château
/ʃa.to/masculine
The French word for castle is château. Wiktionary also lists château-fort.
Meaning: fortified building (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| château | /ʃa.to/ /ʃɑ.to/ |
masculine |
| château-fort | /ʃa.to.fɔʁ/ /ʃɑ.to.fɔʁ/ |
masculine |
The term château is used to describe a fortified building, but it is also the standard word for a non-fortified stately home, manor house, mansion or country estate.
Which one should you use?
While château can refer to a castle or a stately home, use château-fort if you want to specifically distinguish a medieval fortified castle from a residential château.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The word château is a masculine noun. In the context of chess, the related verb roquer is used to mean 'to castle'.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables: /ʃa.to/.
Did you know?
- While château refers to a castle, the phrase château d'eau refers to a water tower.
- In French literature and fairy tales, the expression château en Espagne refers to an imaginary or unrealistic project.
- The word château is often used in the names of prestigious French wine estates, even when the property is actually a simple manor or villa.
Examples in context
- Quel beau château !What a beautiful castle!This sentence is useful for expressing admiration for a castle using château.Tatoeba #6381979 by Blabla, translation #6480254 by Micsmithel
- C'est un vieux château.That is an old castle.This sentence is useful for describing the age of a castle using château.Tatoeba #1316465 by sacredceltic, translation #67073 by CK
- Il est dans le château.He's in the castle.This sentence is useful for stating a person's location inside a castle using château.Tatoeba #8642839 by Julien_PDC, translation #12336016 by LdjuherTaqvaylit
- L'armée a utilisé une ancienne forteresse pour se protéger.The army used an ancient fortress to protect themselves.
- On a visité un château fort vraiment impressionnant hier!We visited a really impressive castle yesterday!
- 125 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Manon are walking in the countryside.
- HugoRegarde ce magnifique château, Manon !Look at this magnificent castle, Manon!
- ManonOui, le château est immense.Yes, the castle is huge.
- HugoTu veux entrer à l'intérieur ?Do you want to go inside?
- ManonAvec plaisir, Hugo.With pleasure, Hugo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “castle” translations and entries château, château-fort, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
