football américain
/fut.bɔ.l‿a.me.ʁi.kɛ̃/masculine
American football in French is football américain. Wiktionary also lists football.
Meaning: American football (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| football américain | /fut.bɔ.l‿a.me.ʁi.kɛ̃/ | masculine |
| football | /fut.bol/ /fut.bal/ |
Canada, masculine |
Which one should you use?
In Canada, the word football is often used to refer to American football, whereas in France, le football refers to soccer.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, the term football may be used to refer to American football.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase is a masculine noun phrase, so it is preceded by the masculine article le.
How do you pronounce it?
/fut.bɔ.l‿a.me.ʁi.kɛ̃/
Did you know?
- While football américain is the official term, French fans often use the English loanword 'touchdown' to describe the score, as there is no French equivalent that captures the same cultural weight.
- French speakers often use the term ballon ovale (oval ball) to describe American football or rugby to distinguish them from the round ball of soccer.
- The word football is a direct loanword from English, yet it underwent a semantic shift in the French-speaking world to prioritize the association with soccer.
Examples in context
- Tom aimait le football américain.Tom liked American football.This sentence shows how to express a preference for football américain.Tatoeba #12421110 by zogwarg, translation #12421111 by zogwarg
- Tous mes amis aiment le football américain.All my friends like American football.This sentence demonstrates how to express a group preference for football américain.Tatoeba #135142 by Aiji, translation #9858533 by pyeman23
- Le football américain, c'est pour les tapettes. Si t'es vraiment un homme, tu fais du rugby.American football is for sissies. If you're a real man you play rugby.This sentence provides an example of the phrase football américain used in a derogatory context.Tatoeba #800736 by sacredceltic, translation #733780 by darinmex
- Le football américain est un sport très populaire aux États-Unis.American football is a very popular sport in the United States.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about watching sports on TV.
- GabrielTu regardes le football américain ce soir ?Are you watching American football tonight?
- ChloéNon, je préfère le basket.No, I prefer basketball.
- GabrielDommage, le football américain est passionnant.That's too bad, American football is exciting.
- ChloéPeut-être un jour, Gabriel.Maybe one day, Gabriel.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “american football” translations and entries football américain, football, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries américain, football, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
