Wild animals live in natural environments without direct human control. This guide covers key French vocabulary for wild animals in categories like mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects, along with example sentences.
Mammals
French vocabulary for common wild mammals, including their singular and plural forms.
| French Singular | French Plural | English Singular | English Plural | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| le lion | les lions | the lion | the lions | Le lion est le roi de la savane. | The lion is the king of the savanna. |
| l’éléphant | les éléphants | the elephant | the elephants | L’éléphant a une grande trompe. | The elephant has a large trunk. |
| le tigre | les tigres | the tiger | the tigers | Le tigre chasse la nuit. | The tiger hunts at night. |
| le loup | les loups | the wolf | the wolves | Le loup vit en meute. | The wolf lives in a pack. |
| l’ours | les ours | the bear | the bears | L’ours hiberne en hiver. | The bear hibernates in winter. |
| le singe | les singes | the monkey | the monkeys | Le singe est très agile. | The monkey is very agile. |
| le renard | les renards | the fox | the foxes | Le renard est rusé. | The fox is clever. |
| le cerf | les cerfs | the deer | the deer | Le cerf a de grands bois. | The deer has large antlers. |
| le chimpanzé | les chimpanzés | the chimpanzee | the chimpanzees | Le chimpanzé est proche de l’homme. | The chimpanzee is close to humans. |
| le kangourou | les kangourous | the kangaroo | the kangaroos | Le kangourou vit en Australie. | The kangaroo lives in Australia. |
Birds
Common wild birds in French, including singular and plural forms.
| French Singular | French Plural | English Singular | English Plural | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| l’aigle | les aigles | the eagle | the eagles | L’aigle vole très haut. | The eagle flies very high. |
| le perroquet | les perroquets | the parrot | the parrots | Le perroquet répète des mots. | The parrot repeats words. |
| le hibou | les hiboux | the owl | the owls | Le hibou chasse la nuit. | The owl hunts at night. |
| le flamant rose | les flamants roses | the flamingo | the flamingos | Le flamant rose a un plumage rose. | The flamingo has pink feathers. |
| le vautour | les vautours | the vulture | the vultures | Le vautour nettoie la nature. | The vulture cleans up nature. |
| le colibri | les colibris | the hummingbird | the hummingbirds | Le colibri est très petit. | The hummingbird is very small. |
| le corbeau | les corbeaux | the crow | the crows | Le corbeau est noir. | The crow is black. |
| le cygne | les cygnes | the swan | the swans | Le cygne est élégant. | The swan is elegant. |
| le pélican | les pélicans | the pelican | the pelicans | Le pélican a un grand bec. | The pelican has a large beak. |
| le merle | les merles | the blackbird | the blackbirds | Le merle chante le matin. | The blackbird sings in the morning. |
Reptiles
Wild reptiles in French, including singular and plural forms.
| French Singular | French Plural | English Singular | English Plural | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| le serpent | les serpents | the snake | the snakes | Le serpent est venimeux. | The snake is venomous. |
| le crocodile | les crocodiles | the crocodile | the crocodiles | Le crocodile vit dans la rivière. | The crocodile lives in the river. |
| la tortue | les tortues | the turtle | the turtles | La tortue est très lente. | The turtle is very slow. |
| le lézard | les lézards | the lizard | the lizards | Le lézard se cache sous les pierres. | The lizard hides under the stones. |
| le caméléon | les caméléons | the chameleon | the chameleons | Le caméléon change de couleur. | The chameleon changes color. |
| le dragon de Komodo | les dragons de Komodo | the Komodo dragon | the Komodo dragons | Le dragon de Komodo est un grand lézard. | The Komodo dragon is a large lizard. |
| la vipère | les vipères | the viper | the vipers | La vipère est très dangereuse. | The viper is very dangerous. |
| l’iguan | les iguanes | the iguana | the iguanas | L’iguane vit dans les tropiques. | The iguana lives in the tropics. |
| la couleuvre | les couleuvres | the grass snake | the grass snakes | La couleuvre n’est pas venimeuse. | The grass snake is not venomous. |
| le gecko | les geckos | the gecko | the geckos | Le gecko peut grimper aux murs. | The gecko can climb walls. |
The snake is venomous.
Le serpent est venimeux.
'Le serpent' means 'the snake', and 'venimeux' means 'venomous'. This is a common characteristic of some snakes.
Insects
Common wild insects in French, including singular and plural forms.
| French Singular | French Plural | English Singular | English Plural | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| la fourmi | les fourmis | the ant | the ants | La fourmi travaille en groupe. | The ant works in a group. |
| le papillon | les papillons | the butterfly | the butterflies | Le papillon est coloré. | The butterfly is colorful. |
| l’abeille | les abeilles | the bee | the bees | L’abeille produit du miel. | The bee produces honey. |
| le moustique | les moustiques | the mosquito | the mosquitoes | Le moustique pique la nuit. | The mosquito bites at night. |
| la coccinelle | les coccinelles | the ladybug | the ladybugs | La coccinelle porte bonheur. | The ladybug brings good luck. |
| la libellule | les libellules | the dragonfly | the dragonflies | La libellule vole près de l’eau. | The dragonfly flies near water. |
| le criquet | les criquets | the grasshopper | the grasshoppers | Le criquet saute très loin. | The grasshopper jumps very far. |
| le scarabée | les scarabées | the beetle | the beetles | Le scarabée est lourd. | The beetle is heavy. |
| la mante religieuse | les mantes religieuses | the praying mantis | the praying mantises | La mante religieuse chasse lentement. | The praying mantis hunts slowly. |
| le taon | les taons | the horsefly | the horseflies | Le taon est très agressif. | The horsefly is very aggressive. |
The ant works in a group.
La fourmi travaille en groupe.
'La fourmi' means 'the ant', and ants are known for working collectively ('travaille en groupe').
Aquatic Wild Animals
Common wild aquatic animals in French, including singular and plural forms.
| French Singular | French Plural | English Singular | English Plural | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| le dauphin | les dauphins | the dolphin | the dolphins | Le dauphin est intelligent. | The dolphin is intelligent. |
| la baleine | les baleines | the whale | the whales | La baleine est le plus grand mammifère. | The whale is the largest mammal. |
| le requin | les requins | the shark | the sharks | Le requin vit dans les océans. | The shark lives in the oceans. |
| la raie | les raies | the ray | the rays | La raie plane sur le fond marin. | The ray glides over the seabed. |
| la tortue de mer | les tortues de mer | the sea turtle | the sea turtles | La tortue de mer migre sur de longues distances. | The sea turtle migrates long distances. |
| le phoque | les phoques | the seal | the seals | Le phoque vit sur la banquise. | The seal lives on the ice floe. |
| le cachalot | les cachalots | the sperm whale | the sperm whales | Le cachalot plonge profondément. | The sperm whale dives deep. |
| le calmar | les calmars | the squid | the squids | Le calmar a des tentacules. | The squid has tentacles. |
| la méduse | les méduses | the jellyfish | the jellyfish | La méduse peut piquer. | The jellyfish can sting. |
| le corail | les coraux | the coral | the corals | Le corail forme des récifs. | The coral forms reefs. |
Flashcards (1 of 50)
- English Singular: the lion
- English Plural: the lions
- English Example: The lion is the king of the savanna.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
