commun
/kɔ.mœ̃/
The English word 'common' is translated into French as commun.
The adjective is used to describe something that is found in large numbers or in a large quantity.
Meaning: found in large numbers or in a large quantity (adj)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective must agree in gender with the noun it modifies, changing from the masculine 'commun' to the feminine 'commune'. The masculine plural form of the adjective is 'communs'. The feminine plural form of the adjective is 'communes'.
Did you know?
- While commun means 'common', the French use the phrase avoir en commun to express shared traits. However, to say something is 'common sense', they use bon sens, which literally means 'good sense'.
- While 'commun' means 'common', the word commune refers to a specific type of administrative district or municipality in France.
- In a historical context, la Commune refers to the Paris Commune of 1871. This was a radical socialist and revolutionary government that ruled Paris for two months after the Franco-Prussian War.
Examples in context
- Il a un nom commun.He has a common name.This sentence is useful for showing how to describe a name using commun.Tatoeba #1949227 by sacredceltic, translation #1949237 by CM
- Ils n'ont rien en commun.They have nothing in common.This sentence is useful for expressing the idea of having nothing in common with the form commun.Tatoeba #531806 by Snout, translation #306367 by CK
- C'est une erreur commune.It's a common mistake.This sentence is useful for describing a mistake using commun.Tatoeba #580469 by sacredceltic, translation #20876 by CK
- Ce problème est courant dans les grandes métropoles.This problem is common in large cities.
- C'est une chose banale que tous les touristes font à Paris.It's a common thing that all tourists do in Paris.
- C'est un plat ordinaire, mais délicieux!It's a common dish, but delicious!
- C'est une situation ordinaire dans le quotidien des Québécois.It's a common situation in the everyday life of Quebec residents.
- Ce problème est assez banal en Belgique.This problem is quite common in Belgium.
- 154 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon and Nathan are talking about birds in the park.
- ManonC'est un oiseau très commun ici.This is a very common bird here.
- NathanOui, on en voit partout.Yes, we see them everywhere.
- ManonEst-ce que c'est commun en ville ?Is it common in the city?
- NathanOui, Nathan en voit souvent.Yes, Nathan often sees some.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “common” translations and entries commun, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
