bande dessinée
/bɑ̃d de.si.ne/feminine
The English phrase 'comic book' is translated into French as bande dessinée. Wiktionary also lists bédé.
Meaning: book or magazine (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| bande dessinée | /bɑ̃d de.si.ne/ | feminine |
| bédé | /be.de/ |
The term bande dessinée refers to a book or magazine. In written French, the abbreviation BD is frequently used to refer to a bande dessinée.
What does it mean word for word?
The term bande dessinée literally translates to 'drawn strip', referring to the sequential art format.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, bédé is an informal term used to refer to comic books.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase bande dessinée is a feminine noun. To make the phrase plural, add an 's' to both the noun and the adjective: 'bandes dessinées'.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /bɑ̃d de.si.ne/. It has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- In France, the bande dessinée is formally categorized as 'the Ninth Art', which places it on the same artistic level as cinema and architecture.
- The term bande once referred to a regiment of troops in Old Occitan before it came to describe the strips of a comic.
- While bande dessinée covers all comics, the term manga is used specifically for Japanese imports and is not translated into French.
Examples in context
- Tu peux me prêter une bande dessinée ?Can you lend me a comic book?This sentence is useful for asking to borrow a bande dessinée.Tatoeba #6850592 by Blabla, translation #6861520 by kaiperkins271
- Je lui donnai une bande dessinée à lire.I gave her a comic book to read.This sentence is useful for describing the act of giving someone a bande dessinée to read.Tatoeba #127805 by nimfeo, translation #261211 by CH
- J'ai trouvé la bande dessinée très intéressante.I found the comic book very interesting.This sentence is useful for expressing an opinion about a bande dessinée.Tatoeba #1461261 by sacredceltic, translation #49861 by CK
- Je suis un grand amateur de bande dessinée.I am a big fan of comic books.
- Ma collection de bandes dessinées est impressionnante.My collection of comic books is impressive.
- Les bandes dessinées font partie de ma vie depuis mon enfance.Comic books have been a part of my life since my childhood.
- Je suis accro aux BD depuis mon enfance.I've been hooked on comic books since my childhood.
- Tu as des BD préférées?Do you have any favorite comic books?
- J'ai acheté un nouvel album de bande dessinée hier.I bought a new comic book yesterday.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Chloé are in a bookstore.
- GabrielChloé, regarde cette bande dessinée !Chloé, look at this comic book!
- ChloéElle est superbe, Gabriel.It is superb, Gabriel.
- GabrielTu veux l'acheter avec moi ?Do you want to buy it with me?
- ChloéOui, avec plaisir !Yes, with pleasure!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “comic book” translations and entries bande dessinée, bédé, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bande, bande dessinée, bédé, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
