B1 is the level where French starts feeling less like a school subject and more like a real tool. You can handle everyday situations – but you still freeze when someone asks your opinion about a film, or you have to explain why you’re running late without sounding like a walking phrasebook. This CEFR-aligned B1 vocabulary set is built for exactly that messy, wonderful in-between stage.
We’ve rounded up around 1,990 practical words you’ll hear in actual conversations, not the dusty textbook relics nobody uses. Each entry gives you a straightforward meaning, a natural example sentence that shows the word in action, and audio playback – because reading a word is one thing, but hearing it spoken is how your brain really locks it in. Then practise them in context with The Phantom of the Opera in French.
Ready to give your French a friendly workout? Scroll to the bottom of the article for the free printable B1 French vocabulary list list PDF and the free downloadable printable B1 French list flashcards.
Use this list as a starting point, then keep going in the Yak Yacker French section for more words, phrases, and study-friendly reference pages.
Quick Quiz
Before you dive into the full list, take the quiz for a low-stakes confidence check – it’ll show you which words are already solid and which could use a little extra practice.
Keep building your French
Choose a practical next step when you are ready.
Browse the Full List
| Word | Type | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1er | Other | 1st |
| 2e | Other | 2nd |
| 3e | Other | 3rd |
| 4e | Other | 4th |
| 5e | Other | 5th |
| abandonné | Adjective | abandoned |
| abattu | Adjective | down, disheartened, shattered, despondent, dejected, downcast |
| abbaye | Noun | abbey |
| abruti | Adjective | dull-witted, dazed |
| absent | Adjective | absent, absentee, away |
| absenter | Verb | leave |
| absurde | Adjective | absurd, preposterous, ludicrous, nonsensical, non-sensical |
| abus | Noun | abuse |
| académie | Noun | academy, college, learned society |
| accéder | Verb | accede, acquiesce, agree |
| accès | Noun | access, attack, hit, admission, admittance, accession, entrance, entry, assault, strike, fit, approach, coming |
| accompli | Adjective | accomplished |
| accro | Noun | junkie, addict |
| accroche | Noun | catchline, hook, lead-in |
| accueil | Noun | welcome, reception, acceptance |
| accueillir | Verb | welcome, host, take in, receive |
| accusation | Noun | accusation, charge |
| accusé | Adjective | accused |
| acide | Adjective | acidic |
| acier | Noun | steel |
Free B1 French Vocabulary List PDF and Flashcards to Download
Use the purple vocab-list button to get the B1 French vocabulary list list PDF, and the teal flashcards button to grab the B1 French list flashcards. Both downloads are 100% free and need no signup.
