Getting ready for the DELF B1 or B2 exam? Then this vocabulary bank on plastic pollution is your new best friend.
This themed word list focuses on one of the most frequent topics in DELF exams: the environment, sustainability, and false solutions like “green” plastics. These words and expressions will help you understand tricky listening passages, write strong arguments, and speak fluently about the issue—whether you’re working on a monologue or writing a formal letter.
Make sure to scroll down and watch the video lesson linked below. It explains key terms, metaphors, and how to use them naturally in your answers.
To really put this vocabulary into practice, you can also:
Try the listening comprehension mock exam featuring an interview with Davy Poncin (B2 level).
Do the writing task where you contest a local decision on compostable plastics.
Practice your speaking skills with a mock oral exam on whether bio-based packaging is a real solution.
Each of these activities connects directly with the words and expressions listed here. Use them actively—and you’ll not only learn the vocab, but know exactly how and when to use it during the test.
Let’s make your DELF preparation more targeted, relevant, and effective—starting with the right words.
Thematic Lexical Bank: Ocean Plastic Pollution & Solutions
Key Themes:
1. The Scale of Plastic Pollution
2. Sources & Pathways
3. Misconceptions & Greenwashing
4. Systemic Solutions
5. Health & Environmental Impacts
Comprendre et utiliser ce vocabulaire
Cette vidéo n’est pas un exercice de compréhension orale.
Elle sert à expliquer le vocabulaire, les métaphores et les pièges fréquents du DELF
ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY
A. Plastic Pollution & Oceanography
| French | English | Context/Example |
|---|---|---|
| La pollution océanique | Ocean pollution | “C’est seulement 1% de la pollution océanique qui flotte en surface.” |
| Flotter en surface | Float on the surface | |
| Couler en profondeur | Sink to depth | |
| Rejaillir sur les côtes | Wash up on coasts | |
| Se déliter | Break apart/disintegrate | |
| Les microplastiques (m) | Microplastics | “La pollution microplastique est la majoritaire.” |
| Les nanoplastiques (m) | Nanoplastics | |
| Les macro-déchets (m) | Macro-waste | Large plastic items |
| Incollectable | Uncollectable | Cannot be gathered/cleaned |
B. Sources & Pathways
| French | English | Context/Example |
|---|---|---|
| L’emballage (m) | Packaging | “50% de la production est liée à l’emballage.” |
| L’usage unique (m) | Single-use | |
| L’abrasion (f) | Wear and tear/abrasion | “Abrasion des pneumatiques et du lavage des textiles.” |
| Les pneumatiques (m) | Tires/tyres | |
| Les textiles synthétiques (m) | Synthetic textiles | |
| Les retombées atmosphériques (f) | Atmospheric fallout/deposition | |
| Les poussières (f) | Dust | “On inhale ces poussières-là.” |
C. Solutions & Actions
| French | English | Context/Example |
|---|---|---|
| Prendre le problème en amont | Address the problem upstream | Tackle root causes |
| Supprimer | Eliminate/remove | |
| Réutilisable | Reusable | |
| Prohiber | Ban/prohibit | “Les objets à usage unique sont prohibés.” |
| S’attaquer à | Tackle/address | “S’attaquer au ruisseau avant la mer.” |
| La collecte des déchets (f) | Waste collection | |
| Défaillant(e) | Deficient/failing | |
| Inexistant(e) | Non-existent |
D. Plastic Types & Terminology
| French | English | Key Distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Biosourcé | Bio-based | Made from natural materials (corn, algae) |
| Biodégradable | Biodegradable | Breaks down naturally like orange peel |
| Compostable | Compostable | Breaks down in composting conditions |
| Issu du pétrole | Petroleum-based | Traditional plastic |
| Le plastique conventionnel | Conventional plastic | |
| Les bioplastiques (m) | Bioplastics | Umbrella term (often misleading) |
| Le recyclage mécanique | Mechanical recycling | |
| Les copolymères (m) | Copolymers | Multiple plastic layers (hard to recycle) |
E. Health Impacts
| French | English | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Respirer du plastique | Breathe plastic | “On respire du plastique dans l’air.” |
