Vocab list 1 (Edexcel GCSE French): Revision Notes
General vocabulary - Vocab list 1
This essential vocabulary list contains fundamental French words that you'll encounter regularly in your GCSE studies. Learning these terms thoroughly will build a strong foundation for reading, writing, speaking, and listening tasks.
Mastering basic vocabulary is crucial for GCSE success. These words appear frequently in exam texts and are essential building blocks for more complex language skills.
Vocabulary: Letters A-B
The first set of vocabulary focuses on common verbs and nouns you'll use daily. Pay special attention to the gender markers and verb patterns.
| French | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| accepter | to accept | Regular -er verb |
| action (f) | action | Feminine noun |
| adolescent (m) | teenager | Masculine noun |
| adorer | to love | Regular -er verb |
| adulte (m) | adult | Can be masculine or feminine |
| âge (m) | age | Masculine noun |
| aider (à) | to help (to) | Takes preposition à |
| aimer | to like/love | Regular -er verb |
| aller | to go | Irregular verb |
| alors | so | Useful connecting word |
Worked Example: Using A-B vocabulary in context
- J'adore le chocolat = I love chocolate
- Il faut aider à faire les devoirs = We must help to do homework
- Alors, qu'est-ce que tu veux faire? = So, what do you want to do?
Notice how prepositions like "à" are essential for correct usage.
Vocabulary: Letters C-D
This section introduces more action verbs and descriptive terms. Notice the pattern of regular -er verbs and irregular exceptions.
| French | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| chercher | to look for, search | Regular -er verb |
| choc (m) | shock, clash | Masculine noun |
| choisir | to choose | Regular -ir verb |
| choix (m) | choice | Masculine noun, silent x |
| chose (f) | thing | Feminine noun |
| clair | light, bright, clear | Adjective |
| coin (m) | corner | Masculine noun |
| commencer (à) | to start/begin (to) | Takes à before infinitive |
| comparer | to compare | Regular -er verb |
| comprendre | to understand | Irregular verb like prendre |
Watch out for silent letters! The word choix has a silent 'x' at the end, and many students forget this in pronunciation.
Worked Example: C-D vocabulary in sentences
- Je cherche mes clés = I'm looking for my keys
- Il faut choisir un dessert = We must choose a dessert
- Tu comprends la leçon? = Do you understand the lesson?
The verb comprendre is irregular, so memorise its conjugation pattern carefully.
Vocabulary: Letters D-E
Here we explore more versatile verbs and important descriptive words. Note the gender agreement in adjectives.
| French | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| donner | to give | Regular -er verb |
| droit (m) | right | Masculine noun |
| droite (f) | right (direction) | Feminine noun |
| dur | hard, difficult | Adjective |
| durer | to last | Regular -er verb |
| écouter | to listen | Regular -er verb |
| écrire | to write | Irregular verb |
| égal | equal | Adjective |
| emporter | to take, remove, take away | Regular -er verb |
| ennuyeux (m) / ennuyeuse (f) | boring | Adjective with masculine/feminine forms |
Worked Example: D-E vocabulary usage
- Peux-tu me donner tonne stylo? = Can you give me your pen?
- C'est dur d'apprendre le français = It's hard to learn French
- J'écoute de la musique = I'm listening to music
Notice how ennuyeux/ennuyeuse changes form to match the gender of the noun it describes.
Vocabulary: Letters E-F
The final section includes essential verbs and concepts. Pay attention to accent changes and preposition requirements.
| French | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| énorme | enormous, big | Adjective |
| entrer | to enter, go in | Regular -er verb |
| erreur (f) | error, mistake | Feminine noun |
| espace (m) | space, room | Masculine noun |
| espérer | to hope | -er verb with accent changes |
| essayer de | to try on (clothes) | Takes de before infinitive |
| essentiel (m) / essentielle (f) | essential | Adjective |
| étonnant | surprising, amazing | Adjective |
| être | to be | Most important irregular verb |
| euro (m) | euro | Masculine noun |
Worked Example: E-F vocabulary in context
- Cette maison est énorme = This house is enormous
- J'espère réussir à l'examen = I hope to pass the exam
- Il faut essayer de comprendre = We must try to understand
The verb être is the most important irregular verb in French - learn its conjugations by heart!
Key pronunciation tips
Master these pronunciation rules to avoid common mistakes:
- Silent letters: Many French words end in silent consonants (choix, droit)
- Liaison: Connect words that flow together (nous avons = nou-za-von)
- Accent marks: These change pronunciation (écouter vs ecouter)
- Nasal sounds: Words ending in -an, -en, -in, -on have nasal pronunciation
Translation practice
Test your understanding with these practical exercises. Cover the answers and attempt each translation first.
Worked Example: Translation Practice
French to English:
- Je vais chercher mes amis au café
- C'est difficile de choisir le bon livre
English to French:
- I love listening to music
- We must help our parents
Answers:
- I'm going to look for my friends at the café
- It's difficult to choose the right book
- J'adore écouter de la musique
- Il faut aider nos parents
Study tip: Choose five words from this list that you find most challenging to remember. Write a sentence using each word in a meaningful context. This active practice will help cement the vocabulary in your memory more effectively than simply reading the list.
Key Points to Remember:
- Gender matters: Always learn nouns with their gender markers (m) or (f)
- Verb patterns: Regular -er verbs follow the same conjugation pattern
- Prepositions: Some verbs require specific prepositions (aider à, essayer de)
- Pronunciation: Silent letters are common in French - don't pronounce final consonants in most words
- Context clues: Use surrounding words to help understand meaning in reading passages