craie
/kʁɛ/feminine
The English word 'chalk' is translated into French as craie.
The word craie refers to a piece of chalk used for drawing and on a blackboard.
Meaning: a piece of chalk used for drawing and on a blackboard (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
Because chalk is an uncountable mass noun in French, you use the partitive article 'de la' to say 'some chalk' or 'chalk' in a general sense. To specify a single unit of chalk, use the phrase 'un morceau de craie' (a piece of chalk) rather than just the word 'craie'.
How do you pronounce it?
/kʁɛ/
Did you know?
- The French term craie is also used to describe a specific type of white, powdery soil or limestone landscape, such as the cliffs of Normandy.
- French has a specific term craie de tailleur for the specialized chalk used by tailors to mark fabric before cutting.
- Artists use a specific term, craie grasse, to describe a soft and thick type of chalk that feels much different than the hard sticks used in schools.
Examples in context
- Il me faut de la craie.I need chalk.This sentence is useful for expressing a need for some chalk.Tatoeba #8027031 by Aiji, translation #4474985 by AlanF_US
- Cette craie n'est pas jaune.That chalk isn't yellow.This sentence is useful for describing the color of a specific chalk.Tatoeba #4154411 by Pat91, translation #4153543 by mervert1
- Donnez-moi un morceau de craie.Give me a piece of chalk.This sentence is useful for requesting a single piece of chalk.Tatoeba #12611 by sacredceltic, translation #40112 by CK
- N'oubliez pas de prendre une craie pour la leçon aujourd'hui.Don't forget to bring a chalk for the lesson today.
- Tu as de la craie blanche pour le tableau? / Oui, j'en ai pris avant la classe.Do you have any white chalk for the blackboard? / Yes, I took some before class.
- 15 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon and Nathan are in a classroom preparing for a lesson.
- ManonNathan, est-ce que tu as de la craie ?Nathan, do you have some chalk?
- NathanOui, j'en ai une boîte sur mon bureau.Yes, I have a box of it on my desk.
- ManonPeux-tu me passer une craie blanche, s'il te plaît ?Can you pass me a piece of white chalk, please?
- NathanTient, voilà ta craie, Manon.Here, here is your chalk, Manon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “chalk” translations and entries craie, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
