Les Noms: List of 100+ common French nouns to use in everyday life

Key takeaways

French nouns (les noms) name people, places, things, or ideas.
They are gendered: masculine or feminine.
Their plural form is usually marked with an -s (though not always pronounced).
Knowing everyday nouns helps you build sentences quickly.
Practice with lists of common words and their articles (le, la, les).

What Are Nouns in French?

A noun (nom) is a word that represents a person (un étudiant), place (une ville), thing (un livre), or idea (la liberté).

Unlike English, French nouns are gendered: each is either masculine or feminine. This affects the article (un/une, le/la) and sometimes adjective agreement.

Example:

Masculine: le livre (the book).
Feminine: la maison (the house).

If you’ve ever wondered “does French have gendered nouns?” — yes, every noun has a gender. Some learners struggle with this, but practice makes it easier.

Gender of French Nouns

Masculine nouns often end in consonants, -age, -ment, -isme.
- le fromage (cheese), le gouvernement (government).
Feminine nouns often end in -e, -ion, -té.
- la voiture (car), la nation (nation).

Exceptions exist: le problème is masculine despite ending in -e.

Plural Nouns in French

Most plurals are formed by adding -s:

le livre → les livres (books).
la maison → les maisons (houses).

Some irregular plurals:

un cheval → des chevaux (horses).
un journal → des journaux (newspapers).

100+ Common French Nouns for Daily Life

Here’s a categorized list of useful nouns with gender and English translations.

People

l’homme (m) – man
la femme (f) – woman
l’enfant (m/f) – child
le professeur (m/f) – teacher
l’ami / l’amie – friend (m/f)

Family

la mère – mother
le père – father
le fils – son
la fille – daughter
les parents – parents

Places

la maison – house
l’école (f) – school
le travail – work
le restaurant – restaurant
la ville – city

Food & Drinks

le pain – bread
l’eau (f) – water
le vin – wine
la pomme – apple
le fromage – cheese

Objects

le livre – book
la table – table
le téléphone – phone
la voiture – car
la clé – key

Nature

l’arbre (m) – tree
la fleur – flower
le soleil – sun
la lune – moon
la mer – sea

Abstract Ideas

l’amour (m) – love
la liberté – freedom
le bonheur – happiness
la vérité – truth
l’espoir (m) – hope

Examples of Nouns in French Sentences

J’ai un livre. → I have a book.
La maison est grande. → The house is big.
Il aime la musique. → He likes music.
Nous allons à l’école. → We are going to school.
Les enfants jouent dans le jardin. → The children are playing in the garden.

Exercises: Practice with Nouns

1. Identify gender

Is the noun masculine or feminine?

fromage
voiture
soleil
fleur

2. Make plural

un livre → ________
un journal → ________
une maison → ________

3. Translate into French

A father and a mother
The sea and the sun
Children and teachers

Answers

m, f, m, f
des livres, des journaux, des maisons
Un père et une mère | La mer et le soleil | Des enfants et des professeurs

Tips for Mastering French Nouns

Always learn nouns with their article (le, la, un, une) so you remember gender.
Group nouns by theme (family, food, places) to make them easier to memorize.
Notice patterns in endings, but remember exceptions.
Practice with real-life sentences and flashcards.

For more help with structure, see our French verb tenses overview. To study smarter, check learning French effectively. And if you’re planning your learning journey, explore how long it takes to learn French fluently.

Summary

French nouns are at the heart of every sentence. They are gendered (masculine or feminine) and usually form their plural with -s. Knowing just 100+ common nouns like maison, livre, pain, mère, ami allows you to express everyday ideas easily.

With practice and resources like this list of French nouns and must-know French nouns, you’ll quickly build vocabulary. Soon, forming simple sentences like la maison est grande or j’ai un livre will become natural while you learn French with Promova.