blanche
/blɑ̃ʃ/
The French word blanche means the color white.
blanche is the feminine singular form of the adjective used to describe something that is white.
Which one should you use?
Use blanc when describing a masculine noun and blanche when describing a feminine noun.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, Canada, it is common to address someone formally using Madame followed by their given name, such as Madame Blanche, without including a surname.
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, the form changes to match the noun it modifies: use blanc for masculine singular, blanche for feminine singular, blancs for masculine plural and blanches for feminine plural.
How do you pronounce it?
/blɑ̃ʃ/
When do people say it?
In an informal and playful context, one might use the nickname Blanchette as an affectionate derivative of the name Blanche.
Did you know?
- In French, a 'nuit blanche' literally means a 'white night', but it is used to describe a sleepless night or an all-nighter.
- A blanc-bec is a slang term for a naive young man, literally translating to a 'white beak'.
- While 'blanc' is the color, the word blanchir means 'to whiten' or even 'to money launder' in a financial context.
Examples in context
- Si un policier vous arrête pour circulation abusive sur la voie de gauche, a-t-il carte blanche pour fouiller le contenu de votre téléphone aussi ?When a police officer pulls you over for driving in the fast lane, does he have carte blanche to search your cell phone, too?This sentence shows the usage of blanche within the idiomatic expression 'carte blanche'.Tatoeba #5231740 by jmdesp, translation #4586253 by LB
- Madame Blanche, comment allez-vous?Mrs. Blanche, how are you?
- Mademoiselle Blanche, vous avez du courrier.Miss Blanche, you have mail.
- Salut Blanche, comment ça va?Hi Blanche, how are you?
- La neige est toute blanche.The snow is completely white.
- Elle porte une chemise blanche.She is wearing a white shirt.
Example conversation
Emma and Nathan are looking at a new piece of clothing in a shop.
- EmmaTu aimes cette robe blanche ?Do you like this white dress?
- NathanOui, elle est très jolie.Yes, it is very pretty.
- EmmaJe la trouve un peu trop simple.I find it a bit too simple.
- NathanMais elle est très élégante.But it is very elegant.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry blanche, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
