capitale
/ka.pi.tal/feminine
The English phrase 'capital city' is capitale in French. Wiktionary also lists chef-lieu (of a region or département).
Meaning: city designated as seat of government (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| capitale | /ka.pi.tal/ | feminine |
| chef-lieu (of a region or département) | masculine |
The term is used to refer to a city designated as the seat of government.
Which one should you use?
While capitale is used for the capital of a country, chef-lieu is the specific term used when referring to the administrative center of a French department or region.
How does it change in a sentence?
capitale is a feminine noun, which means any adjectives accompanying it must also be in the feminine form.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables and is pronounced /ka.pi.tal/.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use the masculine form capital to mean a city. In French, capital refers to money or uppercase letters, while the city is always capitale.
Did you know?
- Paris is often called la Ville Lumière or 'the City of Light', a nickname that reflects its historical role as the capital of enlightenment and arts.
- The word capitale shares a root with the English word 'capital', both descending from the Latin 'caput' meaning 'head'.
- In French, the word capital without the final 'e' is used to describe things of primary importance, such as a 'capital error' une erreur capitale.
Examples in context
- Chaque pays a une capitale.Every country has a capital city.This sentence shows how to express that every country has a capital.Tatoeba #12330420 by lbdx, translation #5516971 by Hybrid
- Tirana est la capitale de l'Albanie.Tirana is the capital city of Albania.This sentence provides an example of a specific capital city for a country.Tatoeba #2928862 by Blabla, translation #2922582 by MarijnKp
- La capitale de la France, c'est Paris.The capital city of France is Paris.This sentence illustrates how to state the capital of a country.Tatoeba #788615 by siggg, translation #1657739 by CK
- Bangkok est la capitale de la Thaïlande.Bangkok is the capital of Thailand.
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan and Chloé are discussing their travel plans.
- NathanOn visite quelle ville en premier ?Which city are we visiting first?
- ChloéOn commence par la capitale.We will start with the capital city.
- NathanEst-ce que la capitale est grande ?Is the capital city big?
- ChloéOui, c'est une ville immense.Yes, it is a huge city.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “capital city” translations and entries capitale, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
