French School Subjects Vocabulary

What are the school subjects in French?

The main school subjects in French are les maths (math), le français (French), l’anglais (English), la chimie (chemistry), la physique (physics) and l’histoire-géographie (history and geography). This page offers a complete list of over 60 school subjects in French.

Math & Science

The French school system has traditionally put a strong emphasis on math (les maths) and science (les sciences). In history, French school kids have been ahead of North American kids in math and science.

All French high school students take classes in calculus and physics while these classes are often for only the strongest students in the United States.

les mathématiques math
l’algèbre algebra
la biologie biology
le calcul infinitésimal calculus
la chimie chemistry
l’imformatique computing
les sciences de la Terre earth science
l’enseignement scientifique general science
la géométrie geometry
la science de la vie life science
la chimie organique organic chemistry
le sciences physiques physical science
la physique physics
le travail manuel éducatif (TME) technology
la trigonométrie trigonometry

While schools in the US offer classes in art, the French school system does not necessarily offer such classes.

Many kids in France participate in art activities after school. The same applies to theater and acting. While performances are a big part of the high school experience, the US, they are not in France.

Arts

l’art art
les arts décoratifs applied arts
le théâtre theater
le dessin drawing
les beaux arts fine arts
les arts du spectacle performing arts
la danse dancing

Language & writing

In France, all kids are giving the opportunity to study a foreign language. In fact, kids select both a first foreign language, almost always English, and a second foreign language.

The most common second foreign languages for French kids are German, Spanish, Italian and Dutch.

la langue vivante modern languages
l’écriture créative creative writing
l’anglais English
les langues étrangères foreign langauges
le français French
l’allemand German
la grammaire grammar
le grec Greek
l’italien Italian
le journalisme journalism
la linguistic language arts
le latin Latin
la littérature litterature
la poésie poetry
l’espagnol Spanish

Social studies

The French school system does a very good teaching history and geography. In France, the class is called Histoire-Géo, which is short of Histoire-Géographie. French history classes focus heavily on the history of France and its role in Europe and the world.

le sciences sociales social studies
l’éducation civique civics
la commerce buisiness
l’économie (f) ecomics
la géographie geography
l’histoire history
l’histoire-géographie history and geography, humanities
la politique politics
l’instruction religieuse religious studies
la psychologie psychology
la sociologie sociology
la philosophie philosophy

Other

Similar to the previously mentioned subjects of art and theater, French schools typically do not offer students a music class.

French kids often go to separate music school where they receive instruction and participate in bands and orchestras. French schools typically do not offer wood shop and home economics classes either.