First words
First French words for toddlers
The best first French words are ones your toddler can point at: the people in the house, the animals in their books, their own nose and toes. Start with maman, papa, le chat and le nez, and name them every day.
In this guide
Point, name, wait
Toddlers learn the words for things they can see. Hold up the toy cow, say la vache, and wait. It may be weeks before anything comes back. Understanding comes long before speaking, and the naming is doing its work all along.
Say le or la with every word
French nouns come with a small word in front, le or la. Say them together, le chat, la vache, and your child gets both at once.
One thing to do tonight
Name three things in the bath: le nez, les pieds, le canard. The nose, the feet, the duck.
Free bedtime script
First words by day, ten phrases by night
Name things all day, then let the Le Dodo script run bedtime in French.
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 French words should a toddler learn first?
Words for things they can see and point at: family, animals, body parts, food and toys.
Should I say le and la with every word?
Yes. Say le chat, not just chat. The little word tells you whether a noun is masculine or feminine, and it's easiest to learn the two together.
When will my child say their first French word?
When they're ready, often after their first English words. Understanding comes long before speaking, so keep naming things even when nothing comes back.
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Updated 16 October 2026