taille et poids
The English phrase "height and weight" is translated into French as taille et poids.
This phrase refers to the physical measurements of a person's vertical size and body mass.
What does it mean word for word?
The word taille literally means "size" or "height" when referring to a person, and poids literally means "weight".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, speakers might use the phrase Tu peses-tu? to mean "How much do you weigh?" instead of Tu pèses combien?
How does it change in a sentence?
When using these nouns in a full sentence, they are typically preceded by their respective definite articles: la for taille (feminine) and le for poids (masculine).
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using the word hauteur to describe a person's height. While it translates to "height" in English, hauteur refers to the height of objects or geographical features, whereas taille is the correct term for people.
Did you know?
- In French, the word taille is used for both a person's height and their waist size.
- The English word 'tailor' and the French word taille share the same linguistic root related to cutting fabric.
- The word poids shares a common ancestor with the Latin word pondus, which is also the root of the English word 'pound'.
Examples in context
- Excusez-moi, quelle est votre taille, s'il vous plaît?Excuse me, what is your height, please?
- Hé Tom, combien tu mesures maintenant?Hey Tom, how tall are you now?
- Tu mesures 1m75.You are 1.75 meters tall.
- Il est grand, environ 1m90.He is tall, around 1.90 meters.
- Hé Lucie, tu pèses combien en ce moment?Hey Lucie, how much do you weigh at the moment?
- Je pèse 75 kilos.I weigh 75 kilograms.
- Elle ne pèse que 55 kilos.She weighs only 55 kilograms.
- Quelle est votre taille et votre poids ?What is your height and weight?
Example conversation
Emma and Nathan are filling out medical forms at a clinic.
- EmmaNathan, as-tu écrit ta taille et poids ?Nathan, did you write your height and weight?
- NathanNon, je ne trouve pas la case.No, I can't find the box.
- EmmaC'est ici, juste sous le nom.It's here, just under the name.
- NathanAh je vois, merci Emma.Ah I see, thanks Emma.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries et, poids, taille, CC BY-SA 4.0.
