One of the most fun things to learn in any new language is how to talk about animals. Whether you’re strolling through the zoo in the Bois de Vincennes in Paris, visiting the lemurs in Madagascar, or talking to your pets in French, knowing how to say animals in French can enhance any animal experience!
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How to say ‘animal’ in French
The word for “animal” in French is super easy — animal — which is pronounced “ah-nee-mahl.” This word is a perfect French cognate, but one peculiarity is that its plural form (animals) is not as obvious: animaux (ah-nee-moh).
Names of les animaux domestiques (pets) in French
Everyone loves talking about their pets! There are two different ways to say “pet” in French: animal domestique or animal de compagnie. Like all French nouns, each animal name has its own gender, although most are masculine. Certain animals have different forms or words for their female counterparts, but for the most part, the genders listed below are used.
If you’re struggling with French gender rules, Rosetta Stone can help you learn more naturally without the need for memorization!
| French | Pronunciation | English |
| le chaméléon | kah-may-lay-ohn | the chameleon |
| le chat | shah | the cat |
| le chaton | shah-tohn | the kitten |
| le chien | shee-ehn | the dog |
| le chiot | shee-oh | the puppy |
| le cochon d’Inde | ko-shohn dahnd | the guinea pig |
| le furet | foo-ray | the ferret |
| la gerbille | jer-bee | the gerbil |
| le hamster | ahm-stair | the hamster |
| le hérisson | air-ee-sohn | the hedgehog |
| le lézard | lay-zar | the lizard |
| le lézard à barbe | lay-zar-ah-barb | the bearded dragon |
| l’oiseau (m) | wah-zoh | the bird |
| le poisson | pwah-sohn | the fish |
| le poisson rouge | pwah-sohn-rouj | the goldfish |
| le serpent | sair-puhn | the snake |
How to talk about your pets in French
The verb avoir (to have) is essential in discussing pets in French. Being able to conjugate this common French verb can take your French conversation to the next level. The examples below use the formal “you,” but you can decide when to use tu or vous depending on the situation.
- Avez-vous un animal domestique ? = Do you have a pet?
- Vous avez combien d’animaux de compagnie ? = You have how many pets?
- J’ai deux chiens. = I have two dogs.
- Je n’ai pas d’animal domestique. = I don’t have any pets.
Les animaux du zoo (zoo animals) in French
From the massive ZooParc de Beauval in France to the Zoo de Granby in Quebec, there are many zoos to discover all around the French-speaking world. Be prepared for a visit with the French names of the animals you might encounter.
| French | Pronunciation | English |
| l’alligator (m) | ah-lee-gah-tohr | the alligator |
| le flamant | flah-mahn | the flamingo |
| la girafe | jee-rahf | the giraffe |
| le gorille | gohr-ee | the gorilla |
| le kangourou | kang-ooh-roo | the kangaroo |
| le koala | koh-ah-la | the koala |
| le lion | lee-ohn | the lion |
| la loutre | loo-truh | the otter |
| le manchot | mahnsh-oh | the penguin |
| l’ours (m) | ooh-rs | the bear |
| le panda | pahn-dah | the panda |
| le singe | sah-nj | the monkey |
| le tigre | tee-gruh | the tiger |
| le zèbre | zeh-bruh | the zebra |
Les animaux de la ferme (farm animals) in French: names and sounds
Beyond major cities and their zoos, there are charming rural areas begging to be explored. Communities all over the French-speaking world cherish their farm animals.
| French | Pronunciation | English |
| l’âne (m) | ahn | the donkey |
| le canard | kah-nar | the duck |
| le cheval | shuh-vahl | the horse |
| le cochon | koh-shohn | the pig |
| le coq | kohk | the rooster |
| le dindon | dahn-dohn | the turkey |
| le mouton | moo-tohn | the sheep |
| l’oie (f) | wah | the goose |
| la poule | pool | the chicken |
| le poussin | poo-sahn | the chick |
| la vache | vah-sh | the cow |
Animal sounds in French
Although animals do not make different sounds in different countries, their sounds are interpreted uniquely depending on the language. In French, these onomatopoeias vary slightly from ours.
