Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| appareil | /a.pa.ʁɛj/ | masculine |
| dispositif | /dis.po.zi.tif/ | masculine |
Appareil is the standard term used to refer to a piece of equipment, a machine or consumer electronics such as a smartphone (un appareil mobile) or a household appliance. While it refers to physical, mechanical or electronic machines, other terms may be more appropriate depending on the context.
Which one should you use?
Use appareil when referring to physical, mechanical or electronic machines and appliances. In contrast, use dispositif to describe an abstract mechanism, a system or a specific arrangement or setup of things. Additionally, instrument can serve as a formal alternative for device in certain contexts.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In France, the colloquial term machin is used to refer to an unspecified object or device.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both appareil and dispositif are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The word appareil is pronounced /a.pa.ʁɛj/ and has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- In a completely different context, appareil refers to the mixture of flour and eggs used to make a cake or a savory dish.
- The word appareil is also used in French to describe a orthodontic brace or a dental appliance.
- In a medical context, appareil might refer to a device, but it can also refer to the 'apparatus' of the body, such as the digestive system.
Examples in context
- Que fait cet appareil ?What does this device do?This sentence is useful for asking about the function of an appareil.Tatoeba #2061257 by sacredceltic, translation #1886752 by CK
- Il a amélioré l'appareil.He improved the device.This sentence is useful for describing an improvement made to an appareil.Tatoeba #11059808 by Aiji, translation #2137318 by AlanF_US
- Cet appareil est très léger.This device is very light.This sentence is useful for describing the weight of an appareil.Tatoeba #8761564 by felix63, translation #11613687 by tieguy
- un appareil médicalA medical device
- un dispositif de sécuritéA security device
- un nouveau gadgetA new gadget
- Tu peux me passer ce bidule ?Can you hand me that device?
- Le gadget que j'ai acheté en ligne est tombé en panne après une semaine.The gadget I bought online broke down after a week.
- 37 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan and Emma are in the kitchen looking at a new coffee machine.
- NathanTu aimes ce nouvel appareil ?Do you like this new device?
- EmmaOui, il est très pratique.Yes, it is very practical.
- NathanEst-ce que l'appareil fonctionne bien ?Does the device work well?
- EmmaOui, Nathan, il marche parfaitement.Yes, Nathan, it works perfectly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “device” translations and entries appareil, dispositif, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
