camarade de classe
In French, classmate is camarade de classe. Wiktionary also lists camarade and camarade d'école.
Meaning: student who is in the same class at school (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| camarade de classe | ||
| camarade | /ka.ma.ʁad/ | feminine, masculine |
| camarade d'école | feminine, masculine |
Camarade de classe is the standard way to specify that the person is a classmate rather than just a friend or a general peer. Using the shorter term camarade on its own can imply a more general sense of a comrade or a peer rather than a specific school connection.
Which one should you use?
While camarade de classe specifically refers to a classmate, the word camarade on its own can imply a more general comrade or peer. You may also see camarade d'école used to refer to a schoolmate.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word camarade is the same in both its masculine and feminine forms.
Did you know?
- While used for classmates today, a standalone camarade often carries a strong political connotation in France.
- The word camarade comes from the Spanish word for 'chamber'. It originally described people who shared the same room or dormitory.
- Depending on the context, camarade can be used to address a peer in a way that is more egalitarian and less personal than ami, which means 'friend'.
Examples in context
- C'est ma camarade de classe.She's my classmate.This sentence is useful for identifying a female classmate using camarade.Tatoeba #446489 by chtof, translation #321453 by CK
- C'est mon camarade de classe.He is my classmate.This sentence is useful for identifying a male classmate using camarade.Tatoeba #1420045 by sacredceltic, translation #297810 by CK
- J'ai un camarade de classe qui prétend qu'il sait parler le français couramment.I have a classmate who says he can speak French fluently.This sentence is useful for describing a specific classmate using camarade.Tatoeba #2433174 by sacredceltic, translation #1887349 by CK
- J'ai rencontré un camarade de classe très sympathique aujourd'hui.I met a very friendly classmate today.
- Mon copain de classe est vraiment drôle.My classmate is really funny.
- Je vais étudier avec mes potes de classe.I'm going to study with my class buddies.
- Mes camarades de classe m'ont aidé à préparer mon exposé.My classmates helped me prepare my presentation.
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Emma are talking about a new student.
- LucasQui est ce nouveau camarade de classe ?Who is this new classmate?
- EmmaC'est Thomas, il arrive d'Italie.It's Thomas, he's from Italy.
- LucasEst-ce qu'il est sympa ?Is he nice?
- EmmaOui, c'est un camarade de classe très gentil.Yes, he is a very kind classmate.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “classmate” translations and entries camarade, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries camarade, classe, de, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