| Animal | French Onomatopoeia | English Onomatopoeia |
| cat | miaou | meow |
| chick | piou piou | cheep |
| cow | meuh | moo |
| dog | ouaf ouaf | woof woof |
| donkey | hi-han | hee-haw |
| duck | coin coin | quack quack |
| pig | groin groin | oink oink |
| rooster | coquericot | cock-a-doodle-doo |
| sheep | bêê | baa |
| turkey | glou glou glou | gobble gobble |
French idioms that use animals
As in English, there are idioms in French that use animals. Idioms can help you level up your language and sound more like a native speaker!
| French Idiom | Literal Translation | English Idiom |
| appeler un chat un chat | to call a cat a cat | to call a spade a spade |
| faire le froid d’un canard | to be a duck’s cold | to be really cold outside |
| quand les poules auront les dents | when chickens have teeth | when pigs fly |
| revenons à nos moutons | let’s get back to our sheep | let’s get back on track |
Les animaux de la forêt (forest animals) in French
Headed to tour Quebec or to hike through Switzerland? If you’re someone who prefers to explore nature, knowing these forest animals will help you narrate your journey through one of the many beautiful forests throughout the French-speaking world.
| French | Pronunciation | English |
| le cerf | sairf | the deer |
| la chauve-souris | shohv soo-ree | the bat |
| la chouette | shoo-ett | the owl (with feathers on head) |
| le crapaud | crah-poh | the toad |
| l’écureuil (m) | ay-cure-oy | the squirrel |
| l’élan (Fr) / l’orignal (Can) (both m) | ay-lahn / or-ee-nyal | the moose |
| le hibou | ee-boo | the owl (with no feathers on head) |
| la mouffette | moo-fett | the skunk |
| l’ours brun (m) | ooh-rs bruhn | the brown bear |
| l’ours noir (m) | ooh-rs noo-ar | the black bear |
| le raton laveur | rah-tohn lah-vair | the raccoon |
| la souris | soo-ree | the mouse |
Les animaux du désert et de la savane (savanna and desert animals) in French
There are over 25 countries in Africa that speak French. Although many of these animals are also found in the zoo, get ready for your safari adventures in a French-speaking African country with these desert and savanna animals!
| French | Pronunciation | English |
| le babouin | bah-boo-ahn | the baboon |
| le chameau | shah-mo | the camel |
| l’émeu (m) | ay-muh | the emu |
| le fourmilier | foor-mee-lee-ay | the anteater |
| la gazelle | gah-zell | the gazelle |
| la girafe | jee-rahf | the giraffe |
| le gorille | gohr-ee | the gorilla |
| la hyène | ee-enn | the hyena |
| le scorpion | skor-pee-ohn | the scorpion |
| le singe | sah-nj | the monkey |
| le suricate | soo-ree-kaht | the meerkat |
| le tigre | tee-gruh | the tiger |
| le phacochère | fah-ko-shair | the warthog |
| le zèbre | zeh-bruh | the zebra |
Les animaux marins (marine animals) in French
Whether you are headed to the Caribbean or one of the coasts of France, there are many marine animals to discover. If being near the ocean is more your speed, use the following tables to be ready for your next beach adventure.
| French | Pronunciation | English |
| la baleine | bah-lenn | the whale |
| le crabe | krahb | the crab |
| le dauphin | doh-fahn | the dolphin |
| l’étoile de mer (f) | ay-twol duh mair | the starfish |
| l’hippocampe (m) | ee-poh-kahmp | the seahorse |
| le homard | oh-mar | the lobster |
| le macareux | mah-kah-ruh | the puffin |
| la méduse | may-dooz | the jellyfish |
| l’ours polaire / l’ours blanc (m) | ooh-rs poh-lair, ooh-rs blahn | the polar bear |
| le phoque | fohk | the seal |
| la pieuvre | pee-uh-vruh | the octopus |
| le requin | ruh-kahn | the shark |
| la tortue marine | tor-too mah-reen | the sea turtle |
Les insectes (insects) in French
Whether you love them or hate them, bugs are everywhere! In France, traveling to Provence means listening to the peaceful sound of cicadas. Knowing how to say insects in French can be useful in a variety of situations.
