corbeau
/kɔʁ.bo/masculine
The English word "crow" can be translated into French as corbeau or corneille.
Meaning: any bird of the genus Corvus (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| corbeau | /kɔʁ.bo/ | masculine |
| corneille | /kɔʁ.nɛj/ | feminine |
The term refers to any bird of the genus Corvus. corbeau can also refer specifically to a raven.
Which one should you use?
corbeau is the masculine form used for the bird, whereas corneille is the feminine form.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
corbeau is a masculine noun and corneille is a feminine noun. If you wish to describe the sound a crow makes, you would use the verb croasser (to caw).
How do you pronounce it?
/kɔʁ.bo/
Did you know?
- A French speaker might use corbeau to describe an anonymous letter-writer in a literary or journalistic context, similar to how English uses 'anonymous' or 'sniper'.
- The word corbeau evolved from the Old French corbel, which could also refer to a type of architectural bracket.
- The verb used for the sound of a crow, croasser, sounds remarkably similar to the English word 'croak'.
Examples in context
- Le corbeau s'est envolé.The crow flew away.This sentence shows how to use corbeau to describe a bird flying away.Tatoeba #1698526 by Rovo, translation #49598 by CK
- Le corbeau a ouvert ses ailes.The crow spread his wings.This sentence shows how to use corbeau to describe a bird spreading its wings.Tatoeba #337835 by Barbiche0, translation #63528 by CK
- Le corbeau croassait bruyamment.The crow was cawing loudly.This sentence shows how to use corbeau in a sentence describing the bird cawing.Tatoeba #12322885 by lbdx, translation #8836889 by sundown
- Le corbeau noir est perché sur l'arbre.The black crow is perched on the tree.
- 14 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan and Léa are walking in a park.
- NathanRegarde ce grand corbeau sur la branche !Look at that big crow on the branch!
- LéaIl est vraiment impressionnant.He is really impressive.
- NathanJe pense que le corbeau nous observe.I think the crow is watching us.
- LéaC'est possible, ils sont très intelligents.That's possible, they are very intelligent.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “crow” translations and entries corbeau, corneille, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries corbeau, corneille, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
