”Sight words” is the term used for words that readers should recognize instantly. Recognition is important because sight words are so frequently used—making up, by some estimates, 50 to 75 percent of all words that children are likely to encounter (http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-sight-words.htm). These words are recognized and read rather than sounded out using phonics skills. Below is a list of words that by the end of grade 1 your child should be familiar with and recognize easily. To help you child, try making flashcards with the words below and practice them frequently. Begin with the easier sight words and work up to the more difficult ones.
I have personally selected the following words that I feel are appropriate sight words for a Grade 1 level. The words I’ve selected are among the 100 most common words in French. Knowing these words will not only give your child more confidence when reading texts in French but will also improve your child’s writing in French. Here is the list of words that I’ve chosen:
le
la
un
une
a
à
ma
sa
ça
ta
si
de
ne
pas
se
me
te
ce
les
des
mes
tes
mon
on
son
ton
moi
toi
ou
où
du
je
tu
il
elle
nous
vous
ils
elles
voici
j’aime
c’est
et
je suis
j’ai
qui
que
aller
sur
sous
devant
aime
frère
soeur
maman
papa
bébé
tout
maison
faire
pour
bien
non
quoi
oui
avec
ami
très
ici
rien
bon
jour
toujours
bonjour
aujourd’hui
jouer
pourquoi
parler
quand
famille
fille
garçon
aussi
petit
grand
merci
regarder
regarde
est-ce que
chien
chat
parce que
chez
après
beaucoup
dans
bleu
rouge
jaune
orange
vert
violet
brun
noir
rose
gris
lundi
mardi
mercredi
jeudi
vendredi
samedi
dimanche
If you wish to download the sight words choose the format you’d like below.
Microsoft Word document: Grade 1 sight words
PDF: Grade 1 sight words
You are probably now wondering what these sight words mean. Below is the same list with a translation for you following each one. Many of these words have more than one meaning and usage. To see all the different ways these words are used in French check out the website www.wordreference.com to translate French to English.
le – the
la – the
un – a/an
une – a/an
a – has
à – to
ma – my
sa – his/her
ça – that
ta – your
si – if
de – from
ne
pas -not (ne…pas)
se – herself
me – myself
te – yourself
ce -this/that
les – the
des – some
mes – my
tes – your
mon – my
on – we
son – his/her
ton – yours
moi – me
toi – you
ou – or
où – where
du – some
je – I
tu – you
il – he
elle – she
nous – we
vous – you (plural)
ils – they (when referring to a group of boys or boys and girls)
elles – they (when referring to many girls)
voici – here is
j’aime – I like
c’est – it is
et – and
je suis – I am
j’ai – I have
qui – who?
que – that
aller – to go
sur – on
sous – under
devant – in front
aime – like
frère – brother
soeur – sister
maman – mom
papa – dad
bébé – baby
tout – all
maison – house
faire – to make
pour – for
bien – good/well
non – no
quoi – what?
oui – yes
avec – with
ami – friend
très – very
ici – here
rien – nothing
bon – good
jour – day
toujours – always
bonjour – hello
aujourd’hui – today
jouer – to play
pourquoi – why
parler – to talk
quand – when
famille – family
fille – girl
garçon – boy
aussi – also
petit – small
grand – big
merci – thank you
regarder – look
regarde – look
est-ce que – can… may… when asking a question
chien – dog
chat – cat
parce que – because
chez – at
après – after
beaucoup – a lot
dans – in
bleu – blue
rouge – red
jaune – yellow
orange – orange
vert – green
violet – purple
brun – brown
noir – black
rose – pink
gris – gray
lundi – Monday
mardi – Tuesday
mercredi – Wednesday
jeudi – Thursday
vendredi – Friday
samedi – Saturday
dimanche – Sunday
How do you pronounce these words? Check out the video on YouTube for the pronunciation:
View the sight words on YouTube:
Often students will learn the sequence of the sight words if they practice them in the same order. Try mixing them up like in this YouTube video:
Adventures in Grade 1 French Immersion 
Thanks for doing this for us non french parents!!:) Do have any more to add? Thanks:) Kari
Hi Kari,
I’m glad you like site. I don’t have any more to add at this point. I’m keeping extremely busy with my Kindergarten class right now!
Mme Robinson
Thanks a lot for this. Reallly good.
Bonjour Mme. Robinson,
I have three children in french immersion right now, grade 4,3 and 1. Both my daughters had the same grade 1 teacher and they really thrived. My son has a new teacher and it is her second year teaching. At the end of September she had a her students do a site word test and my son did not do well. I was surprised that they even had a test so soon in the year. My daughters never had site word tests or word rings. He had 24 words he needed to memorize and now another 24 words to memorize by the end of October. She also expressed concerns that he is not doing well. Its just the beginning of the year, should I be concerned?
Sonia
I would not be overly concerned. The list of sight words are (in my opinion) words that they should be able to read by the end of Grade 1. It is still early in the year and students in Grade 1 F.I. grow so much over the school year! Keep practicing them at home!