cerveau
/sɛʁ.vo/masculine
The English word 'brain' is translated into French as cerveau. Wiktionary also lists cervelle and encéphale.
Meaning: organ (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| cerveau | /sɛʁ.vo/ | masculine |
| cervelle | /sɛʁ.vɛl/ /sær.vɛl/ (Louisiana) |
feminine |
| encéphale | /ɑ̃.se.fal/ | masculine |
You may also encounter the phrase Se creuser la tête, which means 'to rack one's brain'. Another idiom is Avoir une cervelle d'oiseau, meaning 'to have a bird's brain'.
Which one should you use?
Use cerveau for the biological organ or when referring to intelligence in a neutral or positive way. For strictly medical or anatomical contexts, use the formal term encéphale. The form cervelle is archaic and derogatory.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /sɛʁ.vo/. It has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- The word cervelle originated from a Latin plural form cerebella that was mistakenly interpreted as a feminine singular noun over time.
- In French, the word cerveau is a masculine noun, but its linguistic cousin cervelle is feminine.
Examples in context
- Il a un bon cerveau.He has a good brain.This sentence uses cerveau to describe someone having a good brain.Tatoeba #10764739 by Rovo, translation #301985 by CM
- Utilise ton cerveau !Use your brain!This sentence uses cerveau as an instruction to use one's brain.Tatoeba #8738943 by Micsmithel, translation #5158526 by Catriona
- Mon cerveau a explosé.My brain exploded.This sentence uses cerveau to describe a brain exploding.Tatoeba #12347870 by sacredceltic, translation #12347867 by sacredceltic
- Dans le domaine de la recherche médicale, l'étude du cerveau est essentielle.In the field of medical research, the study of the brain is essential.
- Le cerveau humain reste un mystère pour de nombreux chercheurs.The human brain remains a mystery to many researchers.
- J'ai mal à la caboche après cette longue journée de travail.I have a headache after this long day of work.
- Arrête de te creuser la caboche, ça ne sert à rien !Stop racking your brain, it's pointless!
- Je me creuse la tête pour trouver une solution à ce problème.I'm racking my brain to find a solution to this problem.
- Ne lui confie pas la responsabilité du projet, il a une cervelle d'oiseau.Don't trust him with the project's responsibility, he has a bird's brain.
- 78 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Gabriel are talking about a science documentary.
- EmmaLe cerveau humain est vraiment complexe.The human brain is really complex.
- GabrielC'est vrai, il contrôle tout notre corps.It's true, it controls our whole body.
- EmmaEst-ce que le cerveau dort aussi ?Does the brain sleep too?
- GabrielOui, il reste actif même quand on dort.Yes, it stays active even when we sleep.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “brain” translations and entries cerveau, cervelle, encéphale, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cerveau, cervelle, encéphale, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
