Embarking on the journey to achieve a B1 level in French is a significant milestone. At this stage, learners are expected to understand and communicate more complex ideas, engage in conversations on familiar topics, and grasp the main points of clear standard speech. This level of proficiency opens up a new world of opportunities for meaningful interactions and deeper cultural understanding. To facilitate your progress, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of essential French words and phrases that are crucial for B1 level learners.

Everyday Vocabulary

A strong vocabulary foundation is essential for effective communication. Here are some everyday words and phrases that you should be comfortable with at the B1 level:

Daily Activities

1. **Se réveiller** (to wake up)
2. **Se lever** (to get up)
3. **Se laver** (to wash oneself)
4. **Prendre une douche** (to take a shower)
5. **S’habiller** (to get dressed)
6. **Prendre le petit déjeuner** (to have breakfast)
7. **Aller au travail/à l’école** (to go to work/school)
8. **Déjeuner** (to have lunch)
9. **Faire les courses** (to do the shopping)
10. **Faire le ménage** (to do the housework)
11. **Se détendre** (to relax)
12. **Dîner** (to have dinner)
13. **Se coucher** (to go to bed)

Common Places

1. **La maison** (the house)
2. **L’appartement** (the apartment)
3. **Le bureau** (the office)
4. **L’école** (the school)
5. **Le supermarché** (the supermarket)
6. **La banque** (the bank)
7. **La poste** (the post office)
8. **Le parc** (the park)
9. **Le cinéma** (the cinema)
10. **Le restaurant** (the restaurant)
11. **La bibliothèque** (the library)
12. **La gare** (the train station)

Family and Relationships

1. **La famille** (the family)
2. **Les parents** (the parents)
3. **Le père** (the father)
4. **La mère** (the mother)
5. **Le frère** (the brother)
6. **La sœur** (the sister)
7. **Le mari** (the husband)
8. **La femme** (the wife)
9. **Les enfants** (the children)
10. **L’ami(e)** (the friend)
11. **Le collègue** (the colleague)
12. **Le voisin/la voisine** (the neighbor)

Descriptive Vocabulary

Being able to describe people, places, and things is an essential skill at the B1 level. Here are some important adjectives and descriptive phrases:

Physical Descriptions

1. **Grand(e)** (tall)
2. **Petit(e)** (short)
3. **Jeune** (young)
4. **Vieux/vieille** (old)
5. **Beau/belle** (beautiful)
6. **Joli(e)** (pretty)
7. **Laid(e)** (ugly)
8. **Fort(e)** (strong)
9. **Faible** (weak)
10. **Mince** (thin)
11. **Gros(se)** (fat)
12. **Chauve** (bald)

Personality Traits

1. **Gentil(le)** (kind)
2. **Méchant(e)** (mean)
3. **Drôle** (funny)
4. **Sérieux/sérieuse** (serious)
5. **Intelligent(e)** (intelligent)
6. **Bête** (stupid)
7. **Paresseux/paresseuse** (lazy)
8. **Travailleur/travailleuse** (hard-working)
9. **Timide** (shy)
10. **Sociable** (sociable)

Expressing Opinions and Preferences

At the B1 level, you should be able to express your opinions and preferences clearly. Here are some useful phrases:

Expressing Likes and Dislikes

1. **J’aime** (I like)
2. **Je n’aime pas** (I don’t like)
3. **J’adore** (I love)
4. **Je déteste** (I hate)
5. **Je préfère** (I prefer)
6. **Ça me plaît** (I like it)
7. **Ça ne me plaît pas** (I don’t like it)
8. **C’est intéressant** (It’s interesting)
9. **C’est ennuyeux** (It’s boring)

Giving Opinions

1. **À mon avis** (In my opinion)
2. **Je pense que** (I think that)
3. **Je crois que** (I believe that)
4. **Je trouve que** (I find that)
5. **Il me semble que** (It seems to me that)
6. **D’après moi** (According to me)
7. **Je suis d’accord** (I agree)
8. **Je ne suis pas d’accord** (I disagree)

Conversational Phrases

Engaging in conversations requires a good command of common phrases and expressions. Here are some that will be useful:

Starting and Ending Conversations

1. **Bonjour** (Hello/Good morning)
2. **Salut** (Hi)
3. **Bonsoir** (Good evening)
4. **Comment ça va ?** (How are you?)
5. **Ça va bien, merci. Et toi/vous ?** (I’m fine, thank you. And you?)
6. **À bientôt** (See you soon)
7. **Au revoir** (Goodbye)
8. **Bonne journée** (Have a good day)
9. **Bonne soirée** (Have a good evening)
10. **À la prochaine** (Until next time)

Asking and Answering Questions

1. **Où ?** (Where?)
2. **Quand ?** (When?)
3. **Pourquoi ?** (Why?)
4. **Comment ?** (How?)
5. **Combien ?** (How much/many?)
6. **Qui ?** (Who?)
7. **Quoi ?** (What?)
8. **Quel/quelle/quels/quelles ?** (Which?)

