grande
/ɡʁɑ̃d/
The French word grande means large or tall.
grande is an adjective used to describe something that is large in size or height. While it primarily refers to physical size or height, it can also be used figuratively to mean 'great' or 'distinguished' depending on the context.
Which one should you use?
The adjective changes based on the gender and number of the noun it describes. While the term generally refers to physical dimensions, its figurative meaning of 'great' depends on the context of the sentence.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the adjective depends on the noun: the masculine singular form is grand, the masculine plural is formed by adding an s to get grands, the feminine singular is grande and the feminine plural is formed by adding an s to get grandes.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡʁɑ̃d/
Did you know?
- Adding grand before certain nouns can completely change their meaning, as in une grande école, which refers to a prestigious elite university rather than just a large school.
- Using grand in the phrase grand-mère or grand-père doesn't mean the grandparent is physically tall, but rather that they belong to a 'greater' or older generation.
- The phrase faire grand jeu means to pull out all the stops or put in a maximum effort, even if no physical game or size is involved.
Examples in context
- Une grande maisonA big house
- Une grande entrepriseA large company
- Cette maison est très grande.This house is very large.
- Elle a une grande chambre.She has a large bedroom.
- La montagne est vraiment grande.The mountain is truly large.
Example conversation
Chloé and Lucas are looking at a map of the city.
- ChloéRegarde cette grande place ici.Look at this large square here.
- LucasOui, elle a l'air immense.Yes, it looks huge.
- ChloéOn peut s'y retrouver facilement.We can meet there easily.
- LucasC'est une bonne idée, Chloé.That is a good idea, Chloé.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry grande, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
