sol
/sɔl/masculine
The English word "ground" can be translated into French as sol or terre.
Meaning: surface of the Earth (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| sol | /sɔl/ | masculine |
| terre | /tɛʁ/ (Europe) | feminine |
The word refers to the surface of the Earth. In French, you use different terms depending on whether you are discussing the physical walking surface or the material and the planet itself.
Which one should you use?
Use sol when you are referring to a physical surface, such as the ground beneath your feet or a floor. In contrast, use terre when referring to the substance of the earth (soil), the planet itself or the ground in a more agricultural or metaphorical sense.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The word sol is a masculine noun. The word terre is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/sɔl/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using terre when you mean the physical surface of a path or the floor of a room. In these cases, sol is the correct term for the walking surface.
Did you know?
- In musical terminology, the note 'sol' is named after a hymn for St. John the Baptist, which is entirely unrelated to the physical ground.
- In French, the word for the ground sol shares its Latin root with the English word 'sole' as in the 'sole' of a shoe.
- The word terre is used in the phrase terre-à-terre, which describes someone who is 'down to earth' or lacks imagination.
Examples in context
- Le sol a secoué.The ground rocked.This sentence shows the use of sol to describe the movement of the ground.Tatoeba #7102097 by Micsmithel, translation #1603121 by corvard
- Le sol est gelé.The ground is frozen.Tatoeba #9978157 by lbdx, translation #9738355 by maaster
- Le sol était froid.The ground was cold.This sentence shows the use of sol to describe the temperature of the ground.Tatoeba #4670196 by sacredceltic, translation #4671062 by LinguisticFusion
- Dans ce jardin, le sol est fertile.In this garden, the ground is fertile.
- Attention, ne marchez pas sur le sol mouillé.Watch out, do not walk on the wet ground.
- Regarde par terre, il y a une pièce de monnaie.Look on the ground, there's a coin.
- Assieds-toi par terre, il n'y a plus de place sur les chaises.Sit on the ground, there's no more space on the chairs.
- Le vase est tombé par terre et s'est brisé.The vase fell to the ground and broke.
- Tenir le haut du pavé.To have the upper hand.
- Rester les pieds sur terre.To stay grounded.
- 140 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Gabriel are gardening in the backyard.
- EmmaLe sol est très sec aujourd'hui.The ground is very dry today.
- GabrielOui, nous devons arroser le sol.Yes, we need to water the ground.
- EmmaOù sont les graines pour le sol ?Where are the seeds for the ground?
- GabrielElles sont juste là, Gabriel.They are right there, Gabriel.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ground” translations and entries sol, terre, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sol, terre, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
