ListeningTCF Canada12 min read
TCF Canada Listening Tips: Beat the Traps From A1 to C2
TCF Canada listening tips: how the 39 questions get harder from A1 to C2, a strategy for each question type, the common traps and a 4-week routine.
Free cheat sheet
TCF and TEF Canada vocabulary list by theme
The words you need to understand and discuss the topics both tests keep coming back to: work, housing, health, the environment, technology, immigration and more. Every noun has its article, every theme has verbs and ready-made expressions to reuse in writing and speaking.
- 12 themes, about 200 words and expressions at B1 to B2 level
- Nouns with le / la, and (m.) or (f.) for every l' word
- Verbs and collocations to reuse in your answers
- Canadian usage noted (courriel, cégep, francisation)
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PDF · free · no sign-upChecked October 6, 2026
Quick answer
A good TCF or TEF Canada vocabulary list is organised by theme: work and employment, housing, health, environment, technology, education, transport and city life, immigration and integration, money, culture and leisure, daily life and administration. For NCLC 7, learn each noun with its article, a few verbs per theme and one or two ready-made expressions you can reuse when you give your opinion.
Learn the word with its article
A word without its gender is half a word: un problème or une problème changes every adjective and pronoun after it, and gender errors are among the most visible in writing. Always learn le loyer, never just loyer. Before a vowel the article becomes l', so those nouns are marked (m.) or (f.) below.
French vocabulary for work, housing and health
Travail et emploi (work and employment)
| French | English |
|---|---|
| un emploi | a job |
| le poste | the position, the role |
| l'employeur | the employer(m.) |
| le salarié, la salariée | the employee |
| le salaire | the salary, the wage |
| le chômage | unemploymentÊtre au chômage = to be unemployed. |
| l'entretien d'embauche | the job interview(m.) |
| le télétravail | remote work, working from home |
| un contrat à durée indéterminée | a permanent contract |
| les heures supplémentaires | overtime(f. pl.) |
| la conciliation travail-famille | work-family balanceUsual wording in Québec. |
| embaucher | to hire |
| licencier | to lay off, to dismiss |
| démissionner | to resign |
| postuler à un emploi | to apply for a jobCollocation. Also: poser sa candidature. |
| gagner sa vie | to earn a livingCollocation. |
Logement (housing)
| French | English |
|---|---|
| le logement | housing, a place to live |
| le loyer | the rent |
| le ou la propriétaire | the landlord, the owner |
| le ou la locataire | the tenant |
| le bail | the leasePlural: les baux. |
| un appartement | an apartment(m.) In Québec, un 4 ½ is a two-bedroom apartment. |
| le quartier | the neighbourhood |
| le chauffage | heating |
| la colocation | flat-sharing, having roommates |
| la crise du logement | the housing crisis |
| l'accès à la propriété | home ownership, buying a home(m.) |
| déménager | to move (house) |
| emménager | to move in |
| louer | to rent |
| signer un bail | to sign a leaseCollocation. |
| trouver un logement abordable | to find affordable housingCollocation. |
Santé (health)
| French | English |
|---|---|
| la santé | health |
| le médecin de famille | the family doctor |
| l'infirmier, l'infirmière | the nurse(m.), (f.) |
| la pharmacie | the pharmacy |
| l'ordonnance | the prescription(f.) |
| le rendez-vous | the appointment |
| les urgences | the emergency room(f. pl.) |
| le temps d'attente | the waiting time |
| la carte d'assurance maladie | the health insurance card |
| la santé mentale | mental health |
| l'alimentation | diet, food(f.) |
| le mode de vie | lifestyle |
| une maladie | an illness |
| se soigner | to get treatment, to look after your health |
| guérir | to recover, to heal |
| prendre rendez-vous | to make an appointmentCollocation. |
| avoir mal à la tête | to have a headacheAvoir mal à + body part. |
Vocabulary for environment, technology and education
Environnement (environment)
| French | English |
|---|---|
| l'environnement | the environment(m.) |
| les changements climatiques | climate change(m. pl.) Usual in Canada; also le changement climatique. |
| le réchauffement climatique | global warming |
| les gaz à effet de serre | greenhouse gases(m. pl.) |
| l'empreinte carbone | the carbon footprint(f.) |
| la pollution | pollution |
| les déchets | waste, garbage(m. pl.) |
| le recyclage | recycling |
| le compostage | composting |
| les énergies renouvelables | renewable energy(f. pl.) |
| la biodiversité | biodiversity |
| les feux de forêt | wildfires(m. pl.) |
| protéger | to protect |
| gaspiller | to waste |
| réduire | to reduce |
| trier ses déchets | to sort your wasteCollocation. |
