couloir
/ku.lwaʁ/masculine
In French, the English phrase 'hall' (meaning a hallway or corridor) is translated as couloir. Wiktionary also lists corridor.
Meaning: corridor or a hallway (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| couloir | /ku.lwaʁ/ | masculine |
| corridor | /kɔ.ʁi.dɔʁ/ | masculine |
The term for a hallway or corridor is couloir.
Which one should you use?
couloir is the common word for a standard hallway or corridor found in a house, hotel or office. In contrast, corridor is used in French to imply a longer, more formal or more institutional passage.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both couloir and corridor are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/ku.lwaʁ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using the English loanword 'hall' in French to describe a narrow passage. In French, 'hall' refers to a large room or a ballroom.
Did you know?
- The French word couloir is also used in mountaineering to describe a steep and narrow gully on a mountain face.
- The term couloir is derived from the verb couler, which means 'to flow', suggesting that people flow through a hallway like water.
- In political contexts, French speakers use the phrase couloirs de la rédaction to refer to the inner workings and gossip of a newsroom.
Examples in context
- Je vis de l'autre côté du couloir.I live across the hall.This sentence is useful for describing where one lives in relation to a couloir.Tatoeba #2383475 by sacredceltic, translation #2377652 by CK
- La salle de bain est au bout du couloir.The bathroom is at the end of the hall.This sentence is useful for describing the location of a room at the end of a couloir.Tatoeba #7695861 by Maxence, translation #35263 by CK
- Il s'est précipité dans le couloir et a monté les escaliers.He darted into the hall and up the stairs.This sentence is useful for describing someone moving quickly into a couloir.Tatoeba #9973719 by lbdx, translation #296066 by CM
- Salle de conférenceConference Hall
- Salle d'expositionExhibition Hall
- Salle d'attenteWaiting Hall
- Couloir d'hôtelHotel Hallway
- Couloir de bureauOffice Corridor
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A man and a woman are in an apartment.
- GabrielOù est mon sac dans le couloir ?Where is my bag in the hallway?
- ChloéIl est sur le sol du couloir.It is on the floor of the hallway.
- GabrielMerci, Chloé.Thanks, Chloé.
- ChloéDe rien, Gabriel.You're welcome, Gabriel.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hall” translations and entries couloir, corridor, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries corridor, couloir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
