astuce
/as.tys/feminine
In French, the word tip can be translated as astuce or conseil depending on the context.
Meaning: piece of advice (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| astuce | /as.tys/ | feminine |
| conseil | /kɔ̃.sɛj/ | masculine |
When referring to a piece of advice, the specific word you choose depends on whether you are sharing a clever shortcut or a standard piece of guidance.
Which one should you use?
Use astuce when the tip is a clever trick, a shortcut or a life hack. Use conseil when the tip is a piece of guidance or formal advice.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, Canada, speakers sometimes adopt the English word le tip.
How does it change in a sentence?
Astuce is a feminine noun, so you should use articles like une or la with it. Conseil is a masculine noun, so you use articles like un or le.
How do you pronounce it?
/as.tys/
When do people say it?
Note that if you are referring to a tip given as money for service (a gratuity), the universal term is le pourboire.
Did you know?
- The word pourboire used for a monetary tip literally translates to 'for drink', stemming from the ancient custom of leaving a small coin for the server to buy a drink.
- While astuce means a 'tip' or 'hack', the word astuce is also used in French gaming and software communities to describe 'cheat codes' for a video game.
- The word astuce shares its roots with the English word 'astute', describing someone who is clever or shrewd.
Examples in context
- Merci pour le conseil.Thanks for the tip.This sentence is useful for thanking someone for a single conseil.Tatoeba #1832437 by sacredceltic, translation #2715434 by CK
- Merci pour ce conseil utile !Thanks for that useful tip!This sentence shows how to express gratitude for a useful conseil.Tatoeba #10496219 by lbdx, translation #10019055 by sundown
- Je vais te donner une petite astuce.I'll give you a little tip.This sentence demonstrates how to offer a small astuce to someone.Tatoeba #10496237 by lbdx, translation #1129719 by CM
- Hey mec, t'as un pourboire pour le serveur?Hey dude, do you have a tip for the waiter?
- Il m'a donné un bon tuyauHe gave me a good tip
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa is helping Nathan with a difficult computer program.
- NathanTu as une astuce pour ce logiciel ?Do you have a tip for this software?
- LéaOui, j'ai une petite astuce pour toi.Yes, I have a little tip for you.
- NathanC'est quoi, ton astuce ?What is your tip?
- LéaUtilise ce raccourci clavier.Use this keyboard shortcut.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tip” translations and entries astuce, conseil, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries astuce, conseil, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
