Chores in French 70 Easy Words and Phrases for Home Life

Household French is weirdly useful. You may not dream of saying “I need to take out the trash” in another language, but the moment you stay with a French host family, share an apartment, or just want to understand everyday life, chore vocabulary suddenly becomes very important.

Also, chores are where a lot of practical grammar hides: articles, gender, reflexive verbs, and those lovely little phrases French uses all the time. Glamorous? No. Useful? Extremely.

In this guide, you’ll learn 70+ common French words and phrases for cleaning, laundry, cooking, tidying up, and basic home life. If you want more room-by-room vocabulary too, see house vocabulary in French and French furniture vocabulary. You can also explore more lessons on Learn French.

If you can talk about chores in French, you can talk about real life. Real life is not always romantic. Sometimes it is just faire la vaisselle.

Table of Contents

Core Chore Verbs You’ll Use All The Time

Let’s start with the workhorse verbs. These show up constantly in home-life French, and several use the ultra-common structure faire + noun, which often means “to do” a household task.

French	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
faire le ménage	fehr luh may-NAHZH	to do the housework / clean up	Je fais le ménage le samedi matin.	I do the housework on Saturday morning.	Very common general phrase.
nettoyer	neh-twah-YAY	to clean	Je nettoie la cuisine après le dîner.	I clean the kitchen after dinner.	A regular verb for cleaning something specific.
ranger	rahn-ZHAY	to tidy up / put away	Tu peux ranger ta chambre ?	Can you tidy your room?	More about putting things in order than washing.
balayer	bah-lay-YAY	to sweep	Il balaie le sol de l’entrée.	He sweeps the entry floor.	Used with a broom.
aspirer	ahs-pee-RAY	to vacuum	Je vais aspirer le tapis.	I’m going to vacuum the carpet.	Often used without saying “with a vacuum.”
laver	lah-VAY	to wash	Elle lave les vitres ce soir.	She’s washing the windows tonight.	Broad verb: wash, clean, rinse depending on context.
essuyer	eh-swee-YAY	to wipe / dry	Essuie la table, s’il te plaît.	Wipe the table, please.	Useful for surfaces and dishes.
dépoussiérer	day-poo-syair-AY	to dust	Je dois dépoussiérer les étagères.	I need to dust the shelves.	Looks fancy, but it is common enough in home talk.
vider	vee-DAY	to empty	Tu as vidé la poubelle ?	Did you empty the trash can?	Very useful verb beyond chores too.
sortir	sor-TEER	to take out / bring out	Je sors les poubelles demain matin.	I’m taking out the trash tomorrow morning.	With trash, French often says “take out the bins.”
faire la vaisselle	fehr lah vy-sell	to do the dishes	Nous faisons la vaisselle après le repas.	We do the dishes after the meal.	A must-know phrase.
faire la lessive	fehr lah leh-seev	to do the laundry	Je fais la lessive le dimanche.	I do the laundry on Sundays.	Another very common faire phrase.

Cleaning The House Room By Room

These are the everyday phrases you’ll hear when people talk about cleaning specific areas of the home. Notice how French often uses a direct verb plus the room or object.

French	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
nettoyer la cuisine	neh-twah-YAY lah kwee-zeen	to clean the kitchen	Je nettoie la cuisine tous les soirs.	I clean the kitchen every evening.	La cuisine is feminine.
nettoyer la salle de bains	neh-twah-YAY lah sal duh ban	to clean the bathroom	Il nettoie la salle de bains ce week-end.	He’s cleaning the bathroom this weekend.	Often written salle de bain too.
ranger sa chambre	rahn-ZHAY sah shahm-bruh	to tidy one’s room	Les enfants rangent leur chambre.	The children are tidying their room.	Use possessives carefully: sa, leur.
faire son lit	fehr sohn lee	to make one’s bed	Je fais mon lit avant de partir.	I make my bed before leaving.	Very common home routine phrase.
passer l’aspirateur	pah-SAY lah-spee-rah-tuhr	to vacuum	On passe l’aspirateur dans le salon.	We vacuum the living room.	Also extremely common, more specific than aspirer.
passer la serpillière	pah-SAY lah sehr-pee-YAIR	to mop the floor	Elle passe la serpillière après avoir cuisiné.	She mops the floor after cooking.	France French standard term; very practical.
laver le sol	lah-VAY luh sol	to wash the floor	Je lave le sol de la cuisine.	I’m washing the kitchen floor.	Slightly more general than “mop.”
laver les vitres	lah-VAY lay veetr	to wash the windows	Nous lavons les vitres au printemps.	We wash the windows in spring.	Vitres often means window panes.
faire les poussières	fehr lay poo-syair	to dust	Ma sœur fait les poussières dans le bureau.	My sister dusts in the office.	Another common expression besides dépoussiérer.
désinfecter	day-zan-fehk-TAY	to disinfect	Il faut désinfecter la table.	The table needs to be disinfected.	Useful for modern everyday talk.
frotter	froh-TAY	to scrub	Elle frotte l’évier avec une éponge.	She scrubs the sink with a sponge.	Strong action: scrub, rub hard.
désencombrer	day-zahn-kohn-bray	to declutter	On désencombre le garage ce mois-ci.	We’re decluttering the garage this month.	A nice modern word for getting rid of junk.

