béret
/be.ʁɛ/masculine
The English word beret is translated into French as béret.
The term refers to a type of brimless cap. While you can use the verb porter to say someone is wearing a piece of clothing, you may also encounter the more descriptive expression être coiffé de, which is used specifically to describe someone wearing a headpiece such as a béret.
Meaning: type of brimless cap (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun béret is masculine, meaning it is used with the masculine articles un or le.
How do you pronounce it?
/be.ʁɛ/ (2 syllables)
Did you know?
- The word béret actually shares a common ancestor with the Welsh word 'byr', which means 'short'.
- While often seen as a symbol of Paris, the most authentic béret actually traces its origins back to the Basque country and the Pyrenees mountains.
- In France, the way a béret is tilted on the head can historically signal a person's mood or social status.
Examples in context
- Où est mon béret basque ?Where's my Basque beret?This sentence is useful for asking about the location of a specific Basque béret.Tatoeba #7160086 by felix63, translation #12985679 by DJ_Saidez
- Il est coiffé d'un béret marron.He's wearing a brown beret.This sentence uses the expression for wearing a béret.Tatoeba #9549227 by Julien_PDC, translation #11663447 by Amastan
- Le béret est un couvre-chef français emblématique.The beret is an iconic French headpiece.This sentence describes the béret as an iconic French headpiece.Tatoeba #9207062 by Micsmithel, translation #7794145 by karloelkebekio
- J'adore ton béret, il te va très bien.I love your beret, it suits you well.
Example conversation
Lucas and Emma are looking at clothes in a shop window.
- EmmaRegarde ce beau béret bleu !Look at that beautiful blue beret!
- LucasIl irait très bien avec ton manteau.It would go very well with your coat.
- EmmaTu penses que je devrais l'acheter ?Do you think I should buy it?
- LucasOui, c'est un très joli béret.Yes, it is a very pretty beret.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “beret” translations and entries béret, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries béret, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
