French · Home, Clothes & Daily Life
"School" in French: école
l'école
School in French is l'école, feminine: je vais à l'école. École primaire is elementary school; collège and lycée are later stages. Fac or université is university, not école.
Morning routine
Les enfants partent à l'école à huit heures.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce école
Say it
lay-KOL
/le.kɔl/
École: ay-KOL. With the article: lay-KOL. Clear é at the start.
"School" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| l'école | school General school noun. | General school noun. |
| à l'école | at / to school Location or destination. | Location or destination. |
| une école primaire | an elementary school Early years. | Early years. |
| la rentrée des écoles | back-to-school September return. | September return. |
How to use école in real life
- 1Morning routine
Les enfants partent à l'école à huit heures.
The kids leave for school at eight.
À l'école for destination.
- 2Choosing a school
On visite une école près de chez nous.
We're visiting a school near our place.
Une école = a school.
- 3Catching up
Tu te souviens de notre école à Lyon ?
Do you remember our school in Lyon?
Notre école for a shared past school.
Mistakes English speakers make with école
Incorrect: Je vais au école.
Correct: Je vais à l'école.
École starts with a vowel: à l'école, not au école.
Incorrect: Je suis à la school.
Correct: Je suis à l'école.
Use école, not English school.
Good to know
French schooling names matter: école, then collège (middle), then lycée (high school). Grande école is a selective higher-ed track, not a child's school.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Walking kids in the morning
ChatPal
On dépose Léa à l'école ensemble ?
Shall we drop Léa at school together?
You
Oui, son école ouvre à huit heures dix.
Yes — her school opens at 8:10.
ChatPal
Parfait, l'école n'est qu'à cinq minutes.
Perfect — school is only five minutes away.
You
On y va alors.
Let's go then.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"School" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "School" in French
How do you say school in French?
L'école (feminine).
How do you say to school?
À l'école.
Is lycée the same as école?
Lycée is high school; école is the general word, often primary.
How do you pronounce école?
ay-KOL; l'école sounds like lay-KOL.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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