Lumi KidsFrench for kids
French is the second most taught language in US schools and the most widely taught one in England's primary schools. Here are the 64 first words your child learns in Lumi Kids, said by Lumi in French from France, with a say-it guide written for English speakers.
Guides for French families
- Languages in UK primary schools (KS2)what children learn in Years 3 to 6
- Best Language Learning Apps for Kids in 2026: Parent's Guidehow to choose an app for a 4- to 9-year-old
- Best Age to Learn a Second Language: A Guide for Parentswhat research says about starting age
- How to Raise a Bilingual Child: Methods That Fit Real Familiesfor families who speak French at home
- Free printablesword lists and worksheets (PDF)
Why French?
In the UK, French is the language your child is most likely to meet at school: a foreign language is part of the national curriculum in England for ages 7–11, and French remains the most widely taught one in primary schools (British Council, Language Trends England 2025). Starting a little earlier at home makes Year 3 French feel familiar instead of new.
In the US, French comes second after Spanish: 12% of public schools teach it (NCES, January 2024). French is also one of Canada's two official languages, and it is spoken across Europe, Africa and the Caribbean, so it travels well.
English speakers start with an advantage: English took many words from French, and kids spot them quickly. Lion, orange, papa, bébé and banane are all in the first 64 words. The challenge is the sound: French is not read the way it is written, so hearing words before seeing them helps a lot.
The 64 first French words
These are the 64 words of the Seed level, eight worlds of eight words, each with a short sentence. Tap a card and Lumi says the word; the orange line is a say-it guide in English spelling, with the stressed syllable in capitals. The guide gets you close; Lumi's voice is the real thing. French stresses the end of a word, so the guide puts the last syllable in capitals.
Tap a card and Lumi says the word; ▶ next to a sentence reads it, and “Play all in order” plays a whole group. Voices: Lumi (AI-generated voice).
8 words · 8 sentences
Hello World · Bonjour le monde !
| Sentence | English | listen |
|---|---|---|
| Bonjour, je suis Lumi ! | Hello, I am Lumi! | |
| Au revoir, à bientôt ! | Goodbye, see you! | |
| Oui, j’aime ça ! | Yes, I like it! | |
| Non, merci beaucoup. | No, thank you. | |
| Merci beaucoup, Lumi ! | Thank you very much! | |
| S’il te plaît, aide-moi. | Please help me. | |
| Tu es mon ami. | You are my friend. | |
| Bonjour, mon ami Lumi ! | Good morning, Lumi! |
8 words · 8 sentences
Colors · Les couleurs
| Sentence | English | listen |
|---|---|---|
| La pomme est rouge. | The apple is red. | |
| Le ciel est bleu. | The sky is blue. | |
| Le soleil est jaune. | The sun is yellow. | |
| La grenouille est verte. | The frog is green. | |
| J’aime la couleur orange. | I like orange. | |
| Les raisins sont violets. | The grapes are purple. | |
| Le cochon est rose. | The pig is pink. | |
| Le nuage est blanc. | The cloud is white. |
8 words · 8 sentences
Numbers · Les nombres
| Sentence | English | listen |
|---|---|---|
| J’ai une pomme. | I have one apple. | |
| Je vois deux canards. | I see two ducks. | |
| Voici trois ballons ! | Three balloons! | |
| Voici quatre petits gâteaux. | Four cupcakes. | |
| Voici cinq étoiles ! | Five stars! | |
| Voici six fraises. | Six strawberries. | |
| Voici sept poissons. | Seven fish. | |
| Voici huit fleurs. | Eight flowers. |
8 words · 8 sentences
Animals · Les animaux
| Sentence | English | listen |
|---|---|---|
| Le chat fait miaou. | The cat says meow. | |
| Le chien est content. | The dog is happy. | |
| L’oiseau peut voler. | The bird can fly. | |
| Le poisson peut nager. | The fish can swim. | |
| Le cheval est grand. | The horse is big. | |
| La vache fait meuh. | The cow says moo. | |
| Le lion est fort. | The lion is strong. | |
| Le lapin saute. | The rabbit jumps. |
8 words · 8 sentences
My Family · Ma famille
| Sentence | English | listen |
|---|---|---|
| J’aime ma maman. | I love my mom. | |
| Mon papa est grand. | My dad is tall. | |
| Ma sœur est gentille. | My sister is kind. | |
| Mon frère joue. | My brother plays. | |
| Mamie fait des biscuits. | Grandma bakes cookies. | |
| Papi raconte des histoires. | Grandpa tells stories. | |
| Le bébé est petit. | The baby is small. | |
| Voici ma famille. | This is my family. |
8 words · 8 sentences
Food · Les aliments
| Sentence | English | listen |
|---|---|---|
| Je mange une pomme. | I eat an apple. | |
| La banane est jaune. | The banana is yellow. | |
| J’aime le pain. | I like bread. | |
| Je bois du lait. | I drink milk. | |
| Un œuf pour le petit-déjeuner. | An egg for breakfast. | |
| Le fromage, c’est bon ! | Cheese is yummy. | |
| De l’eau, s’il te plaît. | I want water, please. | |
| Un gâteau pour ton anniversaire ! | Happy birthday cake! |
8 words · 8 sentences
My Body · Mon corps
