Need a Plumber or Electrician in France? Here’s the French Vocabulary You’ll Want Handy
If you’ve ever found yourself without hot water, facing a clogged sink, or trying to explain a power outage in French, you know how frustrating it can be when the right words escape you. Whether you’re renting an apartment in France, owning a home, or just dealing with travel emergencies, knowing how to describe the problem clearly is essential.
In this post, you’ll learn key French vocabulary for dealing with plumbers (les plombiers) and electricians (les électriciens) — from everyday terms like le robinet (faucet) and la chaudière (boiler) to urgent issues like une fuite (leak), un court-circuit (short circuit), or even sentir le gaz (smelling gas). Bookmark this list before something overflows!
You can download a free PDF of this vocabulary list in my private French Grammar Library.
| l’électricien | electrician |
| le plombier | plumber |
| une urgence | emergency |
| de l’eau chaude | hot water |
| la chaudière | boiler |
| le robinet | faucet |
| l’évier | kitchen sink |
| le lavabo | bathroom sink |
| les toilettes | toilet |
| bouché | clogged |
| déborder | overflow |
| la fosse septique | septic tank |
| une mauvaise odeur | bad smell |
| le gaz | natural gas |
| sentir le gaz | smell like gas |
| la gazinière | gas stove |
| allumer | turn on |
| installer | install |
| la plomberie | plumbing |
| l’électricité | electricity |
| le chauffage | heating |
| un radiateur | radiator |
| le four | oven |
| le sèche-linge | tumble dryer |
| la machine à laver | washing machine |
| le lave-vaisselle | dishwasher |
| la baignoire | bathtub |
| le compteur d’eau | water meter |
| le compteur d’électricité | electricity meter |
| une fuite | leak |
| une inondation | flood |
| les fusibles | fuses |
| la lumière | light |
| le courant | power supply |
| une ampoule | lightbulb |
| un court-circuit | short circuit |
| un contrat | contract |
| l’entretien | upkeep |
| une coupure de courant | power outage |
