Updated on May 30, 2024
Animals in French: Useful vocabulary lists
No matter how old you are, animal vocabulary in French is both useful and fun to learn. It’s a common topic of interest, as many French people are animal lovers.
According to recent statistics, one French household out of two owns at least one animal domestique (pet).
Another proof of this undying love is the popular TV show 30 millions d’amis (30 million friends) that used to present reports on animals every week. Having aired for 40 years from 1976 to 2016, it is one of the longest-running French TV shows ever made.
With that in mind, let’s learn some of the most common animal vocabulary in French:
Before we enter the vocabulary of the animal kingdom, there are a few grammar rules to keep in mind. Similar to adjectives, certain words for animals in French have a masculine form and a feminine form.
For instance, un chien is a male dog while une chienne is a female dog. Other animals in our vocabulary lists have two completely different words according to their genders, such as un cheval (horse) and une jument (mare).
Finally, in a strange case of French grammar defying biology, some French words for animals only have one form, and therefore one gender. This is why un hamster is always male whereas une souris (mouse) is always female.
In our lists, when relevant and commonly used, we have mentioned both the male and female words for the different animals.
Now, let’s move along to some animal vocab.
Talking about your favorite animal domestique (pet), also known as animal de compagnie, is an easy topic to break the ice. It’s as safe a subject as talking about the weather, but also an opportunity to tell more about yourself and your home life.
Here are a few common French pet names (pun intended!):
If you are considering taking a quiet holiday in the French countryside or going for a hike to enjoy the landscape, you may want to consider booking a room in a gîte à la ferme (a farm cottage). This is a great way to discover rural France, as well as its local products and traditions.
Of course, you are likely to see a few of the following animaux de la ferme (farm animals) along the way:
If you are already in the countryside, you may even be lucky enough to see various types of animaux de la forêt (forest animals), such as:
You don’t have to go all the way to a faraway jungle to need this type of vocabulary.
A simple trip to the zoo with the young ones (or such movies as Madagascar) will be the perfect opportunity to test your knowledge of the following words for the animaux de la jungle (jungle animals):
After the zoo, time to go to the aquarium!
There is much more under the sea than just a couple of fishes, so let’s review the French words for some of the most well-known animaux marins (sea animals):
Wherever you are, even in urban environments, you only need to raise your eyes towards the sky to see a bird, or in French – oiseaux (birds). If you do, you may even be able to identify some of the following species:
If you are fascinated with feathered animals, you can also learn the names of ten common garden birds in France.
Now that we have listed mammals, birds, aquatic animals and amphibians, let’s also not forget this other group of organisms with wings
Beyond the natural world, animals are often used in figurative turns of phrases, including for nicknames and insults in French. Here are 12 of the most common ones, with their literal translation and their actual meaning in English.
| French expressions | Literal translation | Actual meaning |
| Avoir d’autres chats à fouetter | To have other cats to whip | To have other fish to fry |
| Avoir la chair de poule | To have the hen flesh | To have goosebumps |
| Avoir du chien | To have some dog | To have charm |
| Être comme un poisson dans l’eau | To be like a fish in water | To be comfortable in a situation |
| Faire le singe | Do the monkey | To monkey around |
| Faire un froid de canard | To do a duck’s cold | To be freezing cold |
| Noyer le poisson | To drown the fish | To muddy the waters/cloud the issue |
| Passer du coq à l’âne | To go from the rooster to the donkey | To jump from one topic to another |
| Poser un lapin à quelqu’un | To put a rabbit to someone | To stand someone up |
| Quand les poules auront des dents | When hens have teeth | When pigs will fly |
| Quand on parle du loup | Speaking of the wolf | Speaking of the devil |
| Rire comme une baleine | To laugh like a whale | To roar with laughter |
It’s time to use your mémoire d’éléphant (elephant’s memory) to learn a few words for animals. Our lists may not be exhaustive, but they do include all the more common animals, broken down according to their category or environment.
Make your life easier by learning one list at a time and, once you feel confident you have fully memorized it, move to the next one.
If you are interested in learning how to talk about environmental issues in French, here is also a great resource with essential French environment vocabulary.
In this section, let’s explore the most frequently asked questions about animals in the French language
Some examples of domestic animals include cats (les chats), dogs (les chiens), horses (les chevaux), and birds (les oiseaux), among others.
The French word for “wild animals” is “animaux sauvages,” which refers to animals that live and thrive in their natural habitats without human interference.
French people often refer to pets as “animaux de compagnie,” which translates to “companion animals,” emphasizing the close bond between humans and their domesticated animals.
Exploring animal vocabulary in French offers not only practical knowledge but also a delightful journey into language and culture.
With many French households owning pets, this article emphasizes the widespread love for animals in France. We first introduced common animal vocabulary including pets, farm animals categorized by different habitats, followed by a bonus section on interesting French expressions that use animal words.
Knowing some French animal vocabulary can be a paw-sitive way to break the ice and connect with French people who share your love of furry (or feathered, or finned) friends!
