Learning new words in French can be fun and helpful, especially for everyday topics like school. Knowing how to say “school” in French will allow you to talk about learning, teachers, and classrooms in conversations. Whether you’re visiting France or speaking with French-speaking friends, this word is important.
In this article, you will learn how to say “school” in French, explore different ways to express it, learn common responses, and practice using it through exercises. By the end, you’ll be ready to use this word with confidence in real-life situations.
Ways to Say “School” in French
In French, the word for “school” can change depending on the type of school or the context. Below are common ways to say “school” in French, along with their meanings and examples to help you understand how to use each one properly.
1. École
Pronunciation: eh-kohl
Meaning: School (general term)
In a Sentence:
- L’école commence à huit heures. (School starts at eight o’clock.)
- Je vais à l’école tous les jours. (I go to school every day.)
2. Collège
Pronunciation: koh-lehj
Meaning: Middle school (France)
In a Sentence:
- Mon frère est au collège cette année. (My brother is in middle school this year.)
- Le collège est près de chez moi. (The middle school is near my house.)
3. Lycée
Pronunciation: lee-say
Meaning: High school
In a Sentence:
- Elle étudie au lycée de Paris. (She studies at the Paris high school.)
- Le lycée offre de nombreux cours intéressants. (The high school offers many interesting courses.)
4. Université
Pronunciation: oo-nee-vehr-see-tay
Meaning: University
In a Sentence:
- Il va à l’université en septembre. (He is going to university in September.)
- L’université propose des programmes variés. (The university offers various programs.)
5. École primaire
Pronunciation: eh-kohl pree-mair
Meaning: Elementary school
In a Sentence:
- Mon fils est en école primaire. (My son is in elementary school.)
- L’école primaire est très proche de notre maison. (The elementary school is very close to our house.)
6. École maternelle
Pronunciation: eh-kohl mah-tehr-nell
Meaning: Kindergarten
In a Sentence:
- Ma fille commence l’école maternelle cette année. (My daughter starts kindergarten this year.)
- L’école maternelle organise une fête de fin d’année. (The kindergarten is hosting an end-of-year party.)
7. Institution
Pronunciation: an-stee-too-syon
Meaning: Educational institution (formal)
In a Sentence:
- Cette institution est célèbre pour ses recherches. (This institution is famous for its research.)
- Mon père travaille dans une institution académique. (My father works in an academic institution.)
8. Académie
Pronunciation: ah-kah-day-mee
Meaning: Academy or school of arts/sciences
In a Sentence:
- L’académie des arts est bien connue. (The arts academy is well known.)
- Elle a reçu un prix de l’académie. (She received an award from the academy.)
9. Internat
Pronunciation: an-tehr-nah
Meaning: Boarding school
In a Sentence:
- Pierre étudie dans un internat. (Pierre studies at a boarding school.)
- L’internat accueille des élèves de différents pays. (The boarding school hosts students from different countries.)
10. Conservatoire
Pronunciation: kon-sehr-vah-twahr
Meaning: Conservatory (for music or arts)
In a Sentence:
- Elle apprend le piano au conservatoire. (She learns piano at the conservatory.)
- Le conservatoire organise un concert annuel. (The conservatory holds an annual concert.)
11. Fac
Pronunciation: fak
Meaning: College (informal)
In a Sentence:
- Je vais à la fac demain. (I’m going to college tomorrow.)
- Mon ami est prof à la fac. (My friend is a professor at the college.)
12. Séminaire
Pronunciation: say-mee-nair
Meaning: Seminar or theological school
In a Sentence:
- Il assiste à un séminaire sur l’histoire. (He is attending a seminar on history.)
- Le séminaire est organisé dans une grande salle. (The seminar is held in a large hall.)
13. Centre de formation
Pronunciation: son-truh duh for-mah-syon
Meaning: Training center
In a Sentence:
- Le centre de formation offre des cours de langues. (The training center offers language courses.)
- J’ai suivi une formation au centre de formation. (I took a course at the training center.)
14. Cours
Pronunciation: koor
Meaning: Course or class
In a Sentence:
- Je prends un cours de français. (I’m taking a French class.)
- Le cours commence à dix heures. (The class starts at ten o’clock.)
15. Établissement scolaire
Pronunciation: eh-tah-blees-mahn skoh-lair
Meaning: School building or institution
In a Sentence:
- L’établissement scolaire est très moderne. (The school building is very modern.)
- Cet établissement scolaire a une excellente réputation. (This school institution has an excellent reputation.)
16. Pensionnat
Pronunciation: pahn-syon-nah
Meaning: Boarding school (older term)
In a Sentence:
- Elle a étudié dans un pensionnat de jeunes filles. (She studied in a girls’ boarding school.)
- Le pensionnat est situé en montagne. (The boarding school is located in the mountains.)
