discothèque
/dis.kɔ.tɛk/feminine
The English phrase 'disco' can be translated into French as discothèque. Wiktionary also lists boîte de nuit.
Meaning: discotheque (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| discothèque | /dis.kɔ.tɛk/ | feminine |
| boîte de nuit | /bwat də nɥi/ | feminine |
The term refers to a discotheque. In modern usage, you may also encounter boîte de nuit, which is the more common way to say nightclub.
Which one should you use?
While discothèque is the literal translation for disco, boîte de nuit is the much more common contemporary term used to refer to a nightclub.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
discothèque is considered a dated or old-fashioned term in modern French conversation. In informal settings, you might hear le club or the slang shortening la boîte. In formal or professional contexts, la discothèque remains a suitable term for a dancing venue.
How do you pronounce it?
discothèque is pronounced /dis.kɔ.tɛk/ and has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- The term boîte originates from the Latin word for the box tree, buxus.
- In very casual French, the phrase sortir en boîte means 'going out to a club', but boîte can also mean a 'company' or 'firm' in business slang.
- While English uses 'disco' as both a genre of music and a venue, discothèque in French almost exclusively refers to the place.
Examples in context
- Ils ne nous permettent pas d'aller en discothèque.They don't allow us to go to the disco.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of discothèque regarding permission.Tatoeba #503737 by sacredceltic, translation #306650 by AlanF_US
- Ils l'ont viré de la discothèque sans explication.They kicked him out of the disco without any explanation.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of discothèque in the context of being expelled.Tatoeba #1087586 by sacredceltic, translation #1057672 by cris
- Elle a été autorisée à aller à la discothèque à condition qu'elle soit de retour pour 10 heures.She was allowed to go to the disco on condition that she was back by ten.Tatoeba #133875 by Aiji, translation #310058 by CK
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan and Manon are discussing where to go on a Saturday night.
- NathanOn va en discothèque ce soir ?Are we going to the discotheque tonight?
- ManonUne discothèque ? C'est un peu vieux comme idée.A discotheque? That's a bit of an old idea.
- NathanC'est juste pour danser, Manon !It's just for dancing, Manon!
- ManonD'accord, allons-y.Alright, let's go.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “disco” translations and entries discothèque, boîte de nuit, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries boîte, boîte de nuit, de, discothèque, nuit, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
