benne
/bɛn/
The English phrase "dumpster" is translated into French as benne.
In a construction or industrial context, benne is often used alone to refer to a large skip or container used for waste. To be more specific and use the standard way to specify a garbage bin or dumpster, you can use the phrase benne à ordures.
Meaning: large trash receptacle (noun)
Which one should you use?
While benne can stand alone in industrial settings, the full phrase benne à ordures is the standard way to specify that the container is for garbage.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term bacs à déchets is used for smaller waste bins in various French-speaking regions.
How does it change in a sentence?
To form the plural of benne, simply add an s to the end to get bennes.
How do you pronounce it?
/bɛn/
Did you know?
- While benne à ordures is used for large dumpsters, French speakers use the word poubelle for household bins, named after Eugène Poubelle, the prefect who mandated covered bins in Paris in 1884.
- The word benne is derived from the Gaulish word bennā, which predates the Roman influence in France.
- If you use benne in a professional setting without context, a worker might assume you mean the bucket of a heavy-duty excavator.
Examples in context
- Pour se cacher de la police, Dima passa la nuit dans une benne à ordure.Hiding from the police, Dima spent the night in a dumpster.This sentence shows the use of benne in the context of a person hiding in a dumpster.Tatoeba #480043 by trotter, translation #480021 by FeuDRenais
- Dans cette zone, veuillez jeter vos déchets dans la poubelle prévue à cet effet.In this area, please dispose of your waste in the designated dumpster.
- Le conteneur à ordures doit être placé près de la rue pour la collecte régulière.The dumpster must be placed near the street for regular collection.
- Assurez-vous de jeter vos déchets dans les bacs à déchets appropriés.Make sure to dispose of your waste in the proper waste bins.
- Où puis-je trouver une benne à ordures pour jeter ces vieilles affaires ?Where can I find a dumpster to dispose of these old items?
- Merci de jeter vos détritus dans les poubelles prévues à cet effet.Please throw your waste in the designated dumpsters.
- La benne est pleine de déchets.The dumpster is full of waste.
- On doit commander une nouvelle benne.We need to order a new dumpster.
Example conversation
Hugo and Manon are cleaning out a garage.
- HugoOn met les vieux pneus dans la benne ?Do we put the old tires in the dumpster?
- ManonOui, Manon t'aide à les porter.Yes, Manon is helping you carry them.
- HugoC'est bon, la benne est maintenant vide.It's done, the dumpster is now empty.
- ManonParfait, on a enfin fini le nettoyage.Perfect, we finally finished the cleaning.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry benne, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries benne, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
