potelé
/pɔt.le/masculine
The English word 'chubby' can be translated into French as potelé. Wiktionary also lists dodu.
Meaning: of a person, somewhat fat (adj)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| potelé | /pɔt.le/ | masculine |
| dodu | /dɔ.dy/ | masculine |
The phrase refers to a person being somewhat fat. You can use potelé to describe something cute, such as the common expression joues potelées for chubby cheeks.
Which one should you use?
While both mean chubby, potelé often carries a more affectionate or cute connotation (like a baby's cheeks), whereas dodu is a more neutral description of being plump or fleshy. Additionally, dodu can be used as a noun to mean a 'chubby person'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine form of potelé is potelé, and its feminine form is potelée. For the term dodu, the masculine form is dodu and the feminine form is dodue.
How do you pronounce it?
potelé is pronounced /pɔt.le/ and consists of 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- The word potelé shares a root with the Old French word pote, which originally meant 'left hand' before it evolved to mean 'swollen' or 'inflamed'.
- In French culture, calling a baby potelé is a common way to express affection, as plumpness in infants was historically seen as a sign of health and prosperity.
- French has several words for 'fat' that vary wildly in intensity, and potelé is one of the few that is almost never intended as an insult.
Examples in context
- Il a un visage potelé.He has a chubby face.This sentence is useful for describing a chubby face using potelé.Tatoeba #8532970 by Aiji, translation #4303742 by AlanF_US
- Tom est dodu.Tom is chubby.This sentence is useful for stating that Tom is chubby using dodu.Tatoeba #5377551 by Aiji, translation #3171315 by CK
- Elle est un peu enveloppéeShe is a little chubby
- Mon fils est poteléMy son is chubby
- Ce bébé est bien rondThis baby is really chubby
- Salut petit gros, toujours aussi gourmand ?Hey chubby, still as greedy as ever?
- Il est mignon avec son corps potelé, n'est-ce pas ?He looks cute with his chubby body, doesn't he?
- J'ai tendance à être un peu enveloppé(e)I tend to be a little chubby
- Ce bébé a les joues potelées.This baby has chubby cheeks.
Example conversation
Gabriel and Chloé are looking at a photo of a baby.
- GabrielRegarde comme ce petit garçon est mignon.Look how cute this little boy is.
- ChloéOui, il est vraiment très potelé.Yes, he is really very chubby.
- GabrielIl a l'air très en bonne santé.He looks very healthy.
- ChloéC'est vrai, ses joues sont adorables.That's true, his cheeks are adorable.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “chubby” translations and entries potelé, dodu, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dodu, potelé, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