Useful Phrases

1. **Je ne comprends pas** (I don’t understand)
2. **Pouvez-vous répéter, s’il vous plaît ?** (Can you repeat, please?)
3. **Parlez plus lentement, s’il vous plaît** (Speak more slowly, please)
4. **Comment dit-on … en français ?** (How do you say … in French?)
5. **Qu’est-ce que ça veut dire ?** (What does that mean?)
6. **D’accord** (Okay)
7. **Pas de problème** (No problem)
8. **C’est une bonne idée** (That’s a good idea)
9. **Je suis désolé(e)** (I am sorry)
10. **Merci beaucoup** (Thank you very much)

Grammar and Usage

A good grasp of grammar is essential for achieving B1 level proficiency. Here are some important grammatical structures and their usage:

Present Tense

1. **Regular -er verbs:** parler (to speak), aimer (to love), donner (to give)
– Example: Je parle, tu parles, il/elle parle, nous parlons, vous parlez, ils/elles parlent

2. **Regular -ir verbs:** finir (to finish), choisir (to choose), réussir (to succeed)
– Example: Je finis, tu finis, il/elle finit, nous finissons, vous finissez, ils/elles finissent

3. **Regular -re verbs:** attendre (to wait), vendre (to sell), entendre (to hear)
– Example: J’attends, tu attends, il/elle attend, nous attendons, vous attendez, ils/elles attendent

Past Tense (Passé Composé)

1. **Avoir as auxiliary verb:**
– Example: J’ai parlé (I spoke), tu as fini (you finished), il a vendu (he sold)

2. **Être as auxiliary verb (for reflexive verbs and some verbs of movement):**
– Example: Je suis allé(e) (I went), tu es parti(e) (you left), il est arrivé (he arrived)

Future Tense (Futur Simple)

1. **Forming the future tense with regular verbs:**
– Example: Je parlerai (I will speak), tu finiras (you will finish), il vendra (he will sell)

2. **Irregular future stems:**
– Example: être – je serai (I will be), avoir – j’aurai (I will have), aller – j’irai (I will go)

Conditional Tense

1. **Forming the conditional tense with regular verbs:**
– Example: Je parlerais (I would speak), tu finirais (you would finish), il vendrait (he would sell)

2. **Irregular conditional stems:**
– Example: être – je serais (I would be), avoir – j’aurais (I would have), aller – j’irais (I would go)

Subjunctive Mood

1. **Using the subjunctive with regular verbs:**
– Example: que je parle (that I speak), que tu finisses (that you finish), qu’il vende (that he sells)

2. **Irregular subjunctive stems:**
– Example: être – que je sois (that I be), avoir – que j’aie (that I have), aller – que j’aille (that I go)

Connecting Words and Phrases

Using connecting words and phrases helps to create more complex and coherent sentences. Here are some important ones:

Conjunctions

1. **Et** (and)
2. **Mais** (but)
3. **Ou** (or)
4. **Donc** (so)
5. **Puis** (then)
6. **Parce que** (because)
7. **Car** (for)
8. **Cependant** (however)
9. **Toutefois** (however)
10. **Néanmoins** (nevertheless)

Prepositions

1. **À** (to/at)
2. **De** (of/from)
3. **Avec** (with)
4. **Sans** (without)
5. **Pour** (for)
6. **Entre** (between)
7. **Sur** (on)
8. **Sous** (under)
9. **Devant** (in front of)
10. **Derrière** (behind)

Idiomatic Expressions

Understanding and using idiomatic expressions can greatly enhance your fluency and make your speech sound more natural. Here are some common idiomatic expressions:

1. **Avoir la pêche** (to feel great)
2. **Être dans la lune** (to be daydreaming)
3. **Avoir le cafard** (to feel down)
4. **Casser les pieds** (to annoy someone)
5. **Donner un coup de main** (to give a hand/help)
6. **Être au bout du rouleau** (to be at the end of one’s rope)
7. **Faire la tête** (to sulk)
8. **Mettre les pieds dans le plat** (to put one’s foot in it)
9. **Se mettre en quatre** (to go out of one’s way)
10. **Tomber dans les pommes** (to faint)

Practice Makes Perfect

Reaching a B1 level in French requires consistent practice and exposure to the language. Here are some tips to help you integrate these words and phrases into your daily routine:

1. **Engage in Conversations:** Practice speaking with native speakers or fellow learners. Use language exchange apps or join French-speaking clubs.

2. **Watch French Media:** Watch French movies, TV shows, and YouTube channels. Pay attention to how the vocabulary and phrases are used in context.

3. **Read French Texts:** Read books, newspapers, and articles in French. This will help you see the vocabulary in different contexts and improve your reading comprehension.

4. **Write Regularly:** Keep a journal in French or write essays on various topics. This will help reinforce the vocabulary and improve your writing skills.

5. **Use Flashcards:** Create flashcards for new vocabulary and review them regularly. There are many apps available that can help you with this.

6. **Take Language Classes:** If possible, enroll in a French language course. Structured learning can provide you with the guidance and feedback you need to improve.

By incorporating these words and phrases into your daily practice, you’ll be well on your way to achieving B1 level proficiency in French. Remember, consistency is key, and the more you immerse yourself in the language, the faster you’ll progress. Bonne chance! (Good luck!)