Ah, exams. Whether you love them or hate them, they're a part of life, especially when you're learning something new, like French!

Just as there are many types of tests, from a simple quiz to a major final, the French language has several ways to talk about them.

Let’s look at 9 common ways to say “exam” in French so you can ace your next vocabulary test!

1. The standard 'exam' – un examen

The most common and standard word for 'exam' or 'test' in French is un examen. It's the word you'll encounter most frequently in academic, professional, and even medical contexts.

Un examen (pronounced roughly uhn egg-zah-meh) is a masculine noun. This means you will always use masculine articles and adjectives with it, such as un examen, l'examen, or mon examen difficile (my difficult exam).

This term is incredibly versatile. You can use it for:

• Academic tests: l'examen du baccalauréat (the final high school exam), un examen de biologie (a biology exam).
• Medical tests: un examen médical (a medical exam/check-up), un examen sanguin (a blood test).
• Professional certifications: l'examen du barreau (the bar exam for lawyers).

To say you are 'taking an exam', the French use the verb passer. Therefore, passer un examen means 'to take an exam'. This is a very common point of confusion for English speakers.

So, how do you say you 'passed' an exam? You use the verb réussir à. For example, J'ai réussi à mon examen or more commonly, J'ai réussi mon examen means 'I passed my exam'. To say you failed, you use the verb rater: J'ai raté mon examen.

💡 * Je dois réviser pour mon examen de français ce soir.

• Les étudiants passent un examen important demain matin.
• Le médecin a demandé un examen sanguin complet.
• Félicitations, tu as réussi ton examen de conduite !
• Malheureusement, j'ai raté mon examen et je dois le repasser.

The 'test' or 'quiz' – un contrôle

The “test” or “quiz” – un contrôle

In the French school system, the word you'll hear most often for a test or quiz is un contrôle. It refers to an assessment given to students to check their understanding of a specific topic or chapter that was recently covered in class.

It's important not to confuse un contrôle with un examen. While both are tests, un contrôle is typically smaller in scale, like a chapter quiz or unit test. An examen, on the other hand, is a much larger, more comprehensive test, such as a midterm or a final exam (un examen final).

You'll frequently hear students say things like J'ai un contrôle de maths (I have a math test) or On a un contrôle demain (We have a quiz tomorrow). It's the standard term for these regular assessments that make up a student's grade throughout the semester.

The name comes from the verb contrôler, meaning "to check" or "to verify." In this context, the teacher is literally "checking" the students' knowledge on the subject matter.

So, while test and quiz exist as English loanwords in French, un contrôle is the authentic, everyday term used in educational settings for a standard test on a specific unit of study.

💡 * J'ai un contrôle de maths demain matin.

• Le prof a annoncé un contrôle surprise.
• Comment s'est passé ton contrôle d'histoire ?
• Nous devons réviser pour le contrôle de biologie.

The 'competitive exam' – un concours

In French, the word for a 'competitive exam' is un concours. This isn't just any test; it's an exam where candidates compete against each other for a limited number of spots, such as for entry into prestigious schools (grandes écoles), civil service jobs, or certain professions.

The key difference between un concours and un examen is the outcome. With an examen (like a final exam in a course), you pass if you meet a certain standard (e.g., get a score of 50%). With a concours, you must not only pass but also rank higher than other candidates to secure one of the available places.

The concours system is a cornerstone of the French meritocratic ideal, particularly for accessing the civil service (la fonction publique) and elite higher education institutions. Preparing for a concours is often an intense, multi-year process.

To talk about these exams, you can use phrases like passer un concours (to sit for a competitive exam), réussir un concours (to pass/succeed in a competitive exam), and préparer un concours (to prepare for a competitive exam). The intensive preparation period is often called la prépa.

💡 * Elle prépare le concours d'entrée à Sciences Po. (She is preparing for the entrance exam to Sciences Po.)

