Understanding Nouns in French
Explore the concept of nouns in French language including its usage, types and examples.
tableau
board
The French word 'tableau' is used to mean 'board'. It is commonly used in the context of blackboard or whiteboard in a classroom. However, it can also refer to a dashboard or panel of buttons and gadgets in cars or machines, and even a painting or a work of art in gallery. So depending on the context, 'tableau' can have different meanings.
Example sentences with tableau →taille
size
The French word 'taille' is used to denote the size or dimensions of an object or person. It can be used in sentences like 'Quelle est votre taille de vêtements?' which translates to 'What is your clothing size?'. Remember, it is pronounced as tɑj in native French.
Example sentences with taille →taux
rate
The French term 'taux' is equivalent to the English word 'rate'. It's used in many contexts such as mathematics, economics, and general usage, where it can mean proportion, ratio, or speed. For instance, 'taux de change' means 'exchange rate' in financial context, while in a general context 'taux de réussite' can mean 'success rate'. As with many words, it's usage often depends on the specific context.
Example sentences with taux →technologie
technology
The French word for 'technology' is 'technologie'. The usage is quite similar to English; it's used to refer to machinery and equipment developed from scientific knowledge. It can be used in various contexts, whether talking about the rise of new 'technologie', the use of 'technologie' in different industries, or studying 'technologie' at school. Like in English, in French it is also a commonly used word, especially in contemporary times when technology has a significant role in various aspects of life.
Example sentences with technologie →téléphone
phone
The French word for 'phone' is 'téléphone'. Just like in English, it is also often shortened in casual conversation to 'tél'. The French word 'téléphone' can be used to refer both to the device you use to call someone and to the act of calling someone. For example, 'Je vais te téléphoner' means 'I am going to call you'.
Example sentences with téléphone →temps
time
The word 'temps' in French can be used very similarly to how 'time' is used in English. It can refer to the progression of moments (e.g., 'Quel temps fait-il?' means 'What is the time?'), the weather (e.g., 'Il fait beau temps' means 'The weather is good'), or to musical tempo in a similar fashion to English. It's a very versatile word in the French language.
Example sentences with temps →tenir
hold
The French word 'tenir' means 'to hold' in English. It can be used in many contexts just as in English, such as to hold something concrete like a book (Je tiens un livre) or to hold onto something in a figurative sense, like to hold a position (Il tient la position de président). 'Tenir' is a common verb and follows a regular conjugation pattern.
Example sentences with tenir →terme
term
The French word 'terme' is used similarly to the English word 'term'. It's used in contexts like legal terms (termes juridiques), term of a contract (terme d'un contrat), or end of a time period (fin d'un terme). Be aware that in some contexts and expressions, it might not directly translate to 'term' in English. As always with language learning, understanding the context is key.
Example sentences with terme →terre
land
The word 'terre' is used in French to mean 'land'. It can be used in a variety of contexts, such as describing a piece of earth or ground (la terre), talking about a country or territory (la terre de mes ancêtres) or referencing the planet Earth itself (la Terre). This word is a common noun and always starts with a lowercase, except when it represents the Earth, or at the start of a sentence.
Example sentences with terre →tête
head
The French word for 'head' is 'tête'. It is used in the same way as in English to refer to the top part of the human body that includes the brain, eyes, mouth, etc. It is also used metaphorically in phrases like 'prendre la tête' (to be the leader) or 'mal de tête' (headache). Just as in English, 'tête' is a versatile word in French.
Example sentences with tête →théorie
theory
The French word for theory is 'théorie'. Just like in English, 'théorie' is used to explain or describe a phenomenon or a set of facts, and it can be used in a great variety of contexts, such as science, mathematics, philosophy and many more. It is generally used in a similar way as it is in English, allowing French learners to directly translate their thoughts.
Example sentences with théorie →tir
shot
The word 'tir' in French translates to 'shot' in English. It is used similarly to English, often in contexts relating to sports such as a 'tir au but' in football meaning a 'shot on goal'. Also, 'tir' can refer to a shot of drink or a gunshot. However, it's essential to understand the context to use this word aptly.
Example sentences with tir →tomber
drop
The French word 'tomber' is used to describe the action of 'dropping' something, in the sense of it falling from a higher position to a lower one. It can be used in various contexts, just like in English - when an object falls from someone's hand, when the temperature falls/drops, or when someone falls down.
Example sentences with tomber →tradition
tradition
In French, 'tradition' is used in the same way as in English. It refers to a custom or belief that has been passed down from one generation to another. It can be used in various contexts, such as family traditions, cultural traditions, and religious traditions.
Example sentences with tradition →traitement
treatment
The French word 'traitement' is used to refer to treatment, the process or manner in which someone behaves toward or deals with someone or something. In medical context, it refers to the care or therapy given to a patient for an illness or injury. Just like in English, the context in which it is used often determines its specific meaning.
