Every French student knows the classic term for homework: les devoirs. But just like in English, there's more than one way to talk about the work you bring home from school. Whether it's a specific assignment, a quick review, or a big project, French has a variety of words to describe your after-school tasks. Knowing these different terms will not only expand your vocabulary but also help you sound more like a native speaker. Let's explore nine common ways to say "homework" in French!

1. The standard 'homework' – les devoirs

Les devoirs is the most common and universal French term for 'homework' or 'school assignments' that are meant to be completed outside of class.

The word devoirs is a masculine plural noun. You will almost always see it in its plural form with the article les. It's derived from the verb devoir, which means 'to have to' or 'must', highlighting the obligatory nature of the task.

The most frequent verb used with les devoirs is faire (to do/make). The phrase faire ses devoirs (to do one's homework) is the standard expression you'll hear and use constantly. For example: Je dois faire mes devoirs (I have to do my homework).

While les devoirs (plural) refers to homework in a general sense, the singular form le devoir can be used for a specific, often larger assignment, like an essay or a test to be done at home. For instance, un devoir de philosophie would be 'a philosophy paper/assignment'. However, for daily homework, the plural form is the default.

Les devoirs is used for all levels of education, from elementary school (l'école primaire) through university (l'université). It's a universally understood term in any academic context.

💡 * J'ai beaucoup de devoirs de français ce soir.

• N'oublie pas de faire tes devoirs avant de jouer.
• Les élèves ont rendu leurs devoirs au professeur.
• Est-ce que tu as fini tes devoirs pour demain ?

1. The singular 'assignment' – un devoir

Let's start with the most direct translation for a single piece of homework: un devoir.

In its singular form, un devoir refers to a specific, countable task or assignment given by a teacher. If you have three assignments for three different classes, you have trois devoirs.

This noun is typically paired with verbs like avoir (to have) or faire (to do). For instance, a student would say, 'J'ai un devoir de maths' (I have a math assignment) or 'Je dois faire mon devoir' (I have to do my assignment).

It's crucial to distinguish this from the plural les devoirs, which means 'homework' in a general, uncountable sense. Un devoir is one specific piece of that homework.

💡 * Le professeur nous a donné un devoir très difficile. (The teacher gave us a very difficult assignment.)

• J'ai oublié de faire mon devoir d'histoire. (I forgot to do my history assignment.)
• Pour demain, vous avez un devoir de lecture. (For tomorrow, you have a reading assignment.)
• C'est un devoir qui demande beaucoup de recherche. (It's an assignment that requires a lot of research.)

The 'work to do' – le travail à faire

A common and useful phrase for talking about pending tasks is le travail à faire, which directly translates to 'the work to do'.

This expression is built using the noun le travail (work) followed by the preposition à and the infinitive verb faire (to do). This à + infinitive construction is a frequent pattern in French, indicating something that needs to be done or is intended for a certain purpose.

Le travail à faire is highly versatile. It can refer to professional tasks at the office, school assignments, or even chores around the house. It's a general-purpose phrase for any work that is outstanding.

Specifically for school 'homework,' while le travail à faire is understood, the more common and specific term is les devoirs. For instance, a student would typically say, 'J'ai fini mes devoirs' (I finished my homework).

The plural form is les travaux à faire. Be aware that les travaux can often refer to construction, renovations, or major projects. Context will help you distinguish whether it means multiple tasks or significant construction work.

💡 * J'ai beaucoup de travail à faire avant demain.

• Quel est le travail à faire pour le cours de maths ?
• Le chef a listé tout le travail à faire cette semaine.
• Finis ton travail à faire avant de sortir.

The 'lesson' to learn or review – la leçon

The most direct translation for 'lesson' in French is la leçon. It covers both academic and life lessons.

It is crucial to note that la leçon is a feminine noun. Therefore, it is always preceded by feminine articles like la (the) or une (a/an).

You can use la leçon to talk about a specific class subject (e.g., une leçon de piano), something you need to study (réviser ses leçons), or a moral or life lesson learned from an experience.

A common idiomatic phrase is retenir la leçon, which means 'to learn one's lesson' or 'to not make the same mistake again'.

💡 * J'ai une leçon de français demain matin. (I have a French lesson tomorrow morning.)

• Tu dois apprendre ta leçon par cœur. (You must learn your lesson by heart.)
• Cette erreur m'a servi de leçon. (That mistake taught me a lesson.)
• Le professeur explique la leçon au tableau. (The teacher is explaining the lesson on the board.)

The 'exercises' – les exercices

The French word for 'exercises' is les exercices. It's a masculine plural noun, with the singular form being un exercice. This is one of the most fundamental vocabulary words for students and anyone interested in fitness.

This term is primarily used in two main contexts: academic work (like homework or textbook tasks) and physical fitness (like workout routines or specific movements).

The verb most commonly paired with les exercices is faire (to do/to make). You would say faire des exercices to mean 'to do exercises,' whether for school or for physical training.

When saying les exercices, remember the liaison. The 's' at the end of les connects to the 'e' in exercices, creating a 'z' sound: lay-zegg-zer-sees.

Use the singular form, un exercice, when referring to a single task or movement. Use the plural, des exercices or les exercices, when referring to multiple tasks or a set of activities.

💡 * J'ai beaucoup d'exercices de maths à faire pour demain. (I have a lot of math exercises to do for tomorrow.)

• Pour être en bonne santé, il faut faire des exercices régulièrement. (To be in good health, you must do exercises regularly.)
• Le coach m'a montré un nouvel exercice pour les abdominaux. (The coach showed me a new exercise for the abs.)
• Peux-tu m'expliquer le premier exercice de la page vingt ? (Can you explain the first exercise on page twenty to me?)

