Retirement is a time for relaxation, new experiences, and perhaps even a new adventure like moving to France or simply enjoying French culture more deeply. Whether you’re planning to retire in France or just want to improve your French skills for a future trip, knowing the right vocabulary can make conversations smoother and help you feel more comfortable.
In this article, you’ll find essential French vocabulary and expressions related to retirement, organized by category. You’ll also have the option to listen to audio recordings after each section to help you improve your pronunciation. At the end, you’ll find an invitation to join our growing community of retirees learning French!
- 1. French Vocabulary for Retirement: Key Terms and Examples
- 2. Health and Well-Being in Retirement: French Vocabulary With Audio
- Moving to France for Retirement? Want to Speak French With an Expert Private Tutor?
- 3. Travel and Leisure: Enjoying Your Retirement in French
- 4. Social Life and Community: Making the Most of Your Retirement
- 5. Financial Planning in Retirement: French Terms You Should Know
- French Vocabulary for Retirement -Useful Phrases for Conversations in France
- Be Part of Our Growing Community on Facebook
1. French Vocabulary for Retirement: Key Terms and Examples
Let’s start with the basics: the key words and phrases related to retirement itself.
| French | English | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| la retraite | retirement | Elle prend sa retraite l’année prochaine. (She’s retiring next year.) |
| un retraité / une retraitée | a retired person | Mon père est retraité depuis cinq ans. (My father has been retired for five years.) |
| partir à la retraite | to retire | Il est prêt à partir à la retraite. (He’s ready to retire.) |
| toucher sa pension | to receive one’s pension | Elle touche sa pension chaque mois. (She receives her pension every month.) |
| la pension de retraite | pension | Sa pension de retraite est suffisante pour bien vivre. (His pension is enough to live well.) |
| le départ à la retraite | retirement departure | Le départ à la retraite de Paul est prévu pour juin. (Paul’s retirement departure is planned for June.) |
🎧 Listen to the audio here:
2. Health and Well-Being in Retirement: French Vocabulary With Audio
Staying healthy and happy is key during retirement. Here’s the vocabulary you’ll need when talking about health and well-being.
| French | English | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| la santé | health | Il prend soin de sa santé en faisant du yoga. (He takes care of his health by doing yoga.) |
| l’assurance maladie | health insurance | Il a une bonne assurance maladie. (He has good health insurance.) |
| rester en forme | to stay fit | Elle essaie de rester en forme en marchant tous les jours. (She tries to stay fit by walking every day.) |
| le repos | rest | Le repos est important après une vie de travail. (Rest is important after a working life.) |
| les loisirs | hobbies | Il consacre beaucoup de temps à ses loisirs. (He devotes a lot of time to his hobbies.) |
| la sérénité | serenity | La retraite lui apporte une grande sérénité. (Retirement brings him great serenity.) |
| je prends le temps de vivre | I take the time to live | Maintenant à la retraite, je prends le temps de vivre. (Now that I’m retired, I take the time to live.) |
👉 If you need more information about health insurance and staying healthy in France, check out Ameli.fr — the official French health insurance website.
🎧 Listen to the audio here:
3. Travel and Leisure: Enjoying Your Retirement in French
Many retirees look forward to traveling and exploring new hobbies. Here are the key words and phrases to help you talk about travel and leisure in French.
| French | English | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| voyager | to travel | Ils adorent voyager après la retraite. (They love to travel after retirement.) |
| une croisière | a cruise | Ils partent en croisière en Méditerranée. (They’re going on a Mediterranean cruise.) |
| une randonnée | a hike | Elle fait souvent des randonnées dans les Alpes. (She often hikes in the Alps.) |
| le temps libre | free time | Il profite de son temps libre pour lire. (He enjoys his free time to read.) |
| jouer aux cartes | to play cards | Ils jouent aux cartes chaque après-midi. (They play cards every afternoon.) |
| le jardinage | gardening | Il passe son temps à faire du jardinage. (He spends his time gardening.) |
| joie de vivre | joy of living | Ils profitent de la retraite avec une belle joie de vivre. (They are enjoying retirement with a real joy of living.) |
👉 Need ideas for your next trip? The official French tourism website France.fr has great suggestions for travel and cultural experiences in France.
🎧 Listen to the audio here:
4. Social Life and Community: Making the Most of Your Retirement
Retirement can also mean more time to connect with others and build a stronger community.
| French | English | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| une association | an association | Elle a rejoint une association locale. (She joined a local association.) |
| une maison de retraite | retirement home | Sa mère vit dans une maison de retraite. (His mother lives in a retirement home.) |
| une fête | a party | Ils organisent une fête pour son départ à la retraite. (They are organizing a party for his retirement.) |
| rencontrer des amis | to meet friends | Il rencontre des amis au café tous les matins. (He meets friends at the café every morning.) |
| une activité | an activity | Ils font beaucoup d’activités ensemble. (They do a lot of activities together.) |
| une sortie | an outing | Ils organisent une sortie au théâtre. (They’re organizing a trip to the theater.) |
🎧 Listen to the audio here:
5. Financial Planning in Retirement: French Terms You Should Know
Talking about finances and planning for retirement is an important part of the process. Here’s the key vocabulary to help you with that.
| French | English | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| le budget | budget | Ils doivent ajuster leur budget après la retraite. (They need to adjust their budget after retirement.) |
| un compte épargne | savings account | Il a ouvert un compte épargne pour sa retraite. (He opened a savings account for his retirement.) |
| une rente | annuity | Elle reçoit une rente mensuelle. (She receives a monthly annuity.) |
| les économies | savings | Il utilise ses économies pour voyager. (He uses his savings to travel.) |
| le coût de la vie | cost of living | Le coût de la vie est plus bas dans cette région. (The cost of living is lower in this region.) |
| une assurance-vie | life insurance | Il a souscrit une assurance-vie. (He took out a life insurance policy.) |
🎧 Listen to the audio here:
French Vocabulary for Retirement -Useful Phrases for Conversations in France
Here are some practical and positive phrases you can use when talking about retirement and life in France:
➡️ Je vais partir à la retraite bientôt. – I’m going to retire soon.
➡️ Comment se passe votre retraite ? – How is your retirement going?
➡️ Profitez bien de votre retraite ! – Enjoy your retirement!
➡️ Vous êtes à la retraite depuis longtemps ? – Have you been retired for long?
➡️ Je me sens chez moi en France. – I feel at home in France.
➡️ Je me sens intégrée. – I feel integrated.
➡️ Je prends le temps de vivre. – I take the time to live.
➡️ Joie de vivre. – Joy of living.
➡️ Je réalise mes rêves – My dreams come true
➡️ La vie douce – Dolce vita
➡️ Je profite de la vie – I’m enjoying life
➡️ J’ai tout le temps devant moi – I’ve got all the time in the world
🎧 Listen to the audio here:
Be Part of Our Growing Community on Facebook
Learning French is more fun when you do it with others! Join our Learn French for Retirees group on Facebook to connect with other retirees learning French. Share your experiences, ask questions, and get tips on living in France and improving your French.
Our community is warm and welcoming and full of people just like you who are excited to learn and grow together. We’d love to have you join us! ❤️
Voilà! À bientôt.
Déborah, Your French Teacher
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