chrétien
/kʁe.tjɛ̃/masculine
The French word for Christian is chrétien.
chrétien is used as a noun to refer to a member of the Christian religion. It also functions as an adjective meaning of, like or relating to Christianity or Christians.
Meaning: member of the Christian religion (noun)
Which one should you use?
Note the distinction between the common noun/adjective chrétien and the French male given name Christian. Although the name follows the English spelling, it is written with a capital C and is pronounced differently than the religious term.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The word changes based on gender and number. The masculine singular is chrétien, the feminine singular is chrétienne, the masculine plural is chrétiens and the feminine plural is chrétiennes.
How do you pronounce it?
/kʁe.tjɛ̃/
Did you know?
- The word chrétien is a doublet of the French word crétin, sharing the same historical root through the word 'Christ'.
- In older French texts, chrétien was often used as a synonym for 'civilized' or 'humane' when describing people from other cultures.
- In certain historical contexts, the word crétin was used as a protective term for chrétiens who were viewed as innocent or simple-minded.
Examples in context
- Tom est-il chrétien ?Is Tom a Christian?This sentence is useful for asking if Tom is a Christian using chrétien.Tatoeba #6465648 by Aiji, translation #2262065 by CK
- Ma sœur est chrétienne.My sister is Christian.This sentence is useful for stating a sister is Christian using chrétien.Tatoeba #9505704 by Julien_PDC, translation #12188301 by Miktsoanit
- Mon frère est chrétien.My brother is a Christian.This sentence is useful for stating a brother is a Christian using chrétien.Tatoeba #9505707 by Julien_PDC, translation #10160119 by ddnktr
- Les chrétiens célèbrent Noël.Christians celebrate Christmas.
- Il est un chrétien dévoué.He is a devout Christian.
- Les cérémonies de mariage chrétiennes sont souvent magnifiques.Christian wedding ceremonies are often beautiful.
- 68 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Léa are discussing their backgrounds.
- HugoEst-ce que tu es chrétien, Hugo ?Are you a Christian, Hugo?
- LéaOui, je suis chrétien depuis toujours.Yes, I have always been a Christian.
- HugoC'est intéressant pour notre projet.That is interesting for our project.
- LéaJe peux t'aider avec les recherches.I can help you with the research.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “christian” translations and entries chrétien, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chrétien, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
