10 Beautiful French Words
French is a gorgeous language. Many poets and writers marveled at the beauty of its sound and melody. So, it’s no wonder that there are beautiful words in French. But, even in a wonderful language such as this, there are words that are especially beautiful. Not just in sound, but also in meaning. These are the top 10 most beautiful words in French.
Adding beautiful French words to your vocabulary can be helpful in many ways. It develops your fluency and understanding of the language. And, potentially, it could also help you find romance. Finding the beauty in the world is a very French characteristic. The list below has French words that have beautiful meanings and lovely pleasant sounds.
The Most Beautiful French Words
1. Bisous – Kisses
First on the list, is a word that you can use in many different scenarios. Whether you use the plural or singular version of this word, I’m sure you can find the perfect time to use it. Bisous or bisou (kiss) is a common French word.
When visiting France, it is acceptable to greet women and kids with a “bisou” on each cheek. If you want to let someone know you are thinking about them, you can use this phrase:
- Je t’envoie de gros bisous. – I’m sending you big kisses.
Whether you are sending big kisses to a special someone, family member, or friend this phrase will come in handy.
2. Chuchoter – Whisper
Chuchoter is great when speaking to someone while watching a movie or at a museum or library. It’s a little bit more difficult to pronounce than the rest, but you’ll quickly get the hang of it.
Chuchoter can also be a romantic gesture.
- Il chuchote des mots doux. – He whispers sweet nothings.
3. Parapluie – Umbrella
Another beautiful and useful French word to know is parapluie. You will be happy to know that you remembered to bring your parapluie the next time it rains. Not everyone loves the rain, but everybody loves the sound of this pretty French word.
To better understand the word, split the word in half. Para- is a prefix used to mean protection. The French word for rain is “pluie.” When you combine the words, you get “parapluie” which indicates protection from rain which is the job of an umbrella. Breaking the word down reveals how cute French can be.
It rains a lot in France, so having a parapluie available is important. If you want to let someone know you like their umbrella, you can say:
- Le parapluie est magnifique. – The umbrella is beautiful.
3. Envie – Desire
Paris is one of the most romantic places in the world. A lot of Parisians are romantic. If you plan to visit the area, a great French word to learn is envie.
While in France, if you are talking with someone and they use the word “envie” they may be romantically interested in you. It’s actually quite usual for people to vocalist their feelings in French dating culture.
How do you express that you want to do something? Use the phrase construction below:
- avoir + envie + de + your choice of verb
In the phrase above, avoir means to have, envie means desire, and de is “to.” Use this sentence construction when you would like to express your desire to do something. Let’s say you meet someone, and you would like to meet up with them again. Use the phrase:
- J’ai envie de te revoir. – I want to see you.
5. Étoile – Star
What is your ideal date? Could you picture yourself eating a romantic dinner outside under the étoiles? Étoile is among the list of beautiful French words. It sounds so delightful and elegant to hear.
On a clear night in the countryside of France, you may easily see an étoile. Even when you don’t talk about stars in a physical sense, you can use beautiful idioms in French to express ideas:
- Il avait des étoiles dans les yeux. – He had stars in his eyes.
6. Coquillage – Seashell
This is a very pretty French word to have in your vocabulary. The South of France is known for its beautiful extravagant beaches. They are phenomenal. While walking on these beautiful beaches you may come in contact with a coquillage, a seashell.
A coquillage is an excellent keepsake for memories or a souvenir for a friend or family member. Coquillages make for thoughtful gifts for a special person in your life. They have great meaning. You can say:
J’ai trouvé des coquillages sur la plate. – I found a seashell on the beach.
7. Hippocampe – Seahorse
Speaking of the beautiful beaches in France, there is also a majestic animal that lives in the seas there. A hippocampe or seahorse is a very elegant sea creature.
The way the word hippocampe rolls off your tongue and the enchanting sound of the word adds to its appeal. Seahorses are strong animals and they make their presence known in the sea. If you want to further practice using hippocampe in a sentence, try this phrase:
- J’adore les hippocampes, ils sont beaux. – I love seahorses, they are beautiful.
8. Pamplemousse – Grapefruit
Next on the list is pamplemousse, which means grapefruit. Although the word is beautiful, it is not the most commonly used word in French. This word will be useful when you are browsing through a French market. By the way, there are excellent markets throughout France. If you want to buy some grapefruit at market in France, you can say:
- Puis-je avoir deux gros pamplemousses? – Can I have two big grapefruits?
9. Plein(e) de vie – Full of life
What makes you plein(e) de vie? This word is beautiful because it has so much meaning. You can be plein(e) de vie because you recently got married, started a new relationship, started a new career, or had a baby. The examples are endless of why someone can be plein de vie.
France is a great place to make you feel plein(e) de vie. The food, ambiance, scenery, and people can all bring a feeling of joy and excitement. The phrase below can help you use th phrase “plein(e) de vie” in a sentence.
- Je suis plein(e) de vie quand je danse. – I am full of life when I am dancing.
Whether you are visiting France or sitting in your living room, try to always be plein de vie!
10. Joli(e) – Pretty
What better way to end this list of beautiful French words, than with joli(e)? Coincidentally the French word for pretty is also very pretty. When I think of France, I think of elegant and chic style. The dresses and men’s fashion in France are tres jolis (very pretty). You will not fall short of opportunities to use the word joli(e) in France. If you would like to practice, the phrase below is a great example of using the word in a sentence.
- Cette femme est jolie, mais je suis trop timide pour lui parler. – The woman is pretty, but I am too shy to talk to her.
Learn More Beautiful French Words
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