Vocabulary list
French ski equipment vocabulary: recognise 12 pieces of winter kit
Learn twelve French names for ski and snow-sports equipment. Use picture cards to distinguish skis, bindings, boots and goggles, then practise hire-desk requests.
- A2
- 12 words
- Gender marked
- With examples
- Learn this in the A2 notebook →
In short
Skis are les skis, ski boots are les chaussures de ski and bindings are les fixations. Ski goggles are un masque de ski, even though English uses a plural noun. The twelve picture cards include clothing and two other snow-sports options: a snowboard and snowshoes.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learnRed watch out
- Cliente
Bonjour, je cherche des chaussures de ski.
Hello, I’m looking for ski boots.
- Employé
Vous faites quelle pointure ?
What shoe size are you?
- Cliente
Du 39. Je peux essayer cette paire ?
Size 39. Can I try this pair?
- Employé
Bien sûr. Vous prenez aussi un casque ?
Of course. Are you taking a helmet too?
- Cliente
Oui, et des bâtons, s’il vous plaît.
Yes, and poles, please.
On the skis
Head, hands and neck
Clothing and other snow sports
Recognise the kit before the hire-desk questions
Find:
| French | Visible clue | Example |
|---|---|---|
| les chaussures de ski | rigid boots with buckles | Les chaussures sont blanches. |
| les fixations | toe and heel mechanisms | Les fixations tiennent les chaussures sur les skis. |
| les bâtons de ski | long poles with grips and baskets | Je tiens un bâton dans chaque main. |
le masque de ski / le casquegoggles / helmet
Focus: over the eyes versus around the head
Le masque couvre les yeux ; le casque couvre la tête.
The goggles cover the eyes; the helmet covers the head.
les skis / les raquettes à neigeskis / snowshoes
Focus: long sliding equipment versus broad walking equipment
J’aime skier, mais aujourd’hui je préfère marcher avec des raquettes à neige.
I like skiing, but today I prefer walking with snowshoes.
Ask about la pointure for boots and la taille for a jacket or trousers. English “goggles” becomes the singular un masque: Je cherche un masque de ski. For boots or gloves, une paire means one pair, with two matching pieces.