voiture
/vwa.tyʁ/feminine
The English word "car" is translated into French as voiture. Wiktionary also lists auto and automobile.
Meaning: automobile, a vehicle steered by a driver (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| voiture | /vwa.tyʁ/ | feminine |
| auto | /o.to/ /ɔ.to/ |
feminine |
| automobile | /o.tɔ.mɔ.bil/ /ɔ.tɔ.mɔ.bil/ |
feminine |
| char | /ʃaʁ/ /ʃɑʁ/ (Quebec) |
Canada, Louisiana, New England, masculine |
The phrase refers to an automobile, which is a vehicle steered by a driver.
Which one should you use?
voiture is the standard and most common word for car in all French-speaking regions. auto is a shortened version used in casual speech, while automobile serves as a more formal or technical term.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
auto is used in informal, casual speech. In contrast, automobile is a more formal or technical term. voiture is the standard term used in most situations.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Canada, Louisiana and New England, the masculine noun char is used. In Quebec, Canada, caisse is an informal term for car.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Because voiture is a feminine noun, you must use the feminine indefinite article une when saying "a car" (une voiture).
How do you pronounce it?
/vwa.tyʁ/
Did you know?
- The word char was borrowed into Latin from Transalpine Gaulish, a Celtic language spoken in ancient France.
- While voiture is the standard term, using char in France might lead a listener to think of a military tank or a parade float.
- In Quebec, the informal term caisse literally means 'crate' or 'cash register'.
Examples in context
- C'est ta voiture ?Is that your car?This sentence is useful for asking if a car belongs to someone.Tatoeba #1291239 by slegros, translation #597182 by darinmex
- Tu as une voiture.You have a car.This sentence is useful for stating that someone possesses a car.Tatoeba #4588380 by Amastan, translation #5152807 by CarpeLanam
- Sa voiture est là.His car is there.This sentence is useful for describing the location of a car.Tatoeba #4591049 by Amastan, translation #9031939 by shekitten
- Je cherche à acheter une nouvelle voiture.I'm looking to buy a new car.
- Les normes de sécurité pour les automobiles sont très strictes.Safety standards for cars are very strict.
- J'adore ta nouvelle bagnole !I love your new car!
- 2566 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Gabriel are in a parking lot.
- ChloéEst-ce que c'est ta voiture, Gabriel ?Is that your car, Gabriel?
- GabrielOui, c'est ma voiture.Yes, it is my car.
- ChloéElle est très belle !It is very beautiful!
- GabrielMerci, Chloé.Thank you, Chloé.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “car” translations and entries voiture, auto, automobile, char, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries auto, automobile, char, voiture, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
