prolongé
The English phrase 'extended' is translated into French as prolongé.
It is an adjective derived from the verb prolonger, which means to extend or prolong something in time.
Meaning: having a large scope or range, extensive (adj)
Which one should you use?
While prolongé refers to an extension in time (duration), it is not typically used to mean 'extended' in the sense of physical space or range, which would more likely use étendu.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective must agree in gender with the noun it modifies, so use the feminine form prolongée for feminine nouns. The adjective must agree in number with the noun it modifies, so use prolongés for masculine plural nouns and prolongées for feminine plural nouns.
Did you know?
- French uses the verb prolonger for things that are stretched out, but for an 'extended' version of a movie or book, you will often see the word intégrale, meaning 'integral' or 'complete'.
- If you want to describe an 'extended' family, you must use famille élargie instead of famille prolongée.
- The French verb étendre is used for 'extending' or spreading butter on bread, a usage that has no equivalent with prolonger.
Examples in context
- J'ai prolongé mes vacances.I extended my holiday.This sentence shows how to use prolongé regarding a holiday.Tatoeba #5606317 by sacredceltic, translation #3694196 by patgfisher
- Le délai a dû être prolongé.The deadline had to be extended.This sentence uses prolongé in the context of a deadline.Tatoeba #8420973 by Aiji, translation #2948360 by AlanF_US
- Ils ont prolongé leur séjour de trois jours.They extended their stay by three days.This sentence demonstrates the use of prolongé regarding a stay.Tatoeba #10505420 by lbdx, translation #7473624 by CH
- La période d'essai a été prolongée de deux semainesThe probation period has been extended by two weeks
- Ma culture s'est élargie grâce à ce voyageMy culture has expanded through this trip
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Lucas are discussing their travel plans.
- LéaTu veux faire un séjour prolongé au Japon ?Do you want to take an extended stay in Japan?
- LucasOui, je veux visiter plusieurs villes.Yes, I want to visit several cities.
- LéaC'est une excellente idée, Lucas.That is an excellent idea, Lucas.
- LucasOn pourrait même prévoir un voyage prolongé.We could even plan an extended trip.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry prolongé, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
