marmotte
/maʁ.mɔt/
The English phrase "groundhog" is translated into French as marmotte.
marmotte refers to the groundhog. It is also the name for the marmot, which is a related species of large ground squirrels. Colloquially, the word is used to describe a person who sleeps a lot, similar to the English terms "sleepyhead" or "groundhog".
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables and is pronounced /maʁ.mɔt/.
Did you know?
- Unlike the North American tradition of Groundhog Day, the marmotte does not have a widespread cultural role in predicting the arrival of spring in France.
- In French, you can use marmotte as a term of endearment for a child who is staying under the covers, much like 'little sleepyhead'.
- In French culture, the phrase faire la marmotte is used to describe the act of sleeping in or spending a long time in bed, often regardless of the time of day.
Examples in context
- Est-ce que la marmotte a vu son ombre ?Did the groundhog see its shadow?Tatoeba #4710661 by sicerabibax, translation #7333043 by AlanF_US
- Tu as besoin de neuf heures de sommeil ! Tu es une vraie marmotte.You need nine hours of sleep! You are a real groundhog.Tatoeba #337967 by sysko, translation #10553989 by catimini
- J'ai observé une marmotte dans mon jardin aujourd'hui.I observed a groundhog in my garden today.
- Une marmotte court dans le jardin.A groundhog is running in the garden.
Example conversation
Emma and Gabriel are walking in a park.
- GabrielRegarde cette petite marmotte là-bas !Look at that little groundhog over there!
- EmmaOh, elle est vraiment mignonne.Oh, she is really cute.
- GabrielEst-ce qu'elle va s'enfuir ?Is she going to run away?
- EmmaJe pense qu'elle va rester calme.I think she will stay calm.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry marmotte, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
