English to French Animal Names
There are many French animal names to remember when you are learning to speak French, so to get you started off with the easiest information, I'll begin with what I like to call the "free words" of the French language.
These words are written exactly the same in both English and French, so, if you aleady know how to spell them in English, then you are well on your way to remembering them in French.
After this, you will find a list of "almost free animal words" which are super similar between English and French, then below this you will find our master list of animals from A to Z, and to finish it off, you will then find some sample sentences using animal words. Enjoy~
Animal Names from English to French:
Words in bold added during the last update. You can also view this list of animal names from French to English.
Quick Links:
Free Animal Words
Almost Free Animal Names
French Animal Words A-Z
Sentences with Animal Names
Free Animal Words from English to French
All you need to do is remember whether these are masculine (le, as most of them are) or feminine (la). Below is a list of some of the "free" French animal names.
Alligator ➔ L'alligator (m)
Crocodile ➔ Le crocodile
Gazelle ➔ La gazelle
Hamster ➔ Le hamster
Jaguar ➔ Le jaguar
Koala ➔ Le koala
Lion ➔ Le lion
Panda ➔ Le panda
Pigeon ➔ Le pigeon
Piranha ➔ Le piranha
Rat ➔ Le rat
Toucan ➔ Le toucan
Congratulations! You now know twelve French animal names!
English to French Almost Free Animal Names
Now then comes the "almost free" French animal names. These words are very similar between the French and the English translations, that so long as you can remember a small change or two and their proper gender, you should have no trouble remembering these additional French animals.
Antelope ➔ L'antilope (f)
Armadillo ➔ L'armadille (f)
Canary ➔ Le canari
Chimpanzee ➔ Le chimpanzé
Crab ➔ Le crabe
Elephant ➔ L'éléphant (m)
Giraffe ➔ La girafe
Gorilla ➔ Le gorille
Hippopotamus ➔ L'hippopotame (m)
Iguana ➔ L'iguane (m)
Insect ➔ L'insecte (m)
Lizard ➔ Le lézard
Llama ➔ Le lama
Leopard ➔ Le léopard
Orangutan ➔ L'orang-outang (m)
Rhinoceros ➔ Le rhinocéros
Tiger ➔ Le tigre
Zebra ➔ Le zèbra
There's another eighteen animal words that should be fairly simple for you to remember. Now see below for our full list of French animal words.
English to French Animals A-Z
("Le" animals are masculine, "La" animals are feminine. Animals starting with "L'" have a (m) or (f) to denote gender.)
Alligator ➔ L'alligator (m)
Alpaca ➔ L'alpaga (m.)
Ant ➔ La fourmi
Antelope ➔ L'antilope (f)
Ape ➔ Le singe
Armadillo ➔ L'armadille (f)
Bear ➔ L'ours (m)
Bird ➔ L'oiseau (m)
Butterfly ➔ Le papillon
Camel ➔ Le chameau
Canary ➔ Le canari
Cat ➔ Le chat
Chicken ➔ Le poulet
Chimpanzee ➔ Le chimpanzé
Cow ➔ La vache
Crab ➔ Le crabe
Crocodile ➔ Le crocodile
Deer ➔ Le cerf
Dog ➔ Le chien
Dolphin ➔ Le dauphin
Donkey ➔ L'âne (m)
Duck ➔ Le canard
Elephant ➔ L'éléphant (m)
Fish ➔ Le poisson
Gazelle ➔ La gazelle
Giraffe ➔ La girafe
Goat ➔ La chèvre
Goldfish ➔ Le poisson rouge
Goose ➔ L'oie
Gorilla ➔ Le gorille
Great white shark ➔ Le grand requin blanc
Hamster ➔ Le hamster
Hippopotamus ➔ L'hippopotame (m)
Horse ➔ Le cheval
Iguana ➔ L'iguane (m)
Insect ➔ L'insecte (m)
Jaguar ➔ Le jaguar
Jellyfish ➔ La méduse
Kitten ➔ Le chaton
Koala ➔ Le koala
Lamb ➔ L'agneau (m)
Leopard ➔ Le léopard
Lion ➔ Le lion
Lionfish ➔ Le poisson-lion
Lizard ➔ Le lézard
Llama ➔ Le lama
Monkey ➔ Le singe
Mouse ➔ La souris
Octopus ➔ La pieuvre
Orangutan ➔ L'orang-outang (m)
Owl ➔ Le hibou
Panda ➔ Le panda
Pig ➔ Le cochon
Pigeon ➔ Le pigeon
Piranha ➔ Le piranha
Puppy ➔ Le chiot
Rabbit ➔ Le lapin
Rat ➔ Le rat
Rhinoceros ➔ Le rhinocéros
Rooster ➔ Le coq
Sea Turtle ➔ La tortue marine
Seahorse ➔ L'hippocampe (m)
Shark ➔ Le requin
Sheep ➔ Le mouton
Snake ➔ Le serpent
Starfish ➔ L'étoile de mer (f)
Swan ➔ Le cygne
Tiger ➔ Le tigre
Toucan ➔ Le toucan
Turkey ➔ Le dindon
Turtle ➔ La tortue
Walrus ➔ Le morse
Whale ➔ La baleine
Wolf ➔ Le loup
Zebra ➔ Le zèbra
Animal Sentences from English to French
Here are some example sentences with French animal words.
I like to go horseback riding. ➔ J'aime faire du cheval.
I used to be a duck. But ducks are very very stupid, so I changed. ➔ J'etais un canard. Mais, les canards sont tres tres stupid, ainsi j'ai change.
My boyfriend is a fish in the atlantic ocean. ➔ Mon petit-ami est le poisson dans l'ocean d'atlantique.
Would you like to buy some stolen horses from me? ➔ Aimeriez vous acheter de moi quelque cheveux voles?
This list of English to French animal words was last updated on April 6, 2025.
Next Up
French Colors: Learn how to say color words in French.
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