AQA GCSE French Vocabulary and Topics Guide: Key Words and Phrases for Every Theme
AQA GCSE French Vocabulary and Topics Guide: Key Words and Phrases for Every Theme
Vocabulary is the foundation of everything in GCSE French. Without a strong vocabulary base, you cannot understand listening passages, decode reading texts, speak fluently, or write accurately. Yet vocabulary is also the area where many students revise inefficiently -- copying out long word lists, cramming the night before, and then forgetting most of it within days.
This guide breaks down the essential vocabulary for each of the three AQA GCSE French themes, gives you useful phrases that go beyond single words, and shows you how to use opinion phrases and connectives to push your responses into the higher mark bands. Whether you are just beginning your revision or doing final preparation before the exam, this is the vocabulary you need to know.
How the AQA GCSE French Specification Is Structured
AQA GCSE French is organised around three broad themes that cover different areas of everyday life. Every question in your listening, reading, speaking, and writing papers will relate to one of these themes. Understanding the scope of each theme helps you revise strategically rather than randomly.
- Theme 1: Identity and culture -- covers who you are, your relationships, your daily life, and the cultural traditions you observe.
- Theme 2: Local, national, international and global areas of interest -- covers where you live, where you go on holiday, how you travel, and the wider issues affecting the world.
- Theme 3: Current and future study and employment -- covers your school life, your plans after GCSEs, and your career ambitions.
Each theme contains several sub-topics, and the vocabulary lists below are organised to reflect how these sub-topics appear in the exam.
Theme 1: Identity and Culture
Theme 1 is often the most accessible theme because it deals with personal, everyday topics. However, students sometimes underperform here because they rely on basic vocabulary and do not push into more detailed or nuanced language.
Family and Relationships
| French | English |
|---|---|
| la famille | family |
| le pere / la mere | father / mother |
| le frere / la soeur | brother / sister |
| le demi-frere / la demi-soeur | half-brother / half-sister |
| le beau-pere / la belle-mere | stepfather / stepmother |
| les grands-parents | grandparents |
| l'oncle / la tante | uncle / aunt |
| le cousin / la cousine | cousin |
| un ami / une amie | a friend |
| un copain / une copine | a mate / a friend |
| s'entendre bien avec | to get on well with |
| se disputer avec | to argue with |
| se facher contre | to get angry with |
| je m'entends bien avec ma soeur | I get on well with my sister |
| on se dispute de temps en temps | we argue from time to time |
Useful phrases for family and relationships:
- "Je suis fils unique / fille unique" -- I am an only child (male / female).
- "Mon meilleur ami s'appelle..." -- My best friend is called...
- "On a beaucoup en commun" -- We have a lot in common.
- "Il me fait rire" / "Elle me fait rire" -- He makes me laugh / She makes me laugh.
- "Nous nous connaissons depuis cinq ans" -- We have known each other for five years.
Daily Routine and Food
| French | English |
|---|---|
| se reveiller | to wake up |
| se lever | to get up |
| se doucher | to shower |
| s'habiller | to get dressed |
| se coucher | to go to bed |
| le petit dejeuner | breakfast |
| le dejeuner | lunch |
| le diner | dinner |
| le repas | meal |
| manger sainement | to eat healthily |
| les legumes | vegetables |
| les fruits | fruit |
| la viande | meat |
| le poisson | fish |
| les sucreries | sweets / sugary foods |
| avoir faim / avoir soif | to be hungry / to be thirsty |
Useful phrases for daily routine and food:
- "D'habitude, je me leve a sept heures" -- Usually, I get up at seven o'clock.
- "Je prends le petit dejeuner avant de partir" -- I have breakfast before leaving.
- "J'essaie de manger equilibre" -- I try to eat a balanced diet.
- "Le soir, je me detends en regardant la tele" -- In the evening, I relax by watching TV.
Festivals, Customs, and Celebrations
| French | English |
|---|---|
| la fete | celebration / festival |
| Noel | Christmas |
| le jour de l'An | New Year's Day |
| Paques | Easter |
| un anniversaire | a birthday |
| la fete nationale | national holiday (14 July) |
| un feu d'artifice | a firework display |
| un defile | a parade |
| celebrer / feter | to celebrate |
| offrir un cadeau | to give a present |
| un sapin de Noel | a Christmas tree |
| le reveillon | Christmas Eve / New Year's Eve celebration |
Useful phrases for festivals and customs:
- "En France, on fete la fete nationale le quatorze juillet" -- In France, they celebrate the national holiday on the fourteenth of July.
