tambour
/tɑ̃.buʁ/masculine
The English word 'drum' can be translated into French as tambour or batterie.
Meaning: musical instrument (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| tambour | /tɑ̃.buʁ/ | masculine |
| batterie | /ba.tʁi/ | feminine |
Both terms refer to a musical instrument, but batterie is also a homonym that means 'battery' (such as a car battery or a set of items), which may cause confusion in non-musical contexts.
Which one should you use?
Use tambour to refer to a single drum, such as a snare drum or a marching drum. Use batterie to refer to a full drum kit or the instrument as a whole in a musical context.
How does it change in a sentence?
When expressing playing a musical instrument in French, you must use the construction 'jouer de' followed by the definite article, such as in the phrase 'jouer de la batterie'.
How do you pronounce it?
/tɑ̃.buʁ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly omit the preposition 'de' and say 'jouer la batterie' instead of 'jouer de la batterie'.
Did you know?
- The word tambour is a linguistic traveler, originating from the Arabic word ṭunbūr which originally referred to a type of stringed instrument rather than a drum.
- The word batterie can also be used in a kitchen to describe a 'batterie de cuisine', which is a complete set of pots and pans.
- In a military context, a 'tambour' refers specifically to the person playing the drum, rather than just the object itself.
Examples in context
- La batterie est faible.The drum is weak.This sentence is useful for describing a weak battery or drum.Tatoeba #1469658 by Rovo, translation #1469664 by sacredceltic
- Il joue de la batterie.He plays the drum.Tatoeba #4702174 by sacredceltic, translation #2446796 by Hybrid
- Elle sait jouer de la batterie.She can play the drum.Tatoeba #4760190 by sacredceltic, translation #311830 by CK
- Je joue du tambour dans un groupe de musique.I play the drum in a music band.
- Nous avons acheté une batterie pour former un groupe de rock.We bought a drum kit to form a rock band.
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon and Nathan are at a music store.
- ManonRegarde ce petit tambour rouge !Look at this little red drum!
- NathanIl a l'air très solide.It looks very sturdy.
- ManonJe veux acheter ce tambour pour Nathan.I want to buy this drum for Nathan.
- NathanC'est vraiment gentil de ta part !That is really kind of you!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “drum” translations and entries tambour, batterie, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries batterie, tambour, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
