The janitor cleans the hallways after classes.
Time Periods in School
Let’s finish up with a list of the various time periods we have for breaking up the school day and the school year. Check out our other posts to learn the days of the week, the months and seasons, and how to tell time in French, as well as our post on the difference between an and année.
| school day | un jour d’école |
| semester | un trimestre |
| school year | une année scolaire |
| winter break | les vacances d’hiver (f) |
| spring break | les vacances de printemps (f) |
| summer vacation | les vacances d’été (f) |
| back to school | la rentrée |
| homeroom | la classe principale |
| recess | la récréation |
- En France, la rentrée est en septembre. – In France, back to school is in September.
- Les élèves attendent avec impatience les vacances d’été. – The students are really looking forward to summer vacation.
- Pendant la récréation, les enfants jouent dans la cour. – During recess, the children play in the playground.
Conclusion: School Supplies in French
Today we started with several lists of school supplies in French, and ended with a couple more lists of useful vocab for talking about school in French.
With this vocabulary, you’re now equipped to discuss multiple facets of a school environment, from the names of the staff to the various supplies for different classes. So whether you’re already attending school in French, preparing for la rentrée, or just reminiscing about your youth, go ahead and use this French school vocab as part of your learning!