| lutter contre le réchauffement climatique | to fight global warmingCollocation: lutter contre + noun. |
Technologie et numérique (technology and digital life)
| French | English |
|---|---|
| le numérique | digital technology |
| un ordinateur | a computer(m.) |
| un téléphone intelligent | a smartphoneUsual in Canada; in France, un smartphone. |
| l'application | the app(f.) |
| les réseaux sociaux | social media(m. pl.) |
| le courriel | emailUsual in Canada; in France also le mail. |
| le mot de passe | the password |
| les données personnelles | personal data(f. pl.) |
| la vie privée | privacy |
| l'intelligence artificielle | artificial intelligence(f.) |
| l'écran | the screen(m.) |
| le temps d'écran | screen time |
| la fracture numérique | the digital divide |
| télécharger | to download |
| se connecter | to log in, to connect |
| passer trop de temps devant les écrans | to spend too much time on screensCollocation. |
| protéger ses données | to protect your dataCollocation. |
Éducation et formation (education and training)
| French | English |
|---|---|
| l'éducation | education(f.) |
| la formation | training, a course |
| la formation continue | continuing education |
| l'école primaire, l'école secondaire | elementary school, high school(f.) In France: le collège, le lycée. |
| le cégep | Québec's college (between high school and university) |
| l'université | the university(f.) |
| l'enseignant, l'enseignante | the teacher(m.), (f.) |
| les études | studies(f. pl.) |
| le diplôme | the degree, the diploma |
| les frais de scolarité | tuition fees(m. pl.) |
| une bourse | a scholarship, a grant |
| l'apprentissage | learning; an apprenticeship(m.) |
| la reconnaissance des diplômes | credential recognition |
| s'inscrire à un cours | to enrol in a courseCollocation. |
| réussir un examen | to pass an examFalse friend: passer un examen = to take (sit) an exam. |
| obtenir son diplôme | to graduateCollocation. |
Vocabulary for city life, immigration and money
Transports et ville (transport and city life)
| French | English |
|---|---|
| les transports en commun | public transit(m. pl.) |
| l'autobus, le métro | the bus, the subway(m.) Also le bus. |
| l'heure de pointe | rush hour(f.) |
| la circulation | traffic |
| les embouteillages | traffic jams(m. pl.) Also les bouchons. |
| le trajet | the journey, the commute |
| la piste cyclable | the bike lane |
| le stationnement | parkingUsual in Canada; in France, le parking. |
| le permis de conduire | the driver's licence |
| le centre-ville | downtown |
| la banlieue | the suburbs |
| les infrastructures | infrastructure(f. pl.) |
| l'aménagement urbain | urban planning(m.) |
| le covoiturage | carpooling |
| se déplacer | to get around |
| prendre les transports en commun | to take public transitCollocation. |
| être coincé dans la circulation | to be stuck in trafficCollocation. |
Immigration et intégration (immigration and integration)
| French | English |
|---|---|
| l'immigration | immigration(f.) |
| le nouvel arrivant, la nouvelle arrivante | the newcomerThe usual word in Canada. |
| la résidence permanente | permanent residence |
| le résident permanent, la résidente permanente | the permanent resident |
| le permis de travail | the work permit |
| la citoyenneté | citizenship |
| le pays d'origine | the home country, the country of origin |
| le pays d'accueil | the host country |
| l'intégration | integration(f.) |
| la francisation | French courses for newcomers and workersQuébec term (Francisation Québec). |
| les communautés francophones en situation minoritaire | Francophone minority communities(f. pl.) French-speaking communities outside Québec, such as in New Brunswick, Ontario or Manitoba. |
| l'expérience canadienne | Canadian experience(f.) |
| le choc culturel | culture shock |
| le mal du pays | homesickness |
| la diversité culturelle | cultural diversity |
| s'installer | to settle |
| s'intégrer dans la société d'accueil | to integrate into the host societyCollocation. |
| faire une demande de résidence permanente | to apply for permanent residenceCollocation: faire une demande de + noun. |
Consommation et argent (shopping and money)
| French | English |
|---|---|
| l'argent | money(m.) |
| le coût de la vie | the cost of living |
| le pouvoir d'achat | purchasing power |
| l'épicerie | the grocery store; groceries(f.) In Canada, faire l'épicerie = to do the grocery shopping. |
| le budget | the budget |
| les économies | savings(f. pl.) |
| la dette | debt |
| le compte bancaire | the bank account |
| la carte de crédit | the credit card |
| la facture | the bill, the invoice |
| le remboursement | the refund; the repayment |
| l'achat en ligne | online shopping, an online purchase(m.) |
| la consommation responsable | responsible consumption |
| dépenser | to spend |
| emprunter | to borrow |
| faire des économies | to save moneyCollocation. |
