bande dessinée
/bɑ̃d de.si.ne/
The English phrase comics is translated into French as bande dessinée. Wiktionary also lists BD and bédé.
Meaning: artistic medium (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| bande dessinée | /bɑ̃d de.si.ne/ | |
| BD | /be.de/ | feminine |
| bédé | /be.de/ | feminine |
The term refers to the artistic medium of comics.
What does it mean word for word?
The term bande dessinée literally translates to 'drawn strip'.
Which one should you use?
While bande dessinée refers to the medium or a specific book, BD is the standard shorthand used in both speech and writing. The term bédé is also a form used for comics.
How does it change in a sentence?
The abbreviation BD is feminine, so the indefinite article used with it is une (une BD). When making the abbreviation plural, BD does not take an 's' (des BD).
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /bɑ̃d de.si.ne/. It has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- In France, the term bande dessinée is so central to the culture that comics are often referred to as the 'Ninth Art', placing them on a prestigious level alongside cinema and music.
- While BD is the general term, French readers use the word album to describe the physical hardback book format that is standard for the medium in France and Belgium.
- The word bande shares the same roots as the English word 'bind', as both come from a Germanic term meaning to tie or join together.
Examples in context
- Lajos lisait les bédés.Lajos read comics.This sentence is useful for seeing the form bédé in use.Tatoeba #12385716 by hustledynamo, translation #12082539 by Amastan
- Les étudiants ne lisent pas beaucoup de livres à cause de la télévision et des BD.Students don't read many books because of TV and comics.This sentence is useful for seeing the form BD in use.Tatoeba #475808 by mamat, translation #39185 by handsomelyian
- La bande dessinée franco-belge est célèbre dans le monde entier.Franco-Belgian comics are famous worldwide.
- Je m'intéresse aux ouvrages de bande dessinée japonaise.I'm interested in Japanese comic publications.
- As-tu lu la dernière histoire dessinée de ce magazine ?Have you read the latest drawn story in this magazine?
- Elle collectionne chaque bande dessinée de cet auteur.She collects every comic by this author.
Example conversation
Manon and Nathan are discussing their hobbies at a cafe.
- ManonTu lis quoi en ce moment, Nathan ?What are you reading lately, Nathan?
- NathanJe lis une nouvelle bande dessinée fantastique.I am reading a new fantasy comic.
- ManonC'est passionnant, non ?It's exciting, isn't it?
- NathanOui, l'histoire est vraiment incroyable.Yes, the story is really incredible.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “comics” translations and entries bande dessinée, BD, bédé, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries BD, bande, bande dessinée, bédé, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
