Ways to say it
| French | Note |
|---|---|
| eau en bouteille | feminine |
| eau embouteillée | feminine |
The term refers to drinking water that is sold in a bottle.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase eau en bouteille literally translates to "water in bottle".
Which one should you use?
Eau en bouteille is the standard way to refer to the product. In contrast, eau embouteillée is more technical and refers to the process of bottling.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, Canada, you may hear eau embouteillée more often. In parts of France, eau minérale is used to refer to bottled water, specifically emphasizing mineral water.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because eau is a feminine noun starting with a vowel, you use the partitive article de l'eau to mean "some water" or "water" in a general sense, such as in the phrase de l'eau en bouteille. If you want to order a single unit (a bottle) rather than the substance itself, use une bouteille d'eau.
Did you know?
- In France, requesting une carafe d'eau at a restaurant gets you a pitcher of tap water for free, which is the cultural norm over buying eau en bouteille.
- The French word eau is a direct relative of the Old English word ēa, which referred to a 'flowing water' or 'stream'.
- While 'bottled water' is a general term, if you are in a French restaurant and want sparkling water, you should ask for eau gazeuse rather than eau en bouteille to be precise.
Examples in context
- J'ai de l'eau en bouteille.I have bottled water.This sentence shows how to say "I have some bottled water" using eau en bouteille.Tatoeba #3657871 by sacredceltic, translation #2359361 by CK
- L'eau du robinet est parfois plus propre que l'eau en bouteille.Tap water is sometimes cleaner than bottled water.This sentence is useful for comparing tap water to eau en bouteille.Tatoeba #12466524 by lbdx, translation #2676997 by Hybrid
- Je voudrais une bouteille d'eau, s'il vous plaît .I would like a bottle of water, please.
- Apporte-moi de l'eau embouteillée .Bring me some bottled water.
- Est-ce que vous vendez de l'eau en bouteille ici ?Do you sell bottled water here?
- Il vaut mieux acheter de l'eau en bouteille ici.It is better to buy bottled water here.
Example conversation
Hugo and Chloé are hiking in a hot area.
- HugoChloé, est-ce que tu as de l'eau en bouteille ?Chloé, do you have any bottled water?
- ChloéOui, j'ai une bouteille dans mon sac.Yes, I have a bottle in my bag.
- HugoMerci, j'ai vraiment très soif.Thanks, I am really thirsty.
- ChloéTiens, bois un peu.Here, drink some.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bottled water” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bouteille, eau, en, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
