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Basic French Vocabulary for Babies and Toddlers: Colors, Shapes, Common Objects

By Melanie Pollock Published:

3 min read

Teach your babies and toddlers the basic French words with this list of French vocabulary for colors, shapes, common objects, and more!

On this pageColors in French (Les couleurs)Shapes (Les formes)Common Objects (Les Objets Communs)

It never hurts to give a young child a head start when it comes to learning another language. The earlier children (les enfants) and babies (les bébés) start learning any language, the more opportunities they have to become bilingual through regular, meaningful exposure and everyday practice.

When teaching young children, exposing them to simple, everyday language is a must. Things like colors, shapes and common objects are always useful and easy to incorporate into everyday activities and games.

Here are some vocabulary lists and French words for kids to get you started teaching Basic French for Babies and Toddlers.

Colors in French (Les couleurs)

Many young children first begin playing with toy blocks and games that come in an array of different colors and shapes. Teaching children some French words for kids while they’re playing with their toys is a good and easy way to begin to introduce new words to them.

Here is a list of the most common colors in French:

  • Les couleursColors
  • RougeRed
  • OrangeOrange
  • JauneYellow
  • Vert(e)Green
  • Bleu(e)Blue
  • Violet(te)Purple
  • RosePink
  • Blanc(he)White
  • Gris(e)Grey
  • Noir(e)Black
  • Brun(e)Brown
  • Doré(e)Gold
  • Argenté(e)Silver

Shapes (Les formes)

Here are the most common shapes:

  • Les formesShapes
  • Un carréSquare
  • Un cercleCircle
  • Un triangleTriangle
  • Un rectangleRectangle
  • Un ovaleOval
  • Un demi-cercleHalf circle
  • Un pentagonePentagon
  • Une pyramidePyramid
  • Un côneCone
  • Un cubeCube
  • Une boîteBox
  • Un cœurHeart
  • Une étoileStar

Common Objects (Les Objets Communs)

Along with colors and shapes, there are many common everyday objects that are useful to teach French words for kids in the early stages of their learning.

Here are some of the most common objects:

  • Les Objets CommunsCommon Objects
  • Le lolo (le lait)Milk
  • Un nounoursTeddy bear
  • Une poupéeDoll
  • Un doudouStuffed animal or blankie
  • Un joujouToy
  • Un jouet de bainBath toy
  • Une balleBall
  • Un livreBook
  • Les cubesBlocks
  • Une comptineNursery rhyme
  • Un crayon (de couleur)(Colored) pencil
  • La tétine, la sucette de bébéPacifier
  • Le bavoirBib
  • Un bibi (biberon)Baby’s bottle
  • Un bolBowl
  • Une cuillèreSpoon
  • Un biscuitCookie
  • Un toutouDoggy (sometimes called a ouah-ouah by children)
  • Un minouKitty
  • Un dadaHorsey
  • Un cochonPiggy
  • Un poissonFishy
  • Un canardDucky
  • Un lapinBunny
  • Un oiseauBirdy
  • Un(e) ours(e)Bear
  • Une fleurFlower
  • Une maisonHouse
  • Une voitureCar
  • Un trainTrain
  • Un camionTruck
  • Un bateauBoat

For more information on French for Parents, Baby Talk and Vocabulary, check out our blog post.

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