brouillon
/bʁu.jɔ̃/masculine
The English word 'draft' (as an early version of a written work) is translated into French as brouillon or ébauche.
Meaning: early version of a written work (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| brouillon | /bʁu.jɔ̃/ | masculine |
| ébauche | /e.boʃ/ | feminine |
Which one should you use?
ébauche is used for a more formal or artistic draft, such as the initial outline of a treaty, a plan or a sketch in art.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun brouillon is masculine and requires the masculine article un or le. The noun ébauche is feminine and requires the feminine article une or la.
How do you pronounce it?
/bʁu.jɔ̃/
Did you know?
- The term ébauche has its roots in the construction of wooden beams. It evolved from the Old French word for rough-hewing wood, which is why it is still used for artistic sketches today.
- If you call a person brouillon in French, you are not saying they are a 'draft', but rather that they are a confused or scatterbrained individual.
- The root of brouillon comes from the verb brouiller, which can mean to scramble eggs or to confuse someone.
Examples in context
- Voici un brouillon de mon discours.Here's a rough draft of my speech.This sentence is useful for showing how to use brouillon to refer to a rough draft of a speech.Tatoeba #12611644 by lbdx, translation #2985697 by sharptoothed
- J'ai fait un brouillon de mon discours.I made a draft of my speech.This sentence demonstrates the action of making a draft using brouillon.Tatoeba #8967946 by lbdx, translation #256282 by CK
- Il s'agit de l'ébauche du traité de paix.This is the rough draft of the peace treaty.This sentence shows the use of ébauche when referring to a formal draft of a peace treaty.Tatoeba #8967956 by lbdx, translation #56146 by CM
- J'ai terminé la première version du rapport, voici le brouillon pour vos commentaires.I have finished the first version of the report, here is the draft for your comments.
- Voici le projet de la nouvelle politique de l'entreprise.Here is the draft of the new company policy.
- J'ai commencé à rédiger une ébauche de mon discours pour la réunion.I have started drafting a speech outline for the meeting.
- Je t'envoie la version préliminaire de mon rapport. Donne-moi ton avis !I am sending you the preliminary version of my report. Give me your opinion!
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Emma are working together in a library.
- GabrielEst-ce que tu as fini ton brouillon ?Have you finished your draft?
- EmmaPas encore, je travaille sur un brouillon.Not yet, I am working on a draft.
- GabrielEst-ce que je peux le lire ?Can I read it?
- EmmaOui, voici mon brouillon pour l'article.Yes, here is my draft for the article.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “draft” translations and entries brouillon, ébauche, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries brouillon, ébauche, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
