A comprehensive guide to essential French vocabulary for sizes, quantities, and measuring, complete with example sentences.
Understanding how to talk about sizes and amounts is crucial for everyday conversations, shopping, and describing objects in French. This guide covers the most common vocabulary and expressions to help you confidently discuss measurements and quantities.
Common French Size Terms
These are the basic words used to describe size in French, from very small to very large.
| French Singular/Plural | English Singular/Plural | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| petit/petite, petits/petites | small | J'ai un petit chien. | I have a small dog. |
| moyen/moyenne, moyens/moyennes | medium | Je prends une taille moyenne. | I take a medium size. |
| grand/grande, grands/grandes | big/tall | Elle est très grande. | She is very tall. |
| énorme, énormes | enormous | Cet éléphant est énorme. | This elephant is enormous. |
| minuscule, minuscules | tiny | La clé est minuscule. | The key is tiny. |
Tengo un ___ perro. (perro pequeño)
What is the French word for 'small' (masculine singular)?
petit
'Petit' is the masculine singular form of 'small' in French, used for masculine nouns like 'chien' (dog).
French Quantity Words
Use these words to talk about how much or how many of something there are.
| French Singular/Plural | English Singular/Plural | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| un/une, des | one/a, some | J'ai une pomme. | I have an apple. |
| beaucoup de | a lot of | Il y a beaucoup de monde. | There are a lot of people. |
| peu de | few/little | Il y a peu de sucre. | There is little sugar. |
| plusieurs | several | J'ai plusieurs livres. | I have several books. |
| trop de | too much/many | Il y a trop de bruit. | There is too much noise. |
French Measurement Units
These are the standard units of measurement used in France and other French-speaking countries.
| French Singular/Plural | English Singular/Plural | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| centimètre/centimètres (cm) | centimeter/centimeters | La table fait 100 centimètres. | The table is 100 centimeters long. |
| mètre/mètres (m) | meter/meters | La pièce mesure 5 mètres. | The room is 5 meters. |
| kilomètre/kilomètres (km) | kilometer/kilometers | Nous avons couru 3 kilomètres. | We ran 3 kilometers. |
| gramme/grammes (g) | gram/grams | J'ai 200 grammes de farine. | I have 200 grams of flour. |
| kilogramme/kilogrammes (kg) | kilogram/kilograms | Elle pèse 70 kilogrammes. | She weighs 70 kilograms. |
Talking About Volume
Use these words to discuss volumes, especially for liquids.
| French Singular/Plural | English Singular/Plural | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| litre/litres (L) | liter/liters | J'ai un litre de lait. | I have a liter of milk. |
| millilitre/millilitres (ml) | milliliter/milliliters | Verse 250 millilitres d'eau. | Pour 250 milliliters of water. |
| bouchon/bouchons | cap/caps | J'ai perdu le bouchon. | I lost the cap. |
| bouteille/bouteilles | bottle/bottles | La bouteille est pleine. | The bottle is full. |
Talking About Size and Amount in Context
These common French expressions will help you naturally talk about size and quantity in conversation.
| French Singular/Plural | English Singular/Plural | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| de la taille de | the size of | Il a une voiture de la taille d'une Smart. | He has a car the size of a Smart. |
| en grande quantité | in large quantity | Nous avons des pommes en grande quantité. | We have apples in large quantity. |
| en petite quantité | in small quantity | Ce parfum est disponible en petite quantité. | This perfume is available in small quantity. |
| à moitié plein / vide | half full / empty | Le verre est à moitié plein. | The glass is half full. |
| un paquet de | a pack of | J'ai acheté un paquet de biscuits. | I bought a pack of cookies. |
Conclusion
Mastering French vocabulary for sizes and amounts is essential for shopping, cooking, and everyday communication. Use these tables and examples as a foundation to build your confidence in describing the world around you in French.
Flashcards (1 of 24)
- English Singular/Plural: small
- English Example: I have a small dog.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