17. École spécialisée
Pronunciation: eh-kohl speh-see-ah-lee-zay
Meaning: Specialized school
In a Sentence:
- Il est inscrit dans une école spécialisée en informatique. (He is enrolled in a specialized computer school.)
- L’école spécialisée forme des techniciens qualifiés. (The specialized school trains skilled technicians.)
18. Jardin d’enfants
Pronunciation: zhar-dan dahn-fahn
Meaning: Preschool
In a Sentence:
- Le jardin d’enfants organise des activités ludiques. (The preschool organizes fun activities.)
- Mon frère est inscrit au jardin d’enfants. (My brother is enrolled in preschool.)
19. Académie militaire
Pronunciation: ah-kah-day-mee mee-lee-tair
Meaning: Military academy
In a Sentence:
- Son frère étudie à l’académie militaire. (His brother studies at the military academy.)
- L’académie militaire est très respectée. (The military academy is highly respected.)
20. École de commerce
Pronunciation: eh-kohl duh kom-mehrs
Meaning: Business school
In a Sentence:
- Elle étudie à l’école de commerce de Paris. (She studies at the Paris business school.)
- L’école de commerce propose des stages internationaux. (The business school offers international internships.)
21. École d’ingénieurs
Pronunciation: eh-kohl dan-zheh-nyur
Meaning: Engineering school
In a Sentence:
- Paul étudie dans une école d’ingénieurs renommée. (Paul studies at a well-known engineering school.)
- L’école d’ingénieurs forme des experts en technologie. (The engineering school trains technology experts.)
22. École de médecine
Pronunciation: eh-kohl duh med-seen
Meaning: Medical school
In a Sentence:
- Elle veut entrer à l’école de médecine l’année prochaine. (She wants to enter medical school next year.)
- L’école de médecine a un programme très compétitif. (The medical school has a very competitive program.)
23. Académie de danse
Pronunciation: ah-kah-day-mee duh dahns
Meaning: Dance academy
In a Sentence:
- Ma sœur pratique le ballet à l’académie de danse. (My sister practices ballet at the dance academy.)
- L’académie de danse organise un spectacle chaque année. (The dance academy organizes a show every year.)
24. Institut polytechnique
Pronunciation: an-stee-too pol-ee-teck-neek
Meaning: Polytechnic institute
In a Sentence:
- Il étudie à l’institut polytechnique pour devenir ingénieur. (He studies at the polytechnic institute to become an engineer.)
- L’institut polytechnique est connu pour ses recherches innovantes. (The polytechnic institute is known for its innovative research.)
25. École hôtelière
Pronunciation: eh-kohl oh-tel-yair
Meaning: Hospitality school
In a Sentence:
- Elle suit des cours à l’école hôtelière de Lyon. (She takes classes at the Lyon hospitality school.)
- L’école hôtelière propose une formation en gestion hôtelière. (The hospitality school offers training in hotel management.)
26. Institut des sciences
Pronunciation: an-stee-too day syons
Meaning: Institute of Sciences
In a Sentence:
- L’institut des sciences organise des conférences chaque mois. (The institute of sciences organizes monthly conferences.)
- Il travaille dans un laboratoire à l’institut des sciences. (He works in a lab at the institute of sciences.)
27. École de droit
Pronunciation: eh-kohl duh drwah
Meaning: Law school
In a Sentence:
- Mon cousin étudie le droit à l’école de droit de Paris. (My cousin studies law at the Paris law school.)
- L’école de droit prépare les étudiants à devenir avocats. (The law school prepares students to become lawyers.)
Other Ways to Say “School” in French
Here are additional ways to say “school” in French, including pronunciations, meanings, and example sentences to help you understand their usage better.
| Other Ways to Say | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentences |
| Centre éducatif | son-truh ay-doo-ka-teef | Educational center | Le centre éducatif aide les élèves en difficulté. (The educational center helps struggling students.) |
| École professionnelle | eh-kohl pro-feh-syo-nel | Vocational school | Elle étudie à une école professionnelle. (She studies at a vocational school.) |
| École technique | eh-kohl tek-neek | Technical school | Mon frère étudie à l’école technique. (My brother studies at the technical school.) |
| Académie scientifique | ah-kah-day-mee syan-teef | Science academy | L’académie scientifique organise des compétitions. (The science academy organizes competitions.) |
| Institut de recherche | an-stee-too duh ruh-sher | Research institute | Il travaille dans un institut de recherche. (He works at a research institute.) |
| École des beaux-arts | eh-kohl day boh-zart | School of fine arts | Elle suit des cours à l’école des beaux-arts. (She is taking classes at the school of fine arts.) |
| École supérieure | eh-kohl soo-pehr-yuhr | Graduate school | Il est diplômé d’une école supérieure. (He graduated from a graduate school.) |
| Université polytechnique | oo-nee-vehr-see-tay pol-ee-teck-neek | Polytechnic university | L’université polytechnique propose des cours avancés. (The polytechnic university offers advanced courses.) |
| Académie culinaire | ah-kah-day-mee koo-lee-nair | Culinary academy | Elle apprend la cuisine à l’académie culinaire. (She learns cooking at the culinary academy.) |
| Institut de langues | an-stee-too duh long | Language institute | Je prends des cours à l’institut de langues. (I take classes at the language institute.) |
Responses to “School” in French
When talking about “school” in French, different responses can be used depending on the context. Here are common responses, including their meanings and examples:
1. J’aime l’école
Pronunciation: zhem lay-kohl
Meaning: I like school
In a Sentence:
- J’aime l’école parce que j’apprends beaucoup. (I like school because I learn a lot.)