Example sentences with traitement →traiter
treat
In French, 'traiter' translates to 'treat' in English. The term can be used in a variety of contexts, such as medical treatment (traitement médical), treating someone to something (traiter quelqu'un à quelque chose), or in the sense of dealing with a topic (traiter un sujet). However, the usage depends mostly on the context of the sentence.
Example sentences with traiter →travail
work
The French word 'travail' is used in the same context as the English word 'work'. It can refer both to the act of working and the place where one works, although it is more commonly used to refer to the act of working. Like the English equivalent, it can also be used in various idiomatic expressions and phrases.
Example sentences with travail →travailleur
worker
The French word 'travailleur' is used in much the same way as 'worker' in English. It describes someone who works, often in a manual or blue-collar capacity, but also applies more generally to anyone who exerts themselves laboriously. The pronunciation is tra-vai-yeur. It can also be used in multiple contexts. For instance, 'un travailleur acharné' means 'a hard worker', while 'les droits des travailleurs' refers to 'workers' rights'.
Example sentences with travailleur →tribunal
court
The French word, 'tribunal,' translates directly to 'court' in English. It is used to describe a place where legal cases are heard and decisions made, the same as in English. Just like in English, it can be used in different contexts pertaining to the judicial or legal system. Note, however, that 'tribunal' specifically refers to court in a legal sense. If one were to refer to court in the context of courtship, the word 'cour' would be used in French.
Example sentences with tribunal →type
type
The word 'type' in English is translated as 'type' in French. The French word 'type' has the same meaning as the English word. It refers to a category of things or people having common characteristics. Like in English, it can be used in a variety of contexts including in phrases, sentences and also used in technological contexts to refer to the form or model of something.
Example sentences with type →union
union
In French, 'union' is used similarly to English, referring to an agreement or alliance among individuals, groups or nations. It may be used contextually in many scenarios such as marriages (as in 'union matrimoniale'), political unions or labor unions (as in 'union des travailleurs'). As in English, it conveys a sense of harmony or coming together.
Example sentences with union →université
university
The French word for 'university' is 'université'. This term is frequently used in academic and educational contexts, very much similar to how 'university' is used in English. It refers to institutions of higher education and research which provide both undergraduate and post-graduate education.
Example sentences with université →valeur
value
The French word 'valeur' translates to 'value' in English. It is used in many contexts like maths, economics, and even in daily conversation, just as in English. For instance, in economics 'valeur monétaire' means 'monetary value'. It can also be used to describe the worth of something as in 'cette peinture a beaucoup de valeur' which means 'this painting has a lot of value'.
Example sentences with valeur →vérité
truth
The word 'vérité' in French translates to 'truth' in English. It is commonly used in similar contexts as in English, either to refer to a universal honest fact or principle, or to indicate authenticity and sincerity in a person's character. Just like in English, 'vérité' can be used in many expressions and idioms, emphasizing its importance in daily communication.
Example sentences with vérité →version
version
In French, 'version' is used in much the same way it is used in English - to refer to a particular form or variant of something. For example, it can be used to refer to the French 'version' of a movie originally made in another language, or to a new 'version' of a software application. It is a common word and is used across a variety of contexts.
Example sentences with version →viande
meat
The French word 'viande' is used quite similarly to 'meat' in English. It refers to the flesh of an animal, particularly mammals or birds, used as food. For example, 'Pouvez-vous ajouter de la viande à cette recette?' means 'Can you add meat to this recipe?'. Remember, in French, you need to use 'de la' before 'viande' when talking about some meat or meat in general.
Example sentences with viande →vidéo
video
The French word for 'video' is 'vidéo'. It's used in much the same way as in English, to refer to a recording, broadcasting, or reproduction of moving visual images. It's also used in compounds like 'vidéo clip' and 'vidéo game'. It's pronounced 'vee-dee-oh'.
Example sentences with vidéo →ville
city
The French word for city is 'ville'. You would use it in the same way as you use city in English. It is used to describe a large or important town. Some examples in French sentences are: Je vis à New York City which translates to 'I live in New York City', and Paris est une belle ville which translates to 'Paris is a beautiful city'.
Example sentences with ville →visage
face
The translation of 'face' in French is 'visage.' It is used very similarly to its English counterpart by referring to the front part of a person’s head from the forehead to the chin. For example, 'Je vais me laver le visage' means 'I am going to wash my face.' It can also be used metaphorically to express aspects or phases, like in 'faire face à une situation' which means 'to face a situation.'
Example sentences with visage →voix
voice
The French word for 'voice' is 'voix', pronounced as 'vwah'. It is used in the same context as in English, referring to the sound produced in a person's larynx and uttered through the mouth, as speech or song. For instance, 'Elle a une belle voix' means 'She has a beautiful voice'.
Example sentences with voix →