Noël
French Christmas words for young children
The first French Christmas words to say with a toddler are le sapin (the tree), le Père Noël, les cadeaux (the presents), l'étoile (the star) and la neige (the snow). Point and name: one word a day from 1 December.
Twenty Christmas words
Say the le or la with each word: it tells you whether the word is masculine or feminine. For l' and les words, un or une does the job: une étoile, un ange.
| French | English | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| le sapin | the Christmas tree | Say it luh sa-PAN |
| le Père Noël | Father Christmas | Say it luh pair no-EL |
| les cadeaux | the presentsOne present: un cadeau. | Say it lay ka-DOH |
| l'étoile | the star | Say it lay-TWAL |
| la neige | the snow | Say it la NEZH |
| le bonhomme de neige | the snowman | Say it luh bo-NOM duh NEZH |
| les boules | the baubles | Say it lay BOOL |
| la guirlande | the tinsel, or the string of lights | Say it la geer-LAHND |
| la bougie | the candle | Say it la boo-ZHEE |
| la cheminée | the fireplace | Say it la shuh-mee-NAY |
| les chaussures | the shoes | Say it lay sho-SOOR |
| le renne | the reindeer | Say it luh REN |
| le traîneau | the sleigh | Say it luh tray-NOH |
| le lutin | the elf | Say it luh loo-TAN |
| la crèche | the nativity scene | Say it la KRESH |
| l'ange | the angel | Say it LAHNZH |
| la cloche | the bell | Say it la KLOSH |
| le calendrier de l'Avent | the Advent calendar | Say it luh ka-lahn-dree-AY duh la-VAHN |
| la bûche de Noël | the Christmas log cake | Say it la BOOSH duh no-EL (û with rounded lips) |
| le chocolat chaud | hot chocolate | Say it luh sho-ko-la SHOH |
Three games for the tree
- Où est l'étoile ? Where's the star? Say it oo ay lay-TWAL Your child points. Then the bell, the angel, the red bauble.
- Touche la boule rouge. Touch the red bauble. Say it TOOSH la bool ROOZH Colours come free with Christmas.
- Qu'est-ce que c'est ? What is it? Say it kess-kuh SAY Hold up a decoration and wait. Any answer counts, English included.
A word a day in December
Tape one word to each door of your Advent calendar, or stick the day’s word on the fridge, and say it whenever you pass. Twenty words leaves four days spare for favourites.
The tree does half the work. Point at l’étoile every time you switch on the lights, and within a week your child may point first.
Le or la?
Every French noun is masculine or feminine, and the small word in front tells you which: le sapin, la neige. Learn them as a pair and you never have to think about it. Say them together, and your child hears them together.
One thing to do tonight
Switch on the tree lights and say l’étoile as you point to the top. That’s the whole game for night one.
Free bedtime script
Christmas words by day, bedtime words by night
Twenty words for the tree in the daytime, then ten for bedtime.
Ten bedtime phrases, each with a say-it guide, on one page for the bedroom door.
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Download it now (PDF)Questions parents ask
What is the French word for Christmas?
Noël, said no-EL.
What is a Christmas tree in French?
Le sapin de Noël, usually shortened to le sapin, the fir tree.
How do you say presents in French?
Les cadeaux, said lay ka-DOH. One present is un cadeau.
What is the French Christmas cake called?
La bûche de Noël, a rolled sponge iced to look like a log.
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Updated 16 October 2026