colle
/kɔl/feminine
In French, glue is colle.
The word colle refers to a sticky adhesive substance. You can also use the related verb coller to express the action of joining things together with glue.
Meaning: sticky adhesive substance (noun)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun colle is a feminine noun. The related verb form coller means to glue or to stick.
How do you pronounce it?
/kɔl/
Did you know?
- In French schools, une colle is a common slang term for a detention. It comes from the idea of being 'stuck' in the classroom after hours.
- The word colle is used in the idiom coller aux basques to mean following someone too closely. It literally translates to 'sticking to the skirts'.
- The word colle is actually a direct descendant of the Ancient Greek word κόλλα, which also meant glue.
Examples in context
- J'ai besoin de colle.I need glue.This sentence shows how to express a need for colle.Tatoeba #5545251 by sacredceltic, translation #2631795 by Joseph
- N'utilise pas trop de colle.Don't use too much glue.This sentence provides a warning about the amount of colle to use.Tatoeba #6670642 by GB3, translation #6670637 by Hybrid
- Cette colle n'adhère pas aux plastiques.This glue does not adhere to plastic.This sentence describes the adhesive properties of a specific colle.Tatoeba #559626 by sacredceltic, translation #60719 by CK
- Où puis-je trouver de la colle ?Where can I find glue?
- J'ai besoin d'un adhésif résistantI need a strong adhesive
- J'ai besoin d'un peu de colle à papier pour ce projetI need some paper glue for this project
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Gabriel are working on a school craft project.
- EmmaOù est la colle pour mon projet ?Where is the glue for my project?
- GabrielElle est sur la table, Emma.It is on the table, Emma.
- EmmaMerci, Gabriel, je la cherche depuis longtemps.Thanks, Gabriel, I have been looking for it for a long time.
- GabrielFais attention de ne pas en mettre partout.Be careful not to get it everywhere.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “glue” translations and entries colle, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries colle, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
