coupable
/ku.pabl/feminine, masculine
The English word "guilty" is translated into French as coupable.
coupable is an adjective used to describe someone who has been judged to have committed a crime. To express the specific feeling of being guilty, French speakers use the reflexive construction se sentir coupable.
Meaning: judged to have committed a crime (adj)
Which one should you use?
While coupable is an adjective meaning 'guilty', the noun for 'the guilty person' is le coupable (masculine) or la coupable (feminine).
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective coupable is invariable in gender, meaning it remains the same for both masculine and feminine subjects. The adjective coupable takes an 's' in the plural form coupables.
How do you pronounce it?
/ku.pabl/
Did you know?
- In French law, the phrase coupable is rarely used by a judge during a verdict. Instead, they use the term condamné, which literally means 'condemned'.
- French speakers often use coupable in a playful way to admit to a small indulgence, such as saying they are coupable of eating too much chocolate.
- The English word 'culpable' is a direct linguistic cousin to coupable, as both stem from the Latin 'culpa' meaning 'fault'.
Examples in context
- Je me sens coupable.I feel guilty.This example shows how to use coupable to express feeling guilt.Tatoeba #822065 by sacredceltic, translation #65627 by CK
- Je suis le coupable.I'm the guilty one.This example uses coupable as a noun to identify the guilty person.Tatoeba #3213901 by slegros, translation #2548664 by CK
- Te sens-tu coupable ?Do you feel guilty?This example demonstrates how to ask if someone feels guilt using coupable.Tatoeba #4450589 by franlexcois, translation #3738935 by CK
- Je plaide coupable, votre Honneur.I plead guilty, Your Honor.
- Il a été déclaré coupable du meurtre.He has been declared guilty of murder.
- 168 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Hugo are discussing a news report about a trial.
- LéaEst-ce que l'homme est coupable ?Is the man guilty?
- HugoOui, il est coupable.Yes, he is guilty.
- LéaC'est une triste nouvelle pour lui.That is sad news for him.
- HugoLe juge l'a trouvé coupable hier.The judge found him guilty yesterday.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “guilty” translations and entries coupable, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries coupable, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
