cycle de la vie
masculine
The English phrase 'circle of life' is translated into French as cycle de la vie.
This phrase refers to the natural cycle of life.
Meaning: the natural cycle of life (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word Cercle means 'circle'.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because cycle is a masculine noun, you use the masculine definite article le when referring to a specific circle of life, resulting in le cycle de la vie.
Did you know?
- The word vie shares a linguistic ancestor with the French word voie, which means 'way' or 'road'.
- In French philosophy and literature, le cycle de la vie is often discussed alongside le cycle éternel, a concept suggesting that the universe and its history repeat indefinitely.
- While English speakers often use 'circle' to imply a closed loop, a French speaker using cycle emphasizes the repetitive, rhythmic nature of the process rather than just the geometric shape.
Examples in context
- La philosophie africaine met souvent l'accent sur le Cercle de la Vie, décrivant notre existence comme une série d'étapes interconnectées et répétitives.African philosophy often emphasizes the Circle of Life, describing our existence as a series of interconnected and repetitive stages.
- Le Bouddhisme tibétain utilise souvent la Roue de la Vie pour illustrer le cycle éternel des existences.Tibetan Buddhism often uses the Wheel of Life to illustrate the eternal cycle of existences.
- On peut observer le cycle de la vie dans la nature.One can observe the circle of life in nature.
- Il faut accepter le cycle de la vie.One must accept the cycle of life.
- Chaque saison fait partie du cycle de la vie.Every season is part of the cycle of life.
Example conversation
Léa and Lucas are watching a documentary about nature in their living room.
- LéaCe documentaire montre bien le cycle de la vie.This documentary shows the cycle of life well.
- LucasC'est vrai, c'est vraiment fascinant.It's true, it's truly fascinating.
- LéaLucas, regarde comme tout est lié.Lucas, look at how everything is connected.
- LucasOui, la nature est incroyable.Yes, nature is incredible.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “circle of life” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cycle, de, la, vie, CC BY-SA 4.0.
