French reference

The 100 most common French words

Ranked by how often they actually appear. Together these 100 words account for about 62% of everything said and written in French — which is why the order you learn vocabulary in matters more than the number of words you know.

100words
62%of everyday speech
4.7%the single commonest word
#WordEnglishSay itShareRunning total
1êtreto beehtr4.708%4.7%
2avoirto haveah-VWAHR3.527%8.2%
3deofduh2.936%11.2%
4jeIzhuh2.892%14.1%
5pasnotpah2.030%16.1%
6lethe (m)luh1.847%17.9%
7quethatkuh1.769%19.7%
8lathe (f)lah1.680%21.4%
9vousyou (formal/plural)voo1.566%23.0%
10tuyou (informal)tew1.544%24.5%
11unauhN1.518%26.0%
12àtoah1.434%27.5%
13etanday1.431%28.9%
14ilhe/iteel1.401%30.3%
15nenotnuh1.164%31.4%
16lesthe (pl)lay1.060%32.5%
17faireto dofehr1.019%33.5%
18eninahN1.018%34.5%
19allerto goah-LAY1.001%35.5%
20onwe/oneohN0.959%36.5%
21çathatsah0.955%37.5%
22uneaewn0.946%38.4%
23cethissuh0.882%39.3%
24pourforpoor0.862%40.1%
25dessomeday0.662%40.8%
26pouvoirto be able topoo-VWAHR0.650%41.5%
27direto saydeer0.634%42.1%
28quiwhokee0.580%42.7%
29maisbutmeh0.571%43.2%
30vouloirto wantvoo-LWAHR0.550%43.8%
31dansindahN0.525%44.3%
32savoirto knowsah-VWAHR0.525%44.8%
33nouswenoo0.524%45.4%
34elleshe/itehl0.514%45.9%
35mememuh0.504%46.4%
36bienwellbyaN0.501%46.9%
37siifsee0.491%47.4%
38duof thedew0.465%47.8%
39ythereee-GREHK0.460%48.3%
40nonnonohN0.449%48.8%
41avecwithah-VEHK0.437%49.2%
42touteverythingtoo0.433%49.6%
43plusmoreplew0.423%50.0%
44monmy (m)mohN0.416%50.5%
45teto youtuh0.393%50.9%
46auto theoh0.386%51.2%
47voirto seevwahr0.385%51.6%
48devoirto have toduh-VWAHR0.371%52.0%
49moimemwah0.365%52.4%
50ouiyeswee0.349%52.7%
51ilsthey (m)eel0.329%53.0%
52suronsewr0.327%53.4%
53quoiwhatkwah0.311%53.7%
54seoneselfsuh0.302%54.0%
55commelikekawm0.301%54.3%
56icihereee-SEE0.253%54.5%
57mamy (f)mah0.249%54.8%
58toiyoutwah0.246%55.0%
59est-ce quedoehs kuh0.246%55.3%
60venirto comevuh-NEER0.243%55.5%
61luihim/herlew-EE0.240%55.8%
62votreyour (formal)vohtr0.236%56.0%
63pourquoiwhypoor-KWAH0.229%56.2%
64oùwhereoo0.224%56.4%
65làtherelah0.224%56.7%
66riennothingree-AN0.222%56.9%
67cettethis (f)seht0.218%57.1%
68quandwhenkahN0.208%57.3%
69penserto thinkpahN-SAY0.206%57.5%
70sontheirsohN0.204%57.7%
71prendreto takeprahNdr0.192%57.9%
72autreotherohtr0.190%58.1%
73alorssoah-LAWR0.189%58.3%
74tonyour (informal, m)tohN0.188%58.5%
75commenthowkaw-MAHN0.184%58.7%
76parlerto speakpahr-LAY0.182%58.9%
77parbypahr0.181%59.0%
78ouoroo0.173%59.2%
79chosethingshawz0.228%59.4%
80bongoodbohN0.168%59.6%
81mercithank youmehr-SEE0.164%59.8%
82justejustzhewst0.162%59.9%
83trèsverytreh0.161%60.1%
84aimerto likeeh-MAY0.161%60.3%
85croireto believekrwahr0.153%60.4%
86jamaisneverzhah-MEH0.152%60.6%
87trouverto findtroo-VAY0.150%60.7%
88aussialsooh-SEE0.149%60.9%
89vraimentreallyvreh-MAHN0.147%61.0%
90mêmesamemehm0.143%61.1%
91satheirsah0.142%61.3%
92ohohaw0.142%61.4%
93maintenantnowmaNt-NAHN0.140%61.6%
94tousall (m pl)toos0.139%61.7%
95falloirto be necessary (must)fah-LWAHR0.138%61.8%
96deuxtwoduh0.135%62.0%
97cesthesesay0.135%62.1%
98tayour (informal, f)tah0.130%62.2%
99attendreto waitah-TAHNDR0.129%62.4%
100peulittlepuh0.123%62.5%

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