Les Outils et le Bricolage — French DIY vocabulary | Vocabulary
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DIY French — tools, hardware and fixing things. This French diy tools hardware fixing things vocabulary list gives you 24 essential words — from un marteau (a hammer) to faire des travaux (to do renovations) — each with audio and its English translation. Use it to build the French words you need to talk about diy tools hardware fixing things, then test yourself with the games below.
Les Outils et le Bricolage
DIY French — tools, hardware and fixing things
Les outils 🔧
La quincaillerie 🔩
Les actions 🛠️
🎬 The 20-second version
5 quick questions on « Les Outils et le Bricolage » — guess before the reveal. Practise with the free games → Open this short as a page — transcript included →
📘 DIY, the French national pastime
- Bricoler = to do DIY / potter about fixing things; a bricoleur / bricoleuse is a handy person. It’s a beloved weekend activity.
- Where to shop: a magasin de bricolage (Leroy Merlin, Castorama) or the old-school quincaillerie (hardware shop).
- The universal task: monter un meuble (assemble flat-pack furniture) — expect « il manque une vis ! » (a screw is missing!).
- Faire des travaux = to do renovation work; « on refait la cuisine » = we’re redoing the kitchen.
- Handy request: « Tu peux me prêter une perceuse ? » (can you lend me a drill?).
🔊 Useful phrases
🔊 Example sentences
✍️ Practice
a screwdriver = un ___ (tool)
Show answer
tournevis
to do DIY = ___ (weekend hobby)
Show answer
bricoler
a screw = une ___ (a nail = un clou) (hardware)
Show answer
vis
🎮 Practise this with games
🎯 More practice — vocabulary recall — both directions
How do you say « a hammer »? (recall)
Show answer
un marteau
What does « une scie » mean? (recall)
Show answer
a saw
How do you say « a tape measure »? (recall)
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un mètre
What does « un clou » mean? (recall)
Show answer
a nail
How do you say « sticky tape »? (recall)
Show answer
le scotch
What does « un pinceau » mean? (recall)
Show answer
a brush
How do you say « to assemble furniture »? (recall)
Show answer
monter un meuble
What does « percer » mean? (recall)
Show answer
to drill
Go further: La Maison — rooms & furniture.
French diy tools hardware fixing things vocabulary — FAQ
How do you say common diy tools hardware fixing things words in French?
For example: a hammer is « un marteau », a screwdriver is « un tournevis », a drill is « une perceuse ». The full list above has 24 French diy tools hardware fixing things words, each with audio so you can hear the pronunciation.
What are the most useful French diy tools hardware fixing things words to learn first?
Start with the basics: un marteau (a hammer), un tournevis (a screwdriver), une perceuse (a drill), une scie (a saw), une clé (a spanner / wrench), une pince (pliers). Master these core French words before moving on to the rest of the list.
How can I memorise French diy tools hardware fixing things vocabulary?
Learn the words in small themed groups, say each one out loud with the audio, and use it in a short sentence about your own life. Spaced repetition is what makes new vocabulary stick — see our guide to learning French vocabulary that sticks.
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