- "Ma fete preferee, c'est Noel parce que toute la famille se reunit" -- My favourite celebration is Christmas because the whole family gets together.
- "On mange un repas special ensemble" -- We eat a special meal together.
- "Les traditions sont importantes car elles rapprochent les gens" -- Traditions are important because they bring people closer together.
Theme 2: Local, National, International and Global Areas of Interest
Theme 2 is broad in scope, ranging from describing your local neighbourhood to discussing global environmental issues. The vocabulary shifts from the personal to the more formal and abstract, which is why this theme can catch students off guard if they have not revised it carefully.
Home, Town, and Region
| French | English |
|---|---|
| la maison | house |
| l'appartement | flat / apartment |
| la chambre | bedroom |
| le salon | living room |
| la cuisine | kitchen |
| la salle de bains | bathroom |
| le jardin | garden |
| le quartier | neighbourhood |
| la banlieue | suburbs |
| le centre-ville | town centre |
| un magasin | a shop |
| la boulangerie | bakery |
| le marche | market |
| bruyant / calme | noisy / quiet |
| anime / tranquille | lively / peaceful |
| la campagne | the countryside |
| la cote | the coast |
Useful phrases for home, town, and region:
- "J'habite dans une grande maison en banlieue" -- I live in a large house in the suburbs.
- "Mon quartier est assez anime mais il n'y a pas beaucoup de choses a faire pour les jeunes" -- My area is quite lively but there is not much to do for young people.
- "Ce que j'aime le plus dans ma ville, c'est le parc" -- What I like most about my town is the park.
- "Si je pouvais changer quelque chose, j'ajouterais un cinema" -- If I could change something, I would add a cinema.
Holidays and Travel
| French | English |
|---|---|
| les vacances | holidays |
| voyager | to travel |
| l'etranger | abroad |
| un vol | a flight |
| un billet | a ticket |
| l'aeroport | the airport |
| la gare | the train station |
| l'hotel | the hotel |
| le camping | the campsite |
| un gite | a holiday cottage |
| la plage | the beach |
| la montagne | the mountain |
| bronzer | to sunbathe |
| faire de la randonnee | to go hiking |
| se baigner | to swim (in the sea or a lake) |
| visiter des monuments | to visit landmarks |
| louer | to hire / to rent |
Useful phrases for holidays and travel:
- "L'annee derniere, je suis alle(e) en Espagne avec ma famille" -- Last year, I went to Spain with my family.
- "On a pris l'avion de Londres a Barcelone" -- We flew from London to Barcelona.
- "Je prefere les vacances a la plage parce que je peux me detendre" -- I prefer beach holidays because I can relax.
- "L'ete prochain, j'aimerais visiter le sud de la France" -- Next summer, I would like to visit the south of France.
Environment and Social Issues
| French | English |
|---|---|
| l'environnement | the environment |
| la pollution | pollution |
| le rechauffement climatique | global warming |
| les dechets | waste / rubbish |
| recycler | to recycle |
| economiser l'eau | to save water |
| les energies renouvelables | renewable energy |
| le transport en commun | public transport |
| la pauvrete | poverty |
| le chomage | unemployment |
| les sans-abri | the homeless |
| le benevolat | volunteering |
| egalite | equality |
| proteger | to protect |
| gaspiller | to waste |
| reduire | to reduce |
Useful phrases for environment and social issues:
- "Il faut proteger l'environnement pour les generations futures" -- We must protect the environment for future generations.
- "Je recycle autant que possible et j'essaie de reduire le gaspillage" -- I recycle as much as possible and I try to reduce waste.
- "Le plus grand probleme dans ma region, c'est la pollution de l'air" -- The biggest problem in my area is air pollution.
- "On devrait utiliser les transports en commun au lieu de prendre la voiture" -- We should use public transport instead of taking the car.
- "La pauvrete est un probleme serieux qui touche beaucoup de gens" -- Poverty is a serious problem that affects many people.
Theme 3: Current and Future Study and Employment
Theme 3 covers school life and future plans. It is a common theme in the speaking general conversation and in writing tasks, so having strong vocabulary here is essential.
