School & Education

Why this matters

Whether you're a student in France, helping a child with homework, or just watching a French film about lycée life, school vocabulary is essential. France has a prestigious education system — and the language to talk about it is surprisingly accessible.

🦝 Remy says: "I attended the Académie des Forêts — no grades, just survival skills. But for you, l'école is going to open amazing doors. Let's explore it together!"

Core Lesson: L'École et les Matières

The French school system

| French | Pronunciation | English | Ages | |

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| | l'école primaire | [lay-kol pree-mair] | primary school | 6–11 | | le collège | [luh ko-lezh] | middle school | 11–15 | | le lycée | [luh lee-say] | high school | 15–18 | | l'université | [lew-nee-vair-see-tay] | university | 18+ |

🦝 Remy says: "Watch out — le collège in French is middle school, not a university like in English. False friend alert!"

People at school

| French | Pronunciation | English | |

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| | l'élève (m/f) | [lay-lev] | student (school) | | l'étudiant(e) | [lay-tew-dyon] | student (university) | | le professeur / la prof | [luh pro-feh-sur] | teacher | | le directeur / la directrice | [dee-rek-tur] | principal | | le/la camarade | [ka-ma-rad] | classmate |

School places and objects

| French | Pronunciation | English | |

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| | la salle de classe | [sal duh klas] | classroom | | le tableau | [luh ta-bloh] | board | | un bureau | [bew-roh] | desk | | un cahier | [ka-yay] | notebook | | un stylo | [stee-loh] | pen | | un sac à dos | [sak a doh] | backpack |

School subjects (les matières)

| French | Pronunciation | English | |

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| | le français | [luh fron-say] | French | | les mathématiques / les maths | [lay mat] | mathematics | | l'anglais | [lon-glay] | English | | l'histoire | [lee-stwar] | history | | la géographie | [la zhay-o-gra-fee] | geography | | la physique | [la fee-zeek] | physics | | la chimie | [la shee-mee] | chemistry | | la biologie | [la byo-lo-zhee] | biology | | l'art | [lar] | art | | la musique | [la mew-zeek] | music | | l'éducation physique (EPS) | [ed-ew-ka-syon fee-zeek] | PE / gym |

Talking about school

| French | English | |

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| | J'aime les maths. | I like math. | | Je n'aime pas l'histoire. | I don't like history. | | Mon matière préférée est le français. | My favorite subject is French. | | Nous étudions la chimie. | We study chemistry. | | J'ai un examen demain. | I have an exam tomorrow. | | Je fais mes devoirs. | I'm doing my homework. |

📝 Exercise 1 — Fill in the Blank

1. Mon _______ préféré est la musique. (subject)
2. Elle va au _______ — elle a 13 ans. (school type)
3. Le _______ écrit au tableau. (teacher)
4. Je n'ai pas mon _______ aujourd'hui. (notebook)
5. Nous avons un examen de _______ vendredi. (chemistry)

✅ Answers:

1. matière
2. collège
3. professeur
4. cahier
5. chimie

📝 Exercise 2 — Make a Sentence

1. I like biology but I don't like physics.
2. She studies French at university.
3. The students have their backpacks and notebooks.

✅ Model answers:

1. J'aime la biologie mais je n'aime pas la physique.
2. Elle étudie le français à l'université.
3. Les élèves ont leurs sacs à dos et leurs cahiers.

📝 Exercise 3 — Translate into French

1. I'm doing my homework.
2. My favorite subject is art.
3. He goes to high school.
4. The teacher writes on the board.
5. We study English and history.

✅ Answers:

1. Je fais mes devoirs.
2. Mon matière préféré est l'art.
3. Il va au lycée.
4. Le professeur écrit au tableau.
5. Nous étudions l'anglais et l'histoire.

🎯 Today's Challenge

Write a short paragraph (4–5 sentences) about your school experience — real or imaginary. Include: what school you go to, two subjects you like, one you dislike, and what you're doing today.

⭐ Key Takeaways

• Le collège is middle school in French — don't confuse it with the English "college."
• School subjects are often feminine (la physique, la chimie, la géographie) — watch the articles.
• Use J'aime / Je n'aime pas + subject to express preferences simply and clearly.