• Mon frère a réussi le concours pour devenir professeur. (My brother passed the competitive exam to become a teacher.)
• Le concours de médecine est réputé pour être très difficile. (The medical school competitive exam is known for being very difficult.)
• Des milliers de candidats vont passer le concours de la fonction publique cette année. (Thousands of candidates will sit for the civil service exam this year.)

The 'test' or 'trial' – une épreuve

The 'test' or 'trial' – une épreuve

Une épreuve translates to a 'test,' 'trial,' or 'ordeal.' It's used for challenges that test your character, endurance, or skill, often implying a degree of difficulty or hardship. It's more profound than a simple school test, which is usually un examen or un contrôle.

The term is frequently used to describe significant life challenges, competitive events, or any difficult situation that must be overcome. For example, a marathon can be une épreuve d'endurance (a test of endurance), and overcoming a personal loss is also une épreuve.

Remember that épreuve is a feminine noun. You will always see it with feminine articles and adjectives, such as une épreuve difficile (a difficult trial) or la première épreuve (the first test).

💡 * Perdre son emploi a été une dure épreuve pour sa famille. (Losing his job was a hard ordeal for his family.)

• L'athlète a réussi l'épreuve de saut en hauteur. (The athlete succeeded in the high jump event.)
• Surmonter cette maladie fut une véritable épreuve. (Overcoming this illness was a true trial.)
• Le baccalauréat est la dernière épreuve avant l'université. (The baccalaureate is the final test before university.)

The 'oral exam' – un oral

In the French academic system, a spoken examination is simply called un oral.

Un oral refers to any test, presentation, or examination that is conducted verbally, as opposed to a written test. It's a fundamental part of schooling in France, from high school to university.

The noun oral is masculine, which is why it's always preceded by un or le. For example, you would say J'ai un oral (I have an oral exam).

This term is commonly paired with verbs like avoir (to have), passer (to take/sit for), and réussir (to pass/succeed at). For example, passer un oral means 'to take an oral exam'.

The opposite of un oral is un écrit (a written exam). It's common for final exams to be split into these two parts: l'épreuve orale (the oral test) and l'épreuve écrite (the written test).

💡 * J'ai un oral de français la semaine prochaine. (I have a French oral exam next week.)

• Comment s'est passé ton oral ? (How did your oral exam go?)
• Il doit préparer sa présentation pour l'oral d'histoire. (He has to prepare his presentation for the history oral exam.)
• Beaucoup d'étudiants ont peur de passer un oral. (Many students are afraid of taking an oral exam.)

The 'written exam' – un écrit

In French academic slang, the term for a 'written exam' is simply un écrit.

The word un écrit is a noun derived from the verb écrire (to write). In an educational context, it specifically refers to the written portion of an exam. It's the standard term used by students from high school (lycée) through university to talk about their tests.

The key to understanding un écrit is knowing its counterpart: un oral (an oral exam). Many French examinations are split into these two parts. A student might say, J'ai bien réussi mon écrit, mais j'ai peur pour l'oral (I did well on my written exam, but I'm scared for the oral).

While you could say un examen écrit for 'a written exam,' it sounds more formal and less natural in everyday conversation among students. Using un écrit is more common and idiomatic. For example, C'est quand, ton écrit de philo ? (When is your philosophy written exam?).

💡 * J'ai un écrit d'histoire demain, je suis stressé.

• L'écrit était beaucoup plus facile que ce que je pensais.
• Les résultats des écrits seront affichés lundi.
• Pour valider le module, il faut réussir l'écrit et l'oral.

The 'mock exam' – un examen blanc

The term un examen blanc literally translates to “a white exam.” In French, it refers to a mock exam, a dry run, or a practice test taken under exam-like conditions to prepare for the actual one.

This expression is very common in the French education system, especially for students preparing for major national exams like the baccalauréat or the brevet. It's the standard way to talk about a practice test.

