bleu
/blø/
The English phrase blue is translated into French as bleu.
bleu is an adjective used to describe something that is blue-coloured. You may also see references to specific shades such as dark blue or light blue.
Meaning: blue-coloured (adj)
Which one should you use?
While bleu is the standard term, Azur serves as a poetic and refined term for a vivid, deep blue.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. Use bleu for masculine singular nouns, bleue for feminine singular nouns, bleus for masculine plural nouns and bleues for feminine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/blø/
Did you know?
- While English uses 'blue' to describe sadness, French uses the expression avoir le cafard ('to have the cockroach') to convey the same feeling.
- In French, the word bleu can be used as a very old, indirect way to refer to 'God' to avoid using the divine name directly.
- In French military or professional slang, a bleu is a term for a rookie or a newcomer.
Examples in context
- Le ciel est bleu.The sky is blue.This sentence is useful for describing the color of the sky using bleu.Tatoeba #342114 by sysko, translation #18275 by CK
- La mer est bleue.The sea is blue.This sentence demonstrates the use of the feminine form bleue for the sea.Tatoeba #2508101 by Aiji, translation #2396999 by Hayabusa
- Il a du sang bleu.He's a blue blood.This sentence shows the idiomatic use of bleu in the expression for blue blood.Tatoeba #1340086 by sacredceltic, translation #1336492 by Scott
- La mer est bleueThe sea is blue
- Le ciel azuré nous enchanteThe azure sky enchants us
- La mer céruléenne scintillait au soleilThe cerulean sea sparkled in the sun
- J'ai acheté un t-shirt bleu foncéI bought a dark blue t-shirt
- La chambre de bébé est peinte en bleu cielThe baby's room is painted in sky blue
- Je porte un pull bleu aujourd'hui.Today, I am wearing a blue sweater.
- Les yeux de Marie sont d'un bleu azur magnifique.Marie's eyes are of a beautiful azure blue.
- Mon restaurant préféré a des murs peints en bleu ciel.My favorite restaurant has sky blue painted walls.
- 318 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Nathan are shopping for a new sweater.
- ChloéTu aimes ce pull bleu ?Do you like this blue sweater?
- NathanOui, il est très beau.Yes, it is very beautiful.
- ChloéLe bleu est ta couleur préférée ?Is blue your favorite color?
- NathanOui, j'adore ce bleu.Yes, I love this blue.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “blue” translations and entries bleu, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bleu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