| joindre les deux bouts | to make ends meetIdiom. |
Vocabulary for leisure, daily life and paperwork
Culture et loisirs (culture and leisure)
| French | English |
|---|---|
| les loisirs | leisure activities, hobbies(m. pl.) |
| le temps libre | free time |
| la lecture | reading |
| le spectacle | the show |
| le festival | the festival |
| l'exposition | the exhibition(f.) |
| le musée | the museum |
| la bibliothèque | the libraryFalse friend: a bookshop is une librairie. |
| la randonnée | hiking, a hike |
| le bénévolat | volunteering |
| l'activité physique | physical activity(f.) |
| le patrimoine | heritage |
| la sortie | an outing, a night out |
| se détendre | to relax |
| faire du sport | to do sport, to exerciseCollocation: faire du / de la / de l' + activity. |
| assister à un concert | to attend a concertFalse friend: assister à = to attend, not to assist. |
Société et vie quotidienne (society and daily life)
| French | English |
|---|---|
| la vie quotidienne | daily life |
| les tâches ménagères | household chores(f. pl.) |
| la garderie | daycareUsual in Québec; in France, la crèche. |
| les habitudes | habits(f. pl.) |
| le bien-être | well-being |
| la solitude | loneliness |
| le voisinage | the neighbours, the neighbourhood |
| les personnes âgées | older people, seniors(f. pl.) Feminine even when the people are men. |
| les jeunes | young people(m. pl.) |
| le vieillissement de la population | the ageing population |
| l'égalité | equality(f.) |
| la sécurité | safety, security |
| s'occuper de | to look after, to take care of |
| partager | to share |
| prendre soin de soi | to take care of yourselfCollocation. |
| avoir du mal à | to struggle toCollocation: avoir du mal à + infinitive. |
Administration et démarches (administration and paperwork)
| French | English |
|---|---|
| les démarches administratives | paperwork, administrative steps(f. pl.) |
| le formulaire | the form |
| la demande | the application, the request |
| le dossier | the file, the application |
| la pièce d'identité | the ID document |
| la preuve de résidence | proof of address |
| le numéro d'assurance sociale (NAS) | the Social Insurance Number (SIN) |
| la déclaration de revenus | the tax return |
| le délai | the deadline; the processing timeFalse friend: not just a delay. |
| le service à la clientèle | customer serviceUsual in Canada; in France, le service client. |
| la pièce jointe | the attachment |
| l'hôtel de ville | city hall(m.) |
| renouveler | to renew |
| se renseigner | to find out, to ask for informationThe key verb for the information role-play in speaking. |
| remplir un formulaire | to fill in a formCollocation. |
| déposer une demande | to submit an applicationCollocation. |
How to learn this vocabulary so it sticks
Learn chunks, not single words
Write each word with its article and an expression: le loyer → payer le loyer, un loyer trop élevé. Chunks come out faster under exam pressure than words you have to assemble.
Use spaced repetition
Put the words in a flashcard app or on paper cards and review them after one day, then a few days, then a week. Ten minutes a day beats an hour on Sunday. Test yourself from English to French: that's the direction you need for writing and speaking.
Say them out loud in an opinion answer
Take one theme, pick five words and use them in a two-minute spoken opinion, the kind asked in TCF speaking task 3 or TEF section B. Record it and listen back. Questions to practise with are on the speaking questions sheet.
Write one paragraph per theme
Write 120 words on the theme with two linking words from the writing phrases sheet. Underline the new words: if you used them correctly, they are yours.
Meet them again in listening and reading
Recognising a word at natural speed is a different skill from knowing it on paper. Practise with the listening exercises and the reading practice, and note every theme word you catch.
Check your progress under real conditions
Start with the free French level check, then sit the full mock test to see whether your vocabulary holds up against the clock.
Keep a copy
Download the PDF to print it or keep it on your phone. Prints cleanly on A4 and Letter.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Sources
Last checked against official sources on Oct 6, 2026. Rules change: always confirm on canada.ca before you submit anything.
- IRCC: Express Entry language test results (TEF Canada, TCF Canada)Accepted French tests and NCLC equivalences. (opens in a new tab)
- Le français des affaires: TEF Canada presentationThe four tests and their tasks. (opens in a new tab)
- Government of Canada: numéro d'assurance sociale (NAS)Official French name of the SIN. (opens in a new tab)
- Gouvernement du Québec: apprendre le françaisFrench courses and francisation in Québec. (opens in a new tab)
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