compliment
/kɔ̃.pli.mɑ̃/masculine
The English phrase compliment is translated into French as compliment.
The word compliment is a noun used to describe an expression of praise, congratulation or respect.
Meaning: expression of praise, congratulation or respect (noun)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
As a masculine noun, compliment is preceded by the masculine articles un (a/an) or le (the), as in un compliment.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables and is pronounced /kɔ̃.pli.mɑ̃/.
Did you know?
- In French culture, giving a compliment to a stranger or colleague can sometimes be perceived as a flirtation or a social intrusion rather than a simple kindness.
- The French phrase avec mes compliments is often used on hotel or restaurant bills to indicate that a service is free of charge.
- The word compliment entered the French language via a chain of borrowings, moving from Latin to Spanish, then to Italian and finally into French.
Examples in context
- Est-ce un compliment ?Is this a compliment?Tatoeba #2306108 by sacredceltic, translation #2304797 by Hybrid
- Merci pour le compliment.Thanks for the compliment.Tatoeba #2931769 by Blabla, translation #1822841 by Spamster
- Je la complimente souvent.I compliment her often.Tatoeba #5648528 by Scorpionvenin14, translation #5648472 by Schierbeck
- Vous êtes très charmant(e) .You are very charming.
- Votre travail est admirable .Your work is admirable.
- Je trouve votre voix magnifique .I find your voice magnificent.
- Vous êtes une personne extrêmement gentille .You are an extremely kind person.
- Tu es super beau/belle aujourd'hui .You look super handsome/beautiful today.
- J'adore ta façon de danser .I love your way of dancing.
- Tu as une personnalité incroyable .You have an incredible personality.
- Bravo pour ton excellent travail .Congratulations on your excellent work.
- Tu es un ami formidable .You are an amazing friend.
- Ta voix est une mélodie pour mes oreilles.Your voice is a melody to my ears.
- Tu as un sens du style impressionnant , j'aime beaucoup tes tenues.You have an impressive sense of style, I really like your outfits.
- Vous êtes une source d'inspiration pour moi.You are a source of inspiration for me.
- 28 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Léa are talking at a small art gallery.
- HugoLéa, ton tableau est magnifique.Léa, your painting is magnificent.
- LéaMerci Hugo, c'est un compliment très gentil.Thank you Hugo, that is a very kind compliment.
- HugoTu as vraiment beaucoup de talent.You really have a lot of talent.
- LéaJe suis très heureuse de l'entendre.I am very happy to hear that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “compliment” translations and entries compliment, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries compliment, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
