seul
/sœl/
The English word "alone" can be translated into French as seul.
seul is an adjective meaning "by oneself". It can also function as an adverb meaning "without company". Depending on its position in a sentence, seul can also mean "only" or "solely".
Meaning: by oneself (adj)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective seul must agree in gender and number with the person being described. Use seule for a female subject, seuls for a group of males or a mixed-gender group and seules for a group consisting only of females. Use seul for masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/sœl/
Did you know?
- The French word seul and the English word 'solo' share the same ancestor, the Latin word 'solus'.
- In some French contexts, describing someone as seul au monde means they are 'the only one in the world', a common hyperbolic way to express extreme loneliness.
- While seul means alone, French uses the word isolé specifically for someone who is alone due to physical distance or social exclusion.
Examples in context
- Tu vis seul ?Do you live alone?This sentence is useful for asking if someone lives alone using seul.Tatoeba #8685371 by Julien_PDC, translation #697411 by Eldad
- Il a agi seul.He acted alone.This sentence is useful for describing someone who acted alone using seul.Tatoeba #12211252 by lbdx, translation #8477624 by CH
- Tu viens seul ?Are you coming alone?This sentence is useful for asking if someone is coming alone using seul.Tatoeba #10630281 by felix63, translation #10610754 by sundown
- J'aime passer du temps seul(e) chez moi.I enjoy spending time alone at home.
- J'ai décidé de voyager en solitaire.I decided to travel alone.
- Je me sens tout seul(e) depuis que mes amis sont partis en vacances.I feel lonely since my friends went on vacation.
- Je suis allé(e) voir le concert en solo.I went to the concert alone.
- Je me sens seul(e) depuis que mes colocataires sont partis en vacances.I feel lonely since my roommates went on vacation.
- Il/Elle préfère faire ses devoirs tout seul(e).He/She prefers doing their homework alone.
- Les enfants jouent tout seuls dans la cour.The children play by themselves in the courtyard.
- 1331 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan and Manon are at a party.
- NathanTu es seule ce soir, Manon ?Are you alone tonight, Manon?
- ManonNon, je suis avec des amis.No, I am with some friends.
- NathanD'accord, je ne voulais pas te déranger.Okay, I didn't want to disturb you.
- ManonNe t'inquiète pas, Nathan.Don't worry, Nathan.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “alone” translations and entries seul, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries seul, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