Laundry Vocabulary In French

Laundry French is full of useful little verbs. Also, yes, French people absolutely discuss washing temperatures and delicate clothes with the same seriousness the rest of us reserve for taxes.

French	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
faire la lessive	fehr lah leh-seev	to do the laundry	Je dois faire la lessive ce soir.	I have to do the laundry tonight.	The main go-to phrase.
laver le linge	lah-VAY luh lahnzh	to wash the clothes / laundry	Elle lave le linge le lundi.	She washes the laundry on Mondays.	Le linge means laundry/linens/clothes in context.
mettre une machine	meh-truh ewn mah-SHEEN	to put on a load of laundry	Je mets une machine de blanc.	I’m putting on a load of whites.	Very natural spoken French.
étendre le linge	ay-tahn-druh luh lahnzh	to hang up the laundry	Tu peux étendre le linge dehors ?	Can you hang the laundry outside?	Common where air-drying is normal.
faire sécher	fehr say-SHAY	to dry / let dry	Je fais sécher les serviettes sur le balcon.	I’m drying the towels on the balcony.	Often used when hanging clothes.
repasser	ruh-pah-SAY	to iron	Il repasse sa chemise avant le travail.	He irons his shirt before work.	Also means “to go over again” in other contexts.
plier le linge	plee-YAY luh lahnzh	to fold the laundry	Je plie le linge devant la télé.	I fold the laundry in front of the TV.	One of the more realistic life sentences in this article.
trier le linge	tree-YAY luh lahnzh	to sort the laundry	On trie le linge par couleur.	We sort the laundry by color.	Useful for whites, darks, delicates.
une machine à laver	ewn mah-SHEEN ah lah-VAY	a washing machine	La machine à laver est en panne.	The washing machine is broken.	Very useful noun phrase.
un sèche-linge	uhn sesh-lahnzh	a dryer	On n’a pas de sèche-linge ici.	We don’t have a dryer here.	In many homes, air-drying is common.
la lessive	lah leh-seev	laundry / detergent depending on context	Il n’y a plus de lessive.	There’s no detergent left.	Context matters: chore or product.
une pince à linge	ewn pans ah lahnzh	a clothespin	J’ai besoin de pinces à linge.	I need clothespins.	Plural is common in real life.

Kitchen And Dishwashing Phrases

If you live with other people, these phrases are survival French. The passive-aggressive note in the sink is basically universal.

