chalet
/ʃa.lɛ/
The English word 'cottage' is translated into French as chalet.
The term refers to a small house, a cot or a hut.
Meaning: a small house, a cot, a hut (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables and is pronounced /ʃa.lɛ/.
Did you know?
- In French, chalet is the standard term for the small wooden huts and stalls that sell gifts and food at Christmas markets.
- In the French Alps, a chalet is specifically designed with a gently sloping roof to hold a layer of snow for natural insulation.
- The origins of chalet are rooted in the lives of herdsmen, as it originally described a hut used by people tending livestock in the mountains.
Examples in context
- Je vis un chalet au loin.I saw a cottage in the distance.This sentence shows how to use chalet to describe seeing a cottage in the distance.Tatoeba #847039 by U2FS, translation #25831 by CK
- Thomas passe ses vacances d'été dans sa charmante maison de campagne en Normandie.Thomas spends his summer vacation in his charming cottage in Normandy.
- Le vieux couple vit paisiblement dans une belle chaumière à la lisière du village.The elderly couple lives peacefully in a beautiful cottage at the edge of the village.
- Nous louons un chalet pour l'été.We are renting a cottage for the summer.
- Ce vieux chalet est en bois.This old cottage is made of wood.
Example conversation
Nathan and Manon are looking at vacation rentals online.
- NathanRegarde ce joli chalet en montagne.Look at this pretty mountain cottage.
- ManonIl est très beau, Nathan.It is very beautiful, Nathan.
- NathanEst-ce qu'il est loin de la ville ?Is it far from the city?
- ManonNon, il est tout près.No, it is very close.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry chalet, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chalet, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
