tribunal
/tʁi.by.nal/masculine
In French, the English word 'court' can be translated as tribunal or cour.
Meaning: hall, chamber, or place, where justice is administered (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| tribunal | /tʁi.by.nal/ | masculine |
| cour | /kuʁ/ | feminine |
When referring to a court in a legal context, the choice of word depends on what part of the court you are discussing. tribunal is used to name the institution or the physical place where legal proceedings are held. In contrast, cour is used when referring specifically to the collective body of judges, such as a Court of Appeal.
Which one should you use?
tribunal refers to the legal institution or the building itself, whereas cour refers to the group of judges presiding over a case.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
cour is a feminine noun, while tribunal is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
tribunal is pronounced /tʁi.by.nal/ and has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- The phrase faire la cour does not mean to go to court for a trial, but instead means to 'court' or woo a romantic interest.
- The word cour shares its roots with the word 'cohort', which originally referred to a specific unit of Roman soldiers.
- The term cour is used for the French royal court, meaning the same word for a judicial body is also the word for the residence of a monarch.
Examples in context
- On se verra au tribunal.I'll see you in court.This sentence shows how to use tribunal to refer to a meeting location.Tatoeba #4483723 by Petrus, translation #4483244 by Hybrid
- Rendez-vous au tribunal !See you in court.This sentence uses tribunal as a way to say see you in court.Tatoeba #3532232 by sacredceltic, translation #3527395 by Hybrid
- La cour l'a condamné à mort.The court sentenced him to death.This sentence shows how to use cour when referring to the body that issues a sentence.Tatoeba #11719560 by lbdx, translation #321039 by Dejo
- L'affaire sera traitée par les tribunaux compétents.The case will be handled by the appropriate courts.
- La cour de justice statuera sur cette affaire.The court will rule on this matter.
- Les personnes sont priées de se rendre dans la salle d'audience.The people are asked to proceed to the courtroom.
- Je dois me rendre au tribunal pour mon procès.I have to go to court for my trial.
- J'ai reçu une convocation de la cour.I received a summons from the court.
- Le juge préside la séance au tribunal.The judge presides over the session in court.
- Mon ami a été convoqué devant le tribunal.My friend has been summoned to court.
- 49 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Hugo are discussing a legal matter near a courthouse.
- ChloéOù est ton avocat, Hugo ?Where is your lawyer, Hugo?
- HugoIl attend devant le tribunal.He is waiting in front of the court.
- ChloéEst-ce que tu es inquiet ?Are you worried?
- HugoOui, je suis très stressé.Yes, I am very stressed.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “court” translations and entries tribunal, cour, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cour, tribunal, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
