côte
/kot/feminine
The English word "coast" translates to French as côte.
côte is a feminine noun used to describe the edge of land where it meets the ocean, sea, gulf or bay. The word littoral is used to denote the entire stretch of land along a coast.
Meaning: edge of land meeting ocean, sea, gulf, bay (noun)
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/kot/
Did you know?
- Because côte comes from the Latin costa, it is also the French word for a 'rib'.
- The word côte can be used to describe a steep climb on a road, such as during the Tour de France, where a 'category' of côte defines the difficulty.
- A 'côte de boeuf' is a common culinary term for a beef rib, using the same word as the coastline.
Examples in context
- La côte est dégagée.The coast is clear.This sentence is useful for describing the state of the coast using côte.Tatoeba #7955820 by Aiji, translation #2002708 by Spamster
- Je suis de la côte Est.I'm from the East Coast.This sentence is useful for stating that someone is from the East Coast using côte.Tatoeba #2028521 by sacredceltic, translation #1912019 by Spamster
- Je suis de la côte Ouest.I'm from the West Coast.This sentence is useful for stating that someone is from the West Coast using côte.Tatoeba #2028522 by sacredceltic, translation #1912020 by Spamster
- La côte atlantique est réputée pour ses belles plages.The Atlantic coast is known for its beautiful beaches.
- La construction est interdite dans la zone littorale .Construction is prohibited in the coastal area.
- Le développement des activités maritimes est essentiel pour la région côtière / maritime .The development of maritime activities is essential for the coastal / maritime region.
- 35 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Gabriel are planning a summer trip.
- ChloéOn va passer nos vacances sur la côte ?Are we going to spend our vacation on the coast?
- GabrielOui, j'adore marcher le long de la côte.Yes, I love walking along the coast.
- ChloéQuelle côte préfères-tu visiter ?Which coast do you prefer to visit?
- GabrielJe préfère la côte sud pour le soleil.I prefer the south coast for the sun.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “coast” translations and entries côte, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries côte, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
