Most French animal names have one form covering both sexes (un chat = cat). A few common ones have separate forms (un chien / une chienne).
Pets (les animaux domestiques)
| French | English | Note |
|---|---|---|
| le chien / la chienne | dog | |
| le chat / la chatte | cat | |
| le lapin | rabbit | |
| le hamster | hamster | Aspirated h — no liaison. |
| le poisson | fish | |
| l'oiseau (m) | bird | Plural: les oiseaux. |
| la souris | mouse | |
| la tortue | tortoise, turtle | |
| le perroquet | parrot |
Farm animals (les animaux de la ferme)
| French | English | Note |
|---|---|---|
| la vache | cow | |
| le taureau | bull | |
| le cheval | horse | Plural: les chevaux. |
| le mouton | sheep | |
| la chèvre | goat | |
| le cochon | pig | |
| la poule | hen | |
| le coq | rooster | |
| le canard | duck | |
| l'âne (m) | donkey |
Wild animals (les animaux sauvages)
| French | English |
|---|---|
| le lion | lion |
| le tigre | tiger |
| l'éléphant (m) | elephant |
| le singe | monkey |
| l'ours (m) | bear |
| le loup | wolf |
| le renard | fox |
| le cerf | deer |
| l'écureuil (m) | squirrel |
| le serpent | snake |
Sea life and insects
| French | English |
|---|---|
| le requin | shark |
| la baleine | whale |
| le dauphin | dolphin |
| le crabe | crab |
| l'abeille (f) | bee |
| la mouche | fly |
| le moustique | mosquito |
| la fourmi | ant |
| le papillon | butterfly |
Tips to memorize this list faster
- Animal sounds in French differ: a dog says ouaf, a cat miaou, a rooster cocorico.
- The plural 'animals' is les animaux (irregular). Singular: un animal.
- Some animals have aspirated h: le hamster, le héron — no liaison and no elision.
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