The most common way to say “school” in French is école. But just like in English, where we have “university,” “college,” “high school,” and more, French also offers a variety of terms to describe different types of educational institutions. Whether you're planning to study in France, talking about your own education, or simply trying to understand a French conversation, knowing these nuances can be incredibly helpful. Let's dive into 9 different ways to say “school” in French, covering everything from kindergarten to university!

The standard 'school' – l'école

L'école is the most common and standard word for 'school' in French.

As you can see, école is a feminine noun, which is why it's preceded by the definite article l' (a contraction of la) when singular: l'école. In its plural form, it becomes les écoles.

It refers to any educational institution, from primary school to high school, and can also be used generally to talk about the concept of school or schooling.

While université (university) is also common for higher education, many specialized institutions, even at the post-secondary level, use école in their name, such as une école d'ingénieurs (an engineering school) or une école de commerce (a business school).

You'll often hear it in phrases like aller à l'école (to go to school), quitter l'école (to leave school), or être à l'école (to be at school).

In France, the term l'école broadly covers primary (école primaire), middle (collège), and high school (lycée). It signifies the foundational stages of education.

A fun, classic French idiom is faire l'école buissonnière, which literally means 'to do the bush school' but actually means 'to play truant' or 'to skip school'.

A very important related term is la rentrée scolaire, which refers to the 'back-to-school' period in early September, a significant event in the French calendar.

💡 * Mes enfants vont à l'école primaire. (My children go to primary school.)

• J'ai quitté l'école à 18 ans. (I left school at 18.)
• Elle rêve d'intégrer une grande école de commerce. (She dreams of getting into a top business school.)
• Nous avons beaucoup de devoirs quand nous sommes à l'école. (We have a lot of homework when we are at school.)
• La rentrée scolaire est toujours un moment spécial. (The back-to-school period is always a special moment.)

The 'high school' – le lycée

The 'high school' – le lycée

In France, le lycée is the equivalent of high school, representing the final stage of secondary education before higher education.

Students typically attend le lycée from ages 15 to 18, covering three main years: la Seconde (10th grade), la Première (11th grade), and la Terminale (12th grade).

The primary goal for students in le lycée is to prepare for and pass the Baccalauréat, often shortened to le Bac, which is the national examination required for university entrance.

Le lycée is a significant period in a young French person's life, marking a transition towards adulthood and specialized studies. It's often a time of intense academic focus and social development.

A student attending le lycée is called a lycéen (male) or a lycéenne (female).

💡 *Mon frère est au lycée. (My brother is in high school.)
*Elle prépare le baccalauréat cette année. (She's preparing for the Baccalauréat this year.)
*Les lycéens manifestent contre la réforme. (The high school students are protesting the reform.)
*J'ai de bons souvenirs de mes années de lycée. (I have good memories of my high school years.)
*Quel lycée as-tu fréquenté ? (Which high school did you attend?)

The 'middle school' or 'junior high' – le collège

In the French education system, the term le collège refers to what is commonly known as 'middle school' or 'junior high' in English-speaking countries.

Students typically attend le collège from around 11 to 15 years old. It covers four academic years, starting with la sixième (6ème), followed by la cinquième (5ème), la quatrième (4ème), and concluding with la troisième (3ème).

It bridges the gap between primary school (l'école primaire) and high school (le lycée), providing a transitional period where students deepen their foundational knowledge and prepare for more specialized studies.

It's crucial not to confuse le collège with the English word 'college,' which typically refers to higher education or university. In French, a university would be l'université or la faculté.

During these years, students encounter a broader range of subjects and are often introduced to their first foreign language. The curriculum is standardized nationally, ensuring a consistent educational experience across France.

💡 *Ma fille entre au collège l'année prochaine. (My daughter is starting middle school next year.)*Les élèves du collège ont une pause déjeuner plus longue. (Middle school students have a longer lunch break.)*J'ai de bons souvenirs de mes années collège. (I have good memories of my middle school years.)*Le collège est une étape importante dans l'éducation. (Middle school is an important stage in education.)

