Charity and voluntary work: GCSE French vocabulary
62 words and phrases for charity and voluntary work, in 3 groups. Every entry has the English meaning and a French example sentence with its translation. Nouns show their gender.
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Charities and helping
| French | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| l'association feminine | charity | Je suis membre d'une association caritative. I am a member of a charity. |
| l'organisation caritative feminine | charity organisation | Cette organisation caritative aide les sans-abri. This charity helps the homeless. |
| la charité feminine | charity | Elle donne de l'argent à la charité. She gives money to charity. |
| le bénévolat masculine | voluntary work | Je fais du bénévolat le samedi. I do voluntary work on Saturdays. |
| le bénévole masculine | volunteer (male) | Les bénévoles distribuent des repas. The volunteers hand out meals. |
| la bénévole feminine | volunteer (female) | Ma sœur est bénévole dans un refuge. My sister is a volunteer in a shelter. |
| le volontaire masculine | volunteer | Nous cherchons des volontaires. We are looking for volunteers. |
| aider | to help | J'aide les personnes âgées. I help elderly people. |
| donner | to give | Je donne mes vieux vêtements. I give away my old clothes. |
| collecter | to collect | Nous collectons de la nourriture. We collect food. |
| récolter des fonds | to raise funds | Nous récoltons des fonds pour l'hôpital. We are raising funds for the hospital. |
| l'argent masculine | money | J'ai donné de l'argent pour les victimes. I gave money for the victims. |
| le don masculine | donation | Chaque don aide. Every donation helps. |
| faire un don | to make a donation | J'ai fait un don à une association. I made a donation to a charity. |
| organiser | to organise | Nous organisons un gâteau-vente. We are organising a cake sale. |
| la vente de gâteaux feminine | cake sale | La vente de gâteaux a rapporté cent euros. The cake sale raised a hundred euros. |
| la course feminine | race | Nous faisons une course pour la charité. We are doing a charity run. |
| participer à | to take part in | Je participe à une marche. I am taking part in a march. |
| les personnes âgées | elderly people | Je rends visite aux personnes âgées. I visit elderly people. |
| les sans-abri | homeless people | Les sans-abri dorment dehors. Homeless people sleep outside. |
| les malades | the sick | Cette association aide les malades. This charity helps the sick. |
| les enfants | children | Nous aidons les enfants pauvres. We help poor children. |
| les animaux | animals | Je m'occupe des animaux au refuge. I look after animals at the shelter. |
| le refuge masculine | shelter | Je travaille dans un refuge pour chiens. I work in a dog shelter. |
| le don du sang masculine | blood donation | Le don du sang sauve des vies. Blood donation saves lives. |
| le parrainage masculine | sponsorship | Mes parents font du parrainage d'enfants. My parents sponsor children. |
| sensibiliser | to raise awareness | Nous voulons sensibiliser les jeunes. We want to raise young people's awareness. |
| la solidarité feminine | solidarity | La solidarité est importante en cas de crise. Solidarity is important in a crisis. |
| s'engager | to get involved | Je m'engage dans une association. I am getting involved in a charity. |
What volunteers do
| French | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| distribuer | to hand out | Nous distribuons des repas chauds. We hand out hot meals. |
| préparer | to prepare | Je prépare des sandwichs. I prepare sandwiches. |
| servir | to serve | Les bénévoles servent la soupe. The volunteers serve soup. |
| trier | to sort | Nous trions les vêtements. We sort the clothes. |
| ramasser | to pick up | Nous ramassons les déchets. We pick up litter. |
| nettoyer | to clean | Nous nettoyons la plage. We clean the beach. |
| accompagner | to accompany | J'accompagne un voisin âgé chez le médecin. I go with an elderly neighbour to the doctor. |
| promener | to walk (a dog) | Je promène les chiens du refuge. I walk the shelter's dogs. |
| donner des cours | to give lessons | Je donne des cours à des enfants. I give lessons to children. |
| rendre service | to do a favour | J'aime rendre service. I like helping out. |
| le stage masculine | work placement | J'ai fait un stage dans une association. I did a work placement at a charity. |
| l'expérience feminine | experience | Le bénévolat est une bonne expérience. Voluntary work is a good experience. |
| gratuit | free (no cost) | Le repas est gratuit. The meal is free. |
| utile | useful | Je me sens utile. I feel useful. |
| fier | proud | Je suis fier de mon travail. I am proud of my work. |
| généreux | generous | Les gens sont généreux à Noël. People are generous at Christmas. |
| gratifiant | rewarding | Ce travail est très gratifiant. This work is very rewarding. |
| épuisant | exhausting | Le travail est épuisant mais utile. The work is exhausting but useful. |
| le manque de temps masculine | lack of time | Le manque de temps m'empêche de m'engager. Lack of time stops me getting involved. |
| bénéficier | to benefit | Beaucoup de familles bénéficient de cette aide. Many families benefit from this help. |
Why help? Opinions and plans
| French | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| il faut aider | you must help | Il faut aider ceux qui en ont besoin. You must help those in need. |
| ceux qui | those who | Il faut aider ceux qui sont seuls. You must help those who are alone. |
| avoir besoin de | to need | Les réfugiés ont besoin de vêtements chauds. Refugees need warm clothes. |
| pour aider les autres | to help others | Je fais du bénévolat pour aider les autres. I do voluntary work to help others. |
| je me sens utile | I feel useful | Quand j'aide, je me sens utile. When I help, I feel useful. |
| à l'avenir | in future | À l'avenir, je voudrais travailler pour une association. In future, I would like to work for a charity. |
| plus tard | later | Plus tard, je ferai du bénévolat à l'étranger. Later, I will do voluntary work abroad. |
| si j'avais le temps | if I had the time | Si j'avais le temps, je ferais du bénévolat. If I had the time, I would do voluntary work. |
| je trouve que | I think that | Je trouve que c'est important de donner. I think it is important to give. |
| c'est important de | it is important to | C'est important de penser aux autres. It is important to think of others. |
| égoïste | selfish | Il ne faut pas être égoïste. You should not be selfish. |
| solidaire | supportive | Il faut être solidaire. You must show solidarity. |
| se mobiliser | to rally | Les jeunes se mobilisent pour la planète. Young people are rallying for the planet. |
Learn how to use these words in sentences: Charity and voluntary work lesson with practice questions.
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