French Flower Vocabulary and Expressions to Use at a Florist’s Shop
Spring is right round the corner and if you take a closer look you can already notice the flower buds on the trees. It is the right time of the year to write a post about flower vocabulary in French, translated in English and also expressions in French you might use when buying flowers. In this week’s post, I also share the addresses of the five best flower shops in Paris.
1 - Flower Vocabulary
Un bouquet de fleurs : bouquet of flowers – bunch of flowers
Un parterre de fleurs : flower bed
Une fleur sauvage : wild flower
Une fleur fânée : wilted flower
Une composition florale : floral arrangement
Du feuillage : foliage
Les feuilles : leaves
Les pétales : petals
Les tiges : stems
2- French Flower Names with their English Translation
Un azalée : azalea Un
Un bégonia : begonia
Un bleuet : cornflower
Une capucine : nasturtium
Un coquelicot : wild poppy
Un chrysanthème : mum
Un dahlia : dahlia
Un gardénia : gardenia
Un géranium : geranium
Un glaïeul : gladiolus
Un hibiscus : hibuscus
hortensia : hydrangea
Un iris : iris
Une jacinthe :hyacinth
Le jasmin : jasmine
La lavande : lavander
Un lys : lily
Une marguerite : daisy
Le muguet: lily of the valey
Un narcisse : narcissus
Un œillet : carnation
Une orchidée : orchid
Une pâquerette : tiny wild daisy
Une pivoine : peony
Une pensée :pansy
Un perce-neige : snowdrop
Une renoncule :ranunculus (buttercup)
Une rose: rose
Un tournesol : sunflower
Une tulipe: tulip
Une violette :violet
Une anémone : anemone
3 - French Expressions to Use / Or You Will Hear at a Flower Shop
Florist
Est-ce que je fais un papier cadeau ? shall I wrap them for you ?
Est-ce que c’est pour offrir ? is it for a gift ?
Il faut changer l’eau des fleurs tous les deux jours : You need to change the water every couple of days
Vous pouvez recoupez un peu les tiges : You cut the end of the stems off
Vous mettez très peu d’eau : Add very little water
Elles vont s’ouvrir (les fleurs) : They will open up
Mettez les à l’ombre : Put them in the shade
Elles tiennent une semaine sans problème ( verbe tenir : it means in this context to last) : They last at least a week
Vous voulez mettre combien ? ou Quel est votre budget ?What is your budget ?
Client
Je voudrais des fleurs en pots : I would potted flowering plants
J’en voudrais une dizaine, une douzaine : I would like about ten, a dozen
Elles sentent bon: They smell nice
4 - French Idiomatic Expressions with the Word Flower
Avoir les nerfs à fleur de peau : To have nerves on edge
Etre dans la fleur de l’âge : To be in the prime of one’s life
Avoir une sensibilité à fleur de peau : To have a heightened sensibility
5 - The 5 Best Flower Shops in Paris Where To Practice your French when Buying Flowers
Eric Chauvin
This florist to the stars works for some of the biggest fashion houses and has several shops all over Paris. The tiny shop in rue Jean Nicot is our favourite although it can be hard to make your way through the large displays of seasonal flowers and branches. The staff are always on hand to provide good advice.
22 rue Jean Nicot
Arôm
In this flower shop, which resembles an antiques store, the staff take the time to listen to you. After you have explained your colour preferences or have indicated your budget the florists will intuitively put together a natural yet elegant bouquet.
73 avenue Ledru-Rollin
Bleuet Coquelicot
This tiny store with its evocative name and pretty façade is owned by Tom, a passionate, self-taught florist. He sources his flowers and plants from small local growers and takes an intuitive approach to his natural bouquets. Every plant sold here is hand-picked by the owner, who has managed to create a timeless atmosphere in his shop.
10 rue de la Grange aux Belles
http://www.bleuetcoquelicot.fr
Flower
This florist, whose shop is in the antiques district, is known for his subtle colour combinations and the quality of the flowers he sells. The amazing array of flowers in the store tends to spill out onto the pavement, lending a special charm to this place.
14 rue des Saints-Pères
Saison Galerie
A florist and a gallery, Saison offers a contemporary and artistic take on floristry. Here you won’t be able to scoop up a traditional bouquet. Except a refined selection of plants, branches and flowers, which were hand-picked by the owners for their unique beauty and poetry. Saison also exhibits a selection of sculptural, graphic and atypical vases.
62 rue Oberkampf