| French | Pronunciation | English |
| l’abeille (f) | ah-bay | the bee |
| le cafard | kah-far | the cockroach |
| la chenille | shen-ee | the caterpillar |
| la cigale | see-gahl | the cicada |
| la coccinelle | kohk-see-nell | the ladybug |
| le coléoptère | koh-lay-ope-tair | the beetle |
| la fourmis | foor-mee | the ant |
| le grillon | gree-ohn | the cricket |
| la libellule | lee-bell-ool | the dragonfly |
| la mouche | moosh | the fly |
| le moustique | moo-steek | the mosquito |
| le papillon | pah-pee-ohn | the butterfly |
| la sauterelle | soh-tair-ell | the grasshopper |
Les animaux du monde francophone (animals of the French-speaking world)
There are many Francophone (French-speaking) locales with their own unique species of animals. Discover some uniquely French animals from around the world.
Animals in Madagascar
Madagascar is one of the most unique places on earth when it comes to animals. Around 85% of the animals in Madagascar can only be found there! Since French is one of the official languages of Madagascar, it is a no-brainer to study these animal words in French ahead of time. You’ll definitely want to know the word lémurien (lemur), as there are over 110 species of lemurs to discover in Madagascar.
| French | Pronunciation | English |
| l’aigrette (f) | ay-gret | the egret |
| le chaméléon | kah-may-lay-ohn | the chameleon |
| la colombe | koh-lohmb | the dove |
| le corbeau | kor-boh | the crow |
| le gecko | geh-koh | the gecko |
| la grenouille | gruh-nwee | the frog |
| l’iguane (m) | ee-gwan | the iguana |
| le lémurien | lay-mur-ee-ahn | the lemur |
| le martin-pêcheur | mar-tahn-pesh-air | the kingfisher |
| le perroquet | pair-oh-kay | the parrot |
| la roussette | roo-set | the flying fox |
French names for animals from Martinique, Guadeloupe, & the Caribbean
Another popular destination for travel is the Caribbean. Martinique and Guadeloupe have many unique animals to see and talk about on your next trip. Take a stroll through the Jardin de Balata in Martinique or the Guadeloupe Zoo!
| French | Pronunciation | English |
| le faucon pèlerin | foh-kohn-pell-er-ahn | the peregrine falcon |
| le fou aux pieds rouges | foo-oh-pee-ay-rouj | the red-footed booby |
| le grand héron | grahn-air-ohn | the great blue heron |
| le grand requin blanc | grahn-ruh-kahn-blahn | the great white shark |
| l’orque (f) | ork | the killer whale |
| le pélican | pay-lee-kahn | the pelican |
| le poisson-lune | pwah-ssohn-loon | the ocean sunfish |
| la tortue luth | tor-too-loot | the leatherback sea turtle |
Grammar rules for French animal names
When you write or speak about French animals, there are a few grammar rules that will help you be more clear.
How to make animal names plural in French
It is most common in French to simply add an -s when making a word plural. But most animal names (and words) in French that end in -al change to -aux for their plural form, like animaux. There are also a few French animal names that end in -u, like chameau and oiseau, that use an -x instead of an -s.
- l’anima (the animal)
- les animaux (the animals)
- le chameau (the camel)
- les chameaux (the camels)
- l’oiseau (the bird)
- les oiseaux (the birds)
Using articles with French animal names
Beyond pluralizing the word itself, you’ll need to know how to use articles in French with animals.
- If the singular article is definite (the) and uses le, la, or l’ (before a vowel), the pluralized version is les.
- l’animal (the animal) becomes les animaux (the animals)
- If the singular article is indefinite (a/some) and uses un or une, the pluralized version is des.
- un animal (an animal) becomes des animaux (some animals)
Pronunciation of animals in French
Several French animal words (along with lots of French words) end in a nasal sound, noted with the -hn ending. These words do not end in a hard “n” sound, but rather the “n” sound trails off. Examples are -on, -en, -ant, and -ent. Rosetta Stone’s TruAccent speech recognition engine can help you master nasal sounds and other French pronunciations!
Learn more about animals in French with Rosetta Stone
Knowing how to say animals in French is a great tool when traveling and for having meaningful conversations with fellow animal lovers in French. In addition to animal names, Rosetta Stone can help you expand your vocabulary to habitats, colors, verbs, and much more. Consider live lessons, as real-time instruction with a native speaker is sure to fast-track your French and allow you to gain access to the French-speaking world!
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