célibataire
/se.li.ba.tɛʁ/
The French word for bachelor is célibataire.
célibataire is used to describe someone who is single or unmarried. It functions as both a noun to describe a person and an adjective to describe their status.
Meaning: unmarried man (noun)
Which one should you use?
While célibataire refers specifically to a person's marital status (being unmarried), the word seul is used to describe being alone or solitary.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word célibataire is epicene, which means it maintains the same form for both masculine and feminine subjects.
How do you pronounce it?
/se.li.ba.tɛʁ/. The word has 4 syllables.
Did you know?
- In French, a célibataire can be described as célibataire géographique if they are in a relationship but live far apart from their partner.
- Unlike the English 'bachelor degree', which refers to a university qualification, célibataire is never used to describe an academic degree.
- While 'bachelor' in English often implies a man who has never been married, célibataire covers anyone not currently married, including divorcees and widows.
Examples in context
- Il resta célibataire sa vie durant.He remained a bachelor throughout his life.This sentence demonstrates the use of célibataire to describe a life status.Tatoeba #834771 by sacredceltic, translation #3442715 by Objectivesea
- C'est pourquoi je suis célibataire.That's why I'm a bachelor.This sentence shows how to use célibataire to state your own status.Tatoeba #3602395 by sacredceltic, translation #3591623 by CK
- Il est resté célibataire toute sa vie.He remained a bachelor all his life.This sentence provides another example of using célibataire regarding a person's life status.Tatoeba #131566 by sacredceltic, translation #300479 by CK
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan and Manon are talking about their friends at a cafe.
- NathanEst-ce que ton frère est célibataire ?Is your brother a bachelor?
- ManonNon, il est marié depuis deux ans.No, he has been married for two years.
- NathanAh, je pensais qu'il était célibataire.Ah, I thought he was a bachelor.
- ManonNon, il est très heureux en couple.No, he is very happy in a relationship.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry célibataire, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