| Inhaler | Inhale | |
| Manger/boire du plastique | Eat/drink plastic | |
| L’équivalent d’une carte bleue | Equivalent of a credit card | Weekly plastic ingestion |
| Les poumons (m) | Lungs | |
| L’estomac (m) | Stomach |
F. Systemic Issues & Misconceptions
| French | English | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Une idée reçue | A misconception/common belief | |
| Un frein | An obstacle/barrier | |
| Véhiculer (une idée) | Spread/promote (an idea) | |
| La confusion (f) | Confusion | |
| Surfer sur (une confusion) | Capitalize on/exploit (confusion) | |
| Une douce utopie | A sweet/pie-in-the-sky utopia | Unrealistic ideal |
| Une illusion | An illusion | |
| Co-responsable | Co-responsible/shared responsibility | |
| Se désigner les uns les autres | Point fingers at each other |
G. Industry & Economics
| French | English | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Le siège social | Headquarters | *”95% ont leur siège social en Europe/US.”* |
| Les mono-doses (f) | Single-use sachets/packets | |
| Le portefeuille | Wallet/budget | “Accessible au portefeuille.” |
| Les micro-doses (f) | Micro-doses | Small single-use packets |
| Accaparer des terres agricoles | Monopolize agricultural land | |
| Déplacer des pollutions | Shift/displace pollution | Create problems elsewhere |
| La filière économique | Economic sector/chain |
KEY EXPRESSIONS & METAPHORS
Metaphorical Language:
“C’est comme essayer de travailler sur une serpillière alors qu’on n’a pas fermé le robinet.”
→ “It’s like working on a mop technology while the tap is still running.”“S’attaquer au ruisseau avant de s’attaquer à la mer.”
→ “Tackle the stream before tackling the ocean.”“Prendre avec des pincettes”
→ “Take with a grain of salt” (be cautious about statistics).
Critical Thinking Phrases:
“Ça devient problématique quand…” → “It becomes problematic when…”
“En revanche…” → “However/On the other hand…”
“Or…” → “Yet/But” (contradicting previous assumption)
“Effectivement…” → “Indeed/Actually…”
“Il faut vraiment faire le distinguo.” → “We really need to distinguish between…”
Argumentation & Clarification:
“Ce que je dis, c’est que…” → “What I’m saying is that…”
“La seule chose que je veux dire…” → “The only thing I want to say…”
“Il y a une confusion énorme.” → “There’s huge confusion.”
“Ça a été démontré par…” → “This has been demonstrated by…”
HOW TO USE THIS LEXICAL BANK FOR EXAMS:
For Listening Comprehension:
Anticipate vocabulary when you see questions about:
Sources of pollution
Solutions vs. false solutions
Health impacts
Industry responsibility
Listen for these key terms – they often signal important information.
For Writing & Speaking:
Structure arguments using:
Problem: “La pollution microplastique…”
Source: “Provenant de l’abrasion des…”
False solution: “Les plastiques soi-disant biodégradables…”
Real solution: “Il faut prendre le problème en amont en…”
Show nuance:
Use “en revanche” to contrast
Use “effectivement” to acknowledge then refute
Use “or” to introduce counter-evidence
Example Paragraph Using Vocabulary:
“La pollution plastique des océans est souvent présentée comme un problème de macro-déchets flottant en surface, mais en réalité, les microplastiques et nanoplastiques, provenant notamment de l’abrasion des pneumatiques et du lavage des textiles synthétiques, constituent la majorité de la pollution. Or, ces particules sont incollectables. Plutôt que de s’attaquer à des solutions illusoires comme le nettoyage des océans ou les plastiques biodégradables – qui ne se dégradent pas comme une écorce d’orange – il faudrait prendre le problème en amont en prohibant les usages uniques et en développant des alternatives réutilisables.”
TEST-TAKING TIPS:
Identify speaker’s stance: Davy Poncin is critical of false solutions and emphasizes systemic change.
Note contrasts: Surface vs. deep pollution, biosourcé vs. biodégradable, individual vs. corporate responsibility.
Track numbers & statistics: 1%, 50%, 95%, “une carte bleue par semaine.”
Recognize metaphors: They often contain key arguments.
Listen for correction phrases: “En fait…”, “Or…”, “En revanche…” often introduce important corrections.