How do you say school in French?

School is l'école. To say at school, use à l'école: Je suis à l'école.

How do you say student and teacher in French?

A student is un élève or une élève at school, and a teacher is un professeur or une professeure. In casual speech, professeur is often shortened to prof.

How do you say notebook and pencil case in French?

A notebook is un cahier and a pencil case is une trousse.

School Vocabulary in French: Essential Classroom Words

Whether you are joining a French class or helping a child with homework, these are the words you hear every day. Learn the article with each noun so that the gender comes automatically.

🎬 Repeat the school words aloud with the video.

People and places

l'école — school
la salle de classe — classroom
le professeur / la professeure — teacher
l'élève — pupil or school student
la cour de récréation — playground
la cantine — school cafeteria

Classroom objects

le cahier — notebook
le livre — book
le stylo — pen
le crayon — pencil
la gomme — eraser
la trousse — pencil case
le tableau — board
le sac à dos — backpack

Useful classroom phrases

Ouvrez vos livres. — Open your books.
Écrivez la réponse. — Write the answer.
Je n'ai pas compris. — I didn't understand.
Vous pouvez répéter ? — Can you repeat?
J'ai oublié mon cahier. — I forgot my notebook.

Élève or étudiant?

Use élève for a child or teenager at school. Use étudiant / étudiante mainly for a university student. English uses “student” for both, but French usually keeps the distinction.

Practise the words in context

Pack an imaginary school bag and name each object in French. Then review the days of the week for a class timetable or continue with the French vocabulary hub.