portable
/pɔʁ.tabl/
In French, the English phrase "cell phone" is expressed as portable.
The term portable refers to a portable telephone that can be used while away from home.
Which one should you use?
In French, portable refers specifically to a mobile phone, whereas in English, "portable" is usually an adjective describing any object that can be carried.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In France, un portable is the standard colloquial way to refer to a cell phone. In Quebec, Canada, people often use the term cellulaire instead of téléphone portable or téléphone mobile. In Switzerland, French speakers use the term natel to refer to a cell phone.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because portable is used as a masculine noun in this context, you must use the masculine articles un or le.
How do you pronounce it?
/pɔʁ.tabl/
Did you know?
- In Switzerland, the word natel is a portmanteau of 'national' and 'telecommunication'. It began as a brand name for the first national mobile network and became the generic term for any cell phone.
- While portable refers to a phone, a laptop computer is called un ordinateur portable. This creates a linguistic shortcut where le portable is the phone and l'ordinateur portable is the computer.
- The word portable shares its roots with the English word 'portable', both tracing back to the Latin 'portābilis' meaning 'able to be carried'.
Examples in context
- Où est mon portable ?Where's my cell phone?This sentence is useful for asking about the location of your portable.Tatoeba #9957608 by felix63, translation #9400142 by CK
- Avez-vous un portable ?Do you have a cell phone?This sentence is useful for asking if someone possesses a portable.Tatoeba #541799 by sacredceltic, translation #2800541 by CK
- Je n'ai pas de portable.I don't have a cell phone.This sentence is useful for stating that you do not own a portable.Tatoeba #7695909 by Maxence, translation #3927230 by Theocracy
- Est-ce que vous pouvez me prêter votre téléphone portable ?Can you lend me your cell phone?
- Puis-je utiliser votre téléphone mobile pour passer un appel urgent ?May I use your mobile phone to make an urgent call?
- J'ai oublié mon portable chez moi.I forgot my cell phone at home.
- Tu as vu mon cellulaire ? Je l'ai laissé dans la voiture.Did you see my cell phone? I left it in the car.
- 36 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Manon are sitting in a café.
- LucasTon portable est sur la table.Your cell phone is on the table.
- ManonAh, merci Lucas !Ah, thanks Lucas!
- LucasTu l'utilises souvent ?Do you use it often?
- ManonOui, tout le temps.Yes, all the time.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry portable, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries portable, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
