44 wonderful farm, jungle, sea, zoo and pet animals in French

Author

Elinor Zucchet

Whether you want to visit the Parc de la Tête d’Or zoo in Lyon, ask questions to a French farmer on a marché or just watch funny cat videos with your Québécois friends, it always comes handy to know some French animal vocabulary.

Besides, who doesn’t like les animaux? Knowing animals in French will help you engage in conversation and make new francophone friends. From zoo animals and pets to farm animals in French, without forgetting wildlife and sea creatures, get ready for a furry, feathery, and scaly article!


1. Farm animals in French

Passez du coq à l’âne (French expression meaning “To change the subject completely”) with these farm animals in French!

Baby ducks and farm animals in French.

EnglishSingularPluralMaleFemaleYoungCollective noun
Horse(Le) cheval
shuh-vall
Chevaux
shuh-voh
Étalon
eh-tah-lon
Jument
ju-muhn
Poulain
pooh-lahn
Troupeau
trew-poh
Cow(La) vache
vahsh
Vaches
vahsh
Taureau, boeuf
tuh-ruh
Vache
vahsh
Génisse, taurillon, veau
jen-eese, tow-re-yon, vo
Troupeau
trew-poh
Pig(Le) cochon
coo-shohn
Cochons
coo-shohn
Cochon
coo-shohn
Truie
truwee
Goret, porcelet
go-ret, pour-su-leh
Troupeau
trew-poh
Goat(La) chèvre
sheh-vruh
Chèvres
sheh-vruh
Bouc
book
Chèvre
sheh-vruh
Chevreau
shuh-vroh
Troupeau
trew-poh
Donkey(L’)âne
ahn
Ânes
ahn
Âne
ahn
Ânesse
an-esse
Ânon
an-ohn
Troupe
trewp
Sheep(Le) mouton
moo-tohn
Moutons
moo-tohn
Moutons
moo-tohn
Brebis
breh-bee
Agneau
ah-nee-ho
Troupeau
trew-poh
Chicken(Le) poulet
poo-lay
Poulets
poo-lay
Coq
cock
Poule
pool
Poussin
pooh-san
Troupeau
trew-poh
Duck(Le) canard
cah-nar
Canards
cah-nar
Canard
cah-nar
Câne
canh
Caneton
cah-nay-tohn
Troupeau
trew-poh
Turkey(La) dinde
dahnd
Dindes
dahnd
Dindon
dahn-dohn
Dinde
dahnd
Dindonneau
dahn-doh-no
Troupeau
trew-poh
Goose(L’)oie
wah
Oies
wah
Jars
jhar
Oie
wah
Oison
wah-zohn
Troupeau
trew-poh
Rabbit(Le) lapin
lah-pahn
Lapins
lah-pahn
Lapin
lah-pahn
Lapine
lah-peen
Lapereau
lah-puh-ro
Troupeau
trew-poh


2. Zoo animals and wild animals in French

Navigate the jungle of French animal vocabulary with these wild animals and zoo animals in French!

Zebra, zoo animals and wild animals in French.