School Life
| French | English |
|---|---|
| le college | secondary school (up to age 15/16 in France) |
| le lycee | sixth form / upper secondary school |
| une matiere | a subject |
| les maths | maths |
| les sciences | science |
| l'anglais | English |
| le francais | French |
| l'histoire | history |
| la geographie | geography |
| l'informatique | ICT / computer science |
| le dessin | art |
| l'education physique et sportive (EPS) | PE |
| un cours | a lesson |
| un professeur | a teacher |
| les devoirs | homework |
| un examen | an exam |
| une note | a mark / a grade |
| reussir | to pass / to succeed |
| echouer | to fail |
| le reglement | the rules |
| l'uniforme scolaire | school uniform |
| la cantine | the canteen |
| la cour | the playground / schoolyard |
| le trimestre | the term |
| les grandes vacances | the summer holidays |
| le harcelement | bullying |
Useful phrases for school life:
- "Ma matiere preferee, c'est l'histoire parce que le prof est passionnant" -- My favourite subject is history because the teacher is brilliant.
- "Je trouve les maths difficiles mais utiles" -- I find maths difficult but useful.
- "Le reglement dans mon college est assez strict" -- The rules in my school are quite strict.
- "A mon avis, on devrait abolir l'uniforme scolaire parce qu'il ne permet pas de s'exprimer" -- In my opinion, we should abolish school uniform because it does not allow you to express yourself.
- "La journee scolaire commence a huit heures et demie et finit a trois heures" -- The school day starts at half past eight and finishes at three o'clock.
Post-16 Options, Jobs, and Career Aspirations
| French | English |
|---|---|
| continuer les etudes | to continue studying |
| aller a l'universite | to go to university |
| faire un apprentissage | to do an apprenticeship |
| trouver un emploi | to find a job |
| un metier | a profession / a trade |
| un stage | a work placement |
| travailler a temps partiel | to work part-time |
| un salaire | a salary |
| le travail benevole | voluntary work |
| un medecin | a doctor |
| un avocat / une avocate | a lawyer |
| un ingenieur | an engineer |
| un professeur | a teacher |
| un infirmier / une infirmiere | a nurse |
| un homme d'affaires / une femme d'affaires | a businessman / a businesswoman |
| gagner de l'argent | to earn money |
| faire carriere dans... | to have a career in... |
| avoir de l'experience | to have experience |
| les competences | skills |
| un entretien | an interview |
Useful phrases for post-16 and careers:
- "Apres mes examens, je voudrais continuer mes etudes au lycee" -- After my exams, I would like to continue my studies at sixth form.
- "Mon reve, c'est de devenir medecin" -- My dream is to become a doctor.
- "J'aimerais trouver un metier qui me passionne" -- I would like to find a job that I am passionate about.
- "L'annee prochaine, je vais faire un stage dans un bureau" -- Next year, I am going to do a work placement in an office.
- "A l'avenir, je voudrais travailler a l'etranger pour ameliorer mon francais" -- In the future, I would like to work abroad to improve my French.
Tips for Expanding Your Vocabulary Effectively
Learning vocabulary for GCSE French is not about memorising hundreds of isolated words. It is about building a connected web of language that you can access quickly under exam conditions. Here are the strategies that work best.
Use Spaced Repetition
Spaced repetition is the single most effective method for moving vocabulary from your short-term memory into your long-term memory. Rather than revising the same words every day, you review them at increasing intervals -- after one day, then three days, then a week, then two weeks. Each time you recall a word successfully, the interval increases. Words you struggle with come back more frequently. This is far more efficient than rereading word lists or copying out vocabulary repeatedly.
Learn Words in Context, Not in Isolation
A word learned as part of a phrase is far more useful than a word learned alone. Instead of just learning "voyager" (to travel), learn "j'adore voyager a l'etranger" (I love travelling abroad). When you learn words in phrases, you also absorb grammar patterns, prepositions, and natural word order without having to study them separately.
Group Vocabulary by Topic and Sub-topic
Work through the specification theme by theme, sub-topic by sub-topic. This creates mental associations that help you retrieve words during the exam. If a listening question is about holidays, your brain automatically activates the cluster of holiday-related vocabulary you have built up, making it easier to catch key words in the recording.
