Leisure Activities in France: Sports and Culture Vocabulary
Learning French also means discovering French culture! Leisure activities in France show how French people live and what they like to do during their free time.
Discover leisure vocabulary to express yourself more easily with French speakers and Improve Your French Listening Comprehension.
French People’s Favorite Sports Activities
The French are very active in sports! Football (soccer), tennis, and cycling are particularly popular in France.
Football: The Number One Sport
The most popular sport is football or ‘le foot,’ as it’s commonly called in France. Here’s some useful vocabulary:
- Le ballon: ball
- Le terrain: field
- Le but: goal
- L’équipe: team
- L’arbitre: referee
Example: “Le dimanche, Pierre regarde le match de football avec ses amis.” (“On Sundays, Pierre watches the football match with his friends.”)
Tennis: An Elegant Sport
Another popular sport in France is tennis, especially thanks to the Roland-Garros tournament in Paris. Key vocabulary:
- Un court de tennis: tennis court
- Une raquette: racket
- Un filet: net
- Un set: set
- Un match: match
Example: “Marie prend des cours de tennis tous les mercredis.” (“Marie takes tennis lessons every Wednesday.”)
Cycling: The French Passion
Thanks to the Tour de France, the world’s most famous cycling race, cycling is very popular. Here’s some useful vocabulary:
- Le vélo: bicycle
- Une piste cyclable: bike path
- Un casque de vélo: bike helmet
- Pédaler: to pedal
Example: “Le weekend, Thomas fait du vélo sur les pistes cyclables de sa ville.” (“On weekends, Thomas goes cycling on the bike paths in his city.”)
Leisure Activities in France: Cultural Activities
France has a rich culture and heritage. Here are the French people’s favorite cultural leisure activities and useful vocabulary.
Museums and Art: French Art is Everywhere
France has magnificent museums. The most famous is the Louvre in Paris. You say:
- Une exposition: exhibition
- Un tableau: painting
- Un guide: guide
- Une sculpture: sculpture
Example: “Demain, nous visiterons une exposition de tableaux au musée.” (“Tomorrow, we will visit an exhibition of paintings at the museum.”)
Theater and Shows: An Important Tradition in France
The French love going to the theater. Key vocabulary includes:
- Les acteurs (or les comédiens): actors
- La pièce: play
- La scène: stage
- Le rideau: curtain
- Les spectateurs (or le public): audience
Example: “Hier soir, nous sommes allés au théâtre voir une comédie.” (“Last night, we went to the theater to see a comedy.”)
Cinema: The French Love Movies
Another leisure activity highly appreciated by the French is cinema. You say:
- Une séance: screening
- Un film: film/movie
- Un écran: screen
- Le réalisateur: director
- L’acteur: actor
- Les sous-titres: subtitles
Example: “Veux-tu aller au cinéma voir le nouveau film français ?” (“Do you want to go to the cinema to see the new French film?”)
There you have it! I hope you enjoyed this article about leisure activities in French. Don’t hesitate to talk about your own hobbies with French people. It’s an excellent way to practice the language and make friends in France.
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