Wild animals vocabulary in French, covering common species found in forests, jungles, and savannas around the world.
Wild animal vocabulary in French covers species commonly found in forests, jungles, savannas, and other natural habitats around the world. This section includes names for mammals, birds, reptiles, and other creatures that live in the wild, using singular and plural forms as well as masculine or feminine genders. These are basic terms every French learner should know to talk about wildlife.
Mammals
French mammal vocabulary includes common wild animals like lions, bears, and wolves. These nouns often have gendered forms and irregular plurals. Knowing these helps you describe many forest and savanna animals.
| French Singular | French Plural | English Singular | English Plural | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| le lion | les lions | lion | lions | Le lion est le roi de la savane. | The lion is the king of the savanna. |
| l'éléphant (m) | les éléphants | elephant | elephants | L'éléphant a une longue trompe. | The elephant has a long trunk. |
| l'ours (m) | les ours | bear | bears | L'ours hiberne en hiver. | The bear hibernates in winter. |
| le loup | les loups | wolf | wolves | Le loup chasse en meute. | The wolf hunts in a pack. |
| le tigre | les tigres | tiger | tigers | Le tigre a des rayures noires. | The tiger has black stripes. |
| le singe | les singes | monkey | monkeys | Le singe grimpe aux arbres. | The monkey climbs trees. |
| le renard | les renards | fox | foxes | Le renard est très rusé. | The fox is very cunning. |
| le cerf | les cerfs | deer | deer | Le cerf vit dans la forêt. | The deer lives in the forest. |
| le zèbre | les zèbres | zebra | zebras | Le zèbre a des rayures blanches et noires. | The zebra has black and white stripes. |
| le crocodile | les crocodiles | crocodile | crocodiles | Le crocodile attend sous l'eau. | The crocodile waits underwater. |
___ chasse en meute.
What is the French word for 'wolf'?
Le loup
The French word for "wolf" is "le loup". Wolves hunt in packs, which is reflected in the example sentence.
Birds
Wild bird vocabulary in French includes species found in many natural habitats. These birds are often seen in forests, mountains, and savannas.
| French Singular | French Plural | English Singular | English Plural | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| l’aigle (m) | les aigles | eagle | eagles | L’aigle vole très haut. | The eagle flies very high. |
| le faucon | les faucons | falcon | falcons | Le faucon est un rapace rapide. | The falcon is a fast bird of prey. |
| le corbeau | les corbeaux | crow | crows | Le corbeau est un oiseau intelligent. | The crow is an intelligent bird. |
| le toucan | les toucans | toucan | toucans | Le toucan a un grand bec coloré. | The toucan has a large colorful beak. |
| le hibou | les hiboux | owl | owls | Le hibou chasse la nuit. | The owl hunts at night. |
| le perroquet | les perroquets | parrot | parrots | Le perroquet répète les mots. | The parrot repeats words. |
| la cigogne | les cigognes | stork | storks | La cigogne apporte les bébés. | The stork brings babies. |
| le pigeon | les pigeons | pigeon | pigeons | Le pigeon vit en ville et à la campagne. | The pigeon lives in the city and countryside. |
| le moineau | les moineaux | sparrow | sparrows | Le moineau est un petit oiseau. | The sparrow is a small bird. |
| le flamant | les flamants | flamingo | flamingos | Le flamant a des plumes roses. | The flamingo has pink feathers. |
Reptiles and Amphibians
French vocabulary for wild reptiles and amphibians includes snakes, frogs, and turtles. These animals are often found near water or in warm climates.
