French Flower Vocabulary and Expressions to Use at a Florist’s Shop

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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

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  1. Un azalée : azalea Un

  2. Un bégonia : begonia

  3. Un bleuet : cornflower

  4. Une capucine : nasturtium

  5. Un coquelicot : wild poppy

  6. Un chrysanthème : mum

  7. Un dahlia : dahlia

  8. Un gardénia : gardenia

  9. Un géranium : geranium

  10. Un glaïeul : gladiolus

  11. Un hibiscus : hibuscus

  12. hortensia : hydrangea

  13. Un iris : iris

  14. Une jacinthe :hyacinth

  15. Le jasmin : jasmine

  16. La lavande : lavander

  17. Un lys : lily

  18. Une marguerite : daisy

  19. Le muguet: lily of the valey

  20. Un narcisse : narcissus

  21. Un œillet : carnation

  22. Une orchidée : orchid

  23. Une pâquerette : tiny wild daisy

  24. Une pivoine : peony

  25. Une pensée :pansy

  26. Un perce-neige : snowdrop

  27. Une renoncule :ranunculus (buttercup)

  28. Une rose: rose

  29. Un tournesol : sunflower

  30. Une tulipe: tulip

  31. Une violette :violet

  32. Une anémone : anemone

    3 - French Expressions to Use /  Or You Will Hear at a Flower Shop

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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

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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

+33 (0)1 45 50 43 54

http://www.ericchauvin.fr

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

+33 (0)1 43 46 82 59

http://www.aromparis.fr

Bleuet Coquelicot

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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

+33 (0)1 42 41 21 35

http://www.bleuetcoquelicot.fr

 Flower

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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

+33 (0)1 44 50 00 20

http://www.flower.fr

 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

+33 (0)1 48 03 48 65

http://www.saison.studio