French House Vocabulary: Common Rooms And Features Of Every French Home

They say that home is where the heart is and that is true in the French-speaking areas of the world.

One good indication of the value that the French put in their homes is the rich variety of French house vocabulary that is commonly used in everyday conversation. 

Whether you’re just visiting a French-speaking area or intend to stay for a while, it’s important to learn a few words that you can use when talking about houses and homes in French.

Listed below are a few French house vocabulary words that you should learn.

What is the word for “house” in French?

Before we go into the specifics of French house vocabulary, we should touch on how to say “house” in French. 

The basic word for “house” in French is “la maison”. Take note that it is a feminine word so take that into account when using it in a sentence. 

If you want to talk about your “home” in French, however, it’s usually denoted by the phrase “chez moi”. You modify the pronoun “moi” to match the subject when using it in a sentence.

Some French-speakers, especially in the big metropolises like Paris, will call an apartment “chez moi”. In general, you refer to an apartment in French as “l’appartement”. They might also buy or rent a condominium which, in French, is “l copropriété”.

General French House Vocabulary: 27 Words For Parts Of The House

While the house that a French speaker calls “chez moi” may be small or large, single-storied or multi-storied, most will have a few “parts” in common.

A French house will, of course, have a roof, walls, and floors, but it might also have the following.

1. L’allée – the driveway or pathway

2. L’entrée – the entrance or foyer

3. La porte – the door

4. La porte d’entrée – the front door

5. La sonnette – the doorbell

6. Le mur – wall

7. Le papier peint – the wallpaper

8. L étage – the floor

9. Le plancher – hardwood floor

10. Le carrelage – tile floor

11. Le couloir – the corridor or hall

12. Le tapis – carpet

13. Les escaliers – the staircase or stairway

14. Le plafond – the ceiling

15. La fenêtre – the window

16. Le rideau -curtain

17. La pièce – the room

18. La cheminée – the fireplace

19. Le balcon – the balcony

20. Le toit – the roof

21. Le Jardin – the garden

22. La cour – the courtyard

23. Le pelouse – the lawn

24. Le garage – the garage

25. La porte moustiquaire – the screen door

26. Le portail – the gate

27. La terrasse – the terrace

French House Vocabulary: 13 Common Rooms In A House

The general French word for “room”, is “la pièce”. Many French homes will have a few rooms designated for specific activities. These rooms will be named after the activity, like the dining room or the bedroom.

Here are a few French words for the rooms that might commonly be found in a French home.

1. Le la salle de séjour – the family room

2. Le salon – the living room

3. Le salle de séjour – the living room

4. Le bureau – the office

5. La chambre – the bedroom 

6. La salle à manger – the dining room

7. La cuisine – the kitchen

8. La salle de bains – the bathroom

9. L’atleir – the workshop

10. La buanderie – linen/laundry room

11. Le sous-sol – the basement

12. Le grenier – the attic

13. La cave – the cellar

What will you find in “La Cusine”?

One of the most common rooms in a French house, a room that every French home will have is the “la cusine” or kitchen. This cozy room is where family and friends can gather together to prepare tasty meals, which is an important part of French culture.

Here are a few things that you might find in a French kitchen. These are common appliances and features that are used in food preparation. 

1. Le frigo – the refrigerator

2. Le congélateur – the freezer

3. L’évier – the sink

4. La cuisinière à gaz – the electric stove

5. Le four – the oven

6. Le microndes – the microwave

7. Le lave-vaisselle – the dishwasher

8. La vaisselle – the dishes

9. Le grille-pain – the toaster

10. Le mixeur – the mixer

11. La cafetière – the coffee maker

12. L’évier – the kitchen sink

13. Le garde-manger – the pantry

14. Le placard – kitchen cabinets or cupboards

15. Le plan de travail - countertop

16. La batterie de cusine – pots and pans

What you will find in the “La Salle à Manger”?

The dining room or the “la salle à manger” is another commonly used room in a French home. It is the room that is used for dining. French-speakers love to enjoy a meal together and, in the dining room, they will gather not just to eat but also talk and laugh for hours.

Here are a few common pieces of furniture and a few other things that you are likely to find in the “la salle à manger”

1. La table – the table

2. La chaise -the chair

3. La nappe de table – tablecloth

4. Le napperon – the placemat

5. L’assiette – the plate

6. La serviette -the napkin

7. Le couteau – knife

8. La cuiller -spoon

9. La fourchette - fork

10. Le verre – the glass

11. La tasse – the cup

23. La vitrine – dish cabinet

What will you find in “Le Salon”?

