How to use a French dictionary

1. Find the form used as the entry heading

From the sentence to the headword

Form you read	Look up	Why?
nous choisissons	choisir	A verb is usually listed by its infinitive.
des manteaux	manteau	Look for the singular noun.
une veste bleue	bleu	An adjective entry gives its agreement forms.
elle porte	porter	The conjugated verb leads to its infinitive.

What do the labels in a French dictionary mean?

Common abbreviations; check your dictionary’s key

Label	Meaning	Useful note
n.m.	Masculine noun	un manteau, then its plural des manteaux.
n.f.	Feminine noun	une veste, with feminine bleue.
v.	Verb	porter, with a complete example.
adj.	Adjective	bleu, bleue, with the relevant noun.
adv.	Adverb	souvent: often.
fam.	Informal	un bouquin: an informal word for a book.

A transitive label tells you to look for the verb’s object. Read the construction too: chercher quelque chose takes its object directly, while réfléchir à quelque chose includes à. Copy those small words with the headword; they tell you how to build the phrase.

How do you choose the right meaning in a French dictionary?

Elle porte une veste au travail.

She wears a jacket at work.

The clothing context selects the wearing sense of porter.

Elle porte une valise jusqu’à la porte.

She carries a suitcase to the door.

The object and destination select the carrying sense.

For your own note, keep one relevant sense, the noun’s article or verb’s construction, and a short example. Add the dictionary name so you can return to the entry. A note such as chercher un pull — to look for a jumper gives you more to reuse than a translation on its own.

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