EnglishSingularPluralMaleFemaleYoungCollective noun
Lion(Le) lion
lee ohn
Lions
lee-ohn
Lion
lee-ohn
Lionne
lee-uhn
Lionceau
lee-ohn-so
Meute or troupeau
muht, trew-poh
Tiger(Le) tigre
tee-gruh
Tigres
tee-gruh
Tigre
tee-gruh
Tigresse
tee-gres
Tigreau
tee-gro
Meute or troupeau
muht, trew-poh
Elephant(L’)éléphant
ay lay-fohn
Éléphants
ay lay-fohn
Éléphant
ay lay-fohn
Éléphante
ay-lay-fohnt
Éléphanteau
ay-lay-fohnt-oh
Troupeau
trew-poh
Giraffe(La) girafe
gee-rahff
Girafes
gee-rahff
Girafe
gee-rahff
Girafe
gee-rahff
Girafon
gee-rahff-onh
Troupeau
trew-poh
Hippopotamus(L’)hippopotame
ee-poh-poh-tahm
Hippopotames
ee-poh-poh-tahm
Hippopotames
ee-poh-poh-tahm
Hippopotame
ee-poh-poh-tahm
Bébé hippopotame
ee-poh-poh-tahm
Troupeau
trew-poh
Rhinoceros(Le) rhinocéros
ree-noh-sair-os
Rhinocéros
ree-noh-sair-os
Rhinocéros
ree-noh-sair-os
Rhinocéros
ree-noh-sair-os
Bébé rhinocéros
ree-noh-sair-os
Troupeau
trew-poh
Zebra(Le) zèbre
zeh-bruh
Zèbres
zeh-bruh
Zèbre
zeh-bruh
Zebrelle
zeh-brelle
Zébron or Zébreau
zeh-brohn, zeh-broh
Troupeau
trew-poh
Monkey(Le) singe
sanj
Singes
sanj
Singe
sanj
Guenon
guh-nohn
Bébé singe
beh-beh-sanj
Troupeau
trew-poh
Crocodile(Le) crocodile
kroe-koe-deel
Crocodiles
kroe-koe-deel
Crocodile
kroe-koe-deel
Crocodile
kroe-koe-deel
Bébé crocodile
beh-beh-kroe-koe-deel
Troupeau
trew-poh
Kangaroo(Le) kangourou
kahn-goo-roo
Kangourous
kahn-goo-roo
Kangourou
kahn-goo-roo
Kangourou
kahn-goo-roo
Bébé kangourou
beh-beh-kahn-goo-roo
Troupeau
trew-poh
Bear(L’)ours
oors
Ours
oors
Ours
oors
Oursonne
oors-uhn
Ourson
oors-ohn
Troupeau
trew-poh
Wolf(Le) loup
luh loo
Loups
loo
Loups
loo
Louve
loo-vuh
Louveteau
loo-vuh-tou
Meute
muht
Bird(L’)oiseau
wah-so
Oiseaux
wah-so
Oiseaux
wah-so
Oiselle
wah-zell
Oisillon
wah-zee-yohn
Volée
voh-leh


3. Sea animals in French

Dive into sea animals in French with these fascinating aquatic creatures!

Jellyfish and sea animals in French.

EnglishSingularPluralMaleFemaleYoungCollective noun
Fish(Le) poisson
pwah-ssohn
Poissons
pwah-ssohn
Poissons
pwah-ssohn
Poissons
pwah-ssohn
Alevin
ah-lew-vahn
Banc
bahn
Dolphin(Le) dauphin
do-fahn
Dauphins
do-fahn
Dauphin
do-fahn
Dauphin
do-fahn
Delfineau
del-fee-noh
Banc
bahn
Whale(La) baleine
bell-ehn
Baleines
bahl-ehn
Baleine
bahl-ehn
Baleine
bahl-ehn
Baleineau
bahl-eh-noh
Banc or troupeau
bahn, trew-poh
Seal(Le) phoque
fawk
Phoques
fawk
Phoque
fawk
Phoque
fawk
Blanchon
blahn-shohn
Troupeau
trew-poh
Shark(Le) requin
ri-kahn
Requins
reuh-kahn
Requin
reuh-kahn
Requin
reuh-kahn
Requineau
reuh-key-noh
Banc
bahn
Polar bear(L’)ours blanc
oors blah-unk
Ours blancs
oors blah-unk
Ours blanc
oors blah-unk
Oursonne blanche
Oors-uhn blah-unk
Ourson blanc
oors-ohn blah-unk
Troupeau
trew-poh
Penguin(Le) pingouin
pehn-gwahn
Pingouins
pehn-gwahn
Pingouin
pehn-gwahn
Pingouine
pehn-gwin
Poussin
pooh-san
Colonie
koh-lo-nee
Squid(Le) calamar
kal-ah-mahr
Calamars
kal-ah-mahr
Calamar
kal-ah-mahr
Calamar
kal-ah-mahr
Bébé calamar
beh-beh kal-ah-mahr
Banc
bahn
Jellyfish(La) méduse
may-dooz
Médusesmay-doozMéduse
may-dooz
Méduse
may-dooz
Bébé méduse
beh-beh may-dooz
Banc
bahn
Lobster(Le) homard
oh-mar
Homards
oh-mar
Homard
oh-mar
Homard
oh-mar
Bébé homard
beh-beh oh-mar
Banc
bahn
Crab(Le) crabe
crahb
Crabes
crahb
Crabe
crahb
Crabe
crahb
Bébé crabe
beh-beh crahb
Banc
bahn
Seahorse(L’)hippocampe
eep-oh-kahmp
Hippocampes
eep-oh-kahmp
Hippocampe
eep-oh-kahmp
Hippocampes
eep-oh-kahmp
Bébé hippocampe
beh-beh eep-oh-kahmp
Banc
bahn
Otter(La) loutre
loo-truh
Loutres
loo-truh
Loutre
loo-truh
Loutre
loo-truh
Loutron
loo-trohn
Troupeau
trew-poh