French	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
faire la vaisselle	fehr lah vy-sell	to do the dishes	Tu fais la vaisselle, je cuisine.	You do the dishes, I cook.	Classic household negotiation sentence.
laver les assiettes	lah-VAY lay zah-syet	to wash the plates	Je lave les assiettes après le déjeuner.	I wash the plates after lunch.	After les, the a links smoothly: lay-zah.
rincer	ran-SAY	to rinse	Il faut rincer les verres.	You need to rinse the glasses.	Common in kitchen chores.
essuyer la vaisselle	eh-swee-YAY lah vy-sell	to dry the dishes	Ma mère essuie la vaisselle avec un torchon.	My mother dries the dishes with a dish towel.	Essuyer = wipe/dry.
vider le lave-vaisselle	vee-DAY luh lahv-vy-sell	to empty the dishwasher	Peux-tu vider le lave-vaisselle ?	Can you empty the dishwasher?	Very common home request.
remplir le lave-vaisselle	rahn-PLEER luh lahv-vy-sell	to load the dishwasher	Je remplis le lave-vaisselle après le dîner.	I load the dishwasher after dinner.	Opposite of vider.
sortir les courses	sor-TEER lay koors	to unpack the groceries	On sort les courses en rentrant.	We unpack the groceries when we get home.	Useful home-life phrase, not just a “chore” chore.
nettoyer le plan de travail	neh-twah-YAY luh plahn duh truh-VY	to clean the countertop	Je nettoie le plan de travail après avoir coupé les légumes.	I clean the countertop after cutting vegetables.	Very natural kitchen phrase.
sortir la poubelle	sor-TEER lah poo-bell	to take out the trash	N’oublie pas de sortir la poubelle.	Don’t forget to take out the trash.	Singular or plural both appear depending on household setup.
vider la poubelle	vee-DAY lah poo-bell	to empty the trash can	J’ai vidé la poubelle ce matin.	I emptied the trash can this morning.	Useful difference: vider vs sortir.

Objects And Supplies For Chores

You need the tools too. Here are common household objects that show up in chore conversations.

French	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
un balai	uhn bah-LAY	a broom	Le balai est derrière la porte.	The broom is behind the door.	Masculine noun.
une pelle	ewn pell	a dustpan / shovel	Prends le balai et la pelle.	Take the broom and the dustpan.	Context decides the exact meaning.
un aspirateur	uhn ah-spee-rah-tuhr	a vacuum cleaner	L’aspirateur est dans le placard.	The vacuum cleaner is in the closet.	After l’, remember the vowel sound.
une serpillière	ewn sehr-pee-YAIR	a mop	La serpillière est encore mouillée.	The mop is still wet.	France French standard.
une éponge	ewn ay-ponzh	a sponge	J’ai acheté une nouvelle éponge.	I bought a new sponge.	Feminine noun.
un chiffon	uhn shee-fohn	a cloth / rag	Utilise un chiffon propre.	Use a clean cloth.	Very common cleaning word.
un torchon	uhn tor-shohn	a dish towel	Le torchon est sur la poignée du four.	The dish towel is on the oven handle.	Kitchen-specific cloth.
un seau	uhn soh	a bucket	Remplis le seau d’eau chaude.	Fill the bucket with hot water.	Pronounced like “so.” Sneaky spelling.
un produit ménager	uhn proh-dwee may-nah-ZHAY	a cleaning product	Ce produit ménager sent le citron.	This cleaning product smells like lemon.	Useful umbrella term.
la poubelle	lah poo-bell	trash can / garbage	La poubelle est pleine.	The trash can is full.	Can mean the bin or the garbage itself.
un sac-poubelle	uhn sahk-poo-bell	a trash bag	Il faut changer le sac-poubelle.	We need to change the trash bag.	Very common compound noun.
des gants de ménage	day gahn duh may-NAHZH	rubber cleaning gloves	Je mets des gants de ménage pour laver la salle de bains.	I put on cleaning gloves to wash the bathroom.	Plural phrase in real life.

Useful Everyday Chore Phrases

These are the phrases people actually say at home: requests, complaints, reminders, and tiny negotiations over who is doing what.

French	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
C’est à ton tour.	say tah tohn toor	It’s your turn.	C’est à ton tour de faire la vaisselle.	It’s your turn to do the dishes.	Super useful in shared homes.
Je m’en occupe.	zhuh mon oh-kewp	I’ll take care of it.	Ne t’inquiète pas, je m’en occupe.	Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.	Natural spoken French.
Tu peux m’aider ?	tew puh meh-DAY	Can you help me?	Tu peux m’aider à ranger le salon ?	Can you help me tidy the living room?	Polite and common.
Il faut nettoyer.	eel fo neh-twah-YAY	We need to clean / It’s necessary to clean	Il faut nettoyer avant l’arrivée des invités.	We need to clean before the guests arrive.	Il faut is one of the most useful French patterns ever.
Je n’ai pas encore fini.	zhuh nay pah zahn-kor fee-NEE	I haven’t finished yet.	Je n’ai pas encore fini le ménage.	I haven’t finished the housework yet.	Notice the negation ne…pas.
La maison est en désordre.	lah meh-zohn ay tahn day-zor-dr	The house is messy.	Après la fête, la maison est en désordre.	After the party, the house is messy.	Useful adjective phrase.
La maison est propre.	lah meh-zohn ay prohpr	The house is clean.	Maintenant, la maison est propre.	Now the house is clean.	Propre means clean/tidy.
Il y a du bazar.	eel yah dew bah-zar	There’s a mess / clutter	Dans l’entrée, il y a du bazar partout.	There’s clutter everywhere in the entrance.	Bazar is informal but common.
Range tes affaires.	rahnzh tay zah-fair	Put your things away.	Range tes affaires avant de sortir.	Put your things away before going out.	Common parent sentence. Shocking, I know.
On partage les tâches.	ohn par-tahzh lay tash	We share the chores.	À la maison, on partage les tâches.	At home, we share the chores.	Les tâches ménagères = household chores.

