bougie
/bu.ʒi/feminine
The French word for candle is bougie. Wiktionary also lists chandelle.
Meaning: a light source (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| bougie | /bu.ʒi/ | feminine |
| chandelle | /ʃɑ̃.dɛl/ | feminine |
A candle is a light source. For a scented candle, use the phrase bougie parfumée.
Which one should you use?
bougie is the most common word for a standard candle used for light or decoration. In contrast, chandelle is a more formal or literary term.
Is it said differently in some regions?
bougie is the predominant term used in European French.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both bougie and chandelle are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/bu.ʒi/
Did you know?
- In modern French, the word bougie is used to refer to a spark plug in a car engine.
- The word bougie is actually a geographical reference to the Algerian port town of Béjaïa, which was once a major exporter of high-quality candle wax to Europe.
- Historically, bougie referred to expensive wax candles, while chandelle described cheaper candles made from animal tallow.
Examples in context
- Allume la bougie !Light the candle.This sentence is useful for practicing the command to light the bougie.Tatoeba #3658883 by sacredceltic, translation #2259050 by _undertoad
- Je soufflai la bougie.I blew the candle out.This sentence is useful for practicing the past tense of blowing out a bougie.Tatoeba #6844 by dominiko, translation #255933 by CK
- Tom souffla la bougie.Tom blew out the candle.This sentence is useful for practicing how to describe a third person blowing out a bougie.Tatoeba #5854370 by ImmortalJim, translation #2545824 by CK
- Je vais acheter une bougieI am going to buy a candle
- J'adore les bougies parfumées à la vanilleI love vanilla scented candles
- J'ai acheté une belle bougie parfumée pour faire une surprise à ma mèreI bought a beautiful scented candle to surprise my mother
- 43 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Nathan are preparing the dinner table.
- LéaOù est la bougie pour la table ?Where is the candle for the table?
- NathanElle est dans le placard, Léa.It is in the cupboard, Léa.
- LéaMerci, je vais l'allumer maintenant.Thanks, I am going to light it now.
- NathanC'est une très belle bougie.It is a very beautiful candle.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “candle” translations and entries bougie, chandelle, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bougie, chandelle, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
