dessin animé
/de.sɛ̃ a.ni.me/masculine
The English phrase "animated cartoon" is translated into French as dessin animé.
dessin animé is the most common and widely understood term for an animated cartoon in French.
Meaning: animated media (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase dessin animé literally translates to "animated drawing".
Which one should you use?
While dessin animé is commonly used for cartoons, film d'animation is a more professional or technical term used to describe the medium of animation as a whole or feature-length animated movies. Additionally, film d'animation can be used interchangeably with dessin animé when specifically referring to animated movies.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because dessin animé is a masculine noun, you use the masculine indefinite article un to say "an animated cartoon" (un dessin animé). To form the plural, both the noun dessin and the adjective animé take an s at the end (des dessins animés).
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /de.sɛ̃ a.ni.me/. It consists of 4 syllables.
Did you know?
- While dessin animé refers to animation in general, French speakers often use the loanword anime specifically to refer to Japanese animation.
- The word animé can also be used as a standalone adjective to describe a lively person or a bustling place, such as a street market.
- The French word dessin is a linguistic doublet of the English word 'design'. They both share a common ancestor in the Italian word disegno.
Examples in context
- C'est un dessin animé très drôle.It is a very funny cartoon.
- Quel est ton dessin animé préféré ?What is your favorite cartoon?
- Il regarde un dessin animé à la télé.He is watching a cartoon on TV.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a movie.
- ChloéTu veux voir un film ?Do you want to see a movie?
- NathanOui, on peut regarder un dessin animé.Yes, we can watch an animated cartoon.
- ChloéC'est une excellente idée, Nathan !That is a great idea, Nathan!
- NathanJe choisis le film alors.I will choose the movie then.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “animated cartoon” translations and entries dessin animé, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries animé, dessin, CC BY-SA 4.0.