| French Singular | French Plural | English Singular | English Plural | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| le serpent | les serpents | snake | snakes | Le serpent glisse silencieusement. | The snake glides silently. |
| la grenouille | les grenouilles | frog | frogs | La grenouille coasse au soir. | The frog croaks in the evening. |
| la tortue | les tortues | turtle | turtles | La tortue est très lente. | The turtle is very slow. |
| le caméléon | les caméléons | chameleon | chameleons | Le caméléon change de couleur. | The chameleon changes color. |
| le crocodile | les crocodiles | crocodile | crocodiles | Le crocodile vit dans les marais. | The crocodile lives in the swamps. |
| le lézard | les lézards | lizard | lizards | Le lézard aime se chauffer au soleil. | The lizard likes to bask in the sun. |
| la salamandre | les salamandres | salamander | salamanders | La salamandre vit près des ruisseaux. | The salamander lives near streams. |
| l’iguane (m) | les iguanes | iguana | iguanas | L’iguane a une peau écailleuse. | The iguana has scaly skin. |
| l’anaconda (m) | les anacondas | anaconda | anacondas | L’anaconda est un serpent géant. | The anaconda is a giant snake. |
| le basilic | les basilics | basilisk | basilisks | Le basilic est un lézard impressionnant. | The basilisk is an impressive lizard. |
Insects
French wild insect vocabulary includes common bugs like butterflies, beetles, and ants. These small creatures are found in forests, fields, and gardens.
| French Singular | French Plural | English Singular | English Plural | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| le papillon | les papillons | butterfly | butterflies | Le papillon vole de fleur en fleur. | The butterfly flies from flower to flower. |
| la fourmi | les fourmis | ant | ants | La fourmi travaille en groupe. | The ant works in a group. |
| le scarabée | les scarabées | beetle | beetles | Le scarabée est un insecte robuste. | The beetle is a sturdy insect. |
| la coccinelle | les coccinelles | ladybug | ladybugs | La coccinelle est un insecte porte-bonheur. | The ladybug is a lucky insect. |
| le moustique | les moustiques | mosquito | mosquitoes | Le moustique pique la nuit. | The mosquito bites at night. |
| la libellule | les libellules | dragonfly | dragonflies | La libellule a de grandes ailes. | The dragonfly has large wings. |
| le grillon | les grillons | cricket | crickets | Le grillon chante dans le jardin. | The cricket sings in the garden. |
| le termite | les termites | termite | termites | Les termites détruisent le bois. | Termites destroy wood. |
| la mante religieuse | les mantes religieuses | praying mantis | praying mantises | La mante religieuse est un prédateur. | The praying mantis is a predator. |
| le taon | les taons | horsefly | horseflies | Le taon est un insecte volumineux. | The horsefly is a large insect. |
Other Wildlife
This category includes other wild animals like fish, marsupials, and unique species that don’t fit in the other groups. It rounds out the basic French wildlife vocabulary.
| French Singular | French Plural | English Singular | English Plural | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| le dauphin | les dauphins | dolphin | dolphins | Le dauphin est un mammifère marin. | The dolphin is a marine mammal. |
| le kangourou | les kangourous | kangaroo | kangaroos | Le kangourou vit en Australie. | The kangaroo lives in Australia. |
| le paresseux | les paresseux | sloth | sloths | Le paresseux bouge très lentement. | The sloth moves very slowly. |
| le tatou | les tatous | armadillo | armadillos | Le tatou a une carapace dure. | The armadillo has a hard shell. |
| le casoar | les casoars | cassowary | cassowaries | Le casoar est un grand oiseau incapable de voler. | The cassowary is a large flightless bird. |
| le quetzal | les quetzals | quetzal | quetzals | Le quetzal a un plumage éclatant. | The quetzal has bright plumage. |
| le morse | les morses | walrus | walruses | Le morse a de longues défenses. | The walrus has long tusks. |
| le bison | les bisons | bison | bisons | Le bison vit dans les grandes plaines. | The bison lives in the great plains. |
| l'okapi (m) | les okapis | okapi | okapis | L'okapi ressemble à un croisement entre une girafe et un zèbre. | The okapi looks like a cross between a giraffe and a zebra. |
| le narval | les narvals | narwhal | narwhals | Le narval a une longue défense en spirale. | The narwhal has a long spiral tusk. |
This completes the basic French wild animal vocabulary. You can now name many creatures from forests, jungles, savannas, and oceans in French!
Los ___ viven en Australia.
How do you say 'kangaroos' in French?
kangourous
"Kangourous" is the plural of "kangourou" (kangaroo), marsupials native to Australia.
Flashcards (1 of 50)
- English Singular: lion
- English Plural: lions
- English Example: The lion is the king of the savanna.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
