Grande-Bretagne
/ɡʁɑ̃d.bʁə.taɲ/
The English phrase "britain" is translated into French as Grande-Bretagne.
Grande-Bretagne refers specifically to the island of Great Britain.
Meaning: island (name)
What does it mean word for word?
The term is a literal translation of 'Great Britain', composed of grande (great) and Bretagne (Brittany/Britain).
Which one should you use?
While Grande-Bretagne refers to the island of Great Britain, le Royaume-Uni is used to refer to the United Kingdom.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some areas of the French-speaking world, particularly in Canada, Royaume-Uni is used to refer to the United Kingdom.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because Grande-Bretagne is treated as a feminine proper noun, use the preposition en when expressing movement to Britain (e.g., en Grande-Bretagne) and the preposition de when expressing origin from Britain (e.g., de Grande-Bretagne).
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡʁɑ̃d.bʁə.taɲ/
Did you know?
- While Grande-Bretagne is the island, French speakers often use l'Angleterre (England) as a colloquial synonym for the whole country in casual conversation.
- The word Bretagne is also the name of a region in northwestern France, known in English as 'Brittany'.
- The term Grande-Bretagne is a direct 'calque' or loan-translation from the Latin 'Britannia Maior', rather than being an original French term.
Examples in context
- Nous venons de Grande-Bretagne.We come from Britain.This sentence is useful for expressing origin from Grande-Bretagne.Tatoeba #8389500 by felix63, translation #10764087 by sundown
- Il est parti en Grande-Bretagne.He has gone to Britain.This sentence is useful for expressing movement to Grande-Bretagne.Tatoeba #453001 by sacredceltic, translation #288974 by CK
- Je viens de rentrer de Grande-Bretagne.I have just returned from Britain.This sentence is useful for expressing movement from Grande-Bretagne.Tatoeba #7387 by Bruno, translation #253069 by CN
- La Grande-Bretagne est célèbre pour ses monuments historiques.Great Britain is famous for its historical landmarks.
- J'aimerais visiter la Grande-Bretagne l'été prochain.I would like to visit Great Britain next summer.
- 24 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan and Chloé are talking about a geography book in a cafe.
- NathanEst-ce que la Grande-Bretagne est une île ?Is Great Britain an island?
- ChloéOui, c'est une grande île.Yes, it is a large island.
- NathanElle est située au large de l'Europe.It is located off the coast of Europe.
- ChloéC'est exact, Nathan.That's correct, Nathan.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Grande-Bretagne, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Grande-Bretagne, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