2. Je vais à l’école
Pronunciation: zhuh vay ah lay-kohl
Meaning: I go to school
In a Sentence:
- Je vais à l’école tous les jours sauf le week-end. (I go to school every day except weekends.)
3. L’école est importante
Pronunciation: lay-kohl eh tam-por-tant
Meaning: School is important
In a Sentence:
- L’école est importante pour réussir dans la vie. (School is important for success in life.)
4. Je rentre de l’école
Pronunciation: zhuh rahn-truh duh lay-kohl
Meaning: I’m coming back from school
In a Sentence:
- Je rentre de l’école à quatre heures. (I come back from school at four o’clock.)
5. Quelle école fréquentes-tu ?
Pronunciation: kel ay-kohl fray-kahnt tyoo
Meaning: Which school do you attend?
In a Sentence:
- Quelle école fréquentes-tu cette année ? (Which school do you attend this year?)
6. J’étudie à l’université
Pronunciation: zhay-tyoo-dee ah loo-nee-vehr-see-tay
Meaning: I study at the university
In a Sentence:
- J’étudie à l’université de Paris. (I study at the University of Paris.)
7. Mon école est loin
Pronunciation: mon lay-kohl eh lwan
Meaning: My school is far away
In a Sentence:
- Mon école est loin, alors je prends le bus. (My school is far away, so I take the bus.)
8. L’école commence à huit heures
Pronunciation: lay-kohl kuh-mahns ah weet uhr
Meaning: School starts at eight o’clock
In a Sentence:
- L’école commence à huit heures chaque matin. (School starts at eight o’clock every morning.)
9. L’école est fermée aujourd’hui
Pronunciation: lay-kohl eh fehr-may oh-zhoor-dwee
Meaning: The school is closed today
In a Sentence:
- L’école est fermée aujourd’hui à cause de la neige. (The school is closed today because of snow.)
10. Je suis élève ici
Pronunciation: zhuh sweez ay-lev ee-see
Meaning: I am a student here
In a Sentence:
- Je suis élève ici depuis deux ans. (I have been a student here for two years.)
Exercise to Practice “School” in French
Complete the sentences below using the correct French word for “school.” Choose from the words and phrases you have learned.
Fill-in-the-Blanks:
- Je vais à __________ tous les matins à huit heures.
- Mon frère étudie dans un __________ pour devenir ingénieur.
- L’__________ primaire est près de chez nous.
- Elle apprend la musique au __________.
- Paul veut entrer à l’__________ de médecine l’année prochaine.
- L’__________ des beaux-arts organise une exposition cette semaine.
- Mon cousin étudie le droit à l’__________ de droit de Paris.
- Le __________ culinaire propose des cours de pâtisserie.
- Elle a gagné un prix à l’__________ de danse.
- Pierre habite dans un __________ car ses parents travaillent à l’étranger.
- L’__________ militaire forme des futurs officiers.
- Je prends des cours de français à l’__________ de langues.
Answers:
- l’école
(I go to school every morning at eight o’clock.) - école d’ingénieurs
(My brother studies at an engineering school.) - école
(The elementary school is near our house.) - conservatoire
(She learns music at the conservatory.) - école
(Paul wants to enter medical school next year.) - école
(The school of fine arts is organizing an exhibition this week.) - école de droit
(My cousin studies law at the Paris law school.) - institut
(The culinary institute offers pastry courses.) - académie
(She won an award at the dance academy.) - internat
(Pierre lives in a boarding school because his parents work abroad.) - académie militaire
(The military academy trains future officers.) - institut de langues
(I take French classes at the language institute.)
Conclusion
Learning how to say “school” in French helps you talk about education, learning, and daily life. Whether you are mentioning your own school, asking someone where they study, or discussing different types of schools, these words will be useful.
Keep practicing these phrases and responses to feel more comfortable speaking French. With regular practice, talking about “school” in French will become easy and natural. Remember, learning a new language opens the door to better conversations and exciting experiences. Bonne chance! (Good luck!)