The broader 'school work' – le travail scolaire

When you want to refer to 'school work' in its broadest sense in French, the term to use is le travail scolaire. Unlike les devoirs, which specifically means 'homework' or assigned tasks, le travail scolaire encompasses everything related to academic studies, including classwork, studying, projects, and homework.

Le travail scolaire is an umbrella term. If a student says they have a lot of travail scolaire, it could mean they have a combination of things to do, such as les devoirs (written assignments), les leçons à apprendre (lessons to memorize), un exposé à préparer (a presentation to prepare), or des révisions pour un contrôle (studying for a test).

This phrase is commonly used by parents, teachers, and students to discuss academic workload. For example, a teacher might advise students on how to manage their travail scolaire effectively. It's a more formal and comprehensive term than just talking about devoirs.

The crucial difference lies in the scope. Use les devoirs when you are talking specifically about the assignments a teacher gives you to complete outside of class. Use le travail scolaire when referring to the total effort and all the tasks required for your education. All devoirs are part of le travail scolaire, but not all travail scolaire consists of devoirs.

💡 * J'ai énormément de travail scolaire cette semaine avec les examens qui approchent. (I have a huge amount of school work this week with exams coming up.)

• Les parents doivent superviser le travail scolaire de leurs enfants. (Parents should supervise their children's school work.)
• Une bonne organisation est essentielle pour réussir son travail scolaire. (Good organization is essential to succeed in your school work.)

The 'reviewing' or 'studying' – les révisions

The French noun les révisions refers to the act of reviewing or studying material, especially in preparation for an exam. It is almost always used in its plural form and is a feminine noun.

The verb associated with this noun is réviser. While the general verb for 'to study' is étudier, réviser specifically means 'to review' or 'to go over' material that has already been taught. It's the action of doing les révisions.

This term is heavily tied to academic contexts like preparing for a test, quiz, or major exam (un examen). You would use réviser when talking about cramming or studying your notes before an evaluation.

💡 * Je ne peux pas sortir ce soir, je suis en pleines révisions. (I can't go out tonight, I'm in the middle of studying.)

• Tu devrais commencer à réviser pour ton examen d'histoire. (You should start reviewing for your history exam.)
• Les révisions de dernière minute sont souvent inefficaces. (Last-minute cramming sessions are often ineffective.)
• On révise ensemble à la bibliothèque demain ? (Should we study together at the library tomorrow?)

The 'task' assigned – la tâche

The primary French word for a 'task' or 'chore' is la tâche. Remember that it is a feminine noun, so it will be paired with articles like la or une.

La tâche refers to a specific, defined piece of work that needs to be completed. It often implies an assignment, a duty, or a chore. This makes it different from le travail, which means 'work' in a more general or professional sense.

This word is frequently used in everyday contexts. For example, les tâches ménagères means 'household chores,' and the verb accomplir (to accomplish/complete) is often used with it, as in accomplir une tâche.

💡 * J'ai plusieurs tâches à finir avant de partir.

• Le patron m'a confié une nouvelle tâche ce matin.
• Le partage des tâches ménagères est essentiel à la maison.
• C'est une tâche simple, mais elle doit être faite avec soin.

The 'punishing task' (old-fashioned/literary) – le pensum

The French noun le pensum refers to a tedious, boring, or burdensome task, often one that is imposed as a punishment. It carries a distinctly old-fashioned and literary tone, evoking the idea of a drudgery or a punishing chore that must be completed.

Historically, le pensum was specifically a punishment given to students, such as being forced to copy lines or solve difficult problems. The word originates from the Latin pensum, which meant 'a portion of wool to be spun,' highlighting the sense of an obligatory, measured, and often monotonous task.

While not common in everyday casual conversation, le pensum is still used in literature and more formal contexts. A speaker might use it today to ironically or dramatically describe any dreaded chore, such as a boring work assignment, a difficult book, or a repetitive household task.

💡 * Finir ce rapport pour lundi est un véritable pensum. (Finishing this report for Monday is a real punishing task.)

• Autrefois, le professeur donnait un pensum à l'élève turbulent. (In the past, the teacher would give a punishing task to the unruly student.)
• La lecture de ce document administratif fut un pensum. (Reading this administrative document was a drudgery.)
• Chaque jour, faire la vaisselle est mon pensum quotidien. (Every day, doing the dishes is my daily chore.)

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

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

This guide has covered the most essential term: les devoirs. However, you will often hear teachers refer to specific tasks that function as homework, such as un travail à faire (work to do) or un exercice à finir (an exercise to finish).

Context is everything. The term can change depending on the subject or the specific assignment. For more academic vocabulary, try searching online for 'vocabulaire de l'école en français' (school vocabulary in French).

The best way to learn is by listening. Pay close attention to how your French teacher or French-speaking classmates talk about their assignments. This will help you pick up the most natural and appropriate terms for different situations.

Try watching a French movie or TV show set in a school (collège or lycée). This is a fantastic and fun way to hear how words like devoirs, leçon, and other school-related terms are used in everyday conversations.

If you want to explore more synonyms or related expressions, online dictionaries like WordReference or Larousse are excellent resources. Looking up the entry for devoir can reveal many useful examples and phrases.

We hope this guide makes your French homework a little clearer! While it might not always be fun, remember the French proverb: C'est en forgeant qu'on devient forgeron. (Practice makes perfect, literally 'It is by forging that one becomes a blacksmith'). Bon courage avec vos études!