The 'kindergarten' or 'preschool' – la maternelle

The “kindergarten” or “preschool” – la maternelle

La maternelle refers to kindergarten or preschool in French. It is a feminine noun, always preceded by la (or l') and pluralized as les maternelles.

In France, la maternelle is a crucial part of the public education system for children generally aged 3 to 6. It's often the first step in a child's educational journey, focusing on early development and socialization.

Children typically attend la maternelle for three years (petite, moyenne, et grande section) before entering primary school (l'école primaire). The curriculum emphasizes language, motor skills, and social development, preparing them for more formal learning.

💡 *Ma fille commence la maternelle l'année prochaine. (My daughter starts preschool next year.)
*J'ai de bons souvenirs de la maternelle. (I have good memories of kindergarten.)
*L'inscription à la maternelle est ouverte. (Preschool enrollment is open.)
*Les enfants apprennent à jouer ensemble à la maternelle. (Children learn to play together at preschool.)
*La maîtresse de maternelle est très gentille. (The kindergarten teacher is very kind.)

The 'university' or 'college' – l'université

The 'university' or 'college' – l'université

In French, l'université (a feminine noun) is the primary term used to refer to a university or a college. It encompasses higher education institutions where students pursue degrees after high school.

It's a formal and widely understood term. Whether you're talking about enrolling in higher education, studying for a degree, or the institution itself, l'université is the appropriate word.

For English speakers, it's important to note that while l'université can translate to 'college,' it generally refers to an institution offering bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees, similar to a university in the English-speaking world. The concept of a 'community college' or 'liberal arts college' as a distinct type of institution is less common or expressed differently in France.

As a feminine noun, l'université always takes feminine articles and adjectives. For example, you would say la grande université (the big university) or une nouvelle université (a new university).

Common phrases include aller à l'université (to go to university/college), étudier à l'université (to study at university/college), or être étudiant à l'université (to be a university/college student).

💡 * Je vais commencer l'université l'année prochaine. (I'm going to start university next year.)

• Elle étudie l'histoire à l'université de Paris. (She studies history at the University of Paris.)
• Mon frère est professeur à l'université. (My brother is a professor at the university.)
• C'est une grande université avec de nombreux départements. (It's a large university with many departments.)
• As-tu postulé pour l'université de tes rêves ? (Did you apply to your dream university?)

The 'faculty' or 'department' within a university – la faculté

In French, la faculté (often shortened to la fac) primarily refers to a major academic division or school within a university, similar to a 'faculty' or sometimes a 'college' in English. It represents a broad field of study, such as law, medicine, or humanities.

While la faculté can sometimes be translated as 'department,' it generally encompasses a broader scope. A university might have a 'Faculté de Droit' (Faculty of Law), which itself could contain several smaller 'départements' or 'UFRs' (Unités de Formation et de Recherche) specializing in specific areas of law. So, think of it as a larger organizational unit.

You'll frequently hear students say 'aller à la fac' (to go to university/the faculty) or 'étudier à la faculté de médecine' (to study at the faculty of medicine). It's a common term in French academic life to specify where one studies or works within a university.

It's important to note that faculté also has another, distinct meaning: 'ability,' 'capacity,' or 'faculty of mind.' For example, la faculté de parler means 'the ability to speak.' However, in the context of higher education, la faculté almost exclusively refers to a university division.

💡 * Je suis étudiant à la faculté des sciences. (I am a student at the faculty of sciences.)

• Elle travaille à la faculté de droit. (She works at the faculty of law.)
• On se retrouve devant la fac à 9h ? (Shall we meet in front of the faculty at 9 AM?)
• La faculté de médecine est très réputée. (The faculty of medicine is very renowned.)
• Beaucoup d'étudiants vont à la fac en vélo. (Many students go to university by bike.)

The 'educational institution' (more formal) – l'établissement scolaire

While école is the common word for school, l'établissement scolaire is a more formal and administrative term for an 'educational institution' in French.