| Sentence | English | listen |
|---|---|---|
| Touche ta tête. | Touch your head. | |
| J’ai deux yeux. | I have two eyes. | |
| Voici mon nez. | This is my nose. | |
| Ouvre la bouche. | Open your mouth. | |
| J’entends avec mes oreilles. | I hear with my ears. | |
| Tape dans tes mains ! | Clap your hands! | |
| Tape des pieds ! | Stomp your feet! | |
| Mes cheveux sont bouclés. | My hair is curly. |
8 words · 8 sentences
Toys & Home · Les jouets et la maison
| Sentence | English | listen |
|---|---|---|
| Je tape dans le ballon. | I kick the ball. | |
| La voiture va vite. | The car is fast. | |
| Je joue avec ma poupée. | I play with my doll. | |
| Je lis un livre. | I read a book. | |
| Je câline mon ours en peluche. | I hug my teddy bear. | |
| Je dors dans mon lit. | I sleep in my bed. | |
| Assieds-toi sur la chaise. | Sit on the chair. | |
| C’est ma maison. | This is my house. |
Sounds that are new for English speakers
| Sound or letter | What to know |
|---|---|
| Nasal vowels: an, on, in | Said partly through the nose, without a full n at the end: maman (mah-MAHN), bonjour (bohn-ZHOOR), lapin (lah-PAN). |
| r | Made at the back of the throat, close to a soft gargle: rouge, frère. Children copy it best by listening. |
| u | Round your lips for "oo" and say "ee": voiture (vwah-TEWR). The guide writes it ew. |
| eu, œu | Like "uh" with rounded lips: bleu (BLUH), deux (DUH), œuf (UHF). |
| Silent letters | Most final consonants are not said: chat is SHAH, lit is LEE, trois is TRWAH. |
| j, and g before e or i | Like the s in "measure": bonjour, rouge, fromage. |
| oi | Like "wah": trois, oiseau (wah-ZOH), poisson (pwah-SOHN). |
How to practice French at home
- Greet at the door. Bonjour when someone comes home, au revoir when they leave, merci at the table. Ten seconds, every day.
- Sing the old songs. Frère Jacques is the French original of "Are You Sleeping, Brother John?", so the tune is already familiar; Alouette is another traditional favorite.
- Listen before reading. Because French spelling and sound differ, play Lumi's audio first and show the written word afterwards.
- Count in French. Un, deux, trois on the stairs or at bath time.
For the fridge: the 64 first French words (free PDF) with the meaning, a say-it guide, a matching worksheet and a writing sheet.
How Lumi teaches French
In Lumi Kids your child starts at Seed, the first of four levels (Seed, Sprout, Sapling and Tree, 72 worlds in all). The 64 words on this page are Seed's eight worlds. Every world has at least six exercises: learn the words, listen and tap, card match, true or false, listen in order and talk with Lumi; higher levels add sentence building, stories and role play. Lumi explains in English and says the new words in French from France.
From age 7 the app adds reading and spelling in French, after the words are already known by ear.
Seed and Sprout are free, with 60 seconds of live talk to try. Lumi Plus unlocks Sapling and Tree and adds 10 minutes of live talk a week: $14.99 a month or $119.99 a year, and the yearly plan starts with a 7-day free trial for new subscribers (App Store US, checked October 5, 2026). Before live talk is turned on, the app tells you, the parent, that Lumi is an AI. Lumi Kids does not record or store your child's voice. More about the app.
Sources
Facts on this page come from these pages (checked October 5, 2026) and from the app itself.
- Association for Language Learning, Teacher Briefing 45: Language Trends England 2025 (British Council) (October 5, 2026)
- GOV.UK: The national curriculum in England, framework for key stages 1 to 4 (October 5, 2026)
- ACTFL (March 2026): The State of K-12 World Language Education, data from the NCES School Pulse Panel, January 2024 (October 5, 2026)
- App Store (US): Lumi Kids: Learn Languages (October 5, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
Is French harder than Spanish for kids?
The words are often easier for English speakers, because English borrowed so many from French. The sounds and the spelling are harder: French has nasal vowels and silent letters. Young children copy sounds well, so listening a lot early is the best way in.
When do children learn French at school in the UK?
In England a foreign language is a national curriculum subject at key stage 2, Years 3 to 6 (ages 7–11), and French is the most common choice. Schools decide which language they teach. See languages in UK primary schools.
Is Lumi's French from France or Canada?
Lumi speaks French from France. Canadian French shares the same words for almost everything a young child learns first; the accent and a few everyday words differ.
Is there a free printable list of the first French words?
Yes: the 64 first French words (PDF), with a matching worksheet and a writing sheet. It works well next to this page, where every word can be heard.
French with Lumi, a few minutes a day
Your child hears the words in French from France, plays with them and then speaks with Lumi. The first two levels are free.
