sanglant
/sɑ̃.ɡlɑ̃/
The English word bloody translates to French as sanglant.
The word sanglant is used to describe things involving actual blood or extreme violence. If you want to use 'bloody' as an intensifier to emphasize an adjective (for example, 'bloody brilliant'), do not use sanglant. Instead, use the informal adverb vachement.
Meaning: intensifier (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word sanglant is derived from sang (blood) and the suffix -lant, which forms an adjective meaning 'full of' or 'characterized by'.
Which one should you use?
In English, 'bloody' is often used as an intensifier (e.g., 'bloody hell'). In French, sanglant is almost exclusively used in its literal sense to describe violent or bloody events, whereas the intensifier sense is expressed by other words.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. Use the feminine form sanglante for feminine nouns and add an 's' to form the masculine plural sanglants.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /sɑ̃.ɡlɑ̃/. It has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- The word sanglant is a descendant of the Late Latin sanguilentus, which is also the ancestor of the English medical term 'sanguinolent'.
- The French language uses the phrase à sang et feu to describe a total and violent destruction. It is the equivalent of the English 'with fire and sword'.
- While an English speaker might use 'bloody' to describe a tough sports match, a French person describing a match as sanglant would be implying that players were actually killed or severely wounded.
Examples in context
- Le sanglant conflit européen était terminé.The bloody European conflict was over.This sentence uses sanglant to describe a violent European conflict.Tatoeba #1083229 by sacredceltic, translation #807331 by Source_VOA
- La signature de l'armistice mit fin à des années de sanglants conflits, lourds en pertes humaines et matérielles.The signature of the armistice put an end to years of bloody conflicts, heavy in human and material losses.This sentence uses sanglant to describe conflicts involving heavy losses.Tatoeba #971135 by sysko, translation #1743478 by belgavox
- Putain, j'en ai marre de cette putain de pluie !Bloody hell, I'm fed up with this bloody rain!
- Quel bordel ! Je ne retrouve jamais mes putains de clés !What a mess! I can never find my bloody keys!
Example conversation
Nathan and Chloé are discussing a historical movie.
- NathanCe film était vraiment trop sanglant.That movie was really too bloody.
- ChloéJe suis d'accord, c'était choquant.I agree, it was shocking.
- NathanLa scène finale était sanglantement violente.The final scene was bloodily violent.
- ChloéOui, je n'ai pas aimé ça.Yes, I didn't like that.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry sanglant, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sanglant, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
