A comprehensive overview of French vocabulary related to shoes and footwear, covering key terms and examples to help you describe and discuss different types of shoes.
The topic of shoes and footwear in French vocabulary includes terms for various styles, parts of shoes, and related accessories. Understanding this vocabulary helps you describe what you’re wearing, shop for shoes, or talk about different types of footwear with confidence. Here are the key categories to get started:
- Types of shoes (e.g., sneakers, boots, sandals)
- Shoe parts (e.g., sole, laces, heel)
- Related footwear (e.g., slippers, flip-flops)
- Describing shoes (e.g., size, color, material)
- Shoe shopping (e.g., try on, fit, comfortable)
Types of Shoes
This category covers the most common kinds of shoes you’ll encounter in everyday life, from casual sneakers to elegant heels.
| French Singular/Plural | French Meaning | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| la chaussure / les chaussures | shoe / shoes | J’ai acheté une nouvelle chaussure hier. | I bought a new shoe yesterday. |
| la basket / les baskets | sneaker(s) | Je porte des baskets pour faire du sport. | I wear sneakers to play sports. |
| la botte / les bottes | boot(s) | Elle a mis ses bottes en cuir. | She put on her leather boots. |
| la sandale / les sandales | sandal(s) | En été, je préfère les sandales. | In summer, I prefer sandals. |
| l’escarpin / les escarpins | high heel(s) / pump(s) | Elle porte des escarpins rouges. | She is wearing red high heels. |
| le mocassin / les mocassins | loafer(s) | Il porte des mocassins en daim. | He wears suede loafers. |
| la tong / les tongs | flip-flop(s) | À la plage, je mets des tongs. | At the beach, I wear flip-flops. |
| la ballerine / les ballerines | ballet flat(s) | Elle a acheté des ballerines noires. | She bought black ballet flats. |
| la mule / les mules | mule(s) (backless shoe) | Je porte des mules au bureau. | I wear mules at the office. |
| la chaussure de randonnée / les chaussures de randonnée | hiking shoe(s) | Nous avons des chaussures de randonnée robustes. | We have sturdy hiking shoes. |
Parts of Shoes
Knowing the parts of a shoe in French helps with descriptions, repairs, and understanding product details.
| French Singular/Plural | French Meaning | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| la semelle / les semelles | sole(s) | La semelle est en caoutchouc. | The sole is made of rubber. |
| le talon / les talons | heel(s) | Elle a un talon de 5 centimètres. | She has a 5-centimeter heel. |
| le lacet / les lacets | lace(s) | Je dois refaire mes lacets. | I need to tie my laces again. |
| la tige / les tiges | upper part of the shoe | La tige est en cuir souple. | The upper is made of soft leather. |
| la boucle / les boucles | buckle(s) | La sandale a une petite boucle dorée. | The sandal has a small golden buckle. |
| le cuir | leather | Ces chaussures sont en cuir. | These shoes are made of leather. |
| la fermeture éclair / les fermetures éclair | zipper(s) | La botte a une fermeture éclair sur le côté. | The boot has a zipper on the side. |
| l’intérieur | interior | L’intérieur est doublé de tissu doux. | The interior is lined with soft fabric. |
| la semelle intérieure | insole | La semelle intérieure est très confortable. | The insole is very comfortable. |
| la pointe | toe (of the shoe) | Les escarpins ont une pointe fine. | The pumps have a pointed toe. |
La ___ est en caoutchouc. (semelle)
What does 'la semelle' mean in English?
sole
'La semelle' means 'sole' in English.
