sale
/sal/
The English word "dirty" is translated into French as sale.
The adjective sale is used to describe something that is covered with or contains dirt.
Meaning: covered with or containing dirt (adj)
Which one should you use?
While the adjective sale describes the state of being dirty, the verb salir describes the actual action of making something dirty.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The word crade is an informal or slang way to say "dirty" in French.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective sale is the masculine singular form. The masculine plural form is sales.
How do you pronounce it?
/sal/
Did you know?
- The term sale gosse is a common French expression for a 'brat', which translates literally to a 'dirty kid'.
- The French word sale shares a common ancestor with the English word 'sallow', which describes a sickly, yellowish complexion.
- In French, the phrase avoir les mains sales literally means 'to have dirty hands', but it is an idiom used to describe someone who is involved in corrupt or dishonest activities.
Examples in context
- Le bus est sale.The bus is dirty.This sentence is useful for describing the state of a bus using sale.Tatoeba #9025280 by Equilingual, translation #9025208 by Ergulis
- Le verre est sale.The glass is dirty.This sentence is useful for describing the state of a glass using sale.Tatoeba #2516223 by Aiji, translation #2002540 by bichodebola
- Ton jean est sale.Your jeans are dirty.This sentence is useful for describing the state of jeans using sale.Tatoeba #6582515 by GB3, translation #6582018 by Hybrid
- La maison est sale.The house is dirty.
- Les vêtements sont sales.The clothes are dirty.
- N'oubliez pas de vous laver les mains après avoir touché des surfaces sales.Don't forget to wash your hands after touching dirty surfaces.
- Mon petit frère laisse toujours sa chambre crade.My little brother always leaves his room dirty.
- C'est pas cool de manger des chips avec des mains toutes crades.It's not cool to eat chips with dirty hands.
- 169 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Hugo are in the kitchen.
- EmmaRegarde, l'assiette est encore sale.Look, the plate is still dirty.
- HugoAh mince, je vais la laver.Oh shoot, I will wash it.
- EmmaLe torchon est sale aussi, Hugo.The dish towel is dirty too, Hugo.
- HugoJe vais en prendre un propre.I'll get a clean one.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dirty” translations and entries sale, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sale, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