4. Pets in French

And last but not least, learn how to call your best friends in French!

Dog and pets in French.

EnglishSingularPluralMaleFemaleYoungCollective noun
Dog(Le) chien
shee-ehn
Chiens
shee-ehn
Chien
shee-ehn
Chienne
shee-en
Chiot
shee-oo
Meute
muht
Cat(Le) chat
shah
Chats
shah
Chat
shah
Chatte
shat
Chaton
shah-tohn
Troupeau
trew-poh
Goldfish(Le) poisson rouge
pwah-ssohn-rooge
Poissons rouges
pwah-ssohn-rooge
Poisson rouge
pwah-ssohn-rooge
Poisson rouge
pwah-ssohn-rooge
Alevin
ah-lew-vahn
Banc
bahn
Hamster>(Le) hamster
am-stair
Hamsters
am-stair
Hamster
am-stair
Hamster
am-stair
Bébé hamster
beh-beh am-stair
Groupe
grewp
Guinea pig(Le) cochon d’Inde
coo-shohn dande
Cochons d’Inde
coo-shohn dande
Cochon d’Inde
coo-shohn dande
Cochon d’Inde
coo-shohn dande
Bébé cochon d’Inde
beh-beh coo-shohn dande
Groupe
grewp
Parrot(Le) perroquet
pair-rho-kay
Perroquets
pair-rho-kay
Perroquet
pair-rho-kay
Perroquet
pair-rho-kay
Bébé perroquet
beh-beh pair-rho-kay
Volée
voh-leh
Ferret(Le) furet
fyoo-ray
Furets
fyoo-ray
Furet
fyoo-ray
Furet
fyoo-ray
Bébé furet
beh-beh fyoo-ray
Groupe
grewp


5. Animal songs in French

Animal songs in French for adults

Animal songs in French for kids


6. Funny animal-related sayings, quotes, phrases

Rire comme une baleineTo laugh like a whaleTo roar with laughter
Être serrés comme des sardinesTo be packed like sardinesTo be crowded, very close together
Avoir d’autres chats à fouetterTo have other cats to whipTo have other fish to fry
Quand les poules auront des dentsWhen hens have teethWhen pigs can fly
Revenons à nos moutonsLet’s return to our sheepTo get back to the topic
Parler le français comme une vache espagnoleTo speak French like a Spanish cowTo speak French badly (if that’s your case, try to learn French online!)
Quand on parle du loupSpeaking of the wolfSpeaking of the devil
Avoir le cafardTo have the cockroachTo feel blue
Donner de la confiture à un cochonTo feed jam to a pigGive something valuable to somebody who doesn’t appreciate it
Comme un poisson dans l’eauLike a fish in waterTo be comfortable in a situation
Un ours mal léchéA badly licked bearSomebody who is in a bad mood/difficult to deal with


So did you manage to learn all the key animals in French?

Oh la vache, vous avez une mémoire d’éléphant! (two French expressions meaning “Oh my God” and “you have a great memory”).

If you’re finding pronunciation a challenge, it’s time to prendre le taureau par les cornes (French expression meaning “To tackle/face an issue”) and you might find it helps to learn the French alphabet with pronunciation.

Last but not least: Quel est votre animal préféré? Let us know on social media!