sourd
/suʁ/
The French word for deaf is sourd.
sourd is an adjective used to describe someone unable to hear. It can also be used figuratively, much like in English, to describe someone who is being intentionally unobservant or unresponsive to a suggestion, such as in the phrase faire la sourde oreille (to turn a deaf ear).
Meaning: unable to hear (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the adjective changes based on the gender and number of the person described: sourde is the feminine singular, sourds is the masculine plural and sourdes is the feminine plural.
How do you pronounce it?
/suʁ/
Did you know?
- The word sourd shares a common ancestor with the English word 'surd', which refers to a mathematical irrational number.
- The term Sourd is often capitalized in French when referring to the 'Deaf' as a cultural and linguistic minority rather than just a medical condition.
- French Sign Language, Langue des Signes Française, is a distinct language with its own grammar and is not simply a manual version of French.
Examples in context
- T'es sourd ou quoi ?Are you deaf or what?This sentence shows a casual way to ask if someone is deaf.Tatoeba #3006437 by Blabla, translation #3384309 by petersmr
- Il était aussi sourd.He was deaf, too.Tatoeba #128166 by sysko, translation #264400 by CM
- Je ne suis pas sourd.I am not deaf.Tatoeba #3631635 by sacredceltic, translation #758175 by ahmes
- Les personnes sourdes rencontrent souvent des défis uniques dans la société.The deaf often face unique challenges in society.
- Je vous présente Lucie, elle est sourde, mais elle s'exprime très bien en langue des signes française.Let me introduce you to Lucie, she is deaf, but she communicates very well in French Sign Language.
- Être sourd ne définit pas une personne, cela fait partie de son identité.Being deaf doesn't define a person, it's part of their identity.
- 98 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa is talking to Hugo in a noisy room.
- LéaTu m'entends ? Je parle fort !Can you hear me? I'm speaking loudly!
- HugoPardon, je suis un peu sourd de l'oreille gauche.Sorry, I am a bit deaf in my left ear.
- LéaAh, je ne savais pas, Hugo.Oh, I didn't know that, Hugo.
- HugoC'est pour ça que je ne t'ai pas entendu.That's why I didn't hear you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “deaf” translations and entries sourd, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sourd, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
