ghetto
/ɡɛ.to/
The French word for ghetto is ghetto.
ghetto refers to an area of a city where people of an ethnic group are concentrated.
Meaning: area of a city where people of an ethnic group are concentrated (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In France, Cité HLM is used specifically to refer to low-cost housing areas. Additionally, the term Quartier chaud, which literally translates to "hot neighborhood", is used in certain urban areas to describe an economically challenged neighborhood that may also experience higher crime rates.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables and is pronounced /ɡɛ.to/.
When do people say it?
In informal speech, the word Cité is often used to refer to housing projects or lower-income neighborhoods.
Did you know?
- While ghetto describes an ethnic concentration, French speakers use banlieue to describe the outskirts of a city, which has evolved into a socio-economic shorthand for marginalized areas.
- The word ghetto was borrowed from Italian into French.
- Unlike in English, where 'ghetto' is often used as an adjective, French speakers are much more likely to use it strictly as a noun to name a specific place.
Examples in context
- Elle vit dans le ghetto.She lives in the ghetto.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use ghetto in a basic statement about residence.Tatoeba #3223598 by Dreamk33, translation #2337213 by Hybrid
- Le ghetto est situé en périphérie de la ville.The ghetto is located on the outskirts of the city.
- Ils ont dû quitter le ghetto pour trouver du travail.They had to leave the ghetto to find work.
Example conversation
Hugo and Chloé are discussing a documentary about urban history.
- HugoCe film montre la vie dans un ghetto.This film shows life in a ghetto.
- ChloéEst-ce que c'est un vieux ghetto historique ?Is it an old historical ghetto?
- HugoOui, il décrit l'évolution de ce ghetto.Yes, it describes the evolution of this ghetto.
- ChloéC'est une perspective très intéressante.It is a very interesting perspective.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ghetto, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ghetto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
