Language/French/Vocabulary/Geography
Hi French learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn about French vocabulary related to geography. Geography is an essential topic that you must know to describe places, talk about landscapes, or give directions. Vocabulary words will come with cultural information and interesting facts to help you be more fluent in French!
With the completion of this lesson, consider investigating these related pages: Difference between Ancre and Encre & Differences between Sentir Se Sentir et Ressentir.
Regions of France[edit | edit source]
France is divided into 18 regions, including 13 metropolitan regions and 5 overseas regions. Each region has its own specificities, landscapes, and cultural heritage.
Here is a list of the 13 metropolitan regions of France:
French | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
L'Alsace | lalzas | Alsace |
L'Aquitaine | lakitɛn | Aquitaine |
L'Auvergne | loviʁɲ | Auvergne |
La Bourgogne | la buʁɡɔɲ | Burgundy |
La Bretagne | la bʁətaɲ | Brittany |
Le Centre-Val de Loire | lə sɑ̃tʁə val də lwaʁ | Centre-Val de Loire |
Le Grand Est | lə ɡʁɑ̃t‿ɛst | Grand Est |
La Corse | la kɔʁs | Corsica |
La Normandie | la nɔʁmɑ̃di | Normandy |
L'Occitanie | lɔksitani | Occitania |
Les Hauts-de-France | le-oz-də-fʁɑ̃s | Hauts-de-France |
Les Pays de la Loire | le pɛi də la lwaʁ | Pays de la Loire |
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | pʁɔvɑ̃s alp kot dazœʁ | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur |
French regions have their traditional dishes, dialects, and unique customs. For example, "le cassoulet" is a typical dish from the South-Western region, and "la galette" is a specialty from Brittany. Have you ever visited a region of France? What did you like the most?
Landscapes[edit | edit source]
France has a diverse and beautiful landscape, from mountains to coasts, including forests, plains, and valleys. Let's see some vocabulary related to landscapes:
French | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
La montagne | la mɔ̃taɲ | Mountain |
La plage | la plaʒ | Beach |
La forêt | la fɔʁɛ | Forest |
La vallée | la vale | Valley |
La colline | la kɔlin | Hill |
La rivière | la ʁivjɛʁ | River |
Le fleuve | lə flœv | Large river |
Here is a dialogue between two friends:
- Person 1: Regarde la montagne, elle est magnifique ! (Look at the mountain, it is magnificent!)
- Person 2: Oui, j'aime beaucoup les montagnes, mais je préfère quand même la plage. (Yes, I really like mountains, but I prefer the beach anyway.)
France is famous for skiing resorts, located mainly in the Alps and Pyrenees mountains. Also, the country has numerous rivers and canals, such as the Loire, Seine, or Canal du Midi. Have you ever skied in France or taken a boat ride on a French river?
Cardinal directions[edit | edit source]
To give directions or describe a location, you need to know the cardinal directions.
French | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
Nord | nɔʁ | North |
Sud | syd | South |
Est | ɛst | East |
Ouest | wɛst | West |
Here is a dialogue between two friends:
- Person 1: Excuse-moi, comment aller à la plage ? (Excuse me, how to go to the beach?)
- Person 2: Allez en direction du sud, tournez à droite à la prochaine rue, c'est sur la gauche. (Go south, turn right at the next street, it's on the left.)
In France, you can use public transportation such as metro, bus, or tram to get around the cities. In contrast, to visit the countryside or remote areas, it is better to have or rent a car. Have you ever traveled in French cities or taken a road trip in France?
Conclusion[edit | edit source]
In this lesson, we learned about French vocabulary related to geography, including regions of France, landscapes, and cardinal directions. Remember that knowing the vocabulary and cultural information will help you speak naturally and more fluently in French.
If you want to practice your French, you can join the Polyglot Club community. Find native speakers and ask them any questions! You can also check the French Vocabulary page to expand your knowledge.
➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎
Excellent job on conquering this lesson! Consider delving into these related pages: Expression Voir le Verre à Moitié Plein & Say Yes.
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Vehicules
- French Cheeses List
- Give Opinion
- Le corps humain
- Clothes
- Vachement
- Family
- Greetings
- How to Say Good Bye
- Flowers
Sources[edit | edit source]
- French Geography Vocabulary (50+ Useful Terms For Students)
- Geography in French: 107 words to ignite your adventurous spirit
- French Vocabulary for Geography