Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| est | /ɛst/ | masculine |
| orient | /ɔ.ʁjɑ̃/ | masculine |
| levant | /lə.vɑ̃/ | masculine |
The term refers to the cardinal direction or compass point east.
Which one should you use?
est is the standard, neutral term used for the compass point. orient is a more formal or literary term often used in poetic or historical contexts. levant is another form of the word.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
est is the neutral choice for everyday use. orient is a formal or literary term. L'orient is a formal way to say 'the east'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
All three forms est, orient and levant are masculine nouns. To say 'towards the east', use the adverbial phrase vers l'est. The adjectives oriental and orientale can be used to mean 'from the East'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɛst/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers may confuse the compass point est with the French verb est (meaning 'is'), as they are pronounced identically.
Did you know?
- The word est is one of only two words in the entire French language, alongside Jésus-Christ, that still keep a silent internal 's' in their modern spelling.
- The word orient shares its root with the English word 'orientation', as both refer to the act of finding the east.
Examples in context
- Où est l'est ?Where is the east?This sentence is useful for asking for the location of the direction using est.Tatoeba #7700755 by Maxence, translation #11228624 by carlosalberto
- Je suis de la côte Est.I'm from the East Coast.This sentence demonstrates the use of est when referring to a specific coast.Tatoeba #2028521 by sacredceltic, translation #1912019 by Spamster
- Tu es aussi est-asiatique ?Are you East Asian too?This sentence uses est as part of a compound adjective for 'East Asian'.Tatoeba #10065898 by Aimi, translation #10481347 by timmartin
- L'hôtel est situé à l'est de la ville.The hotel is located to the east of the city.
- Tournez à droite à la prochaine intersection pour aller vers l'est.Turn right at the next intersection to go towards the east.
- 88 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Chloé are hiking in the mountains.
- HugoLe soleil se lève à l'est.The sun rises in the east.
- ChloéC'est donc vers là-bas ?So it is over there?
- HugoOui, direction l'est pour voir le lever du soleil.Yes, heading east to see the sunrise.
- ChloéOn y va, Hugo.Let's go, Hugo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “east” translations and entries est, orient, levant, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries est, levant, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
