French City Vocabulary – En Ville
Take a Walk Through Town — in French!
Whether you’re planning a trip to France or just dreaming of strolling down a cobblestone street with a fresh baguette in hand, it helps to know your way around en ville (in the city). From spotting the nearest boulangerie to asking for directions to the gare, city vocabulary is a must for every French learner.
In this post, you’ll find a clear and practical list of over 70 essential French words you’ll hear and see around town — from bus stops and cafés to parks and post offices. Perfect for beginners or anyone needing a quick refresher before their next adventure.
You can download a free PDF of this vocabulary list in my private French Grammar Library.
| l’appartement | apartment |
| l’arrêt de bus | bus stop |
| l’autoroute | highway |
| l’avenue | avenue |
| l’aéroport | airport |
| la banlieue | suburbs |
| la bibliothèque | library |
| le boulevard | boulevard |
| le bâtiment | building |
| le café | café |
| le carrefour | intersection |
| la cathédrale | cathedral |
| le centre commercial | shopping center |
| le centre historique | historic center |
| le centre-ville | downtown |
| le cinéma | cinema |
| la clinique | private hospital |
| le collège | middle school |
| le commissariat | police station |
| l’école | school |
| l’école primaire | primary school |
| l’église | church |
| l’épicerie | small grocery store |
| la fontaine | fountain |
| la galérie d’art | art gallery |
| la gare | train station |
| la gare routière | bus station |
| le grand magasin | department store |
| le gratte-ciel | skyscraper |
| l’hôpital | hospital |
| l’hôtel | hotel |
| l’immeuble | apartment building |
| le jardin public | public park |
| la laverie | laundromat |
| la librairie | book store |
| le lycée | high school |
| la mairie | city hall |
| la maison | house |
| le marché | farmer’s market |
| la maternelle | preschool |
| le monument | monument |
| la mosquée | mosque |
| le musée | museum |
| la médiathèque | multimedia library |
| l’office du tourisme | tourist office |
| le palais de justice | courthouse |
| le parc | park |
| le parking | parking lot |
| le passage piéton | pedestrian crosswalk |
| la patinoire | ice rink |
| la piscine | pool |
| la place | square |
| le pont | bridge |
| la poste | post office |
| le quartier | neighborhood |
| le restaurant | restaurant |
| le rond-point | roundabout |
| la route | road |
| la rue | street |
| la salle de sport | gym |
| le stade | stadium |
| la station de métro | metro station |
| la statue | statue |
| le supermarché | supermarket |
| la synagogue | synagogue |
| le tabac | tabacconist |
| le théâtre | theater |
| la tour | tower |
| le trottoir | sidewalk |
| l’université | university |
| le village | village |
| la ville | city |
| le zoo | zoo |
