Calais
/ka.lɛ/
Calais is the name for the town of Calais in French.
Meaning: a town in France (name)
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ka.lɛ/. It has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- In the 14th century, the town of Calais was so strategic that it became an English possession for over a century, meaning the town's name remained a constant point of tension between the two languages.
- The city of Calais is home to a famous sculpture by Auguste Rodin that commemorates the 'Burghers of Calais', a group of citizens who risked their lives to save the town.
- In historical contexts, the area surrounding Calais was known as the 'Pale', a term used to describe the specific border of English authority on French soil.
Examples in context
- La plupart des Allemands s'attendaient à ce que les Alliés attaquent à Calais, en France.Most Germans expected the Allies would attack at Calais, in France.This sentence is useful for seeing Calais used in a historical context.Tatoeba #910556 by Scott, translation #804122 by Source_VOA
- Je vais passer par Calais.I am going to pass through Calais.
- Le ferry arrive bientôt à Calais.The ferry is arriving in Calais soon.
Example conversation
Hugo and Manon are discussing their travel plans to England.
- HugoOn prend le train pour Calais ?Shall we take the train to Calais?
- ManonOui, c'est plus simple, Hugo.Yes, it is simpler, Hugo.
- HugoTu as pris les billets ?Did you get the tickets?
- ManonNon, je les prends tout de suite.No, I am getting them right now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “calais” translations and entries Calais, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