The living room is the modern equivalent of the “parlor”, a special room – oftentimes lavishly furnished – that is mean to entertain special guests. 

Here are some of the furnishings you might find in “le salon”.

1. Le divan – the couch

2. Le canapé – the couch

3. La causeuse – the loveseat

4. Le bout de canapé – the end table

5. Le lampe – the lamp

6. La table -basse – the coffee table

7. Le fauteuil – the armchair

8. L’étagère – the shelf

9. Les bibelots – knick-knacks

10. Le tableau – framed painting

What will you find in the “Le la salle de séjour”?

The family room, in modern parlance, is a room for the family to gather and entertain themselves. In some homes, the family room and the living room are one and the same, but some homes keep them separate.

The features that make the family room distinct from the living room are usually the devices in them. For example, if a room has a TV set and a couch set, it can be considered both a living room and a family room. If, however, there are no TV or stereo systems in a living room, it’s not usually considered a family room.

Here are a few things that you might find in a family room.

1. Le fauteuil relax – the recliner

2. Le téléviseur – the TV set

3. Le lecteur de DVD — the DVD player

4. La magnétoscope numérique – the DVR

5. La console de jeux video – the gaming console

6. La stereo – the stereo

7. La chaîne stereo – the stereo system

8. Le haut-parleaur – the stereo speaker

9. La télécommande – the remote control

What will you find in “La Chambre”?

Most French homes will have one or two bedrooms. A bedroom is a private space where a person sleeps and often keeps their clothing and other valuable or sentimental possessions.

Here are the common features of a bedroom.

1. Le lit – the bed

2. Le matelas – the mattress

3. L’oreiller - pillow

4. Le dessus-de-lit – the bedspread

5. Le drap-housse – fitted sheet

6. Le drap normal – flat sheet

7. La couverte – blanket

8. l’édredon - quilt

9. La table de chevet – the nightstand

10. La lampe de chevet – the bedside lamp

11. Le réveil – the alarm clock

12. La coiffeuse – the dresser

13. La commode – chest of drawers

14. La penderie – the closet

15. La garde-robe – the wardrobe

What will you find in the “La Salle De Bains”?

The bathroom is another common room that every French house or apartment will have. This is a room where the residents can take care of necessary bodily functions as well as go through their routines to maintain proper hygiene.

Here are a few features that almost any bathroom will have.

1. Le lavabo – the sink

2. Un Robinet – a faucet

3. Les toilettes – the toilet

4. La douche – the shower

5. La baignoire – the bathtub

6. Un tapis de bain – a bath mat

7. Le bidet – the bidet

8. l'égout – the drain

9. Le miroir – a mirror

10. Un porte-avon – a soap tray

11. Un porte-serviettes – A towel rack

What you might find in the “Le Bureau”?

Some people might have a home office in their home, this is referred to in French as the “le bureau”. Below are a few things that might feature in a home office.

1. Le bureau – desk

2. Chaise de bureau – desk chair

3. Le telephone – the telephone

4. La bibliothèque – the bookshelf

5. Le bureau – the desk

6. L’ordinateur – the computer

7. Le classeur – the filing cabinet

What you might find in “La Blanchisserie”?

Some homes in French-speaking areas might have a laundry room. If they do, these are the likely things that you will find in there.

1. Le lave-linge – the washer

2. La machine à laver – the washing machine

3. La sécheuse – dryer

4. Le sèche-linge – the dryer

5. Le panier à linge – clothes basket

6. Le cintre – clothes hanger

Conclusion

When trying to learn French, it is important to build up your mental database of French vocabulary words. You need to know common French words to be able to formulate proper sentences that will allow you to communicate with native French speakers.

One of the best ways to build up your mental database of French words is to memorize lists of French vocabulary words. To make it interesting and easier on you, look for lists of French words grouped according to common topics, like this list of French house vocabulary or these other lists we’ve compiled: French Clothing Vocabulary and French Fruits.

If you really want to learn these words properly, however, including how to pronounce them correctly, we suggest that you take this list on your next session with your native French-speaking online language tutor. They can not only help you learn these words, but they might have more words that they can teach you.