manteau
/mɑ̃.to/masculine
The French word for coat is manteau. Wiktionary also lists pardessus.
Meaning: outer garment covering the upper torso and arms (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| manteau | /mɑ̃.to/ | masculine |
| pardessus | /paʁ.də.sy/ | masculine |
Manteau is the standard, most common term used for any type of coat in everyday conversation.
What does it mean word for word?
The word pardessus is a compound of par (by/through/over) and dessus (above/on top), literally meaning over-above.
Which one should you use?
While manteau is the general word for a coat, pardessus specifically refers to an overcoat.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Both manteau and pardessus are masculine nouns. The word veste is a feminine noun, and blouson is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
manteau is pronounced /mɑ̃.to/ and has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- In French, the word manteau can also refer to a 'mantle' in geology, specifically the layer of the earth between the crust and the core.
- The French word manteau is used to describe the 'mantle' of a fireplace, known as the manteau de cheminée.
- While a manteau is a standard coat, if you are talking about a heavy, warm coat for winter, a French speaker might use the term doudoune to describe a puffer jacket.
Examples in context
- Tom mit son manteau.Tom put on a coat.The sentence is useful for describing the action of putting on a manteau.Tatoeba #4199380 by olivier, translation #3155755 by CK
- Où est ton manteau ?Where's your coat?The sentence is useful for asking about the location of a manteau.Tatoeba #4199383 by olivier, translation #2254676 by CK
- Ce manteau est chaud.This coat is warm.The sentence is useful for describing the warmth of a manteau.Tatoeba #4199379 by olivier, translation #61145 by CK
- Je porte un manteau chaud aujourd'hui.I am wearing a warm coat today.
- Elle a acheté une belle veste en cuir.She bought a beautiful leather jacket.
- Il faut toujours mettre un pardessus en hiver.You should always wear an overcoat in winter.
- 264 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Manon are leaving a restaurant.
- LucasManon, j'ai oublié mon manteau !Manon, I forgot my coat!
- ManonIl est sur la chaise, Lucas.It is on the chair, Lucas.
- LucasAh oui, merci beaucoup.Ah yes, thank you very much.
- ManonMets ton manteau, on part.Put on your coat, we're leaving.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “coat” translations and entries manteau, pardessus, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
