tuyau
/tɥi.jo/masculine
The English word "hose" is translated into French as tuyau.
tuyau is a general term for any pipe or tube, whether it is a flexible hose or a rigid pipe. To specify that you are talking about a garden hose, you should use the phrase tuyau d'arrosage.
Meaning: flexible tube (noun)
Which one should you use?
While tuyau can refer to both a flexible hose and a rigid pipe, it is the standard term for both.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, the word boyau is sometimes used to refer to a hose.
How do you pronounce it?
/tɥi.jo/
Did you know?
- In French, the word tuyau is also used colloquially to mean a 'tip' or 'inside information', similar to how an English speaker might say 'a tip' or 'a lead'.
- The word tuyau is unexpectedly related to the sound of a bird's cry, such as a 'shriek' or 'howl', according to its Proto-Indo-European roots.
- In the world of music, tuyau specifically refers to the individual pipes of a pipe organ, known as tuyaux d'orgue.
Examples in context
- Coupe l'alimentation du tuyau !Turn the hose off.This sentence is useful for practicing how to say turn the hose off using tuyau.Tatoeba #3514595 by sacredceltic, translation #3494823 by Hybrid
- Pourrais-tu me prêter un tuyau d'arrosage ?Could you lend me a garden hose?This sentence is useful for asking to borrow a garden hose using tuyau.Tatoeba #7865422 by felix63, translation #13864364 by tieguy
- L'eau s'est arrêtée de couler car le tuyau s'est entortillé.The water stopped running because the hose has a kink in it.This sentence is useful for describing a kinked hose using tuyau.Tatoeba #809912 by sacredceltic, translation #657161 by darinmex
- Est-ce que tu peux me passer le tuyau ? J'ai besoin d'arroser les plantes.Can you pass me the hose? I need to water the plants.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Léa are in the garden cleaning the patio.
- HugoOù est le tuyau ?Where is the hose?
- LéaIl est près de la porte.It is near the door.
- HugoMerci, je vais l'utiliser.Thanks, I am going to use it.
- LéaFais attention à ne pas le salir.Be careful not to get it dirty.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hose” translations and entries tuyau, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tuyau, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
