habitude
/a.bi.tyd/feminine
The English phrase 'habit' is translated into French as habitude.
habitude refers to an action performed repeatedly and automatically, usually without awareness. To emphasize the regularity of a habit, you can use the phrase la pratique régulière.
Meaning: action performed repeatedly and automatically, usually without awareness (noun)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun is feminine, so when using the indefinite article for 'a habit', you use une habitude.
How do you pronounce it?
/a.bi.tyd/
Did you know?
- In French, the word habit exists as a separate noun from habitude, but it refers to a formal piece of clothing or a costume rather than a repeated behavior.
- If you describe a person as being habitué, you are not saying they have a habit, but rather that they are a 'regular' or a 'familiar face' at a specific place like a café.
- While in English we often speak of 'breaking' a habit, a French speaker might say they are se défaire d'une habitude, which translates more literally to 'untying oneself from a habit'.
Examples in context
- C'est devenu une habitude.That became a habit.This sentence is useful for showing how something becomes a habit using habitude.Tatoeba #10670756 by lbdx, translation #5141980 by Objectivesea
- C'est une mauvaise habitude.It's a bad habit.This sentence is useful for describing a bad habit using habitude.Tatoeba #6829024 by Aiji, translation #2648792 by CK
- C'est maintenant une habitude.It's now a habit.This sentence is useful for stating that something is now a habit using habitude.Tatoeba #6843682 by Aiji, translation #3824274 by CK
- Mon habitude quotidienne est de me réveiller à 6 heures du matin.My daily habit is to wake up at 6 a.m.
- Il a la manie de se ronger les ongles quand il est stressé.He has the habit of biting his nails when he's stressed.
- 117 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Chloé are talking about their morning routines.
- GabrielJe bois du café chaque matin, c'est une habitude.I drink coffee every morning, it's a habit.
- ChloéMoi aussi, je ne peux pas m'en passer.Me too, I can't do without it.
- GabrielVeux-tu changer cette habitude avec moi ?Do you want to change this habit with me?
- ChloéNon, Gabriel, j'adore mon café !No, Gabriel, I love my coffee!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “habit” translations and entries habitude, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
