Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| bis | /bi/ | masculine |
| rappel | /ʁa.pɛl/ | masculine |
In French, the way you express the concept of an encore depends on whether you are describing the event or shouting a command. The noun rappel refers to the actual encore or the act of a performer returning to the stage, often used in musical or theatrical contexts as un rappel. The word bis is used as an interjection to shout the command for a repeat performance.
Which one should you use?
Use the noun rappel to refer to the actual encore or the act of the performer returning to the stage. In contrast, use bis when you want to shout the command for a repeat performance.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The word bis can also function as an interjection, written as bis!, meaning 'please perform again'. There is also a related verb, bisser, which means to call for an encore.
How do you pronounce it?
/bi/
Did you know?
- In French legal or administrative contexts, bis is used to indicate a second part or a duplicate, such as a house number 12 bis.
- The word bis is a learned borrowing from the Latin word for 'twice'.
- The word bis is used in French music notation to indicate that a passage should be played twice.
Examples in context
- La foule criait pour un rappel.The crowd cried out for an encore.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use the noun rappel.Tatoeba #1104070 by sacredceltic, translation #1103633 by CK
- « Bis ! » s'écrièrent presque tous."Encore!" shouted almost everyone.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use the interjection bis.Tatoeba #12254789 by Rovo, translation #12255745 by Miktsoanit
- Pourriez-vous jouer/chanter à nouveau?Could you play/sing again?
- Le public a crié « bis ! » à la fin du concert.The audience shouted "encore!" at the end of the concert.
Example conversation
After a piano recital in a small theater.
- ChloéIl était incroyable, on peut crier « bis ! » ?He was amazing, can we shout "encore!"?
- GabrielOui, le public semble vouloir un bis.Yes, the audience seems to want an encore.
- ChloéRegarde, tout le monde réclame un bis !Look, everyone is calling for an encore!
- GabrielJe crois qu'il va revenir sur scène.I think he is going to come back on stage.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “encore” translations and entries bis, rappel, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bis, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