This phrase refers to any type of educational facility, encompassing primary schools, middle schools, high schools, and even some vocational training centers. It's often used in official contexts or when discussing the institution as a whole rather than just the building or concept of learning.

The noun établissement is masculine, so it is used with the masculine singular article un or l'. Scolaire is an adjective meaning 'school-related' or 'educational', and it remains consistent regardless of the gender of the institution, as établissement is always masculine.

💡 * Tous les élèves d'un établissement scolaire doivent respecter le règlement intérieur. (All students of an educational institution must respect the internal rules.)

• La rentrée se fait dans la plupart des établissements scolaires en septembre. (The return to school happens in most educational institutions in September.)
• C'est un établissement scolaire réputé pour son excellence académique. (It's an educational institution renowned for its academic excellence.)
• Les parents visitent souvent plusieurs établissements scolaires avant de choisir. (Parents often visit several educational institutions before choosing.)

The 'primary school' or 'elementary school' (referring to the level) – le primaire

In French, when referring to the level of primary or elementary education, the common term is le primaire.

Le primaire specifically denotes the educational stage for children typically aged 6 to 11, encompassing grades from CP (Cours Préparatoire) to CM2 (Cours Moyen 2).

It's crucial to differentiate le primaire (the level or stage) from l'école primaire (the physical school building). While related, one refers to the curriculum stage and the other to the institution.

You might hear phrases like 'les enfants du primaire' (primary school children) or 'l'enseignement du primaire' (primary education), highlighting its use as an adjective or an abstract concept.

💡 *Mon fils est en CE1, il est encore au primaire. (My son is in CE1, he's still in primary school.)
*Elle a enseigné au primaire pendant vingt ans. (She taught at the primary level for twenty years.)
*La réforme de l'éducation concerne aussi le primaire. (The education reform also concerns primary education.)
*Les programmes du primaire sont très importants pour les bases. (Primary school curricula are very important for the foundations.)

The 'conservatory' (for music or arts) – le conservatoire

In French, le conservatoire refers exclusively to a specialized school for music, dance, and dramatic arts. It's where students, often from a young age, receive rigorous training in artistic disciplines.

The noun conservatoire is masculine, so it is always preceded by le (or un). You'll hear it used when discussing formal artistic education or the institutions themselves.

It's crucial to note that, unlike one English meaning of 'conservatory,' le conservatoire in French never refers to a greenhouse or a glass room attached to a house. For that, you would use terms like une serre or une véranda.

You'll often hear phrases like étudier au conservatoire (to study at the conservatory), entrer au conservatoire (to enter the conservatory), or professeur au conservatoire (conservatory teacher) when discussing these institutions.

💡 * Ma fille étudie le violon au conservatoire. (My daughter studies violin at the conservatory.)

• Il rêve d'entrer au conservatoire de Paris. (He dreams of entering the Paris Conservatory.)
• Le conservatoire propose des cours de danse classique. (The conservatory offers classical dance classes.)
• Elle a obtenu son diplôme du conservatoire l'année dernière. (She graduated from the conservatory last year.)
• De nombreux musiciens célèbres ont commencé leur formation dans un conservatoire local. (Many famous musicians began their training at a local conservatory.)

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

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

Our list features the most common ways to say “school” in French. But French, like any language, is rich with terms, from formal to slang, and specific regional usages that might not be covered exhaustively here.

To explore further, you can also do an online search for “comment dire école en ___” followed by a specific Francophone country or region.

You might discover interesting synonyms for école or related educational terms. Always verify a word’s definition and observe its usage in context before incorporating it into your vocabulary.

As you immerse yourself in French media — reading, watching, and listening — pay close attention. You'll likely encounter diverse expressions for educational institutions or the act of schooling.

For a deeper dive into terms related to different types of schools or the broader concept of education in French, the WordReference entry for école is an excellent starting point.

I hope this article has been helpful in navigating the French terms for school. To conclude, here's a thought-provoking quote on education from Victor Hugo: Celui qui ouvre une porte d'école, ferme une prison. (He who opens a school door, closes a prison.)