Practise Active Recall, Not Passive Recognition
Do not just read your vocabulary lists and think "yes, I know that." Cover the English column and test yourself on the French, then cover the French column and test yourself on the English. Better yet, write out the French from memory, or say it aloud. Active recall -- forcing yourself to produce the word rather than just recognise it -- strengthens the memory trace far more than passive reading.
Learn Synonyms and Alternatives
At higher tier, examiners reward variety. If you always use "bien" (good/well), try adding "formidable" (fantastic), "genial" (great), or "super" (super) to your repertoire. Instead of always writing "je pense que" (I think that), use "je crois que" (I believe that), "il me semble que" (it seems to me that), or "a mon avis" (in my opinion). This variety signals to the examiner that you have a wide vocabulary range.
Opinion Phrases and Connectives: The Key to Higher Grades
One of the simplest ways to boost your grade in GCSE French is to use a range of opinion phrases and connectives. These are the linguistic tools that turn short, simple sentences into developed, sophisticated responses -- and they work across all three themes and all four skills.
Opinion Phrases You Should Know
| French | English |
|---|---|
| a mon avis | in my opinion |
| je pense que | I think that |
| je crois que | I believe that |
| il me semble que | it seems to me that |
| je trouve que | I find that |
| selon moi | according to me |
| je suis convaincu(e) que | I am convinced that |
| je dirais que | I would say that |
| personnellement | personally |
| en ce qui me concerne | as far as I am concerned |
| ce qui me plait, c'est... | what I like is... |
| ce qui m'ennuie, c'est... | what annoys me is... |
Connectives That Add Sophistication
| French | English |
|---|---|
| cependant | however |
| neanmoins | nevertheless |
| par contre | on the other hand |
| de plus | furthermore |
| en outre | moreover |
| par consequent | as a result |
| bien que (+ subjunctive) | although |
| malgre | despite |
| puisque | since / because |
| car | because |
| afin de | in order to |
| tandis que | whereas |
| donc | therefore |
| pourtant | yet / however |
| d'un cote... de l'autre cote | on one hand... on the other hand |
How to Use Them in Practice
Rather than writing "J'aime le francais. C'est interessant." (I like French. It is interesting.), try: "Je trouve que le francais est une matiere passionnante, car on apprend non seulement une langue mais aussi une culture. Cependant, la grammaire peut etre assez difficile de temps en temps." (I find that French is an exciting subject, because you learn not only a language but also a culture. However, the grammar can be quite difficult from time to time.)
The second version uses an opinion phrase ("je trouve que"), a connective ("car"), an advanced structure ("non seulement... mais aussi"), and a contrasting connective ("cependant"). This is the kind of language that earns top marks.
Justifying Your Opinions
The examiners are not just looking for opinions -- they want to see you explain and justify them. A useful formula is: opinion + reason + example or extension.
- "A mon avis, le sport est essentiel pour les jeunes parce qu'il aide a rester en forme et a se detendre apres les cours." (In my opinion, sport is essential for young people because it helps you stay fit and relax after lessons.)
- "Je crois que les reseaux sociaux sont dangereux, surtout pour les jeunes, car on peut etre victime de harcelement en ligne." (I believe that social media is dangerous, especially for young people, because you can be a victim of online bullying.)
Prepare with LearningBro
Building a strong vocabulary base takes consistent practice, and that is exactly what LearningBro is designed for. Our GCSE French courses use spaced repetition to help you learn and retain vocabulary across all three themes, testing you at the right intervals so that words move into your long-term memory.
- GCSE French -- Full Course -- covers vocabulary, grammar, and key phrases across all three themes in a single comprehensive course.
- GCSE French: Identity and Daily Life -- focused revision on Theme 1 topics including family, relationships, daily routine, food, and cultural traditions.
- GCSE French: Leisure, Travel, and Culture -- targeted practice on Theme 2 vocabulary covering home, town, holidays, travel, environment, and social issues.
- GCSE French: Society, Work, and the World -- covers Theme 3 topics including school life, post-16 options, jobs, and career aspirations.
Each course breaks the content into manageable topic areas and uses active recall to ensure you are not just reading vocabulary but genuinely learning it. Whether you work through the full course or focus on the themes you find most challenging, consistent daily practice is the most effective way to build the vocabulary you need for exam day.
Good luck with your revision.