The noun examen is masculine, so the adjective blanc agrees with it. The plural form is des examens blancs. The term emphasizes that the test doesn't count for a real grade but is purely for practice.

💡 * J'ai un examen blanc de philosophie la semaine prochaine. (I have a mock philosophy exam next week.)

• Les résultats de l'examen blanc ne comptent pas dans la moyenne. (The results of the mock exam don't count towards the average.)
• Notre professeur a organisé un examen blanc pour nous entraîner. (Our teacher organized a mock exam to help us practice.)

The 'mid-term exam' – un partiel

In the French university system, a mid-term exam is called un partiel. This is a key piece of vocabulary for any student studying in France or learning about its education system.

The word partiel literally means 'partial.' It refers to an exam that covers a part of the semester's curriculum, usually everything taught in the first half. It's the direct equivalent of a 'mid-term'.

While you can talk about a single exam (un partiel), it's very common to hear the plural form, les partiels, to refer to the entire mid-term examination period. A student might say they are stressed because of les partiels.

It's important not to confuse un partiel with l'examen final (the final exam), which occurs at the end of the semester and typically covers the entire course.

💡 * J'ai un partiel de maths demain matin. (I have a math mid-term tomorrow morning.)

• Elle révise pour ses partiels toute la journée. (She is studying for her mid-terms all day.)
• La semaine des partiels commence lundi. (Mid-term week starts on Monday.)
• Comment s'est passé ton partiel d'histoire ? (How did your history mid-term go?)

1. How to Say 'Final Exam' in French: L'examen final

The most direct and widely used term for 'final exam' in French is l'examen final. This phrase literally translates to 'the final exam.' The word examen is masculine, so you use the masculine form of the adjective, final.

When referring to multiple exams, the phrase changes to les examens finaux. Note the irregular plural of final, which becomes finaux in the masculine plural form. This is a common pattern for adjectives ending in '-al'.

A slightly more formal or specific alternative is l'épreuve finale. The word épreuve means 'test,' 'trial,' or 'ordeal,' and is often used for a specific component of a larger examination. For example, an oral exam could be called l'épreuve orale. Épreuve is a feminine noun, hence the use of finale.

In academic settings, you'll also hear about un partiel, which is the French equivalent of a 'midterm exam.' For competitive entrance exams to prestigious schools (grandes écoles), the term used is un concours.

💡 * Je dois réviser pour mon examen final d'histoire. (I have to study for my final history exam.)

• Les examens finaux de l'université ont lieu en décembre. (The university's final exams take place in December.)
• L'épreuve finale du baccalauréat est la plus stressante. (The final test of the baccalauréat is the most stressful.)
• As-tu réussi ton partiel de maths ? (Did you pass your math midterm?)

Are there other ways to say 'exam' in French?

Are there other ways to say “exam” in French?

Our list features the most common ways to say “exam” in French, from the formal examen to the school-yard interro. But French is full of specific terms for different types of tests, from university-level partiels to nationwide competitions like a concours.

You can expand your vocabulary by searching for terms related to a specific field. For example, try looking up 'épreuve de conduite' for a driving test or 'oral de français' for a French oral exam.

When you find a new word for “exam,” pay close attention to the context. Is it a short quiz, a final, or a competitive entrance exam? Checking a word's definition and seeing it used in a sentence is crucial before you try it yourself.

Listen for these words when you watch French movies or TV shows set in schools or universities. Observing how native speakers talk about academic pressure and success will give you a deeper understanding of the culture surrounding education.

For a comprehensive look at related vocabulary, the WordReference entry for examen is an excellent resource. It provides synonyms, related terms, and example sentences that can clarify the nuances between different words.

I hope this guide helps you feel more prepared to discuss your studies in French. To end, here’s a bit of encouragement from a French proverb: 'Petit à petit, l'oiseau fait son nid.' (Little by little, the bird builds its nest.) Your language skills, like a nest, are built one word at a time. Bonne chance!