The Nouns For Chores And Home Tasks

Here are some key nouns that help you talk about chores as a general topic, not just individual actions.

French	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
une tâche ménagère	ewn tash may-nah-ZHAIR	a household chore	Faire la cuisine peut être une tâche ménagère.	Cooking can be a household chore.	Formal-neutral phrase.
les tâches ménagères	lay tash may-nah-ZHAIR	household chores	Je déteste les tâches ménagères.	I hate household chores.	A very useful plural phrase.
le ménage	luh may-NAHZH	housework / cleaning	Le ménage prend du temps.	Housework takes time.	Also means “household/couple” in other contexts, so context matters.
le rangement	luh rahnzh-MAHN	tidying / organization	Le rangement de la cave va prendre toute la journée.	Organizing the cellar will take all day.	Noun from ranger.
la propreté	lah proh-pruh-TAY	cleanliness	La propreté de la cuisine est importante.	The cleanliness of the kitchen is important.	More abstract, but useful.
le désordre	luh day-zor-dr	mess / disorder	Je ne supporte pas le désordre.	I can’t stand mess.	Common in everyday complaints.
une corvée	ewn kor-VAY	a chore / tedious task	Repasser est une vraie corvée.	Ironing is a real chore.	Slightly stronger, more negative tone.
une routine	ewn roo-TEEN	a routine	J’ai une routine de ménage le dimanche.	I have a cleaning routine on Sundays.	Common modern word.

Quick Grammar Notes That Make These Phrases Easier

A lot of chore vocabulary becomes easier once you notice a few patterns.

Faire + noun: French often says faire la vaisselle, faire la lessive, faire le ménage. English may use different verbs, but French happily leans on faire.
Articles matter: la poubelle, le balai, les vitres. Learn the noun with its article when possible.
Elision appears a lot: l’aspirateur, l’évier. French drops the vowel in le or la before a vowel sound.
Liaison can pop up: in les assiettes, many speakers link the sounds so it feels like lay-zassiettes.
Reflexive verbs show up too: not in every chore phrase, but in home routines you’ll hear things like je m’en occupe.

Common Mistakes English Speakers Make

Using only nettoyer for everything: It works sometimes, but native French often prefers specific phrases like faire la vaisselle or ranger la chambre.
Forgetting gender: une éponge but un chiffon. Tiny words, big grammar consequences.
Mixing up vider and sortir: vider la poubelle = empty the trash can. sortir la poubelle = take the trash out.
Translating “do chores” too literally: French usually says faire le ménage or faire les tâches ménagères, depending on the context.
Ignoring register: bazar is casual. désordre is more neutral.

Mini Practice: Can You Recognize These?

Try these quick translations:

Je fais la lessive. → I’m doing the laundry.
Peux-tu sortir la poubelle ? → Can you take out the trash?
On passe l’aspirateur dans le salon. → We’re vacuuming the living room.
La maison est en désordre. → The house is messy.
C’est à ton tour de faire la vaisselle. → It’s your turn to do the dishes.

If those felt manageable, nice. Your French is becoming alarmingly practical.

Keep Practicing Your Everyday French

If you want to keep building useful home vocabulary, pair this lesson with house vocabulary in French and French furniture vocabulary. If you want to check your level, try the French placement test. For a broader word check, take the French vocabulary test.

Yak Takeaway

Chore vocabulary is not flashy, but it is real French for real life. Learn a few core verbs like faire, ranger, laver, and vider, then combine them with common household nouns. Suddenly you can talk about your room, your kitchen, your laundry, and the mysterious trash bag that nobody wants to change. That, oddly enough, is progress.