robe
/ʁɔb/feminine
The English word "dress" is translated into French as robe.
The word robe refers to an item of clothing that covers both the upper part of the body and includes a skirt below the waist. If you are looking for the verb meaning to put on clothes, use s'habiller or if you mean to treat a wound with a dressing, use panser.
Meaning: item of clothing which both covers the upper part of the body and includes a skirt below the waist (noun)
Which one should you use?
While robe is used for a standard dress, you should use the phrase robe de chambre if you specifically mean a bathrobe or a dressing gown.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun robe is feminine, so you must use the feminine indefinite article une when saying "a dress" (une robe).
How do you pronounce it?
/ʁɔb/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use robe to mean a bathrobe or a dressing gown. In French, robe specifically refers to a standard dress.
Did you know?
- When talking about wine, the term robe describes the color and appearance of the liquid in the glass. A sommelier might comment on the 'deep' or 'bright' robe of a vintage.
- The word robe is used to describe the coat of a horse or the color of a dog's fur. In this context, it refers to the animal's natural coloring rather than a piece of clothing.
- The word robe comes from a root meaning 'booty' or 'spoils of war'. It originally referred to clothing that was stolen or taken as plunder during combat.
Examples in context
- Et cette robe ?What about this dress?This sentence is useful for asking about a specific robe.Tatoeba #6843634 by Aiji, translation #5810681 by Hybrid
- Je plie ma robe.I am folding my dress.This sentence is useful for describing the action of folding a robe.Tatoeba #1714990 by sacredceltic, translation #1665334 by Amastan
- Quelle belle robe !What a beautiful dress!This sentence is useful for complimenting a beautiful robe.Tatoeba #1927899 by sacredceltic, translation #1913094 by CK
- 393 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan and Léa are getting ready for a party.
- NathanTu as choisi ta robe ?Have you chosen your dress?
- LéaOui, je vais porter une robe bleue.Yes, I am going to wear a blue dress.
- NathanC'est une très jolie robe.It is a very pretty dress.
- LéaMerci, Nathan !Thank you, Nathan!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dress” translations and entries robe, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries robe, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