Related Footwear
These are additional types of footwear and shoe-related items that complete your vocabulary set.
| French Singular/Plural | French Meaning | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| la pantoufle / les pantoufles | slipper(s) | Je mets mes pantoufles le soir. | I put on my slippers in the evening. |
| la semelle orthopédique / les semelles orthopédiques | orthotic insole(s) | Elle utilise des semelles orthopédiques. | She uses orthotic insoles. |
| le chausson / les chaussons | slipper(s) / ballet slipper(s) | Les enfants portent des chaussons à la maison. | The children wear slippers at home. |
| la chaussure de ville / les chaussures de ville | dress shoe(s) | Il a mis ses chaussures de ville pour le rendez-vous. | He wore his dress shoes for the meeting. |
| la chaussure de sport / les chaussures de sport | sports shoe(s) | J’ai besoin de chaussures de sport confortables. | I need comfortable sports shoes. |
| l’espadrille / les espadrilles | espadrille(s) | En été, je porte des espadrilles. | In summer, I wear espadrilles. |
| le sabot / les sabots | clog(s) | Les sabots sont traditionnels dans certaines régions. | Clogs are traditional in some regions. |
| la botte de pluie / les bottes de pluie | rain boot(s) | Je mets mes bottes de pluie quand il pleut. | I wear rain boots when it rains. |
| la botte de ski / les bottes de ski | ski boot(s) | Les bottes de ski sont très rigides. | Ski boots are very stiff. |
| la botte cavalière / les bottes cavalières | riding boot(s) | Elle porte des bottes cavalières en ville. | She wears riding boots in the city. |
Describing Shoes
Use this vocabulary to talk about shoe size, color, material, and comfort.
| French Singular | French Meaning | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| la pointure | shoe size | Quelle est ta pointure ? | What is your shoe size? |
| le confort | comfort | Ces chaussures ont beaucoup de confort. | These shoes are very comfortable. |
| le style | style | J’aime le style de ces bottes. | I like the style of these boots. |
| la couleur | color | Quelle couleur préfères-tu ? | Which color do you prefer? |
| la matière | material | La matière est souple et résistante. | The material is supple and durable. |
| la marque | brand | Quelle est la marque de ces chaussures ? | What brand are these shoes? |
| le modèle | model | Ce modèle est très populaire cette saison. | This model is very popular this season. |
| la taille | size | Cette chaussure est trop grande pour moi. | This shoe is too big for me. |
| le poids | weight | Le poids des chaussures est important pour la course. | The weight of the shoes is important for running. |
| la durabilité | durability | La durabilité est essentielle pour les chaussures de randonnée. | Durability is essential for hiking shoes. |
Shoe Shopping
These are practical terms and phrases for buying, trying on, and returning shoes in a French-speaking store.
| French Singular | French Meaning | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| essayer | to try on | Je voudrais essayer ces chaussures. | I would like to try on these shoes. |
| coûter | to cost | Combien coûtent ces bottes ? | How much do these boots cost? |
| être à l’aise | to be comfortable | Cette chaussure est-elle à l’aise ? | Is this shoe comfortable? |
| être trop grand / petite | to be too big / small | Cette pointure est trop petite pour moi. | This size is too small for me. |
| avoir mal aux pieds | to have sore feet | Ces chaussures me font mal aux pieds. | These shoes hurt my feet. |
| un rabais / une réduction | a discount | Il y a un rabais sur les chaussures aujourd’hui. | There is a discount on shoes today. |
| échanger | to exchange | Puis-je échanger ces chaussures ? | Can I exchange these shoes? |
| la caisse | checkout | La vendeuse est à la caisse. | The saleswoman is at the checkout. |
| la boîte à chaussures | shoebox | Je veux la boîte à chaussures, s’il vous plaît. | I want the shoebox, please. |
| un cadeau | a gift | J’ai acheté des chaussures en cadeau. | I bought shoes as a gift. |
This comprehensive overview covers the essential French vocabulary for shoes and footwear, helping you talk about styles, parts, descriptions, and shopping with confidence.
Je voudrais ___ ces chaussures. (essayer)
What does 'essayer' mean?
to try on
'Essayer' means 'to try on' in the context of shoes.
Flashcards (1 of 50)
- English Example: I bought a new shoe yesterday.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
