Preparing for TEF Canada can feel overwhelming, especially for the reading and listening modules. A strong vocabulary is your key to understanding texts, dialogues, announcements, and articles easily. Here’s a long, practical list of French words and phrases that appear frequently in TEF Canada exams, with simple English explanations so you can remember and use them confidently.
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1. General Vocabulary for Daily Life
un rendez-vous- an appointment un horaire- schedule, timetable la durée- duration un document- document, paper un formulaire- form (official) une inscription- egistration, enrollment le service client- customer service le numéro de téléphone- phone number un message vocal- voicemail un courrier électronique / un e-mail- email
la date limite- deadline confirmer- to confirm annuler- to cancel reporter- to postpone disponible- available fermé(e)- closed ouvert(e)- open une adresse- address une direction- direction, guidance un plan- map, plan
Tip: Reading notices, emails, or public announcements will often use these words.
2. Travel and Transportation Vocabulary
un billet- ticket un vol- flight un train- train un autobus / un bus- bus un taxi- taxi un arrêt- stop, station la gare- train station l’aéroport- airport le départ- departure l’arrivée- arrival en retard- late à l’heure- on time une correspondance- connection (train or flight) le quai- platform une ligne- line (bus, metro, train) réserver- to book
annuler- to cancel composter- to validate a ticket le guichet- ticket counter
Tip: Listening modules often include conversations in transport, announcements, or ticket-related dialogues.
3. Work, Office, and Administration Vocabulary
un employé / une employée- employee un poste- position, job un salaire- salary un contrat- contract un stage- internship un entretien- interview une réunion- meeting
un dossier- file, record un document officiel- official document signer- to sign remplir- to fill in envoyer- to send recevoir- to receive une lettre- letter une demande- equest, application un formulaire- form la permission- permission approuver- to approve refuser- to refuse
Tip: Many listening texts involve office or administration conversations, like booking appointments, applying for a job, or dealing with official documents.
4. Shopping and Services Vocabulary
acheter- to buy vendre- to sell un magasin- store, shop un supermarché- supermarket un centre commercial- mall la caisse- cash register le prix- price une réduction / un rabais- discount un ticket de caisse- receipt échanger- to exchange retourner- to return une promotion- promotion, sale un produit- product disponible- available en stock- in stock en rupture de stock-out of stock
Tips: Reading passages may describe shopping situations or service announcements.
5. Health & Medical Vocabulary
un médecin- doctor un hôpital- hospital une clinique- clinic un patient / une patiente- patient une ordonnance- prescription les médicaments- medicine la consultation- consultation une urgence- emergency la santé- health malade- sick se soigner- to take care of oneself / treat avoir de la fièvre- to have a fever tousser- to cough une lessure- injury une fracture- fracture
Tip: Listen for announcements, dialogues, or reading passages about medical situations or health advice.
6. Housing & Accommodation Vocabulary
un appartement- apartment une maison- house louer- to rent un propriétaire- landlord un locataire- tenant un bail- lease le loyer- rent les charges- utilities, charges
une chambre- room une cuisine- kitchen une salle de bain- bathroom une adresse- address déménager- to move (house) le voisin / la voisine- neighbor
Tip: Reading and listening can involve announcements, ads, or conversations about renting or housing.
7. Time, Numbers, and Dates Vocabulary
aujourd’hui- today demain- tomorrow hier- yesterday la semaine- week le mois- month l’année- year la date- date l’heure- hour tôt- early tard- late souvent- often parfois- sometimes rarement- rarely toujours- always jamais- never premier- first deuxième- second le numéro- number le temps- time, weather
Tip: This vocabulary is everywhere in reading announcements, schedules, and listening dialogues.
8. Common Connectors & Useful Expressions
et- and mais- but ou- or donc- so, therefore parce que- because car- because / for cependant- however malgré/ despite en raison de- due to à cause de- because of selona according to d’aprèsa according to comme- like, as par exemple- for example notamment- especially en général- in general parfois- sometimes
Tip: Recognizing these will help you understand relationships between ideas in texts and conversations.
9. Verbs Frequently Used in TEF Reading & Listening
dire- to say/ to tell demander- to ask for répondre- to answer expliquer- to explain montrer- to show commencer- to start finir- to finish travaillera to work étudier- to tudy utiliser- to use pouvoir- can / to be able to devoir- must / to have to vouloir to want savoira to know (facts) connaître- to know (people, places) entendre- to hear écouter- to listen lirea to read écrire- to write
Tip: Verbs are critical in understanding instructions, dialogues, and article content.
How to Use This Vocabulary
1. Flashcards: Make simple flashcards with French on one side, English on the other.
2. Context Practice: Try reading short news, ads, or announcements using these words.
3. Listening Practice: Listen to French audios (radio, podcasts, announcements) and identify these words.
4. Sentence Formation: Write simple sentences using new vocabulary to remember it better.
With these essential words and expressions, you will feel more confident in reading and listening sections of TEF Canada. Gradually, you’ll notice that texts start to feel familiar, and understanding becomes easier.
If this helped you, feel free to share it with your French learning friends. And if you’re looking for structured support, check out our French courses at LingoRelic, we focus on real-life grammar use, not just textbook rules.
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