pomme sauvage
The English phrase "crab apple" is translated into French as pomme sauvage.
This phrase refers to a small, sour apple that grows on wild trees.
What does it mean word for word?
The term pomme sauvage literally translates to "wild apple".
Did you know?
- The English word 'crab' in 'crab apple' refers to the sourness, but in French, sauvage focuses entirely on the plant's natural, uncultivated habitat.
- The word pomme is a linguistic oddity because it was originally the plural form of the Latin word pōmum but was later reanalyzed as a feminine singular noun in French.
- While pomme sauvage refers to the fruit, the word sauvage is also used in French to describe 'wild' behavior in people, much like 'savage' in English.
Examples in context
- Le pommetier est une espèce d'arbre qui donne de petites pommes acides.The crab apple tree is a species of tree that gives small acidic apples.
Example conversation
Hugo and Léa are walking in the countryside.
- HugoC'est quoi ce petit fruit, Léa ?What is this little fruit, Léa?
- LéaC'est une pomme sauvage, Hugo.It is a crab apple, Hugo.
- HugoEst-ce que je peux la manger ?Can I eat it?
- LéaOui, mais elle est vraiment acide !Yes, but it is really sour!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pomme, sauvage, CC BY-SA 4.0.
